Guzman Energy Announces New Solar Project in Southern Delta County, Co
80-megawatt solar project to provide local, affordable, and reliable wholesale electricity to Delta-Montrose Electric Association and communities in Western Colorado
May 10, 2021 - Denver & Montrose, CO — Today, Guzman Energy announced the development of an 80MW solar energy project approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Delta, Colo. This will produce over 194,000 MWh of electricity a year, enough to supply energy to 18,000 homes.
Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) will directly purchase a portion of the energy produced by the plant and Guzman Energy will offtake the rest. This is the first local renewable energy project developed in partnership with Guzman Energy since DMEA exited its power supply agreement with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association in July 2020.
"When we started serving DMEA, we made a commitment to building local solar. The Garnet Mesa solar project, which will serve DMEA and other Guzman loads, demonstrates our promise to our customers,” said Guzman Energy CEO Chris Riley. “We will continue to tailor power solutions for our customers, leveraging both owned and contracted energy sources, to provide the communities we serve with affordable and reliable power.”
Community Impact and Investment
The project is in the study phase for interconnection and the Delta County permitting process has been initiated. The construction period is expected to last 11 months with a commercial operation date expected in early 2023. Additional community benefits include:
- Construction labor head count of 350-400
- Property tax estimate of $10 million over 35 years
- Helps DMEA reach approximately 20% local power generation
“We are very excited about this project. When we transitioned to Guzman Energy as our power supplier, we had three primary goals: rate stabilization, increased local renewable generation, and local control. The Garnet Mesa Solar project helps us achieve all three,” said Virginia Harman, DMEA’s acting CEO.
About Guzman Energy
Guzman Energy is a wholesale power provider dedicated to communities in search of affordable and reliable energy. We partner with cooperatives, municipalities, companies and tribes across North America to customize energy portfolios that make economic and environmental sense for today and tomorrow. Together, we are lighting the way forward.
About Delta-Montrose Electric Association
Delta-Montrose Electric Association is a member-owned and locally controlled rural electric cooperative, incorporated in 1938. Located in Southwest Colorado, DMEA energizes and serves 28,000 members in Montrose, Delta and Gunnison counties. DMEA is a progressive and forward-thinking electrical distribution cooperative. To learn more, visit dmea.com.
