During the meeting, Tri-State announced it will consider alternatives to the previously proposed La Veta Pass line that could involve generation, transmission and energy efficiency measures. The utility will accept stakeholder comments through May 11^th to inform their efforts. The meeting also generated articles from the Pueblo Chieftain and Alamosa Valley Courier that recapped some of their presentation and transmission line project alternatives.

Although we are still fighting to have Tri-State’s 2008 Load Forecast released so the public can see for itself Tri-State’s actual projected electrical need – we are encouraged that the utility committed to identifying alternatives to improve the electric reliability for San Luis Valley residents. We had previously identified several alternatives that would avoid the pristine La Veta Pass corridor and improve energy reliability – a win-win for the Valley.

We urge you to click here and let Tri-State know your thoughts about how best to improve the system.

The meeting will be held on April 25^th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Ortega Middle School, 401 Victoria Avenue in Alamosa, CO.

Given the short notice, we hope everyone with an interest in the future of this project will attend and ask questions.

We’ll see you there.

Their email is included below:

Tri-State to hold Alamosa public meeting April 25

Please join Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. for an update on the Southern Colorado Transmission Improvements Project April 25th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Ortega Middle School, 401 Victoria Ave in Alamosa, CO. Tri-State representatives will provide an overview presentation of the reliability issues concerning the existing transmission system serving the San Luis Valley. There will also be an opportunity for the public to provide comments and input on project alternatives for consideration on new studies focused around a Tri-State-only project.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Carlisle at 303-254-3396 or scarlisle@tristategt.org.

In early 2012, Xcel filed a request with the courts to delay Trinchera Ranch’s appeal after announcing that the joint project with Tri-State was, “no longer in the best interest of its customers and upcoming court proceedings would be unnecessary.”

In the order granting Xcel’s request, Costilla County District Judge Michael Gonzales stated, “It makes little or no sense to proceed with the case” because, “there is a very good chance that the instant appeal will become moot if and when Public Service withdraws from its participation in the Project.” Judge Gonzales also writes that because of the uncertainty moving forward, proceeding now “would be a substantial waste of resources for the parties and the Court.”

Tri-State continues to claim that it needs the project to address energy reliability, yet the project is not slated for completion until 2016. In addition, Tri-State recently updated its Southern Colorado Transmission project website announcing that all options are on the table and that they are studying alternatives to the delayed joint project with Xcel.

In its own 2008 study, Tri-State had identified other cheaper, viable alternatives that increase energy reliability and system redundancy in the San Luis Valley and can be completed in less than four years. To date though, Tri-State – at least publicly – has refused to revisit the cheaper, viable alternatives it identified in 2008 or to examine other potential alternatives to its current costly and damaging proposal.

Read Tri-State’s 2008 study here.

Read the Costilla County District Court Order here.

Read the Denver County District Court Order here.

This update comes months after Xcel, Tri-State’s partner in the project, announced that construction of a huge new $180 million transmission line over La Veta Pass was no longer in its ratepayers’ interest.

Improving reliability is an important issue for the San Luis Valley. We support Tri-State’s decision to pursue other viable options. In the past, Tri-State and others have identified numerous, viable alternatives to the project capable of improving reliability, increasing system redundancy and that are millions of dollars cheaper for the RECs and their customers.

We look forward to reviewing these options and encourage Tri-State to solicit and incorporate feedback from the communities they serve in southern Colorado and the San Luis Valley prior to finalizing any proposal.

In the meantime, we will continue our fight for better, smarter and cheaper alternatives that improve electrical system reliability in the San Luis Valley.

United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar last week announced several initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting a vast range of historic and geographic sites located in the San Luis Valley, specifically including Trinchera Ranch in the area deserving protection. Governor John Hickenlooper and United States Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet were also on hand to support the initiatives.

A recently released report on the San Luis Valley and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which was commissioned by the Secretary, makes three recommendations:

• Request Congressional authorization to study and evaluate means to protect historic sites;
• Conduct an updated resource study of Vermejo Park Ranch;
• Create a corridor of conservation easements consisting of public and private lands.

The corridor of conservation, as outlined in the report, would include private properties along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico and Colorado, including the 172,000-acre Trinchera Ranch. The corridor would protect an iconic landscape and important wildlife habitat, but keep property in private ownership. Trinchera Ranch was lauded by the Secretary for its outstanding commitment to conservation and improvement of wildlife habitat over several decades.

The initiatives were announced as part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative.

To read the news articles from the event, as well as the Secretary’s report, please visit the links below.

The Denver Post: Salazar, Colorado leaders push to preserve much of San Luis Valley
Alamosa Valley Courier: San Luis Valley heritage study underway
Pueblo Chieftain: Salazar proposes to preserve history of San Luis Valley’s past
Report: San Luis Valley and Central Sangre de Cristo Mountains Reconnaissance Survey

Through a series of complex financial mechanisms, PSCo ratepayers are now paying considerably more than the 2% limit they were promised for renewable resources, according to a filing Trinchera Ranch made to the Public Utilities Commission on December 2.

Due to a lack of transparency in the system, ratepayers may believe that the costs for renewable resources are funded entirely by the 2% Renewable Energy Standard Adjustment (RESA) rider that shows up on their bills.  Instead, the rider does not include costs for nearly half of the renewable resources on Public Service’s system and is based on dramatically underestimated forecasts of the costs of the renewable resources that are covered by the rider.

