Aspen’s transformers, like the one that serves the 800 block of East Cooper Avenue, play an important role in delivering electricity that could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But limited space in the downtown core can make it difficult to upsize or add transformers to meet new demand. No one ever claimed electrification would be easy, but moving away from gas power has long been seen as a key element in the city of Aspen’s goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
As the city, the state and international building codes all embrace cutting greenhouse gas emissions, it has become common for contractors, including Jimmy Terui of TE Builders, to request larger electrical services on residential projects. On a recent remodel of a residence in downtown Aspen, Terui and his team calculated that they would need an additional 200 amps, for a total of 400 amps of electricity to power electric heat and appliances. “We were going to go all-electric,” Terui said.
The plans were approved by the city’s engineering department, but the electric utilities department said the increase in electric service wasn’t feasible. “Unfortunately, that block only has one transformer in it and it feeds everything in that block,” Ron Christian, electric superintendent with the city of Aspen, wrote in an email obtained by Aspen Journalism. “There is no room in it for more cables and no option to upsize it either.
” The city of Aspen serves as the electric utility for about 3,100 res.
