GCEA and Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association Celebrate Completion of Taylor River Hydro Project 
After decades of research and negotiation, GCEA and the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association are pleased to announce the completion of the construction phase of the Taylor River Hydro project and the beginning of a new era of hydro power in the Gunnison Valley. Operating at or near full capacity 24 hours a day year-round, the 500-kilowatt (kW) hydro plant will produce an average of 3.8 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually. This generation compares to a 2.5-megawatt (MW) fixed tilt-solar array and will provide clean electricity to approximately 500 local homes and businesses.
Mueller Construction based in New Castle, Colorado began construction in May 2023 and Washington state-based Canyon Hydro delivered the turbine, generator and controls. With weather constraints, and supply chain and permitting delays, it took months to coordinate the successful completion of the project. Now finished, the plant boasts the largest known single-phase power generator operating in North America.
When the Taylor Dam was constructed in the late 1930s, it was designed with hydro power generation in mind. The project connects to the existing dam penstock and GCEA’s single-phase distribution line. GCEA’s board discussed upgrading the line to three-phase for a more powerful output of electricity, but felt the expense to do so would put too great a financial burden on the cooperative’s members. Instead, the 500-kW generator is the solution to produce the most power possible on GCEA's exsisting single-phase distribution line.
In 2020, GCEA and Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association formed Taylor River Hydro, LLC to jointly develop, own and operate the plant and have been working through the permitting, design, and construction process over the last four years on the $3.6 million dollar project.
The addition of the Taylor River Hydro project will bump GCEA up to nearly 3% local renewable energy generation, adding to its current portfolio of two community solar gardens at the Crested Butte wastewater treatment plant and at the GCEA headquarters in Gunnison and a small wind turbine in Doyleville. Two more solar projects are currently in the works, and once completed GCEA will nearly meet its current 7% local renewable energy goal set by GCEA’s board of directors in the cooperative’s 2023 strategic plan.
In addition to GCEA’s local renewable energy goals, GCEA receives 34% renewable energy from Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association. Tri-State has commitments to be 50% renewable by 2025, 70% renewable by 2030, and achieve an 80% carbon reduction from their 2005 level by 2030.
With Tri-State’s support and UVWUA’s partnership, GCEA is excited to provide clean renewable energy to its service territory without any negative impact on member’s electric rates.
“GCEA relies on Tri-State for a large portion of our energy transition strategy because they can implement projects more cost-effectively than we can and have resources to do so much more. They’re on a path to increase their renewable energy portfolio and making a lot of progress,” said GCEA CEO Mike McBride.
GCEA Strategy Execution Specialist Matt Feier adds, “Tri-State continues to evolve and support its members by encouraging local renewable energy projects such as Taylor River Hydro. GCEA is pleased to do its part by exploring local options for a clean energy transition in our area.”
To celebrate the project completion, GCEA and Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association held a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate this historic event in Gunnison Valley history.
