Powering Colorado with LM2500XPRESS: A conversation with United Power and Kindle Energy

Ty Remington (VP, Gas Power Sales at GE Vernova) sat down with Mark A. Gabriel (President and CEO, United Power) and Lee Davis (CEO, Kindle Energy) to explore the story behind United Power’s Mountain Peak project, a showcase of modular, fast install aeroderivative technology and a blueprint for future power generation. Their discussion covered marketplace, technology innovation, project execution, and a shared vision for resilient, reliable, and more sustainable energy portfolios.

Mark A. Gabriel: It has been a game changer. United Power has been growing an average of 22 MW a year since 2005. In July 2025, we hit our system peak of 680 MW, and the plant had just come online weeks earlier. Without it, we would have had to buy very expensive power, at times over $220 per megawatt-hour. Instead, the six LM2500XPRESS units delivered local, reliable power and saved us millions in just the first weeks of operation.

Beyond dollars and cents, it is about resilience. We are working to hyper-localize all our resources. These six units dispatch to two substations at the distribution level, which means we can control and manage power directly for our members rather than depending only on distant sources. This site at our Tesla substation also happens to sit right next to a Colorado Interstate Gas pipeline, so we did not need big investments in gas infrastructure. Combine that with our 69kV transmission line, batteries, and the LM2500XPRESS fleet, and you have a complete energy center. It really is a model for the future across the country.

Paired with 11 MW of batteries on-site, they give us a flexible portfolio to balance solar, wind, hydro, and marketplace purchases.

Lee Davis: Colorado has some of the strictest emissions standards in the country. The LM2500XPRESS includes GE Vernova’s Dry Low Emissions (DLE) system, which reduces emissions without using water, a critical advantage in northeast Colorado where water is scarce. That compliance, plus the ability to ramp quickly and integrate with renewables, made it the best solution available.

Lee Davis: We are already closed and preparing for construction on another, nearly identical facility southeast of Denver for a different customer. The modular configuration lets us replicate quickly what we have done on Mountain Peak. Permitting is faster the second time around, and we can apply lessons learned to speed up delivery. It is proof that this model works, and we expect to see more like it.

Mark A. Gabriel: For United Power, growth is the driver. We are adding large loads—data centers, rail, and more—and expect our load to double in size by 2030. Our strategy is deploying modular units like this across our system, paired with batteries, to keep power close to load. That is how we will help ensure resilience and keep costs down. Large-scale projects often face regulatory hurdles; smaller, distributed projects like this are the future.

Ty: Thank you both. What we have heard is that the LM2500XPRESS is not just about fast-start, reliable and resilient technology, it has also helped to enable growth, marketplace participation, and renewable integration, all while maintaining environmental standards. United Power, Kindle Energy, and GE Vernova have shown how aeroderivative modular, rapidly deployable technology can help deliver immediate value today and build a foundation for the future.