By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) announced today that its board of directors established a goal to provide 80% carbon-free energy to its members by 2030. PVREA's carbon free goal is the first by an electric cooperative that is consistent with new state climate legislation signed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis last week, which encourages "the development of clean energy plans that will require greenhouse gas emissions caused by Colorado retail electricity sales to decrease eighty percent by 2030."
“Establishing the ’80 by 30’ goal is our first step toward increased reliance on carbon-free energy sources,” said Jeff Wadsworth, president and chief executive officer of PVREA in a press release. “By setting this ambitious goal, we have the opportunity to proactively address Colorado’s evolving regulatory environment and manage costs associated with potential future regulatory requirements.” Steve Szabo, one of the PVREA members who has urged the co-op to embrace clean energy, said: “I am elated that the PVREA board, CEO and staff are working toward a carbon free electric generation portfolio. The move forward will benefit our local economy and environment. Thank You PVREA!”
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.
Electric cooperatives have shifted their approach to renewable energy amid declining prices and growing public support, but wholesale power providers are key
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Three electric cooperatives in Colorado have now set clean energy goals, reflecting co-ops' growing recognition of the opportunities presented by declining prices for renewable energy and increased public support for wind and solar power development.
The latest announcement came last week from Grand Valley Power, an electric cooperative that delivers electricity to more than 18,000 members mostly in Mesa County, Colorado. Grand Valley Power established a target of 60% clean energy by 2030, which the co-op described as "one of the most aggressive environmental targets of any electric cooperative in the nation." In a press release, Grand Valley Power noted that the "announcement comes at a time when home- and business-owners are increasingly interested in having renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions." Grand Valley Power CEO Tom Walch said: “With cost-effective advances in clean renewable energy technology, we’ll be able to meet this 60 percent target by 2030 while maintaining rate stability and our excellent reliability standards. This is one of the best ways we can deliver value to our consumers.”
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."
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
At the 2018 Colorado Rural Electric Association Energy Innovations Summit this week in Denver, electric utility industry officials discussed changes in energy technologies and utility business models, such as increasing customer choices and declining costs of distributed renewable energy. But while there was broad agreement about the opportunities provided by cheaper renewable energy, there were disagreements about the scope and pace of business model changes underway in the industry - and the implications of those changes for the hundreds of electric cooperative directors and staff attending the conference.
Steve Collier, Director of Smart Grid Strategies at Milsoft Utility Solutions, delivered a presentation titled “Revolutionary Change in the Electric Industry: Threats and Opportunities,” which focused on the implications for electric cooperatives of what he described as an “eroding monopoly.” Collier explained: What choices do customers have other than buying from you, all that that they have ever bought? Do they have choices? Yeah they have choices. Primarily distributed energy resources. But we’re not just talking about rooftop solar, we’re talking about a whole variety of options that they have to reduce the amount of electricity that they buy from you.
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 Holy Cross Energy announced last week that it plans to shift its power supplies away from coal and increase its use of renewable energy to 70% by 2030, without any increase in the costs of it power supply. The Glenwood Springs based electric cooperative says the plan would lead to a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 2014 levels.
