The energy economy is shifting rapidly with the cost of renewables plummeting and the price of coal steadily creeping up. Unfortunately, although Southwest Colorado is prime territory for solar energy, La Plata Electric Association is stuck for another 31 years in an expensive, restrictive contract with our generation and transmission company, Tri-State. This contract limits local generation presently to only 5%. We therefore cannot take advantage of the economic benefits of locally generated electricity while simultaneously creating local jobs.
To make matters worse, Tri-State’s energy is expensive, and with its $3.2 billion debt, electricity costs can only go up. The August 2018 Rocky Mountain Institute Report found that Tri-State could save over $600 million through 2030 by transitioning to renewable energy. Yet they still stubbornly cling to their fossil-fuel-dominant mix. Moody’s Investors Service found that every single coal plant owned by Tri-State costs more to operate than it would to invest in renewables. These high operational costs are then passed on to us co-op members.
If things don’t change, our electric bills are only going to increase. This is why I encourage everyone to vote for Jeff Mannix (District 2) and Jack Turner (District 4) for the LPEA board elections. Jeff and Jack will carefully research and evaluate our options and will ensure that our Coop serves its members best.
Please vote for Jack Turner and Jeff Mannix for LPEA.
Werner Heiber
Durango
