The article in the Herald (Sept. 20) on the issue of La Plata Electric Association integrating private residential solar into its system left out a few key facts.
Those of us with residential solar bear the capital expense of installation of the system. In sunny months when the system generates excess power, LPEA buys it from us at wholesale prices and sells it at retail prices to our neighbors. In newer housing additions, this is done through underground lines installed at the developer’s expense, which require little maintenance, if any, and no LPEA investment.
The article doesn’t mention that LPEA is making this profit from our capital investment. In months when it is cloudy and our solar isn’t producing much, we must buy power from LPEA at retail.
LPEA installs its service lines in newer additions with several meter services from the transformer. If the user of one of these meters wants to install solar, that user is charged between $1000 to $3,000 so that LPEA will install a separate transformer-to-meter line for that customer. LPEA says this needs to be done, while electrical engineers I have spoken with say it isn’t necessary.
Energy generated from residential solar doesn’t have to be transmitted over LPEA’s aging, high maintenance distribution lines. I suggest when these factors are considered, LPEA is profiting well from residential solar, and not losing money as the article claims.
When it comes to LPEA’s very long term contract with Tri-State, such contracts can be broken when certain conditions change. I don’t know enough facts to say, but LPEA should certainly be looking into this matter.
Richard H. Ruth
Durango
