Fort Collins Power Plant –
Powerhouse Energy Campus

430 N. College Avenue

The Municipal Power Plant as it looked in April 2014. (Dunn)

Electrical Power in Fort Collins

“Fort Collins was a progressive town and its citizens believed in keeping step with the march of progress in all things that promised to aid in its development or that added to the comfort and convenience of the community. The electric system of lighting streets and for domestic use was being introduced in most of the large cities of the country, giving such excellent satisfaction that a company was organized and incorporated in October, 1887, to build and operate a plant in Fort Collins. The organization was known as the Fort Collins Light, Heat and Power company, its incorporators being W. B. Stewart, E. P. Roberts, E. T. Dunning and William B. Miner. On October 18th the city council passed a resolution granting the company and its successors the right to erect and operate electric lights and right of way through all the streets and alleys for the erection of poles and laying, suspending and maintaining the necessary wires and other appliances for the transmission of electricity in, through, under or over the said streets and alleys. Mr. Stewart came from Denver. He was a machinist and mechanical engineer of acknowledged ability and experience. Mr. Roberts was the general manager of the Cheyenne electric light works. Mr. Dunning was one of the leading attorneys of Fort Collins and Mr. Miner, a prominent resident and well known man of wealth. The following day Messrs. Stewart and Roberts went to Denver to order the necessary machinery for the plant, promising to light up the city with electricity about the middle of December. The city agreed to take ten arc street lights and to pay $2,000 the first year for them. The plant furnished the city with lights until 1908 when the franchise passed by purchase under the control of the Northern Colorado Power company which generated the electricity at its big power plant in Lafayette and transmitted it from there over wires to the city. The old plant was dismanteled and the building remodeled and made to house other business enterprises.” (Ansel Watrous, History of Larimer County, Colorado, page 249.)

There was some discussion of harnessing the Poudre river to generate power for the city. (Fort Collins Courier, 24 June 1897, page 8.) The City already had power, though. Was this just to add more?

“An electric lighting system was installed in Loveland in 1901 by the Loveland Light, Heat and Power Company, which was succeeded, in 1907, by the Northern Colorado Power Company, which transmits the electric fluid from its mammoth power plant situated at Lafayette.” Ansel Watrous, History of Larimer County, Colorado, page 206.

“There is a project on foot to build an electric power plant in the Poudre Canon to supplo [sic] Fort Collins with light and power. The particulars of the plan are not yet made public.” (The Fort Collins Express, 26 February 1902, page 1.)

A more detailed report on what a power plant in the Poudre canyon would entail was given in The Fort Collins Express, 7 May 1902, page 6.

“James Vandewark and Jesse R. Wood will petition the city council at its session next Monday night for a franchise to establish and operate an electric lighting and power plant in Fort Collins.” (Fort Collins Courier, 18 June 1911)

A committee had been formed to discuss municipal power plant. (“Power Plant Mass Meeting Monday Night,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 29 March 1931, page 1.)

“City’s Reports on Power Plant To Be Studied,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 21 February 1932, page 7.

“Consulting Engineer H. S. Sands’ Report to City Commissioners on Proposed Municipal Light Plant,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 23 February 1932, page 2.

“Reduced Rates And City Plant Urged at Forum,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 2 May 1932, page 3.

“Petitions Out For City Plant: 24 Canvassers After Signers For Municipal Light and Power Plant Petitions,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 7 June 1932, page 1.

Those in favor of the power plant wanted to keep money within the community and provide jobs for Fort Collins residents. “Electric Plant To Be Issue at City Election,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 9 August 1932, page 7. 

C. P. Gillette argued, in an op-ed, that now was the time to build a new power plant because it would cost significantly less than it would have just two years prior. He also believed there would be a notable cost savings for residents. “Public Forum,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 30 August 1932, page 2.

“Fort Collins, by the decisive vote of 2,659 to 1,704, Tuesday embarked in the field of municipal ownership of utilities. The vote adopted a proposal to amend the city charter to authorize and require the city commissioners to acquire an electric light and power plant, and to issue revenue or income bonds not to exceed $745,000 in payment. … Sixty-three and 27-100 percent of the registered electorate of the city went to the polls at the special election. The total vote of 4,363 exceeded that of any previous city election. The vote last year on the Sunday theaters issues attracted the highest previous vote, 3,430. … Fort Collins is at present supplied electric current by the Public Service company of Colorado, a subsidiary of Cities Service, from the Valmont plant, near Boulder.” “Proposal for Plant Approved: Voters at Special Election For City Electric Plant By Decisive Vote of 2,659 to 1,704,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 13 September 1932, page 1.

“A motion was adopted that Mayor H. H. Hartman keep in close touch with developments which will lead to appointment of a federal works administrator for teh state of Colorado; that immediately upon such appointment being made, the city shall make formal application for a loan, and that the three city commissioners, with the city engineer and the city attorney and a committee of the Municipal Electric league shall confer at Denver with the administrator.” “City to Seek Federal Aid to Build Plant,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, June 16, 1933.

“The Public Works Administration (PWA), part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression.” “Public Works Administration,” Wikipedia. Accessed May 8, 2024.

“The public works construction pot is boiling in Fort Collins.” There were three projects that Fort Collins was trying to get money for. Parker D. Shepperd, investigating engineer representing the National and Colorado public works advisory board, came to visit sites and meet with people. Two groups of people, one in favor of a government loan and one against, for the power plant. One request was to replace obsolete pipelines in the city waterworks system. Another was to complete the conduiting of the town ditch in the city limits. “U. S. Engineer Gets Facts on Projects Here,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 22 August 1933, page 1.

