Holy Cross Energy Announces New Hydro Project
Co-op continues to increase portfolio of clean energy content
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLO., June 24, 2021 — Holy Cross Energy (HCE) today announced a new purchase power agreement with Grand Valley Hydro, LLC. Under the new agreement, the Grand Valley hydroelectric dam in Mesa County will provide HCE with 22,380 MWh of energy per year, just under 2 percent of HCE’s annual energy requirements. The project is owned by Orchard Mesa Irrigation District and Grand Valley Water Users Association.
“This hydroelectricity provides a great baseload resource for HCE’s renewable power supply mix and also aligns well with our increased need for energy in the winter months,” says Sam Whelan, HCE’s Power Supply Manager. “Once fully operational, the energy produced from the Grand Valley Hydro project will power up to 1,700 average-sized homes per year.”
The agreement constitutes the next step in HCE’s 100×30 goal to provide members with 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030.
The hydroelectric project was submitted in 2020 as part of HCE’s Request for Proposals for local renewable energy projects and joins recent power purchase agreements with AES and Ameresco for solar energy. Together, these new agreements constitute around 5 percent of HCE’s power supply mix.
The expected date for the Grand Valley hydroelectric facility to come online is Fall 2023.
For more information on HCE’s 100×30 plan, visit www.holycross.com/100×30.
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About HCE
Founded in 1939, Holy Cross Energy is a not-for-profit rural electric cooperative that provides safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy and services that improve the quality of life for more than 44,500 members and their communities in Western Colorado. Committed to leading the responsible transition to a clean energy future, HCE was named the 2020 Electric Cooperative of the Year by the Smart Electric Power Alliance for their work in clean energy. For more information on HCE, please visit www.holycross.com.
