Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp.‘s utility, Black Hills Energy — Colorado Electric has filed with state regulators to build natural gas-fired generation unit in the state and close two of its coal-fired units in Pueblo, CO, in compliance with the Colorado Clean Air, Clean Jobs Act (HB 1365) passed last year. Black Hills asked the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for approval to build a third gas-fired unit at its Pueblo Airport Generation Station. The utility will then close its coal-fired W.N. Clark generating facility in the area. Black Hills already is building two gas-fired units at the airport site; all three are using General Electric LMS100 turbines.

The New Mexico state legislature passed an item to initiate a study of natural gas as a transportation fuel, declaring that expanded use of gas to power vehicles would be good for the state and the United States. There was no immediate indication whether the governor would sign the measure. The legislative action (HM 41), under New Mexico’s system called a “house memorial,” or resolution, seeks to involve state universities in producing reports by Nov. 1 that look at natural gas transportation fuel use and make recommendations on how the state can expand the use of natural gas vehicles (NGV). HM 41 called on the involvement of the University of New Mexico law school, a study center at New Mexico State University and the presidents of the four other state institutions: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Eastern and Western New Mexico University, and New Mexico Highlands University.

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