[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6525409,"mediaKeyId","3449102-9e4dca6d26b191a2108a06b4d8a234c4","parentId",3449102,"title","DPU reports hydropower volatility, hires, EV chargers and broadband planning","audioSeconds",862,"startMs",2010406,"endMs",2873155,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3449102-9e4dca6d26b191a2108a06b4d8a234c4&start=2010&end=2873","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3449102-9e4dca6d26b191a2108a06b4d8a234c4/thumbnail_2010406.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6525409/New-Mexico/DPU-reports-hydropower-volatility-hires-EV-chargers-and-broadband-planning","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6525409-3f14976e0fb4bfc0673615929203f907/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146918&Signature=YT1oJbUITzwToeRUFBNur4-Vxn6fvQIXEJrIjcNq-b33btDJ~1vax2P6nD21XEFHqSVUp-2-arxF1BwRQo5hWPM5dDfCnr8QoJKEwfLG0u84iNS6cCDIM7muWeMsFlvCg3SuYtnQ9NlaxucItvRB8tdj26MDd0dZ0~FuMtC0o4iFKcyCYSpj5fb~0EY4QUfuM7XiqsQQz7VRqCCzKx64R2ayAcRLtpghu-Xjc7XOSWFqssvcftifih3iAL1Vg0g3kc9~m205UlZ0Nu5645wu9Eg-dzdSRo~3EPrqtPhL30Xzgz5G9m8kXHtlwRAP~nCgB8rSHJHMBUJHT6~bKXmUcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Los Alamos County","date","2025-05-21T00:00:00Z","article","Department of Public Utilities staff briefed the Board of Public Utilities on May 21 about operational items including hydropower generation variability, staffing changes, capital projects under way, and progress on electrification and broadband planning.

Why it matters: fluctuations in hydropower generation affect utility revenue and planning; the county’s broadband and electrification projects carry material capital implications; and staffing and operational pilots affect service reliability and customer programs.

Key operational updates reported by DPU staff included:

- Hydropower: Abiquiu was reported to be producing around 5 megawatts in one recent period and El Vado had produced about 2 megawatts the week before but was temporarily offline on the day of the meeting. Staff said generation varies with run‑of‑river flows and snowpack; board members noted a longer‑term downward trend in hydro output over the past decade. Chair Gibson said, “I have that information and can send it to you for the for all of the hydro sources easily,” offering to provide historical generation data going back about 25 years.

- Staffing and recruitment: DPU said it recently filled multiple positions, including a senior office specialist; it plans to add a power system operator apprentice, a data analyst (to be shared between admin and billing), four engineering interns and additional engineering and operations hires. Staff said some recruits remain in the reference/background check process.

- Pilot work schedules: a pilot alternative work schedule (4x10-hour days) is underway for crews in gas, water and sewer divisions, with wastewater treatment and hydro crews participating as well.

- Capital projects and grants: trenching for the Ski Hill waterline replacement has advanced using specialized rock‑trenching equipment; DPU is preparing a FEMA grant response for an undergrounding project and expects further direction shortly. Staff also described coordination with the Energy Community Alliance (ECA) and UAMPS on market and resource‑planning topics, including the energy day‑ahead market (EDAM) and membership levels within UAMPS.

- Electrification and EV charging: Burns & McDonnell will present a draft electrification plan to the board in two weeks; DPU has ordered six Level‑2 ChargePoint chargers and installed one RFID‑enabled charger for county fleet use at the Pareto Cliff site. DPU reported it operates four EVs with two more budgeted next year.

- Broadband and other regional projects: staff summarized regional activity including community broadband design progress (reported to county council) and noted a county CIP and bonding discussion; council liaison and staff cautioned that the project’s contingency could be exhausted if rock conditions are worse than anticipated during boring.

Board members asked for more historical generation and outage data. In response to questions about longer outages or system events caused by external factors (for example, shutoffs by the balancing authority), staff said they will provide a supplemental reliability report that includes major events so the board and public can see total customer impact as well as the distribution reliability metrics (SAIDI/SAIFI) the utility currently reports.

