All Entries in the "Energy" Category
Council Questions Need for Train-/-Bus Depot
Known as the Multi Modal System, the Lamar City Council reviewed the increased construction costs of what would be an ARRA funded depot located east of the Lamar Chamber of Commerce offices. With little guaranteed return on an expensive investment, the council decided against taking any action on the FASTER grant and allowed it to […]
Power Loss, Minor Inconvenience to Communities
Photos by Russ Baldwin Wednesday night’s power outage disrupted evening plans for most residents across southeastern Colorado. Breaker failure is attributed to the loss of four Xcel transmission lines which caused power outages between Canon City and Kansas as well as from Pueblo to the New Mexico border. This reporter placed a phone call to […]
Power Outage -/- Press Release from Lamar Light and Power
It is our understanding, after visiting with Tri-State Transmission dispatch that at approximately 12:10pm this afternoon, a main transmission breaker opened causing the Tri-State transmission facilities to trip off-line. We understand that power was out from La Junta east and included the communities of La Junta, Las Animas, Lamar, Springfield and Southeast Power. The outage […]
Testing Continues on Repowering Project Restart
Lamar Light and Power Superintendent Rick Rigel requested bids from two natural gas companies currently doing business with the power company. He explained to the Utility Board members, the amount of gas was minimal and would be used only for a five day period to assist the plant with it’s online start-up later this summer. […]
Lamar Light and Power Replacing Burned Poles
The Lamar Utilities Board meeting on Tuesday, June 28, covered a limited agenda, before moving into executive session for discussions. A dozen power poles were burned during the Ft. Lyon fire this spring, and the board authorized $16,961 to replace the custom-made transmission structures. The delivery date will take three to four weeks, according to […]
Windmillers’ Trade Fair Wraps Up Annual Event in Lamar
Flatbeds and pick-up trucks and cars with out-of-state license plates from Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and some from Colorado were on hand at the Prowers County Fairgrounds this past Wednesday through Friday. Visitors were in Lamar for the 23rd Annual Windmillers’ Trade Fair, an opportunity for enthusiasts to display their collectables and view all the other […]
Gov. Hickenlooper seeks federal drought assistance
DENVER — Thursday, June 16, 2011 — Gov. John Hickenlooper sent a letter today to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting drought assistance for Baca, Crowley and Otero counties. “ Colorado ’s southern counties are experiencing significant drought resulting in failed grain crops as well as the loss of forage for livestock,” the governor’s letter […]
Prowers Commissioners Meet with Xcel and Tri State Representatives
Representatives from Tri State Generation and Transmission and Xcel Energy requested a resolution of support from the Prowers County Commissioners for a joint Lamar-Front Range Transmission Line Project. Fourteen counties in eastern Colorado, including the six in southeast Colorado, will be impacted by the 400 mile long power line project. Exact figures weren’t available, but […]
Repowering Project Restart Pushed Back to July
Additional work on the project’s air compression piping system has pushed back the online operation date from June to July, according Rick Rigel, Lamar Light and Power Plant Superintendent. Rigel told the utilities board, about half the insurance claim for the outage has been approved. The remainder is for the expense for removing and stock […]
JBS 5 Rivers Cattle Water Development Plans
The Prowers County Commissioners hosted a public hearing Thursday, June 9, on plans submitted by Colorado Beef to dry up land irrigated by the Ft. Lyon Canal, and use the water for feedlot purposes. Commission chairman Henry Schnabel said the county has 120 days to make a decision on the proposal, but doesn’t believe it […]
Holly Experiencing Steady Economic Growth
Holly residents have had a busy four years since the spring tornado swept through their town. Many of the destroyed homes were completely rebuilt or upgraded, along with several businesses and churches. Most recently, new curbs, gutters and sidewalks along Main Street gave downtown Holly a newer, more prosperous appearance. Marsha Willhite, Holly Town Administrator, […]
State Recommends Improvements at Holly Landfill
The Holly landfill has been hit with 10 deficiencies, and has been given from 90 to 180 days to respond with specific suggestions for improvements or to make the corrections. Town administrator, Marsha Willhite, briefed the town board on the findings which resulted from an October inspection last year. Willhite stated, “The survey was done in […]
PCDI Board Urges Website Completion, Approves Pond Study Funding
Don McBee, Vice President of the Prowers Conservation District, requested operating funds from the Prowers County Development Incorporated board to help cover the cost of a two-year study to determine seepage loss from 20 surface irrigation ponds in the lower Arkansas Valley. The results, he said, will set the standard for determining pond loss for augmentation between Rocky […]
Rigel Becomes ARPA Interim GM
The Lamar Utility Board approved a joint operating agreement making light plant superintendent Rick Rigel interim ARPA general manager, replacing Bill Leung, effective July 1. Rigel will serve in that capacity until a permanent replacement has been found. ARPA, Arkansas River Power Authority, unanimously approved the LUB proposal during their May 11 meeting, and the […]
PCDI Hosts Prowers County Economy Review
Southern Colorado Economic Development District is hosting a series of town hall meetings across a 12 county region of southern Colorado. The Prowers County meeting will be held Thursday, May 19 at 6:00 p.m. in the Mezzanine Room at the Prowers County Annex. This meeting is being co-sponsored by Prowers County Development, Inc. The town […]
Lamar Repowering Project, Seeking Title V Air Permit from State Health Department
Lamar, Colorado – The Lamar Utilities Board and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have agreed to the terms of a Compliance Order to resolve all outstanding air quality permit violations at the Lamar Repowering Project, a coal-fired power plant operated by the Lamar Utilities Board on behalf of the Arkansas River […]
Lamar Utilities Board Views 1st Quarter Financial Report
The majority of the Lamar Utilities Board this past Tuesday was spent in executive session, reviewing an update on the WildEarth Guardian lawsuit, consideration of the purchase of mobile classrooms from Alta Vista Charter School and an update on the Repowering Project Outage. Information available on the Alta Vista classrooms show there are two double-wide […]
Lamar Utility Board Delays Rate Hike
The automatic 2.5% rate hike, set to go in effect in June for Lamar Light and Power customers, will be deferred until November. Light plant superintendent Rick Rigel said the current finances and cash reserves are, “in pretty good shape right now.” Rigel added that the light plant is also receiving monthly payments of $26,000 […]
Lamar Repowering Project Delays Resumption of Online Operation
Coal-fired operations at Lamar Light and Power may be pushed back until June, according to light plant superintendent, Rick Rigel. Two areas need to be addressed, boiler operation and efficiency within the limits of the air quality permit for emissions. Rigel said the furnace’s air supply systems need improvement to provide sufficient ‘overfire air’ for the […]
Lamar Utility Board Plans Wind Turbine Repairs
The main bearing in the gear box of the T-2 wind turbine is being damaged by excessive vibrations, and will have to be repaired in the next several months. The T-2 is one of four turbines located east of Lamar, off highway 50. Although it’s not designated an urgent issue, it is an involved process […]