For those who have not voted yet in the LPEA board election, what is this election really about? Essentially, there are two camps on the LPEA board, the old-timers and those truly in support of the new energy economy. The old-timer camp includes those who signed us up for a 50-year contract with Tri-State, limiting us to 5 percent local generation. These board members have almost consistently voted as a block, and against the formation of a strategic planning committee to make educated decisions to guide our co-op. Unfortunately, incumbents Karen Barger and Kohler McGinnis belong to this camp.
The other camp is supporting less expensive locally generated electricity than the mostly coal-fired power generated by Tri-State. Building local solar PV power plants will create local jobs and keep part of the $68 million per year we send to Tri-State in our local economy. This camp recognizes the rapid energy transformation happening in the electric utility industry.
Wind power is now selling for as low as 1.9 cents/kW, about one-third of Tri-State’s rates, while solar is selling for less than 3 cents/kW (Look up the most informative YouTube videos by Tony Seba). Fortunately, all you late voters have the opportunity to still vote for the camp of your choice – the camp of old-time power or those who are willing to adopt new, less expensive, clean-air technologies.
Depending upon where you live, please vote either for Jeff Mannix, Britt Bassett or Tim Wheeler. And, because all of our mail is now being sorted in Albuquerque, causing delays, please drop off your ballot at the La Plata County Clerk’s office or at the LPEA office in Bodo Park.
Werner Heiber
Durango