Holy Cross Energy CEO Bryan Hannegan highlighted why the co-op could shift to renewable energy without increasing costs: “Thanks to advances in technology and changes in energy markets, we have the opportunity to bring on new renewable energy resources at costs comparable to our existing supply. This will enable us to meet our clean energy goals while maintaining the reliable, affordable and safe service our members have come to expect.” Other electric utilities in the state have also begun to increase their use of renewable energy, taking advantage of the fact that new wind and solar power in Colorado is now cheaper than existing coal plants, and responding to growing demands for cleaner energy from large electricity consumers including municipal governments and some major companies. But Holy Cross Energy is the first electric cooperative in Colorado to establish an ambitious renewable energy target. Let’s look at how Holy Cross Energy plan to achieve its goals. More major companies expect 100% renewable energy options, and some are pushing for broader changes in power markets By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth At the Global Climate Action Summit last week, twenty-one major technology companies announced the Step Up Declaration, which aims to boost the impact of corporate sustainability efforts by leveraging the companies’ various avenues of influence. The declaration notes:
We look beyond our four walls to activate supply chains, influence political and regulatory mechanisms, push each other as peers, partners and competitors and enable and inspire our customers. The companies supporting the Step Up Declaration play a growing role in the economy, and claim to represent over $750 billion in combined market capitalization: Akamai Technologies, Arm, Autodesk, Bloomberg, BT, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lyft, Nokia, Salesforce, Supermicro, Symantec, Tech Mahindra, Uber, Vigilent, VMware, WeWork, Workday, and Zoox. The largest technology companies have also made clear their preferences for renewable energy, and those are now the largest companies in the world: The five largest publicly-traded companies in the world — Apple, Amazon, Google’s Alphabet, Microsoft and Facebook — all have corporate commitments to use 100 percent renewable energy and at least three of them have already hit those ambitious targets. The technology sector remains the largest purchaser of renewable energy, but major companies in other sectors have also made 100% renewable energy commitments, including Coca-Cola, Nike, Anheuser-Busch, General Motors, and Walmart - a total of 144 companies so far. And the impacts of those corporate renewable energy commitments are growing quickly, according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance report last month, which found that “corporations have already purchased 7.2GW of clean energy globally in 2018 through July, shattering the previous record of 5.4GW for the whole of 2017.” Colorado Energy Plan approval will mean new renewable energy investments in rural Colorado8/28/2018
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s Colorado Energy Plan yesterday, greenlighting the plan to close two units at the Comanche coal plant in Pueblo Colorado, and replace that power with a mix of new renewable energy and battery storage projects along with existing natural gas plants.
Xcel Energy’s plan attracted national attention this year due to the proposals for large scale battery storage projects and unprecedented bids for cheap new wind and solar energy. In Colorado, the plan attracted support from labor, business, environmental, and community organizations, thanks to its expected economic and health benefits. A report this week from the Colorado Fiscal Institute found that closing the two coal units would reduce air pollutants in Pueblo and Colorado, leading to fewer asthma attacks, emergency rooms visits, and other health problems. A June report from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder found that the plan would create hundreds of new jobs, boost local tax revenue, and provide a net positive economic impact to the state - mostly by avoiding nearly $1 billion in coal purchases from Wyoming.
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Wind energy projects are increasing jobs, tax revenue, and lease payments to landowners in the Eastern Plains of Colorado - and in the process, attracting support from leaders of both major parties in the state.
State legislators and other officials joined Xcel Energy and wind turbine manufacturer Vestas this week to highlight the economic benefits of wind energy in eastern Colorado, with a tour of the 600 megawatt Rush Creek wind energy project. The wind energy project in Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties is currently under construction, and is expected to come online in October 2018. “Wind is a huge win-win for rural Colorado,” said Shawn Martini, Vice President of Advocacy for the Colorado Farm Bureau. “Rush Creek is just one project and we’re poised to see even bigger investments should Xcel Energy’s Colorado Energy Plan be approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, which, for the growth and health of our communities, we hope they do.” Xcel Energy’s Colorado Energy Plan would mean a major expansion of renewable energy in the state, including additional major wind energy projects in eastern Colorado. According to an analysis from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder that was filed last week last with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the Colorado Energy Plan would result in net economic benefits in Colorado, including a net increase of 549 jobs.
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
Two reports this month provide new details about Xcel Energy’s Colorado Energy Plan, including a glimpse at even lower bid prices for new renewable energy projects in the state, and an analysis of the impacts of the plan to jobs and tax revenue in Colorado and Pueblo County.
