Planning
The proposed transmission project, which stretches from the San Luis Valley in the south-central part of Colorado to Walsenburg and over to Pueblo, will strengthen the region's power grid, serve growing electricity needs and provide access for the interconnection of new renewable energy generating resources.
The project was identified through the utilities' participation in the Colorado Coordinated Planning Group (CPPG), a consortium of utilities and other stakeholders that jointly explore the development of a coordinated transmission network.
The CCPG provides the technical forum required to complete reliability assessments, develop joint business opportunities, and accomplish coordinated planning, under the single-system planning concept in the Rocky Mountain region of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council.
Working together on transmission projects represents smart planning among the state's utilities. By combining resources and assets, Tri-State and PSCo are addressing reliability concerns and supporting future renewable energy development.
In addition, potential environmental and land use impacts would be minimized by meeting the electric purpose and need for the region through one joint construction project instead of building multiple, separate transmission lines.
In the News
Mitchell responds to Goodart (Letter to Editor)Alamosa Courier
August 2010
Reliability key in transmission system
Denver Post
July 10, 2010
Xcel, Tri-State defend preferred San Luis Valley power line route
Pueblo Chieftain
July 11, 2010
Plans for Colorado's new-energy economy get tangled in "green tape"
Denver Post
June 27, 2010
A Slap
Pueblo Chieftain
June 12, 2010