Two Archuleta County candidates appear on the La Plata Electric Association’s (LPEA) 2026 election ballot, running for the District 1 Board seat.
Voting is by mail ballot, or online through the LPEA website, or in person at the scheduled May 20 LPEA annual meeting. Members who plan to attend the annual meeting are encouraged to register by May 13 to reserve a boxed lunch.
One candidate is current Board member and current Board President Nicole Pitcher; the other candidate is James D. Lane. Their submitted candidate summaries are shown below, as they appear on the LPEA website:
Nicole Pitcher
For decades, LPEA has provided reliable power to our community because of skilled line crews, careful planning, and a cooperative that puts members first. As your District 1 Director and current Board President, my responsibility is to protect that foundation while leading the cooperative through a historic transition.
My family and I have built our life in Archuleta County. I am a mother, a homemaker, and part of a small family business here. Like many in our community, I care deeply about keeping this a place where people can afford to live, work, and stay rooted.
This year, LPEA kept rates stable for our members even as electric rates across the country increased by more than six percent on average and our former wholesale power supplier, Tri-State, raised its rates yet again. Through careful planning, LPEA members did not have to absorb that increase. That is the future we are working toward: protecting members from decisions made elsewhere while managing costs here at home.
On April 1, 2026, LPEA ended its restrictive 50 year wholesale power contract. For the first time in decades, we can now make smart business decisions based on what works best for our communities.
That change allows us to move toward a more diversified and decentralized energy system that strengthens reliability and resilience. Instead of relying on a single wholesale supplier, LPEA can now work with multiple energy partners and local projects to build a balanced power supply.
Our region is rich in energy resources. From natural gas and abundant sunshine for solar, to biomass from our forests, geothermal potential, and local hydropower, we have the resources for a strong and diverse energy future. Instead of sending our hard earned energy dollars to the Front Range, we can reinvest here at home, creating jobs, strengthening energy independence, and building a more affordable energy future.
Protecting our electric system from extreme weather and wildfire risk is also critical. We live in a high fire danger area, and that risk is real. I have supported investments that harden the grid through vegetation management, stronger infrastructure, and targeted improvements that improve reliability and reduce fire risk.
As your Board President, I have worked to ensure LPEA shows up in Archuleta County through local meetings, open conversations, and straightforward communication. Members deserve clear communication and leadership that listens.
I care deeply about this community and about the cooperative that serves it. I would be honored to earn your support and your vote. Together, we control our energy future.
James D. Lane
I moved to Southwest Colorado with my family in 1977 when my father partnered with my grandfather to operate our family ranch in Allison. Today my son Jarod represents the fifth generation on that ranch. This community has been home to my great-grandfather, grandfather, father, myself, and now my son. Our family’s roots here go back nearly a century, and reliable, affordable electricity is essential for ranching, irrigation, and rural life.
I graduated Salutatorian from Ignacio High School in 1984 and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (1989) and a Master of Science in Mining Engineering (1992) from the Colorado School of Mines. My graduate research focused on autonomous control systems, where I used sensors, controllers, and developed an obstacle-detection algorithm that enabled an underground haul truck to operate unmanned in a mining tunnel. I presented this research at an IEEE conference in Vancouver, BC, and authored a paper for the U.S. Bureau of Mines.
For more than 30 years my career has focused on electrical engineering, industrial automation, power systems, and controls including hydroelectric, nuclear operations, oil and gas systems, and large automated distribution centers across the country. While working at BP and BPX as a Senior Electrical and Controls Engineer, I helped develop company standards for distributed solar and battery power strategies used across BP’s Lower 48 operations. I also presented at an ISA conference in Houston on automated data monitoring systems designed to meet EPA RICE MACT reporting requirements.
This experience has given me a practical understanding of how complex energy systems operate, including the importance of balancing reliability, cost, and emerging technologies. Electric cooperatives must carefully evaluate these factors to ensure that members receive dependable service at reasonable cost.
Today I continue working in industrial automation while helping operate our family ranch and mentoring the next generation of engineers, including my son. I also serve on the board of the Pine River Canal Company and volunteered for over a decade as a firefighter and first responder in our community.
I consider myself a hands-on, blue-collar engineer who believes in practical solutions, fiscal responsibility, and respectful communication. I am running to represent Archuleta District 1 members with strong technical understanding and a commitment to reliable, affordable power.
When I talk about transparency, I mean something simple: decisions that are clear, open to scrutiny, and easy for members to understand. Members deserve straightforward communication and leadership that allows them to clearly see how decisions are made and how those decisions affect their electric service and rates.