Governor Jared Polis signed bipartisan Senate Bill 72, calling for a multi-state, regionally interconnected electricity system to improve grid resilience, reliability, and reduce customers’ energy costs.

DENVER, June 24, 2021 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) participated in the signing ceremony for Senate Bill 72* (SB 21-072) by Governor Jared Polis. SB 72 enables critical investments in the electricity infrastructure needed to reliably transport clean energy across the state and region, and requires state utilities to join a regional transmission organization (RTO) by 2030. The bipartisan bill was passed by the House on June 3 (vote 49-15). 

“Thank you Governor Polis for signing this bipartisan bill into law. This legislation will ensure that Colorado effectively builds out the transmission infrastructure needed to drive advanced energy investment and reliably integrate these resources into the grid,” said Emilie Olson, Principal at Advanced Energy Economy. “Colorado will reap the full benefits of a modernized energy system—including improved grid reliability and resilience, and lower costs for customers—as it takes a leadership position on regional coordination with other Western states.”

“We commend legislative sponsors Senator Hansen, Senator Coram, Representative Alex Valdez, and Representative Catlin, as well as the entire Legislature, for passing this forward-looking policy,” said Olson. “It will put Colorado on a path toward achieving the state’s ambitious decarbonization goals, sustain economic growth, and prepare our electricity grid for the challenges ahead.

With the advanced energy industry already employing more than 62,000 Coloradans and jobs expected to grow 7% in 2021, SB 72 will attract additional private investment and create more good-paying jobs, especially in rural Colorado.

“AEE looks forward to working with the Administration, the Legislature, and the Public Utilities Commission to ensure that implementation delivers maximum benefits for ratepayers and meaningful movement on Colorado’s environmental and economic development priorities,” said Olson. 

Background Materials

• Read our previous statement on SB 72’s passage.
• Read the coalition letter supporting SB 72.
• Read our 2021 jobs fact sheet on the state of advanced energy employment in Colorado.