To the Editor

Michael Turner has dedicated a whole page to extol the view of Governor Polis on the future of renewable energy (wind and solar). Their hope is that wind and solar will replace coal and natural gas in the not too distant future. Government politicians are simply forcing renewables upon us.

While renewable energy has a niche (remote site power), without government subsidies and coercion, they are simply not competitive. Some day maybe, but not yet. They are very expensive compared to other sources of energy.     

No mention is made of the fact that Colorado and many other states are promoting renewable energy by forcing our Co-ops to furnish a percentage of our power the “clean energy way”.  The added cost that this forces is buried in our Mountain Parks bill. In the last three months alone, I’m paying for electricity nearly what I pay in county taxes – which support schools, water, recreation, the county government, fire, more water, library, soil conservation, and more fire. Colorado has, by law, forced co-ops to obtain 20% of our power from wind or solar. And watch for more. Nor is there any way of tracking the added cost buried in our electric bills.     

No mention in those 50 column-inches is made of subsidies. Nor is mention made of ATOMIC POWER. Nuclear power is where the future of power should lie.

Oh but it is so dangerous! Get out of the past! We do not hesitate to send our young men and women to sea in atomic powered ships. France is almost totally powered by nukes and folks love to visit there. Atomic power is cleaner than fossil fuels and doesn’t kill birds or require wind or sunshine.

Slim mention is made of the fact that wind and solar require tremendous amounts of battery storage and no mention is made of the cost of same. Solar farms may be up to six time more expensive than nuclear. The future is in atomic power and politicians should recognize that fact.

Frank Watts  BSME

Winter Park Highlands

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Mountain Parks Electric (MPE) Does Not Care to Control Costs

Despite what they claim, MPE does not care to control costs for electric service.  For if they did, they would cancel their multimillion-dollar broadband project that will otherwise require future electric rate increases!  MPE will be able to sneak that hike past us in a year or two when they blame Tri-State G&T for a wholesale power price increase.

MPE is more concerned about being politically correct than about being straight with member/owners.  Otherwise they would share their recent consultant’s report on the cost of service and follow that expert’s recommendations so that rates send a better cost signal, everyone pays their fair share, and subsidization is eliminated.

MPE will keep spinning their facts to tell an incomplete story – that is what they are good at doing these days.

Les Shankland, P.E.

Grand County