San Miguel Power Association outlines major reliability work, local generation plans and proposed rate changes

San Miguel Power Association (SMPA) provided a substantive operational update and previewed member-facing programs and a proposed rate adjustment.

Alex Shelley, SMPA communications executive, described the multi-year Red Mountain Electrical Reliability and Broadband Improvement Project and noted the utility is about "halfway done" with corridor clearing and sectioned line work. On local generation policy, SMPA discussed Tri-State's move to raise the local-generation cap under policy 115 from 5% toward 20%, which would enable more locally sited renewable projects. SMPA also said it had secured a $9.8 million federal grant for a proposed 20-megawatt solar array in Montrose County, though that effort is watching local land-use moratoria.

Alex also previewed wholesale-rate pressures and a board proposal that would raise the access charge and on-peak energy rates; he described a complementary Electrification on-Bill Repayment program that allows members to finance heat pumps and other efficiency measures through their utility bills. On the on-bill program, SMPA said the charge "stays with the property" (not the homeowner) and is structured as a tariff rather than a conventional loan.

Next steps: SMPA will continue community outreach on the rate proposal and roll out the on-bill repayment pilot and workforce-training partnerships to enable local installations.