Manage Emissions from Electric Generating Units
Summary
HB26-1226 requires the Division of Administration in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to propose a final rule by July 2029 establishing nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emission limits for covered electric generating units owned or operated by an electric utility that emitted 200 or more tons of NOx, SO2, or both in calendar year 2024. Units operating after December 31, 2034 must install pollution controls and comply with the emission limits by that date. Covered unit owners and operators must submit quarterly emission reports to the division. Additionally, investor-owned utilities and wholesale electric cooperatives subject to federal retirement-extension orders must file cost and generation reports with the Public Utilities Commission every 90 days, and the Air Quality Control Commission must submit a list of federally ordered units to the General Assembly by August 1, 2029.
“A unit that operates after December 31, 2034, must install certain pollution controls and comply with the emission limits on or before December 31, 2034.”
Electric utilities and wholesale electric cooperatives operating covered EGUs (units that emitted 200+ tons of NOx or SO2 in calendar year 2024) should monitor HB26-1226 as it advances through the Colorado legislature. Key deadlines embedded in the bill include a July 2029 rule-proposal target, an August 1, 2029 AQCC report to the General Assembly on federally ordered units, and a December 31, 2034 compliance deadline. Units currently planning retirement should assess whether a federal order extending operations could trigger the Section 3 reporting obligations. Note that this bill has not been enacted — it remains under legislative consideration as of the latest action on April 22, 2026.
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What changed
HB26-1226 proposes a new regulatory framework for emissions from electric generating units in Colorado. Section 2 transfers rulemaking authority from the Air Quality Control Commission to the Division of Administration in the Department of Public Health and Environment, moves the proposal deadline from December 31, 2029 to July 2029, and extends the compliance deadline from 2030 to 2034. The bill exempts units that have ceased operations, units burning only natural gas or fuel oil, and units with certain installed systems before December 31, 2029. Section 3 establishes a new 150-day reporting trigger and 90-day reporting cadence for units under federal retirement-extension orders, allows investor-owned utilities to apply for financing orders, and requires the Public Utilities Commission to approve accredited capacity for investor-owned utilities serving over 500,000 customers to meet retirement and emission reduction requirements.
Electric utilities and wholesale electric cooperatives operating covered units (those that emitted 200+ tons of NOx, SO2, or both in calendar year 2024) should monitor this bill as it progresses through the Colorado legislature. If enacted, affected entities would face new emission limits, mandatory quarterly reporting to the Division, and for those under federal orders, regular cost and generation reporting to the Public Utilities Commission. The 2034 compliance deadline provides an extended runway, but planning for pollution control installation should begin before the 2029 rule proposal to ensure readiness.
Archived snapshot
Apr 25, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
HB26-1226
Manage Emissions from Electric Generating Units
| Type | Bill |
|---|---|
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Energy |
Concerning measures to reduce emissions from certain electric generating units in the state.
Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:
Section 2 of the bill requires the ~~air quality control commission, no later than December 31, 2029, to adopt a final rule~~ division of administration in the department of public health and environment (division), no later than July 2029, to propose a final rule (rule) establishing certain limits on the emission of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide (emission limits) from an electric generating unit (unit) that is owned or operated by an electric utility, is located in the state, and emitted 200 tons or more of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, or both in calendar year 2024 (covered electric generating unit). The rule must require compliance with the emission limits as soon as practicable after December 31, ~~2030,~~ 2034, and must not cover units that have ceased operations, burn ~~natural gas or fuel oil~~ natural gas, fuel oil, or both only, or have certain systems installed before December 31, 2029. A unit that operates after December 31, 2034, must install certain pollution controls and comply with the emission limits on or before December 31, 2034.
Section 2 also requires the owner or operator of a ~~covered electric generating~~ unit ~~is required~~ to provide quarterly emission reports showing compliance with the rule to the division. ~~of administration in the department of public health and environment (division).~~ On August 1, 2029, the air quality control commission in the department of public health and environment (AQCC) must submit to the general assembly a list of any units that are subject to a federal order. If there are any units subject to a federal order, the AQCC must also submit to the general assembly recommendations on whether to amend the requirements for units subject to federal order.
Section 3 requires an investor-owned utility or wholesale electric cooperative that is the owner or operator of a unit, beginning 150 days after the issuance of a federal order requiring the unit to remain operating after the unit was scheduled to retire (order) and continuing every 90 days until the order is no longer in effect, to file a report with the public utilities commission (commission) that contains certain information about the costs to operate the unit and the amount of electricity generated by the unit. The commission must make these reports publicly available.
Section 3 also allows an investor-owned utility to submit an application for a financing order to recover the costs of complying with an order.
Section 3 also requires that, if the commission issues a written decision approving ~~a portfolio that consists of~~ or modifying a portfolio in an electric resource plan in which the commission evaluates the acquisition of supply-side resources for an investor-owned utility serving more than 500,000 customers, the commission must approve ~~a total~~ an amount of accredited capacity for the investor-owned utility to reliably implement certain retirement dates or operational restrictions applicable to the investor-owned utility's covered electric generating unit and comply with any applicable carbon dioxide emission reduction requirements. This accredited capacity requirement applies to an investor-owned utility serving more than 500,000 customers until the division determines that the investor-owned utility has achieved certain carbon dioxide emission reductions or until the investor-owned utility has retired all covered electric generating units, whichever is later.
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Prime Sponsors
Jenny Willford
Representative
Meg Froelich
Senator
Mike Weissman
Senator
Lisa Cutter
Committees
House
Energy & Environment Appropriations
Senate
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Status
Under Consideration
Introduced
Under Consideration
Related Documents & Information
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/22/2026 | Reengrossed | |
| 04/21/2026 | Engrossed | |
| 02/18/2026 | Introduced |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 03/03/2026 | PA1 |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 02/25/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/17/2026 | SA1 |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt amendment L.003 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer House Bill 26-1226, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 7-3. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | 2nd Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment L.001 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer House Bill 26-1226, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | The motion passed on a vote of 9-3. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF | |
| Date | Calendar | Motion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 04/22/2026 | Third Reading | BILL |
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/21/2026 | L.003 | HOU Appropriations | Passed [*] | |
| 02/26/2026 | L.001 | HOU Energy & Environment | Passed [*] |
- Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate.
** The status of Second Reading amendments may be subsequently affected by the adoption of an amendment to the Committee of the Whole Report. Refer to the House or Senate Journal for additional information.
| Date | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 04/24/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Transportation & Energy |
| 04/22/2026 | House | House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/21/2026 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee |
| 04/21/2026 | House | House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 02/26/2026 | House | House Committee on Energy & Environment Refer Amended to Appropriations |
| 02/18/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Energy & Environment |
Prime Sponsor
Rep. M. Froelich | Rep. J. Willford
Sen. L. Cutter | Sen. M. Weissman
Sponsor
Rep. J. Bacon | Rep. K. Brown | Rep. S. Camacho | Rep. C. Clifford | Rep. L. García | Rep. L. Goldstein | Rep. E. Hamrick | Rep. J. Mabrey | Rep. K. McCormick | Rep. K. Nguyen | Rep. E. Sirota | Rep. L. Smith | Rep. R. Stewart | Rep. T. Story | Rep. B. Titone | Rep. A. Valdez | Rep. E. Velasco | Rep. S. Woodrow | Rep. Y. Zokaie
Sen. C. Kipp | Sen. K. Wallace
Co-Sponsor
Rep. A. Boesenecker | Rep. R. English | Rep. J. Jackson | Rep. J. Joseph | Rep. M. Lindsay | Rep. J. McCluskie | Rep. A. Paschal | Rep. M. Rutinel
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