Pueblo council hears Energy Commission case for renewables as members question costs and equity

The Pueblo Energy Advisory Commission presented options Wednesday for maintaining the city’s renewable‑energy goal and expanding municipal generation and efficiency projects, prompting detailed questions from City Council members about costs, equity and utility rates.

Tim Dante, chair of the Energy Advisory Commission, told councilors the city’s new “net‑zero” fire stations and a planned net‑zero jail are“designed to be energy efficient” and “will save the city over the lifetime of their building,” noting a performance‑measurement plan for the buildings. George Mandris, the public‑works liaison to the commission, and Tyler Surratt, an Energy Commission member and owner of Steel City Solar, described a portfolio approach that pairs energy performance contracting and locally owned generation with partnerships such as solar tax‑equity investors.

Surratt explained the tax‑equity model in practical terms: “A solar tax equity partner is somebody who takes…