Tri-State earns prestigious health and safety
recognition at Escalante Generating Station

As the owner/operator of the Escalante Generating Station, a 245-megawatt power plant in Prewitt, N.M., Tri-State has become only the eighth company in the state to earn the prestigious Zia Star Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) status from the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Occupational Health and Safety Bureau in conjunction with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

At a Sept. 22 ceremony held at the facility, Ken Anderson, Tri-State’s executive vice president and general manager, described the essential role safety plays in Tri-State’s day-to-day operations. "One of Tri-State’s most important values as an organization is to exceed established safety requirements at all of our facilities. Earning the VPP status here at Escalante Station illustrates how we put these values into practice every day," Anderson said.

Tri-State senior vice president/production Mike McInnes credited the accomplishment to the plant’s 117 employees. "Through their effort and determination, the entire workforce here at Escalante Station was instrumental in this achievement and they fully deserve the honor," he said.

The VPP recognizes companies with exemplary health and safety management systems that maintain injury and illness rates below the national average for their industry. "Escalante Station has demonstrated its commitment to the safety and health of its workers by applying for and attaining VPP recognition," NMED Secretary Ron Curry said. "We are pleased to have them as a partner in our efforts to make New Mexico the safest state in the country in which to work."

Don Russell, Tri-State’s plant manager at Escalante Station, said, "Working toward this distinction at Escalante Station has been a long and enduring process, but a fun and exciting challenge for me and all of our employees whose suggestions, ideas, commitment and dedication have made our plant a safer and more productive place to work."

A select few companies have met the stringent requirements to achieve VPP status in New Mexico. Tri-State joins ConocoPhillips, Georgia-Pacific, Intel, Roco Corp., Honeywell Aerospace, Operations Management International and NextEra Energy Resources as the eighth facility in New Mexico to become part of this elite group. Tri-State also becomes the first generation and transmission cooperative in the country to earn the VPP distinction.

Updated: September 22, 2009