EV charging.2023

PVREA Offers EV Charging Pilot Program

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Poudre Valley REA partnered with FlexCharging to create an innovative pilot program that offers members an easy way to save on their electric bills. FlexCharging, a leader in EV charging technology, released EVision in June. This cloud-based EV grid integration and demand response software allows electric cooperatives and utilities to launch managed charging programs. Poudre Valley REA members who charge their EVs at home will receive bill credits for charging during reward charging times, between midnight and 3 p.m. Incentives include 2 cents off electric bills per kWh used to charge the EV, as well as a one-time sign-up bonus of $50 upon successful enrollment in the program. The average EV owner, who drives 30-40 miles per day, will save an average of $120 annually.

“At PVREA, we need a managed EV charging program to meet the needs of both our electric grid and the increasing number of EV owners in our area,” Tim Ellis, PVREA energy resources director said.  “A viable, cost-effective, and user-friendly telematics solution supporting the most available EVs allows us to maximize the positive impact managed EVs can have on our grid. We’re excited to partner with FlexCharging on a new pilot program, DrivEV, that we hope can result in a safer, more reliable, and more affordable supply of power for all our members.”

DrivEV will help reduce charging costs for EV owners, decrease energy loads on PVREA, and lower carbon emissions. A recent study showed that the share of electric cars in total sales has more than tripled since 2020, from about 4% in 2020 to 14% in 2022. Electric car sales exceeded 10 million in 2022. As more people make the move to EV vehicles, innovative programs such as PVREA’s DrivEV will help meet demand for growing EV ownership, funding for charging infrastructure, and rapidly evolving regulations to move to EVs. To learn more about PVREA’s pilot program, please click here.

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Holy Cross Energy Completes First Phase in Broadband Infrastructure Project

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Holy Cross Energy announced that Phase I of their broadband infrastructure project in the Roaring Fork Valley is complete. The three-phase project brings “middle mile” broadband infrastructure to several communities in both the Roaring Fork Valley as well as the Eagle River Valley. Middle mile infrastructure is, according to the Colorado Broadband Office, “The telecommunication network of robust, high-speed fiber or fixed wireless that brings broadband close enough to a residence or business so an internet service provider may provide internet access. Middle mile connects to the global internet backbone.” This improved infrastructure plan also serves to diagnose outages, dispatch energy resources in real-time, and increase reliability between Holy Cross Energy data centers in an emergency.

Phase I of the project improves fiber connectivity over a 41-mile stretch between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. Construction of Phase II begins later this summer, connecting Avon and Gypsum, and Phase III will connect the first two phases with a link over Cottonwood Pass. Holy Cross Energy’s fiber and broadband director, Manuel Gomez, states “HCE’s primary goal is to increase reliability and to dispatch energy resources in real-time. We are also excited to utilize our fiber where available to support our member and communities by providing access to a strong fiber network.”

The decision to pursue middle mile projects was made by the HCE board of directors to support systems operations and increase connectivity to the community. Holy Cross Energy will not provide retail internet services, but instead has partnered with both public and private entities to increase fiber infrastructure by subleasing the fiber network to regional internet providers. As of today, the only lease on HCE’s fiber infrastructure is through a partnership with the Northwest Colorado Council of Government, which provides middle mile broadband services to Pitkin County, the City of Aspen, the Town of Basalt, and the Town of Snowmass Village.

MCREA Uses VR Technology as Part of Safety Program

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An innovative use of technology is giving Coloradans on the eastern plains invaluable and unique experiences to learn how to properly approach electrical safety. Morgan County REA now includes virtual reality headset technology as a part of its safety training program. Wearing a VR headset allows a user to experience virtual simulations that are designed to create an immersive environment. The virtual experience elicits the same stress response as some real-life situations, so if the individual is faced with the same scenario in real life, they are prepared and know how to handle the situation safely.

One of the scenarios the Fort Morgan-based electric co-op offers in their VR safety training is downed power line safety training. The simulation puts the user at the scene of an accident where a vehicle hits a power pole and the power line has fallen on the car. The user learns what steps to take to safely remove themselves from this dangerous situation. Another training simulation available through the VR headsets includes farm hazards. Users can participate in a variety of tasks on a farm and the VR experience educates them about how to handle unexpected situations. In April, personnel from the Southwest Washington County Fire Protection District also implemented the use of MCREA’s VR headsets as part of their staff training program for power line safety.

