The restrictive contract with the the electric utility company Tri-State Generation and Transmission that requires La Plata Electric Association to buy 95 percent of its energy from Tri-State until 2050 is compromising the ability for LPEA to fulfill its mission of providing members with “...safe, reliable electricity at the lowest reasonable cost, while being environmentally responsible.”
Two years ago, I spoke to the LPEA board regarding my concern with this contract based on a research project I did as a senior at Animas High School. Yet today, nothing has changed and I am concerned that the current contract with Tri-State is negatively affecting the economic, social and environmental well-being of our community.
First and foremost, Tri-state energy is sourced from non-renewables that are having detrimental effects on human and environmental health. In fact, “Tri-State is the second worst carbon emitting utility in the country per unit of energy produced.” In 2016, Tri-State generated over 60 percent of its electricity by burning coal, which we know is the dirtiest energy and contributes significant greenhouse gas emissions which cause climate change.
Unfortunately, these sources are no longer viable with respect to our present environmental circumstances. Due to higher springtime air temperatures, related to climate change, we are currently seeing a significant decrease in snowpack and a shift in the snowmelt season in the southwest region of Colorado which is causing the months of June and July to be abnormally dry. Therefore, it is no surprise that drought severity has increased in the region according to the Environmental Protection Agency. These changes will continue to threaten Durango’s signature features that are essential to the community’s identity and economic stability including the rafting and skiing industries, as well as agriculture and ranching. Of course, it also increases our susceptibility to wildfire.
With little ability to control what energy sources we use under the current contract, we are at the mercy of Tri-State. The company has made it clear that they are not going to change. They claim that they won’t need new sources of power until 2025. Yet, wind and solar prices are dropping below the current prices of fossil fuels, making it obvious that a transition to renewable energy is the smart choice, not just for environmental reasons but for economic ones as well.
Tri-State’s rates have been increasing by an average of 2.9 percent per year over the past 10 years. The prices we pay are “‘in the upper range when compared with other electric coops and muni’s [municipalities].’” By producing more of our own energy, we could keep the money that is currently being diverted out of the region, in the local community. Not only that, we could reduce our current and future energy costs significantly by investing in cheaper renewable energy sources.
As a cooperative, LPEA’s elected board is responsible for representing the interests of its members. Unfortunately, members’ interests have not been prioritized. I urge the new board to explore the options and take serious action on this issue. LPEA can attempt to alter our contract, potentially through a buyout arrangement with Tri-State or require Tri-State to allow us to produce more of our own energy.
As community members, we must pressure the new board to prioritize this issue so that we can do what is best for our community. Tri-State should not control our electric cooperative, we should.
Rebekah Kuster is a 2016 graduate of Animas High School and Environmental Studies major at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT. Her parents are Julie Goodman and Scott Kuster of Bayfield.
