Welcome to San Miguel Power Association, Inc.'s website - your online energy resource. SMPA is your member owned, locally controlled electric power cooperative. Since 1938 we’ve been providing safe, reliable and responsible electric power to our members in western Colorado. We currently serve approximately 9,600 members and 13,000 meters in San Miguel, Montrose, Ouray, Dolores, San Juan, Mesa and Hinsdale counties. We operate two district offices located in Nucla and Ridgway, CO.

On this site you can:
- Manage your account online
- Find solutions to lowering your electric bill
- Access community resources
- Stay updated on renewable energy developments
- Take advantage of your cooperative member benefits

At SMPA, our employees are dedicated to giving you and your family or business the best service available for your electrical utility needs. It is the Mission of San Miguel Power Association, Inc. to demonstrate corporate responsibility and community service while providing our members with safe, reliable, cost effective and environmentally responsible electrical service.

CURRENT NEWS:

Letter from the President - On June 6, we at San Miguel Power held our 70th Annual Meeting in Ouray. We wish to thank those of you who were able to attend the meeting to help us celebrate 70 years of service to the region, and share your views on energy with us. At that meeting, elections were held for District 7, and the new Board Member for District 5, Rube Felicelli, was introduced. Incumbent candidate, Jerry Hoffer, won re-election for District 7.   

SMPA has been a dynamic organization over the past 10 years. We have been flexible and responsive to the growth and increased demands of our system. Many changes have taken place at SMPA during this time. 

In the past 10 years the energy usage of our members has increased by 39 percent. The number of meters we serve grew from 10,000 to more than 13,000, an annual growth rate of 3.5 percent. We have made improvements to the system that have protected you, our members, by lowering the incidence of service outages. And, although we serve some of the most challenging terrain in the country, we accomplished all of the above while adding only one employee.

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Ouray First in Colorado to go all LED - Through joint efforts between San Miguel Power Association, Inc. (SMPA), The City of Ouray, Tri-State Generation & Transmission, the Governor’s Energy Office, and Beta LED, Ouray, CO will officially become the first city in the state of Colorado to have 100% LED street lighting.

Ouray will make a complete transition from mercury vapor street lamps to LED technology before the end of the week. All 101 of the City’s current lights will be converted to LED lights, potentially slashing energy consumption by more than 50%. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 outlawed the manufacturing and importing of mercury vapor lamps after January 1, 2008. As a result, Ouray was faced with an opportunity for change when their aging street lights were on the verge of needing a replacement. That change came in the form of light emitting diodes (LED).

“Energy sustainability begins with conservation, and the change to LED street lights is an ideal opportunity for Ouray to save energy and money,” said Kevin Ritter, SMPA General Manager/CEO.

LED technology has many advantages over traditional light sources, including lower energy consumption and a longer lifespan. LED’s are estimated to last 60,000 hours - 10 to 15 years - which is almost triple that of conventional street lighting. That means fewer replacements, fewer truck runs, less fuel and less overhead for SMPA and City work crews alike. Furthermore, initial calculations show that the city could save up to $6,000 per year in energy savings.

Before & After:

Eager to be a partner in the innovative project, SMPA contributed $15,000. In addition, their wholesale power supplier, Tri-State, also provided matching funds of $15,000. The Governor’s Energy Office has committed $5,000. The Ouray Beautification Committee also provided $15,000 to be paid back over the next 3 to 5 years from the energy savings.

Gary Miller, SMPA Key Accounts Executive, was instrumental in finding the right LED lights for Ouray. Timing was everything for Miller, as he had just returned from a National Lighting Expo when the Mayor of Ouray, Bob Risch, approached him about the city’s street light dilemma. It was an ideal partnership from the start.

“Ouray was looking for new technology for their street lights and SMPA had the resources they needed,” explained Miller. “In the end, the goal for both of us was to improve the quality of life in Ouray. The LED street lights will save substantial amounts of money and energy. And that’s good for us all.”

Although LED technology has been in practical use in the United States since the 1960s, the commercial lighting market is still relatively small. There are just a handful of major producers in the United States. In the end, Risch and Miller established a partnership with Beta LED of Wisconsin. Mayor Risch is to be commended for the time and effort he dedicated to the project.

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