One million pound combustion turbine to be moved through Northern Colorado, traffic disruptions projected Saturday

In an effort to expand its energy output to consumers, Xcel Energy is preparing to move a massive combustion turbine through Northern Colorado on Thursday.

Delivered from GE to a yard in Loveland recently, the natural gas turbine is now loaded on a trailer and ready to be moved to Platteville.

"What's sitting there on the trailer weighs north of one million pounds," said Hans Rodvik, area manager for Xcel Energy.

Wrapped in a tarp, the turbine is loaded on one of the largest trailers many will ever see. With more than 160 wheels, the trailer will require roadways in eastern Larimer County and western Weld County to be shut down at times on Saturday.

"It is, generally, just a giant gas engine," Rodvik said.

The turbine's final destination is the Fort St. Vrain Plant in Platteville. Xcel Energy is in the process of constructing a larger facility at the former nuclear power plant. A second identical turbine, along with two generators, will be transported to the location at a later date.

"[When up and running, it will] burn natural gas to create electricity," Rodvik said.

Xcel Energy said this project is part of a $500 million investment to expand the power grid in Colorado.

"It was part of our clean energy plan filing that was approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in 2024," Rodvik said. "It is going to add about 200 megawatts of capacity to that plant, making it our biggest plant in Colorado."

Rodvik said that it will be enough to easily power hundreds of thousands of homes in Colorado.

When the project is complete, Xcel Energy hopes to have the turbines operating and exporting power in 2027.