Guzman Energy, a wholesale power provider, says it is developing an 80 MW solar energy project approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Delta, Colo. Once complete, the project is expected to produce over 194,000 MWh of electricity a year.
Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), a member-owned and locally controlled rural electric cooperative, 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,” says Chris Riley, CEO of Guzman Energy. “The Garnet Mesa solar project, which will serve DMEA and other Guzman loads, demonstrates our promise to our customers. 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.”
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 of Garnet Mesa 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
Photo: Chris Riley
