To the Major Energy Players in Colorado
Subject: The biggest issue we face on energy in Colorado (it’s not nuclear vs. wind/solar)
Maybe I was reading too much into it but, in my interviews of Jack Ihle of Xcel and Travas Deal of CSU I got the impression that they are struggling to make a decision on power sources.
It hit me that this is a new world for them. Utilities have no experience with rapid uncertain demand growth. They also have no experience with intermittent power sources. And the cost of building a nuclear plant is ??? So I sent them the following email. I hope it helps.
To: Governor Jared Polis
Colorado Legislators (Energy Committee Members)
Colorado Energy Office
Public Utility Commissioners
Office of the Consumer Advocate
Xcel Energy, Colorado Springs Utility, Black Hills, TriState
Hi all;
Colorado stands at a pivotal moment in its energy future - one that demands immediate and decisive action.
Electricity demand is surging at an unprecedented pace. Data centers, industrial expansion, and statewide electrify-everything efforts are driving consumption to new heights - with no clear limit in sight. At the same time, the technologies that will power our grid - solar, wind, storage, nuclear, and more - are evolving rapidly. Any decision made today risks becoming outdated within a few short years.
This dynamic creates a crisis not of resources, but of indecision. The entire energy ecosystem is struggling to navigate a landscape of uncertainty unlike anything we've faced before. Yet doing nothing, or deferring hard choices, is the most dangerous path of all.
Right now, energy policy in Colorado is being shaped by default through small, reactive decisions driven by specific issues and short-term expediency. This isn’t strategic policymaking - it’s drift. Left unchecked, it will lead us to a future of costly, unreliable power still burdened by significant carbon emissions.
Government operates differently than business - but there is much we can learn from the high-tech sector. High tech companies routinely make high-stakes decisions, sometimes bet the company decisions, with incomplete data. They know that hesitation guarantees failure, so they choose a path, act boldly, and adapt as they go.
Colorado’s energy policy must adopt that mindset.
Waiting for perfect information means missing the window for meaningful action. A suboptimal plan executed today is better than a perfect plan that never materializes.
To move forward, we must:
Act decisively, accepting imperfection. No generation mix will be immune to disruption. Like tech companies, we must prioritize progress over perfection - make informed bets, and iterate as needed.
Follow the numbers. Set aside preconceptions and assess every option with rigor. Fully account for total lifecycle costs - including reliability, scalability, and backup infrastructure needs.
Don’t depend on future technology. Once a new technology is producing at scale, use it appropriately. But do not assume any technology in development will ever be available at scale. Most will fail.
Build now. Analysis paralysis is our greatest enemy. Start construction on projects - whether solar, wind, storage, or nuclear - knowing we can adjust course as technology evolves.
Provide legislative guidance. The legislature has a critical role to play. Offer clear, achievable direction to guide the Public Utilities Commission without locking the state into rigid, outdated mandates.
You’ll note I did not write this letter to advocate for any specific technology, but to emphasize the urgent need for decision-making itself. The greatest obstacle we face is not technological or financial - it's the reluctance to act in the face of uncertainty. This entire industry ecosystem needs to learn to gather the facts quickly, evaluate carefully, then decide. And build.
Because if we wait for certainty, we’ll wake up in a future we didn’t shape - one marked by higher costs, greater instability, and missed opportunities. We owe Coloradans better. Please, have the confidence to lead.
Sincerely,
David Thielen
The single largest error I made at Windward was a leap we didn’t take.1 The lost opportunity would have, in hindsight, made Windward 10x - 20x as successful/valuable.
Delaying a decision can be very expensive.
Integrating with Salesforce.com, both product and marketing/sales. We would have preceded Cognos.