I have to admit I find it more than slightly ironic that the fine op-ed, “Tri-State CEO Touts Co-Ops’ Clean Energy Transition“ written by CEO Duane Highley should magically appear in our esteemed Durango Herald just mere hours after the votes in LPEA’s most recent board election had been counted.
If it was printed even one day sooner it would have, of course, destroyed the misleading narrative perpetuated by San Juan Citizen’s Alliance and others, that in order to save La Plata County from dire consequences caused by purchasing their energy from Tri-State Generation and Transmission we must tear up the contract with them, and pursue “local affordable renewables” – though whatever that may be has not yet been defined.
Highley methodically explains, to those who will listen, how Tri- State will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030, while at the same time decreasing wholesale prices, while our local LPEA has been decreasing the capital credits to its members and increasing their own Rate Stabilization Fund.
“Affordable low-cost energy” campaign blather should be discounted completely since all incumbents voted for a peak demand increase in 2020 and a “Time of Use“ increase in 2019.
LPEA board transparency is a farce.
So much for safeguarding LPEA members from a lapse of principles, morals, greed and ethical business standards.
Thanks for nothing.
Jackie Okarma
Durango