One of the benefits of utilizing VR technology as a safety training tool is the high retention rate. Because individuals have already mentally experienced the scenario, it is easier to recall important information. A study by the Masie Report shows that VR simulations have a retention rate of 75%, significantly higher than the 10% retention rate from reading and the 5% from listening to lectures. A high retention rate is crucial in safety training, when keeping individuals from harm is the top priority. Hands-on experience is the best education, and the addition of this interactive tool will contribute to a more comprehensive safety program moving forward. The implementation of VR technology at MCREA will be beneficial for the co-op and its members. For more information, visit mcrea.org.

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Colorado’s electric cooperatives are committed to maintaining reliability and affordable electricity across the state. Click here for more examples of how we are maintaining reliability and affordable electricity

GCEA 2023

GCEA Breaks Ground on New Hydroelectric Project

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GCEA broke ground for the development of the Taylor River Hydropower plant at the base of the Taylor Park Dam on May 31. The hydropower facility’s nameplate capacity is 500 kilowatts, placing it within the “small hydro” scale. Small hydro powers local communities and contributes to a regional grid. According to GCEA Strategy Execution Specialist Matt Feier, this project could result in the production of 3.9 million kilowatt-hours each year, which is about the same amount of energy as 2,500-kilowatt fixed-tilt solar arrays. The plant will generate enough electricity to power approximately 475 GCEA-served homes every year. GCEA has been working to diversify its supply portfolio by adding environmentally friendly, sustainable resources that are in accordance with the terms and conditions with its wholesale power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. All energy generated at this hydroelectric facility will be distributed to members of GCEA members, making this an exciting new development for the community.

GCEA partnered with the Uncompaghre Valley Water Users Association to bring this project to life, a venture that has been several years in the making. GCEA and UVWUA signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2020 to form a jointly owned entity called Taylor River Hydro LLC to develop, own, and operate the plant. The Taylor Park Dam was originally built to accommodate a hydroelectric generation facility when it was constructed in 1937, though one has never been implemented until now. The dam is owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and is operated by the UVWUA; maintenance and operation responsibilities will be handled by GCEA. The hydroelectric facility is expected to operate at full capacity 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year, not including occasional downtime for maintenance and repairs. The Taylor River Hydropower project was originally slated to be finished in late 2023, but now has an expected completion date of mid-February 2024.

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Colorado’s electric cooperatives are committed to maintaining reliability and affordable electricity across the state. Click here for more examples of how we are maintaining reliability and affordable electricity

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Mesa Hotline School: Powering a Field of Dreams

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By Amy Higgins, Photography by Joshua Scott Smith –

On May 1, lineworkers from across America gathered in Grand Junction at Mesa Hotline School to strengthen their skills and network with industry professionals.

This was the first of two weeklong training sessions at the esteemed electrical lineworker school and where its latest asset was introduced: a new 26-acre field outfitted with a legion of power poles, underground and above-ground lines, and all the necessary components to create a powerful learning experience.

The Aerial Gloving, Hot Tension Stringing and Hot Sticking II classes are taught at the new 26-acre field at Mesa Hotline School in Grand Junction.

Mesa Hotline School personnel put in countless hours amending the field design plans before coming up with a blueprint of the finished product.

“We built a complete new field between multiple companies,” said Mesa Hotline School Board Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Holy Cross Energy Glenwood Line Operation Manager James Ray. Several businesses generously donated equipment and manpower to ready the field for the students’ arrival. Essentially, a forest of power poles readied for climbing, testing and inspecting was firmly planted as the centerpiece of this massive real estate.

“I was delighted to see so much of it completed in a short period of time after we began construction,” said Holy Cross Energy President and CEO Bryan Hannegan. “Everyone appreciated the thoughtful and realistic design of the field, which made class instruction efficient and effective.”

THE RIGHT STUFF

Founded in 1966, Mesa Hotline School is a highly accredited lineworker school led by industry experts who teach lineworkers of all aptitudes ways to sharpen their skills and learn the more difficult tasks involved their craft.

Approximately 80 top-notch linework experts from CREA, America’s electric cooperatives and other energy entities donated their time and expertise during the two weeklong programs, and without financial incentive. These partnerships personify the cooperative principle “Cooperation Among Cooperatives,” a characteristic that noticeably branches beyond the cooperative network and toward the entire linework profession.

