Hoosier Energy continues to be an industry leader on many fronts, including communication with members. The most recent example came when NRECA’s Charu Gupta asked Member Relations Specialist Justin Thompson to be part of a nationwide presentation on the use of Salesforce. Hoosier Energy joined EnergyUnited of North Carolina, Middle Tennessee EMC and Cowetta-Fayette…
In the past decade, South Central Indiana REMC has made its Energy Explorers Camp a fixture on the calendar for a mid-June Friday. In 2023, the camp came on the heels of some unwanted history as the worst storm – a derecho, in fact – to ever hit SCI territory came through the night…
Interns are like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. Never was that truer than when Hoosier Energy System Planning Manager Carl Field agreed to take on a rare high school intern from Bloomington North last August. “They reached out and had a senior interested in engineering,…
Capital credits are one of the unique aspects of cooperative membership. Explaining them can be as big of a mystery as the Bermuda Triangle with members either getting lost in the fog or just emerging with a treasured check in hand. The Utilities District of Western Indiana (UDWI) recently opted to clear the…
Tuesday saw the first Community Impact Week Event in Owen County, as a handful of Hoosier Energy employees helped pack approximately four pallets (160 boxes) of food, which were loaded along with other items on Wednesday. Volunteers also helped sort food in bins, broke down cardboard boxes for recycling and filled bags with applesauce…
Nobody gets a smooth ride. No one knows that better than electric cooperatives. So as Hoosier Energy marked its 75th anniversary at the 2024 Annual Meeting in French Lick, it was only fitting that the theme was Cooperative Resilience. With all 18 member cooperatives in attendance, this meeting wasn’t merely a look…
A video greeted arrivals at the 2024 Hoosier Energy Annual Meeting with pictures from the past and a 75th anniversary logo in the lower right corner. One might have expected that would mean the annual event at the French Lick Resort would spend time looking back to see how far Hoosier Energy had come.…
Some projects are for the birds, and some are because of the birds. It was a case of the latter for Hoosier Energy’s recent Redbird Line Rebuild. With a right of way running through the Redbird State Recreation Area in Greene County, last spring a hole was spotted in one of the poles…
Change is inevitable over the course of four decades. But at South Central Indiana REMC, there have been two constants – Rex Franklin and Jerry Pheifer. There hasn’t been a board of directors without the pair since the early 1980s. Pheifer came on board in 1982 with Franklin following suit a year…
A new year means a new chance to help communities and nonprofit organizations within Hoosier Energy territory. The means to do that comes from Hoosier Energy’s aptly titled Community Impact Fund. Or at least that’s the name it’s gone by for the past two years, previously known as the Corporate Contributions Account. “Each…
Hoosier Energy’s Michelle Lynch attended her first in-person PLMA (Peak Load Management Alliance) Conference just two years ago in Baltimore. It was the first post-COVID event for the member-led nonprofit organization. A subset of PLMA is another member of the alphabet soup family, ULME (Utility Load Management Exchange). While PLMA is made up of…
Indiana is one of the top states in the country for grain bin entrapments and fatalities. And while those numbers are usually in the single digits for a calendar year, one is still too many. To that end, Henry County REMC focused a portion of a farm safety training session held in conjunction…
Logan Wilson and Christopher Hollen knew what they wanted. It took just one click and one visit to figure out how to get it. The duo were sold on The North American Lineman Training Center in McEwen, Tennessee, which delivered everything they expected and more. The more includes Wilson and Hollen being…
The cover photo of his Facebook page is the Coney Island Cyclone. And that alone might suggest that Tommy Roberts is capable of riding the ups and downs of the utility industry. Hoosier Energy’s Engineering Services Manager is not only a roller coaster aficionado, but he’s helping guide the integration of technology into Hoosier’s…
The Union Volunteer Fire Department hasn’t been on a recorded run since 2018, and it’s been much longer since the department was fully functional and active. That will all change on January 1, 2024, thanks in part to a donation from Hoosier Energy. To receive calls and send notifications out to its firemen,…
