2010 Capitol Christmas tree set aglow
The official lighting ceremony of the 2010 Capitol Christmas tree took place Dec. 7 on the U.S. Capitol's west front lawn with festive fanfare. For the first time ever, Wyoming provided the nation's capitol with "The People's Tree" in celebration of Christmas. The 67-foot Engelmann spruce, from the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Jackson, will be displayed through the end of the month.
Keeping with tradition, one child from the tree's state -- this year it was sixth-grader Daniel Sitter of Fairview, Wyo. -- lit the tree with the Speaker of the House. Music was provided by the U.S. Navy Band and the Cheyenne All-City Children's Chorus. The 83-year-old spruce is decorated with thousands of LED lights and more than 5,000 ornaments created by the people of Wyoming within this year's theme of "Wyoming-Forever West."
Tri-State was one of the contributors to the project this year, gaining exposure throughout the nation with the G&T's logo featured on the semi-truck that transported the tree on its tour of 22 Wyoming towns and across nine states before arriving in Washington, D.C.
FFA students and leaders thank Tri-State board
Three FFA students, Windsor High School agriculture education teacher Nathan Clark and Don Thorn, executive director of the Colorado FFA Foundation, stopped by Tri-State's headquarters to thank board members for their long-standing participation and financial support of the FFA organization.
The board has a history of contributing to the state wide FFA foundations in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and New Mexico. Those funds support FFA students who attend the annual Washington Leadership Conference in our nation's capital. The event gives them an opportunity to learn how the federal government operates, tour the city, and meet their states' elected officials. "We're looking forward to an increased, mutually beneficial partnership in the future with Tri-State, in ways like trying to promote Tri-State as a potential employer to our students," said Thorn.
While at Tri-State, the group met with Board Chairman Rick Gordon, visited with other board members and were treated to a tour of the operations center. They also promoted the Colorado FFA Foundation's Muscle Car Give-a-Way, a raffle contest to win a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. All proceeds benefit FFA; tickets may be purchased online for $5 each at http://www.coloradoffafoundation.org/.
Tri-State files electric resource plan with Colorado PUC
Tri-State filed its 20-year Electric Resource Plan with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission on Nov. 30. The filing provides an assessment of Tri-State’s existing resource mix and electric sales forecast, and discusses various alternatives for meeting the future system needs of its 44 member cooperatives. The filing will also be submitted to the Western Area Power Administration.
The resource plan identifies a six-year resource acquisition period in which Tri-State could add new generation resources. In order to meet its member cooperatives’ renewable portfolio mandates and further diversify its generation portfolio, Tri-State will need to acquire additional renewable resources in the next three to four years. These resources are in addition to the new renewable resources from the 51-megawatt Kit Carson Windpower Project near Burlington, Colo., and the 30-megawatt Cimarron Solar photovoltaic project in northeastern New Mexico, as well as renewable energy projects developed locally by Tri-State’s member cooperatives.
Kit Carson Windpower Project operational
On Nov. 29th the Kit Carson Windpower Project, a 51-megawatt wind farm located in east-central Colorado was completed. The wholesale power supplier is purchasing the output of the facility through a 20-year agreement with a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp.
“The Kit Carson Windpower Project is another component in the continuing diversification of Tri-State’s resource portfolio to meet the power requirements of our 44 member distribution cooperatives,” said Ken Anderson, Tri-State’s executive vice president and general manager. “This project serves as a good example of our ability to harness one of the abundant renewable energy resources that exist in our member system service territory.”
The Kit Carson Windpower Project, the latest utility-scale renewable project to come online in Colorado, was named for the county in which it is located. The facility is comprised of 34, 1.5-megawatt General Electric turbines situated on a 6,000-acre site northwest of Burlington, Colo. — within the service territory of Tri-State member co-op K.C. Electric Association.
Southern Colorado transmission project received initial PUC approval
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association today issued the following statement in response to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) administrative law judge’s recommended decision today to grant the utilities’ applications for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the proposed Southern Colorado Transmission Improvements Project:
"Tri-State is pleased with Administrative Law Judge Mana Jennings-Fader’s recommended decision today to grant the utilities CPCN applications.
Tri-State, together with Public Service Company of Colorado, its partner in this critical project, are evaluating the conditions that Judge Jennings-Fader recommends be imposed on the CPCN for the project and will address those conditions, as necessary, in the further proceedings in the docket.
Tri-State is confident the proposed project best serves the residents, businesses, farmers and ranchers of Southern Colorado by providing access to a reliable supply of electricity, while facilitating the development of renewable energy."
Additional Project Background
The proposed joint project builds on Tri-State's previously proposed San Luis Valley Electric System Improvement Project. In 2007, Tri-State was planning lines from the San Luis Valley to Walsenburg to strengthen the region’s electric system, increase reliability for its two electric cooperatives in the region – San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative based in Monte Vista and San Isabel Electric Association based in Pueblo West – and support renewable energy development. That same year, Xcel Energy began planning for transmission projects to better serve renewable energy zones established by Senate Bill 100.
The new joint project addresses both utilities' goals and provides additional transmission system improvements in southern Colorado.
The applications to the CPUC follow the two power suppliers’ agreement in October 2008 to jointly pursue transmission projects in southern Colorado. The project was identified through the utilities’ participation in the Colorado Coordinated Planning Group, a consortium of utilities and other stakeholders that jointly explore the development of a coordinated transmission network.
Touchstone Energy co-ops help energize 2010 Ronald McDonald House Radiothon
Tri-State and the region's Touchstone Energy cooperatives once again helped make the "Light the House" day-long radiothon on Denver's KOSI-FM station a huge success this year. More than $120,000 was raised Nov. 16 to benefit the local Ronald McDonald Houses, which provide lodging and food for families whose children who are being treated for serious illnesses and injuries at metro-area hospitals.
Those who stay in the houses normally live at least 60 miles outside the Denver area and have nowhere else to stay. Sponsoring this event is an excellent opportunity for Tri-State to support families in its member co-op regions who need to travel and stay in the city while their children are being treated.
"One of the core values that Touchstone Energy cooperatives embrace is commitment to community," said Jim Van Someren, Tri-State communications manager, "and because the Ronald McDonald House directly supports member-consumers of our co-op communities when they need it most, we’re committed to supporting the facility in the most effective ways we can."
During the two weeks leading up to the radiothon, KOSI and 15 additional radio stations throughout Tri‐State’s member system service territory in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming aired 60‐second promotional vignettes featuring the positive experiences of actual families who have stayed at the facility, followed by a message from Touchstone Energy cooperatives about the value of supporting the communities they serve.
The sponsorship investment also included a “Touchstone Energy Power Hour,” which heightened awareness of the region’s electric co‐ops and provided an opportunity for listeners to match a $1,000 contribution from the co‐ops.
- If you didn't get a chance to donate, TEXT "Light" to 50555 and $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill and go directly to the Denver Ronald McDonald Houses.
Electricity charges classrooms in Colorado and Wyoming
Students in thousands of classrooms throughout Colorado and Wyoming are learning about electricity in November through an eight-page interactive student newspaper. Tri-State sponsored and provided the content for the publication, which features basic information about electric generation, transmission, renewable energy, safety and energy efficiency. In addition to supplying the publication to the classrooms, Tri-State will be providing 100 copies to each of its Colorado and Wyoming member systems.
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