Xcel Energy's proposal would close two of the three units at the Comanche coal plant in Pueblo, Colorado, and replace that power with a mix of new resources including 1100 megawatts of wind energy, 700 megawatts of solar energy, 275 megawatts of energy storage projects, and the purchase of 380 megawatts of existing natural gas capacity. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is considering the proposal, and several labor, environmental, business, and community groups in Colorado are engaged in that process. In January, we saw the bid prices for new renewable energy projects that Xcel Energy received, which showed that new wind and solar power in Colorado is now cheaper than existing coal plants. Those renewable energy project bid prices were so low, they attracted interest from a wide array of energy industry analysts and publications. But that earlier report only showed median prices of the bids that Xcel had received: $18/MWh for new wind energy, $30/MWh for new solar projects, and $36/MWh for solar with battery storage projects. This month, Xcel Energy filed a more in-depth report with the Colorado PUC, which provides additional details about the renewable energy project bids it received. And while the new report doesn't include pricing details for specific projects, it does show the price range of bids that came in below those median prices: The Preferred CEPP includes unprecedented low pricing across a range of generation technologies including wind at levelized pricing between $11-18/MWh, solar between $23-$27/MWh, solar with storage between $30-$32/MWh and gas between $1.50 - $2.50/kW-mo. The lower end of those ranges rival some of the record-breaking low solar energy prices we've seen in recent months around the sunny Southwest. 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 A report published last week by Moody’s Investors Service found that most coal plants owned by municipal utilities and generation and transmission associations are now more expensive than new renewable energy. From Moody’s press release:
Most municipal- or G&T-owned coal plants in the US are old and have high production costs. According to the report, 72.3% of these plants, or about 65.0 gigawatts, have operating costs exceeding $30 per megawatt hour, which Moody's views as the threshold above which coal plants are vulnerable to be displaced by cheaper generation options. The report provides costs and other details about several coal units, including those owned by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association - the Escalante coal plant in western New Mexico, all three units at the Craig coal plant in northwest Colorado, and unit 3 of the Springerville coal plant in eastern Arizona. According to Moody’s report, each of those five coal units’ total production costs in 2016 were higher than that $30 per megawatt hour threshold.
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
Utilities in Colorado are planning to add a lot more renewable energy over the next few years, for a variety of reasons. I’ve looked at a couple of the trends driving this energy transition such as 100% renewable energy commitments from the utilities’ major customers, including towns and cities like Pueblo and Boulder, and major companies like Aspen Skiing Company, Google, Vail Resorts, IBM, Anheuser-Busch, and New Belgium.
But perhaps the biggest reason that utilities in the region are pursuing more renewable energy is that the low costs of wind and solar energy have continued to fall, opening up a huge market: replacement power for existing coal plants. Cheap renewable energy has already meant that when utilities needed new power generation in recent years, they have mostly chosen renewable energy. Nationwide, wind and solar power represented about two-thirds of all the new electricity generation capacity that was brought online in both 2015 and 2016, according to the US Energy Information Agency. But as the costs of building new wind and solar projects have kept dropping, renewable energy is now becoming cheaper even than continuing to run existing coal-fired power plants - as Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper recently noted, “Coal is no longer the low-cost fuel."
By Joe Smyth | joe@cleancooperative.com | @joesmyth
The impacts of corporate renewable energy goals are increasing across three major sectors of Colorado’s economy: skiing, technology, and beer.
Last month I looked at how cities in Colorado are helping push utilities in the region to embrace renewable energy. Communities like Boulder, Aspen, and Pueblo have made 100% renewable energy commitments, and the utilities that serve them are responding with plans to invest in more wind and solar power – although progress is uneven across the various utilities and electric cooperatives throughout the state.
Along with municipalities, several companies with operations in Colorado have also made 100% renewable energy commitments, and those too are getting results, as utilities respond to these major customers with new programs and plans for more clean energy. Two key trends are boosting the impact of these corporate renewable energy commitments. First, companies are increasingly focused on adding renewable energy near their operations, instead of purchasing renewable energy credits from distant projects. And second, much larger companies have recently made 100% renewable energy commitments, which is significantly increasing the scale of renewable energy needed to meet company goals - and somewhat altering the power dynamic between utilities and their customers. Let’s look at how these trends are playing out in three industries in Colorado: skiing, technology, and beer. 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. |
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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