Each year on the second Friday of October, Indiana’s electric cooperatives collectively participate in Community Day. This year, October 13 was no exception as cooperatives across the state met various needs within their service area. Some cooperatives held their projects on a different date, but all in all 15 of Hoosier Energy’s member cooperatives…
The Hoosier Energy Apprenticeship Training and Safety (HEATS) Program recently celebrated the 2023 graduating class with a ceremony in French Lick. After being welcomed by Hoosier Energy Manager of Safety and Training Brandon Gentry, IBEW Local 1393 Business Manager and Financial Secretary Bob Cox and Hoosier Energy Chief Technology Officer Bob Richhart, it was…
Sooner or later, life brings change for everyone. For Megan Miller, embracing change has been a lifestyle for the better part of two decades with no signs of letting up. From Minnesota to Florida to Indiana geographically, from healthcare to fitness expert to business management and beyond in studies, and a career that has…
Gerry Kinney has never played much golf, but at least once a year for the past four years, he has found himself at Fairfield Public Golf Course for the Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative Electrical Distribution Systems Scholarship Fundraiser. That’s what happens when the scholarship, which goes to a Frontier Community College student, bears your…
Some covered their ears, others jumped a little. Whatever the reaction to the pop of electricity, the young students attending the Children’s Farm Festival at Peden Farm paid rapt attention to the South Central Indiana REMC line crew doing a live line demonstration. The annual festival took place on September 28-29 in northern…
Nine 25-inch carbide tip circular saw blades attached to multiple 20-foot aluminum poles and powered by a 50-horsepower snowmobile motor that can be turned on and off remotely – attached to the bottom of a helicopter? It sounds like the kind of crazy, homemade contraption that would make even Tim the Toolman jealous. …
Ask Harold Gutzwiller anything about his trips to Japan. Just don’t ask him how many times he’s been. “My first trip to Japan was in 1998 or 1999, so my guess is greater than 10,” the Hoosier Energy Manager of Economic Development said. “But it’s one of those things I should’ve kept track…
The second annual Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo was a rootin’-tootin’ good time on August 24-25, 2023, at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds. That was thanks in no small part to Hoosier Energy member cooperatives, who played a big role in the event practically doubling in size from its debut in 2022. A total…
As one of Hoosier Energy’s strategic priorities, continuous improvement has always been a key part of the company mindset. A commissioned team spent the past year developing a program centered around this idea, learning from the past and pointing toward the future. As a result, Hoosier Energy’s new Rural Electric Continuous Improvement Program (RECIP)…
X marks the spot. Stay there too long though, and it marks the spot of your demise. The key to resiliency is to keep moving forward, be it in life or business, as retired Navy Seal Clint Emerson hammered home during the final session of the 2023 Strategic Issues Forum. The theme…
Justin Swarens happened upon the utility industry by chance. By the time his high school summer job was over, he knew where he was headed. As it turns out, not only was he headed to the industry, but to leadership roles within it. Now Swarens is Vice President Operations at Hoosier Energy…
Every year, tens of thousands of people descend upon Dayton, Ohio, for the Hamvention. This is an event that has nothing to do with food. The Dayton Hamvention is the world’s largest amateur radio gathering, an event that started in 1952 and has grown yearly since other than a two-year hiatus for the…
Change is never easy. It only gets more difficult when change is unwanted. But in the case of Hoosier Energy’s Centerton to Wilbur Project, constructing 5.8 miles of new 69kV overhead transmission line is a necessity for South Central Indiana REMC members. An open house at Centerton Elementary School on June 23-24…
Whitewater Valley REMC took its next step into the future on June 27 when it held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new facility in Liberty. Construction on the 33,860 square-foot building is projected to take 12 months with relocation to the new facility expected to take place in the summer of 2024. This…
