Your Electric Co-op

Chief Executive Officer and General Manager

Robert E. Castillo, P.E.

Grants Office

200 E. High St.• P.O. Box 1087 Grants, NM 87020 505-285-6656 505-287-2234, fax

Gallup Office

2500 NM Highway 602 • P.O. Box 786 Gallup, NM 87305 505-863-3641 505-863-2175, fax

After Hours

877-775-5211

Office Hours

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (M-F)

Satellite Payment Offices

Villa de Cubero, Zuni, Tribal Utility Dept.

Website

www.cdec.coop

Board of Trustees President

Keith Gottlieb, At-Large

Vice President

Vacant

Secretary-Treasurer

Joe Hoskins, District 7

Lyle Adair

District 8

Alex Griego

District 1

Wes Malcolm

District 2

Lloyd Ortega

District 4

Claudio Romero

District 3

Alfred Saavedra

District 5

Your Co-op Faces the Future With Confidence

(Editor’s Note: This article is from CDEC’s 2019 In January, Tri-State Generation and Fiscal Year Annual Report, which would have Transmission Association announced the been available at our April 25th annual meeting, closure—by year’s end—of Escalante Station, canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The a 253-megawatt coal-fired power plant near full report can be found at www.cdec.coop) Prewitt, NM. The closure will impact 107 A s an electric cooperative, our mission is to meet the needs and expectations of Tri-State employees. The closure will not affect the reliable electricity that CDEC delivers to its members. our members. That is because the power

That mission has morphed we purchase comes from other from the early days of providing Tri-State electric generation first-time electric service to today’s facilities in New Mexico, multi-faceted offerings, including Colorado, Wyoming, and high-speed broadband internet. elsewhere along the Western As CDEC builds its Red Bolt Interconnection grid, which Broadband fiber-optic network stretches from Western Canada throughout our service area, south to Baja California in Mexico, members can take advantage of reaching eastward over the Rocky the economic and educational Mountains to the Great Plains. benefits that access to high-speed internet brings. This increases our ability to compete with other Keith Gottlieb Board President CDEC continues to work with federal, state, and local lawmakers to ensure their decisions take into communities for jobs. consideration the challenges we face in rural

Going forward, it’s all about innovation and New Mexico, especially in light of the pending the challenge of balancing expectations. Escalante Station closure.

An example of the latter is the need to have In closing, we anticipate that our future a diverse portfolio of fuels to help co-ops keep headquarters facility at the Cibola Industrial electricity rates as low as possible for all while Park will encourage economic development ensuring reliability and meeting member along that part of the Interstate 40 corridor, expectations for environmental sustainability. just as business growth is expected in the Milan

One of CDEC’s sustainable, innovative and and Prewitt industrial parks. most cost-effective achievements in 2019 was The 680-acre Milan park is northeast of our ability to directly increase the amount of I-40 at exit 79, with direct access from New renewable energy our co-op members receive. Mexico State Road 122 (Historic Route 66). The

In December 2019, two solar projects—one rail-served site is just east of State Road 122 in Grants and one in Bluewater—became and the BNSF railroad. It runs east to Ralph operational, enabling CDEC to purchase Card Road, north to Nursery Road and follows 6.9-megawatts of cheaper power over 20 years. Stanley Road to the south. The Village of Milan This less expensive power will contribute to in June approved a site plan of the property. more stable rates in the coming years. This spring, McKinley County secured a

While co-op members across the country lease on state land for the Prewitt industrial can appreciate our industry’s sensible approach park site near Tri-State’s Escalante Station and to renewable energy, unfortunately, it comes McKinley Paper mill. hand-in-hand with the closure of coal-fired Sustaining the business strengths of this plants—more than 500 since 2010. not-for-profit electric cooperative is, and

In 2019, New Mexico’s Energy Transition always will be central to our success. Act was passed into law, requiring electricity On behalf of Continental Divide Electric’s providers to transition to 80% renewable power board, thank you for supporting our co-op by 2040 and 100% by 2045. Co-ops have until management and staff in our endeavors. 2050 to de-carbonize.

Broadband, Solar and Efficiency Keep Co-op Moving Forward

(Editor’s Note: This article is from to provide internet service to Village cooperatives and public power CDEC’s 2019 Fiscal Year Annual of Milan residents. Planning and districts in four states. Report, which would have been designing for the communities of CDEC continues to be a available at our April 25th annual Bluewater Village and San Rafael is prominent player in the effort to meeting, canceled because of the underway, too. create and retain jobs. COVID-19 pandemic. The full report Finally, I am pleased to announce Since 2017, the co-op has can be found at www.cdec.coop) that in 2019, CDEC received the helped the Cibola Communities bid to provide internet service to Economic Development Foundation

At Continental the Pueblo of Zuni and Greater Gallup Economic Divide Electric school district. Development Corporation Cooperative, we’re CDEC’s cost of power master-plan industrial parks in always exploring from Tri-State remains Prewitt and Milan. opportunities to increase unchanged this year. In addition, CDEC’s SCADA and the efficiency of our CDEC continues to fiber-optic broadband build-out distribution system and contain costs wherever has created eight additional jobs. services to our members. possible. CDEC’s effort helps to offset electric

