Stearns Electric Association lineman Mike Siemers recently earned a LIFEguard Award through the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA). MREA recognizes cooperative employees throughout the state who go above and beyond the expectations of keeping individuals safe through its LIFEguard program. Siemers, a journeylineman for Stearns Electric — one of Great River Energy’s 28 member-owner cooperatives …
The Cooperative Light & Power (CLP) board of directors recently announced Joel Janorschke as the electric cooperative’s new chief executive officer/general manager. “We were very fortunate to have three excellent candidates for the position,” said Board President Scott Veitenheimer. “The board unanimously agreed that Joel had the experience, knowledge and skills that would be the …
Vice President and Chief Transmission Officer Priti Patel recently had the opportunity to tour the LJ Shosten Union Training Center in St. Paul along with Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith. The visit was made in light of President Joe Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act into law Aug. 16, which will now allow public power to …
As summer draws to a close, Great River Energy and its member-owner cooperatives are looking back on a season of reliable electric service despite news coverage and warnings about a shortage of electricity in the Midwest. Even though the Midwest electric system had less surplus electricity than prior summers, the region still had nearly 8% …
Eighteen students visiting from the Ukraine recently toured Great River Energy’s Maple Grove headquarters and received a taste of home during the event. The students, ages 13 through 18, were in Minnesota as part of a five-week business and entrepreneurship program sponsored by Global Synergy Group, a nonprofit whose goal is to strengthen communities in …
Ukrainian students learn about leadership, energy during tour Read More »
More than 3,400 young Minnesota Twins fans were able to learn the fundamentals of baseball and softball for free this past summer through a long-standing partnership between the Major League Baseball club and Great River Energy. Created in 1961 by Twins scout Angelo Guiliani, the Play Ball! Minnesota youth clinics serve as a way to …
Humans are creatures of habit, settling into routines and rarely disrupting them unless advantages are presented by alternatives. But more people are finding themselves breaking out of their comfort zones — even if just for a few minutes — to feel what it could be like if they owned an all-electric vehicle (EV). Utilities like …
Experience, education inspire the switch to electric vehicles Read More »
Great River Energy’s member-owner cooperatives today approved the agreements required for Connexus Energy to transition from member-owner to customer of Great River Energy. Great River Energy will continue to supply wholesale energy to Connexus Energy, and the new agreements will establish a contractual framework for Connexus Energy to secure more of its own power supply …
Membership approves customer arrangement with Connexus Energy Read More »
Great River Energy recently hosted an event that featured the state’s largest collection of electric utility fleet-specific vehicles to showcase how the technology is being applied to transportation options within the utility industry. Vehicles ranging from a cargo van to a mini excavator and even a hybrid bucket truck— all powered by electricity — were …
Electric fleet vehicles present advantages for utilities Read More »
The electric system in northern Minnesota is stronger today, thanks to a new Great River Energy transmission project near Bigfork. A ribbon-cutting event was recently held to celebrate the completion of a new 14-mile, 69-kilovolt transmission line Great River Energy constructed that connects the new North Itasca Electric Cooperative substation to the electric grid. The …
Completed transmission project will meet new demand for members Read More »