In alignment with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements and the Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule (section 257.107), all related plans, reports and documents are publicly available.
To view these documents, click the + next to each site to expand each section.
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Clear Spring Ranch/Ray Nixon Power Plant
The Ray Nixon Power Plant facility is located at the Clear Spring Ranch site south of Fountain, Colorado in El Paso County. The facility began operation in 1980 and is an active coal-fired power generation plant. The primary generating unit at the facility consists of a steam turbine generator with a capacity of 225 megawatts (MW).
The facility also contains two simple cycle 35-MW gas turbines used for peaking power, which were installed in 2000 and operate exclusively on natural gas. CCR produced at the facility are placed in an operating CCR Landfill located in the southern part of the Clear Spring Ranch site.
Two Coal Combustion Residuals Management Units (CCRMUs) are also located in the southern part of the Clear Spring Ranch site.
One CCRMU, referred to as the Former Brine Disposal Area or Brine CCRMU, is a historical disposal unit that is no longer active. From approximately 1980 to approximately 1994, fly ash was beneficially used to manage moisture in brine waste produced at the Ray Nixon Power Plant facility by mixing fly ash with brine prior to brine disposal in the former disposal area. This CCRMU is located northeast of the operating CCR Landfill.
A second CCRMU, referred to as the Triangular Fill Area or Triangular CCRMU, is a historical CCR disposal unit that is no longer active. This unit is located immediately adjacent to the southwest boundary of the operating CCR Landfill.
Landfill Inspection Reports |
Groundwater Assessment Monitoring Notifications & Reports |
Fugitive Dust Control Plans & Reports |
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Facility Evaluation Report |
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Martin Drake Power Plant
The Martin Drake Power Plant facility was a coal-fired plant located southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. The facility began operation in 1925 with generating units fueled by oil or natural gas, not coal. In 1962, 1968, and 1974 steam turbine generators (Units 5, 6, and 7) were constructed, each designed to run on natural gas or coal. When Units 5 and 6 were built, coal was the backup fuel, but by the 1974 construction of Unit 7, coal was the primary fuel.
The facility operated for nearly a century before ceasing operation of the coal-burning units in August 2021. Demolition of the facility was completed in 2024. The original Martin Drake power plant was replaced with six dual-fuel capable (can operate on diesel or natural gas) generators that are onsite.
Between the 1960s and 1980s, CCR produced at the facility was placed in a historic ash basin area located on the western edge of the site. This CCRMU is referred to as the Historic Ash Basins Area. Following construction of the CCR Landfill, located at Clear Spring Ranch / Ray Nixon Power Plant, CCR disposal at the Historic Ash Basins Area was discontinued and CCR generated at the Martin Drake Power Plant was transported off site and placed in the Clear Spring Ranch CCR Landfill.
Facility Evaluation Report |
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