Texas PUC Approves Tolk Coal Plant Closure and Renewables Buildout

The Texas Public Utility Commission ruled that Southwestern Public Service Company (Xcel Energy) can close its Tolk coal plant near Lubbock by early 2029 and build 1,100 MW of wind, 189 MW of solar and 322 MW of battery storage. Two new gas peaker plants were also approved with strict cost caps. The closure is expected to save billions of gallons of groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer.

• Tolk will retire in early 2029 instead of the previously agreed 2032
• The plant used 1.2 billion gallons of Ogallala groundwater in 2024
• New build: 1,100 MW wind, 189 MW solar, 322 MW battery storage
• In 2025 Tolk emitted 3.2 million tons of CO2 and 15.5 million pounds of SO2