La Plata Electric Association would like to thank the Herald for the story about the new Solarize La Plata program (Herald, Oct. 24). LPEA supports the Solarize efforts and looks forward to working with our members who can take advantage of this opportunity.
We would also like to expand on the statement the story included from our public information officer regarding safety and compatibility, to clarify for all our members who are considering installing solar photovoltaic systems.
If our members want to be connected to LPEA’s system through net-metering, LPEA does need to do a pre-inspection and engineering review before installation begins. Existing LPEA equipment at a specific location might not be capable of handling a solar array, and thus a new array may not work safely or as expected. For instance, we are working with one renewable generator on the necessary steps needed to correct equipment overload and high-voltage readings that we have determined are directly related to the existing electric service and undersized distribution transformer.
LPEA wants to avoid all issues and ensure that our members get the most out of their new solar systems.
Mark Schwantes, LPEA manager of corporate services
Durango
