As a homeowner, you may wonder how your co-op makes sure that there is enough power to meet your needs while ensuring reliability, especially with the increasing number of alternative energy resources popping up in the area. The reality is that keeping your lights on is a collaborative effort.

At the heart of our energy supply strategy is a partnership with Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA), our transmission and generation partner. WVPA employs a diverse mix of energy sources, including natural gas, coal, wind, solar, and nuclear energy. The important thing is that they use a balanced approach and don’t rely on one single energy source.

Additionally, the ongoing investment in the co-op facilities is critical to ensuring that we can accommodate future energy demands while providing you with reliable service. Over the last few years, we have made a significant step in our commitment to enhancing our infrastructure through the many upgrades to our substations. Additionally, in 2024, we brought online a new substation in the Knox area in direct response to the community’s growing energy demands. We will begin constructing a new substation in the Union Mills area later this year.

Along with these projects, we recognize the importance of managing our existing infrastructure. Last year, we rebuilt 18 miles of power lines, and we have committed to maintaining this level of improvement, undertaking 18 miles of line upgrades each year for the next five years. This ongoing investment in our facilities is critical to ensuring that we can accommodate future energy demands while providing you with reliable service. 

Our operations team works each day to ensure that our systems run smoothly and are always prepared to meet your needs as they arise. Through routine inspections and proactive maintenance, we take steps within our control to ensure reliability. However, despite the best maintenance practices, natural wear and tear, accidental damage, weather conditions, and even animals can sometimes lead to outages. Additionally, we depend on external entities to deliver transmission power to our substations, and they may face similar challenges with their equipment. When these issues happen, it’s not due to our lack of attention but unforeseen situations that we couldn’t have anticipated.

Ultimately, our mission is to deliver dependable and affordable energy while responding to your needs and the changing energy landscape. We are committed to doing that and keeping the infrastructure strong and reliable!