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City of San Marco linemen AJ Longoria and Sammy Clark teach students how to change out a dead end insulator during the Hot Sticking I class.

“That’s really how our trade works,” explained David Williams, Mesa Hotline School Board President and Operations Superintendent at Mountain View Electric Association’s Limon office. “We depend on each other to bring [students] to the same level that the other guys got to; you’re getting the best of what those companies have to offer.” Students at Mesa Hotline School can register for hot sticking, aerial gloving, hot tension stringing, installations, switching and troubleshooting, or cable testing and fault locating courses. As they learn new techniques, a field safety committee ensures students are employing best practices to secure their wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. The course involves two days of in-class instruction, two days in the field, and a banquet where students are lauded for their hard work.

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Erik Dahl teaches digger derrick best practices in the classroom portion of hotline school.

“That’s the biggest thing about hotline school: the relationships that you’re able to afford,” CREA Job Training and Safety Instructor Curt Graham said. “You always meet new people and learn different ways of doing things, so the network of people and things that you can put together over there is just beyond — it’s just incomprehensible — what you can do.”

While the new field currently offers immense amenities for its students, transmission and an additional substation are in the works to enrich the site.

“I think by the time we’re done it’ll probably be, if not the best, one of the best hotline schools in the nation,” Ray said.

A CLASS OF THEIR OWN

This year, around 600 lineworkers from consumer-owned and publicly-traded utilities and their contractors attended Mesa Hotline School. They advanced their skills learning new techniques and putting those skills into action, such as handling, maneuvering and working on energized conductors; stringing and pulling in new conductor to retire old conductor; troubleshooting cables and circuits; and learning how to locate an underground fault with different types of equipment.

“Nothing is live in the training. We simulate it but we treat it and talk about it just as if it was [energized],” Williams explained.

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Mesa Hotline School Board President David Williams inspects the transformer training station.

America’s electric cooperatives know it takes grit to commit to the electrical linework profession and are keenly aware of the sacrifices that come with the job. “If the weather’s ugly and there’s lightning in the air and snow blowing sideways at 50 miles an hour, we’re out there, and I think it does take a special someone to want to do that,” Williams said.

Electrical lineworkers are in demand and the compensation it provides is substantial and continues to increase as their skills grow.

Mesa Hotline School, its partner companies and various vendors offer tuition assistance for lineworker training. There are approximately 10 $1,500 student scholarships and a $3,000 Mike Dean Memorial post-graduate scholarship. People who want to enter the lineworker profession can apply for these scholarships to attend any accredited lineworker program.

Whether it’s intimidation, uncertainty or time constraints, many people miss out on these financing opportunities simply because they don’t apply. “It always surprises me how few applicants we really get,” Williams said. “I would think we would get hundreds, but we don’t.”

Colorado’s electric cooperatives understand the significance of education and desire lineworkers who commit to furthering their skills and staying on top of the latest techniques and practices throughout their career.

“To me, that is the biggest thing that hotline school is about,” Graham shared. “You can always learn something new no matter how long you’ve been in this business.”

Amy Higgins is a freelance writer who has reported on electric industry topics for more than a decade.

Empire Electric Announces New Construction Estimator Tool

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Cortez-based Empire Electric Association recently revealed its new construction estimator tool to help streamline estimates as demand for new services in the area expands. This tool promises to improve work processes and lower operation costs that will be passed down to its consumers with faster service and more affordable rates.

EEA completed 216 new services in 2022, almost double the 10-year average of 114, and an increase of 73% from the latest three-year average. The demand for new services as well as normal maintenance and upgrade activity to maintain reliability has increased its engineering department’s workload.

In the past, EEA provided one free estimate for a member looking to add a new electric service. This was done by an engineering technician and typically involved travel to the site. In many cases, after receiving the estimate, the member did not proceed with the project. Resources spent estimating projects never built and the increasing demand for new services made the process a great candidate for improvement.

At the end of March 2023, EEA launched a new construction estimator tool. This tool allows members or their electricians to easily get a quote for providing service at a new location. The estimator tool is for single-phase services that will not need more than 75 kilovolt amperes (kVA) of capacity. Three-phase services or services requiring greater than 75 kVA of capacity are urged to still contact the EEA engineering department for an estimate.

The required input for the online tool is:
• The type of service the project will originate from: overhead, underground, or overhead to underground.
• The distance in feet from the existing EEA distribution system to the proposed meter location.
• The service capacity required in kVA. Capacity is dictated by electrical and building codes and the number and type of electric equipment or appliances at the new service.

