CFC Solutions Cast

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) President and CEO Jeff Wadsworth, PVREA Energy Resources Specialist Tony Francone and PVREA Engineer Jeremy Eldridge about a new microgrid and battery storage system.

Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, PVREA uses the microgrid and battery storage system to enhance resilience for the Red Feather Lakes community, which faces frequent challenges from wildfires, winter storms and tornadoes.

Wadsworth, Francone and Eldridge discuss how the microgrid and battery storage project came about and the components involved, including an 8-kilowatt photovoltaic system, a 130-kW propane generator and a 140-kW/446-kWh Tesla Powerpack battery. The trio also discuss lessons learned from implementing the project and how it fits in with PVREA’s commitment to the seventh cooperative principle, “Concern for Community.” 

Tune in to hear the critical insights PVREA shares about implementing an effective microgrid and battery storage system to reduce vulnerabilities to the effects of extreme weather and ensure reliability for member-owners. 

In the first episode of the second season of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) General Manager Bob Marshall and PSREC Engineering and Operations Manager Jason Harston about protecting poles and other parts of utility infrastructure from the devastating effects of wildfires.

PSREC, based in Portola, California, has enhanced its approach to wildfire mitigation in recent years by implementing a number of new measures, including mastication, fire-resistant mesh and flame retardant. 

Marshall and Harston discuss how PSREC leverages these different tools, as well as their experience with gaining support from the board, and how members feel about the cooperative’s wildfire mitigation measures. The duo also discuss lessons learned and its approach to managing liability risk.

Tune in to hear the critical insights PSREC shares about implementing effective wildfire mitigation measures to protect cooperative members and utility infrastructure. 

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative President and CEO Jeremy Richert and NRTC Vice President of Smart Grid, Advisory and Networks Joe Walsh as they discuss the importance of smart grid enablers when planning for smart grid applications.

Maquoketa Valley, based in Anamosa, Iowa, has implemented multiple smart grid applications over the last 20 years including AMI metering, SCADA upgrades, system automation, data analytics, and their most recent application, MVLink, a fiber smart grid network. 

Richert and Walsh discuss how cooperative leadership, communications and automation of technology each play an important role in developing the foundation needed for successful smart grid application deployments.

Tune in to hear the leadership insights Maquoketa Valley shares about the importance of utilizing smart grid enablers when planning for advanced technology and fiber applications.

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Roanoke Electric Cooperative CEO Marshall Cherry and Cobb Electric Membership Corporation Vice President of Power Supply, Rates and DER Strategy Tim Jarrell as they discuss their rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging programs, member adoption and how member feedback is driving improvements.

Roanoke, based in northeast North Carolina, has the lowest population density in the state and recently implemented a strategic vision, called Vision 2025, to drive the cooperative to implement services that are more efficient for its member-owners.

Cobb, based in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, is the polar opposite of Roanoke—very dense and urban—but has similar goals of ensuring its products and services satisfy member needs.

While both systems took different approaches to meet member EV charging requirements, the cooperatives are focused on providing charging solutions that are a win-win for members to save money and ensure EVs are plugged in during off-peak times. 

Listen to the Solutions Cast to find out what Cobb and Roanoke have in store for the future as member EV adoption increases in both urban and rural areas.

Learn More About Cobb and Roanoke Rate Design Studies and New Program Offerings

See “CFC Helps Cobb EMC Offer Multiple Rate Options to Members,” Solutions News Bulletin, Jan. 11, 2021, to learn more about the rate design study that helped develop Cobb’s time-of-use rate program.

See “CFC Helps Roanoke EC Launch New EV Subscription Rate Program,” Solutions News Bulletin, March 8, 2021, to learn more about the rate design study that helped develop Roanoke’s EV subscription rate program.

Minnesota-based Dakota Electric Association is implementing an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) meter data management (MDM) and load management system, including all the integration and internal processes to use the data. The cooperative is in the final stages of exchanging 120,000 meters and about halfway done with replacing 50,000 load control devices.

Dakota kicked off the MDM project in 2013 by identifying its technology needs and developing a vision of what success looked like with a diverse cross-functional team. That led to the creation of a plan to update its customer information system (CIS) and build a foundation to support the flow of data. The plan included working with its generation and transmission cooperative and installing fiber to its substations.

Due to the cost of the project, it was imperative to educate its board as well as the cooperative’s senior leadership team on the project plan and risk analysis. Dakota used a unique exercise to have two groups of three board members and senior management present pros and cons of the project to better understand the plans to mitigate risk. The exercise worked. Board members and senior leadership gained a better understanding of the project, potential risks and how they would be addressed.

