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YOUR CO-OP MEMBER NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2009

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1-2• Stimulating

SustainableDevelopment –100 Years Ago

• Fall MarksPerfect Time for Self EnergyAudit

• Tri-State toPartner onWind PowerProject

• Sun Sets on2009 SolarRebate Program

• ZucchiniCasserole

• Mexican SpoonBread

• Easy PumpkinBars

• Bright Ideas

• Youth TourSheds Light onPolitical Process

• LibraryDonation HelpsMembers SaveMoney plugging into our core business

There’s currently a lot of buzz about thefederal government’s economic stimu-lus efforts. Delta-Montrose ElectricAssociation (DMEA) is among many

organizations that have recently applied forfederal grant funding to advance energy effi-ciency projects and benefitour local economy. InAugust, DMEA submittedto the U.S. Department ofEnergy (DOE) a proposalfor “Smart Grid” deploy-ment to leverage our co-op’s recent investment inAutomated Meter Readingequipment. It will takesome time for the DOE’sgrant administrators toevaluate DMEA’s proposalagainst many others in thishighly competitive process.

While we await the federal government’sdetermination, it’s interesting—and timely—to reflect on how the federal governmentgreatly stimulated economic development inthis area more than 10 decades in the past.

September 23, 2009 is the 100 year anniver-sary of the opening of the Gunnison Tunnel.Local celebrations of this event on Saturday,September 26, 2009, coordinated by theUncompahgre Valley Water Users Association(UVWUA), are described at www.uvwater.org.

“The Gunnison Tunnel remains one of themost remarkable engineering and develop-ment projects in U.S. history,” says MarcCatlin of the UVWUA. “A century agoAmerican vision, leadership, engineering,dedication, and hard work generated enor-

mous economic benefitsfor our area, Colorado andthe nation.”

President William HowardTaft, as quoted in the NewYork Times of September24, 1909, quantified thereturn on investment madeon the Gunnison Tunnel. “IfI understand it, the figuresof the investment will beabout $6,000,000, and theresult in land values will beabout $15,000,000, a very

fair profit, I think, from the work.”

And so through “A Marvel of Reclamation” itwas estimated that “300,000 Acres ofVolcanic Dust Will ‘Bloom as a Rose’ inColorado,” wrote a New York Times’ reporter.This vision became real as precious waterenabled hard-working farmers over the yearsto produce outstanding crops of potatoes,apples, peaches, sugar beets, alfalfa, onions,dry beans, and livestock.

Stimulating Sustainable Development– 100 Years Ago

(Cont’d. on page 2)

plugging into our core business2

However, water for irrigation wasn’tthe only beneficial output foreseen bythe visionaries who supported andpraised the construction of theGunnison Tunnel. The potential togenerate electricity was also touted.

“The water, after it leaves the tunnel,will have 372 feet fall, which can beused to generate electric power suffi-cient to light every town and everyfarmhouse in the Uncompahgre Valleyand provide power for all kinds ofcommercial and industrial purposes.

“Already there are three modern andprogressive towns, Montrose, Olathe,and Delta, located in the valley,” stat-ed the New York Times of August 22,1909.

Those communities and others havegrown tremendously since then, andtheir electric demands haveincreased to an even greater degree.Still, the electric power potential ofthe water coming through theGunnison Tunnel would still make asubstantial contribution to servingthe electric needs of local residents.As this power would be generatedlocally, it would produce other eco-nomic benefits through multipliereffects.

Toward that goal, the UncompahgreValley Water Users Association andDMEA have been working together ona proposal to utilize the electric gen-erating capacity of the South Canal.Engineering and economic feasibilitystudies are completed and show thata local renewable energy projectusing this energy resource would bevery worthwhile to construct.

The project proposal now moves tothe appropriate governmental reviewand permitting process, which, asPresident Taft explained, can takesome time. “The government of theUnited States must move slowly. Ithas to move with deliberation.”

We hope to see more local, renewableenergy projects developed in the nearfuture, and the South Canal projecthas tremendous potential. We believethat President Taft would also sup-port it. He stated 100 years ago whilespeaking in Montrose, “There hasbeen no exaggeration of the possibil-ities that are here; I like the prophe-cy of optimism. I am an optimistmyself, and if you don’t believe youare going to succeed, you never will.There is something in this air thatmakes you all optimistic.”

