Coronavirus update

Friday | March 13, 2020
All News

CORONAVIRUS

(Latest update: April 20, 2020)

To our members

La Plata Electric Association plays a vital role in powering our communities and ensuring the essential services you depend on continue without interruption.

With the health and safety of our employees and members in mind, we have been closely monitoring the ongoing situation with the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and taking proper precautions to ensure our essential business operations are not compromised.

What we’re doing

For our members

On March 25th 2020, the LPEA Board of Directors approved a series of measures to support our members during the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures include the temporary suspension of disconnects for non-payment, a three-month delay of the scheduled rate increase, and an emergency allocation of $90,000 to bill pay assistance and emergency services. <More details> 

Public facilities and meetings

  • LPEA’s main lobbies in Durango and Pagosa Springs are closed to the public until further notice. Drive through options are available at each office, and our phones remain open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (970) 247-5786.

  • LPEA’s meeting facilities are closed to all public events. Existing events will be cancelled or postponed until further notice.

  • Board meetings, beginning with the March 25th meeting, will be held remotely via video conference until further notice. Members will be able to participate virtually, and the meetings will be recorded for later viewing. Access details will be made available here.

  • LPEA will host an abbreviated, virtual Annual Meeting on Saturday May 16th at 10:30 a.m. solely for the purpose of electing and seating new directors. The remainder of the Annual Meeting will be postponed until later this year when it can be held in person. 

  • LPEA employees have cancelled all non-essential travel, are conducting meetings virtually, and are working from home when possible.

Programs

  • We will not conduct energy audits until further notice. Members can still call us for assistance at (970) 247-5786.

  • Applications for new construction can be accessed here. Once complete, applications should be scanned and emailed to newconstruction@lpea.coop. Questions on new construction and staking services should be directed to (970) 382-3555.

What you can do:

  • Skip the trip to our offices and pay your bill from home:

    • Receive your bill via email, make energy payments using a credit card, or pay from your checking account through the SmartHub App.

    • Have your bill automatically deducted from your checking account or your credit card. To sign up for electronic transfer, access your account online through SmartHub and go to Auto Pay Accounts. To access your account for the first time, you will need to register using your account number.

    • Call us. Our Pay by Phone automated system is available 24 hours per day. For more information on any of our payment options, please call us at (970) 247-5786

  • Stay informed: For more information on COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment or Tri-County Health. These organizations will provide you with the most up-to-date and accurate information about the disease.

We will continue to monitor the situation and resume normal operations as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.