Nearly 100 people attended Lake Region Electric Cooperative’s (LREC) Energy Forum held last month in Ottertail, Minnesota. The energy forum provided the opportunity for LREC’s member-owners, community leaders and the general public to hear firsthand how electric cooperatives are ready to meet the challenges of the new energy economy. LREC CEO Tim Thompson welcomed everyone […]
Forum highlights energy issues in Minnesota Read More »
Four young falcons were banded at Great River Energy’s Elk River location on May 30. Representatives from the Raptor Resource Project conducted the banding with help from employees. Kelsey Rayment, veterinarian resident for the Raptor Resource Project, collected blood and saliva samples from each of the young falcons to test for the presence of avian
Great River Energy helps falcons spread their wings Read More »
Plantings and restoration will occur throughout Minnesota over the next five years. Great River Energy, a not-for-profit wholesale electric cooperative serving 27 member-owner distribution cooperatives, announced today a commitment to plant and restore an additional 300 acres of pollinator habitat across current and future eligible sites. The pledge, dubbed Pollinator Strong, is already underway and strengthens the
Great River Energy doubles commitment to pollinator-friendly habitat restoration Read More »
Minnesota passed legislation at the beginning of 2023 requiring the state’s utilities to use 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. But even before it became law, Great River Energy collaborated with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to model and analyze potential energy system transitions under different decarbonization pathways, including a zero-emitting electric power sector, in
EPRI modeling evaluates potential decarbonization strategies for Minnesota Read More »
More than 140 megawatts (MW) added to the Midwest capacity market this year by Great River Energy came not in the form of a new wind farm or traditional power plant, but instead by aggregating and registering load-modifying resources as a “virtual” power plant. Great River Energy and its 27 member-owner cooperatives operate several demand
Co-ops register ‘virtual power plant’ in regional capacity market Read More »
Great River Energy and Minnesota Power hosted a second phase of public open houses in May for the Northland Reliability Project in six communities where attendees could ask questions and provide input on the transmission line’s preliminary route. More than 200 property owners attended the events. The two utilities plan to build an approximately 180-mile,
Public outreach continues for Northland Reliability Project Read More »
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a $1.5 million loan to Stearns Electric Association through the Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program (REDLG) to support the owners of Redhead Creamery in their efforts to establish an innovative on-farm distillery that uses the leftover whey from their cheesemaking process to produce premium distilled
A partnership between Great River Energy, the Minnesota Twins and the Twins Community Fund is bringing free youth baseball and softball clinics across the state this summer. Created in 1961 by longtime Twins scout Angelo Giuliana, the Play Ball! Minnesota youth clinics offer an opportunity for participants ages 6-13 to pitch and hit in their
Youth clinics kick off for the season Read More »
Two members of Great River Energy’s leadership team recently set out to talk safety with field employees. The purpose of the visits was to gain a better understanding about work happening in the field, provide an opportunity for employees to share challenges or ask questions, and for employees to highlight safety improvements they have identified
Leadership talks safety with Great River Energy employees Read More »
The peregrine falcons that reside in Great River Energy’s Elk River nest box, Brooklyn and Breezy, are busy caring for their four eyasses (young falcons) that recently hatched. Representatives from the Raptor Resource Project will be onsite to band the eyasses in late May. Watch the falcons on Great River Energy’s peregrine falcon birdcam at
Four young falcons hatch Read More »