Editor’s note: This article was updated Monday morning to include comments from City Council at-large candidate Joe Woyte.

Nicole Rosa attended a recent Colorado Springs Utilities board meeting and said she almost had a heart attack when she heard the projected costs of technology to clean the pollutants coming out of the downtown coal-fired power plant.

Utilities staff members reported that the price tag, so far, for the Neumann Systems Group scrubber technology at Martin Drake Power Plant was $170 million – up from its original projected cost of $20 million and up from the 2013 projected cost of $131 million. The scrubber technology being installed is expected to be in use by 2016.

It’s a big investment and has Rosa wondering whether the cost of adding the scrubber technology to the coal-fired power plant is more than the cost to investigate and build an alternative power source. The next City Council will determine a time line for Drake’s decommissioning. The council will consider a range of options from closing the plant within five years to keeping it open for 20 or more years.

“We live in a gorgeous place and we have visitors and tourists coming here and they see that thing and say, ‘what is it? That is a coal-fired power plant in the heart of your downtown?’ ” Rosa said.

In April, voters will elect three at-large City Council members and voters in District 2 will elect a new council member to complete the remainder of Joel Miller’s term. Miller resigned his seat in November to run for mayor. 

Rosa was among 20 people who attended two reader forums and talked Gazette editors and reporters about what is important in the upcoming election, where voters also will choose a new mayor.

Rosa’s question to City Council candidates is: “We have a coal fired power plant downtown. What should we do about it?”

Some of the 13 at-large City Council candidates say Drake provides low cost energy to Colorado Springs and they would vote to keep the plant operational as long as possible. Some say Utilities already has invested $170 million into pollutant cleaning technology and the city should keep the plant open so as not to lose the investment. And some candidates say the 52-year-old coal-fired power plant needs to be decommissioned sooner rather than later.

Here are the responses from at-large candidates:

Yolanda Avila, 59, a retired criminal defense investigator, recently toured Drake. “It’s time to transition into innovative forms of energy like solar and wind,” she said. “We need to transition out, not immediately, but with a five-year plan.”

Merv Bennett, 66, is the only incumbent running for an at-large seat. He also recently toured Drake and was pleased with the progress of the scrubber technology installation. “It’s in excellent condition and will be fully up and running by the end of March,” Bennett said.

A fire erupted inside Drake in May and damaged one of three turbines, which has been undergoing repair. “We need to continue to operate it. It provides clean and low cost power and meets and exceeds all environmental requirements.”

Vanessa Bowie, 36, a recent UCCS graduate with a master’s in public administration, said she sides with the Sierra Club in its push for solar or wind power as an alternative to coal. “We need to work with the unions and current employees to get proper training so they can move over to a field of solar or wind power.”

Jesse Brown Jr., 72, a pastor at Christ Temple Community Church and Wal-Mart employee, said there should be no quick decisions. “But we have to recognize the fact that this particular plant has had a long life and perhaps has overstayed its time,” he said. “With that, I would look forward to making sure we study it along the way and do what is needed for the health of the community . . . I would lean toward shuttering it sooner rather than later because of the health concerns and environmental impact. The time frame must be decided with research and information and to replace it is a decision council must reach in concert with the constituency and with the stakeholders.”

Glenn Carlson, 31, corporate supplier manager at Arrow Electronics and small business owner, said decommissioning a power plant is not something that can be done overnight. “I fully recognize the need to get off coal, however, we must take into account that this a long-term decision and will require proper planning and funding – neither of which we are prepared for at this moment. At any rate, developing alternative energy and moving toward a better system is something I would like to start planning and investing in right now.”

Longinos Gonzalez Jr., 45, teacher and retired Air Force officer, said the city has an award-winning Utilities operations that keeps the cost of energy low and he would favor maintaining long-term use of the plant for 15 years or longer.

“We have invested a large amount of money on scrubber technology to get us in approved and above emission regulation . . . we need to continue to utilize the system, otherwise it’s wasted money.”

Nicholas Lee, 34, university instructor and business owner, said the Drake question needs to begin with a feasibility study into the governance of the Utilities board, which now is the City Council but could include appointed experts, he said. A change in the board could help with technical questions such as decommissioning of a coal-fired power plant. For now, however, City Council will make the decision.

“There was a third-party feasibility study, based on the results – and there needs to be more specific study – the next 5 to 10 years makes the most sense.”

The half-million study by HDR engineering laid out 12 scenarios that includes comparing financial, environmental and social costs of the plant.

“The report recommended 6 years in 2013 (for decommissioning) which would mean closure by 2019 . . . we need a little more time, but 5 to 10 years is achievable.”

Al Loma, 55, pastor at Victory Outreach church, said Colorado Springs has some of the cheapest electricity in the country. “We should use it,” he said. “It probably has a shelf life of 20 years, so there is no hurry to make a decision. But we should do due diligence to look at all viable options. We live in coal country and we have the some of the cheapest in the country.”

Bill Murray, 65, a retired military officer, said Utilities should be investigating how to store energy produced by solar and wind.

“We don’t need Drake,” he said. “The only reason we are using Drake is because coal is less expensive than gas or we would have converted. The key here, we look at the (Electric Integrated Resource Plan) – the EIRP is looking 10 years ahead. We can’t move the plant out, unless we find a viable method to replace it – meaning economically viable. We have reliable, dependable and inexpensive electricity.”

Tom Strand, 66, a former Colorado Springs School District 11 school board president, said coal is fuel from another era but the City Council needs to balance low rates with clean air.

“I would not be in favor of keeping coal for a long time – 3 or 5 years or longer,” he said. “I need more information about how we could go to natural gas. Maybe we could combine renewable fuel – whether that is wind or solar – there has to be a major effort to look at energy production and well as transitioning to natural gas.”

Vickie Tonkins, 51, a University of Phoenix professor and co-founder of the Destiny Project athletic program for children, said Utilities is a first-rate company and Drake has been equipped to last 20 more years.

“Coal is the most inexpensive way to produce heat. There is nothing that comes close. I can’t see just looking at the idea of bringing in something new. The cost is so expensive. We have something that is keeping our rates low, if we try to put something new in, there is no telling what will happen to the rates.”

Jariah Walker, 37, owner of Walker Asset Management Realty, said the issue needs more data and hard look at the pros and cons. “We have to start planning for what it means if we move toward decommissioning. I would absolutely rely on a lot of expertise on that. In any decision, I am strongly looking at the cost and what that means to businesses that want to expand and want to relocate.”

In the District 2 race, the two candidates vying for the seat vacated by Councilman Miller, share similar views when it comes to Drake:

Larry Bagley, 71, a retired military officer, said Drake is coming back up to speed after the May fire. One of the three turbines, which was the most damaged in the fire, is expected to be operational in March.

“The emission controls are enough to met EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards for the next couple of years,” he said. “We keep operating it until it is not effective for the city. It provides a cheap rate for the users.”

Kanda Calef, 39, who co-founded the Business Chamber of Southern Colorado, said Drake provides low cost, reliable energy to Colorado Springs Utilities customers.

“I advocate against the shut down of Drake considering the working poor and those on fixed incomes are the first to be impacted,” she said. “Renewable energy has come a long way, however, there is still not a feasible market replacement for our current energy infrastructure.”

Nicole Rosa Two forums with readers were held on Thursday, January 29, 2015, at the Gazette to discuss what issues the participants would like to see covered in the upcoming election. (The Gazette/Jerilee Bennett)

JERILEE BENNETT/THE GAZETTE