Tri-State okays new self-supply option for utility members

Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, a US not-for-profit cooperative of 46 members, may allow utility members to self-supply up to 50% of their load requirements.

The cooperative’s board of directors has given the thumbs-up to a new partial requirements contract option allowing utility members to add local renewables capacity and increase the self-supply of power. It also okayed a contract termination payment methodology.

“Both the partial requirements contract option and the contract termination payment methodology approved by the board protect the interests of all Tri-State utility members by ensuring that one member’s action does not unfairly shift costs to the other members,” CEO Duane Highley said in a press release last week.

Tri-State will now seek the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) approval of the new contract structure and methodology.

Utility members willing to take advantage of the partial requirements contract option can participate in an upcoming open season period to allocate 300 MW of system-wide member self-supply capacity. This capacity is 10% of Tri-State’s system peak demand.

The cooperative explained that the new contract will make it possible for utility members to self-supply up to 50% of their load requirements, subject to availability in the open season. The existing 5% self-supply provisions remain and there is also a new community solar provision.

Tri-State’s members include 43 member utility electric distribution cooperatives and public power districts in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Nebraska. It plans to top 2 GW of renewables on its system by 2024.

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