Inside Passage Electric Cooperative Selected for Federal Tribal Energy Funding
Posted on Oct 26, 2026
Inside Passage Electric Cooperative is a Juneau-based nonprofit utility serving more than 1,300 members in remote Southeast Alaska communities separated by water and mountains, and it has worked with tribes on earlier Department of Energy grid-resilience projects such as vegetation management in Klukwan and battery storage in Kake. It has now been selected for funding negotiations under a $125 million Department of Energy initiative covering 63 tribal energy projects in 16 states, which federal officials called the largest single investment in the Office of Indian Energy’s history,...
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Western Farmers Electric Cooperative Launches $1 Billion Natural Gas Project at Hugo Plant
Posted on Oct 26, 2026
Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, a generation and transmission co-op based in Oklahoma, broke ground on October 14 on a $1 billion project that adds 400 megawatts of natural gas generation at its coal-based Hugo Plant, to meet rising demand and new Southwest Power Pool winter reserve requirements. The nine quick-start units will help balance the co-op’s wind and solar resources, and construction is set to begin in January 2027 on a build of about 30 months.
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NRECA Presses EPA to Fully Rescind Contested Power Plant Rule
Posted on Aug 21, 2026
Electric cooperatives and NRECA are urging the EPA to fully repeal its 2024 power plant greenhouse gas rule, which imposes emissions limits on existing coal-fired plants and new natural gas facilities unless they install carbon capture and sequestration technology. Co-op leaders argue that the rule would increase costs, complicate long-term generation planning, and make it more difficult to meet growing electricity demand while maintaining affordable and reliable service.
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North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives Upgrade Reliability Resource in Coastal Carolina
Posted on Aug 6, 2026
North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives recently completed a major upgrade to its diesel generation facility in Buxton, modernizing critical systems to extend the operational life of an important reliability resource in the Outer Banks. The Buxton facility and the Ocracoke facility collectively provide 18 megawatts of generating capacity, and serve as vital reliability resources for coastal communities, supplying power during emergencies like hurricanes while also participating in the PJM market to help offset wholesale power costs.
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White House Expands Voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge for Data Centers Amid Congressional Action
Posted on Jul 31, 2026
The White House expanded its voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge to 187 utilities, electric cooperatives, and data center developers, along with 23 governors, with participating organizations agreeing to principles designed to have large data centers cover the generation and grid infrastructure costs associated with their projects rather than shifting those costs to residential or commercial ratepayers. In addition, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340), which would require state regulators and nonregulated...
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House Passes Bill to Bolster Cybersecurity for Rural Electric Cooperatives and Municipal Utilities
Posted on Jul 1, 2026
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, which reauthorizes a grant and technical assistance program to help rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities defend against cyberattacks. The bill authorizes $250 million over five years to help smaller utilities deploy advanced cybersecurity technologies, improve information sharing, and respond to cyber threats, in order to protect critical infrastructure which serves millions of Americans. The bill has earned support from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and...
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OTEC submits state application to acquire Idaho Power’s Oregon service area
Posted on May 22, 2026
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) has filed an application with the Oregon Public Utility Commission to acquire Idaho Power’s service territory in Eastern Oregon in a proposed $154 million transaction. The proposed acquisition would add about 20,000 members, and OTEC expects the larger member base to help spread costs and support more stable long-term rates.
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Northwest G&T Cooperative, PNGC Power, Announces Plans for 600 MW Combined-Cycle Natural Gas Facility
Posted on May 20, 2026
PNGC Power, the Northwest’s only generation and transmission cooperative, has announced plans to build a nearly 600 MW combined-cycle natural gas plant in Idaho – in partnership with Kindle Energy – targeting a 2032 online date to meet the region’s rising electricity demand. The state-of-the-art facility will be designed for up to 50% hydrogen blending and is intended to provide reliable, affordable, on-demand generation that helps shield cooperative members from market volatility as load growth, hydro variability, and plant retirements reshape the regional power landscape.
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Delaware State Senate Passes Bill Allowing Delaware Electric Cooperative to Reject Large Load Requests
Posted on May 4, 2026
The Delaware State Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 276, which would allow the Delaware Electric Cooperative to reject requests from new large load consumers with a load of 50 megawatts or more seeking to connect to its grid. Delaware Electric Cooperative asked lawmakers to pass the bill in order to protect existing customers from significant rate increases. Under Senate Bill 276, large loads, such as data centers, would be required to generate their own power or contract with a third-party supplier. The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives, while Delaware’s...
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NRECA and Member Cooperatives to Speak to Lawmakers About Grid Reliability Challenges
Posted on Apr 23, 2026
Next week, the National Rural Electric Cooperative and its member cooperatives will meet with their members of Congress to urge lawmakers to address the challenges to grid reliability driven by rising energy demand from data centers and power plant retirements. Their key policy priorities include expanding the Rural Utilities Service Electric Loan Program, reforming FEMA’s disaster reimbursement processes, streamlining federal permitting under laws like NEPA and the Clean Water Act, and passing the Fix Our Forests Act to strengthen wildfire mitigation efforts.
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STEC Acquires Two ERCOT Gas Stations from PROENERGY for $768M
Posted on Apr 15, 2026
South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC) has acquired the Braes Bayou and Brotman Generating Stations in the ERCOT market from PROENERGY for $768 million. The facilities have a combined capacity of 768 MW of fast start generation, and PROENERGY will continue to staff, operate, and maintain the units under Operations and Maintenance and Total Care Services arrangements.
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Southwest Power Pool Becomes First RTO to Span Two Interconnections
Posted on Apr 10, 2026
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) completed a historic expansion into the Western Interconnection on April 1, 2026, and now serves 17 states. The expansion, led by nine load serving utilities in seven western states, is expected to enhance grid reliability and reduce wholesale energy costs through access to SPP’s transmission network.
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CoServ and Base Power Introduce 100 MW Residential Storage Initiative to Expand Affordable Backup Power in North Texas
Posted on Mar 6, 2026
Denton County Electric Cooperative (CoServ) is partnering with Base Power to deploy 100 MW of residentially sited battery storage across its North Texas service territory, providing CoServ with a large, utility-controlled resource of flexible, reliable capacity to support peak demand and strengthen grid infrastructure. Under the program, CoServ will manage and dispatch the battery fleet during peak hours for load shaving and energy arbitrage, enhancing grid reliability while providing outage protection to participating households.
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Idaho Power to Transfer Ownership of Oregon Service Area to Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Under New Agreement
Posted on Feb 20, 2026
Idaho Power and Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative have announced a $154 million agreement under which OTEC would acquire ownership and operation of Idaho Power’s Oregon Service Area, transferring approximately 20,000 Eastern Oregon customers to OTEC, subject to regulatory approval. OTEC stated that the acquisition would expand its service territory and support rate stability by creating economies of scale without impacting current member rates.
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