Washington, D.C. -- Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) accepted its 2018 SEPA Power Players Electric Cooperative Utility of the Year award at the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) Power Players Awards Dinner held on Tuesday, July 10 in Washington, D.C.

Now in their tenth year, the SEPA Power Players Awards honor utilities, their industry partners, and individual thought leaders providing the vision, models, and momentum for the electric power industry’s smart transition to a clean, modern energy future. Only seven organizations from across the nation are recognized each year for a Power Players award.

An independent panel of judges with diverse experience in the electric power industry chose PVREA for its Coyote Ridge Community Solar Farm project – a collaboration with GRID Alternatives and the Colorado Energy Office to construct a solar array designed with parameters ensuring all income levels and group types have an opportunity to participate in renewable energy.

“On behalf of all our members, staff and our Board of Directors, we say thank you. The Coyote Ridge Community Solar project is the fulfillment of a strategic initiative to overcome the barriers to entry and make renewable energy available to all we serve. One hundred thirty-two under-resourced families in Northern Colorado now receive solar power from this project,” David White, VP, Member Relations at PVREA noted in his acceptance speech at the dinner.

Winners in six other categories were also celebrated at the awards gala, which is co-located with SEPA’s Grid Evolution Summit in Washington, D.C. Sports legend and energy entrepreneur Dusty Baker was the keynote speaker of the event.