Reported by Staff

DENVER –Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and Western Resource Advocates have reached an accord regarding the rural electric provider’s resource planning process, the groups said at a Colorado Public Utilities Commission hearing on Wednesday.

After reviewing the proposal, the PUC’s three commissioners unanimously agreed to allow the new process to move ahead and as a result closed its investigatory docket.

Under the new planning process, Tri-State will voluntarily supplement the information in its electric resource plan filings with the PUC and expand its public involvement process, beginning in 2010

The new process calls for Tri-State to develop its plan in two-steps. In the first step, members of the public will have the opportunity to provide input to Tri-State during the development of the resource plan. In step two, Tri-State will file its plan with the PUC, address any questions the Commissioner’s may have and hear the Commission’s views of the plan and the public participation process.

“Tri-State will voluntarily augment its filings with the commission and its public processes with stakeholders,” said Ken Anderson, Tri-State’s executive vice present and general manager. “This approach ensures continued local, democratic control of Tri-State’s resource planning and rates by our member cooperatives across four states.”

WRA energy program director John Nielsen said the new approach is a big step forward “because it provides an opportunity for members of the public to work with Tri-State to consider the role that clean-energy resources might play in its resource plan. We think that this is in the best interest of all Coloradans and consistent with a strong Colorado energy policy.”

The PUC formally opened a docket to consider oversight of Tri-State in January 2009, requesting public comments on whether and how the PUC might amend state rules governing electric resource planning for cooperative generation and transmission associations.

WRA and Tri-State had differing views on the issue, but have been collaborating for several months to craft a resource planning process that both organizations are pleased with.