Basin Electric and Geronimo Energy Announce Solar PPA
Posted on Feb 19, 2020
Basin Electric and Geronimo Energy announced the execution of a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the Wild Springs Solar Project. This project is a 128 MW solar project located in South Dakota, and is expected to begin operations in 2022.
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FCC Chairman Looks at Michigan’s Rural Broadband
Posted on Feb 12, 2020
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai visited Michigan to get a firsthand look at Midwest Energy & Communications’ (MEC) broadband initiative. Pai’s trip preceded the vote on the rules for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), a $20.4 billion reverse auction aimed at bringing high-speed internet to the country’s unserved communities. Pai heralded MEC’s initiative, funded by a precursor to RDOF, as highly successful and thinks RDOF will help further address the challenges presented by rural...
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PSCW Grants Approval for 149 MW Solar Facility
Posted on Feb 3, 2020
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) recently granted approval for Ranger Power’s Badger State Solar facility, with the entire 149 MW renewable energy output to be purchased by Dairyland Power Cooperative. Badger State Solar will bring hundreds of construction jobs to the area and will ultimately generate enough renewable energy to power over 20,000 homes. Construction of Badger State Solar will begin in 2021 with commercial operation commencing in...
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CEO of Oregon Coop Warns of Impact of Federal Government Delays on Wildfire Risk
Posted on Jan 30, 2020
Dave Markham, President and CEO of Central Electric Cooperative, Inc., an electric cooperative in Redmond, Oregon, testified before two subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee regarding how delays in federal action have affected the wildfire mitigation efforts of electric cooperatives located near federal lands.
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Minnesota Coops Participate in Indoor Food Production Research Initiative
Posted on Jan 30, 2020
Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative (“TWEC”), a distribution electric cooperative in Minnesota, and Great River Energy, TWEC’s generation and transmission electric cooperative in Minnesota, are each collaborating with the Electricity Power Research Institute on a two-year study to provide valuable data on the electric load requirements for indoor food production containers. As part of this study, TWEC is providing electricity to a shipping container designed to produce sustainable crops for distribution within TWEC’s service...
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USDA Accepting Second Round ReConnect Applications
Posted on Jan 28, 2020
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin accepting applications for the second round of the USDA ReConnect Program beginning on Friday, January 31. This round, which will total $550 million, will continue toward the goal of partnering with the private sector to improve broadband to rural communities.
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Coop Leaders Meet with FCC to Discuss Broadband
Posted on Jan 28, 2020
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released draft ground rules for obtaining funding from the Rural Development Opportunity Fund, an auction that will allocate a total of $20.4 billion to support the development of broadband networks in rural America. Coop leaders, including BARC CEO Mike Keyser and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) CEO Jim Matheson, took action to meet with the FCC, pressing to adopt rules that will maximize the impact of allocated funding to help bridge the digital...
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Tri-State Announces Retirement of Coal Generation in Colorado and New Mexico
Posted on Jan 13, 2020
On January 9, 2020, not-for-profit cooperative wholesale power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (Tri-State) announced the retirement of its remaining New Mexico coal-fired power plant by the end of 2020 and its remaining Colorado coal plants and coal mine by 2030. Tri-State believes that the retirement of these coal facilities will further its members’ clean energy and affordability needs and promote fundamental changes in the...
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House Passes RURAL Act
Posted on Dec 18, 2019
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed the Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands Act of 2019, the RURAL Act. The RURAL Act will protect more than 900 electric coops from the risk of losing their tax-exempt status when they accept government grants for disaster relief, broadband service and other programs that benefit coop members. The Senate is expected to pass the bill later this week, and the President is expected to sign it into law.
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Alabama Cooperatives Receive USDA Funding to Improve Rural Broadband
Posted on Dec 9, 2019
Four companies will use $62.3 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand rural broadband infrastructure to parts of Alabama. Specifically, Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, Millry Telephone Co., Farmers Telecommunication Cooperative and National Telephone of Alabama are using grants from the USDA to improve e-connectivity. More than 8,000 rural households, 57 farms, 44 businesses, 17 educational facilities, 14 critical community facilities and three health care facilities in rural Alabama will benefit from the new...
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Central Electric to Purchase Power from South Carolina Solar Project
Posted on Dec 4, 2019
Central Electric Power Cooperative (Central Electric) announced plans to purchase 150 MW of solar power at two locations in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. According to local paper, The Post and Courier, Google has committed to buying power from one of the farms.
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Coops Work to Make EV Charging More Convenient
Posted on Nov 20, 2019
Western Farmers Electric Cooperative is working with Frances Renewable Energy, distribution cooperatives, investor-owned utilities and other entities across Oklahoma to develop electric vehicle (EV) charging stations within an hour’s drive, anywhere in the state, by early 2020.
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Basin Signs PPA with Enel Green Power
Posted on Nov 19, 2019
Enel Green Power North America has started construction of the 299 MW Aurora wind farm in North Dakota, which is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2020. Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin) entered into a 23-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 142 MW portion of the Aurora wind farm.
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Coop to Issue Request for Proposal for Solar and Wind
Posted on Nov 19, 2019
Basin Electric Power Cooperative will be issuing a Request for Proposal for solar and wind power proposals in the Southwest Power Pool and Midcontinent Independent System Operator Zone 1 or 3.
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