Guzman Energy, an electricity wholesale company, is currently developing an 80 MW solar power project approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Delta, Colorado. Once the project is complete, annual electricity generation of over 194,000 MWh is expected.
The Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), a member-owned and locally controlled rural electrical cooperative, will directly buy some of the energy produced by the facility and Guzman Energy will handle the rest. This is the first local renewable energy project developed in partnership with Guzman Energy since DMEA terminated its power supply contract with the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association in July 2020.
"When we started serving DMEA, we made a commitment to building local solar energy," said Chris Riley, CEO of Guzman Energy. “The Garnet Mesa solar project, which will serve DMEA and other Guzman loads, shows our promise to our customers. We will continue to tailor power solutions for our customers, using both our own and contracted energy sources to provide affordable and reliable electricity to the communities in which we operate. "
The project is in the interconnection study phase and the approval process for Delta County has been initiated. Construction is expected to be 11 months, with a commercial operating date expected in early 2023.
Additional community benefits from Garnet Mesa include:
- Number of construction workers from 350-400
- Property tax estimate of $ 10 million over 35 years
- Helps DMEA achieve local power generation of around 20%
Photo: Chris Riley