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East Montrose
Electric System Improvement
Project
 With increasing population growth throughout the West and the increased demand for electricity, both Tri-State and our member systems are working toward upgrading and expanding existing infrastructures in order to fulfill our mission to provide reliable electricity to consumers at the lowest cost possible.
Working in cooperation with its member system, Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), Tri-State is proposing a new 18-mile, 115 kilovolt transmission line into the east side of Montrose, Colo. Once completed, the East Montrose Electric System Improvement Project will strengthen the area’s electrical system.
The project is essential to DMEA as the increased residential and commercial loads in the area are straining the existing system, especially during peak electric use in summer and winter conditions. With the forecasted growth in the next decade, improvements to the system are taking on an increased sense of urgency.
“So far we’ve been able to avoid any extended outages with proper maintenance of our existing facilities. But as the load continues to grow, we need more of a long-term solution and the upgrade is vitally important in providing reliable electric service.”
- Shelby Bear, DMEA engineer
Benefits of the Proposed
Project
Reliable electric service is important to everyone including homeowners, businesses, medical facilities and schools. The risk of economic and other impacts caused by losing electrical reliability or quality is also being addressed with the new project.
The proposed project would:
- boost load serving capacity to the area.
- improve reliability of the existing electric delivery.
- ultimately provide more dependable looped transmission service.
Siting Process
Since reaching a project agreement in 2005, DMEA and Tri-State have been refining the route. The first public meeting was held on March 21, 2007, to obtain feedback about alternative line routes and facility sites.
- The next public meeting will be November 7, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Express in Montrose, Colo.
Project Area
The Northern Portion of the project will begin with the construction of Peach Valley Substation, located north of Montrose, near Falcon Road. From the Peach Valley Substation, a new transmission line will traverse approximately 12 miles south and southeast, crossing public and private lands to the new East Montrose Substation planned near Miguel Road and Highway 50 East.
In the Southern Portion of the project, the line will traverse six miles south out of the East Montrose Substation, again crossing public and private lands, to its end point at Tri-State’s existing South Canal Substation near Kinikin Road. This phase of the project will be constructed as loads continue to increase in the area, requiring the additional transmission service.
Contact Information
Joel Hendrickson
Senior Permitting and Land Rights Specialist
303-452-6111
jhendrickson@tristategt.org
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