Tri-State Generation and Transmission supplies energy to over a million consumers in the western United States, including through our own electric cooperative, LPEA.
Tri-State recently declared a shift to 100% renewable energy in Colorado by 2040. While it’s a step toward a more sustainable future, Tri-State is still not allowing local electric co-operatives like LPEA to generate our own renewable energy, but rather, is capping us at 5% local energy generation.
This is an important point because while a transition to renewable energy is critical to efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, Tri-State’s proposal does not yet address the importance of local self-reliance and a strong local economy.
Local, renewable energy creates jobs, builds a strong business sector and creates a resilient economy.
Every community deserves the right to generate their own energy and Tri-State’s Responsible Energy Plan should begin to clearly reflect this right more directly by working with, as opposed to, local communities on self-generation.
Monique DiGiorgioDurango
