CORE Electric Cooperative is building a new substation and battery storage site in Castle Rock, near Founders. The project, which CORE calls the Monte Ridge Substation, sits on just over 22 acres near the intersection of North Ridge Road and East Plum Creek Parkway. Construction is planned for 2026, with an expected in-service date in 2027.
The Project
- Location: Near North Ridge Road and East Plum Creek Parkway, Castle Rock, close to the Founders neighborhood
- Size: Just more than 22 acres
- Footprint: Approximately 270 feet by 370 feet for the substation structure
- Battery storage: A linked battery energy storage system (BESS), built after the substation itself is operational, meant to "offset peak electric load times to keep rates competitive," per CORE
- Capacity added: 100 MW
- Timeline: Substation construction in 2026; in-service date expected 2027
Why CORE Says It's Needed
CORE's existing Castle Rock Substation is already running near maximum capacity. Per CORE's own project page, the town has approved new single-family home construction in the area that would push that existing substation well over its limit without a second site to share the load. CORE frames Monte Ridge as "essential to the Town of Castle Rock's vision of a growing community."
Already Approved by the County
Douglas County's Planning Pro system shows the project, listed as LE2025-004, "Monte Ridge, 1st Amendment, Lot," request for electric substation and battery energy storage, as approved, with the file marked completed April 11, 2025. The parcel is zoned Large Rural Residential, where utility facilities are a permitted use, meaning CORE didn't need a rezoning to build there.
What Neighbors Raised
At the Douglas County Planning Commission hearing that preceded approval, nearby residents raised several concerns, reported by CBS Colorado:
- Fire risk. One neighbor told CBS: "The unusually high winds that we have here would carry it right into the Founders neighborhood." Those fears were sharpened by a brush fire that had already broken out on the site after a truck struck a power line, burning property and coming within 35 feet of a home.
- Property values and insurance. Residents also raised concerns about home values and insurance costs near high-voltage infrastructure.
- Electromagnetic field exposure near the lines.
- Views. One longtime resident said: "I've had this great view all these years, and I have a feeling they're going to block Devil's Head."
CORE's response, per its public comments: the substation will "follow strict safety standards," won't "generate fumes, odors or particulates," and its emissions are "comparable to a typical residential home."
What's Next
Construction is slated for 2026, with CORE targeting an in-service date in 2027 for the substation and the battery storage system to follow once the substation is running. We'll update this article as construction visibly starts and as a firmer in-service date is announced.
Sources: CORE Electric Cooperative, Monte Ridge Substation project page; Douglas County Planning Pro, LE2025-004 Location and Extent record (approved, completed Apr. 11, 2025); CBS News Colorado, "Community worries proposed electric substation will increase fire risks". Checked Oct. 24, 2026.