When it comes to manmade marvels of modern design, there’s nothing quite like the American electric grid.

Consider its scope for a moment. There are nearly 10,000 generation plants in the United States, creating a total capacity of a million megawatts that travels more than 600,000 miles of transmission lines across the country to our communities.

Boosted by individual expertise and infrastructural improvements, our nation’s grid is safe, affordable, and reliable. It has sustained our needs for quite some time. But like any institution, it must evolve to keep pace with historic energy demands, consistent growth, weather uncertainty, and emerging technologies.

Our everyday use of alternative energy systems and energy-efficient technologies will increase, introducing opportunities to help sustain America’s electric grid for generations to come. This evolution defines the notion of energy transformation — both a centerpiece of July’s Indiana Connection and Tipmont’s strategic focus in the years ahead.

On page 6, you will meet Alex and Pam Pilotte of Lafayette and learn about their endeavors in energy efficiency. As you will see, they’ve made some major changes. But with help from Tipmont experts, they saw a big difference even when starting small, and so can you.

To learn more about energy transformation — including strategic Tipmont initiatives, terms to know, and the role you can play to help — visit tipmont.com/energytransformation.

SMART METER PROJECT UPDATE

Advanced systems for electric metering and monitoring are crucial for effective energy transformation. In March, I was pleased to report that our plan to deploy over 28,000 new smart meters to Tipmont members was underway. We’re still on track to complete these upgrades by the end of 2026.

Want to know where we’re headed for the rest of this year? Visit tipmont.com/ami and click on the Deployment Schedule button. The areas in color on the map indicate where we will be upgrading meters through the end of 2024. As this project continues into 2025 and 2026, we will update that map with our planned schedules for those years.

FIND US AT THE FAIRS

We hope you’re enjoying the summer so far, and we’re once again looking forward to seeing you at upcoming county fairs in:

• Fountain County
  

  July 13 and 17

• Montgomery County
  

  July 15 and 16

• Tippecanoe County
  

  July 19-25

Do you have a question you would like to ask us? Visit our booth at any of these county fairs on the dates listed above.

While you’re at it, pencil in the 2024 Annual Meeting, it will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds and drive-thru locations at the fairgrounds, as well as in Linden and Battle Ground.