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Colorado Public Utilities Commission
1560
Broadway Ste 250
Denver CO 80202
Dear Chairman Binz, Commissioner Baker, and Commissioner Tarpey:
The Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) is a member-based
educational organization dedicated to disseminating information
about the benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency
technologies for the people of Colorado. CRES was founded in 1996
and has over 800 individual and 40 business members, located in the
territories of Investor-owned, Municipal, and Rural Electric
Cooperate territories.
CRES is dismayed at Tri-State’s unwillingness to cooperate with the
Commission in a request to reveal information which should be
available to the public and especially to those citizens of Colorado
who own and are served by Tri-State. If the Commission cannot obtain
this information, how can ordinary citizens be expected to make
sound judgments when electing their representatives?
The pattern of secrecy and resistance to outside input shown by
Tri-State is further worrying in view of the mounting evidence
pointing toward swift action on climate change, and the economic
benefits to Colorado’s citizens and business of the renewable energy
and energy efficiency path are particularly urgently needed.
Colorado has the extensive renewable resources and the intellectual
assets to grow our New Energy Economy and become the premier state
for the development of these policies and technologies.
No other state boasts the broad range of high potential renewable
resources, with our solar, wind, and geothermal resources among the
best in the nation. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, The
National Center for Atmospheric Research, CU Boulder, CSU, and the
Colorado School of Mines form a world class center for the science
of sustainable energy. The Colorado public showed its broad support
for sustainable energy by adopting Amendment 37, the first
citizen-initiated state renewable portfolio standard, and continues
to do so with the broad support of recent renewable-friendly
policies and leaders.
It is particularly necessary that cooperative Transmission and
Generation Associations be part of this transition, because coop
territory includes a majority of the state’s renewable resources.
CRES is dismayed that Tri-State has not leaped into a leadership
role in forging our path to a new energy economy. Since Tri-State
has chosen not to lead in this manner, that role must fall on the
Commission.
CRES believes that Option A is a necessary first step to helping
coop members oversee the utility that they own. However, given the
strength of management control over information, and Tri-State’s
proven intransigence in response to the requests of the Commission
and other interested parties, CRES feels that the urgency of
modernizing our electric infrastructure requires stronger action.
Therefore, we strongly advise the adoption of options B or C.
Sincerely,
Stephen L. Sargent, PhD
President
Colorado
Renewable Energy Society
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