Along Those Lines

Electric co-ops are increasingly looking at whether AI can make their operations more efficient and improve decision-making. Trico Electric Cooperative in Arizona has launched an AI program to help with things like writing, analysis and research. Next year, the co-op plans to start using cross-system AI agents to save time on key tasks and streamline workflows. Learn more from Trico's Brian Heithoff and James Freeman, and hear from NRECA's Venkat Banunarayanan on the AI landscape for co-ops.

The Department of Energy has been a key federal partner for electric co-ops as they maneuver unprecedented demand growth. DOE's Office of Electricity plays an important role in this partnership, overseeing opportunities to help co-ops expand and modernize their systems, including the $10.5 billion GRIP Program. Hear from Catherine Jereza, assistant secretary for the Office of Electricity, on DOE's work with co-ops to ensure affordable, reliable energy and the agency's Powering America Road Show.

Deployment is surging across the country for distributed energy resources, such as rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems, as well as EVs and their charging infrastructure. These assets can benefit the grid and co-op consumers by shaving loads during times of high demand, reducing energy bills and keeping the lights on amid power outages—but they also introduce new cybersecurity challenges. Learn more from NRECA's Carter Manucy and North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives' Cooper Cash.

With help from NRECA Broadband, co-ops providing internet service are boosting the quality of life in their communities. Federal funding is critical to that mission but comes with its own set of challenges. On this episode of Along Those Lines, we'll talk to NRECA's Erin Dobozy on how NRECA Broadband helps co-ops access these funding programs, and we'll hear about broadband success stories and policy priorities from Beacon Broadband's Val Early and Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications' Jeff Blagg.

The electric co-op workforce is on the cusp of big change, with a large portion of leadership and other employees nearing retirement age in the coming years. But succession planning involves more than hiring someone's replacement—it's about creating a co-op that's ready for the future. Hear from NRECA Director of Human Capital Planning & Compensation Delaine Orendorff, Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative President and General Manager Tim Burkhalter and Wells Rural Electric Co. CEO Thad Ballard.

When the Rural Electrification Act was signed in 1936, only 10% of U.S. farms and rural homes had power. But the REA helped achieve near universal electrification in rural America and is still vital to ensuring that co-ops can deliver affordable, reliable power, including through the RUS electric loan program. To mark the REA's 90th anniversary, we'll talk to NRECA CEO Jim Matheson and RUS Administrator Karl Elmshaeuser on the law's legacy and how co-ops continue to carry out its mission. 

Food deserts are a major challenge in rural America, leaving many communities without easy access to affordable, nutritious food. The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives is forging an ambitious solution to this problem. With help from a large new grant, the statewide's rural development center is launching a regional grocery and food hub to tackle hunger in north central North Dakota. Hear more about this project from NDAREC's Josh Kramer and Ellen Huber.

After decades of stagnant growth, U.S. power demand is set to jump in the years ahead. Data centers will be a big part of the increase, but other sources could rival those gains. On this episode of Along Those Lines, we take a closer look at these demand growth drivers with Lidija Sekaric, NRECA's vice president of innovation and emerging technology, and David Porter, vice president of electrification and sustainable energy strategy at EPRI.

On this episode of Along Those Lines, we're joined by NRECA Director of Safety Programs Ken Macken and Johnie Hendrix, vice president of risk management and training for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. Ken and Johnie will talk about new ways that NRECA, statewide organizations and co-ops are working to improve safety. They'll also give program highlights of the upcoming NRECA Safety Leadership Summit in St. Louis, Missouri, which is smashing past registration records.

Effective communication by electric co-ops—through good times and bad—builds member loyalty and better aligns and engages co-op employees. In this episode, Cherryland Electric Cooperative CEO Rachel Johnson, this year's winner of the J.C. Brown CEO Communication Leadership Award, shares her thoughts on how to leverage new and traditional media platforms to reach members and educate the public. She also gives tips on improving internal communication between co-op leadership and staff.