As we work to achieve our energy transition goals, we have to consider how we will continue to provide reliable energy service to our customers while simultaneously retiring the Martin Drake Power Plant by 2023.
Today was a big day in reaching those future goals as we teamed up with General Electric (GE) to announce our stopgap measure for Drake: six new state-of-the-art natural gas generators that will be brought online in 2022. This is a tremendous first step for Colorado Springs Utilities as we work to retire Drake 12 years earlier than originally planned.
These generators will sit on the site of the current coal pile at Drake. They will remain there for the foreseeable future. The units are expected to last 40 years.
The six LM2500XPRESS power generators will produce 167 megawatts while we make the transmission upgrades throughout the city and retire our two remaining coal-fired units at Drake. This will not begin until the GE generators are tested, commissioned and operating.
These generators are the last fossil fuels that we plan to bring onto our system and will help us better integrate renewable energy sources like wind and solar. They are dual-fuel capable with natural gas as the primary fuel. Diesel fuel will be stored onsite for back-up as needed.
We are thrilled to be able to partner with GE today in coming one step close to responding to our customers and retiring Drake early.
