Carbon Reduction & Renewable Energy

Sangre de Cristo Electric Association’s wholesale power provider is Tri-State Generation and Transmission (Tri-State). The power we purchase from Tri-State is then delivered through lines and equipment that SDCEA builds and maintains. SDCEA has a long-term wholesale electric power contract with Tri-State, which obligates Tri-State to meet all of our power needs, while requiring us to purchase a minimum of 95% of our power exclusively from them. This contract makes SDCEA a member-owner of Tri-State and allows us to supply 5% of our power from locally-generated renewable energy.

As an owner of Tri-State, SDCEA directly benefits from utility-scale wind, solar and other renewable projects currently online. Tri-State is currently developing an additional solar and wind-powered projects.

Nearly 40 percent of SDCEA’s everyday power supply is provided from renewable energy sources, with 55% planned by 2025.

SDCEA has not increased electric rates since July 2017 and plans to complement efforts to decrease energy-related emissions, and to encourage energy efficiency and conservation.

We encourage you to check out Tri-State’s plans and more information for yourself.

Tri-State is:

  1. Developing a Responsible Energy Plan that provides a coordinated approach to compliance with applicable state laws and regulations pertaining to renewable energy, green gas emissions reductions and resource planning, as well as applicable federal environmental requirements.
  2. Engaging with former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and the Center for the New Energy Economy to facilitate an advisory process that will contribute to our Responsible Energy Plan.
  3. Creating more opportunities for our members to develop local renewable energy by considering the types of memberships and contracts we offer.
  4. Increasing our renewable resources, with new cost-effective wind and solar projects and a request for proposals for even more projects.
  5. Exploring opportunities with solar and energy services providers for community-scale solar, energy storage and electric vehicle infrastructure.

♦  Tri-State’s  “thoughtfully crafted, detailed, and forward-thinking plan that will phase out nearly 1,000 megawatts of coal by 2030 and add just over 1,000 megawatts of contracted renewables by 2024,” is praised in this May 6, 2020 column from the Rocky Mountain Institute. Have a look! https://rmi.org/tri-state-chooses-the-low-carbon-path/

SDCEA continues to look forward to partnering with Tri-State on innovative, cost-sensitive solutions for future energy demands.