Tri-State tests new solar-coal technology

A small coal-fired generating plant owned by Colorado's Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. in northwestern New Mexico will be used to test new hybrid technology that combines solar- and coal-generated steam to produce electricity

The 245-megawatt Escalante Generating Station in Prewitt, N.M., 27 miles northwest of Grants, is one of two host sites that California’s Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) chose to test the technology. The other site is a natural gas-powered generating station near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Westminster-based Tri-State owns the Escalante plant, which was originally built by Plains Electric G&T Cooperative. Tri-State worked with EPRI earlier this year on a study of the potential and feasibility of combining solar thermal concentrating technology at a coal-fired plant to augment electric output, and lower carbon and other emissions at fossil-fuel facilities.

Solar thermal hybrid applications can provide a low-cost option for incorporating renewable energy into established grids because, rather than build new transmission capability for a stand-alone solar concentrating plant, the steam generated will make electricity through the turbine generator already established at the coal facility.

It also eliminates the challenges of siting a new plant and new power block, said EPRI Vice President of Generation Carolyn Shockley in a news release.

"These projects will seek to demonstrate a near term and cost-effective way to use solar energy at commercial scale," Shockley said. "This is a key step along the road toward taking full advantage of technologies to lower the industry’s carbon footprint."

Ken Anderson, Tri-State’s executive vice president and general manager, said the project will contribute to company efforts to incorporate more renewable energy into its generating capacity.

"We are intrigued with the positive results of EPRI’s solar augmentation study that was conducted at our Escalante Generating Station and we are extremely interested in further exploring the practical application of this breakthrough technology that could further advance the efficiencies at one of our existing facilities

Colorado-based Tri-State is a wholesale electric power supplier owned by 44 electric cooperatives in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and New Mexico.

Denver Business Journal - by New Mexico Business Weekly