Trout Creek Community Solar – Buy Local!

Sangre de Cristo Electric Association’s Trout Creek Community Solar program allows residential members to subscribe to either 1 kilowatt or 2 kilowatt blocks of energy generated monthly by Trout Creek Solar. Commercial members may subscribe to 2 kW, 4 kW, or 8 kW blocks of monthly energy output. The Trout Creek Solar project is located south of Buena Vista on Colorado Department of Corrections property.

The community solar program is made possible by a 25% carve-out of energy produced by the facility for the program. Available by subscription to consumers who would like to pay a little extra each month for that energy, community solar may also be attractive to consumers who are not able or do not want to install solar panels at their home or business.

By participating in the community solar program, SDCEA members will be sourcing a portion of their energy from SDCEA’s wholesale power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission and a portion from the local Trout Creek Solar facility. The relative portion from each source will depend on the consumer’s monthly usage and the number of blocks to which they subscribe.

For more information or to sign up for the program, visit our website, call SDCEA toll-free, (844) 395-2412, or email.

Trout Creek Community Solar FAQs

May I subscribe to multiple accounts? Are subscriptions limited per member or per service?

Subscriptions are allowed for each service (i.e. service location on each premises) that a member may own or lease.

Is there a cost to sign up or to take me off?

Yes, there is a set-up fee to sign-up for the TCCS Program and if I opt-out (terminate) my subscription. This fee is similar to a member service changing from any of SDCEA’s rate schedules to a different one because of the administrative time needed to make the necessary changes in SDCEA’s billing system. The community solar set-up/ opt-out and rate schedule transfer fee amounts can be found in SDCEA Board Policy C-99. Currently, the fees are $50 to set up and to end a subscription.

Is there a limit to the size of my subscription?

For residential services, you may sign up for a 1 kW or 2 kW block of Trout Creek Solar generation. For commercial (non-residential) services, subscriptions can be in 2 kW, 4 kW, or 8 kW blocks.

How much of my bill will 1 kW or 2 kW block cover? How does a kW translate into a kWh?

Based on the anticipated generation of the Trout Creek Solar facility, a 1 kW block will generate on average about 240 kWh of energy each month. However, that amount depends on the performance of the array given factors such as the season, higher than normal sunny or cloudy conditions, or required maintenance.

What happens if my usage is less than the amount I purchase. Do I get a credit?

If your usage is less than the amount of energy generated by your TCCS program subscription, you will not get a credit. You will only get billed for the energy you use whether it is from SDCEA or Trout Creek Solar. You will only pay for what you use!

How will enrolling in community solar affect my monthly bill? Will this save money on my electric bill?

Enrolling in the TCCS program will not save you money on your bill since the energy provided by Trout Creek Solar is slightly more expensive than the energy that SDCEA obtains for our members from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, SDCEA’s wholesale power provider. If you sign up for 1 kW block of the TCCS program, your monthly bill will increase by about $2.40.

What are the benefits to being part of solar community?

By subscribing to SDCEA’s Trout Creek Community Solar program, you are supporting SDCEA’s development of renewable energy resources by buying solar energy generated locally.