In the utility industry, it’s reasonable to expect the unexpected. When Hoosier Energy threw open the doors at Centerton Elementary School on June 23rd and 24th for the Centerton to Wilbur Project Open House, no one was sure what to expect. “If we’ve done an open house in the past, it wasn’t done…
Amanda Sheehe has been part of a team as long as she can remember. Whether it was on construction sites with her father’s fire sprinkler systems business or showing beef cattle from the family farm or as a three-sport athlete in high school (one sport in college), it turns out it was all preparing the…
School’s out for summer, but students from 14 Hoosier Energy member cooperatives are collecting college scholarships for the 2023-24 year. As a matter of fact, the total of 90 students receiving scholarships surpasses last year’s already high standard of 86. Three of those are recipients of statewide awards as Alivia Hopper of Orange County…
Camp Kilowatt put the pedal to the medal in 2023, literally. The annual four-day program for students entering seventh grade, funded by electric cooperatives across the state of Indiana, including Hoosier Energy, took place June 7-10 at Camp Tecumseh in Brookston, Indiana. Hoosier Energy was also the primary sponsor for circuit boards and…
Julie Myers keeps a running list. So, when Hoosier Energy reached out this spring to offer four bikes to Desert Rose Foundation in Martinsville, Myers was ready to give each of them a new home. New homes are Myers’ specialty as a Case Manager/Victim Advocate for Desert Rose, which provides assistance for victims…
Dave Appel has always loved the outdoors. That love has resulted in dual careers for the Environmental Team Lead at Hoosier Energy, who also moonlights as the head coach for Purdue men’s hockey. Appel recently spoke with GridLines about both. Q: To start, tell us how you came to be at Hoosier…
Cooperation among cooperatives. This is a principle that’s been repeated many times, but the practical application is unmistakably crucial. That was once again the case with this spring’s tornado damage throughout the Hoosier Energy footprint. In assessing the damage, several items were in short supply. Hoosier Energy Manager of Purchases and Contracts…
For the first time since 2019, Project Indiana from Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC) brought electrification to the people of Guatemala. Eight linemen from Hoosier Energy member cooperatives were among the crew that traveled to Pena Roja, a village of 26 families in the mountains of western Guatemala along the Mexican border from April 27-May…
Hoosier Energy saw 25% of its workforce participate in the first-ever Community Impact Week from April 17-21. More than 70 employees contributed to a variety of projects running Monday through Friday. The week started with Backpack Buddies, a program that puts together bags of food for low-income children to take home on the…
“You’re never 100% prepared for anything.” For Hoosier Energy Line Foreman Aaron Price, those words were never truer than on March 31, 2023, when a line of storms and tornadoes blasted their way through Sullivan County and into Owen County. With the severe weather moving through in the late evening hours, it wasn’t…
In many ways, the 2023 Hoosier Energy Annual Meeting picked up where the 2022 annual meeting left off. A year ago, change was the unofficial theme of the event, which made its return after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. This year, change got even more complicated but still seamlessly segued into the…
March did not go out like a lamb. Instead, the transitional month capped the switch to spring with the worst tornado outbreak in over a decade in the state of Indiana. A total of 10 tornadoes were recorded on March 31, tying May of 2011 for the fifth-largest tornado outbreak in Indiana history.…
Complex issues. Cooperative solutions. The theme for Hoosier Energy’s 2023 Annual Meeting at French Lick Resort on April 5 produced a smorgasbord of tasty morsels for attendees to consider. The appetizer was the usual business of acknowledging those who have served on the Board of Directors for the past year and confirming the…
Working in the field is almost never routine. Hoosier Energy’s Worthington Substation crew recently proved this yet again. While substation foreman Ryan Reed’s crew, including Troy Woods and Dustin Cox, was testing breakers at the Merom 345kV yard on February 21, substation apprentice mechanic Cam Thomson noticed a broken insulator located nearby. …
