By Joe Smyth | @joesmyth
Two electric cooperatives filed formal complaints with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission this week, requesting that the Commission determine the price for them to buy out of their contracts with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. The disputes could have major implications for the coal-heavy power supplier, and reveal problems with the governance system of Tri-State and other generation and transmission associations, which sell wholesale power to hundreds of electric cooperatives across the United States.
The United Power and La Plata Electric Association requests’ to the Colorado PUC follow Delta-Montrose Electric Association’s successful effort to end its membership with Tri-State; all three member cooperatives have said that they want to build more local renewable energy than Tri-State allows and purchase cheaper wholesale power. Tri-State settled with Delta-Montrose Electric in July, after the Colorado PUC determined that it had jurisdiction to determine a fair exit fee, and Commissioner Frances Koncilja raised the possibility of public hearings to question Tri-State’s executives about the company’s conduct. If United Power and La Plata Electric stop purchasing wholesale power from Tri-State, it would have a much larger impact on Tri-State than the departure of Delta-Montrose Electric. While Delta-Montrose accounts for 5% of Tri-State’s electricity sales to member co-ops, La Plata Electric accounts for 6% and United Power accounts for 15% – Tri-State’s largest member by far. Colorado PUC ordered Tri-State to respond to the complaints, and set hearings for January 21 and 22, 2020.
By Joe Smyth | @joesmyth
The statewide association for electric cooperatives in Colorado describes its political spending as bipartisan and funded by voluntary donations, but a review of filings with the Colorado Secretary of State shows that it actually spent nearly a half million dollars last year in a failed effort to keep the Colorado state Senate in Republican hands. Some of that money came directly from electric cooperatives, not individual voluntary donations, which means the cooperatives’ customers funded a portion of the political spending.
The Colorado Rural Electric Association includes every electric cooperative in the state among its members, and it lobbies on state policy issues, as well as publishing a magazine that is distributed to co-op members and hosting events and trainings on energy issues, safety, and other topics. But in recent years, the group has increased its spending on political campaigns, through its “Colorado Advocates for Rural Electrification” political action committee and a new independent expenditure committee it created last year.
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Two reports this month provide new details about the impacts of the high wholesale power costs that Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association charges electric cooperatives in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Nebraska.
One of the reports, “How Kit Carson Electric Engineered a Cost-Effective Coal Exit,” was published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). It includes an overview of the history and reasons for the co-op's departure from Tri-State in 2016, such as interest in pursuing more local solar projects and frustration with Tri-State's increasing rates. The IEEFA report also includes some key new information: the price that Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) expects to pay for wholesale power from Guzman Energy over the next seven years.
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
The 43 electric cooperatives that buy power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association are likely to approve changes to Tri-State's bylaws that would allow for new types of contracts between the co-ops and the wholesale power provider. In advance of the expected official vote on the bylaws amendments during Tri-State's upcoming annual meeting on April 1-4, the co-ops showed support for the proposal at a special meeting Tri-State held on March 6.
In its 2018 10-K that was recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Tri-State said: "At a special meeting of our Members held in March 2019, our Members discussed the proposed amendments to the Bylaws and support such amendments." Tri-State's 10-K also makes clear that the changes to the bylaws won't lead directly to new types of contracts, but instead would "permit our Board to establish such additional classes of membership and the rights and privileges of the members of those additional classes."
A copy of the proposed bylaw amendments also shows that they would allow, but not require, the Tri-State board of directors to create new membership classes. Those other membership classes are also not defined by the bylaw amendments.
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union calls on Tri-State to adopt flexible contracts and more clean energy3/13/2019
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
A group of more than 20,000 family farmers in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming is calling on Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to provide more flexibility for its member co-ops and to "re-tool its existing resource plan so it calls for investment in clean, affordable, reliable alternatives."
The resolution from Rocky Mountain Farmers Union notes that energy costs account for 7% of its members' expenses on average, and highlights how "dramatic changes in technology and market conditions have driven the cost of renewable energy generation sources well below carbon-based resources." Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President Dale McCall called on Tri-State to reduce costs and respond to customers' demands, just as its members must: “Farmers and ranchers work within razor thin margins to make ends meet. We have to think strategically to reduce our cost-of-production, be flexible in how we invest inputs and constantly react to the demands of our customers – we think our energy providers should do the same.”
