Britt Bassett has served on the LPEA Board of Directors from District 3 (Durango) for six years, and I am confident that if re-elected, Bassett will continue to be a voice for a cheaper, cleaner and more local energy future in La Plata County.
As the electricity industry shifts due to improved renewable energy technologies, it has never been so inexpensive to produce solar and wind powered energy. We need a forward-thinking board that is willing to think critically about our energy future, and I believe Bassett would continue to be an important voice on this board.
Currently, LPEA’s contract requires that energy generator Tri-State provide 95 percent of LPEA’s electricity. Only the remaining 5 percent may be sourced locally. Much of the 95 percent is from coal, making our energy grid the second dirtiest in the country. In the meantime, the cost of wind and solar is now cheaper in Colorado than Tri-State’s current energy costs, per a 2017 report by Xcel Energy.
Additionally, $70 million leaves La Plata County annually for electricity costs. If we had the freedom to develop more local energy projects, much of this could stay in our community, thus bolstering our local economy.
Bassett understands that clean and cheap need not be mutually exclusive, and he will push for steps at LPEA to bring this reality to our coop. I will be voting for Bassett, and I urge other Durango residents to check their mailboxes and do the same.
David Golden
Durango
