Local Hydropower Boosts GVP’s Clean Energy Portfolio

by Rita-Lyn Sanders, Director of Member Services and Communication

GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. - (July 14, 2025)  A new local partnership means that a portion of the electricity that Grand Valley Power members use every day is sourced from clean hydropower right here in the Grand Valley.

Earlier this year, GVP agreed to purchase 1.4 megawatts of electricity from the nonprofit Redlands Water and Power Company over the next three years. The renewable energy is enough to power about 420 homes.

“We are thrilled to partner with Redlands Water and Power to take this big step in our power supply journey,” GVP Chief Executive Officer Tom Walch said. “This agreement underscores our commitment to driving a sustainable future and increasing our system’s resiliency while meeting our members’ energy needs with locally produced power.”

The electricity is generated by RWP’s small hydropower plant on Power Road in Grand Junction. The plant is a diversion facility that channels water from one of the company’s canals through a penstock to produce energy. The canal is fed upriver by the Gunnison River at the Redlands Dam and eventually returns to the Colorado River. GVP will take delivery of all the available electricity produced by the Power Road hydropower plant.

“We are excited about our newly formed partnership with Grand Valley Power,” said Jon Mauch, RWP board president. “Having our power used locally strengthens our commitment to the community and our neighbors. Producing and using this clean, carbon-free energy in Mesa County is a huge win for RWP, Grand Valley Power, and the Grand Valley.”

The agreement furthers the power providers’ commitments to sustainability and investing in local clean energy production on the Western Slope. As of 2024, 60.1% of Grand Valley Power’s energy portfolio was sourced from renewable wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear energy sources.