Members get behind-the-scenes look at electricity

A busload of Lake Country Power member-owners recently toured several facilities and areas owned by Great River Energy, their cooperative’s wholesale power provider, to get a look at what it takes to make and deliver the power they receive.

Throughout one day, the group of members were able to tour Great River Energy’s headquarters in Maple Grove, the cooperative’s Elk River campus — including a peaking plant — as well as a transmission substation.

“Our members enjoyed the power supply tour at Great River Energy so much and learned a lot,” said Lake Country Power Public Relations Coordinator Tami Zaun. “Bus tours are a great way to get to know one another on a more personal level, which helps cultivate beneficial connections within the co-op community.”   

Lake Country Power is a member-owner of Great River Energy.

Each stop along the way included presentations from several department representatives, including a welcome message from Vice President and Chief Corporate & Member Services Officer Lisa Orpen. In Maple Grove, members visited stations where they learned more about renewable energy; electric vehicles; and the process of buying, selling and managing risk in the wholesale energy market from experts in power supply, member services and power marketing, among others.

Once in Elk River, the group donned hard hats along with safety glasses to tour a peaking power plant. The day then wrapped up with a stop at a transmission substation to see where electricity begins its journey to homes and businesses.

Members reported that the tour was “informative” with portions of it offering a “better understanding” of the behind-the-scenes work that occurs to ensure them access to reliable, affordable power.

“It’s important to us as a cooperative that we offer educational opportunities to members who are interested in understanding more about where their power comes from,” said Daniel Becchetti, communications and marketing manager at Great River Energy. “That they also get to engage with and ask questions to the experts who work with their best interest in mind every day adds another layer to the experience that we are proud to provide.”