Power and Communications

Estes Park is one of four community owners of the Platte River Power Authority, joining the cities of Longmont, Loveland and Fort Collins in this endeavor. Platte River Power Authority, a non-profit entity, purchases or generates all of the energy needed to power these communities. Carbon-free hydropower from the Colorado Big Thompson project, and renewable energy from wind projects in Wyoming comprise nearly 30% of the energy portfolio.

PRPA, in coordination with its member communities, is currently in the process of updating the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) - a critical tool for establishing a near-term action plan and long-term trajectory that will ensure an adequate supply of reliable, financially sustainable and environmentally responsible electricity. Interested members of the community should visit prpa.org/irp/ for more information and ways to get involved.

The Power and Communications Division serves about 11,000 customers covering an area of about 350 square miles - south on Highway 7 through Meeker Park, Allenspark, Ferncliff, and Pine Valley to mile marker 18.75, north, along County Road 43 through Glen Haven and the Retreat to mile marker 11, and east on Highway 34 to mile marker 72, and, Highway 36 to mile marker 7. The area is bordered on the west by Rocky Mountain National Park.

Estes Park Power & Communications Service Area Map

In May 2018, Estes Park Power and Communications received a Gold "reliable public power provider" designation by the American Public Power Association. This "RP3" designation certifies that Estes Park Power and Communications has demonstrated leading practices in reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. The prestigious RP3 designation indicates that the service provided by Power and Communications meets high industry standards.

The RP3 designation is good for three years, but Power and Communications is not resting on their laurels. They continue to look for ways to improve service to the community and welcome suggestions from customers. Visit the Electric Projects pages to learn more about the ongoing efforts to improve the quality and reliability of the electric service.

Power and Communications restored power to Glen Haven and The Retreat and conducted assessments of the electrical infrastructure within the fire perimeter. The fire-damaged infrastructure was repaired or replaced. 

Estes Power & Communications will work with customers whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by the fire and who wish to rebuild. Homeowners will need to verify the electrical safety of any properties in the fire-affected areas before power can be reconnected to any damaged homes. 

In October, Fire Management requested that Power and Communications shut off power to a number of areas during the height of the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires. The Power Outage Public Information Map has been reset since those fires in order to provide an up to date communications platform for current events. The maps linked below show the areas that were affected by these outages.

Southwest Estes Valley (Marys Lake Rd/Hwy 66) - Power shut off just before 6 am October 24 and restored just before 11 am October 25

Northwest Estes Valley (Fall River Rd/Wonderview Ave) - Power shut off just after 10 am October 24 and restored just before 11 am October 25

Glen Haven and The Retreat - Power shut off on October 14 and fully restored on October 26, except for approximately one dozen properties with damaged houses or infrastructure. The damaged equipment has all been replaced and power has been restored to all houses that were not damaged.