Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Protecting Our Members
by Derek Elder, Chief Administrative Officer
GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. - (April 1, 2024) Growing up in a small rural farming community in northeast Colorado, I often found myself dreaming about the day when I would have opportunities to grow beyond the small city limits that 2,000 residents called home. Each year, I would see a graduating class of 30-40 seniors celebrate by leaving the small community, only to see most of them return 10 years later and start the cycle all over with a family of their own. I wondered, “Wasn’t there more to offer than gathering for picnics under the large shade trees in the city park?”
What I didn’t realize at the time was that those shade trees would become a metaphor for life that ultimately shaped who I am today. Character is the roots of the tree that take a long time to grow but rarely change. Reputation is the canopy of the tree that can fluctuate from year to year and also takes time to grow. It’s the roots of the tree or character of an individual that ultimately acts as the guiding principles that shape who we are and how we treat others.
In this small rural community I watched neighbors helping neighbors. Even if residents didn’t agree with each other all the time, they knew that they would have each other’s back — whether it was looking after their place while they were out of town for the day or trusting them to discipline their children for acting up when they weren’t around. It is this shared commitment that continues to build the foundational character of most small rural communities.
The same shared commitment of holding true to our values and principles exists at Grand Valley Power. Why should this matter to GVP and its members? Because we care about our members and how they are treated. We also want to make sure that anyone who does business with our members is watching out for them. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. We have been hearing from members asking if we are sending GVP representatives to their homes to sell solar.
The increase in number of bad actors in the solar industry was such a concern that, three years ago, the Colorado Solar and Storage Association started hosting utility workshops to address the bad actors within their industry. These bad actors would knock on people’s doors and tell them things that were not necessarily true to get them to buy or lease a solar system. COSSA realized that the reputation of everyone in the solar industry could be negatively influenced by even just a couple of these predatory companies.
In the last year, GVP started hearing from members who signed contracts for solar that increased their overall utility costs due to the misrepresentation of savings. This created concern for GVP, and we sought to help members by creating a Preferred Solar Installer List. The installers on this list have taken an ethics pledge to eliminate high-pressure sales tactics and never misrepresent their affiliation with GVP. They’ve also taken the time to attend an informational meeting and understand GVP’s interconnection process.
How will this list help GVP members? This list does not limit a GVP member’s ability to sign an agreement with other solar companies that are not listed, but it is an additional resource that GVP members should use when evaluating their options. We encourage everyone who is considering solar to receive multiple quotes before signing agreements or contracts. Grand Valley Power does not work directly with — nor are we affiliated with — any solar companies. There should never be a rush to sign a contract for solar before having the chance to shop around.
Why did GVP create the list? We have built our reputation over the last 87 years by providing value to the members we serve. The reputation that has taken so long to build is founded upon the roots that were established and nurtured by those who came before us. It is GVP’s responsibility to recognize that strong foundation and protect our reputation through a continuous commitment to protect and serve our members. Serving our members is at the heart of everything we do. We won’t stand by when we see our members being taken advantage of through misleading sales pitches. With a “neighbors helping neighbors” approach and continuous efforts to preserve the character of small communities, we will uphold our values and principles on which we’ve built our foundation and reputation. Grand Valley Power is rooted in this community and here to answer your questions as we remain your trusted energy resource.