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Electric cooperatives deliver power to 42 million Americans, and those local co-ops tend to be well known in the communities they serve. At a minimum, people know who they write a check to each month, and some co-op members get more involved with their co-ops by running for the board of directors, attending meetings, and working to ensure that co-ops are upholding their commitments to democratic control.
What’s less well known is that most electric cooperatives are themselves members of larger cooperatives, known as generation and transmission associations (or “G&Ts” within the industry). These generation and transmission associations own and operate large power plants and deliver that power to local electric cooperatives, which in turn distribute electricity to homes and businesses across the United States. Generation and transmission associations aren’t often well known because they don’t show up on electric bills. But they can have a major impact on local electric cooperatives’ power supply, rates, and even a co-op’s ability to respond to its members concerns.
Map of generation and transmission associations by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
One of Colorado's largest electric cooperatives is concerned that it could face higher rates in the future from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, because the wholesale power provider isn't paying down over a billion dollars of its debt, even as costs increase for its aging coal plants.
In a letter to Tri-State CEO Mike McInnes, La Plata Electric Association CEO Mike Dreyspring raised concerns that Tri-State's debt could lead to increased future rates for the co-op and its members. In particular, the letter notes La Plata Electric's concerns about a portion of Tri-State's debt "for which Tri-State is receiving through rates principal and interest repayment, but is not applying the principal to reduce that debt."
Colorado ski resorts support Delta-Montrose Electric exit from Tri-State
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
The ski industry is increasingly focusing its sustainability efforts on decarbonizing the electric grid, by engaging with their power suppliers, regulators, and state policymakers. In the latest move, a group of Colorado ski resorts are supporting Delta-Montrose Electric Association's efforts to end its contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and pursue more renewable energy.
In a letter to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) last week, Colorado Ski Country USA President Melanie Mills wrote that the group "supports the efforts of Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) to withdraw from membership in Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) in order to develop more local renewable resources and stabilize its retail rates." The letter also notes that of Colorado Ski Country USA's 23 member ski resorts, 16 buy electricity from rural electric cooperatives. Most of those co-ops buy wholesale power Tri-State, and so face limits on their abilities to pursue local renewable energy projects. That poses challenges for some ski resorts' sustainability efforts. Ski resorts also notice higher electricity costs, as the letter explains: "As businesses and large consumers of energy, keeping energy sources affordable is critical for Colorado's ski areas to operate cost-effectively in the future." More corporate customers want renewable energy options. What happens when an electric utility can’t offer that? By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth United Power has been meeting with other electric cooperatives this month, in an effort to build support for its proposal to change the bylaws of its power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Those meetings follow United Power’s invitations to discuss its “grave concerns about key elements of Tri-State’s key generation products and services” directly with the 42 other co-ops that buy power from Tri-State.
At a presentation to Mountain Parks Electric on January 3, United Power New Business Director Jerry Marizza explained that United Power was not proposing to simply raise the 5% limit that Tri-State imposes on local renewable energy development to a higher level. Instead, the proposal for a partial requirements contract option would assure that Tri-State continues to provide a portion of United Power’s energy purchases, while allowing United Power to meet its electricity load growth by pursuing its own local renewable energy projects, or buying wholesale power from other providers. United Power staff said the proposal would also give the co-op the ability to provide its major customers with lower rates and renewable energy options that aren’t possible with the current Tri-State contract. One example Marizza noted were commercial customers that now expect to be able to build larger on-site solar arrays to help power their operations: “All this stuff is happening at the distribution level. Ikea - they will not build a facility unless they get to put a megawatt of solar on their roof. That’s just a fact, okay? If you want an Ikea, you’re going to have to deal with that fact. And you can’t come to them and say ‘I’d love to accommodate you, but Tri-State’s contract won’t allow me to.’ That’s not an answer, it really isn’t.” The Ikea store in Centennial, Colorado has a 1.1 megawatt rooftop solar array.