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Dakota Senior Principal and Regulatory Engineer Craig Turner and NRTC Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Greg Santoro as they discuss how Dakota’s smart grid load management project identified and mitigated risk, leveraged other cooperatives’ experience implementing similar technology, piloted the software and integration before moving forward and incorporated the lessons learned throughout the project.

Alaska-based Homer Electric Association recently completed the construction and initial testing of a 46.5 megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) located at its Soldotna Generation and Substation facility. The BESS is made up of 37 battery units capable of delivering 93 megawatt-hours over a two-hour period and was built to increase grid stability, electric power reliability and system efficiency.

Due to the area’s unique geography, HEA has one 15 kilovolt transmission line that connects the cooperative to the rest of the grid via Anchorage. When the transmission line goes down, the system is essentially isolated, or “islanded.” Being islanded can potentially cost HEA an extra $24,000 per day in natural gas fuel costs. The BESS has the potential to avoid those additional fuel costs, saving the cooperative and its members significant amounts of money.

In this special two-part episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Homer Electric Association General Manager Brad Janorschke and CFC Vice President of Utility Research and Policy Jan Ahlen. During the first episode, Janorschke and Ahlen discuss how HEA’s distinctive geography creates generation and transmission challenges and how the new battery storage system will benefit the cooperative and its members. In the second episode, they cover how other cooperatives are using battery storage as well as HEA’s experience selecting a vendor and moving forward with building the system. 

Alaska-based Homer Electric Association recently completed the construction and initial testing of a 46.5 megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) located at its Soldotna Generation and Substation facility. The BESS is made up of 37 battery units capable of delivering 93 megawatt-hours over a two-hour period and was built to increase grid stability, electric power reliability and system efficiency.

Due to the area’s unique geography, HEA has one 115 kilovolt transmission line that connects the cooperative to the rest of the grid via Anchorage. When the transmission line goes down, the system is essentially isolated, or “islanded.” Being islanded can potentially cost HEA an extra $24,000 per day in natural gas fuel costs. The BESS has the potential to avoid those additional fuel costs, saving the cooperative and its members significant amounts of money.

In this special two-part episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Homer Electric Association General Manager Brad Janorschke and CFC Vice President of Utility Research and Policy Jan Ahlen. During the first episode, Janorschke and Ahlen discuss how HEA’s distinctive geography creates generation and transmission challenges and how the new battery storage system will benefit the cooperative and its members. In the second episode, they cover how other cooperatives are using battery storage as well as HEA’s experience selecting a vendor and moving forward with building the system. 

Northeastern Rural Electric Membership Corporation (NREMC) is speeding up its plans to deploy three additional batteries to be operational by the end of May 2022—almost a year ahead of schedule—due to the successful operation of its first two batteries that came on-line in July 2021.

In August, NREMC charged its two batteries, 6 MW and 7 MW, with off-peak power and then successfully shaved its peak power needs with 100 percent of the batteries’ capacity. The cooperative saved $1.6 million on one of its peak days that cost it $4,500 to charge with off-peak power.

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with NREMC President and CEO Eric Jung about how battery storage is reducing the cooperative’s transmission costs, the assumptions and expectations of managing battery storage on its system, real-world results from this summer and why it is so important to select the right vendor.

Jung also will share his top three insights on battery storage that can help other cooperative leaders who are considering battery storage for their systems.

Inflation is currently the talk of the financial news networks with ominous headlines and warnings about what’s to come. The rise in prices causes everyone to pay more for goods and services, including electric cooperatives for their operations.

With the economy growing at just under 7 percent and supply imbalances creating bottlenecks, economists are wondering where inflation is headed near term. The Federal Reserve thinks the demand shock of the economy reopening earlier this year along with supply constraints caused by global shipping backlogs will subside. Investors aren’t so sure and may be looking to shift to safer securities.

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with John Suter, CFC’s vice president of economic research, and Matt Wade, CFC’s vice president of asset liability management, who provide insights on what’s driving inflation today, how it compares with pre-pandemic levels, where it’s headed and what it means for electric cooperatives.

The evolving rate design landscape is being driven by new technologies, providing electric cooperatives with access to more data and insights as they adapt to changing consumer-member behaviors and needs. 

Learn how smart meter data are playing an important role in the process, what factors are behind today’s rate design and what these changes could mean for electric cooperatives. 

·       How can technology investments affect rate design decisions?

·       What is causing rate design to change? 

·       What are the top challenges cooperatives are facing? 

In this episode of Solutions Cast, we chat with Jason Strong, CFC’s vice president of Regulatory Affairs, who shares his experience helping electric cooperatives research, design and implement rate changes. Hear about rate design challenges and opportunities and the benefits to electric cooperatives and consumer-members across the network.