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HB 1226 CO
Became Law

Manage Emissions from Electric Generating Units

CO · session 2026A · Assembly / House · bill

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Introduced Feb 18, 2026

Latest action (Jun 4, 2026) Introduced In House - Assigned to Energy & Environment

Summary

CO HB 1226 requires the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to establish emission limits for nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide from large electric generating units by July 2029. Electric utilities that own or operate covered units must comply with the emission limits by December 31, 2034 and install pollution control systems. Covered utilities must submit quarterly emission reports and provide the Public Utilities Commission with reports on compliance costs and electricity generation. Utilities may apply for financing orders to recover the costs of complying with the new emission standards.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.

Official abstract

The act requires the 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, or sulfur dioxide, or both in calendar year 2024 (covered unit). The rule must require compliance with the emission limits as soon as practicable after December 31, 2034, and must not cover units that, before December 31, 2029, have ceased operations; burn natural gas, fuel oil, or both only; or have certain systems installed. 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.     An owner or operator of a unit is required to provide quarterly emission reports showing compliance with the rule to the 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.     An investor-owned utility or wholesale electric cooperative that is the owner or operator of a unit is required, 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. An investor-owned utility is also permitted to submit an application for a financing order to recover the costs of complying with an order.     Any decision by the commission approving or modifying a portfolio in an electric resource plan of an investor-owned utility serving more than 500,000 customers must approve an amount of accredited capacity that allows the investor-owned utility to reliably achieve certain retirement and carbon dioxide emission reduction requirements. This 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 units, whichever is later.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Sponsors (25)
16 coauthors / cosponsors

Action history (16)
  1. Jun 4, 2026 Governor Signed · executive
  2. Jun 3, 2026 Sent to the Governor · executive
  3. Jun 3, 2026 Signed by the President of the Senate · upper
  4. Jun 3, 2026 Signed by the Speaker of the House · lower
  5. May 7, 2026 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass · lower
  6. May 6, 2026 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily · lower
  7. May 5, 2026 Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
  8. May 4, 2026 Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee · upper
  9. May 1, 2026 Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 05/04/2026 - No Amendments · upper
  10. Apr 29, 2026 Senate Committee on Transportation & Energy Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole · upper
  11. Apr 24, 2026 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Transportation & Energy · upper
  12. Apr 22, 2026 House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · lower
  13. Apr 21, 2026 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee · lower
  14. Apr 21, 2026 House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole · lower
  15. Feb 26, 2026 House Committee on Energy & Environment Refer Amended to Appropriations · lower
  16. Feb 18, 2026 Introduced In House - Assigned to Energy & Environment · lower
Subjects
Energy

Full text

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