The Executive Committee meeting of Colorado Energy Crossroads focused on finalizing the upcoming policy summit, incorporating new public opinion research, and aligning a coordinated legislative and data center strategy for the 2025–26 period. The committee is positioning the summit as a platform to connect voter concerns regarding affordability and reliability with Colorado’s 2030 and 2040 clean energy objectives, emerging data center loads, and the future of coal units such as Comanche 2 and 3.
Summit planning is largely complete, with panels, moderators, and logistics nearly finalized. Theater-style seating, simple catering, audiovisual equipment, and staging are arranged, with a site walkthrough and audiovisual tests scheduled mid-week prior to the event. Remaining tasks include confirming final panelists (including climate jobs and manufacturing), gathering concise bios and headshots, and disseminating moderator questions to ensure discussions remain focused on affordability, reliability, workforce, and data center policy.
New focus group research involving suburban women, Adams County voters, and Latino voters reveals significant concern about energy costs and a preference for an “all-of-the-above” energy mix rather than rapid timelines for 100% renewable energy. These findings align with statewide debates surrounding Colorado’s 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2040 targets, where recent reports highlight cost and reliability risks if timelines are not accompanied by substantial resources and meticulous siting. The summit will integrate quantitative polling with brief video clips (“sizzle reels”) to provide legislators with a tangible understanding of how constituents perceive clean energy, rates, and grid reliability.
On the policy front, the committee reviewed three core issues: the 2040 policy pathway, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) sunset review, and coal plant timelines at Comanche. Recent moves to adjust Comanche 2’s retirement schedule and ongoing debate over Comanche 3’s 2030 shutdown underscore tension between meeting climate commitments and avoiding near-term reliability or price shocks. The group agreed on the need for clear “guardrails” that keep Colorado on track for its statutory 2030 and 2040 goals while providing a credible transition framework for communities like Pueblo.
Data center policy is emerging as a centerpiece of the coalition’s economic and workforce narrative. Nationally, AI and cloud-driven data center construction is driving a surge in demand for skilled trades, with workers moving into the sector seeing pay increases of roughly 25–30% and some supervisory roles exceeding six-figure compensation. The committee highlighted that large facilities can support hundreds to over a thousand construction workers and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in wages and benefits over multi-year buildouts, making workforce standards, apprenticeship requirements, and mechanical/electrical capacity central to the coalition’s message.
At the same time, the committee acknowledged concerns that data centers can be highly capital-intensive but relatively low in permanent jobs, reinforcing the need to design incentives that protect ratepayers and maximize local economic benefit. Policy concepts under discussion include closed-loop or low-impact water systems, grid and transmission planning to accommodate large new loads, and rate structures that prevent cost-shifting to residential and small commercial customers.
Legislative outreach and VIP engagement were also significant priorities. The governor has been invited to deliver a speech, and there is no indication of opposition to the event, although a final decision is still pending. The committee is prioritizing 10–20 key legislative invitees, particularly leadership and energy committee members, and will utilize standardized email templates and shared invite lists to enhance attendance. The PUC sunset process and 2040 policy debate will be central topics in these discussions, particularly in light of Senator Winter’s passing and anticipated shifts in Senate leadership regarding energy issues.