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
United Power will dedicate the largest battery storage system in Colorado next week, a 16 megawatt hour Tesla Powerpack in Longmont that the electric cooperative expects will save its members $1 million each year.
But recent policy changes by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, United Power’s wholesale power supplier, aim to discourage other cooperatives from pursuing similar projects, creating uncertainty for the deployment of battery projects in much of rural Colorado and New Mexico. United Power shifted its focus to battery projects last year, after the co-op reached the 5% limit on local renewable energy generation imposed by Tri State. Over the past several years, United Power sought to reduce its purchased power costs by building several solar arrays in its service territory that deliver power at a lower cost than power sold by Tri-State. Blocked from pursuing more local solar projects, United Power developed a strategy to use batteries to help control its peak demand. Last month, United Power also wrote to other co-ops expressing "grave concerns" about Tri-State, including the high cost of power it sells to member co-ops and "Tri-State’s reluctance to embrace additional sources of renewable energy generation due to constraints of its largely fossil fuel generating fleet." Controlling peak demand will help the co-op manage its purchased power costs - which could slow the growth revenue that Tri-State receives from United Power. So this past summer, Tri-State changed its Policy 115, which describes how the 5% limit will be implemented. Tri-State inserted language into the policy to include “energy storage devices, such as batteries,” even though the policy was designed to deal with co-ops’ renewable or distributed generation projects. A June 2018 copy of the proposed changes to Tri-State Policy 115 shows the edits to the policy in red, before those changes were finalized.
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) took a major step forward in its effort to end its contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, by filing a formal complaint last week requesting that the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) "exercise its jurisdiction over Tri-State as a public utility" and "establish an exit charge that is just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory."
On Monday morning, the Colorado PUC ordered Tri-State "to satisfy the matters in the complaint or to answer the complaint in writing within 20 days." On Monday afternoon, DMEA filed a request that the PUC establish a schedule for the hearings process that would result in a decision by July 11, 2019.
DMEA has sought for years to loosen the restrictions that Tri-State imposes on electric cooperatives, which prevent DMEA and other Colorado co-ops from pursuing more local renewable energy projects. In October, DMEA members voted to give the electric cooperative more financial options to pursue a buyout of its Tri-State contract.
DMEA noted in a press release that it "will partner with Guzman Energy," the same power supplier that supported Kit Carson Electric's $37 million buyout of its contract with Tri-State. Guzman Energy announced today that it is seeking Requests for Proposal for up to 200 megawatts of wind energy and 50 megawatts of solar energy, and has obtained a $200 million capital commitment to help bring on that new renewable energy. Guzman Energy President Chris Riley confirmed that a portion of the 250 megawatts of wind and solar would be used to serve DMEA, if the co-op succeeds in ending its contract with Tri-State.
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
United Power, the largest electric cooperative that buys power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, is seeking changes to Tri-State's bylaws that would give more flexibility to United and other co-ops to purchase power from other providers.
In letters sent last week to the other electric cooperatives that buy power from Tri-State, United Power board president James Vigesaa wrote that "the Board members and management of United Power have grave concerns about key elements of Tri-State’s key generation products and services," including Tri-State's reluctance to embrace renewable energy and the high cost of power it sells to member co-ops. A United Power representative said that letters were sent to the board presidents and general managers of each of the 42 other Tri-State member co-ops. Other electric cooperatives in Colorado and New Mexico have noted similar concerns about the high cost and heavy reliance on coal of the power they purchase from Tri-State, and have responded in a variety of ways. In September, Poudre Valley Electric Association urged Tri-State to study if adjusting its fuel mix could lower costs, as reports from Rocky Mountain Institute and Moody's Investors Service have found. Delta-Montrose Electric Association is pursuing an end to its contract with Tri-State, as Kit Carson Electric did in 2016. La Plata Electric Association is studying its options, and last month contracted with three consulting firms to analyze its contract with Tri-State and other power supply options. United Power's letter suggests another approach: instead of only allowing all-requirements contracts, which require each co-op to purchase 95% of its power needs from Tri-State, United Power's proposal would "amend the Tri-State bylaws to include a partial requirements membership relationship."
