In rural northwestern Colorado, the town of Craig is at a crossroads. Coal has long been the primary employer and economic driver in this small, tight-knit community, which takes pride in providing energy to the surrounding region. Here, coal is an identity. A duty. A way of life.

But something is about to change. The nearby coal plant and mines will close by decade's end as Colorado moves on from fossil fuels. Now, Craig faces an uncertain future. Some business owners and local officials are seeking reinvention. Others still hold out hope of a coal revival. 

This is a story about the energy we use every day. But it's also about resilience in the face of change. Craig is only the latest American coal town to face a transition. It won't be the last. Can it succeed where others have failed?  

A new series from the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, produced in partnership with House of Pod.

For more information, visit coalatsunset.org

There's a popular saying in Craig, Colorado: "Coal keeps the lights on."

But in 2020, the electrical utility Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association announced that it would close its coal-fired power plant and coal mines in Craig by 2030. The news was like an earthquake. Hundreds of jobs would be lost. The town now faces the prospect of massive economic disruption as its primary industry disappears.

In our first episode, we travel to Craig and hear from the CEO at the center of that decision, a coal worker bracing for change, and one local business owner who's already looking for ways to reinvent the town's identity. What will Craig do now?

To explore more from this episode, visit https://coalatsunset.org/episodes/episode-1-the-decision/

Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock

Guests: 
• Duane Highley, CEO, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
• Jennifer Holloway, Executive Director, Craig Chamber of Commerce
• Kirstie McPherson, owner, 518 Wine Bar & The Find
• Graham Roberts, environmental supervisor, Trapper Mining Inc.

Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and was produced in partnership with House of Pod.

To hear bonus clips and find additional resources, visit https://coalatsunset.org/

In our second episode, we travel inside the Craig coal-fired station to learn more about the science and economics of coal amidst a rapidly changing renewable energy landscape. For centuries, society has relied on coal because it's been dependable. Reserves can be stored indefinitely and burned as needed to meet electricity demand in any weather, any time of day.

But coal has been losing ground to renewables like wind and solar for decades as the prices of cleaner, greener technologies have come way down. And now, Colorado has made greenhouse gas reductions a priority. Coal is no longer the market driver it once was.

Energy is a global challenge. But the transition is well underway. What will the state reasonably be able to achieve over the next decade? And what will that mean for our electricity?

To hear bonus clips and additional resources for this episode, visit https://coalatsunset.org/episodes/episode-2-the-cost/

Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock

Guests:

• Tim Osborn, plant manager, Craig station

• Suzanne Tegen, Assistant Director, Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University

• Bob Rankin, Colorado State Senator, District 8

Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod. 

For more, visit https://coalatsunset.org/