Once these three values are entered, the tool will provide a cost estimate to build the new service. If the input values are correct, this will be the price the member will pay. If the estimate meets the member’s budget and they want to proceed, they will provide EEA with a load data sheet outlining the electric equipment and appliances that will be at the new service, a site plan showing site details and the proposed meter location, and an engineering deposit of $500 for residential services and $600 for commercial.

When EEA receives the required documentation and deposit, an engineering technician will meet with the member or their representative at the site to verify the plans and model input. Any necessary changes to the model input will be made at that time, and the formal project cost will be presented. If the member wishes to proceed at that time, they will pay the formal estimate minus the engineering deposit, and the service will be designed and then placed on the construction schedule. If the member does not wish to proceed, they will be refunded the deposit less costs incurred by EEA in providing the formal estimate.

The new construction estimator tool gives members an estimate to provide electric service to a property and allows them to evaluate different scenarios quickly and easily. It will also allow EEA to design and build services when members are ready to proceed, and at the same time reduce EEA costs to help keep all members’ rates affordable.

For more information, visit eea.coop/residential-and-commercial-new-construction-estimator-tool.

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Hello Hydropower Energy

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By Kylee Coleman

Electricity generated from hydropower tells an interesting story about today’s energy trends that’s deeper than just water flowing over a dam.

It’s a story about a renewable resource that once generated nearly a third of the nation’s electricity — a share that has declined dramatically over the decades with the rise of nuclear power, natural gas, wind and solar.

Although hydropower is less a part of our energy picture than it used to be, it’s still an important part of today’s energy mix. Hydropower projects from Tri-State G&T and Western Area Power Administration, small hydro projects and even micro-hydro projects all work together to help power homes, farms, ranches and businesses in Colorado.

Hydropower works by converting falling water into energy. Historically, Colorado has seen this played out in different applications, such as Crystal Mill, which used a horizontal water turbine to power an air compressor for miners operating machinery and tools in nearby silver mines in the late 1800s. It has also come in the form of large dams built on a river both for flood control as well as to channel the water through large turbines that generate electricity.

According to the United States Department of Energy, hydropower generates roughly 7% of the nation’s electricity — and all but two states receive at least some of their electricity from hydropower.

HYDROPOWER & THE ENVIRONMENT

While flowing water might seem to be an endless energy source, hydropower has a complicated relationship with the environment.

Some question hydro’s claims as a provider of clean energy since the larger projects involve building a huge dam that floods a river valley to create a reservoir. But the Environmental Protection Agency classifies hydro as a renewable resource, and the DOE lists hydroelectricity as the source of 31% of the nation’s renewable electricity.

Recent weather patterns also seem to be redefining what renewable energy means. Hydroelectric generation fell 9% during 2021 because of drought conditions across the country and the West.

HYDRO IS COST-EFFECTIVE

Still, hydro has a lot going for it. It’s one of the cheapest forms of energy, especially after the initial investment costs. Its day-to-day operations don’t produce greenhouse gases. Utility grid operators appreciate its flexibility as a source of electricity that can be turned on and off relatively easily, especially compared with fuels like coal, nuclear, solar and wind.

Those assets have raised interest in adding new hydro projects. Nearly $8 billion has been invested over the past 15 years to add enough capacity to power 1 million homes. While many hydro dams have been around a long time and are ready to be retired, new projects are planned, including modernizing older hydro facilities. DOE reports proposed projects that could generate enough electricity to power yet another 1 million homes.

In addition to upgrading existing sites, the DOE projects that at least 200 “non-powered dams” could have generators added. Out of about 90,000 dams in the U.S., only about 2,200 generate electric power.

Those efforts will be getting a boost from the federal infrastructure law passed in 2021. That measure includes more than $2 billion in hydropower incentives for river restoration and dam rehabilitation.

SMALL HYDRO OFFERS BIG OUTCOMES

“Small hydro” is developed on a scale meant for local communities and industries and mostly contributes to a regional grid. Small hydro projects are defined by the DOE as plants that generate between 100 kilowatts and 10 megawatts.

In Colorado, small hydro can have a large effect on powering communities. Gunnison-based electric co-op GCEA has been working in partnership with the Uncompaghre Valley Water Users Association to install a 500 kW small hydro project at the base of Taylor Park Dam.