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Delta-Montrose Electric Association members voted to approve changes to the electric cooperative's articles of incorporation this week, creating new financing options that will help the co-op end its contract with its power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Under the new articles of incorporation, Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) will be able raise money by issuing capital stock, “which could be used to fund DMEA’s potential Tri-State buyout,” according to a press release.
“We believe addressing our power supply costs is essential for long-term rate stabilization for our members. This was the primary driver behind our recommendation to amend and restate the Articles of Incorporation,” said Delta-Montrose Electric CEO Jasen Bronec in a statement. The DMEA board urged members to vote yes, including with a video that focused on how the changes would help DMEA finance a buyout of its contract with Tri-State. The co-op also hosted community meetings about the proposed changes. DMEA members voted by mail and at a special meeting on October 16, with 2,677 members voting yes (68%), and 1,248 voting no (32%).
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
The Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association board of directors is urging Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to develop new policies to respond to a changing utility industry, and to study if adjusting its fuel mix could lower costs. In a resolution passed unanimously on September 19, the electric cooperative requested that Tri-State “work expeditiously in a transparent process to determine if significant cost savings are achievable by adjusting Tri-State’s fuel mix and provide the findings to Tri-State’s members by the end of calendar year 2018.”
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) provides electricity to nearly 40,000 members in Larimer, Weld, and Boulder Counties, and this June was recognized as “Electric Cooperative Utility of the Year” by the Smart Electric Power Association for a community solar project that helped expand solar power opportunities for low and moderate income members. PVREA is also Tri-State’s second largest member cooperative by electricity sales, and the resolution emphasizes PVREA’s partnership with Tri-State, noting that it helped form Tri-State and “has a vested interest in Tri-State to be successful." By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth Efforts by two Colorado utilities to expand access to renewable energy were recognized this week with national awards from the Smart Electric Power Alliance. Xcel Energy Colorado President Alice Jackson was named “Power Player of the Year” for her role in bringing together stakeholders to develop a plan for the company to exceed Colorado’s renewable portfolio standard. Poudre Valley Electric Association (PVREA) won the award for “Electric Cooperative Utility of the Year” for its role in developing the Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm, which helped expand solar power opportunities for low and moderate income members of the co-op. “To win this award is such an honor for Poudre Valley REA. We developed the Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm as a mechanism to serve all our members with solar energy and we’re proud to be able to deliver that opportunity,” said PVREA President and CEO Jeff Wadsworth, “Many thanks to our partners and employees who worked on this innovative project that created solar energy opportunities for all our members, and to our members for supporting us in this endeavor.” By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth Most residents of rural Colorado and New Mexico buy electricity from electric cooperatives, and most of the electric cooperatives in each state buy electricity from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. As part of their power supply contracts with Tri-State, each of those co-ops are currently limited to providing just 5% of their electricity needs from local renewable energy projects, and must purchase the rest from Tri-State.
Tri-State’s limits on local energy development are a growing problem for co-op members in both states, as more co-ops seek the cost savings and other advantages of renewable energy. Surveys of the 18 co-ops in Colorado and 11 co-ops in New Mexico that buy power from Tri-State show an increasing number of co-ops that are approaching the 5% limit. The survey results show that at least five co-ops have reached the 5% limit on local energy development, including United Power, La Plata Electric, Delta-Montrose Electric, San Miguel Power, and Mora-San Miguel Electric. Moreover, another eight co-ops are approaching the 5% limit, including Poudre Valley Electric, Otero County Electric, Central New Mexico Electric, San Luis Valley Electric, Sangre de Cristo Electric, Highline Electric, Southeast Colorado Power, and Sierra Electric.
Denver - Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper delivered the keynote address to the Climate Leadership Conference in Denver today, highlighting the state’s efforts to accelerate the transition to renewable energy by working with companies and municipalities throughout the state.