Tyler Manship has spent more than 21 years as a lineman, 16 of those with Hoosier Energy, so he’s seen good days, bad days and most everything in between. This past November, Manship was promoted to Transmission and Training Safety Specialist, stepping into the shoes of Kevin Burch. Manship recently spoke with GridLines about…
A pair of Hoosier Energy cooperatives were recently awarded grants as part of the State Apprenticeship Expansion program. Clark County REMC was awarded $10,000 and Harrison County REMC $7,000 for apprentices dating back to 2019. To qualify, apprentices must have at least 2,000 on-the-job training hours and be registered with the Department of…
What started as an unknown six months ago has become a key component in determining the future for Hoosier Energy and its 18 member cooperatives. The DER (distributed energy resources) Strategy Subcommittee met for the first time at Hoosier Energy headquarters in Bloomington back in September and has gathered momentum ever since. Featuring…
Melanie Defore says she never thought of herself as a fixture. But when 15,104 days go by between starting a job and finishing it, the description just seems to fit. “She’s seen a lot of history and been a really important part of that history,” Hoosier Energy President and CEO Donna Walker said…
Ryan Wilson and Morgan Sutton grew up across the pasture from each other in Osgood, Indiana. They were more like brothers than cousins – playing together, going to school together and most everything else together. What they didn’t expect was to choose a career together. But both graduated from the North American…
For Erica Steinfeldt, Super Bowl Sunday is hardly the only day of the year that a sporting event takes center stage. As a mother of three, the Hoosier Energy Forecasting Analyst has plenty of experience attending football, basketball and baseball games as well as dance and show choir competitions. However, Steinfeldt had her…
The 2022 Youth Power and Hope Awards winners were announced at the Indiana Electric Cooperatives annual Recognition Banquet on Dec. 5, 2022, in Indianapolis, and it was a clean sweep for Hoosier Energy member cooperatives. The awards program, coordinated by the staff of Indiana Connection magazine, has honored a select group of middle school…
Winter Storm Elliott packed a punch in December, but Hoosier Energy’s 18 member cooperatives stood strong and experienced minimal disruptions. The system absorbed a record-setting blow as temperatures dropped nearly 50 degrees in a span of 12 hours on Dec. 22 with two-to-three inches of snow across the service territory. Overall, the average…
Decatur County REMC recently hosted a field trip from a dozen Greensburg High School seniors. The students were treated to a variety of presentations designed to teach them about the cooperative and the utility industry. The day started out with Decatur County REMC’s Pat Nobbe talking about distribution, Hoosier Energy’s Tommy Roberts speaking…
If things went according to plan, Matt Mabrey would have retired on October 1, 2022. But as Mabrey has found out in life, and at Hoosier Energy for the past 21-plus years, things rarely go according to plan. So it wasn’t until January 6, 2023, that he officially retired, sort of. The former Vice…
Wyatt Binkley is no stranger to the International Lineman’s Rodeo, held annually in Overland Park, Kansas, since 1984. Back in 2015, he was on hand to see his father, Jim Binkley, compete. Since then, Wyatt has been attending regularly with Jim Binkley, a superintendent for Scottsburg Municipal, serving on the International Lineman Hall of…
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. What no one expected around 5 p.m. on October 12 was that the Hayden Substation in Jackson County was on fire. A nearby farmer in his field saw the smoke and investigated, indeed finding a most unexpected fire. “Occasionally a bird’s nest might catch on fire or…
There are projects, and then there is the Bloomfield River Washout Project. Hoosier Energy recently wrapped up Phase I of one of the most daunting projects in recent memory. Others may cost more or take longer, but few match the complications involved in solving the kind of problem only Mother Nature can create. …
Dave Helton’s been in the electric industry since 1990. During that time, he’s been a contractor, a lineman and for the past nine years a safety instructor for the Hoosier Energy Apprenticeship, Training and Safety (HEATS) program for apprentice linemen. Recently, the Senior Training and Safety Specialist saw the 2022 HEATS class graduate, along…
One of the core cooperative principles is concern for community. Hoosier Energy saw 15 of its member cooperatives put this into practice for the annual “Indiana’s Electric Cooperative Community Day” as part of Co-op Month nationwide. Community Day officially took place on October 14, although a number of cooperatives set up different dates…
