Great River Energy crews installed 11 special foundations known as “helical bucket piles” on the Portage Lake to Palisade power line project due to the lines crossing swampy land. Typical wood pole construction entails drilling a large hole, about 3 feet wide by 15 to 20 feet deep, and setting the pole in the open […]
Special foundations used for transmission lines crossing swampy land Read More »
Prisma Photonics’ state of the art technology leverages existing fiber optic infrastructure to enable real-time grid monitoring for extreme weather threats like icing and wildfires Great River Energy, the not-for-profit power cooperative serving 1.7 million people across Minnesota and Wisconsin, today announced a partnership with Prisma Photonics to deploy its PrismaPower™ monitoring technology across approximately
Great River Energy to be involved in 3 projects, including 765-kV ‘superhighway’ MISO approved of a new set of high-voltage transmission projects on Thursday, Dec. 12, that will help energy companies in the Upper Midwest, like Great River Energy, continue to deliver reliable energy and expand a robust electrical grid that features more carbon-free renewable
MISO approves historic portfolio of high-voltage electric transmission lines Read More »
Great River Energy recently completed the expansion of its St. James Service Center following a complex, year-long project that doubled the size of the existing office and shop. Transmission technicians, equipment and maintenance materials are strategically located at service centers throughout Great River Energy’s service territory to help ensure reliable, responsive service to Minnesota cooperatives
Service center expansion provides boost to local reliability Read More »
Dick Pursley, director of transmission services at Great River Energy, was recently presented with this year’s HERO Award from Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO). The annual HERO Award serves as a peer recognition program for individuals who set standards of excellence aligned with the principles of high-reliability organizations. MRO’s mission is to identify, prioritize and assure
Pursley recognized for reliability excellence Read More »
Great River Energy is one of 12 cooperative electric utilities across the country selected to negotiate contracts for over $97 million in federal infrastructure funding. The funding will be provided through the Department of Energy’s $10.5 billion Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, which was created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 to
Great River Energy receives $15.4M for grid initiatives Read More »
Great River Energy has long had a focus on resiliency. That means the cooperative is strengthening electric infrastructure and making it less susceptible to damage. At the same time, Great River Energy is enhancing the way it recovers from damage that does occur in order to minimize disruptions. Many resilience initiatives have been accomplished with
A continued focus on resiliency Read More »
Great River Energy recently had the privilege of hosting students from Anoka Hennepin School District at its Elk River campus. The group of 45 high school students learned about various electrical technician roles at Great River Energy, toured the Elk River Substation, performed hands on substation apparatus activities and rode in a bucket truck. “We
Students learn about electrical technician roles Read More »
Projects that will strengthen electricity reliability and open pathways for renewable energy in the Midwest are poised to take a major step forward this winter. Great River Energy, wholesale power provider to 27 member-owner distribution cooperatives in Minnesota, has been one of several utilities working with the region’s grid operator, MISO, over the last two
Construction of the eastern segment, Alexandria-Big Oaks, to start in 2025 Several regional energy companies are moving ahead with a new high-voltage transmission line that will increase the capability of the transmission system to reliably meet customer demand and deliver energy within the Upper Midwest, following Thursday’s unanimous approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.