No board action was required on these updates; the briefing concluded with staff standing for questions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Los Alamos County - Board of Public Utilities on 2025-05-21 5:30 PM - May 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the May 21 meeting the Department of Public Utilities updated the board on variable hydropower output amid low reservoir levels, new hires and interns, EV charger procurements, progress on the county’s broadband planning and upcoming electrification work by consultants.","taxTitle","Los Alamos, New Mexico","taxId",51137,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6525414,"Board backs $409,207.95 Abiquiu hydro plant firewall and office task order after budget overrun",1247,570943,1818220,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3449102-9e4dca6d26b191a2108a06b4d8a234c4&start=570&end=1818","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3449102-9e4dca6d26b191a2108a06b4d8a234c4/thumbnail_570943.jpg","/articles/6525414/New-Mexico/Board-backs-40920795-Abiquiu-hydro-plant-firewall-and-office-task-order-after-budget-overrun","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6525414-e6bd8aa679aada85ba80fef8618de527/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146918&Signature=J73GOYspURQ7cCJAjCchAU940rmpD8Wg4~dOOH~MWwEbMweZaG7ZueE4j8tL-DMtGsG02jw8skiNMSKy-w-0a6MwbkQZ8v50PTiSiZvoiYrNbPBUp1CkOPeqPg~WlLZurGGeDbSaOKSjEzNF1OxYNTgPpTbcyQzHCMmQMjJ1ypdaQ-ndBXxU9gGmjicCa~UjRV4B8OTgw-47I4YnZERBqhSYw4vtEUQLzDpHcHKr0WggBCCEX9qqQMq8FdjCuxHjB0Sai8HCFUxknxkNOnw4vkQWdaq4DtGm98nVSJAhXfu383DOP40HHqIWkLYc1uaPv5J30jwK7kehhOj~EAhdIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Los Alamos Board of Public Utilities on May 21 voted unanimously to recommend award of task order AGR22‑18C to GME General Building LLC for fire mitigation and modest office additions at the Abiquiu Hydroelectric Plant, approving a total project budget of $409,207.95 and forwarding the recommendation to county council.

The board’s decision followed staff testimony that the work responds to a documented electrical failure at the plant last year in which a motor control center (MCC) failed and created a fire risk. DPU staff said they contracted a loss‑prevention firm after that incident; the firm recommended multiple mitigation options including a concrete barrier, relocating the outside transformer, or installing extra layers of interior fire‑resistant board. Staff reported the chosen approach is to install two overlapping layers of 5/8‑inch gypsum board on the exterior paneling as the primary mitigation, and to add interior improvements including administrative space, a restroom, and a reinforced concrete pad where equipment is stored.

James Martinez, filling in for James Allarut, DPU staff presenter, summarized the options and the chosen mitigation: “They had three recommendations. One of them was to do, like, a concrete barrier wall outside of the facility... the third option was to put two layers of 5/8s gypsum board overlapping each other. So that was the option that we chose.” Martinez said the design also incorporated an admin‑space addition and a concrete equipment pad.

Budget and funding changes: DPU had budgeted $350,000 in the FY25 CIP for the Abiquiu project, but the low bid and final project estimate totaled $409,207.95. Staff said the concrete pad contributed substantially to the overrun, with the pad alone estimated at roughly $64,000. To cover the difference, staff proposed using part of an existing CIP allocation for an El Vado penstock bypass valve (originally budgeted at $95,000) and indicated they would re‑budget the El Vado work into a future fiscal year. Staff said they planned to use about $59,207 of the El Vado penstock bypass valve funds to fill the current shortfall; the board accepted that plan.

Procurement and competition: staff told the board they solicited additional pricing from two other on‑call contractors; one declined to bid and the other did not respond to multiple inquiries, leaving GME as the responsive bidder on the task order. Several board members expressed concern about repeated cost increases on capital projects and noted the difficulty of predicting construction prices given market volatility.

Board action and vote: the board moved and seconded a motion that recommended award of task order AGR22‑18C to GME General Building LLC and requested forwarding to county council for final approval. Roll call recorded Member Hollingsworth — yes; Member Heffner — yes; Member Nockley — yes; Member Schromberg — yes; Member Gibson (Chair) — yes. Outcome: recommendation approved by the board, 5–0.

Implementation and next steps: staff said the award recommendation will be forwarded to county council for approval and that the El Vado penstock bypass valve project will be rebudgeted into fiscal year 2027. Several board members asked staff to reconsider budgeting practices after repeated overruns and to explore whether larger contingencies or different procurement approaches are warranted.