A small hydro facility at Taylor Dam is slated to operate at 500 kilowatt nameplate capacity.

Taylor River Hydro, LLC has been pursued as an opportunity to provide cost-effective, locally-generated, carbon-free electricity from an existing resource (the Taylor Park Dam) to the co-op’s consumer-members. “All energy produced at the new hydroelectric facility will be consumed by GCEA members within the co-op’s distribution system,” GCEA Strategy Execution Specialist Matt Feier said.

Taylor River Hydro is designed to operate at or near the 500kW nameplate capacity 24 hours every day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year (minus downtimes for potential repairs and maintenance). Specific fluctuations in power production will be determined by the height of the reservoir at any given time.

“The facility should generate 3,812,733 kWh of electricity per year, on average,” Feier noted. “This is enough energy to power approximately 475 average GCEA-served homes each year.”

Feier explained that the Taylor Park Dam and Taylor Park Reservoir were originally constructed in 1937 for the purposes of agricultural water storage and flood control. The Taylor Park Dam has never incorporated a hydroelectric generation facility, though the dam structure was originally designed to accommodate one.

The dam is owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and is operated by the Uncompaghre Valley Water Users Association. UVWUA retains first-fill water rights to water within the Taylor Park Reservoir, and GCEA maintains and operates the electric distribution system that serves the Taylor Park Dam and surrounding areas.

Taylor River Hydro has been working to see the new facility completed and commissioned by December 31, 2023. But the lead time required for a highly specialized, precision valve that needs to be individually manufactured and installed has pushed the completion date to mid-February 2024.

Drought conditions are not expected to impact the generation capacity or function of Taylor River Hydro. “It is designed as a 500 kWh facility, and the Taylor River and Taylor Park Dam/Reservoir can accommodate up to 4 MW of electricity generation during high flows. As such, the new facility is expected to operate at or near full capacity year-round, even in drought conditions,” Feier said.

Hydropower doesn’t always get the attention of flashier advancements like wind and solar technologies, but it’s been around for 2,000 years, since the Greeks used it to turn wheels that ground wheat into flour.

Only the future will tell how much of a role hydro will play, but its time-tested techniques and green energy benefits promise it will still be providing some level of power 2,000 years from now.

Kylee Coleman, editor of Colorado Country Life, writes about issues affecting Colorado’s electric cooperatives and innovations in the electric industry.

Learn about some of Colorado’s past micro hydro projects in this 2017 article.

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Safeguarding Wildlife and the Grid

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By Amy Higgins
All photography provided by Rick Harness, EDM

Our nation’s bird populations have been a topic of concern since the early 1900s when the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was enacted to control market hunting. As decades passed, additional legislation was added to protect birds from modern-day human conveniences, safeguarding wildlife while also protecting the grid.

This came to the forefront when, in the late 1990s, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prosecuted Moon Lake Electric Association for violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the MBTA. Although MLEA is based in Utah, it’s notable that a large portion of their service territory is in Colorado, which is where eagles were found electrocuted.

Cognizant of bird electrocutions on their lines, electric co-ops reached out for guidance. Colorado cooperatives banded together through CREA, their trade association, and contacted utility consulting firm EDM International’s Certified Wildlife Biologist Rick Harness, who stepped in to help develop Avian Protection Plans or APPs. Today, every electric cooperative in Colorado has an Avian Protection Plan. In fact, “[Colorado] was the first state to do a holistic program,” Harness said.

Safeguarding Wildlife: APPs Take Flight

At a consulting firm in Missoula, Montana, Harness first witnessed avian electrocutions from power lines — he would stumble on a dead or injured bird under a power line. Eight years later, he came to Fort Collins to work at a consulting firm and go back to school to earn his master’s degree.

For his master’s work, Harness reached out to rural electric cooperatives, researched their services structures, identified at-risk bird species and recorded how frequently electrocutions occurred. This allowed him to assess the population impacts of power line mortality and came up with recommendations to help protect birds and strengthen the reliability of electric service.

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A golden eagle sits on an unprotected pole, which needs a conductor cover added.

It was around 1997 that the Fish and Wildlife Service decided that distribution lines caused an unacceptable level of bird mortality and that the problem wasn’t going away. Harness’s experience and knowledge earned him a role as a liaison between MLEA and the FWS, and a key role in the development of an early, precedent-setting APP.

