Great River Energy’s Vice President and Chief Transmission Officer Priti Patel kicked off the CO2NNECT 2023 Conference on Sunday, Oct. 1, in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, with a message about the importance of community engagement in the evolution of the electric system. Patel delivered her remarks to approximately 125 attendees, including experts in carbon …
Patel kicks off Great Plains Institute conference Read More »
Great River Energy, a not-for-profit wholesale electric cooperative, along with a majority of its member-owners are pleased to announce they have filed a Letter of Interest with the United States Department of Agriculture to participate in the department’s Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program to become eligible for nearly $1 billion in federal funds to …
Great River Energy and member-owners apply for New ERA funding Read More »
Great River Energy’s intern program offers hands-on opportunities Another summer of Great River Energy’s annual internship program recently concluded with a day of presentations that highlighted all the work accomplished by the interns and what they learned. The cooperative expanded its program this year to include 23 interns from 11 different schools. The program provides …
More than $430 million in rural infrastructure awards recently announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will help electric cooperatives strengthen their systems and increase grid reliability and security. The latest round of funding from USDA’s Electric Loan Program, announced Aug. 28, will go to 19 co-ops in 10 states and will also help …
USDA awards $434 million to co-ops for infrastructure upgrades Read More »
Baseball fields across the Upper Midwest turned into community hubs this summer as the Play Ball! Youth Clinics brought together local cooperatives, youth organizations, enthusiastic kids and their parents. More than 50 free baseball and softball clinics were brought to communities across Twins Territory through a partnership between Great River Energy, the Minnesota Twins and …
Twins clinics draw 3,500 youth to Midwest fields Read More »
One Minnesota electric cooperative employee rose to the top of more than 160 nominations submitted from co-ops across the country to be included in the 2023 class of Rising Stars chosen by a panel of judges representing the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. John Pantzke, business development representative and energy service supervisor for Stearns Electric …
The U.S. Department of Energy set a goal of producing 10 million metric tons of hydrogen per year by 2030. Hydrogen fuel cells are seen as a potential alternative to gasoline, diesel fuel and natural gas and they can be used to power vehicles, generate electricity, and heat homes and businesses. Electric cooperatives are well-positioned …
Co-ops help promote hydrogen fuel cell production Read More »
A longtime Great River Energy leader has been tapped to guide the next chapter for the cooperative’s corporate and member services division. Lisa Orpen was recently named Great River Energy’s vice president and chief corporate and member services officer, where she will lead a team responsible for numerous company functions. “Lisa has been instrumental in …
Annual Harvest Festival event included electric vehicle car show Great River Energy, along with its member-owner cooperatives Lake Country Power and Cooperative Light & Power, recently partnered with Minnesota Power to bring an electric vehicle (EV) car show to the 29th annual Lake Superior Harvest Festival. Held at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, Minnesota, the …
Two of Great River Energy’s member-owner electric cooperatives energized their fleet of vehicles by adding an electric pickup to their lineups. Brown County Rural Electric Association (BCREA), based in Sleepy Eye, added a Ford Lightning pickup and Federated Rural Electric Association (Federated), located in Jackson, received a Rivian R1T pickup. “Since we are a rural …