“my understanding is that because of policies from the biden administration, tristate expected to be eligible for up to $2.2 billion for accelerating their carbon footprint reduction. based on that expected windfall, they obtained a loan of about $650 million to complete some projects that would qualify them for that $2.2 billion. with the arrival of trump, those $2.2 billion went away. so now tristate is stuck with the $650 million loan that they cannot repay. i have been told that their only solution is to declare bankruptcy. the new owner (which could be guzman electric) will not be obligated to the current closure requirements, and especially not if trump declares the national electric grid to be of national security status and sets out an executive order that no closures can proceed until a guaranteed replacement for the power is proven.”
Before I left NW Colorado I heard a German Co wanted to buy Tri-State and build a Solar Farm.
Also wondering what happened with the $650 million loan for improvements ?
I think I might have missed a previous post What is the four corners situation for water ? Drought forecast ? The San Juans looked pretty lean in January. Thank you
Yeah, the snowpack levels are around the same as in 2021 in the San Juans and for most of the Upper Colorado Basin, so we can expect a pretty meagre runoff. And the Lake Powell comeback of the last two years is on hold, at best.
Great energy history. You're right, whatever the near future is for total electricity consumption in the US, I don't think any utility or IPP wants to build a new coal plant. Or any steel company would build a coal-fired blast furnace operation.
One aspect of 15% growth of electric consumption in the past 25 years, despite 20+% population growth and greater growth in wealth and floor area and electronic gizmos, is the success of efficiency improvements in appliances and construction. E.g., checking the still-active EPA "Flip Your Fridge" website, a 17 cf top-freezer model from the '70s used 2400 kWh/yr, while a new 20 cf French door model now uses 550 kwh/yr. I don't think major appliance makers or builders want to build less-efficient homes or appliances. OK, maybe a few marginal builders want to throw up leaky homes to sell for a few grand less, while claiming to be "fighting inflation."
I personally benefitted from the coal boom of the 70s. When I moved to Steamboat, there was a daily bus hauling workers DOWN valley to build the Craig powerplant. That led to shortage of labor in town, so I was almost literally grabbed off the street by a residential concrete contractor despite my zero experience and scrawny physique. Good way to get in shape for ski season.
Coal is a gonner.
What’s the spin on Tri-State ?
From a friend in Craig Colorado:
“my understanding is that because of policies from the biden administration, tristate expected to be eligible for up to $2.2 billion for accelerating their carbon footprint reduction. based on that expected windfall, they obtained a loan of about $650 million to complete some projects that would qualify them for that $2.2 billion. with the arrival of trump, those $2.2 billion went away. so now tristate is stuck with the $650 million loan that they cannot repay. i have been told that their only solution is to declare bankruptcy. the new owner (which could be guzman electric) will not be obligated to the current closure requirements, and especially not if trump declares the national electric grid to be of national security status and sets out an executive order that no closures can proceed until a guaranteed replacement for the power is proven.”
Before I left NW Colorado I heard a German Co wanted to buy Tri-State and build a Solar Farm.
Also wondering what happened with the $650 million loan for improvements ?
I think I might have missed a previous post What is the four corners situation for water ? Drought forecast ? The San Juans looked pretty lean in January. Thank you
Yeah, the snowpack levels are around the same as in 2021 in the San Juans and for most of the Upper Colorado Basin, so we can expect a pretty meagre runoff. And the Lake Powell comeback of the last two years is on hold, at best.
Great energy history. You're right, whatever the near future is for total electricity consumption in the US, I don't think any utility or IPP wants to build a new coal plant. Or any steel company would build a coal-fired blast furnace operation.
One aspect of 15% growth of electric consumption in the past 25 years, despite 20+% population growth and greater growth in wealth and floor area and electronic gizmos, is the success of efficiency improvements in appliances and construction. E.g., checking the still-active EPA "Flip Your Fridge" website, a 17 cf top-freezer model from the '70s used 2400 kWh/yr, while a new 20 cf French door model now uses 550 kwh/yr. I don't think major appliance makers or builders want to build less-efficient homes or appliances. OK, maybe a few marginal builders want to throw up leaky homes to sell for a few grand less, while claiming to be "fighting inflation."
I personally benefitted from the coal boom of the 70s. When I moved to Steamboat, there was a daily bus hauling workers DOWN valley to build the Craig powerplant. That led to shortage of labor in town, so I was almost literally grabbed off the street by a residential concrete contractor despite my zero experience and scrawny physique. Good way to get in shape for ski season.