{"id":2458630,"date":"2020-05-19T23:05:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T05:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=325926"},"modified":"2020-05-19T23:05:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-20T05:05:00","slug":"after-lake-christine-fire-holy-cross-energy-seeks-more-resilient-power-supply-for-aspen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/after-lake-christine-fire-holy-cross-energy-seeks-more-resilient-power-supply-for-aspen\/","title":{"rendered":"After Lake Christine Fire, Holy Cross Energy seeks more resilient power supply for Aspen"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image p402_hide\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"811\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/powersupply-atd-052020-1024x811.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/powersupply-atd-052020-1024x811.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/powersupply-atd-052020-300x238.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/powersupply-atd-052020-768x608.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/powersupply-atd-052020-1536x1217.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/powersupply-atd-052020-2048x1622.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p><figcaption><strong>As the Lake Christine Fire smouldered near the point of origin on July 4, 2018, the sheared and seared power poles were evident above Basalt. Three of four lines supplying electricity to the upper valley were knocked out of commission.<\/strong><br \/><em>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Lake Christine Fire in Basalt came perilously close July 3 and 4, 2018, to knocking out power in the middle and upper Roaring Fork Valley and delivering a multimillion-dollar economic blow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Holy Cross Energy and Rocky Mountain Institute are studying how to prevent that from happening again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">RMI released a study this week that looks at the work of Holy Cross and its partners to boost energy resiliency in the Roaring Fork Valley.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe\u2019re looking at all options we have for supply of electricity,\u201d said Brian Hannegan, president and CEO of Holy Cross Energy. \u201cWhat\u2019s our plan B if the Holy Cross grid isn\u2019t available?\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The goal, he said, is to create a more resilient system so that if another wildfire torches power poles in the Basalt State Wildlife Area or a major blizzard causes a multi-day outage, residences and businesses aren\u2019t left in the dark.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI\u2019ve always thought of resilience as \u2018Can I take a punch and still be standing?\u2019\u201d Hannegan said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Holy Cross <a id=\"N0x2c10ee0N0x2bbca90:N0x2c10ee0N0x2b716b0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/power-outage-in-aspen-upvalley-possible-because-of-lake-christine-fire\/\">system was barely standing<\/a> during the thick of the Lake Christine Fire. Power poles for the transmission lines of Holy Cross and Xcel Energy were severed by the flames in the high ground above El Jebel and Basalt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThree out of four transmission lines running into Aspen were disabled. Had the fourth line gone down, it could have led to days to weeks of no electric service,\u201d RMI\u2019s report said. \u201cThe <a id=\"N0x2c10ee0N0x2bbcaf0:N0x2c10ee0N0x2b717d0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/lake-christine-fire-basalt-day-2-updates\/\">fire started during peak tourist season<\/a>, as thousands of visitors filled the valley for the Fourth of July week \u2014 a factor that would have exacerbated the impact of an extended power outage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Hannegan said the fourth transmission line was one pole away from going out of commission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThat\u2019s how close it was,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The event was a \u201cwake-up call\u201d on the importance of resilience planning, the RMI report said. Holy Cross, which serves 43,500 members in the Roaring Fork, Eagle and Lower Colorado River Valleys, teamed Basalt-based RMI to explore community-based solutions for increasing the energy resilience in the Upper Roaring Fork Valley.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Kevin Brehm, RMI manager and author of the report with Mark Dyson and Emily Goldfield, said the case study of the Lake Christine Fire\u2019s near catastrophic effect on the energy grid could be a helpful tool for other utilities trying to boost their system\u2019s resilience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cFor both RMI and Holy Cross, (we\u2019re saying) \u2018Hey, we\u2019re in the community and we want to make it a better community,\u2019\u201d Brehm said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The core message of the report is that communities must gather their key stakeholders and plan with their utility companies to build resilience. Holy Cross is a leader in reaching out to seek a community-based approach, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThey are rolling up their sleeves and talking to the community,\u201d Brehm said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Holy Cross has undertaken several steps to try to ensure a near miss doesn\u2019t happen again. It has \u201chardened\u201d its grid infrastructure. It placed fire retardant wrapping on several power poles located in inaccessible places and difficult for firefighters to defend in case of wildfire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In simple terms, it has also developed detours in its grid that help feed areas in different ways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Holy Cross is also working with Aspen-Pitkin County Airport and partners at the Aspen Business Center on a micro-grid that could be utilized to keep essential services operating during a sustained outage. They landed a $2 million grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to study how to develop that small-scale power supply. One part of the equation is the <a id=\"N0x2c10ee0N0x2bbcc70:N0x2c10ee0N0x2b71e00\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/pitkin-county-board-approves-solar-farm\/\">5-megawatt solar farm that has been approved<\/a> in the Woody Creek area. Construction will start this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">When completed, it will supply about 5% of the energy input need via the Holy Cross system in Aspen and upper valley on a typical busy winter day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s a drop in the bucket but it\u2019s an important drop in the bucket,\u201d Hannegan said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Its value is enhanced when looking at alternative energy production just for the ABC and airport \u2014 a process that Brehm called \u201cislanding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Another component of making that neighborhood energy self-sufficient in a time of need could include installing a substantial amount of batteries that could store energy, Hannegan said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Holy Cross also will explore battery storage with individual customers in a pilot program designed to launch later this year. The energy cooperative is looking into providing low-cost financing for a \u201chandful\u201d of homeowners and businesses who want to install batteries, Hannegan said. Those batteries could support the grid by providing power at times when its needed as well as storing power for emergency use.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Brehm said that is an important component of energy resiliency. Optimal systems would provide year-round benefits when times are normal, referred to as \u201cblue sky\u201d times, as well as provide backup during emergencies, known as \u201cblack sky\u201d times, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Hannegan said Holy Cross is pursuing another project in tandem with Snowmass Village. A micro-grid project is being pursued to use solar panels for energy production, batteries for storage and a sophisticated control system to regulate use for the neighborhood that includes Town Hall, the town\u2019s only gas station and other essential services. They are hoping to land grants for the project.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">RMI\u2019s report found that first-response agencies in the upper valley generally have adequate backup power generators in place to keep them operating for a \u201cfinite time.\u201d That\u2019s obviously critical for any community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe want to make sure the firefighters and police officers can do their jobs when they need to,\u201d Brehm said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Most of systems are generators that operate on diesel fuel or natural gas. Brehm said options are being explored to replace fossil fuels with renewable resources and battery storage \u2014 systems that help with the \u201cblue sky\u201d goals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Brehm said the Roaring Fork Valley isn\u2019t necessarily leading national efforts to increase energy resiliency, but it\u2019s making big strides thanks to the efforts of Holy Cross.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThe wheels are already turning,\u201d he said. \u201cBeyond the Roaring Fork Valley, this is a question a lot of communities are working on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:scondon@aspentimes.com\">scondon@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/after-lake-christine-fire-holy-cross-energy-seeks-more-resilient-power-supply-for-aspen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the Lake Christine Fire smouldered near the point of origin on July 4, 2018, the sheared and seared power poles were evident above Basalt. Three of four lines supplying electricity to the upper valley were knocked out of commission.Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times The Lake Christine Fire in Basalt came perilously close July 3 and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2458630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-18 01:06:52","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2458630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458630\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2458630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2458630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2458630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}