A glimpse of the "infinite scalability" of energy storage, and some other key takeaways from this very exciting utility bid solicitation
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
After I posted Xcel Energy’s report showing unprecedented low prices for renewable energy and storage bids, several energy industry experts added some helpful context and analysis of the implications of these bids.
Much of that discussion focused on the low bid prices for projects that would combine renewable energy with energy storage. The Xcel Energy report showed that the median bid price for solar and storage projects was $36/MWh, while the median bid price for wind and storage projects was just $21/MWh. There were also seven bids for combined wind and solar and storage bids, with a median price of $30.60/MWh. "The numbers in these bids are the lowest prices we have seen for any combination of renewable plus battery storage," said Ravi Manghani, director of energy storage at Green Tech Media. Matt Gray, Utilities & Power Senior Analyst at Carbon Tracker, added: “Based on our modelling, the median bid for wind plus storage is lower than the operating cost of all coal plants currently in Colorado, while the median solar plus storage bid is lower than 74% of operating coal capacity.” By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth The town of Breckenridge passed a resolution last week establishing a goal to power the community with 100% renewable electricity by 2035. Breckenridge joins other Colorado towns and cities that are pursuing 100% renewable energy, including Pueblo, Boulder, and Nederland. Aspen achieved its 100% renewable energy goal in 2015, while other towns and cities including Denver and Durango are also considering renewable energy goals. The responses from the utilities that serve those Colorado towns and cities show that these 100% renewable energy goals are helping push the region toward a cleaner electricity grid, achieving a broader impact than sustainability goals that remain within the boundaries of a municipality. That’s consistent with a new report by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, which argues that cities should focus their sustainability efforts on four strategic areas for maximum impact. First among those four strategic areas is using their position as major electricity consumers to help decarbonize the electricity grid: While cities may believe they have little influence over the grid mix, in fact, they often represent a major portion of any local electric utility’s customers, potentially giving them significant leverage to shape the emissions profile of the electricity consumed within their metropolitan area. Still, capturing this opportunity will not be easy, and cities cannot do it alone. Utilities and regulators must play a central role in ensuring the overall mix of renewables is appropriately balanced at a system level and that critical components such as energy storage are in place to ensure grid reliability. Nevertheless, cities have an essential role to play by setting clear decarbonization goals, aggregating demand for renewables, promoting energy efficiency, and shifting more urban energy consumption to electricity (especially in transportation and heating). Lowering the emissions intensity of the electricity grid is an especially impactful way that municipalities in the Rocky Mountain region can advance their sustainability goals, because the region’s grid is more dependent on coal, and therefore more carbon intensive, than other parts of the US. But as these Colorado towns and cities seek to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, they face varying challenges in working with the different utilities and electric cooperatives that sell electricity in Colorado. Colorado towns and cities are served by two investor owned utilities, 29 municipal utilities, and 22 rural electric cooperatives, according to the Colorado Energy Office
Let’s look at four Colorado municipalities pursuing renewable energy goals, each with a different electricity provider: Breckenridge, Pueblo, Aspen, and Durango. By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth Next week, United Power will switch on its biggest solar project yet. At 16 megawatts, the SR Platte solar array will produce enough electricity to power 2,700 homes, and help the electric cooperative save money on its electricity purchases.
