Load uncertainties tied to the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) emerged as a critical topic during the Board of Public Utilities Work Session on October 1, 2025. Officials expressed concerns about the unpredictability of electrical demand from the laboratory, highlighting the challenges it poses for long-term planning.

Ben, a key speaker at the meeting, emphasized that while the county can forecast its electrical load with reasonable accuracy over the next decade, LANL's load remains uncertain. "The laboratory loads are harder to predict when you look out a few years," he stated, pointing out that fluctuations in demand could significantly impact the county's power supply strategy.

The discussion revealed that while the county anticipates gradual changes in its electrical needs, LANL's projections often fall short of reality. "They've always predicted big increases in their demand and rarely met them," Ben noted, indicating a history of overestimations. This unpredictability raises concerns about the pricing structure of the Energy Cost Adjustment (ECA), which appears to place the financial risk primarily on the county rather than LANL.

Chair Gibson acknowledged the risks involved, confirming that the county bears the brunt of uncertainties in the current ECA framework. "That is a factual representation of the risks that the county takes upon as the primary owner of the power supply agreements," he remarked.

As the county navigates these challenges, the implications for future energy planning and financial stability remain significant. The meeting underscored the need for a reevaluation of how risks are shared between the county and LANL, ensuring a more balanced approach to managing electrical demand in the years ahead.