Hydroelectric

Aspen's Hydroelectric History

Aspen was the first city west of the Mississippi to have hydroelectric powered street lights. It was built to service the mines in the area and municipal power was an afterthought. By the early 1890s, both Hunter Creek and Castle Creek had their own plants. Hunter Creek’s penstock (supply pipe) was the highest and longest in the nation at the time (860 feet). A few parts of the penstock remain today. Watch the Aspen Historical Society's video on Aspen's hydroelectric past.

The current Maroon Creek hydroelectric plant was built in the late 1980s. Its maximum output is 450 Kilowatts. The Ruedi power plant was built in 1984 and has a capacity of 5.0 megawatts. The City owns the generator building and the water rights, but the dam is controlled by the Bureau of Reclamation. Both power plants sell their energy to the grid, whereas the proposed Castle Creek Energy Center will directly deliver power to the City's electric utility serving nearly 3,000 residential and commercial customers. The City of Aspen is also looking into several micro hydro projects around town.

Castle Creek Energy Center (CCEC) Information

Contact

For questions and comments, contact Dave Hornbacher, Director of Utilities and Environmental Initiatives, at 970-429-1983. 

Maroon Creek Hydro Project

Built in the late 1980s.

Maroon Creek Hydro Project

Built in the late 1980s.