Tri-State funds electric water heating project for La Plata County residents – The Durango Herald

Energy efficient heaters to be built into Animas View mobile homes

Animas View Mobile Home Park, formerly known as River View Mobile Home Park. (Durango Herald file)

The Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has pledged $50,000 to support the La Plata Electric Association’s Air Source Heat Pump Water Heater Pilot.

Air source heat pump water heaters are highly efficient and therefore less expensive to run and have a much lower carbon footprint than traditional gas heaters.

With additional funding from the Beneficial Electrification League and LPEA, the project has secured more than $100,000 to help eligible LPEA members adopt the latest electric water heating technology.

“This is an exciting project for LPEA as it will allow us to test the feasibility of on-grid technologies such as air source heat pump water heaters to meet our local electricity needs,” said Jessica Matlock, CEO of LPEA. “I want to thank Tri-State for their support.”

LPEA will install heaters in up to 30 homes at Animas View Mobile Home Park.

Heaters run on a schedule to help LPEA avoid the higher cost of electricity during peak periods, keeping costs lower for all LPEA members. Since the heaters store hot water, members adopting the new technology will not be affected.

LPEA also plans to install other energy-efficiency measures in the homes, including LED lighting, low-flow faucets and showerheads, and weatherstrips for windows and doors.

The program will be implemented in partnership with the Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency and is expected to begin public relations in February and installation in March. Participation is free and voluntary.