Xcel Energy Approved to Build Power Lines From Pueblo to Denver

Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission has overruled Elbert County commissioners to approve Xcel Energy’s application to construct transmission lines as part of the statewide Power Pathway project. The decision grants the utility authority to build 140-foot power lines along a stretch of Highway 86, despite the county having previously denied the necessary permits.

The infrastructure is designed to transport electricity from the vicinity of Pueblo to the Denver metro area. The approved route passes through a portion of Colorado that is not currently serviced by Xcel Energy.

Regulatory Justification and Reliability

The Power Pathway project had previously been granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity by the commission. During the hearing, PUC commission counsel Ruth Harper stated that blocking the specific segment in Elbert County would have implications extending beyond the local jurisdiction.

Staff concludes that preventing Segment 5 [the Elbert County part] from moving forward would make electricity dirtier, less reliable and more expensive for customers across the state

Ruth Harper, PUC commission counsel

PUC Commissioner Eric Blank added that the evidence supported the statewide necessity of the line, noting that the state needs this specific transmission line to maintain reliability and resource adequacy in a timely and affordable way.

Commissioner Megan Gilman commented on the nature of the regulatory role, stating, Clearly no one takes this job to make these sorts of decisions.

Landowner Opposition

The decision follows opposition from Elbert County officials and local landowners. These parties had advocated for an eastern route for the transmission lines to move the infrastructure away from residents and Highway 86.

Power Pathway Project Status

The Power Pathway is a multi-segment project aimed at delivering energy economy benefits to rural Colorado and communities across the state. As of July 2025, the project’s progress is divided across several stages:

• Segments 2 and 3 are currently in-service, including the May Valley, Goose Creek, and Canal Crossing substations.
• Construction is underway on Segment 1, located in Weld and Morgan counties, and Segment 4, located in Pueblo, Kiowa, and Crowley counties.
• Land use permitting continues for Segment 5, which covers El Paso, Elbert, and Arapahoe counties.

Xcel Energy has already received land use permit approvals for Segments 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the City of Aurora and the following counties: Lincoln, Pueblo, Crowley, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Kit Carson, Washington, Morgan, and Weld.

Current construction activities involve the use of helicopters to assist in stringing wire between poles. Xcel Energy has stated it will coordinate these operations with local officials and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Land agents continue to conduct outreach to landowners along the preferred routes to evaluate site-specific concerns and discuss necessary easements. Construction crews are also reviewing the routes for access constraints and other factors that may impact construction methodology.