We share President Taft’s optimismand commend the UncompahgreValley Water Users Association fortheir continued vision and work toenhance the sustainable economicdevelopment of this area.

Sustainable Development(Cont’d. from page 1)

WIN* David Kelly, Cedaredge

“Gunnison Tunnel Headquarters”

Above: The Uncompahgre Valley Water UsersAssociation has reconstructed a scaled downversion of the 1909 street display that wel-comed President Taft to Montrose. This new ver-sion welcomed visitors to this year's OlatheSweet Corn Festival in August and will be ondisplay at the 100th anniversary community celebration. 2009 photo courtesy ShirleyBradbury.

Cover photo: President William Howard Taft(left) opened the Gunnison Tunnel to much fanfare on September 23, 1909. The tunnel was considered an engineering marvel and ushered in a new era of agriculture in theUncompahgre Valley.

The

located at 301 Main Street in Montrose, is open 9 to 5 on Monday through Friday toprovide information and history to our community. People can stop by to share any sto-ries they have about the tunnel construction or photos or other memorabilia related to thetunnel. Your photos can be immediately scanned. The anniversary committee appreciatesanything the community is willing to share. The headquarters also has slide shows andshort movies about the tunnel and the Uncompahgre Valley water system available foron-site viewing. Contact Shirley Bradbury at 323-6043 for more information.

plugging into energy efficiency

Fall Marks Perfect Time for Self Energy Audit

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One of the first steps to mak-ing your home more effi-cient involves understand-ing how it uses energy. Just

as a doctor has to do a thoroughexamination of a patient before writ-ing a prescription, your home willneed a good inspection before mostinefficiencies can be identified andcorrected.

You can easily conduct a basic homeenergy audit with a simple but dili-gent walk-through. When auditingyour home, keep a checklist of areasyou have inspected and problems youfind. Full lists are available online-Touchstone Energy Cooperatives®

Home Energy Saver (at www.touch-stoneenergysavers.com ) and theAlliance to Save Energy HomeEnergy Checkup (search for it atwww.ase.org ) are both useful-andmost trouble spots can be found in afew key areas.

Locating Air LeaksFirst, make a list of obvious air leaks(drafts). The potential energy savingsfrom reducing drafts in a home mayrange from 5 percent to 30 percentper year, with a much more comfort-able residence the result. Check forindoor air leaks, such as gaps along abaseboard or edge of the flooring andat junctures of walls and ceiling.

Inspect windows and doors for airleaks. If you can rattle them, move-ment means possible air leaks. If youcan see daylight around a door orwindow frame, then the door or win-dow has a leak; you can usually seal

these through caulking or weatherstripping. On the outside, inspect allareas where two different buildingmaterials meet, including all exteriorcorners, siding and chimney junc-tures, and areas where the founda-tion and the bottom of exterior brickor siding join. You should plug andcaulk any holes or penetrations forfaucets, pipes, electric outlets, andwiring.

Also, look for cracks and holes in themortar, foundation, and siding, andseal them with the appropriate mate-rial. Check the exterior caulkingaround doors and windows, and seewhether exterior storm doors andprimary doors seal tightly.

InsulationHeat loss through the ceiling andwalls in your home could be verylarge if insulation levels are less thanthe recommended minimum. Giventoday's energy prices (and futureprices that will probably be higher),your insulation might be inadequate,

especially if you have an older home.Online energy audits will providemore details on checking insulationlevels in the attic, walls, and base-ment.

Heating/Cooling Equipment

Inspect heating and cooling equip-ment annually, or as recommendedby the manufacturer. If you have aforced-air furnace, check filters andreplace them as needed. Generally,you should change them about onceevery month or two, especially duringperiods of high use. Have a profes-sional check and clean your equip-ment once a year.

Lighting

On average, lighting accounts forabout 10 percent of a home's electricbill. Examine the wattage size of thelight bulbs in your house. You mayhave 100-watt (or larger) incandes-cent bulbs where 60 or 75 wattswould do. You can also take thisopportunity to swap out these olderinefficient bulbs with highly efficiencycompact fluorescent light bulbs.

