PowerLines June 2024

Solar Power and Agriculture – A Match Made for Our Members

Jack Johnston, CEO

The Delta County Board of County Commissioners approved the Garnet Mesa Solar Project in August 2022, and while it may have appeared that progress was slow from the outside, behind the scenes significant strides in engineering, design, and equipment procurement were made in the last year and a half. Today, I’m happy to report the wait is over. Construction will begin this July, and it is expected to take approximately 18 months. By January 2026, the array will provide clean local energy to thousands of DMEA member homes and businesses, with the added bonus of being rich grazing grounds for a local sheep herd.

Project highlights:

The project is an 80-megawatt solar array located 3.5 miles southeast of Delta, CO.
It will sit on 383 acres and produce approximately 194,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity each year, enough energy for an average of 18,000 homes.
DMEA will directly purchase a portion of the energy produced by the solar farm, getting much closer to the goal of approximately 20% local power generation.
It will be the largest example of agrivoltaics in Colorado, as the land will be simultaneously used for both solar power generation and agriculture, with approximately 1,000 sheep grazing under the panels.
Locally owned Sperry Livestock Corporation will oversee farm operations for the project and manage the sheep grazing throughout the fields.
More than 2,000 trees will be strategically planted to provide shade for animals without impeding solar production.

Why is it important for DMEA and its members?

DMEA has three key goals when it comes to power supply: rate stabilization, increased local renewable generation, and local control. The Garnet Mesa Solar Project helps us achieve all three. The power we purchase from the array will be more affordable than the average market price for energy and it’s produced right here at home. It gets even better that we are staying true to our agricultural roots by providing excellent shaded ground for sheep grazing.

What’s next?

As construction ramps up this summer, we will see an influx of construction and heavy traffic around the site (near the intersection of G Rd and 2100 Rd). As with any construction project, there will be ground disturbance. To curb blowing dust, water trucks will continually make rounds around the site. Rest assured, this work will continue until vegetation takes root and the blowing dust is no longer an issue.

Be sure to keep tabs on the progress or learn more at garnetmesasolar.com.

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Have you explored our new websites yet?

Next time you visit, check out the top right corner for some helpful new buttons. We've designed them to make accessing your most visited pages easier than ever. Learn more about what they do below!

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It's Better Here

The LeValleys have ranched on Scenic Mesa for five generations, caring for the land and livestock that feed our communities. In the 1990s, they joined forces with five other local ranches at Homestead Meats, becoming part of a cooperative effort to create a better way to raise, process, market, and sell quality beef in Delta County.

But it's so much more than that. They're leaving behind a legacy of innovation and sustainability, setting future generations up for even more success. At Elevate, that's a legacy we also hold dear because it's ours, too. So let's enjoy the best of both worlds - and maybe a nice ribeye or two - together.

Get fast fiber internet starting at 400 Mbps for $54.95 per month.

Rural living. Modern internet.

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2024 Scholarship Recipients

This year was extremely competitive with more than 100 applications submitted. DMEA partners with the Montrose Community Foundation to operate the program and select recipients. Scholarship funding is provided through DMEA's unclaimed capital credit fund and Guzman Energy.

Lillie Baier, Olathe High School $3,000
Blake Griffin, Montrose High School $3,000
Henry Hollembeak, North Fork High School $3,000
Kylie Huff, Delta High School $3,000
Olivia Madden, Cedaredge High School $3,000
Rachel Robuck, Montrose High School $3,000
Mercedes Shea, Olathe High School $3,000
Piper Smith, North Fork High School $3,000
Natalie Trask, Montrose High School $3,000
Vance Coutrier, Continuing Education $2,000
Logan Files, Continuing Education $2,000
Melana McCormick, Continuing Education $2,000
Grace Hathaway, Technical College of the Rockies $2,000
Ann Acevedo, Technical College of the Rockies $2,000
Lisa Acevedo, Technical College of the Rockies $2,000
Ann Crockett, Colorado Mesa University $2,000
Evelyn Gutierrez, Employee Dependant $3,000
Madeline Brezonick, Guzman Character $3,000
Nevada Olin, Guzman Lineworker $2,000
Austin Zimmer, Guzman Lineworker: $2,000, Ken Atchley: $2,500
Nevada Olin, Guzman LIneworker $2,000
Adam Moore, Ken Atchley $5,000
Kendall Gardner, Ken Atchley $5,000

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Don't Bite On Phishing Emails

In today’s world of impostors and impersonators, how do you know what is a scam and what isn’t? Some are easier to spot than others, but the best advice is to be wary and take time to investigate before clicking on any email links. Here are the top email subject lines that were reported to IT departments as suspicious:

Please review updated financial policies
Zoom: The meeting has started! Where are you?
IT: Laptop Refresh
Meta: Suspicious Activity
Sharepoint: [your manager’s name] shared "Test_Data" with you
Microsoft: Microsoft's new password requirements
HR: Please verify your banking information
DocuSign: DocuSign Account Suspension Notice
Webmail: Security alert for [your email]
Refund has been processed to your account

Free for all Elevate consumers, the app offers extra protection and control for what matters most. Download ElevateIQ today.

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Prepare Your Home for Wildfire

Create a defensible space around your home.

Maintain three zones around your structure to help slow or stop the spread of wildfire. Most home losses due to wildfires are started by embers, not flames.

Zone 0

Clear roofs, gutters, decks, porches, and stairways of debris.
Clear wall exteriors of leaves, needles, and flammable plants.
Replace or repair loose or missing shingles or roof tiles.
Trim branches that overhang the home, porch, and deck.
Remove all branches within ten feet of a chimney or stovepipe.
Use metal mesh screening to protect eaves and vents.
Relocate combustible items like trash cans and vehicles outside this zone.

Zone 1

Clear the ground of leaves, debris, and flammable materials and mow grass down to four inches or less.
Remove items stored underneath decks or porches.
Remove all dead and dying grass, weeds, and shrubs.
Break up continuous vegetation.
Create a separation between trees/shrubs and flammable items (e.g., swing set, patio furniture).
Remove flammable materials such as wood piles or propane tanks.

Zone 2

Cut or mow grass down to four inches maximum.
Create horizontal space between planted vegetation.
Remove the lower branches of tall trees to at least six feet from the ground.
Create vertical space between grass, shrubs, and trees.
Remove surface clutter, including leaves, needles, cones, and bark.

Learn more safety tips for your home at dmea.com/safety

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Elevate's Monthly Construction Update

We're working hard to bring fiber to every corner of DMEA's service territory so all our community members can access the nation's fastest and most reliable internet. Read our monthly construction progress report.

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