By Design highlights Tri-State’s 74th Annual Meeting
(April 10, 2026 – Westminster, Colo.) Guided by its mission to provide reliable, affordable and responsible power, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association showcased its pursuit of a designed, long-term strategy and its corresponding milestones achieved in 2025, at its 74th Annual Meeting of Membership April 9-10 in Broomfield, Colo.
With a theme of By Design, the two-day meeting, with attendance of nearly 500, featured presentations from key Tri-State officials including: Chairman Tim Rabon, who serves as a trustee of Otero County Electric Cooperative (Cloudcroft, N.M.); Treasurer Stuart Morgan, who serves as Vice President of Wheat Belt Public Power District (Sidney, Neb.); Tri-State Chief Executive Officer Duane Highley; and other senior executives.
“The Tri-State Board of Directors is proud to represent our member systems and the consumers – our friends and family – at the end of the line. It is in service of these communities across the West that our directors offer their leadership, insight and dedication to guide and to inform decisions as a board. Together, we are designing a future that honors our past and prepares us for the opportunities ahead,” Rabon said.
“At Tri-State, progress doesn’t happen by chance – it happens by design. In 2025, we executed plans that were years in the making, delivering results that strengthen our cooperative, and position us for the future,” Highley said. “As we look ahead, our mission remains clear: to provide our members with a reliable, affordable and responsible supply of electricity in accordance with cooperative principles.”
Keynote speakers at the annual meeting included Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson, Grainger Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Chair of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jim Robb, president and CEO of the Norther American Electric Reliability Corporation; and Karl Elmshaeuser, Administrator of the Rural Utility Service in Rural Development.
2025 Highlights for Tri-State and its Members
Among the highlights noted for Tri-State for 2025, Rabon and Highley discussed:
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New Wholesale Electric Service Contracts – The Contract Committee of the membership recommended changes to the Wholesale Electric Service Contract (WESC). The vast majority of Tri-State members signed the new WESC with a 2066 term. These contracts provide certainty for Tri-State to optimize financial and operational planning while expanding member flexibility provisions.
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Formulary Rates – In late December, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepted Tri-State’s uncontested settlement of its formulary wholesale rate filing. It maintains a postage stamp rate for all members, and recovers only costs and a minimal margin allowing for the lowest possible rates to the membership.
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Electric Resource Plan – Colorado state regulators approved the Phase II Preferred Portfolio of Tri-State’s 2023 Electric Resource Plan in August. The preferred portfolio helps Tri-State meet future generation needs, provides for extreme weather reliability metrics, and addresses state greenhouse gas and renewable energy standards – all at a lower cost than the other considered alternatives.
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Utility Scale Solar Ownership – Tri-State completed and brought online two wholly owned solar projects: the 145-megawatt Axial Basin Solar near Meeker, Colo., in the service territory of White River Electric Association; and the 110-megawatt Dolores Canyon Solar in the service territory of Empire Electric Association.
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Transmission Expansion – Tri-State energized its 230-kilovolt Burlington-Lamar transmission line in late February, the first major component of its Eastern Colorado Transmission Project effort designed provide for more than 700 megawatts of generation interconnection.
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Cybersecurity Leadership – In 2025, Tri-State’s cybersecurity team earned recognition from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Co-op Cyber Goals Program, for achieving Level 1 and Level 2 security milestones.
Cooperative shows strong financial position in 2025
Treasurer Stuart Morgan reported that Tri-State remained financially strong in 2025, meeting its financial goals. Tri-State ended 2025 with assets of $5.2 billion, a $111 million increase from 2024. Tri-State continues to maintain investment grade ratings on its outstanding debt.
Officers and Executive Committee elections
Tim Rabon, who has served on Tri-State’s board since 2014, was re-elected as chair. Don Keairns, representing San Isabel Electric Association (Pueblo West, Colo.), was re-elected vice chair. Charlie Abel, representing Sangre de Cristo Electric Cooperative (Buena Vista, Colo.), was re-elected secretary. Roger Schenk of Y-W Electric Association (Akron, Colo.) was elected treasurer.
Scott Wolfe, representing San Luis Valley REC (Monte Vista, Colo.) and Corey Robinson, representing Empire Electric Association (Cortez, Colo.) were each elected as assistant secretary.
The Executive Committee's three at-large positions were seated with incumbents Wayne Connell representing Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative (Mountainair, N.M.) and Shawn Turner, representing The Midwest Electric Cooperative (Grant, Neb.). Willie Bridges of Big Horn Rural Electric Cooperative (Basin, Wyo.) also was elected to an at-large position.
About Tri-State
Tri-State is a wholesale power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, with electric distribution cooperatives and public power district members Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming. Together with its members, Tri-State delivers reliable, affordable and responsible power and energy services to nearly a million electricity consumers across roughly 200,000 square miles of the West.
Contact
Amy Robertson, 303-254-3743, amy.robertson@tristategt.org
Mark Stutz, 303-254-3183, mark.stutz@tristategt.org
Certain information contained 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.