Archive for the 'Resource Planning' Category

Tri-State transmission line upgrade complete, energized

Published on April 19, 2012 in Resource Planning and Transmission. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

The association's Big Sandy-Lincoln-Midway transmission line is back in service after being reconstructed to better withstand storms and wind prevalent to the area.

The association’s upgrade of its 79-mile, 230-kilovolt Big Sandy-Lincoln-Midway transmission line was recently completed and the eastern and southern Colorado power path was energized last week in time for the springtime irrigation loads that rely on its service to this largely agricultural region served by Tri-State member Mountain View Electric Association (Limon, Colo.).

During this project, approximately 56 miles of the line was upgraded from its original 1977 design. The remaining 23 miles of line was upgraded during the past five years after a series of storms damaged some of the 35-year-old structures supporting the line.

The upgraded power path also carries a new overhead optical ground wire to facilitate the G&T’s continuing efforts to improve its telecommunications system network.

The line rebuild included installation of improved transmission line structures that are designed to better withstand adverse weather conditions in this storm-prone area of the state.

Big Sandy Substation is located northeast of Limon, Colo. The line then extends south to Lincoln Substation, which is located near Tri-State’s Limon Generating Station. From that point, the line is strung along a 50-mile path to Midway Substation, located south of Fountain, Colo.

Misguided emissions rules repealed in New Mexico

Published on March 20, 2012 in General, Public Meetings and Resource Planning. 0 Comments Tags: .

With staff from Tri-State’s Environmental Services and Communications & Public Affairs groups in attendance, the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) this past Friday (March 16) repealed the last of four misguided regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The unanimous 5-0 vote – with two EIB members recusing themselves – is considered a regulatory victory for the nearly 200,000 residential, agricultural and business member-owners of Tri-State’s 12 member cooperatives in New Mexico.

Tri-State's Escalante Station would have been one New Mexico facility impacted by the recently repealed carbon regulations.

Adopted in 2010, the first three regulations sought to impose a cap-and-trade system; that set of rules was repealed earlier this year by the EIB. The fourth regulation would have imposed a hard emissions cap that would have required power plants and other carbon emitters statewide to cut CO2 releases by three percent per year beginning in 2013. As several expert witnesses testified, however, the rule would have had few tangible benefits for the environment and little or no influence in encouraging other state or federal regulators to enact greenhouse gas initiatives of their own.

What the rules would have done is hurt small businesses, families and agricultural producers from many of the poorest parts of New Mexico. Tri-State’s own estimates predicted that imposition of the 2010 regulations would have caused the state’s GDP to decline by $317 million to $1.3 billion through 2030 and employment to generate 322 to 1,511 fewer jobs by 2020 – all while causing, at best, only a 0.004 percent to 0.006 percent average annual reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.

Tri-State was joined by several partners in opposing the regulations and working to secure their repeal, including staff and members from the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association, New Mexico Oil & Gas Association, the City of Farmington, PNM, El Paso Electric and more than 18,000 followers of the Keep Electricity Affordable campaign who made their voices heard.

Members adding three local renewable sources

Published on March 16, 2012 in Clean Energy, Renewable Energy and Resource Planning. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

The association’s board of directors approved Policy 115 generation contracts between Tri-State and two of its member systems for a total of three renewable projects at the March board meeting held earlier this week (March 13-14) in Westminster.

Both Poudre Valley REA and San Miguel Power are adding community solar projects to their porfolios this summer.

At Poudre Valley REA (Fort Collins, Colo.), the co-op recently announced the development of a 100-kilowatt solar garden by Clean Energy Collective, LLC, to be constructed this summer adjacent to the co-op’s headquarters building in Fort Collins. Under the terms of the agreement, Clean Energy Collective will own and operate the solar site and sell the output to Poudre Valley. The co-op, in turn, will provide its member-consumers with the opportunity to purchase solar panels to offset their electric use.

Within the service territory of San Miguel Power Association (Nucla, Colo.), a larger scale – one megawatt – community solar project, in which its members will be invited to subscribe, is also being developed this summer by the aforementioned Clean Energy Collective. The solar facility will be constructed in the Paradox Valley, west of Nucla.

Also, being added to San Miguel’s renewable portfolio is the 500-kilowatt output of one of the nation’s oldest hydroelectric facilities. Constructed in the late 1800s, the owners of Bridal Veil Hydro Project near Telluride, Colo., have inked a power purchase agreement with the Nucla-based co-op that is scheduled to begin by the end of this month and extend through the end of 2026.

 

Tri-State adds 67 megawatts of wind power

Published on March 1, 2012 in Clean Energy, Renewable Energy and Resource Planning. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , .

Tri-State has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement to buy the electricity from the state’s newest planned renewable energy resource, the 67-megawatt Colorado Highlands Wind project.  The facility will be built on a 5,200-acre site in northeast Colorado’s Logan County, within the service territory of Tri-State member co-op Highline Electric Association, and is scheduled to be operational by the end of the year.

