Platte River Power Authority’s Board of Directors unanimously accepted the utility’s 2024 Annual Report on April 24.
Platte River is actively pursuing a 100% noncarbon energy mix while maintaining reliability, environmental responsibility and financial sustainability for its four owner communities, it noted
“The 2024 Annual Report highlights the significant milestones the utility achieved as it continued to advance the energy transition last year,” it said.
Since Platte River’s Board passed the Resource Diversification Policy in 2018, "the focus has been on building a noncarbon energy future and the value this energy transition brings to the four owner communities and future generations," it noted.
“I am proud of the progress that we have made and the hard work of our dedicated employees and our board. As we move toward 2030, we are adding over three million megawatt-hours of renewable energy onto our system, enough to provide most of the energy our four owner communities need,” said Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO for Platte River.
“We are dedicated to making our energy transition as reliable as possible by investing in innovative technologies, building out a virtual power plant with our owner communities, adding energy storage capabilities, and continuing to invest in energy efficiency efforts. We will deliver reliable energy that is increasingly noncarbon while maintaining financial sustainability," he said.
Major milestones from the 2024 Annual Report include:
• Received board approval for the integrated resource plan, which updates the path toward decarbonization
• Negotiated contracts for additional wind and solar projects
• Continued staff training, software implementation and coordination with the Southwest Power Pool to enter the regional transmission organization
• Continued to invest in transmission and substation infrastructure to connect additional renewable resources and energy storage projects to Platte River’s system
• Made progress on aeroderivative turbines, battery storage projects (wholesale and distribution) and worked with the owner communities on steps to build out a virtual power plant to help maintain system reliability
Platte River’s CEO also updated the board on the Larimer County 1041 land use permit process to build five new flexible and efficient aeroderivative turbines at Platte River’s Rawhide Energy Station.
He acknowledged the hard work by staff and thanked the board for their commitment and highlighted the outpouring of support from stakeholders. The Larimer County Board of Commissioners in April unanimously approved the permit, with some additional conditions that Platte River is committed to fulfilling collaboratively with the county.
“On behalf of Platte River’s Board of Directors, we are very pleased to continue making progress advancing the clean energy transition for northern Colorado,” said Jeni Arndt, Platte River Board Chair and Mayor of Fort Collins.
The 2024 Annual Report is accessible on Platte River’s website at prpa.org/financial-information.
