Senate OKs Renewable Energy Power Line Bill

Apr 13, 2007 - Charles Ashby, The Pueblo Chieftain

After more than two months of debate, compromise, rewriting and more rewriting, a measure to help erect power transmission lines in rural Colorado from renewable energy plants won preliminary approval in the Senate on Thursday.

The measure, which cleared the Colorado House 65-0 in early February, would create a special authority with the ability to issue bonds to help utilities get the financing they need to build high-voltage electric transmission lines in parts of Colorado that are too remote to easily access the state's power grid.

Though there are other measures designed to help utilities pay for new transmission lines, this authority is intended to help such rural counties as Baca get lines built so they can attract wind farms to Southeast Colorado.

"I think this bill is going to allow Colorado to catch up with Wyoming and New Mexico, and be a force in renewable energy," said Sen. Ken Kester, R-Las Animas, who introduced HB1150 with Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma. "We've worked hard on this. The Baca County commissioners worked hard on this. They stayed on top of this and they stayed in touch. We just need to get the energy where it's produced to where it's used."

The bill, which still requires a final Senate vote, would create the Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority.

That seven-member board would do for renewable energy transmission lines what the Colorado Power and Water Development Authority does for water projects.

The board would be chaired by the director of the governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation, who currently is former Rep. Tom Plant, D-Nederland. Other members would include Treasurer Cary Kennedy and Agriculture Commissioner John Stulp, who is a former Prowers County commissioner.

Remaining members would be appointed by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Golden, House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, and Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs.

The measure also includes immediately issuing bonds for two pilot projects in the state: up to $40 million for wind energy lines, and up to $25 million for a solar power plant. Though the measure doesn't explicitly say so because Colorado law forbids new laws to be designed to benefit specific projects, those pilot projects are intended for a wind farm in Baca and a solar plant in the San Luis Valley, said Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, who helped Gardner and Kester expand the renewable authority's scope.

"This is going to be one of the biggest and most important bills done this year," Romer said. "This really opens up the real issue for us to compete with Texas, Wyoming and New Mexico for clean energy. Marketplaces for capital is very competitive, and this puts us on a level playing field."

Initially, the measure, which had been endorsed by Gov. Bill Ritter in his first State-of-the-State speech to the Legislature in January, called for creating an infrastructure authority that focused solely on renewable energy.

But Romer said he wanted to make sure its reach also included ways to help move other clean energy, such as pipelines for ethanol made from corn or other produce grown in rural Colorado.

"While I'm very supportive of renewable, but at best renewable is only going to do 20 to 30 percent of our energy," Romer said. "We're going to need clean technologies as well. So I really appreciate Senator Kester's willingness to allow me to help broaden that conversation."

Gardner, who like Kester scoffed at Romer's proposed changes at first, admitted the measure is even better than before.

The Yuma Republican's district, which includes Kiowa and Crowley counties, represents farmers who are already involved in ethanol production.

"This bill is generating excitement over renewable energy and the prospect of bringing new opportunities to rural communities," Gardner said. "Overall, this is a stronger, better package that will make even more of a difference for Southern Colorado."