Along Those Lines

Earlier this month, Mike Partin was elected president of NRECA at the PowerXchange conference in Atlanta. Partin has been CEO of Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative in central Tennessee since 2015. He joined the co-op in 1998 and has represented Tennessee on the NRECA board of directors since 2019. Hear from Partin about his thoughts on leadership, what the future looks like for electric cooperatives and what specific things he'll focus on during his two-year tenure as president.

The 2024 elections were pivotal for policies affecting electric co-ops. President Donald Trump's victory and Republicans' majorities in Congress could bring major changes to environmental rules, permitting requirements, funding programs and tax incentives that touch on co-ops' daily operations. Hear from NRECA's Louis Finkel about what those changes could be and what they mean for co-ops, as well as how co-op leaders can engage with policymakers.

NRECA's annual gathering of members is a critical touchpoint for co-ops and a place to exchange ideas and stay connected. 2025 PowerXchange and TechAdvantage come amid a period of unprecedented disruption—soaring demand from data centers and other load drivers, shrinking supply caused by misguided federal and state policies, and increasing changes in co-op leadership and work culture. Hear from NRECA's Erin Pressley about how this year's events will help attendees confront today's challenges.

The Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan was shut down in 2022 but is on a path to be repowered by late next year—an unprecedented project that wouldn't be possible without the involvement of the two Midwestern generation and transmission cooperatives that signed long-term agreements to purchase power from the plant. Hear from Wolverine Power Cooperative's Eric Baker and Hoosier Energy's Donna Walker about how co-ops became involved in this historic effort.

Electric co-ops in the Southeast grappled with unprecedented damage from back-to-back hurricanes this fall, with Helene and Milton making landfall just a couple of weeks apart. This month, we hear from the CEOs of two of the many electric cooperatives impacted by these storms to talk about their preparation, response and recovery: Matt Stanley of Laurens Electric Cooperative in South Carolina and David Lambert of Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative in Florida.

Electric co-ops have always been energy innovation leaders, but a surge in public funding is taking that to the next level. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes billions for clean energy projects—including the New ERA program designed specifically for co-ops—and the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law funded a wide range of programs that benefit co-ops. Hear from NRECA's Lauren Khair, Golden Valley Electric Association's Travis Million and Flathead Electric Cooperative's Jason Williams.

Artificial intelligence, with its remarkable ability to digest and analyze enormous amounts of data, has nearly limitless positive applications for utilities. But it could be used just as effectively as a malicious tool by hackers and scammers. Co-ops are moving cautiously with AI, finding ways to safely implement new, enhanced systems while marginalizing tools that could increase cyber risk. Learn more from NRECA's Carter Manucy as well as Dairyland Power Cooperative's Nate Melby and Vlad Tsoy.

Nestled along the upper Mississippi River and surrounded by farms and villages tucked into rolling hills, the town of Galena, Illinois, has charm to spare and regularly ranks among the country's top small towns to visit. Now, with the coming of high-speed internet, Galena is seeing a surge not only in tourism but in new residents—and the driver behind this trend is the local electric co-op. Hear from JCE Co-op officials and Galena residents on how broadband can transform rural communities.

Scams that target electric utility consumers have been around for almost as long as the industry itself, with criminals using the latest technologies over the years to defraud victims. Electric co-ops have a unique advantage in combating scams, being locally owned, community focused and eager to share information with one another. Learn more from Monica Martinez of Utilities United Against Scams and Joan O'Fallon of Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative.

The 2024 hurricane season could be especially challenging for electric co-ops and their members. NOAA is predicting above-normal Atlantic hurricane activity with up to 25 named storms—a record high for its May forecast. Learn more from Matt Rosencrans, lead hurricane outlook forecaster with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, and hear from Jeff Davis Electric Cooperative General Manager Mike Heinen about his co-op's efforts to strengthen its system against hurricane damage.