The project will use GE wind turbine generators and will be developed by Colorado Highlands Wind, LLC, which is jointly owned by Alliance Power, Inc. of Littleton, Colo., and GE Energy Financial Services of Stamford, Conn.  Financial terms of the contract are being held confidential and were not disclosed.

“Increasing the amount of renewable resources in our energy mix further diversifies our overall generation portfolio,” said Tri-State executive vice president and general manager Ken Anderson.  “It not only attracts investment to the communities our member co-ops serve, but it also keeps us on schedule in assisting our members to meet their obligations under state renewable portfolio standards,” he said.

“Highline Electric is pleased to be in position to provide service to Colorado Highlands Wind and we’re looking forward to working with them during the construction process,” said Mark Farnsworth, manager of the local electric co-op.  “We also appreciate the economic development opportunities that the project provides in our service territory.”

The agreement culminates a process begun in October 2011 when Tri-State issued a request for proposals for renewable energy supply, which resulted in nearly 50 responses consisting of a variety of technologies and potential locations.

Colorado Highlands Wind will be the third utility-scale renewable energy facility from which Tri-State receives all of the electrical output and renewable energy credits.  In 2010 the wholesale power supplier began purchasing the electricity generated at the 51-megawatt Kit Carson Windpower Project in eastern Colorado as well as the 30-megawatt Cimarron Solar Facility in northeastern New Mexico.

10-year transmission plan filed with Public Utilities Commission

Published on February 7, 2012 in General, Public Meetings, Public Outreach, Resource Planning and Transmission. 0 Comments Tags: .

On Feb. 1 Tri-State filed its first 10-year transmission planning document with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in compliance with CPUC Rule 3627. In support of that filing, and in an effort to update the public and interested parties on the association’s future transmission projects, an extensive revamping of the transmission planning section of Tri-State’s Web site has been completed.

The first ever filing for the PUC Rule 3627 was the culmination of an extensive planning process, mainly by the system planning, transmission engineering and the public affairs groups. Several stakeholder outreach meetings were held in 2011 to engage interested parties, followed by a comment period for people to provide their input on various projects that are on the association’s 10-year planning horizon.

“Through the eyes of the PUC, the purpose of the filing is so that stakeholders – including elected officials, county commissioners and city administrators – are engaged early and often in the transmission planning process,” said Sarah Carlisle, public affairs coordinator. “Since other utilities in the state must also file under this rule, it also may provide the commission with an opportunity to identify mutually beneficial projects in which utilities might partner and provide economic benefits to electric consumers in Colorado.”

Western Fuels-Colorado closes on purchase of Colowyo Mine

Published on December 1, 2011 in General and Resource Planning. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Western Fuels-Colorado LLC, a fuel supplier that delivers coal under contract to Tri-State’s Craig Station and Nucla Station power plants in western Colorado, has completed its purchase of the Colowyo Mine from Rio Tinto.

Tri-State is the majority owner of Western Fuels-Colorado, which delivers coal produced at Colowyo Mine to the 1,304-megawatt Craig Station.

“Electricity responsibly produced with coal remains a remarkable value to serve the power needs of the region,” said Ken Anderson, executive vice president and general manager of Tri-State.  “The purchase of Colowyo Mine ensures Tri-State will have a cost-based supply of coal to generate affordable power for the benefit of our member electric cooperatives.”

In 2010, the Colowyo Mine produced approximately 1.5 million tons of coal under contract for Western Fuels-Colorado for delivery to Tri-State.  Total production of Colowyo Mine in 2011 was 2.3 million tons.

“The Colowyo Mine will help supply clean-burning coal to Craig Station for the expected life of the power plant,” said Mike McInnes, senior vice president of production at Tri-State.  “Tri-State will continue to invest in Craig Station and in the development of clean coal technologies.” Continue reading ‘Western Fuels-Colorado closes on purchase of Colowyo Mine’

G&T holds annual transmission planning outreach meeting

Published on October 20, 2011 in General, Public Meetings, Resource Planning and Transmission. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Tri-State staff members conducted their annual Transmission Planning Stakeholder Outreach Meeting earlier this week (Oct. 17) in Westminster — a public forum in which interested members of the community can participate and learn about the association’s future plans for its transmission system.

Mark Detsky, a Boulder attorney, asks a question at the recent annual transmission planning outreach meeting held in Westminster.

Main topics covered during the meeting’s half-day agenda included an overview of Tri-State, the overall planning process, the 2011–2020 loads and resources assumptions,  the transmission capital construction plan, generation interconnections and an update on the OATT (open access transmission tariff) system.

Tri-State presenters at the public meeting were Blane Taylor, senior manager of power systems planning; Ray LaPanse, transmission interconnection administrator; and Ron Steinbach, senior manager, transmission contracts, rates & policy. Sarah Carlisle, public affairs coordinator, organized the event.

Among some of the noteworthy statistics presented at the meeting included the fact that average annual transmission usage has increased from a coincident peak network load of 2,442 megawatts in 2007 to 2,626 megawatts through August of 2011. Generation interconnection requests on the Tri-State system as of Oct. 12, 2011, totaled 21 (13 in Colorado, three in New Mexico, five in Wyoming and zero in Nebraska) for a total projected capacity output of 2,683 megawatts.

