New Bill in Colorado Doubles Renewable Energy Requirements for Some Rural Electricity Providers

SB 252, signed by Governor John Hickenlooper in early June, establishes a new requirement for rural electric cooperatives to supply 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. This doubles the previous requirement to reach 10 percent by 2020. Opponents of the new legislation contend that rural electric cooperatives are not as well positioned to manage the varying loads associated with renewable sources.