The board’s action does not itself begin construction; final contract award and start dates are contingent on county council approval and completion of required permitting and procurement steps.","Los Alamos Board of Public Utilities voted 5–0 May 21 to recommend award of task order AGR22‑18C to GME General Building LLC for fire‑mitigation and office improvements at the Abiquiu Hydroelectric Plant, approving a total project amount of $409,207.95 and reallocating part of El Vado penstock funding to cover the overrun.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6525419,"Board recommends 2026–27 DOELAC resource pool budget, contingent on updated electric coordination agreement",256,308720,565575,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3449102-9e4dca6d26b191a2108a06b4d8a234c4&start=308&end=565","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3449102-9e4dca6d26b191a2108a06b4d8a234c4/thumbnail_308720.jpg","/articles/6525419/New-Mexico/Board-recommends-202627-DOELAC-resource-pool-budget-contingent-on-updated-electric-coordination-agreement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6525419-38e15d3eb66c84cd8b57ae6f32683d79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146918&Signature=bQIpc9gx9XgVUNXLUfj0l5fR4zDIPhvvkxnrib2zlCJ7q0ueTYRXjYwrZeetOAM~rT7cAJLxUigbx2WUtsQpL07iZmW5q4WP1oh0k5WilXBgN8brc8BPA7ddcKReewxBf30kcNgKnSQYJtsWd5Ah~lCiJUA1zmLwCycohL5amrapA5IF5jFYxYh4hAGzlNiRy2LcDu51w-kkMLNR48tJZ8q00uwxo2nPGxbyceLLseC-ElC9ceyi4y1oH0WdJpKUPYIA556rbeiKdFnUnlkF1S4~wSDgz9WAyS3ONSQ0X16jkNf~YIh0a4N2mmR6pg7FdeCpJfLKliLFK45sTgi1Ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board of Public Utilities Chair Gibson and the board on May 21 voted 5–0 to recommend county council approval of the DOELAC resource pool budget for fiscal years 2026–27, but the board and staff made the recommendation contingent on the terms of a new Electric Coordination Agreement (ECA) expected to replace the current agreement before the extension ends Dec. 31, 2025.

The recommendation matters because the existing ECA — the agreement that governs cost and power coordination among participating utilities — will expire at the end of 2025 and the budget the board forwarded incorporates assumptions tied to the as‑yet‑unfinalized replacement agreement.

DPU staff noted the 2026–27 numbers are the same figures the board reviewed in April and that no substantive changes were made by the ECA operating committee during its most recent review. “There was no changes to the original budget that we presented to you in April. It was approved on Monday, through the ECA,” said Joanne, DPU staff, when the board asked whether the published materials had changed since the April briefing.

When a staff member read the motion to forward the proposed budget, the motion explicitly stated the budget recommendation was “contingent and dependent upon the terms and conditions of the future ECA, which is unknown at this time, and which may require future amendment to the 2026–27 resource pool budget that is recommended here.” The board voted to forward the budget to county council for review and approval.

Board action and vote: the board moved and seconded the motion to forward the 2026–27 DOELAC resource pool budget as presented. The roll call recorded Member Hollingsworth — yes; Member Heffner — yes; Member Nockley — yes; Member Schromberg — yes; Member Gibson (Chair) — yes. Outcome: approved by the Board of Public Utilities, 5–0; recommendation forwarded to county council.

What the board did not decide: the board did not adopt any changes to the budget itself beyond forwarding the recommendation, and it did not finalize or approve any replacement ECA language. Because the new ECA had not yet been finalized, staff and the board acknowledged the budget may require amendment once the ECA terms are known.

Next steps: staff will forward the recommended 2026–27 DOELAC resource pool budget to county council for review and approval. Any required amendments tied to the final ECA would be presented to the board and council as they become known.","The Los Alamos Board of Public Utilities voted 5–0 on May 21 to forward the DOELAC resource pool budget for fiscal years 2026–27 to county council, while making clear the recommendation is contingent on the terms of a replaced Electric Coordination Agreement (ECA).","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DPU reports hydropower volatility, hires, EV chargers and broadband planning

Board backs $409,207.95 Abiquiu hydro plant firewall and office task order after budget overrun

Board recommends 2026–27 DOELAC resource pool budget, contingent on updated electric coordination agreement