PRPA Moves Forward with 400 MWh Battery, Gas Turbine Permit, and 257 MW Solar Expansion

*TL;DR: PRPA is adding a 400 MWh battery, a permit for five aeroderivative gas turbines, and a 257 MW solar phase that will become Northern Colorado’s biggest.

Context Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) is scaling its non‑carbon portfolio while preserving reliability for Fort Collins and three neighboring communities. The utility’s latest moves target three core assets: utility‑scale battery storage, fast‑start gas turbines, and a large solar expansion.

Key Facts - Construction of the Weld Energy Storage battery begins in May, with a groundbreaking slated for June 4. The system will store 400 megawatt‑hours and deliver 100 megawatts for four hours, allowing PRPA to charge when renewable output is high and discharge during peak demand. - A Colorado Air Pollution Control Division permit authorizes PRPA to build five aeroderivative gas turbines. These fast‑start units will provide dispatchable capacity while wind and solar fall short, and are slated to be operational before the Rawhide 1 coal plant shuts down in December 2029. - Phase 2 of the Black Hollow Sun solar project completed panel installation in March and is expected online in the second half of the year. At 257 megawatts, it will eclipse all existing solar facilities in Northern Colorado and generate roughly 608 gigawatt‑hours annually.

What It Means The battery will be PRPA’s first utility‑scale storage asset, a cornerstone of its goal to reach a 100 % non‑carbon mix without sacrificing reliability. By pairing the battery with the new turbines, the utility creates a flexible bridge: the turbines can back‑up the grid during extended renewable lulls, while the battery smooths short‑term fluctuations. The solar expansion pushes non‑carbon resources past the 44 % share recorded in Q1, moving the utility toward its target of over 80 % by the time Rawhide 1 retires. Critics note the $623 million turbine investment could become a stranded asset if cleaner alternatives emerge, but PRPA argues the turbines enable a more aggressive renewable rollout. Overall, PRPA’s coordinated rollout of storage, gas‑turbine backup, and large‑scale solar positions it to meet growing demand, reduce carbon intensity, and maintain grid stability.

What to watch next: Completion of the battery by year‑end, turbine testing alongside Rawhide 1, and the solar phase’s commercial start in late 2026.