To understand the issues of this year’s LPEA board elections, it helps to know how inflexible Tri-State has been for the past 25 years especially regarding their restrictive 5% local generation limit.
For more than 10 years, LPEA’s staff and its board of directors unsuccessfully worked with Tri-State attempting to increase local energy generation by purchasing electricity directly from the up-county Tacoma power plant, developing Vallecito Dam’s hydropower belonging to the Pine River Irrigation District, solar photovoltaic projects, etc.
Now, soon to be independent, LPEA is following the lead of other co-ops like Delta-Montrose securing electricity at favorable rates on the national market as it did with Mercuria and Tri-State itself at 10% lower rates.
Equally important is that if LPEA would have remained under Tri-State, it would be responsible, together with remaining co-ops, for Tri-State’s $4 billion dept., much due to poor decisions like investing $100 million in a failed coal fired power plant in Kansas.
The freedom and independence LPEA gained by leaving Tri-State makes the $209 million buyout an opportunity. Instead of sending $70 million each year to the Front Range for power, LPEA will now be able to use some of these funds to optimize our local infrastructure.
LPEA, our member-owned co-op, is in great shape and in capable hands. Please reelect board members John Witchel, Joe Lewandowski and Holly Metzler.
With ballots due by 4 p.m. May 20, mail them by Friday, May 16 or vote online via SmartHub at lpea.coop.
Werner Heiber
Durango