More information on both do-it-yourself and professional energy audits can be found at

www.energysavers.gov.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy Office ofEnergy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

WIN* Suzanne Henry, Delta

DMEA Energy Services Supervisor Greg Hobbsinspects a window’s seal during a recent energy audit in Paonia.

plugging into renewable energy

Tri-State to Partner on Wind Power Project

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Delta-Montrose ElectricAssociation's (DMEA) whole-sale power provider, Tri-State Generation and

Transmission Association, has signeda 20-year agreement with a sub-sidiary of Duke Energy Corp. to pur-chase the output of a new 51-megawatt wind farm to be built ineast-central Colorado.

The Kit Carson Windpower Project,named for the county in which it willbe sited, will be comprised of 34 1.5-megawatt General Electric turbinesto be erected on a 6,000-acre sitenorthwest of Burlington, Colo.

No new transmission facilities will berequired to the Tri-State system; thewind project will be directly connect-ed to an existing Tri-State 230-kilo-volt line between substations locatednear the towns of Limon andBurlington.

Tri-State anticipates the project willcome online within 18 months.

Duke Energy will construct, own,operate and provide all maintenanceservices on the facility, which isscheduled to be in service by the endof 2010. Construction will begin inJune 2010 with a workforce of about150 people on site during the peakconstruction period. A permanentstaff of four to eight technicians willoperate the wind farm.

The wind project is the second utility-scale renewable energy developmentto be announced by Tri-State thisyear. In March, Tri-State and Tempe,Ariz.-based First Solar entered intoan agreement to develop a 30-megawatt solar generating facility innortheast New Mexico. Constructionof that facility is scheduled to start inApril 2010; it is expected to be fullyoperational at the same time as theKit Carson Windpower Project.

Based in the Denver suburb ofWestminster, Tri-State is the whole-sale power supplier to 44 electriccooperatives and public power dis-tricts in Colorado, Wyoming, NewMexico and Nebraska. The memberdistribution systems serve nearly593,000 consumer-meters, whichtranslates to a population of approximately 1.4 million end-useconsumers.

The DMEA and Governor’sEnergy Office 2009 solarrebate program has wrappedup for the year after awarding

rebates to 25 residential membersinstalling solar technologies. Rebateswere offered for qualified installa-tions of photovoltaic (PV) solar elec-tric systems and solar hot water sys-tems which were coupled to an elec-tric water heater.

There were 18 DMEA households that

applied for and received rebates forPV systems. The average rebate wasnearly $7,500. The total generatingcapacity of the installed systems is approximately 60 kilowatts.Additionally, seven DMEA householdsapplied for and received rebates forsolar hot water systems. The averagesolar hot water rebate was just over$2,500. The total thermal capacity ofthese systems is 360,000 BTU/day.

Since the program is funded 50 per-

cent by DMEA and 50 percent by theGovernor’s Energy Office, the fundingcycle coincides with the State’sfiscal year (July through June).Consequently, the program has concluded for the remainder of 2009. DMEA is currently awaitingword on whether the program will befunded in 2010. Funding updates will be announced in upcomingissues of Powerlines and online atwww.dmea.com.

Sun Sets on 2009 Solar Rebate Program

5

Zucchini Casserole• 3 pounds zucchini or yellow

squash• 1/2 stick of butter or margarine• 1 cup warm milk beaten with two

large eggs• 12 saltine crackers crushed• 1 cup cheddar cheese• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Stem or boil squash until tender,drain and mash. Add in remainingingredients and mix. Bake in but-tered dish for 45 minutes at 350degrees.

- Susan Palmer, Montrose

Mexican SpoonBread• 1 cup yellow cornmeal• 1 tablespoon salt• 1/2 tablespoon baking soda• 3/4 cup milk• 1/3 cup vegetable oil• 2 eggs beaten• 1 17-ounce can of cream-style

corn• 1 4-ounce can chopped mild

green chilies• 1 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack

cheese

Mix cornmeal, salt and soda. Stir inmilk and oil and mix well. Add eggsand corn and mix well. Spoon half ofthe mixture into a greased 9" X 9"baking pan or ovenproof roundbowl. Sprinkle half of the chilies ontop then half the cheese.Repeat layers, ending withcheese. Bake 45 minutes ina 400 degree oven.

- Jo Martin, Hotchkiss

Easy PumpkinBars• 1 box spice or carrot cake mix• 3 eggs• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin

Cream Cheese Frosting• 1 3-ounce package of cream

cheese• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter• 1 teaspoon vanilla• 2 cups powdered sugar or enough

to your liking

Mix well cake mix, eggs and pumpkinand spread in a prepared jelly rollpan. Bake at 350 degrees for about20 minutes or until toothpick comes

out clean, testing in the middleof bars. Cool completely beforefrosting. For the frosting, mix

cream cheese, butter, andvanilla until smooth. Add

powdered sugar a little at atime until smooth.

