Statement on Colstrip 1 & 2 retirement

BELLEVUE, Wash. (6/11/2019) The two oldest units of the Colstrip Generating Station in eastern Montana will be shut down at the end of the year according to Talen Montana.

The two oldest units of the Colstrip Generating Station in eastern Montana will be shut down at the end of the year according to news released today by Talen Montana, the plant’s operator. Puget Sound Energy and Talen co-own Colstrip Units 1&2. The two units had planned to shut down no later than July 2022. Talen cited financial challenges as the primary reason for the early closure.

“Our customers want a better energy future,” said Ron Roberts, PSE’s director of Generation and Natural Gas Storage. “Helping our state transition from coal, along with the billons we’ve invested in renewable energy, is helping make that vision a reality. At the same time, our obligation is to provide customers with the lowest cost energy available. We’ve consistently talked about how the economics of coal may be the primary driver of plant closures, as is the case with Units 1&2.”

“We’ve also been steadfast in our commitment to the community of Colstrip, as reflected in the $10 million we’ve given them for community transition planning,” Roberts continued. “The community has been our partner for decades, and not just the men and women who work at the plant, but their families, friends and neighbors too. We are invested in their future success.”

No shut down date is set for Colstrip Units 3&4. PSE is one of six owners in these two newer units. However, Washington state’s recently passed 100% clean electricity law mandates that coal be removed from utility power supplies by the end of 2025.