“Despite the clear intent of both the voters and the Legislature with respect to this so-called maximum retail rate impact cap, both the spirit of this funding limit and likely the letter of the law have been ignored,” charged Trinchera in its filing before the PUC.

You can read the filing in its entirety here.

Today, the Denver Post complimented Xcel’s recent decision to back away from a proposed transmission line over La Veta Pass. The Editorial also notes that they would like to see Tri-State look at alternatives, specifically a “scaled-back project…in the existing corridor” to address reliability issues in the San Luis Valley.

We welcome the Denver Post’s recognition of the current playing field and will continue our fight toward a win-win solution. We know, as does Tri-State, that the Valley can have improved electrical reliability, increased renewable energy projects and protect a spectacular part of Colorado through other cheaper, better alternatives.

Below is the Denver Post editorial:

Editorial: Tri-State and Trinchera should seek compromise

With Xcel dropping plans for a solar transmission line through the historic ranch, we hope the smaller utility finds a new plan.

By The Denver Post

Xcel Energy’s decision to walk away from a $180 million power line project is good news for the historic Trinchera Ranch and owner Louis Bacon, but the danger to the scenic treasure is not over.

That’s because another utility, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, is still interested in the idea.

That’s an unfortunate and, in our view, unnecessary development.

Continue reading the editorial here.

Here are a few examples from the report that Xcel uses to justify their decision:

• Continued Statewide Decline in Energy Demand: “The need for 2018 has dropped from a projected need of over 2000 MW in 2007…to now only 292 MW today.”

• Expensive Large-Scale Solar vs. Cheap Natural Gas: “the incremental costs of this form of solar facility (over natural gas alternatives) call into question whether this technology would be considered now to be a ‘cost-effective’ resource.”

• Expiring Tax Credits: Xcel is “pessimistic about the extension of the 30% Investment Tax Credit for solar beyond 2016 (after which time it is scheduled to be reduced to 10%).”

• Xcel satisfied 30% RES through 2028: Xcel describes other relevant factors in its 2011 Electric Resource Plan, including that Xcel can “expect to be in compliance with…the RES through 2028.”

We will continue to share updates and new information as we receive it and just what that information means for the Valley. In the meantime, we remain committed to fighting for a win-win solution for the people of the Valley that helps to improve energy reliability, bolsters renewable energy and conserves and protects this spectacular region of Colorado.

“The plan Xcel released yesterday is a significant development. We are analyzing it and need to identify what it means for the proposed transmission project.  Most importantly, we want to understand what it means for the San Luis Valley.

Trinchera Ranch remains committed to fighting for a win-win solution for the people of the Valley that helps to improve energy reliability, bolsters renewable energy and conserves and protects this spectacular region of Colorado,” said Cody Wertz, Trinchera spokesman.

While we review and analyze the filing’s hundreds of pages, we wanted to share a few articles from yesterday’s filing, they are included below.

Denver Post, “Xcel may kill controversial San Luis Valley power-line project”

Denver Business Journal, “Xcel to back away from San Luis Valley power line”

Pueblo Chieftain, “Xcel likely to drop SLV solar, transmission line proposal”

The appeal, which can be read here, articulates a clear outline of the legal missteps and the erroneous decision made by the PUC and how the trumped-up “need” for this project slowly faded from existence.

Below are a few of the errors made by the Commissioners, as outlined in the appeal:

• Xcel and Tri-State did not adequately study alternatives. As the appeal states on page 28, “The law requires [Xcel] to study feasible alternatives to their Project and that such study be performed prior to their filing for a CPCN.” Trinchera presented several alternatives, but the Commissioners never forced Xcel and Tri-State to adequately review or present alternatives, which is a glaring violation of the law.

• The Commissioners ignored evidence showing Xcel’s retreat from solar development. Xcel publicly touted its plans to export at least 1100 MW of solar energy out of the Valley. However, not even one hour after the PUC gave the utilities a thumbs-up to build the line, Xcel released a new plan that develops no new solar in the Valley after 2013. The Commissioners’ decision, as explained on page 38, is not supported by the evidence and should be reversed.

• Unlawful discussions regularly occurred between Commissioners, Tri-State and Xcel. On page 35, the appeal lists several state laws that apply to the Commissioners, yet the facts show the Commissioners regularly met with Xcel, Tri-State and others, including discussions of issues that related to the case. This is not only unethical, it is illegal. One Commissioner recused himself to avoid the appearance of impropriety; the other two should have followed suit.

Again, we urge you to read the entire appeal to see just how many more errors the Commissioners made in their complicit approval of this project. What you’ll read is disappointing and Coloradans deserve better decision-making from the PUC – it’s just one more reason we are in this fight.

We have always and will continue to push for better, cheaper alternatives that improve reliability, increase solar development and preserve the integrity of the San Luis Valley, including the Sangre de Cristo Mountain corridor. Our appeal in District Court allows the residents of the San Luis Valley more time to learn the truth about the alternatives, the utilities’ hidden motivations to build this transmission line and their eroding justifications before the public comment-driven federal environmental impact statement process begins.

That potentially lengthy process could start up soon but the public could receive as little as 14 days’ notice. We will keep a vigilant eye on announcements and ask the residents to do the same because public involvement and comment in that process is vital.

Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved and make your voice heard. This fight is just getting started.