In an effort to promote beneficial electrification, Colorado electric co-ops in all corners of the state are encouraging consumer-members to make the switch to electric outdoor power equipment. They are doing this by partnering with power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission to offer consumer rebate opportunities on new outdoor equipment. Mountain View Electric Association, Inc., […]
San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, and its high-speed internet subsidiary Ciello, partnered with a local, high-poverty school district to wire family homes with internet to give students a chance to be successful at remote learning during the on-going pandemic. The school district is paying for the Wi-Fi service through the remainder of the school […]
By Amy Higgins In the wake of COVID-19, Colorado’s electric cooperatives have quickly altered the way they deliver their essential services. It’s no doubt more challenging, but they are still continually looking for ways to help their communities. After all, “concern for community” is one of the seven cooperative principles each co-op passionately stands by. […]
In response to the CDC’s recommendation to wear masks while performing essential services in the community during the pandemic, a group of United Power employees (Operations Manager Brent Sydow; Safety Specialist Mike Robinson; Purchasing Director Curtis Subia; and Operations Superintendent Kurt Eisenbarth) had an innovative idea: repurposing fire-retardant work shirts into masks. The Brighton-based electric […]
Poudre Valley REA held another successful annual meeting on April 4. And it was all virtual. Due to statewide social distancing requirements, the electric co-op hired a professional marketing company to film the annual meeting in the co-op’s community room at its headquarters in Fort Collins. Linden Marketing also did all of the post-production for […]
Exemplifying the seventh cooperative principle, Concern for Community, Colorado’s electric cooperatives joined with the state’s co-op power supplier and one of its lenders to donate money to the Colorado Relief Fund in early April. The funds were sent as the first “stay-at-home” order was issued and co-op consumer-members found themselves out of work and businesses […]
Colorado’s electric cooperatives, including their power suppliers, are in emergency mode, protecting critical personnel and making sure the lights stay on for consumer-members across the state during the new coronavirus pandemic. The state’s 22 electric cooperatives provide electricity to an estimated 1.75 million Coloradans living and working in all four corners of the state. Serving […]
San Miguel Power Association added a third community solar array to its distribution grid. The 250-kilowatt facility is a subscription-based community solar project, the first of its kind in Telluride. Erdman Energy partnered with the Nucla-based electric cooperative to provide SMPA consumer-members the opportunity to subscribe to solar energy without building or maintaining a system […]
In 2019, Granby-based electric cooperative Mountain Parks Electric rebated more than $38,000 to 19 consumer-members who installed local solar projects. The rebates were funded by voluntary contributions to MPE’s Green Power Program. “Our local power supply keeps getting greener,” said MPE General Manager Mark Johnston. “Part of it is the generation we purchase from local […]
Durango-based electric cooperative La Plata Electric Association recently awarded three grants to nonprofit organizations in its service territory. Money from the Renewable Generation Funds Grant program totaled $47,000 to support the nonprofits’ innovative efforts to pursue renewable energy generation. Volunteers of America was awarded $16,000 to support a solar installation at its new senior housing […]