But because of its contract with its electricity supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, United Power is unlikely to build more solar arrays any time soon, so it's shifting its focus to energy storage. |
Recent ArticlesProject Tundra coal carbon project faces delays, higher costs, and departing contractor
Lignite Energy Council shouldn’t be funded by utility ratepayers, Minnesota Attorney General argues Major co-op supports Biden coal debt relief proposal that NRECA has sought to undermine Basin Electric faces growing pressure on coal from co-ops, insurers, and banks Tri-State: Moving a cooperative power provider from coal to clean energy Tri-State will replace coal plants with a gigawatt of new wind and solar United Power and La Plata Electric ask Colorado Public Utilities Commission to determine Tri-State exit fee Colorado Rural Electric Association spent electric cooperatives’ money supporting Republican politicians Colorado Public Utilities Commissioner questions "whether or not Tri-State has been candid with us" Rural America could power a renewable economy - but first we need to solve coal debt Tri-State explores FERC rate regulation to limit state oversight Poudre Valley Electric sets "80 by 2030" carbon free goal Guzman Energy proposal would finance retirement of Tri-State coal plants, add 1.2 gigawatts of new wind and solar power Colorado Public Utilities Commission will oversee Tri-State resource planning Colorado communities and state Energy Office urge Public Utilities Commission oversight of Tri-State Reports examine the impacts of Tri-State's high wholesale power costs Tri-State executive involved with anti-Clean Air Act group since 2005 US Congressional Committee requests details of Tri-State funding to anti-Clean Air Act group Renewable energy projects stalled in 2018 among Tri-State member co-ops Second co-op asks Tri-State to pull “Better Together” ads Tri-State won’t allow co-op members to attend annual meeting Tri-State expects member co-ops to support bylaw changes at annual meeting Rocky Mountain Farmers Union calls on Tri-State to adopt flexible contracts and more clean energy Co-ops in Colorado push for change at Tri-State Will Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska remain reliant on coal? Tri-State ad campaign tells co-ops they’re “better together” La Plata Electric concerned Tri-State debt will lead to higher rates Colorado Public Utilities Commission asserts jurisdiction over Tri-State More Colorado co-ops announce clean energy goals Ski industry climate change efforts shift to electric utilities and their regulators Public Utilities Commission rejects Tri-State motion to exclude Colorado Energy Office from exit charge case Tri-State claims that co-ops "have intervened on Tri-State's behalf at the PUC” don’t add up Colorado state legislators urge Public Utilities Commission to determine Tri-State exit charge United Power says Tri-State policies are turning away large customers Next PUC Commissioner John Gavan "consensus choice" of Governors Hickenlooper and Polis Tri-State policy change discourages battery projects in rural Colorado and New Mexico Colorado Public Utilities Commission orders Tri-State to "satisfy or answer" exit charge complaint from Delta Montrose Electric United Power seeks solutions to "increasingly outmoded G&T business models" Clean Energy Means Business Summit highlights renewable energy opportunities and challenges in rural Colorado Governor-elect Jared Polis says moving Colorado toward more renewable energy will be a top priority Electric cooperative officials discuss cheap renewable energy and an “eroding monopoly” Delta Montrose Electric members vote for new financing options, supporting a potential buyout of Tri-State contract Poudre Valley Electric requests Tri-State policy changes and fuel mix study Holy Cross Energy plans to shift away from coal, aiming for 70% renewable energy What do corporate renewable energy commitments mean for electric utilities? Colorado Energy Plan approval will mean new renewable energy investments in rural Colorado Report: Tri-State could save $600 million by shifting from coal to renewable energy Delta Montrose Electric seeks new financing options to end contract with Tri-State Wind energy jobs in rural Colorado attract bipartisan support Colorado Energy Plan analysis shows switching from coal to renewable energy will boost jobs and local tax revenue Poudre Valley Electric and Xcel Energy Colorado President win national awards from Smart Electric Power Alliance Latest coal plant subsidy proposal could hit electricity bills in the West Moody’s report: “High quality renewable resources” could help Tri-State and Basin Electric navigate rising carbon transition risks Senator Heinrich highlights “frustrations in New Mexico” with Tri-State’s limits on local solar Moody’s report shows Tri-State’s coal plants are more expensive than new renewable energy Tri-State’s limits on local energy development are a growing problem for co-op members Governor Hickenlooper discusses Tri-State at the Climate Leadership Conference Bids for Xcel’s Colorado Energy Plan include a proposal for the world’s largest battery New wind and solar power in Colorado is now cheaper than existing coal plants Companies' 100% renewable energy goals are getting results in Colorado What does cheap solar mean for electric cooperatives? Colorado towns and cities are helping push utilities to embrace renewable energy How are electric cooperatives navigating the transition from coal to cheap clean energy? Blocked from building more solar projects, United Power shifts to community batteries Economic reality sets in for Tri-State efforts to expand the Holcomb coal plant Solar projects in the works in Grand and Jackson counties Mountain Parks Electric grapples with solar Categories
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