As a next step in exploring its future power supply options and charting its energy future, LPEA is seeking updated power supply proposals from national power providers. The cooperative is asking providers who submitted proposals in a June 2019 RFP process to refresh their numbers to capture current market conditions. Pricing updates will be completed by August 14th, 2020.

This move takes place following the July 10th ruling by a Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in favor of LPEA’s efforts to obtain a just and equitable exit charge from its power provider Tri-State Generation & Transmission (Tri-State). LPEA formally asked Tri-State to provide a fair and equitable exit charge in July of 2019 as the LPEA Board of Directors wanted to explore multiple power-supply options to minimize costs and maximize local control and environmental sustainability. These options included staying with Tri-State and working to increase contract flexibility, fully exiting the Tri-State relationship, or finding a middle option.

“Now that we have a favorable ruling from the ALJ, we are able to move full steam ahead on all three options,” said LPEA’s CEO Jessica Matlock. “I am looking forward to finally having all the pieces of this puzzle so we can begin analyzing options to determine what will deliver the most benefits, at the lowest rates, for our members in the future.”