Power Plays

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.

Five years ago, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative launched a multifaceted member engagement initiative to determine what types of energy offerings and other services its communities were seeking. That engagement led the co-op to transform its business model to meet emerging member preferences including more renewable energy sources, broadband and electric vehicle charging. In this episode of Power Plays, CoBank’s Tamra Reynolds speaks with Luis Reyes, CEO of Kit Carson Electric, for insights on how the co-op has thrived during its transformative journey.

Vermont Electric Cooperative has committed to procuring a zero-carbon emission power supply by 2023. In this bonus track of Power Plays, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds speak with Rebecca Towne, CEO of Vermont Electric, to learn more about how the initiative fits within the co-op’s long-term strategy and how co-op members are embracing the transition to cleaner energy sources. Towne also talks about the opportunity for rural electric co-ops to help lead their communities through the clean energy transition. 

Roanoke Electric Cooperative is participating in a ground-breaking pilot program designed to test vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability. The program brings together a diverse group of collaborators with a vested interest in the potential value of emerging V2G technology. In this episode of Power Plays, CoBank’s Tamra Reynolds speaks with Curtis Wynn, CEO of Roanoke Electric, to learn more about its role in the project and how it fits within the cooperative’s focus on developing programs that give members greater control of their energy costs. 

As more consumers produce and store electricity at home, the traditional relationship between electric cooperatives and their members is shifting. Trico Electric embraced the changing marketplace and is helping members on the solar adoption journey. In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds talk with Trico Electric’s Eric Hawkins and Laree St. Onge to learn how a flexible outlook helped the co-op remain true to its member mission as it pivoted business operations.

Renewable energy’s success hinges not only on generation, but also on storage - so it’s available when we need it. That’s where batteries come in. In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds are joined by Simon Price, CEO of Exawatt, to explore what’s ahead for both EV and stationary batteries. From the promise of sodium and iron as battery materials, to the difficulty of getting to the nexus of cost, performance and reliability, Price reveals what electric co-ops might expect from the next generation of battery storage.

Rural electric cooperatives have developed some of the largest and most advanced renewable energy projects in the country. To maintain that momentum, rural communities need to find strategies that ensure clean energy transition happens with them, not to them. In this episode, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds speak with two policy experts to understand how clean energy can be equitably developed for rural communities. Listen to their conversation with Dr. Gabriel Chan of the University of Minnesota and Dr. Keith Taylor from the University of California, Davis for insights.

Austin Energy built one of the most comprehensive and successful electric vehicle programs in the country. In this episode of Power Plays, CoBank’s Teri Viswanath and Tamra Reynolds speak with Karl Popham, manager of electric vehicles and emerging technologies at Austin Energy. Popham spearheaded the utility’s EV program, which launched in 2011 and today includes 30 separate initiatives how to engage consumers. Popham provides valuable and rarely heard insights about what EV adoption means from a consumer engagement perspective and shares critical details on load and revenue opportunities.