Southwest Power Stories

In this episode, we thank the line crews, first responders, and community members who pulled together to restore power safely after last weekend's storms, and share reminders on the best ways to stay informed during an outage. We also cover LPEA's board-approved $1 million capital credit retirement returning funds to members, and the new Lighten the Load program that rewards participating members with bill credits for reducing use during high demand periods. Plus, applications are open through November 30 for the Local Energy Action Fund (LEAF) for tax-exempt organizations, the Round Up Foundation is looking for board volunteers with applications due November 23, Youth Tour applications are open Noember 1, and members can learn how paperless billing through SmartHub adds security and convenience.

What does it mean to be a neighbor? In this episode of Southwest Power Stories, host Monica Vick takes listeners back to May 2026 when she traveled to the Four Corners region with La Plata Electric's lineworkers as they participated in Light Up Navajo, a national mutual aid program run by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) that connects homes to electricity for the first time. An estimated one-third of homes on the Navajo Nation still lack access to the grid, not a statistic from fifty years ago, but one relevant to today. La Plata Electric joined the effort for the first time in 2026, committing a full crew to Phase 7 of the program, because the area sits just two hours from Durango and LPEA's service territory, and the need felt hard to ignore. In this episode: the pre-dawn work site, the lineworkers who chose to make the trip, the NTUA crews who welcomed them, and a mother of five in Montezuma Creek whose family had been living without power for months, and who was generous enough to share what that day meant to her.

In this episode, we share an update on LPEA's power supply planning as the cooperative wraps up its first six months of energy independence, including the five principles guiding future decisions and a recap of the September 14 Town Hall, with the recording and slides now available online. We also preview CommunityPowerX on October 13 at the Durango Arts Center, where members can hear about wildfire protection, home battery storage, and preparing for the future of energy. Plus, the Round Up Foundation celebrated 30 years of community giving with more than $59,000 in mid-year grants, home battery rebates of up to $2,000 are available for qualifying members, and LPEA's updated Solar Export Guide is ready for members exploring solar options.

In this episode, we invite members to a September 14 Power Supply Town Hall in Durango, where LPEA's board and leadership team will walk through the cooperative's power supply transition and explain how LPEA plans to balance emissions reductions with keeping bills affordable. We also preview our upcoming Community Power X on October 13, a member event covering wildfire protection, home battery storage, and future-proofing your home. Plus, Durango members can drop in for a rebate and energy help session with 4CORE on September 15, and National Drive Electric Month is the perfect time to check out LPEA's EV charger rebates and take the EV readiness quiz.

In this episode, we cover how La Plata Electric has dedicated its entire 2026 community sponsorship budget to wildfire mitigation and resilience, highlighting five local and regional partners working to protect communities across Southwest Colorado before a fire strikes. We also break down what the new Colorado plug-in solar law means for members starting January 2027, share a mid-year Round Up Foundation update showing where your spare change has gone so far, and remind Pagosa Springs members about the August 11 office hours session with Fourcore. Plus, catch LPEA's interactive STEM booth at the La Plata County Fair on August 6 and 7.

This episode takes you inside our spring celebration event, La Plata Electric's Community Power X gathering at the Durango Arts Center, where two major milestones were discussed: our monumental power supply transition and entry into the Southwest Power Pool.

CEO Chris Hansen shared what energy independence really means for a member-owned cooperative, and we brought together CEOs from across the region, Kit Carson Electric, Montrose, and Farmington Electric, for a candid panel on member-driven power supply decisions and what it takes to lead in a changing energy landscape.

Plus, La Plata Electric's board unveiled an updated vision statement built for the co-op's next chapter.

Join us again this October for round two. Community Power X returns Tuesday, October 13th, 2026, at the Durango Arts Center.

In this episode, we recap LPEA's June board reorganization, welcoming three newly elected directors from Districts 2, 3, and 4, and announcing the cooperative's leadership lineup for the 2026-2027 term. We also cover why some members have experienced outages this summer and how LPEA's system settings are actively working to prevent wildfires during red flag conditions. Plus, the Colorado HEAR program's $14,000 rebate deadline is August 1 and funding is nearly gone. Learn how to reserve yours before it's too late. We also touch on the Time of Use rate, the Round Up Foundation board vacancy in District 3, and upcoming events including the Durango Farmers Market and Archuleta County Fair.

In this episode, we recap LPEA's May Annual Meeting, where over 140 members gathered to review a strong 2025 and look ahead at what's coming in 2026, including four newly elected board directors and a passed bylaw amendment. We also cover what LPEA is doing this summer to reduce wildfire risk, how Budget Billing can help smooth out seasonal bill swings, and free electric safety demos available to your group or organization. Plus, learn how qualifying members could save up to $14,000 on home electrification projects through Colorado's HEAR program.

In this month's newsletter recap, host Monica Vick covers what members need to know heading into May, including a quick tribute to the energy transition on April 1, celebrating National Lineworker Appreciation Month, highlighting our first wildfire resilience sponsorship, and a full calendar of upcoming events and deadlines. Stay connected at lpea.coop.

Wildfire in southwest Colorado is a year-round reality. With warmer winters, drier forests, and wind events that can turn a single spark into a catastrophe, LPEA is rethinking what it means to run a reliable grid.

In this episode of Southwest Power Stories, host Monica Vick takes you inside the cooperative's wildfire mitigation strategy. You'll hear how a machine learning platform called Firescape is mapping risk hour by hour, why reclosers get reconfigured when fire danger spikes, what a Public Safety Power Shutoff actually looks like from inside the dispatch center, and how vegetation management crews are climbing trees ninety percent of the workday to keep the lines clear.

You'll also meet LPEA's 2026 sponsorship partner, Wildfire Adapted Partnership, and learn how neighborhood ambassadors and a chipper rebate program are helping homeowners adapt to the ever-warming climate.

Featuring LPEA CEO Chris Hansen, Senior Director of Engineering Ryne Waggoner, Director of Distribution Toby Allred, Relief Dispatcher Rachel Killinen, and Wildfire Adapted Partnership Executive Director Ashley Downing.

Learn more about Firescape here: https://www.firescape.ai/ Apply for a chipper rebate here: https://www.wildfireadapted.org/chipper-rebate Discover more about LPEA's Vegetation Management plan here: https://lpea.coop/vegmgmt Sign up for our Watt's Up newsletter here: https://lpea.coop/newsletter