Xcel Power Plant to be Closed

Here's some recent good news for clean air and public health in the Denver metro area. Xcel officially announced it intends to close down the coal-fired Arapahoe power plant.

The Arapahoe power plant, located in south Denver, releases over 2,500 tons of nitrogen oxides annually, which react with sunlight to form ozone. That's over 10% of all the smog forming pollution released by coal burning power plants in Denver.

With the Denver metro area officially in violation of federal health standards for smog, the move is good news for efforts to keep people safe and healthy. It also promises a huge payback. The EPA has found that for every dollar spent on reducing ozone, we reap $8.50 back in reduced health care costs and increased productivity.

Spending money on closing the Arapahoe power plant is a major boost for the health of the Denver metro area.