A recent accident near Wanda, Minnesota, left more than 700 cooperative member-consumers without power for several hours after a truck hit a power line and brought down two utility poles. Not only did the incident cause an outage, it also created an unsafe situation. Although crews from Great River Energy and member-owner Redwood Electric Cooperative […]
At the center of every employee’s job at Great River Energy is a commitment to working safely. Every employee, regardless of position, is encouraged and empowered to speak up when they see hazards or ways to improve safety. Acting on those comments, Great River Energy’s leaders work with their teams to create a culture of […]
Great River Energy had a historic year for safety in 2020, recording the lowest injury rates in its 21-year history. As employees take on new projects in 2021, they are encouraged to learn from good catches and near misses to continuously improve the safety culture. Great River Energy’s remarkable safety scores are particularly impressive given […]
At the center of every job, project and task at Great River Energy is a commitment to keeping people safe This year has dramatically changed how Great River Energy conducts business. Some employees are working remotely, while others have incorporated social distancing and masks into their daily routines. They take these measures seriously because they […]
An unmanned aircraft system (UAS)—or drone—was needed to safely complete recent work on a transmission line project led by Great River Energy for one of its member-owner cooperatives. A portion of the Elisha to Pine Point project required crossing Hay Creek near Park Rapids, Minnesota. This vegetative wetland is hard to travel by foot and […]
Great River Energy’s employees have successfully served its 28 member-owner cooperatives throughout the pandemic. Nearly half of the cooperative’s employees have continued reporting to their work locations to ensure reliable electricity keeps flowing to member-owners, while the other half have worked remotely since March 12 as a result of the coronavirus. “Great River Energy is […]
Extraordinary times and extraordinary measures – these are the kinds of scenarios that people who manage risk for electric cooperatives think long and hard about year in and year out, even when things are going smoothly. This kind of thinking is what prepared Great River Energy to continue reliable service when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic […]
Employees who are trained and equipped on life saving skills are essential. As a cooperative that serves much of rural Minnesota, Great River Energy employees are strategically located to ensure fast restoration of power and can assist in emergency situations, if called upon. Two employees went above and beyond in separate emergency situations and were […]
Yesterday’s snow and ice caused widespread destruction on the powerline system, leaving thousands of electric cooperative members without power. With more than 323 transmission line structures down on their system and 15 substations without power, Great River Energy, wholesale power supplier 28 member-owner cooperatives, asks for patience and urges the public to beware of downed […]
The storm we are experiencing across the state is having a severe impact on the electric system for Great River Energy, its member-owner cooperatives, and our neighboring utilities. We have approximately 200 structures down on our transmission system and we understand that our neighboring utilities have approximately 150 structures down on their systems. As the […]