As we approach the upcoming election for the La Plata Electric Association board of directors, let’s examine what’s at stake.
LPEA is currently locked into a taxing wholesale contract with regional power cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission that will last another 29 years. This contract stipulates that LPEA cannot obtain more than 5% of its electric needs from local sources, which means we are sending 65 cents of every dollar we spend for wholesale power to Denver. This limitation on our ability to produce local, sustainable power does not serve our community; instead, it undermines our autonomy by preventing us from charting our own cleaner and less expensive course.
Don’t take my word for it: Other regional electric cooperatives have come to the same realization. Kit Carson Energy in Taos, New Mexico, exited the Tri-State contract, and recently announced it will reach its goal of meeting 100% of daytime electricity needs entirely with solar generation a year early. Delta-Montrose Electric Association, which exited its Tri-State contract in July 2020, announced this week an 80-megawatt solar development project that will provide 20% of the co-op's power from local generation.
This is why I encourage voters to mark their ballots to re-elect Tim Wheeler (District 4). We need him on the LPEA board because he has shown himself willing to challenge the Tri-State contract and make wise decisions to invest in our local community and in LPEA members’ best interests.
Karen Pontius
Durango
