Eversheds Sutherland Coop Law Blog
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Co-op Consortium Selected for $45M in DOE Funding for Rural Microgrids

DOE announced Feb. 27 that it will negotiate $45.2 million in funding for seven electrical cooperatives under the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations’ Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas Program in order to build a range of microgrids to improve grid resiliency and reliability for remote and economically challenged communities across the country.

San Miguel Power Association Assessing Microgrids to Increase Resilience

San Miguel Power Association (SMPA) is developing community-scale microgrids for remote Colorado towns in the San Juan Mountains, aiming to enhance resilience against blizzards and avalanches. Last winter, Silverton faced a severe “snowpocalypse” leaving residents without electricity until SMPA lineworkers managed a quick restoration, prompting the co-op to pursue...

John C. Lee Jr. Appointed as President and CEO of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative

John C. Lee Jr. has been appointed as the new president and CEO of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) following a nationwide search. Lee, who had been serving as ODEC’s interim president and CEO since September 2023, previously held CEO positions at Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative and EMPOWER Broadband. ODEC’s board of directors expressed confidence in Lee’s...

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation to Build Kansas’s Largest Commercial Solar Facility

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is collaborating on a 150-megawatt solar energy project near its Dodge City facility, slated for operation in the first half of 2026. This project, named the Boot Hill Solar Project, will be Sunflower’s largest solar facility, providing on-peak renewable energy to its members in western Kansas. The project is supported by Victory Electric...

Dairyland to Construct New Long-Range Transmission

Dairyland Power Cooperative announced plans to build a 354 kV transmission line from Blair to Alma. The work is part of a 150-mile long-range transmission project in southern Minnesota.

Alabama Cooperatives Receive Grants to Build Broadband

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will administer $188 million in grants to expand high-speed internet in the state. Beneficiaries include Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Cullman Electric Cooperative, Joe Wheeler Electric Membership Corp., and Tombigbee Electric Cooperative.

Flathead Electric Cooperative Concerned Over Removal of Dams

Officials from Flathead Electric Cooperative, the second largest electricity provider in Montana, warn of an energy crisis if the Biden administration proceeds with plans to remove four dams on the lower Snake River. The co-op contends that this could increase electricity rates, as the dams contribute around 1,004 megawatts each year to the region. The proposal to remove the dams is...