Colorado electric cooperatives United Power and La Plata Electric Association are weighing all options to change their existing energy procurement contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (“Tri-State”). In dual November filings with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”), both cooperatives asked the state’s regulating body to exercise its authority to provide a just exit charge from its existing contract with Tri-State. Currently, both entities are required to purchase a minimum of 95% of their power from Tri-State under existing contracts that run through 2050. In addition, a recent S&P report downgraded Tri-State’s credit rating, with one of the reasons being that its Members’ retail energy rates were at least 20% higher than the statewide average.

“As the largest member in the Tri-State cooperative, we have a responsibility to our 92,000 residential and commercial customers to provide them with the cleanest and most affordable energy possible,” said John Parker, Chief Executive Officer of United Power. “Our current contract with Tri-State forces us to purchase some of the dirtiest energy in Colorado, while our customers pay 20% more than what is the state average. We’ve spent 18 months trying to change this contract, and all that we have gotten from Tri-State is delays, evasions and excuses. On behalf of our customers, we will no longer accept this.”

Tri-State relies heavily upon fossil fuels to provide power to its 43 cooperative members across four states, with 56% of its energy generation coming from coal, which is a significantly higher reliance on coal than other energy providers in Colorado. With the passage of HB19-1261, energy companies in Colorado must start work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and Tri-State is not well-positioned to meet these new standards.  As renewable energy production continues to drive down the price of energy, Tri-State’s continued reliance on fossil fuels is also hitting its members in the pocketbooks as well as putting the cooperatives at risk of not meeting the new clean energy standards.

 “Our community should have a choice,” said Jessica Matlock, Chief Executive Officer of La Plata Electric Association. “We want to be a part of the clean energy future and can achieve this through working in our backyard, with our community. We can bring jobs and economic growth to Colorado, while also supplying carbon-free energy to the region. We are disappointed that Tri-State is not partnering with us to achieve this clean energy future together. We want input into the process and choice when it comes to a cost-effective and clean energy future, not a one size fits all approach developed without input of the affected member cooperatives.” 

In response to United Power’s and La Plata Energy’s filings with the CPUC, Tri-State recently filed a motion to dismiss their complaints because they do not believe that the CPUC has jurisdiction over these matters. Instead, Tri-State claims that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has jurisdiction over their rates, even though their initial application was rejected in October for being deficient and incomplete.

“Tri-State is going up against a much larger tide that they spent years refusing to confront,” said Parker. “Tri-State’s lack of urgency in addressing these matters is aimed solely at self-preservation rather than what is best for our customers.”

The CPUC has set a date of January 10th to receive testimony on the matter and is expected to make a decision by early April.

About United Power
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative delivering electricity to more than 92,000 meters at homes, businesses and farms in Colorado's north-central front range. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media at facebook.com/unitedpower or twitter.com/unitedpowercoop.

About La Plata Electric Association
La Plata Electric Association, Inc. (LPEA) is a member-owned, not-for-profit, electric distribution cooperative serving La Plata and Archuleta, with segments of Hinsdale, Mineral and San Juan counties. There are 22 cooperatives in Colorado, LPEA is the fifth largest cooperative in the state, providing safe, reliable electricity at the lowest reasonable cost to approximately 34,000 members.

When used safely and properly, portable space heaters provide a nice relief from the frigid chills of winter temperatures, which can often invade poorly insulated or ventilated rooms in older homes. Although space heaters are safe to use indoors because they don’t require combustion, they still pose burn and fire hazards and should be used with caution. 

Before operating, review the manufacturer’s instructions, including warning labels. Space heaters may seem like simple, easy to use electronics, but each brand and version has its own unique quirks and features. It’s better to be safe than sorry. After reviewing the instructions, inspect the space heater for cracks or broken plugs. 

Next, be sure to place the heater in a safe location. They should be located at least three feet away from anything that can burn, such as clothing and other fabrics, papers, rugs, etc. Do not place space heaters on furniture, such as chairs or tables. Place heaters on a firm, flat location on the ground away from heavily trafficked areas. 

Space heaters place a heavy load on an outlet. For this reason, do not plug any other electrical devices into the same outlet. Extension cords or power strips could also overheat and result in a fire, so plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. 

Most importantly, never leave space heaters unattended. Turn it off before you leave a room or go to sleep, and don’t let animals or children play too close to the heater. When you’re done using the space heater, always unplug it and store it safely. 

Space Heater Sticker Shock

Winter weather has arrived just in time to greet us for the holidays, and that means the cold temperatures that accompany it have also arrived. Heating is our biggest energy consumer in the winter, and when you are able to do it efficiently, you’ll notice savings on your bill. 

Unfortunately, try as we might, some rooms in our homes just don’t seem to stay as warm as others, whether that’s a room away from the furnace in an older home or a large open room that just needs a little extra warmth in the winter. 

A nice, cozy solution for providing some additional warmth in these rooms can be to use a portable space heater. However, the cost of using one of these heaters can add up quickly over the course of a few days if you’re not careful.

Space heaters are big consumers of electricity, most commonly sold as either 750- or 1500-watt models at retailers like Home Depot or Lowe’s. 

Using your space heater for as little as two hours per day over the course of a month can end up costing you nearly $10 extra on your monthly energy bill. The more hours your space heater is operating, the faster those extra charges add up.

Before you consider space heaters to solve your heating issues, try addressing some of these alternatives. 

• Search and seal. Cool air can find small cracks to get through. Sealing and caulking windows, doors and floors helps keep rooms free of cold air.
• Insulate. Upgrade your insulation or add to your existing insulation to trap more warm air in your home. 
• Install storm windows. These provide an added layer of insulation, which helps retain more heat.