Hoosier Energy made the cut when Site Selection magazine recently revealed its 2022 Top Utilities in Economic Development. For Hoosier Energy, which was also featured in the publication for its efforts with ESG, being just one of 20 utilities so honored was no small feat. Hoosier’s economic development efforts are guided by manager Harold Gutzwiller, along with…
INDIANAPOLIS – In his closing remarks at Electrify Indiana 2022, Keith Dennis was focused on people, not technology. “If we’re going to meet (the beneficial electrification) challenge and do it in a way that strengthens us, we have to work together,” said Dennis, president of the Beneficial Electrification League (BEL). “Part of working together…
INDIANAPOLIS – The previous incarnation of the Electrify Indiana conference took place three years ago at Hoosier Energy headquarters in Bloomington. On September 22, the 2022 version upped the ante at The Westin in Indianapolis. With over 270 attendees – many from Hoosier Energy members, 33 sponsors and 23 exhibitors, the event sizzled…
The first-ever Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo was held Aug. 25-26 in Danville. The two-day event showcased the skills and safety training of electric cooperative lineworkers. A total of 15 teams and 54 individuals competed in this year’s event, including 26 individuals from six Hoosier Energy member cooperatives – Clark County REMC, JCREMC, RushShelby…
It started with a note in the suggestion box and ended with tears of joy three years later. That was how Clark County REMC came to be closed to the public on Sept. 7 for an employee training and appreciation day. Employee training sessions and appreciation events are a regular occurrence at the…
One week until Sept. 15 registration deadline INDIANAPOLIS – Hoosier Energy, Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) and the Benefici al Electrification League (BEL) will host Electrify Indiana 2022 in downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 22. Registration for this event ends September 15. The event will bring together multiple stakeholders, provide education about beneficial electrification, explore…
Hoosier Energy began annual substation training for the Member Systems in late July, and the sessions will continue through early November. “Whereas Hoosier employees are in the substations potentially hundreds of times a year, the co-op linemen have very limited exposure to the substations and the equipment within,” said Cory Berg, Hoosier Energy Safety…
One of Hoosier Energy’s strategic priorities is Continuous Improvement. Among the initiatives falling under that umbrella is Project Management Training for employees. That task was taken on by Vice President of Operations Matt Mabrey and his team, including Continuous Improvement Program Coordinator Chrystal Hoffmeister. With the aid of Chad Harding, Misti Beiser and Warren…
Earlier this year, Hoosier Energy announced the addition of two Member Relations Specialists to the Energy Management Solutions department. One of those was an external hire in Justin Thompson, who spoke with GridLines in June. The other was an internal hire in Kyle Coulson, who started at Hoosier Energy as an intern and…
Attendees to learn about beneficial electrification, emerging technology and funding opportunities INDIANAPOLIS – Hoosier Energy, Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) and the Beneficial Electrification League (BEL) are partnering to host the Electrify Indiana 2022 conference in downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 22. The event will bring together multiple stakeholders, provide education about beneficial electrification, explore emerging electrification…
It wasn’t so much a matter of seeing the future as knowing history suggested tough times would come again. When Terry Jobe took over as CEO of RushShelby Energy in 2010, the Hoosier Energy member system was ill-prepared for potential difficulties. Equity was at an all-time low and debt was high. The Great…
Mark Thompson was recently promoted to Manager of Market-Based Rates and Special Contracts at Hoosier Energy. He previously served as a Key Accounts Manager at Hoosier Energy. The new role will oversee the analysis, development and implementation of wholesale market-based rates and special contracts with large commercial and industrial loads. Thompson, who came…
