INVESTMENTS IN AND ADVANCES TO COAL MINES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

INVESTMENTS IN AND ADVANCES TO COAL MINES

INVESTMENTS IN AND ADVANCES TO COAL MINES

NOTE 4 – INVESTMENTS IN AND ADVANCES TO COAL MINES

We have direct ownership and investments in coal mines to support our coal generating resources. We, and certain participants in the Yampa Project, are members of Trapper Mining, which is organized as a cooperative and is the owner and operator of the Trapper Mine near Craig, Colorado. Our investment in Trapper Mining is recorded using the equity method. In addition, we have ownership in Western Fuels Association, Inc. (“WFA”), which is an owner of Western Fuels‑Wyoming, Inc. (“WFW”), the owner and operator of the Dry Fork Mine near Gillette, Wyoming. Dry Fork Mine provides coal to the Laramie River Generating Station (owned by the participants of MBPP). We, through our undivided interest in the jointly owned facility of MBPP, advance funds to the Dry Fork Mine.

Investments in and advances to coal mines are as follows (dollars in thousands):

	September 30,		December 31,
	2019		2018
Investment in Trapper Mine	$	15,748	$	15,350
Advances to Dry Fork Mine		2,350		3,578
Investments in and advances to coal mines	$	18,098	$	18,928