The spirit of the rural electrification movement of the 1930s is alive today as electric cooperatives leverage federal support to close rural America’s digital divide. In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath, Tamra Reynolds and Doran Dennis showcase success stories from co-ops providing rural communities with reliable, affordable broadband access. Guests include Carl Meyerhoefer, senior vice president of business development at Conexon; Aaron Bennett, vice president of broadband development at NRTC; and Colin Wood, CEO of TWN Communications. Listen as they share the keys to effective broadband partnerships and multiple paths to a successful outcome. 

Around 15,000 fully electric or hybrid electric vehicles were traveling American roads in 2011; today that number exceeds 2 million and is accelerating rapidly. But is the U.S. power grid ready to meet the expanding charging needs? In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds are joined by a cast of experts to discuss the state of EV readiness in the U.S. Guests include Brian Sloboda of NRECA; Scott Hammond of Central Electric Power Cooperative and Peter Muhoro with Rappahannock Electric Cooperative. Listen to their discussion for insights from a variety of perspectives. 

Recorded in the CoBank booth at the NRECA Annual Conference, in this episode of Power Plays CoBank’s Teri Viswanath talks with Dave Hurst, energy services manager with Ford Motor Company. He reveals what the company has learned as it embraces the EV market. Plus, Dr. Gil Tal, director of the Electric Vehicle Research Center at UC Davis, unpacks the factors ahead for EV adoption – including manufacturers’ role to make or break the market.

The future of automobiles is clearly electric, and rural cooperatives across the U.S. are plugging in to ensure their communities are equipped with a robust EV charging infrastructure. In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds visit with Nate Boettcher, CEO of Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services in Wisconsin. Boettcher also serves as president of CHARGE EV, a coalition of nearly 70 co-ops that’s joined forces to build a thriving rural ecosystem for electric vehicle adoption. He explains why building regionally connected corridors will be critical for rural communities in the era of EVs. Plus, Brian Cavey, CoBank's senior vice president of government affairs, discusses the impact of two pieces of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that are critical to rural America—EV charging infrastructure and broadband access. 

Crypto currency mining operations are known as massive energy consumers. So how should electric utilities evaluate this new class of consumers when they ask for service? In this episode of Power Plays, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds interview an A-team of experts: journalist Jael Holzman with E&E News who covers crypto currency; former utility and power executive Steve Wright, who recently testified to Congress about the energy impact of crypto miners; and expert Elaine Johns, CEO of the technical consulting firm EnerVision, who shares how utilities can make a savvy strategic decision.

To keep a house comfortable and the temperature stable, the key is to trickle in the right amount of heating or cooling, instead of blasting it – like a shower instead of a bucket of water. In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds speak with Nate Adams, author of The Home Comfort Book, co-founder of HVAC 2.0, and a partner of Energy Smart Home Performance. Learn how HVAC equipment has improved in recent years, and the important role that energy from surfaces plays in determining a home’s comfort.

A decade ago, many referred to grid-connected energy storage as a solution without a problem. Now we know it's the enabler of the grid of the future. In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds speak with two battery storage industry leaders. Chris Wright, executive director of the energy storage practice for E3 Consulting, is a veteran battery storage developer. Dr. Peter Muhoro is chief strategy, technology and innovation officer at Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, the first co-op in Virginia to roll out a utility-scale battery. Listen for insights on how batteries are providing operators with flexibility and agility and what co-ops should consider before developing their own energy storage.

In this episode of Power Plays, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds celebrate National Co-op Month by sharing stories of innovation and resilience from five electric co-ops across the country. From keeping the heat on during the worst of a winter storm to providing internet service to customer-members in need, these stories will inspire.

MidSouth Electric Cooperative of Navasota, Texas experienced the worst of what winter storm Uri had to offer last February. But the co-op’s years of preparation and dedicated customer outreach minimized service disruptions. In this episode of Power Plays, CoBank’s Tamra Reynolds speaks with CEO Kerry Kelton to learn how the co-op’s efforts paid off when it mattered most.

Mohave Electric Cooperative listened to its members, and recently added broadband internet services through an innovative partnership with TWN Communications. In this bonus track of Power Plays, CoBank’s Tamra Reynolds speaks with Tyler Carlson, CEO of Mohave Electric, and Ami Rodriguez, VP of sales, marketing and business development at TWN Communications, to learn about why this strategic partnership approach provides the best result for Mohave co-op members.