June doesn’t only mark the start of summer, but the start of a new chapter for many high school graduates with college on the horizon. A total of 86 students from 14 of Hoosier Energy’s member cooperatives earned scholarships this year, including three winners of the Indiana Electric Cooperatives Manager’s Association Scholarship. Those…
Hoosier Energy recently announced the addition of two Member Relations Specialists to the Energy Management Solutions department. One of those was an internal hire in Kyle Coulson, while the other was an external hire in Justin Thompson, who came to Hoosier Energy from Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA). Prior to that, he worked as a…
Late May saw Hoosier Energy hold Employee Appreciation Meetings, which replaced the annual employee meetings. Two sessions were held at the Spencer Operations Center and one at Hoosier Energy Headquarters. There was also an Outage Appreciation Lunch at Merom Generating Station. During the meetings at Spencer and HQ, Hoosier Energy CEO Donna Walker…
Late May saw Hoosier Energy hold Employee Appreciation Meetings, which replaced the annual employee meetings. Two sessions were held at the Spencer Operations Center and one at Hoosier Energy Headquarters. There was also an Outage Appreciation Lunch at Merom Generating Station. During the meetings at Spencer and HQ, Hoosier Energy CEO Donna Walker…
The seed was planted two and a half years ago. This May, what was planted finally got to bloom. Clark County REMC and Charlestown High School have combined to give students not only a classroom view of the generation and transmission of electricity but practical, hands-on experience. The 2021-22 school year was…
Clark County REMC was looking for a live line tabletop demo. The Utilities District of Western Indiana (UDWI) had an extra one. In the cooperative spirit, the latter donated to the former, putting both co-ops in a position to better educate their member-consumers. “We were happy to help out,” UDWI CEO Doug…
Results and comments from the 2021 Safety & Culture Survey were recently released to Hoosier Energy employees. The process to reach this point took longer than expected but remains ongoing, as this was the first company-wide survey, building off a similar previous survey at Merom. Approximately 70% of Hoosier employees participated in the survey and…
No stop signs, no traffic lights. Not even a roundabout. That was how file management used to feel for Bernie Voges, Senior Protection Engineer for Hoosier Energy. But thanks to Adept Software, Hoosier finally found a way to police those files and provide some direction. In April, Voges was one of three…
Hanging by a thread usually has a negative connotation. But in the world of electric and telecommunications co-ops, it has begun to take on an entirely different meaning. Broadband fiber networks have introduced a new world of possibilities, a subject which was explored at the 2022 Hoosier Energy Annual Meeting on April 7…
“There’s a guy here in the corporate office looking to hire an engineer, do you want to talk to him?” Bill Lonnberg answered the question in the affirmative and never looked back. Hired on in November of 1986, Lonnberg wrapped up a career of more than 35 years at Hoosier Energy last month.…
Hoosier Energy recently announced a change in its service awards program, moving to a digital format rather than in-person via RecogNation.com. Megan Miller, HR Analyst Training and Technology, spoke with GridLines about the change to what is now known as Power Points and what the program offers. Q: What prompted the change in the…
FRENCH LICK – The Hoosier Energy Annual Meeting is a rite of passage, or at least it was up until 2019. After a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that rite was renewed on April 7, 2022, at the French Lick Resort. But in keeping with the abnormality of the previous three…
Before launching the WhyElectrify website, which happened on March 1, there was another question to be asked – why WhyElectrify? For Hoosier Energy’s Blake Kleaving, Manager Energy Management Solutions, the best way to answer the question was with a question. “It was really a lack of educational resources for member-consumers to learn about what’s…
Hoosier Energy and its 18 member-cooperatives announced the launch of the “Why Electrify” website on March 1. D esigned as a member-consumer educational resource website, www.whyelectrify.com will offer resources and materials for member cooperatives to offer their communities. Blake Kleaving, Manager Energy Management Solutions, told GridLines more about the project, which has been a long-time…
