Colorado PUC issues written order approving Tri-State’s Organized Wholesale Market application
(December 17, 2025 – Westminster, Colo.) The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CoPUC) has approved Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association’s Organized Wholesale Market application, finding that Tri-State’s expanded participation in the Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission Organization (SPP RTO) is in the public interest.
Tri-State’s application outlined how its participation in the SPP RTO is the most cost-effective path to market participation, which promotes overall system reliability, resilience and efficiency while returning economic benefits to the membership.
In its written decision issued Tuesday approving Tri-State’s application, the CoPUC found that Tri-State's expanded participation in the SPP RTO is in the public interest, provided that Tri-State comply with certain annual reporting requirements on greenhouse gas tracking, generator interconnection queue reforms and seams issues.
“Our participation in the western expansion of the Southwest Power Pool’s regional transmission organization is a significant development for our members and represents the culmination of years of proactive effort by Tri-State to expand RTO participation into the West.” said Duane Highley, Tri-State’s Chief Executive Officer.
Tri-State’s application filed in June 2025 outlined the significant benefits of expanded participation in the SPP RTO under a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved SPP tariff.
Tri-State and six other Western utilities are preparing for full market integration in April 2026. The SPP RTO West will include utilities and transmission providers currently participating in the SPP Western Energy Imbalance Service (WEIS) market, including Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Colorado Springs Utilities, Deseret Power Electric Cooperative, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, Platte River Power Authority and the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA).
About Tri-State
Tri-State is a power supply cooperative with utility electric distribution cooperative and public power district members in four states that together deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the rural West. For more information about Tri-State, visit www.tristate.coop
Contact:
Amy Robertson, 303-254-3743, amy.robertson@tristategt.org
Mark Stutz, 303-254-3183, mark.stutz@tristategt.org
Certain information contain. ed in this press statement are forward-looking statements including statements concerning Tri-State’s plans, future events, and other information that is not historical information. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described from time to time in Tri-State’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Tri-State’s expectations and beliefs are expressed in good faith, and Tri-State believes there is a reasonable basis for them. However, Tri-State cannot assure you that management’s expectations and beliefs will be achieved. There are a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein.