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WALSENBURG

COMMUNITY UPGRADES

 

Portions of Walsenburg’s old system were built in the early 1900’s, before San Isabel Electric was formed as an electric co-op. When the old system was built, Walsenburg’s micro-grid was powered by a power plant. In 1956, Walsenburg tied into San Isabel Electric’s 69 kilo-volt line, which is also being upgraded. The 69 kilo-volt Rebuild Project stretches from the Burnt Mill exit on I-25 south of Pueblo to Burro Canyon on HWY 12 West of Trinidad and is 84-percent complete.

Portions of the old system were replaced with modern materials. The smarter, more efficient, modern materials of the new system require fewer repairs, less maintenance, more reliable energy, fewer outages, fewer unexpected costs and help ensure steady rates.

Upgrading the old system to the new system began in 2013. In July of 2017, a full-time crew was dedicated to the City of Walsenburg. The upgrades to the City of Walsenburg’s system were completed in the Spring of 2020.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose power during the upgrade?
Yes, we must disconnect member-owners for a few hours to safely move the electricity from the old wire to the new wire and make additional upgrades. The modern upgrades will require fewer repairs, less maintenance, more reliable energy, fewer outages and fewer unexpected costs which will help ensure steady rates for years to come.
Will I be notified before my outage?
Yes, a few days before the outage Lineworkers will go door-to-door to notify member-owners of the date and approximate time their power will be out. If Lineworkers do not reach the member-owners, they will leave a door hanger with the date, approximate time of the upgrade and a number to call for questions. On the day of the upgrade, Lineworkers will again go door-to-door to remind member-owners of the upgrade and the outage. If contact is not made, they will leave a door hanger with the information.
I don't have power and I wasn’t notified of the plan for my upgrade.
Feel free to call our office Toll-Free at 1 (800) 279-7432 or (719) 547-2160 if you have any questions so we can help you with your needs. You can also check the outage map on our homepage for unplanned outage information.

For safety reasons, member-owners are asked to not approach the Lineworkers in the field for scheduling information and questions about the upgrades.

Why do the rebuild?
The Walsenburg Power system is old and has reached its end of life. We are making the investment in YOU, our member-owners to provide you with the most reliable power as possible. The smarter, more efficient, modern materials of the new system require fewer repairs, less maintenance, fewer outages and fewer unexpected costs which helps ensure steady rates for years to come.

  • The new aluminum, steel-core reinforced wire is more durable than the old copper wire, which will require less maintenance and fewer repairs.
  • The new transformers have upgraded lightning protection and internal ground-fault protection.
  • The new poles are made from a more durable wood and are also treated to make them more resistant to weather damage as well as more fire resistant.
  • The old street lights are being upgraded to dark-sky compliant LED street lights.
  • The new system will be able to support future community growth and development better than the old system.
When will I get upgraded?
We will be updating our website with the rebuild progress. The website will show what stage of the rebuild your service is in.
What will happen to my old street light?
All old street lights are getting upgraded to efficient, dark-sky compliant LED’s.

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City Ranch tie line

Work to upgrade the power line west of the City of Walsenburg along the Hogback began in the first quarter of 2020. The upgraded line will provide more reliable service to Majors Ranch, Gardner, and the surrounding areas. This upgrade will also help segment SIEA’s system, separating the City of Walsenburg from the surrounding area. Segmentation allows problems to be located faster, and those problems to be isolated, allowing fewer meters to be affected by the outage.