Matt Feier arrived for our interview on his urban, step-through electric bicycle amid blowing snow on a chilly 20-degree afternoon. Feier, who works for the Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) as the strategy execution technology and member services manager, joined me to talk about the new hydropower plant at Taylor Reservoir, a topic that he’s deeply passionate about.
After shaking snow off his jacket and helmet, Feier sat down at my kitchen table and accepted a hot cup of tea. His voice quickened with excitement as he began talking about clean energy.
“My wife Tee and I have four children, two in high school and two in college,” Feier said between sips. “Tee and the kids are equally practical in their approaches to energy, materialism, and the environment. It’s all part of our family values.”
Before joining GCEA, Feier was the director of planning and sustainability for Crested Butte Mountain Resort and worked on the Commitment to Zero team, Vail Resorts’ sustainability initiative to achieve zero net operating impact by 2030. His efforts to increase clean energy in the valley continue as he was hired to help implement GCEA’s strategic clean electric energy goals, including the Taylor River hydro plant.
Anyone who has driven through the Taylor Canyon on County Road 742 to the Taylor Park Reservoir knows the inspiring views along the way. The reservoir is surrounded by national forest and breathtaking views of the Sawatch mountain range. The earth-fill reservoir, dammed by a 206-foot-high structure, is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and other water sports.
Although controversial, water dams reduce the risk of flooding, enhance tourist areas, and can be used to provide a reliable source of clean energy. Most people do not know that the 80-something-year-old historic dam became an innovative, clean power source last year. The newly completed hydro plant powers 450 upper Gunnison County homes and businesses and produces clean, sustainable energy at around 3% of GCEA’s allowed portfolio of local renewable energy.
“The dam was originally built and designed for flood control and agricultural irrigation, but also to accommodate hydropower,” Feier explained.
In partnership with the Upper Gunnison Valley Water Users Association (UVWUA), GCEA broke ground in 2023 and officially began hydroelectric operations in October 2024. In all, it took almost 80 years and a lot of hard work for GCEA and UVWUA to generate power from water and flip the “on” switch to the hydro plant.
“The permitting struggle is real, which is probably a good thing, helping to govern the pace and guide the direction of our change,” said Feier.
First, there was a feasibility study. Would the project really work? What impact would there be on the environment? How could the environment be protected to avoid dangerous consequences to fish and other wildlife? Designing the new facility to be functional and safe for both the dam and the existing electrical infrastructure was critical, as was securing funding. Securing permits to build the plant was the last step before construction could begin.
Today, the Taylor hydro plant produces approximately 500 kilowatts at any given moment, or an average of 3.8 million kilowatt hours annually. The plant operates 24 hours a day, year-round, regardless of weather, and touts the largest known single-phase generator operating in North America.
Hydropower also saves GCEA customers money on electric bills because it operates during Tri-State’s (the electricity supplier for GCEA) peak times, which allows GCEA to offset Tri-State’s peak demand charges. Once the construction debt is paid off, GCEA customers will save even more.
Taylor Dam Keeper Rory Birdsey has deep roots in the Taylor Reservoir area. Birdsey grew up down the road from the reservoir, where his parents still live today. “The dam has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I was a boat boy,” said Birdsey.
Birdsey and his wife, Jamie, and their three school-age children live year-round a few hundred yards below the dam. The couple also co-own the Taylor Park Marina, which provides boat rentals, guided services, and food concessions.
Birdsey attended Gunnison’s “hands on” alternative high school, the Gunnison Valley School, and credits one of his teachers, Jonathan Houck, as a “great influence in my life.” These days, Houck is a Gunnison County Commissioner, and the two intersect in the environmental space.
Houck is a proponent for renewables and clean energy. He believes, “We have an opportunity and a responsibility to develop solar and ground source heat as well as building more efficient buildings. The Taylor hydro project is an example of a great opportunity brought to fruition.”
After high school and eight years of service in the U.S. Army, Birdsey worked in natural gas production at Piceance Basin for 12 years and then in leak detection, air quality control, and repair. His background and attention to detail aid him in his current work because the most important role of a dam keeper is site security. Birdsey not only checks daily on the hydro equipment to help GCEA provide clean energy, but also checks the general site security and water levels and flows, which the Federal Bureau of Reclamation dictates.
“I was in the natural gas environmental side before returning to the area and becoming the Taylor dam keeper. I thought being a dam keeper would be a cool job,” said Birdsey. “It’s great that the dam was already here. We could capitalize on creating clean energy.”
Back at my kitchen table, Feier shares his views on the importance of projects like the Taylor River Hydropower Plant.
“I think global warming, habitat loss, and extinction are cumulatively the largest threat to human existence as we know it. Renewable energy development and electrification are tools that can be effectively used to slow global warming and likely reduce habitat loss and extinction,” said Feier, who began suiting up for his snowy bike ride home.
When he’s not riding his e-bike, Feier drives an electric car. “My EV is dramatically cheaper to operate and way more sporty.”