Using his thesis work as a guideline, Harness concluded that it wasn’t necessary to retrofit every power pole in a utility’s distribution system. Instead, utilities could identify the poles and habitats that presented the greatest risks and put their dollars there.

“Moon Lake was happy because they didn’t have to do wholesale retrofitting. The Fish and Wildlife Service was happy because we were bringing science into it, and it was a third-party person that was taking responsibility for it,” Harness said.

Soon after, CREA contacted Harness and a statewide effort was proposed to develop a more streamlined process for Colorado electric cooperatives.

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A Ferruginous hawk rests on a 3-phase pole protected with a conductor cover on the center pin.

EDM started at Empire Electric Association in Cortez. Once the report was developed, it was vetted and approved by the FWS; then the rules were applied statewide. It took approximately three years for EDM to inspect all of the Colorado electric cooperatives’ systems and develop APPs.

As word got out about the APP, additional utilities followed suit and contacted EDM, including the Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy) and the Air Force Academy. “There’s excellent coverage across the state for Avian Protection Plans, and CREA was at the center of that effort,” said EDM Project Manager Duncan Eccleston.

Taking Wildlife Under Wing

To develop an APP, the utility’s current standards, structures and land are analyzed and a report of the consulting firm’s findings and recommendations is presented to the utility. Priority is given to high-risk poles and habitats where electrocutions and/or collisions are most likely to occur.

Recommendations for safeguarding wildlife may include adding insulation, creating additional spacing, if possible, or adding the proper products to existing structures so wildlife can avoid hazardous contacts.

golden-eagle-crea-mar-2023The utility’s APP also includes a reactive program so it can quickly mitigate a problem when it arises and a proactive risk assessment to determine the biggest threats to the system and the surrounding environment, including wildlife.

These recommendations are invaluable and welcomed. After an engaging lineman training visit, SDCEA in Buena Vista was prompted to ask Eccleston to make annual visits going forward.

“The co-op lineman is really the focus because they know more than anybody and they see more than anybody,” Eccleston explained. “They have a lot at stake; they really do care.”

“We know [the APP] is not going to eliminate wildlife interactions, but at least it will minimize the impact,” said Holy Cross Energy VP of Operations Cody O’Neil. The Glenwood Springs electric cooperative used its original APP until around 2008, when it began updating and amending its plan. More changes were made in December 2019 to better align with current best practices.

“We believe that our outage numbers have decreased so our system reliability has increased,” O’Neil said. “We don’t have as many — part of this could be technological advances in some other areas as well — but we don’t have as many unknown outages as we did 20 years ago.”

In 2019, Grand Junction–based Grand Valley Power worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to build a nest for a pair of ospreys that claimed a pole in De Beque. Using APP guidelines, GVP linemen installed a new base for their avian members, waited, and then revisited the site to find the ospreys nesting in their new home.

APPs: More than Meets the Eye

“I think one misnomer that unfortunately a lot of folks attribute to avian protection is that it only benefits birds,” O’Neil said. “There are quite a few other critters out there that end up not getting electrocuted because we use these tactics.”

Raccoons. Squirrels. Really, any nonflying animal has added shielding with APPs. APP standards and efforts also help prevent wildfires and wildfire-caused outages while safeguarding wildlife. For example, if a squirrel climbs onto a transformer that’s not up to APP standards, it could get electrocuted, fall to the ground smoldering and cause the grass to ignite.

Eccleston explained, “The other thing that can happen is, even if they don’t fall onto the grass, they could trigger an expulsion fuse — the fuse swings open and it sends out a bunch of molten gas and sparks that could also start a fire.”

Colorado’s electric co-ops cherish wildlife and aim to protect the beautiful outdoors while also maintaining a reliable electric infrastructure for consumer-members.

Amy Higgins is a freelance writer who has reported on issues that affect electric cooperative consumer-members and their surrounding environments for more than a decade.

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CREA Acquires New Conference

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CREA recently added a new event to its portfolio: the Rocky Mountain Utility Exchange. This conference, recently acquired from Ed Thomas and Tiger Adolf, has been an esteemed energy industry-related event in the Centennial State for 16 years and CREA promises to bring the highest quality speakers to the table in September 2023.

CREA will accept presenter applications soon. The agenda will explore best practices and lessons learned about initiatives related to energy (gas and electricity) efficiency, water conservation, strategy issues, and integration with renewable energy, flexible load management, strategic load growth, and other customer-facing initiatives.

Click here to learn more.