Severe Weather Awareness Week, April 8-12, is a great time for Minnesotans to prepare for unpredictable and extreme Midwestern weather. Great River Energy and its 27 member-owner cooperatives and customers are always working to keep the power flowing to homes, farms and businesses. “During severe weather, such as tornados, straight-line winds and hail, it’s important …
Approximately 200 Great River Energy employees who work in transmission, power supply and business operations recently gathered for Safety Day. The entire day was dedicated to continuing to build and strengthen Great River Energy’s safety culture, particularly among those in safety-sensitive positions. This year’s emphasis was on speaking up and stopping work anytime there is …
Event emphasizes importance of speaking up for safety Read More »
Great River Energy recently launched a new safety campaign for employees called “Be the One” at the cooperative’s all-employee meeting. Be the One has a simple but critical message: Any employee has the authority to speak up for safety or to stop work if they have a safety concern. Great River Energy has hundreds of …
Utilities have long taken measures to make electric infrastructure more visible and less obstructive to plants and animals. A Great River Energy project in southwest Minnesota demonstrates a new approach to keeping birds safe. Due to avian strike concerns on the CapX2020 transmission line segment between the Lyon and Hazel substations near Cottonwood, Minnesota, Great …
The Jamestown Rural Fire Department’s newest truck has arrived and is ready to keep the community safe, thanks in part to a $25,000 donation from Great River Energy. The department covers a wide area surrounding Jamestown, North Dakota, including Great River Energy’s combined heat and power plant Spiritwood Station and the homes of many employees …
Great River Energy Vice President and Chief Power Supply Officer Jon Brekke recently visited the cooperative’s Cambridge Peaking Station where he met with employees to speak about mindfulness and safety. Great River Energy leaders regularly visit worksites to gain a better understanding about work happening in the field, provide an opportunity for employees to share …
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 »
Severe Weather Awareness Week is designed to refresh, remind and educate everyone about the seasonal threats from severe weather and how to avoid them. It’s also a great time to make and practice your emergency plan, refresh your emergency preparedness kit and revisit what to do should you encounter a downed power line. Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 17-21 in Minnesota, and a statewide tornado drill …
As Minnesotans prepare for extreme Midwestern weather during Severe Weather Awareness Week April 17-21, Great River Energy and its 27 member-owner cooperatives and customers are prepared to keep the power flowing to homes, farms and businesses. “Though most end-use members experience very little time without electricity, we do see an increase in disruption of electric …
During storm season, stay clear of downed power lines Read More »
When Stearns Electric Association wanted to attract a crowd of firefighters, police officers and other first responders to its warehouse for three hours of electric vehicle (EV) safety training on a Wednesday night last fall, the co-op relied on two powerful tools to drum up interest: its communications team and free food. The cooperative — …