HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTION 26-25RESOLUTION 26-25
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING PLATTE RIVER POWER AUTHORITY'S 1041 LAND
USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR AERODERIVATIVE TURBINES AT THE RAWHIDE
ENERGY STATION
WHEREAS, the Town of Estes Park (Estes Park), in partnership with the cities of
Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland, formed Platte River Power Authority (Platte River)
more than fifty years ago to provide reliable, financially sustainable, and environmentally
responsible wholesale power to their citizens; and
WHEREAS, as a community-owned, not-for-profit, generation and transmission
utility, Platte River is governed by elected and appointed public officials who uphold the
public power values of local control and accountability; and
WHEREAS, to advance Platte River's board-adopted Resource Diversification
Policy, Platte River must develop an array of tools to maintain system reliability and
affordability as Platte River adds intermittent renewable resources to its portfolio to
replace energy from its retiring coal plants; and
WHEREAS, through a rigorous multi-year integrated resource planning process,
Platte River has determined that to rapidly and reliably integrate more renewable
resources into its energy portfolio, it will need new, highly efficient, flexible aeroderivative
turbines, along with new battery storage installations and development of virtual power
plant capabilities; and
WHEREAS, Platte River has applied to the Larimer County Board of County
Commissioners for a 1041 land use permit for the new aeroderivative turbines and must
have an approved permit to build them; and
WHEREAS, Platte River's proposal to add highly efficient, flexible aeroderivative
turbines is the best available option for Platte River to advance the owner communities'
clean energy goals as quickly, reliably, and affordably as possible; and
WHEREAS, Larimer County's Comprehensive Plan also states that the County will
work with utilities to provide affordable and reliable utility services while promoting
resilient and redundant critical infrastructure, and the aeroderivative turbines will advance
this policy; and
WHEREAS, the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners' approval of
Platte River's 1041 land use permit application will enable Platte River to advance its
aggressive decarbonization goals while reliably and affordably delivering the energy that
is vital to the residents, businesses, and critical infrastructure of northern Colorado.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
THE TOWN OF ESTES PARK, COLORADO:
The Board supports Platte River's 1041 land use permit application to the Larimer
County Board of County Commissioners and encourages the Larimer County
Commissioners to approve this application at its April 21, 2025 land use commissioner
hearing.
DATED this ^fs day of WQ^(_ 2025.
TOWN OF ESTES PARK
Mayor
ATTEST:
. v>, _. _^ <^jk^~^^ 0 C2^ ^. ^^<^^i~s»
T^n Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Town Attorney