Archive - Great River Energy

New transmission line approved in Minnesota; will boost reliability, increase access to renewable energy for customers

Company news, Transmission /

Construction of the eastern segment, Alexandria-Big Oaks, to start in 2025 Several regional energy companies are moving ahead with a new high-voltage transmission line that will increase the capability of the transmission system to reliably meet customer demand and deliver energy within the Upper Midwest, following Thursday’s unanimous approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. …

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Gas turbines take center stage at conference hosted by Great River Energy

Company news, Power generation resources /

The Pratt & Whitney FT4 combustion turbine has been a cornerstone for peaking plants across the country — including Great River Energy’s St. Bonifacius facility — since manufacturing began in the 1960s. However, it is becoming increasingly important to keep the turbines in peak condition due to their age and the number of units still …

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Diverse resource portfolio powers local communities 

Power generation resources, Renewable energy /

Minnesota is one of several states that has enacted legislation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electric utilities. The state’s carbon-free standard requires that 90% of electric utilities’ retail sales be provided by carbon-free power supply by 2035.  Serving more than 700,000 members across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Great River Energy is a wholesale …

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Great River Energy named finalist for clean energy funding

Company news, Cooperatives, Member-owner cooperatives /

President Joe Biden announced the first round of finalists for the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, part of the administration’s efforts to boost clean energy investments in rural communities, at an event held Sept. 5 in Westby, Wisconsin. Great River Energy was among the cooperatives announced as a finalist. The New ERA program aims …

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Festival highlights plug-in vehicles, electric safety

Beneficial electrification, Community, Cooperatives, Electric vehicles, Member-owner cooperatives /

Great River Energy, along with its member-owner cooperatives Cooperative Light & Power (CLP) and Lake Country Power (LCP), recently partnered with Minnesota Power for the second annual Electric Avenue at the Lake Superior Harvest Festival held at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, Minnesota. Approximately 8,000 festival attendees had the opportunity to see a wide variety …

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Electric lawnmower turns golf course even greener, cleaner

Beneficial electrification, Cooperatives, Electric vehicles, Member-owner cooperatives /

A partnership between two electric cooperatives and a Minnesota golf course is helping to showcase how electric technology used in new ways can function in the real world. Stearns Electric Association teamed up with its wholesale power provider, Great River Energy, and Mean Green Electric Mowers last summer to lease an electric lawnmower to Lynx …

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Members travel to learn how their power is made and moved

Cooperatives, Member-owner cooperatives, Power generation resources, Renewable energy, Transmission /

Great River Energy recently welcomed a busload of Lake Country Power (LCP) member-owners who traveled from the Iron Range to Maple Grove to learn more about where their power comes from. The group of 50 people were given a tour of several Great River Energy facilities, including the headquarters, Elk River campus as well as …

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Rooted in responsibility

Cooperatives, Sustainability /

Great River Energy’s environmental management system dates back to the cooperative’s origins — and has guided it for a quarter century Great River Energy’s commitment to environmental stewardship has been a part of the organization since its formation in 1999. Great River Energy’s environmental management system (EMS) is a fundamental component of the cooperative’s dedication …

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Award-winning GIS department benefits all members

Cooperatives, Transmission /

Great River Energy and its member-owner cooperatives use a shared Geographic Information System (GIS) software platform, which promotes a good data sharing environment and has become a mission-critical tool for system reliability and response. GIS is a framework for gathering, managing and analyzing data organized into layers of information and integrated into maps. “It has …

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Seeking a new generation of skilled labor

Community, Company news, Cooperatives, Initiatives /

Powerful Potential program raises awareness of electric cooperative career paths Over the next 10 years, one-third of skilled trades professionals will retire and leave the workforce at a faster rate than younger workers can replace them. To maintain a safe and reliable electric system while tackling the energy challenges ahead, Great River Energy has set …

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