The 2011–2020 loads and resources assumptions call for the following new generation additions: 50 megawatts of wind at Lamar, Colo., by 2015; 50 megawatts of wind at Archer, Wyo., by 2015; 588 megawatts of combined-cycle generation at Lamar, Colo., by 2017; 100 megawatts of wind at Archer, Wyo., by 2018; and 200 megawatts of wind at Lamar, Colo,. by 2020.

Tri-State-backed southwestern transmission project could go on fast track

Published on October 12, 2011 in Resource Planning and Transmission. 0 Comments Tags: , .
The proposed SunZia Southwest Transmission Project could eventually move up to 3,000 megawatts of renewable generation across the southwestern U.S. It is slated to go into service by 2016.

The proposed SunZia Southwest Transmission Project, in which Tri-State is one of four sponsors, could be put on the development fast track by the Obama Administration. Last week, the administration’s new Rapid Response Team for Transmission named SunZia and six other large-scale transmission projects in the U.S. as priority projects that would be given accelerated permitting and construction treatment.

“Transmission is a vital component of our nation’s energy portfolio, and these seven lines, when completed, will serve as important links across our country to increase our power grid’s capacity and reliability,” said U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. “This is the kind of critical infrastructure we should be working together to advance in order to create jobs and move our nation toward energy independence.”

Transmission projects of this scope involve reviews by multiple federal, state and tribal agencies. Nine federal agencies and the White House Council on Environmental Quality will be a part of the Rapid Response Team. The team’s charge is to resolve inter-agency conflicts, coordinate reviews, permitting and other processes.

The SunZia project consists of two transmission lines and substations that will transport primarily renewable energy from Arizona and New Mexico to customers and markets across the southwestern United States. The length of the proposed route is approximately 460 miles. In addition to Tri-State, partners in the SunZia project are Shell WindEnergy, Southwestern Power Group and Tucson Electric Power.

Tri-State purchases 272-megawatt combined cycle power plant

Published on October 4, 2011 in General and Resource Planning. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Tri-State announced on Oct. 4 it has agreed to purchase a 272-megawatt natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Fort Lupton, Colo.  The association will acquire 100 percent of the equity interests in the Thermo Cogeneration Partnership (TCP) from affiliates of Starwood Energy Group, a private investment firm focused on energy investments based in Greenwich, Conn.

TCP holds the assets associated with the power plant.  The transaction, the terms of which were not disclosed, is subject to customary consents and is anticipated to close in approximately six weeks.

“The acquisition of this natural gas power plant complements our existing generating resources to serve our growing member cooperatives’ loads,” said Tri-State executive vice president and general manager Ken Anderson.  “It further diversifies our resource fleet and provides important load-following capabilities in a high-growth part of our four-state system.”

In 2010, Tri-State’s load grew 5.5 percent – largely driven by industrial development in the rural communities served by electric cooperatives – which was approximately three times the national average growth rate for U.S. electric utilities.

Tri-State has been purchasing 150 megawatts of power from the Fort Lupton plant under a 10-year tolling agreement with TCP that began in July 2009.  TCP is also under contract to provide 122 megawatts of capacity to a third party, which will continue to be fulfilled through 2019.

“We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with Tri-State,” said Brad Nordholm, CEO of Starwood Energy Group.  “Tri-State is a well-managed organization that will be an excellent steward for TCP, its employees, its customers and the local community.  This is an excellent result for Starwood Energy and our investors.”

The facility, which was constructed in 1994, currently employs a workforce of approximately 25 people.

“Our plans are to own the facility for the long-term.  We are evaluating several modernization projects to enhance its efficiency and reliability,” Anderson said.  “This has ben a well-managed plant and we look forward to eventually transitioning the existing employees into Tri-State’s workforce.

“The purchase of this power plant presented a solid business opportunity for Tri-State and a great value to our member electric cooperatives,” Anderson said.  “We will continue to move forward to develop additional resource opportunities, keeping open all of our fuel and technology options in order to provide the most benefit to our membership.”

Federal hydro projects intertwined with Tri-State’s history

Published on September 15, 2011 in Clean Energy, General, Renewable Energy and Resource Planning. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Editor’s note: The following article is based on a recent educational  session provided by Tri-State staff to the association’s board of directors on the important role that the Western Area Power Administration and  federal hydropower plays in helping Tri-State provide affordable power to its member systems.

Glen Canyon Dam and hydroelectric facility near Page, Ariz.

The evolution of federal hydroelectric generating facilities is intertwined in the nearly 60-year history of Tri-State. From the time in 1952, when 26 electric co-ops and public power systems formed Tri-State until the early 1970s, the G&T essentially functioned as a non-operating utility delivering power produced at federal hydro facilities to its membership.

But, that would all change by the late 1970s and early ’80s, when Tri-State’s membership growth required further investment (beyond hydropower) in major baseload generating facilities such as Craig and Laramie River stations.

Continue reading ‘Federal hydro projects intertwined with Tri-State’s history’