Eversheds Sutherland Coop Law Blog
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Trico Electric Cooperative Participates in Light up Navajo Program

Employees of Trico Electric Cooperative are the first Arizona participants in the Light Up Navajo program to provide electricity to members of the Navajo Nation in Chile, Arizona.
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United Power announces 20 year battery storage contract

Colorado cooperative United Power, Inc. announced a 20 year agreement for battery storage throughout their service territory designed to integrate renewable resources and balance their load. Ameresco Inc, a cleantech integrator will install the 78.3 MW, 313.34 MWh batteries.
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Leaders from Electric Cooperatives Testify to USDA on Farm Bill Recommendations

Leaders from electric cooperatives testified before the USDA on programs that are being considered in the 2023 farm bill that have been valuable to electric cooperative and the rural communities they...
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Florida Cooperatives Receive Federal Funds for Rural Broadband Expansion Projects

Five Florida electric cooperatives and their broadband partner have collectively secured nearly $56 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funding to deploy multi-gigabit-capable fiber-to-the-home networks in rural communities. The expansion is expected to span 20 counties and serve the cooperatives’ nearly 100,000 members.
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South Carolina Cooperative to Open Housing Facility for Linemen

Aiken Electric Cooperative recently announced it will open a storm restoration and community center in September 2023 that will serve linemen in the area responding to storm-related power outages. The cooperative expects the facility to improve response times and increase morale.
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New Environmental Rules Threaten Reliability

In addition to recent reliability issues caused by demand for electricity exceeding supply, nine new environmental rules are threatening to cause additional issues for electric cooperatives.
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Carbon Capture Project Moves Into Final Development Stage

Minnkota Power Cooperative has announced that Project Tundra is moving into its final stage of project development. The project combines decades of energy industry expertise to build one of the world’s largest carbon capture projects in North Dakota.
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Minnesota Cooperative Increases Commitment to “Pollinator Strong” Pledge

Great River Energy (GRE) recently announced its plans to plant and restore 300 acres of pollinator-friendly habitat across current and future sites in addition to the 300 acres it has already restored. The move reflects GRE’s commitment to being a good steward of the environment while providing reliable energy to its members. In addition to environmental benefits, pollinator habitats help maintain service reliability by reducing the risk of plant material impacting overhead lines and towers.
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National Environmental Policy Act to Streamline Permitting and Environmental Review

Congress recently passed reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act as part of the bipartisan agreement to raise the country’s debt limit. The law, which NRCEA supported, is expected to expedite the permitting process for electric cooperatives, requiring environmental impact statements to be done with two years and less intensive environmental assessments to be completed within one year.
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Florida Cooperatives Providing Broadband Now Subject to State Pole Attachment Regulations

Florida recently enacted a law subjecting electric cooperatives that provide broadband service to pole attachment regulation by the Florida Public Service Commission. Florida previously maintained the same regulatory exemption for electric cooperative poles as Federal law, but now if an electric cooperative in any way provides broadband service, then it will be subject to Florida’s pole attachment rules.
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Minnesota Cooperatives Seek Federal Funds for Small-Scale Utility and Electrification Projects

A partnership of Minnesota electric cooperatives and utilities, including Arrowhead Electric Cooperative and Wild Rice Electric Cooperative and its transmission supplier, Minnkota, are seeking $240 million in federal funds to advance roughly 300 small-scale utility and electrification projects throughout the state. The U.S. Department of Energy is expected to announce grant awards later this year.
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Cooperatives Push Congress to Focus on Grid Reliability

David Tudor, CEO of Missouri-based Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., is urging Congress to focus on electric system reliability, including permitting and environmental review reforms, to allow cooperatives to build new generation and transmission infrastructure in a timely and cost-effective way. North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s 2023 Summer Reliability Assessment recently highlighted the new electric reliability challenges facing the country.
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Texas Electric Cooperative Awarded Government Defense Contract

Rio Grande Electric Cooperative, Inc. has been awarded an over $8.7 million 50-year contract for electric utility services for the United States Air Force.
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Groundbreaking on Basin Electric Power Cooperative Carbon Capture Partnership

Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries joined with state officials in Gillette, Wyoming to break ground on two facilities designed to use carbon captured at Basin Electric’s Dry Fork Station. The facilities will be the largest non-solvent-based capture plant in the world and will collect the flue gas produced by the 405-megawatt station, coal-based station.
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