- Rosella Halsey, Eckert

Have new shoes that are rubbing your feet? Apply a dab ofVaseline to the part of the shoe that is rubbing as well as the

place on the foot. Apply as often as necessary. This will allow you to"break in" your new shoes without giving you blisters.

- Aimee Hodges, Hotchkiss

Keep ants out of your humming bird feeder by hanging it on 15-pound-test fishing line. Attach with a metal ring or hook. Just

don't let the line or feeder touch the tree trunk or any leaves.

- Mavis Scherrer, Crawford

Put scrubbed potatoes in the microwave (poke a couple holes intop) for about 5-6 minutes until they are almost soft. Then rub

them with oil, sprinkle with salt, and put them on the grill when thesteaks go on. Turn the potatoes when you turn the steaks and theywill have a nice crust on the skin when it's time to eat.

- Jean DeShields, Cimarron

Win a Free Prize!Find Your Name (Win* name, city)in this newsletter, or send yourfavorite recipe or bright idea

(include your name and city) to:

DMEA Newsletter • P.O. Box 910Montrose, CO 81402

or e-mail ryan.henn@dmea.com

When your name is selected, or yourrecipe/bright idea is used, you win a small

appliance or energy efficient lighting! Call 249-4572 or 874-8081.

Winners must claim prizes within 60 days of publication.

bright ideasbright ideas

WIN* Mary Eversman, Paonia

home cookin’ & bright ideas

home cookin’home cookin’

6DMEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Michael Sramek, District #1; Ed Marston, District #2; Tony Prendergast, District #3; Mark Eckhart, District #4;

Brent Hines, District #5; Marshall Collins, District #6; Les Renfrow, District #7; Ken Norris, District #8; Nancy Hovde, District #9, At LargeBOARD MEETINGS: DMEA Board Meetings are generally held on the 4th Tuesday of each month. The public is welcome to attend.

Call 240-1212 to confirm specific dates, times and locations.DMEA MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 910 Montrose, CO 81402 • WEBSITE: WWW.DMEA.COM

LOCATIONS: 11925 6300 Road, Montrose - (970) 249-4572 • 21191 H75 Road, Delta - (970) 874-8081© 2009 DMEA, all rights reserved. Graphic design by Wax Poetic Graphic Design, 231-383-3249. Printed by Scott's Printing, Inc., 970-249-2611.

plugging into our communities

Barrett Lahm of Montrose High School representedDelta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) dur-ing this year's electric cooperative Youth Tourheld June 11-18, 2009, in Washington, D.C.

Barrett was among more than 1,500 high school studentsfrom across the country who participated in an action-filled week that provides high school students opportuni-ties to learn first-hand what it is like to be involved in pol-itics, community service, and today's pressing issues.

Tour highlights included meeting with RepresentativesSalazar, Markey, and Lamborn to discuss the process ofgovernment and issues of the day, and increasing theirknowledge of electric cooperative utilities and Americanhistory.

The Youth Tour trip is funded through DMEA's unclaimedcapital credits fund, which by state law is designated foreducational and charitable purposes.

For more information on this year's tour, please go towww.youthtour.coop. To apply for next year's trip, pleasecontact Ryan Henn at 240-1210 or ryan.henn@dmea.com.

Youth Tour Sheds Light on Political Process

Front row: DMEA Board President Les Renfrow congratulates Youth Tourparticipant Barret Lahm. Back Row l to r: DMEA Board Directors MarkEckhart, Brent Hines, Marshall Collins, Tony Prendergast, Ken Norris,Nancy Hovde, and Mike Sramek.

Library Donation Helps Members Save Energy

DMEA recently donated 15 Kill A Watt electricity usagemonitors to the libraries within the co-op’s service

territory.

The devices can be checked out like other library materialsand allow members to plug in their 110-volt home appli-ances and other electric devices to determine their electri-cal draw and the resulting cost.

Meters are available for checkout at the Montrose, Delta,Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Crawford libraries.

Photo: Delta County Library District Executive Director AnnetteChoszczyk and DMEA Board Director Nancy Hovde display severaldonated energy use monitors at the Cedaredge Public Library.