Conversations facilitated by the Center for Public Deliberation
FORT COLLINS, Colo., February 13, 2020 – Platte River will sponsor focus group sessions with residents and business owners to discuss energy portfolio options as part of the organization’s 2020 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation (CPD) will facilitate the focus groups for Platte River and report their findings to the utility’s leadership.
The IRP, typically produced every five years, details how Platte River will generate and deliver electricity to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland. It features sophisticated modeling of unique resources, available technologies and specific constraints, all studied by industry experts using the best practices to develop Platte River’s resource mix options for the future. The document is being prepared and submitted one year ahead of schedule in response to direction from Platte River’s Board of Directors to pursue a 100% noncarbon energy mix by 2030.
“We made significant progress on our IRP in 2019 and look forward to hearing from our owner communities,” said Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO of Platte River. “With guidance from the CPD, attendees will have the opportunity to review resource plan options, engage with fellow residents, ask questions and give us their opinions regarding the energy future of northern Colorado.”
Approximately 30% of the energy delivered to Platte River’s owner communities comes from noncarbon sources including wind, solar and hydropower. By 2021, noncarbon energy will increase to 50% with the addition of 225 MW of new wind capacity and 22 MW of new solar (plus 2 MWh battery storage). Additionally, Platte River is evaluating bids to add up to 150 MW of solar by 2023, potentially raising the share of noncarbon energy delivered to the owner communities to 60%.
The focus group sessions will include a brief introduction from Platte River followed by CPD-led conversations about Platte River’s future resource mix. Attendees will receive descriptions of four resource mix options that incorporate forecasted capital, operational, fuel and environmental (carbon tax and social cost of carbon) costs. Participants will be encouraged to offer opinions regarding which energy mix Platte River should pursue. The CPD will assimilate all data from the focus groups and provide a report to Platte River, which will be used to help inform the board’s IRP decisions.
Following is a complete schedule of events:
March 4 from 6–8 p.m.
17th Avenue Place Event Center
478 17th Avenue, Longmont
March 5 from 6–8 p.m.
Ridgeline Hotel, Ballroom
101 S. Saint Vrain Avenue, Estes Park
March 11 from 6-8 p.m.
Embassy Suites Loveland, Aspen Daisy/Elderberry Room
4705 Clydesdale Parkway, Loveland
March 12 from 6-8 p.m.
Drake Centre, East Banquet Room
802 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins
Community members interested in attending a focus group session are encouraged to RSVP online here or call (970) 229.5657. Residents can visit Platte River’s IRP microsite to watch videos of previous community listening sessions and review key documents associated with the IRP as they become available.
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Platte River Power Authority is a not-for-profit wholesale electricity generation and transmission provider that delivers safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable energy and services to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado for delivery to their utility customers.