All Entries in the "Utilities" Category
Lamar Utility Board Finalizes 2024 Budget and Write Offs
The Lamar Utility Board finalized its approval of the 2024 budget. Revenues are expected to be $15.7 million with $14.3 million from retail electric sales and the balance from wind turbine production. Operating expenses are estimated at $14.2 million which includes $9.3 million for power supply. Other expenses include $1.400,516 for personnel costs, […]
City Council has 2024 Budget and Land Develop Interests on Meeting Agenda
Several financial concerns were addressed during the Lamar City Council’s October 9th meeting this past Monday. The council held a public hearing for the proposed City of Lamar 2024 budget to outline expected revenues to the city and how the funds will be spent through the new year. Following the hearing, the council […]
Grants Available for Projects Showcasing Agrivoltaics in Colorado
Broomfield, Colo. — To help demonstrate one of the many ways agriculture can contribute to addressing the effects of climate change, Colorado is investing $500,000 in projects that help advance the use of agrivoltaics in the state. Agrivoltaics is the practice of co-locating solar energy installations and agriculture, with crops or grazing land beneath […]
County Steering Committee Candidates Sought
Prowers County is updating its 2003 Master Plan to guide the day-to-day decisions of the County more accurately into the future. This planning effort will address topics pertinent to the rural unincorporated areas of Prowers County as well as areas of mutual interest with the local municipalities. As such, the engagement process seeks to […]
Arkansas River Water Report for August 2023 from Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative
Drought conditions have slipped back into southwestern Colorado, with abnormally dry conditions extending into the Upper Arkansas River Basin, and the National Weather Service three-month outlook projects above-normal temperatures through November and equal chances of normal precipitation for Colorado. Precipitation: The CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow) Network reports the following precipitation […]
Lamar Utility Board Considers Membership Applications, 2024 Budget
Lamar Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, discussed the plant’s capital outlay for the 2024 budget during the August 29th meeting. Capital Improvements totaled $1,719,400 and Operations and Maintenance was estimated at $725,000. Various overhead distribution upgrades were estimated at $345,000 while substation upgrades came to $205,000. Wind Turbine parts and blade edge protectant was $70,000. […]
Lamar Utility Board Details Turbine Repairs
Lamar Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh gave the board a briefing on the plant’s wind turbine recent operations. He said the three Light Plant turbines have generated 6,987.07 WWH’s of electricity at an average capacity factor of 30.83% for the first half of 2023. This is a 14.40% drop-off from the same period last […]
Arkansas River Report for July 2023 from Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative
After ending June drought-free, Colorado has seen drought conditions creep back into the southwestern quarter of the state, according to the current U.S. Drought Monitor report. The National Weather Service three-month outlook projects above-normal temperatures through October and below-normal precipitation for the western half of Colorado. Precipitation The CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, […]
Bennet Announces $79.3 Million for Colorado Projects in Senate Appropriations Bills
Denver — Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet announced that he secured nearly $74 million for 78 Colorado projects through the congressionally directed spending (CDS) process in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Senate appropriations bills. In total, this year’s Senate appropriations bills included $79.3 million in funding for projects across the state. These bills […]
Bennet, Lummis, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Boost Support for Programs to Reduce Salinity of the Colorado River
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) introduced the Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act to provide greater support for Colorado River Basin water users and local governments working to reduce the salt load in the Colorado River. U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), […]
Maintenance Check Heads Off Potential Power Outage
Lamar Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh informed the Lamar Utility Board that a recent test of the LAMSO substation’s main transformer power protection equipment and relays indicated the transformer main tank oil level gauge is malfunctioning which could cause the entire substation to trip off-line. The circuit has been isolated and replacement parts […]
Redevelopment Authority Provides Funding for Two Projects
The Lamar Redevelopment Authority, meeting on July 24th, approved an agreement with Niel and Rinda Emick for façade and structural rehab improvement for their renovation project for the NorJune Apartments at 210 West Elm Street in Lamar. Renovations have been underway at the two-story building since the couple purchased it in 2022 with […]
Lamar Utilities Board July 11th Meeting
The Lamar Utility Board had $933,482.44 in monthly purchase orders, of that, $919,995.77 required approval including $753,041.57 for the June estimate for power purchases from Arkansas River Power Authority. Bills amounting to $226,241.83 were also noted. Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh explained the plant submitted five bids for fiberglass crossarms to replenish stock inventory […]
Arkansas River Power Authority Business Operations Report – July 2023
BUSINESS OPERATIONS – July 2023 CLP Engineering to Provide Technical Assistance for Distribution Planning Service to ARPA’s Members. The ARPA Board of Directors, at a special meeting held on June 20th, approved a Technical Assistance Agreement for Distribution System Planning Services with City Light and Power Engineering (CLP Engineering) based out of Greenwood Village. CLPE will […]
Lamar Utility Board Details Outage Prevention Measures
Houssin Hourieh, Lamar Light Plant Superintendent, provided a systems update for board members in light of the recent power outages experienced by some local customers. Hourieh said there have been three LAMSOA outages since the last board meeting on June 13th. One was due to snakes inside the L2-25kv breaker which caused a […]