In 2017, we began This frugality revenue losses expected from the construction of new figured into the co-op’s loss of customers resulting from the infrastructure to our November 2018 decision Escalante Station closure. As Red substations, enabling CDEC to install a Robert E. Castillo to pursue a solar power contract with Bolt Broadband grows, we expect to increase employment to support it. system called SCADA Chief Executive Lightsource BP. CDEC and the Pueblo of Acoma (Supervisory Control Officer Through patience continue to pursue the transfer and Data Acquisition), and prudence, CDEC of our electrical facilities located which will monitor our electrical continues to be innovative in an within the Pueblo’s exterior distribution grid remotely and economical manner. boundaries, pursuant to our 2014 gather data in real-time, for more We entered into a contract for Settlement Agreement. rapid, accurate analysis of faults, renewable energy and are paying Final execution of the transfer thus shortening the duration of 3-cents a kilowatt-hour for 6.9 remains subject to successful electrical outages. megawatts of solar, compared to negotiations consistent with the

In addition to the improved almost 20-cents a kilowatt-hour in terms of the agreement and approval efficiencies that SCADA brings 2009 when the American Recovery by state regulators. to CDEC’s substations, metering and Reinvestment Act was enacted We are awaiting information and system troubleshooting, the for our country’s transition to more that the Pueblo has secured rightsfinancial investment in our electrical renewable energy. of-way for its substation and distribution grid has given CDEC Unfortunately, that transition has distribution lines to ensure it can the ability to gradually offer our forced the closure of coal-fired power provide power to its community, as members voluntary, high-speed plants across the country, including well as emergency back-up power fiber-optic internet service. the shuttering of the Tri-State to CDEC’s system. Once we receive

I am happy to report that CDEC Generation and Transmission proper documentation, CDEC will in 2019 completed construction of Association’s Escalante Station near take the matter to the New Mexico all the fiber communication lines Prewitt, NM, later this year. Public Regulation Commission for within Grants city limits, making our As a member of Tri-State’s final approval. Red Bolt Broadband internet service governing board, CDEC voted to On behalf of our staff, I thank you available to all city residents. keep the plant open. The majority for taking the time to learn about our

CDEC also has made the vote was to close the plant. CDEC ongoing efforts to enhance the vital equipment improvements necessary is one of 42 electric distribution services we provide our membership.

Read CDEC’s 2019 Fiscal Year Annual Report at www.cdec.coop Click on the “About Us” tab and scroll down to the Annual Meeting section.

Dan O'Neill 11th grade, Estancia Valley Classical Academy Edgewood in Santa Fe County Central New Mexico Electrical Cooperative

I’ve been working as an assistant manager for an online company called Contractor Exam Academy. I’ve also been volunteering for Presbyterian Hospice at Kaseman Hospital. I assist in the office with computer and paperwork. I plan to volunteer in the inpatient unit at Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital. However, because of the COVID-19 situation, volunteers are not allowed on the hospice unit. I am planning to attend the University of New Mexico after graduation. I am interested in radiology and my goal is to be accepted one day to the UNM School of Medicine.

Eli Terry 11th grade, Floyd High School near Floyd in Roosevelt County Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative

During the COVID-19 quarantine, I have had more time to focus on my FFA and 4-H projects. Since I did not have school from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or have track practice or track meets, I have found a lot to do at home. I have been taking dual credit college classes online, refinishing and painting furniture, raising laying hens, and raising 6 Holstein calves as well. Most recently, I have been studying and taking some practice tests for the ACT. All these projects have kept me really busy. Currently, my plans and dreams for the future are to attend and graduate college at Eastern New Mexico University to become a speech therapist. I am interested in a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders and a master’s degree in speech therapy. I like the idea of going to college close to home and being able to finish with a master’s degree all at one college. I have looked into the speech therapy program, and I have seen that the program is well respected. Other than higher education goals, I hope to be happy in my life and serve God.

Ella C. Guerro 10th grade, Magdalena Municipal Schools Alamo Navajo Reservation in Socorro County Socorro Electric Cooperative

I have been taking walks with my dog, going fishing at my pond, riding my bike with my cousins, and taking care of my family. My plans for the future are to attend Emory University to become a sports therapist.

Emma Montgomery 12th grade, Artesia High School Piñon in Chaves County Central Valley Electric Cooperative

With the whole family being home, I’ve been able to spend a lot more time with them, which I’m very thankful for. Next year, I will be attending Texas Tech University and majoring in agricultural communications. I hope to serve the agriculture industry by marketing, advertising, and designing for a major agriculture magazine or company.

Heidi Garcia 11th grade, Belen High School Veguita in Socorro County Socorro Electric Cooperative

During this time in quarantine, I’ve picked up new hobbies like writing and making bracelets, but just like everyone else, I’ve been binge-watching my favorite Netflix shows. Once I graduate from high school, my biggest dream would be to study at the Anglo American University in the Czech Republic. I want to travel, meet new people, and learn about different cultures. I want to major in business and come back to the U.S. and go to law school. I want to live in Denver, Colorado, because I love urban cities, especially Denver because it’s close enough to my family.

Helen Bright 11th grade, Quemado High School Between Pie Town and Quemado in Catron County Socorro Electric Cooperative

I have had lots of time to do some of my favorite things, like art and music. On top of that, our ewe had a lamb which she refused to take care of, so I also ended up taking care of a lamb. I also really enjoy the art of cosplay (costume play), when I have felt like quarantine was hard all I had to do was get dressed up, and in some ways, I felt better as it is a way for me to deal with the constant stress of life on my shoulders. For my future, I haven’t completely thought out everything I want; I don’t have some