Guardians, co-op members, and advocates call for clean energy action

April 4, 2019

A group representing more than 3,300 co-op members and advocates presented Duane Highley, the new CEO of Tri-State Generation and Transmission, with a symbolic welcome basket and a call for clean energy action during a time when Tri-State’s energy landscape is shifting dramatically. In response, a Tri-State official responded with an offer of a future meeting with the new CEO.

Tri-State, which serves 43 distribution co-ops in Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Wyoming, is heavily reliant on coal. As its members have demanded more opportunities to develop their own (cheaper) local, renewable energy projects, Tri-State has dug in its heels; with renewable energy cheaper than ever, many co-ops are understandably perturbed by this turn of events.

“With affordable, distributed renewable energy generation becoming more available by the day, it’s critical that Tri-State empower its rural electric co-op members to invest in wind, solar, and storage and ensure their prosperity,” said Guardians’ Jeremy Nichols. “This means Tri-State needs to get serious about moving away from costly coal and embracing a rural renewable revolution.”

Want to know what was in the welcome basket? Read the press release.

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