Do you get your power from Grand Valley Power? If so, we have a big ask of you!

Starting next Monday, July 8, through Thursday, August 8, are some of the most important elections you may have never heard of — Board of Director Elections for Grand Valley Power (GVP), and we need you to not only vote, but also to get your friends and neighbors to vote as well! 

Six candidates are running for three seats that are up for election this year, with the top three vote-getters winning seats for a three-year term on the nine-person board. All Grand Valley Power members will receive a ballot in the mail starting July 8. To vote, you can mail it in, drop it off at Grand Valley Power headquarters during business hours, or you can attend the GVP Annual Meeting on August 8 to vote in-person.

These elections for the board of directors have massive consequences, determining things like how much you pay for your energy, what sources of energy we rely on, the services you get from your rural energy provider, what infrastructure opportunities we pursue with grants and federal funding, how transparent the board is in decision-making and elections, who the next CEO will be, among SO much more! Shockingly, only about 10% of those in Grand Valley Power’s service territory even vote, which means every vote makes an outsized difference in the outcomes. 

This year, we are not endorsing any specific candidates for the race. However, we do want to highlight some of the issues at Grand Valley Power to help you consider the candidates you select to represent you on the board:

• Other rural electric cooperatives like Grand Valley Power that are in our region, such as Delta Montrose Electric Association and Holy Cross Energy in Garfield County, have cheaper energy rates than Grand Valley Power and have raised their rates either not at all or just 1% in the last 5 years, while Grand Valley Power’s rates have gone up consistently. 
  
• Other regional cooperatives offer more services at cheaper rates than we have at Grand Valley Power, such as Delta Montrose Electric Association’s high-speed internet that they provide to nearly their entire service territory.
  
• Other regional cooperatives have been forward-thinking in generating more energy from renewable sources locally, which keeps costs down and our air, land, and water clean.
   
• Other regional cooperatives have transitioned to digital voting to be more transparent and invite more member participation in the board and decision-making.
  
• In 2027, GVP will be ending their contract with Xcel Energy and will instead purchase their power from Guzman Energy under a new contract that allows GVP to generate 20% of their power locally, a big change from 5% with Xcel. We need board members who will work to utilize our abundant renewable resources here in Mesa County to get us to 20% local energy generation with turn-key plans.
  
• While Grand Valley Power was the first rural electric cooperative in the state, it has fallen behind and is not a leader amongst the 22 cooperatives in Colorado.
  
• We want to see board members elected who will bring new ideas to the table and be vocal champions for members. Board members should be responsive and listen to the needs of their community, not just rubber stamp ideas from the CEO.

Our website offers more information about the elections and each of the six candidates running.

Please vote as soon as possible and make a difference in our energy future!