DENVER—Colorado’s two largest power suppliers are considering whether to team up to build transmission lines around the state.
Xcel Energy and Tri-State Generation and Transmission are looking at three projects to build lines from the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado to Lamar in southeastern Colorado to the Front Range.
The lines could distribute power from new solar and wind-generation facilities as well as from a new unit at Xcel Energy’s coal-fired plant near Pueblo, scheduled to start operating late next year or early 2010.
Transmission capacity has lagged behind the growth of wind farms because of cost, location and regulatory and technical issues. That has discouraged wind farms in many areas, especially in northeast Colorado, one of the state’s windiest areas.
“Without additional transmission resources, it would be difficult to support the future renewable energy portfolio development necessary to meet the needs of Colorado’s new energy economy,” said Kent Larson, Xcel Energy vice president for transmission.
Gov. Bill Ritter has made expanding Colorado’s use and production of renewable energy a priority. Xcel Energy is a national leader among investor-owned utilities in the amount of wind power on its system.
The two utilities say the projects they’re considering could add 3,000 megawatts of power, enough for 1 million to 3 million residential customers.
“We’re collaborating to develop long-term solutions to the state’s transmission challenges,” said Joel Bladow, Tri-State’s senior vice president of transmission.
Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy is Colorado’s largest electric utility. Westminster-based Tri-State sells power in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Nebraska.
