What We Do
ARPA provides an essential service in southeast Colorado by purchasing and generating competitively priced electricity. We sell wholesale electricity to our member communities of Holly, La Junta, Lamar, Las Animas, Springfield and Trinidad.
Where ARPA Gets Electricity
Federal Hydropower
ARPA purchases hydropower, or generation of electricity using flowing water which supplies about 28 percent of its members’ energy. Hydropower is purchased from Western Area Power Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy and supplies about 28 percent of its members’ energy.
Renewable Energy
Although not mandated by Colorado’s renewable energy laws by virtue of its municipal utility status, ARPA is nevertheless committed to finding new sustainable sources of electricity. Currently, ARPA generates and purchases wind power, which supplies about 6 percent of its members’ electric requirements and it obtains about 28 percent of its needs from renewable hydropower resources.
Supplemental Power Purchases
The Lamar Repowering Project was built to provide the majority of the electricity for ARPA communities; however, due to the boiler’s inability to meet emission requirements, ARPA entered into a purchase power agreement that supplies power needs over and above the federal hydropower and renewable energy in ARPA’s power supply portfolio-about 66%.
Getting Power to our Members
ARPA’s wholesale electricity travels to members via transmission lines owned by third parties. The member municipalities set their own retail rates that are then applied to their customers. Once power arrives in each community, ARPA’s member municipally owned electric systems distribute it to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
