COUNTY News:

The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will host a town hall meeting on electrification Thursday, March 13, at the Los Alamos Nature Center, 2600 Canyon Road. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m.

DPU contracted 1898 & Co., a part of Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., to assess Los Alamos County’s electric distribution system, determine current condition, identify limitations on circuits and substations for hosting new electric generation such as from solar, investigate areas of resiliency and reliability improvement, and investigate supply markets for future power resources.

The contractor is gathering information for assessments to develop electrification models and forecasts related to growing demands on the electric distribution system as more people add rooftop solar, purchase and charge electric vehicles, and replace natural gas appliances with electric equivalents such as heat pumps and induction ranges.

In the town hall meeting, 1898 & Co. will present an overview of the project, discuss paths forward to maintaining electric distribution resilience as demands grow, and explain the approach to evaluate the impact of electrification. Topics will include electrical grid modernization, transportation electrification, home electrification, solar photovoltaic, battery energy storage system (BESS), and a look at a 100% fossil-fuel-free future. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions after the presentation.

In the final phase of the study, 1898 & Co. will provide a comprehensive report. A few items that the report will include are:

• Electrification forecasts
• Major capital projects necessary to serve forecasted load growth
• Possible funding sources
• Future transmission level source requirements for County and discussions of BESS needs.

The full electrification study will be completed by the end of July with a final report being issued by mid-August. More information on the town hall can be found online at ladpu.com/townhall.