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Cherokee — Power plant · Gas, combined cycle · Public Service Co of ColoradoCORESITE REAL ESTATE DE3 - CORESITE DE3 — Large load · CO · 2.4 km awayIRON MOUNTAIN DATA CENTERS - FORTRUST — Large load · CO · 3.3 km awayLOCKHEED MARTIN - DENVER DATA CENTER — Large load · CO · 4.3 km awayCORESITE - DE1 — Large load · CO · 7.3 km awayINTELISHIFT US LLC - DENVER DATA CENTER — Large load · CO · 12.1 km awaySAMARITANS PURSE DATA CENTER — Large load · CO · 16.4 km awayAMAZON DATA SERVICES - DEN-22 — Large load · CO · 18.2 km awayORACLE AMERICA - BROOMFIELD CAMPUS — Large load · CO · 18.6 km awayFLEXENTIAL - DEN03 DATA CENTER — Large load · CO · 18.9 km awayAPA060 - Phase 5 MDC (Aurora data centre) — Large load · CO · 20.0 km awayJPMORGAN CHASE - PROJ SYCAMORE-BROOMFIEL — Large load · CO · 20.5 km awayQTS AURORA LLC - QTS DEN1 — Large load · CO · 22.8 km awayDEN1-DC2 (Aurora data centre) — Large load · CO · 23.1 km awayJPMORGAN CHASE - PROJECT SYCAMORE AURORA — Large load · CO · 23.3 km awayFront Range Project — Biomass · CO · 1.6 MW · 24.9 km away
  • Combustion
  • Loads
  • In development
  • Operating
  • Stage not stated
  • Size not stated
  • 10 · 100 · 1,000 MW

Cherokee

Power plant · Gas, combined cycle

Key facts

Power plant · Gas, combined cycleran 42% of 2025 Operating
Capacity
Capacity: sourceEIA-860M · Open licenseMW
Commissioned
1968
Net generation, 2025
3,671,714 MWh
Grid
115 kV to Public Service Co of Colorado (PSCO)
Location
Adams County, Colorado

Output

Net generation MWh by year, 2001 to 2026
Fuel burned MMBtu by year, 2001 to 2026
  • Gas
  • Coal
  • Oil

Operations detail

Details

Who’s behind it

Owner
Xcel Energy

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Technology
Gas, combined cycle source: “Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle”
Age
58 years since 1968
Unused energy
5,144 GWh 2025Unused energyA lead, not a guarantee: MW × hours × (1 − capacity factor) for the latest year (EIA-923), gas, coal and oil plants only. Air-permit run-hour caps, heat rate (cost to run) and capacity-market or reliability obligations can rule it out.
Heat rate
7,828 Btu/kWh 2025
All 6 attributes from EIA-860M Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory
AttributeValue
EPA greenhouse gas reporting (GHGRP)
EPA FRS ID
110070205036
Subparts reported
C, D
NAICS code
221112
Subpart PP (CO2 supply)
No
Subpart RR (geologic sequestration)
No
Subpart UU (CO2 injection)
No
Reporting year
2023
GHGRP facility ID
1007207
Fuel burned (MMBtu), 202528,740,949
Capacity factor, 20250.416
Heat rate (Btu/kWh), 20257,827.7
Net generation (MWh), 20253,671,714
Balancing authority codePSCO

Retirement

EIA-860M September 2026StatusSome generators are scheduled to retire; most of the plant's capacity is not, so it is shown as operating. As of EIA-860M for September 2026.
Capacity retired
420.5 MW
Generators retired
3
Next scheduled retirement
December 2028
Capacity scheduled to retire
380.8 MW
Generators scheduled to retire
1
Share of in-service capacity scheduled
38%
Capacity still in service
1,006.4 MW
GeneratorTechnologyNameplateStateDate
2Conventional Steam Coal125 MWRetiredOctober 2011
1Conventional Steam Coal125 MWRetiredApril 2012
3Conventional Steam Coal170.5 MWRetiredAugust 2015
4Natural Gas Steam Turbine380.8 MWScheduled to retireDecember 2028
By technology
TechnologyRetiredScheduled to retire
Conventional Steam Coal420.5 MW
Natural Gas Steam Turbine380.8 MW

Grid

EIA-860 2025Grid fieldsAs the plant reported them to EIA-860 for 2025 (Schedule 2).
Grid voltage at the plant
115 kV
Transmission or distribution system owner
Public Service Co of Colorado
Balancing authority
Public Service Company of Colorado
NERC region
WECC
Can the connection be reused?

A plant that retires usually leaves its substation, transmission connection and interconnection agreement behind, and those may be reusable by a new project at the same site. FERC Order No. 845 lets an interconnection customer use surplus interconnection service at an existing site, and some transmission providers' tariffs let a replacement resource take over a retiring unit's interconnection service, usually within a set time after the retirement. Whether any such right still exists here, who holds it and on what terms depends on the owner, the transmission provider and timing; this page does not establish any of that.

Ownership

2 companies2
CompanyRoleShareAs ofSource
Public Service Co of Colorado Operator EIA-860M
Xcel Energy Owner 100.0% 31 Dec 2023 EPA GHGRP

Timeline

  • Stated Unit 4 scheduled to retire, 380.8 MW · EIA-860M
  • Stated Unit 3 scheduled to retire, 170.5 MW · EIA-860M
  • Stated Unit 1 scheduled to retire, 125 MW · EIA-860M
  • Stated Unit 2 scheduled to retire, 125 MW · EIA-860M
  • In service · EIA-860M

Around this plant

Nearby

within 25 km
ProjectKindAwayMW
CORESITE REAL ESTATE DE3 - CORESITE DE3 Built Large load 2.4 km
IRON MOUNTAIN DATA CENTERS - FORTRUST Built Large load 3.3 km
LOCKHEED MARTIN - DENVER DATA CENTER Built Large load 4.3 km
CORESITE - DE1 Built Large load 7.3 km
INTELISHIFT US LLC - DENVER DATA CENTER Built Large load 12.1 km
SAMARITANS PURSE DATA CENTER Built Large load 16.4 km
AMAZON DATA SERVICES - DEN-22 Built Large load 18.2 km
ORACLE AMERICA - BROOMFIELD CAMPUS Built Large load 18.6 km
FLEXENTIAL - DEN03 DATA CENTER Unknown Large load 18.9 km
APA060 - Phase 5 MDC (Aurora data centre) Built Large load 20.0 km
JPMORGAN CHASE - PROJ SYCAMORE-BROOMFIEL Built Large load 20.5 km
QTS AURORA LLC - QTS DEN1 Built Large load 22.8 km
DEN1-DC2 (Aurora data centre) Filed Large load 23.1 km
JPMORGAN CHASE - PROJECT SYCAMORE AURORA Built Large load 23.3 km
Front Range Project Postponed Biomass 24.9 km 1.6

Sources EPA ICIS-Air · EPA ICIS-NPDES · FAA OE/AAA · EIA-860M