Trying to obtain a $745,000 federal loan. “Press Need of Data on Plant,” Fort Collins Express-Vourier, 8 September 1933, page 1.

The City got approval for the loan and decided to move forward with plans even though the money hadn’t come through yet. “Will Proceed On Plans for Light Plant,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 22 December 1933, page 1.

The engineers agreed to work without pay with the understanding that they’d receive payment as soon as the government loan came through. “Get Assurance Bond Contract Available Soon,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 12 January 1934, page 1.

It was Earl Douglass, according to an op-ed written by Herbert A. Alpert, who first brought up the fact that the project could likely get funds through the Public Works Adminstration. He shepherded the application all the way to Washington and remained in touch with officials throughout the process. “Public Forum,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 30 March 1934, page 6.

A general history of the power system within Fort Collins is given in this article. It’s worth a read. Before the City could secure the PWA loan, they had to come to terms regarding purchasing the electricity distribution system from the Public Service company. The Public Service company told them that the whole system would cost $350,351. Fort Collins returned that it was only worth $195,443. It went to court where the jury set the value at “211,000.”  “Fort Collins Is Upon Verge of Utility Ownership Step,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 30 September 1934, page 14.

“Petitions seeking a special election in Fort Collins to vote on a proposed charter amendment to substitute a new rate schedule for electricity in place of the program for the immediate acquisition of a distributing system and the building of a municipal plant and power plant was filed with City Clerk A. J. Rosenow at 9:30 o’clock Friday morning….” “City Election Petition Is Placed on File,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 25 January 1935, page 1.

Public Service offered to reduce rates by 15% in a last ditch attempt to stop Fort Collins from building its own power plant (despite the fact that it had refused to reduce rates up to this point, despite the fact that the community did try to get them to reduce rates before the city vote). “City to Insist on Plant,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 7 January 1935, page 1.

Public Service actually appears to have offered rate reductions that were so confusing, no one could really tell how much the rate cut would be. Public Service also tried to argue that they had a “perpetual franchise.” “City Election Petition Is Placed on File,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 25 January 1935, page 4.

There was talk of postponing the power plant until such a time as Public Service raised their rates. Those in opposition pointed out that the purpose of Fort Collins having its own plant was that it could provide energy cheaper than Public Service was and it would employ locals. “Public Forum,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 24 February 1935.

Article pointing out how much money Public Service had spent on elections throughout Colorado in an attempt to keep communities from forming their own power plants. “Municipal League News: A Warning to Voters,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 3 March 1935, page 5.

Residents voted on whether to approve reduced electric rate schedules from Public Service company of Colorado or move forward with a City  municipal light and power plant program. The petition to call a special election was sponsored by the Public Service company of Colorado. It was the only item on the ballot. “Verdict At Polls Tuesday,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 17 March 1935, page 1.

The Municipal League published an advertisement on March 20, 1935 thanking Fort Collins residents for “the confidence the public has placed in our City.” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 20 March 1935, page 5.

The City posted a legal notice accepting bids on the power plant work. “Legal Publications,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 6 June 1935, page 9.

Public Service Company finally dismisses their appeal and allows Fort Collins to move forward with the construction of their own power plant. “Agree to End Power Plant Court Tangle By Dismissing Appeal,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 14 July 1935, page 1.

“‘Your Company,’ the municipal light and power department—in its present setup as created by the mayor and council of Fort Collins under ordinance No. 7 passed and approved on the 12th day of April, 1935 is financed by a revenue bond issue to be paid out over a period of years from the earnings—derived from the sale of electric current.” “Manager Palmes Answers Questions on Electric System,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 29 September 1935, page B2.

Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. were the consulting, designing and supervising engineers for the Fort Collins’ Municipal Power Plant with Fred W. Sage, resident engineer. (Advertisement for Burns & McDonnell, Fort Collins Express-Courier, 19 April 1936, page 13.)

“Elliott Company extends its congratulations and compliments to Fort Collins on the completion of its new power plant. We are proud of the opportunity your commissioners have given us — by purchasing Elliott Condensers and Auxiliaries—to do our bit in starting the newest of your industries on a successful and profiable [sic] career.” “Advertisement for Elliott Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Fort Collins Express-Courier, 19 April 1936, page 5.)

“Fort Collins municipal light and power plant took over the entire city power load at 1:40 on Saturday afternoon, and eight months and 13 days after ground was broken at the light plant site, the city was ‘on its own’ for the first time in the light and power business. A resolution formally accepting the plant will be passed at city council meeting next Friday morning, commissioners said Saturday. By that time, A. C. Kirkwood, resident engineer for Burns and McDonnell, will be ready to officially recommend final acceptance of the plant, Kirkwood said.” “City Now Supplies All Power,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, 28 June 1936, page 1.

“…the old Fort Collins Power Plant, a municipally operated, coal-fired electrical generating facility built in 1935-36. A detailed history and operational discussion of the power plant is contained in an inventory form prepared by Carl McWilliams/Cultural Resource Historians in 1994. The power plant supplied the City of Fort Collins with electricity for nearly 40 years, until the early 1970s. By the early 1990s, the power plant property, including the outbuildings, was leased to Colorado State University for use as the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory.” – Jason Marmor, M.A. “A Cultural Resources Inventory  of the Old Fort Site, Fort Collins, Colorado.” June 2002.