Utility seeks to bolster renewable energy resources

Black Hills Energy officials said the utility has submitted a proposal to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission as a means of bolstering renewable energy resources within its Southern Colorado system.

The utility is seeking approval of a plan adding up to 200 megawatts of new, low-cost resources, noting its Renewable Advantage plan would open a competitive solicitation process this month, seeking proposals for new, utility-scale renewable energy projects that would include wind, solar and battery storage.

“We are fully supportive of efforts to add more clean, renewable energy in Southern Colorado, especially given the opportunity to lower energy costs for our customers,” Linden “Linn” R. Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp., said. “In the coming years, we’ll continue to expand our renewable energy offerings to meet customer and community demand.”

If the Commission approves the initiative, the addition of up to 200 megawatts of new renewable energy resources would result in approximately 60 percent of the utility’s Southern Colorado generation portfolio coming from carbon-free resources by 2023.

The recent addition of the 60-megawatt Busch Ranch II wind project aids the utility in achieving 30 percent renewables by 2020 and fulfills the requirements of Colorado’s renewable energy mandates.

Bidders would have until Feb. 15, 2020, to submit project proposals, which will then be reviewed by an independent evaluator overseen by the Commission.