Area power supplier taken to task The power supplier responsible for electrifying La Plata County’s transmission lines recently received poor marks. An analysis conducted by a leading electric utility consultant said that Tri-State Generation and Transmission has an imbalanced resource mix, but has an opportunity to address the problem in the future. Tri-State’s resource plan was centered around its proposed 700-megawatt coal-fired power plant near Holcomb, Kan., and included only token amounts of energy efficiency and renewable resources. On Oct. 18, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment killed Tri-State’s Holcomb proposal. Since that time, analysts at Summit Blue Consulting released a report that stated that Tri-State’s reliance on conventional coal-fired power makes the utility and its customers “highly vulnerable to changes in the cost of electricity generated by coal.” The report was commissioned by Western Resource Advocates, a conservation group, in order to protect the member-owners, like La Plata Electric Association’s customers, from the risks of bad decision-making. In Tri-State’s case, these risks are associated with a fundamental lack of energy-efficiency measures. “Energy efficiency is often the cheapest and most reliable resource available, and the challenges involved in optimizing a resource plan for the future become more complex than they have been in the past,” said Daniel Violette, a principal at Summit Blue. Summit Blue’s analysis looked at electric load forecasting, available resource options, and how Tri-State selects these resource options. The review uncovered a number of ways in which assumptions that were built into the planning process led to a financially risky plan, said Violette. For example, unlike most utilities, Tri-State bases its plan on a forecast of high growth in future electricity needs. Most utilities base their resource plans on mid-range growth estimates. Tri-State also built in an additional 15 percent reserve margin as “extra padding” to protect against unanticipated growth in demand for electricity. “The resulting estimate increases the possibility that too much capacity is built to meet the expected demand, which increases the cost to the customers,” Summit Blue concluded. Already this year, Tri-State’s growth forecasts are significantly off. Demand rose system-wide only 0.6 percent in the first seven months of 2007, while Tri-State had predicted 3.9 percent growth. The report went on to encourage Tri-State to introduce more energy efficiency measures; develop better financial and structural relationships with its 44 member cooperatives; utilize the abundant wind resources available in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming; convert natural gas peaking plants to combined-cycle units; and begin exploring new technologies. With the report in mind, the recent Holcomb plant denial actually becomes good news, according to many conservationists. Josh Joswick, energy issues coordinator with the Durango-based San Juan Citizens Alliance, is among them. “Many people see this as an opportunity for Tri-State to join the New Energy Economy being promoted by Gov. Ritter,” he said. “I believe that it creates an incentive for member co-ops to stimulate development of local clean energy resources and energy efficiency programs which, in turn, will bring economic benefits to the community.” John Nielsen, the energy policy director at Western Resource Advocates, added, “Tri-State now has a fantastic opportunity to rethink its approach to how it’s going to provide customers with electricity.” The public will soon know whether Tri-State agrees with this sentiment. On Nov. 12 & 13, Tri-State’s board, which is made up of one representative from each of its 44 member co-ops, met for the first since its Kansas power plant was rejected.
Purg named top family destination Durango Mountain Resort got some big press this month. Ski Magazine selected Purgatory as one of the “Seven Great Mountains to Ski With Your Kids” in the November 2007 issue. One of only two resorts selected from Colorado, Purgatory was hailed for its “rolling steps that are roller-coaster fun, but never intimidating.” The resort was pinpointed as being a great location for kids because of the family-friendly atmosphere of both the resort and the town of Durango. “With the one-two combo of town and resort, families find great skiing, comfortable digs and an authentically Western experience,” wrote the magazine. Ski also cited Mesa Verde and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad as excellent side vacations for families. The magazine also cited the Mountain Master Plan and base area improvements as factors for Durango Mountain Resort’s positioning on the list. Purgatory Lodge is the largest development complex in the resort’s history and is currently taking shape in the heart of Purgatory Village. With an expected completion of Phase 1 in winter 2008-09, Purgatory Lodge will feature new skier services, including a ticket office, rental and retail outlets, bathrooms, lockers, a swimming pool and spa area, and a new Purgy’s Day Lodge. Meanwhile, Purgatory is scheduled to begin the 2007-08 winter season on Dec. 1 with the 15th annual Benefit Day. The day features $15 lift tickets with all proceeds going to Durango Nature Studies and the Durango Winter Sports Foundation. DNS is dedicated to providing environmental education to children and adults in the Four Corners and will use the funds to repair the South Bridge at the organization’s nature facility near Bondad and add a new information kiosk next to the Lion’s Den pavilion. Purgatory’s Benefit Day has raised more than $200,000 for local nonprofit organizations in La Plata County since 1993. Previous benefactors include Trails 2000, Durango Discovery Museum and the Durango Arts Center. Built Green honors Three Springs The Durango-area’s biggest development received one of Colorado’s top honors recently. Tierra Vision Homes was presented with the “Built Green® Builder of the Year” award at the annual Home Builders Meeting in Denver for its work at the Three Springs development. Tierra Vision Homes is a subsidiary of the Tierra Group, a Southern Ute company, which is behind the 2000-plus unit development east of Durango in Grandview. The award recognized the work performed by Tierra Vision Homes throughout Three Springs. In addition, the Tierra Group also received the “Built Green® Home of the Year” award in the $500,000 to $1 million category for the home it built at 19 Artisan Court. “Tierra is committed to building homes that are sustainable, environmentally responsible and overall built better,” said Shane Seibel, of the Tierra Group. “On behalf of Tierra Group, we would like to thank all those who have helped in any way to achieve this tremendous honor.” The ceremony is held each year to acknowledge industry leaders who are committed to the Built Green® program and use technologies, products and practices to build homes that are better built and better for the environment. When complete, Three Springs will be comprised of five neighborhoods networked into each other and will contain upwards of 2,000 homes and a mix of commercial development. The project is centered around the new Mercy Regional Medical Center. – Will Sands
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