NRECA President Pens Letter to Trump Administration on Energy Priorities
Posted on Dec 10, 2024
The president of the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association has written a letter to the Trump administration highlighting high-priority items for electric cooperatives.
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Flathead Electric Cooperative Receives Grant Funding to Mitigate Wildfire Risks
Posted on Dec 5, 2024
Flathead Electric Cooperative has received an over $2.6 million grant from the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program to mitigate wildfire risks in the Essex area. Funding will support trimming the trees adjacent to power lines, which will be aided by satellite imagery that can identify the trees most at risk of coming into contact with power lines.
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Electric Cooperative Joins Suit Against Federal Government for Denied Compensation
Posted on Nov 22, 2024
Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative is joining Mora County and two school districts in a lawsuit against the federal government for more than $1 billion in wildfire damages after their compensation claims were denied. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, claims extensive damage to critical infrastructure following the historic Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, which began as prescribed burns set by the U.S. Forest Service and became the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s history. Despite Congress setting aside nearly $4 billion for claims, plaintiffs argue...
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Kentucky Electric Cooperative Expands Natural Gas Plants
Posted on Nov 22, 2024
East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC) is planning significant expansion of its natural gas-fired power plants, including two new plants and the conversion of two existing coal-fired plants to “co-fire” natural gas, aiming to comply with Biden administration rules on greenhouse gas emissions. The two new plants, costing around $1.8 billion in total, are expected to be operational by 2028 and 2030, respectively. EKPC is also doubling its investment in demand-side management programs to reduce electricity usage and peak power demand by 2030 and is maintaining flexibility with its coal-fired...
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NERC Reliability Assessment Amongst Extreme Winter Conditions
Posted on Nov 15, 2024
Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, commented on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) winter 2024-25 reliability assessment, highlighting a significant mismatch between skyrocketing electricity demand and inadequate supply. The NERC report indicates that over half the U.S. faces potential energy shortfalls during extreme winter conditions, exacerbated by the retirement of coal and natural gas-fired generators.
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Congress’s Final Session Before Christmas Crucial for Electric Cooperatives
Posted on Nov 15, 2024
In its final “lame duck” session, Congress is addressing critical issues for electric cooperatives, including the Farm Bill, disaster relief reimbursement for the cost of rebuilding systems after recent hurricanes Helene and Milton, government funding before the December 21 deadline, eligibility for electric co-ops to receive funding from the National Defense Authorization Act, and permitting reform to streamline federal approval processes and lower costs to modernize systems. NRECA is focusing on educating newly elected lawmakers about not-for-profit electric co-ops and their...
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Oglethorpe Power Corporation Selects Annalisa Bloodworth as new CEO
Posted on Nov 11, 2024
Oglethorpe Power Corporation has selected Annalisa Bloodworth as its new CEO effective February 1, 2025. Bloodworth will transition from the role of Senior Vice President and General Counsel, which she has held since 2017. Prior to her role at Oglethorpe, Bloodworth was an associate at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP.
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Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. Invests $1 Billion in New Gas and Solar Generation to Meet Regional Power Demand
Posted on Nov 7, 2024
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC) is investing nearly $1B for over 1 gigawatt of new natural gas generation, including a $850 million plant in Texas and an expanded Arkansas facility, to address capacity needs in the Southwest Power Pool market. The projects, set for completion by 2028, aim to replace retiring coal capacity and support steady demand growth, alongside new solar initiatives.
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Dairyland Power Cooperative Sees a Nuclear Future
Posted on Nov 5, 2024
To reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, Dairyland Power Cooperative, a Wisconsin electric cooperative, discussed a desire to reenter the nuclear power business for the first time since closing its Genoa, Wisconsin reactor in 1987. Concerns about carbon emissions, demands that outpace development of renewables, and advances in nuclear technology have caught the attention of executives at Dairyland. Dairyland’s CEO Brent Ridge expressed interest in nuclear and suggested that the issue of spent fuel should not hinder the construction of new projects.
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DOE Awards Minnkota $49 Million for Carbon Storage
Posted on Oct 22, 2024
Minnkota DCC East Project LLC, a subsidiary of Minnkota Power Cooperative was awarded $49 million by the Department of Energy to build geological carbon storage facility with an 80 million metric ton capacity. The funding was awarded on Monday through the DOE’s CarbonSAFE program.
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$97 Million Awarded to Rural Electric Co-ops for Grid Resilience
Posted on Oct 17, 2024
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Georgia Transmission Corporation, and eleven rural electric utilities have been selected to negotiate contracts for over $97 million in federal funding from the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovative Partnerships (GRIP) program to enhance grid resilience. The consortium will focus on completing high-priority transmission projects at 12 rural electric utilities to meet increasing energy demand and support renewable energy interconnection. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to replace 200,000 miles of...
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Electric Cooperatives Begin Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts
Posted on Sep 27, 2024
Recovery efforts have begun in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas after Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall late Thursday, resulting in power loss for over 1.15 million electric cooperative members. More than 6,400 personnel from electric cooperatives across the United States, including lineworkers, support staff, right-of-way contractors, warehouse staff, safety employees and command center staff, have already joined the mutual aid effort.
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Taylor River Hydropower Project Brings Clean Energy to Gunnison Valley
Posted on Sep 19, 2024
The Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) and Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association (UVWUA) have completed the Taylor River Hydropower project, a 500-kilowatt hydroelectric facility at Taylor Park Dam. This $3.6 million project will generate enough clean energy to power approximately 500 local homes and businesses. GCEA aims to produce 5% of its energy locally through solar and wind projects, complementing its partnership with Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, which is targeting 70% renewable energy by 2030.
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ARIZONA POWER COOP PLANS TO ELIMINATE COAL USE
Posted on Sep 18, 2024
Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) plans to eliminate coal use by 2028, transitioning to natural gas and renewable energy projects funded by $845 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This shift is expected to reduce AEPCO’s greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 2022 levels and significantly boost renewable power production for rural cooperatives in Arizona.
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