Electric cooperatives are actively involved in their communities
- Employees donate time to local organizations and activities
- Experts speak at community meetings
- Partners work with co-ops to maximize community benefits
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IT'S RELAY TIME AGAIN
Join GCEA in the fight against cancer
Last summer the GCEA Happy Feet Team volunteered once again to fight cancer. We are not just fighting one type of cancer. We are fighting for every birthday threatened by cancer in every community.
The 2012 Relay was a great success with the Gunnison Community raising over $28,000. GCEA Happy Feet raised about $3,400.
If you missed last year's Relay, you can still make a donation by visiting our relay center
EMPLOYEES
GCEA employees donate time and decorations to create a floats for Gunnison's Night of Lights.
"Let It Snow" was the theme in 2012 and GCEA's float, complete with LED lights, toys, and refreshments was a great hit.
The employees won first place and donated their prize to a local family through the Adopt-A-Family program.
SPEAKERS
If your organization is planning a program and needs a public speaker, contact GCEA at 970-641-3520. Our employees have a variety of expertise and are available to discuss our services and programs. Some topics include:
- Rural Electric Cooperatives
- How Electricity Works
- Energy Efficiency Measures
- GCEA Partnerships for Energy Efficiency
PARTNERSHIPS
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King inspired us with his words - "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?
On January 21st, GCEA staff joined the Western Hardrock Watershed Team and the Office for Resource Efficiency in providing weatherization kits to 42 rental and affordable housing homes in the greater Crested Butte area.
Governor's Energy Office
GCEA is partnering with the Governor's Energy Office (GEO) to implement the Climate Action Plan (CAP) which the Governor released in October 2008. The plan articulates a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the public utilities sector by 20 percent by the year 2020, which is consistent with the overall emissions reduction goal the Governor has established for the state as a whole.
Areas of focus include:
- Providing Reliable and Sustainable Energy Supplies
- Energy Efficiency
- Renewable Energy
- Clean Coal
The plan recognizes that rural electric cooperatives face greater obstacles in reducing their carbon footprint since cooperatives are smaller and have less diverse portfolios of electric energy generating resources than larger, investor-owned utilities. Nonetheless, GCEA is already implementing programs energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to lessen its carbon footprint. Click here for more information.
City of Gunnison
GCEA has partnered with the City of Gunnison and local area contractors to promote energy efficiency through the Insulate Colorado Program. The program focuses on educating the community as to the importance of insulating buildings in our cold climate and offers rebates to residential members who upgrade the attic and wall insulation in their homes.
Office For Resource Efficiency
GCEA has served as a major financial sponsor and has successfully partnered with the Office for Resource Efficiency to offer education programs and energy efficiency services to the Gunnison Valley for over six years. Visit ORE's website at www.resourceefficiency.org for information about current programs.
American Association of University Women
The AAUW has a mission of promoting equity, lifelong education, and positive social change for women and girls. Along these lines, our local chapter committed funds to assist GCEA with developing a Weatherization Workshop for Women.
The workshop consists of a series of hands-on classes designed to teach participants about the role that weatherization plays in increasing the energy efficiency of their homes. Professionals use real houses to demonstrate specific weatherization techniques, such as weather stripping, caulking, and installing programmable thermostats, water heater blankets, and water flow regulators. Participants learn problem solving skills that they can put to use when weatherizing their own homes.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association
Tri-State is the wholesale electric power supplier to GCEA and 43 other electric cooperatives in a four state region. Tri-State generates and transports electricity across a 250,000 square mile service area to reach these cooperatives. In addition to supplying the electricity that GCEA delivers to its members, Tri-State promotes programs to help consumers manage their energy use and achieve a balanced approach to energy needs.
Current energy efficiency programs which are offered by Tri-State and GCEA include:
- Compact florescent light bulb program
- Energy Star LED light bulb rebates
- Energy efficient water heater rebates
- Energy efficient heat systems rebates
- Energy Star appliance rebates
Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District and Uncomphagre Water Users Association
GCEA formed this partnership to investigate the feasibility of reducing GCEA's carbon footprint by producing electric power locally. A matching grant from the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority funded a study analyzing the economic feasibility of utilizing the current infrastructure at the Taylor Park Reservoir dam to generate electricity.
In 2011, the Governor's Energy Office awarded a Technical Assistance Grant in which a a professional team of engineers and economists took the feasibility study to the next step. As a result, GCEA is looking into developing the project.
Colorado Department of Human Services (LEAP)
Leap is a federally funded program administered by the Colorado Department of Human Services and is designed to assist with winter heating costs. GCEA members who meet the eligibility requirements may receive assistance from November 1st through April 30th. Information and applications are available by calling the Gunnison/Hinsdale Department of Human Services at 970-641-7674.
Energy Outreach Colorado
Energy Outreach Colorado is the only organization in the state that raises money to help Coloradoans pay energy bills. For more information, go to www.energyoutreach.org or call 303-825-8750.
