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Tri-State files electric resource plan with Colorado PUC
 Tri-State filed its 20-year Electric Resource Plan with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission on Nov. 30. The filing provides an assessment of Tri-State’s existing resource mix and electric sales forecast, and discusses various alternatives for meeting the future system needs of its 44 member cooperatives. The filing will also be submitted to the Western Area Power Administration.
The resource plan identifies a six-year resource acquisition period in which Tri-State could add new generation resources. In order to meet its member cooperatives’ renewable portfolio mandates and further diversify its generation portfolio, Tri-State will need to acquire additional renewable resources in the next three to four years. These resources are in addition to the new renewable resources from the 51-megawatt Kit Carson Windpower Project near Burlington, Colo., and the 30-megawatt Cimarron Solar photovoltaic project in northeastern New Mexico, as well as renewable energy projects developed locally by Tri-State’s member cooperatives.
Tri-State is also doubling its funding for energy efficiency programs in 2011 to $5 million. The programs, which support the association’s member cooperatives to deploy energy saving technologies, were expanded for 2011 to include weatherization initiatives and new pilot programs in commercial refrigeration, variable speed drives, submersible irrigation pumps and real-time energy use customer feedback tools.
In recent years, Tri-State has entered into contracts with other utilities and independent power producers to obtain peaking and intermediate gas-fired capacity and energy resources to meet growing member demand. Based on its current forecast, Tri-State does not foresee the need for additional large-scale resources to meet the needs of its member cooperatives in the filing’s six-year resource acquisition period. However, given the long lead times required to develop new generation resources, the association continues to analyze multiple resource options that could meet its long-term resource needs.
Tri-State’s resource plan filing was developed over the past eight months with significant public input and review. In preparing the plan, Tri-State held several public participation meetings to receive comments from interested parties and provide the opportunity for public comment on its draft plan. The plan was ultimately reviewed and approved for filing by Tri-State’s board of directors.
The resource plan describes two dozen alternative resource portfolios that were analyzed as part of the public participation process. The alternative portfolios result from various combinations of growth rates, commodity prices, electricity prices, levels of energy efficiency, levels of renewable resources, capital costs and costs associated with carbon emissions.
The resource plan filing is an informative process that provides Tri-State with a solid framework for future business decisions. Given the uncertainties in the regulatory arena, energy markets and technology advancements, these factors – as well as other business opportunities, circumstances and risks – could lead Tri-State to pursue resource options that were not modeled in any of the portfolios.
For more information, visit our Resource Planning section.
Updated: December 1, 2010
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