WREA challenges Tri-State rates at PUC

MEEKER I White River Electric Association, Inc. (WREA), along with La Plata Electric Association of Durango, Colo., and Empire Electric Association of Cortez, Colo., filed a formal complaint on March 4 at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) against their wholesale power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission, Inc., challenging Tri-State’s A37 wholesale power rate that went into effect this January.
The three cooperatives joined with the Rural Electric Consumer Alliance, which consists of many of the cooperatives’ large load consumers, to challenge Tri-State’s new rate design. The White River Electric board of directors approved the filing of a PUC complaint by board resolution on Jan. 28, 2013, specifically stating that while WREA challenges the unjust and discriminatory Tri-State wholesale rate design, WREA continues to support its role as one of Tri-State’s 44 member systems and Tri-State’s cooperative form of governance. The resolution also states that throughout this process WREA will remain open and willing to discuss meaningful resolutions to its challenge of Tri-State’s A37 rate.
White River Electric believes that filing a complaint with the Colorado PUC is appropriate and in the best interest of its member consumers. WREA’s complaint process at the PUC does not change WREA’s existing wholesale power rate or WREA’s retail member consumer’s existing rates. WREA will continue to keep its member consumers informed throughout this process. WREA has posted a copy of the Jan. 28, 2013, WREA board resolution and a copy of the filed PUC complaint on its website at www.wrea.org under Recent News. Please contact Trina Zagar-Brown, WREA general counsel, at 970-878-5041 with any additional questions.