Delta-Montrose Electric Association

The JOLT Northwest Colorado Energy Summit brought together new and familiar faces. On day one of the conference, speaker Robin Lunt, Guzman's Chief Commercial Officer, shared insights on community-driven energy transition, focusing on effective strategies and regulatory challenges. Mateusz Pena, Chief Engineering & Energy Resources Officer at Delta-Montrose Electric Association, also spoke. Mateusz gave an overview of the cooperative's energy transition, including planned solar arrays and existing hydropower resources, all while delivering stable power rates for their member owners! Attendees were also able to engage with DMEA leadership and board members including Kent Blackwell, Ryan S., Jock Fleming, Steve Metheny, and Kevin Williams. Guzman Energy is proud to serve as wholesale power provider for DMEA! Thank you, JOLT organizers, for a fantastic event. See you next year!

$10K Elevate Internet Foundations for the Future Grant Now Open 2024 program targets organizations that support senior citizens June 21, 2024 – Elevate Internet has announced its 2024 Foundations for the Future Grant cycle, which provides one $10,000 grant to a local non-profit organization that directly improves the quality of life for senior citizens. Elevate is accepting applications online through Sunday, June 30 at https://lnkd.in/gcnBFFip. The 2024 recipient will be announced in August. “Our Foundations for the Future grant is extra special for us because it embodies our employees’ commitment to serve and uplift the local communities. We are grateful for the opportunity to support other organizations that share that same dedication,” said Jack Johnston, DMEA/Elevate Chief Executive Officer. Read the full Press release here: https://lnkd.in/gb8dywzW

Another Big Win for Local Solar Energy: DMEA Secures $72M in USDA Funds JUNE 17, 2024 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) was one of two Colorado recipients of its Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program. DMEA was selected to receive a partially forgivable $72 million loan to fund the construction of a 20-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic array with an additional 80 megawatt hours (MWh) of battery storage. “This is a monumental win for DMEA and our members. This investment not only enables us to produce affordable energy, further stabilizing member rates, but it also improves local grid reliability. The energy we generate right here at home can be efficiently delivered to our members, bypassing the reliance on distant power plants and extensive transmission lines,” said Jack Johnston, DMEA Chief Executive Officer. Read full press release here: https://lnkd.in/g558UEg8

DMEA Lineworker Helps Electrify Guatemala In December 2023, DMEA had the privilege of participating in NRECA International, a volunteer initiative that works to improve the quality of life around the world by providing millions of people with access to safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. Larry Donathan, DMEA Equipment Technician Foreman, spent 12 days working in the rural mountainous villages of Guatemala, helping bring electricity and light to almost 200 different homes and families. Read his full story: https://lnkd.in/gzzUiAaj #DMEA #NRECA #Guatemala

On November 10, 2023, DMEA’s Board of Directors appointed Steve Metheny as the District 2 board representative. No stranger to DMEA, Steve spent 38 years as a cooperative employee playing a significant role in energy efficiency, engineering, hydroelectric generation, and the creation of Elevate Internet, DMEA’s fiber internet subsidiary. Steve retired from DMEA in 2018, but it didn’t last long, and he now currently serves as the Director of the Montrose Campus for Colorado Mesa University. Welcome, Steve! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gffSvdW2

DMEA Equipment Technician Foreman, Larry Donathan (pictured left), is part of a team bringing electricity to 197 people in 38 villages in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Joined by an electrician from Holy Cross Energy and others from Arkansas and Oklahoma, the crew, part of a collaborative project between Colorado Rural Electric Association, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, and Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, left on December 3 for a two-week mission. This initiative, supported by NRECA International and Heifer International, aims to electrify rural areas lacking basic amenities like running water and electric appliances, a mission aligning with the electric cooperatives' history of illuminating rural America. The project also raised over $10,000 for school and hygiene supplies for these households. We are immensely proud to support this impactful initiative and extend our heartfelt admiration to Larry for his dedication and hard work in bringing essential electricity to these communities in Guatemala. #DMEA #CREA #RuralElectrification #PowerForAll

🌟 Big shoutout to our Safety Director, Chad Stickler ,CUSP,CLCP, who was recognized with the 2023 RMEL Industry Leadership Award! We're incredibly proud of Chad's commitment and leadership.

We're extremely proud to share that Jay Suckey has been selected as one of NRECA's #RisingStars! Congrats Jay! 🌟

We are proud to announce that Mateusz Pena has stepped into the new role of Chief Engineering & Energy Resources Officer this August! 🌟 Over 7 impactful years at DMEA, Mateusz has evolved from an Electrical Engineer to roles like System Engineering Supervisor, Engineering Manager, Engineering and Power Resources Manager, and now, as our Chief Engineering & Energy Resources Officer. Mateusz now leads teams responsible for a diverse array of tasks including system design, new construction, substations, metering, energy services, net metering, energy audits, system engineering, and our 24/7 system operations center. Mateusz also oversees DMEA’s power supply, managing our transmission agreements and vital relationships, as well as the integration of local power generation. Join us in celebrating Mateusz's ascent to this pivotal role! #TeamLeader #DMEA

In modern America, we take a lot of things for granted – access to electricity being one of them. But for more than 13,000 families across the American West, electricity isn't a given. The Navajo Nation covers an expansive 27,000 square miles in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. With more than 399,494 tribal members, it is one of the largest tribal nations in the United States. Yet, to this day, many live without electricity and other basic utilities. In 2018, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority approached the American Public Power Association to discuss the lack of utility services in the Navajo Nation and address the challenge of building an electric grid through the Nation's complex mix of arid deserts, canyons, and mountain peaks. From that conversation, Light Up Navajo was born, and in 2019 the mutual aid program mobilized lineworkers from 28 different utilities in 13 states to build new lines and services in the Navajo Nation. While the project was halted in 2020 due to the pandemic, the planning never stopped, and in 2022 Light Up Navajo connected another 173 homes. In June 2023, DMEA joined the project's fourth phase as the first cooperative utility to participate. Among the participants were Spencer Barnes, Zane Wilson, Wade Rowley, Nick Reich, Alan Gomez, Tim Brandon, JC Jimenez, Curtis McCall, Cody Carver, Cody Mangenello, Jack Johnston, and Chad Stickler. Read the full, inspiring article in our latest newsletter here: dmea.com/newsletters #LightUpNavajo #DMEA #PoweringCommunities