Whether it was the first grade or eighth grade, the dream began early. On December 17, 2021, that dream became reality for Jasper’s Mitchell Werner and Greensburg’s Waylan Case as they graduated from the North American Lineman Training Center. Both claimed their diploma from the school in McEwen, Tennessee, with the help of…
The Hoosier Energy Board of Directors recently approved new strategic priorities for the organization. The process included updating Hoosier’s vision and mission statements as well. They are now identifying initiatives that will fall within each priority and look forward to sharing those once finalized. OUR VISION The trusted partner and provider of reliable, affordable…
For Hoosier Energy’s Chad Harding, side-by-side is a way of life. That goes for his hobby, riding side-by-side utility vehicles and serving as one of four administrators for the 6,400-plus members of the Southern Indiana SxS Facebook group. But the term also fits that group’s mentality when it comes to adversity, opting to…
When the calendar turned from 2021 to 2022, the ball didn’t just drop in Times Square at midnight. A new learning management system, located at www.heca.coop, also came online for Hoosier Energy employees as Docebo replaced Taleo Learn. Technology Support Services Team Lead Heather Hughet recently answered some questions from Gridlines about the change. …
At the heart of the cooperative culture is an honest desire to provide services that value reliability, affordability and sustainability, as well as fairness to all. Find out how Hoosier Energy and its members are making a difference together.
Through an internal study, it was determined upgrading high voltage power poles from Bloomington to Sullivan would increase grid reliability. Find out how the multi-year project was completed ahead of schedule.
Hoosier Energy helps co-ops produce pre-recorded and live video productions as socially distant annual meetings take place during the pandemic.
As organizations utilize more digital services, they can be exposed to cyber attacks if vendors used are not properly vetted. Bad actors are sneaky, sometimes persistent, and can move around networks undetected – SolarWinds can attest to that.
From tornadoes to cyberattacks, the world is not always as safe as we’d like it to be. Unfortunately, we’ve seen from places like Texas what can happen when millions of people are cut off from power. More than 100 people lost their lives in the state this winter due to hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and other accidents.
Hoosier Energy’s communications team has a new face on the public relations and media front, but he isn’t a new face among the media. Curt Durnil served the Indiana State Police for 26 years and retired as its public information officer late last year to join Hoosier Energy.
Every two years Hoosier Energy’s forecasting group takes a snapshot of energy trends to develop 20-year load forecasts across the power network. This business analysis is compiled into the Power Requirements Study (PRS) and it tackles three main business functions – system planning, budgeting and financial requirements. Tina Elliott and Justin Rice lead the forecasting work at Hoosier Energy and their process is research-focused and driven by data.
Managing consumer energy demand has taken many directions during the past 12 years. From helping members transition to LED lights to the recycling of inefficient refrigerators, the program continues to be nimble as it connects programs to meet member needs.
Glance up to the sky and the answer likely lies above. Nine times out of 10 when those clear blue skies change, electric service is threatened. How can you outguess Mother Nature? You can’t. But that doesn’t sway the Hoosier Energy Power Delivery team. It challenges them. They are always monitoring the weather, and if a storm rolls in or lightning strikes, they are ready.
Hoosier Energy recently signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Capital Dynamics CEI to buy 150 megawatts of power generated by the Ratts 2 Solar Project in Knox County, Indiana. Construction is expected to begin in 2022 with commercial operation anticipated in 2023.
Every two years Hoosier Energy’s forecasting group takes a snapshot of energy trends to develop 20-year load forecasts across the power network. This business analysis is compiled into the Power Requirements Study (PRS) and it tackles three main business functions – system planning, budgeting and financial requirements. Tina Elliott and Justin Rice lead the forecasting work at Hoosier Energy and their process is research-focused and driven by data.
Member co-ops are working to electrify Indiana, but some consumers are hesitant to go all-in with electric cars and other big-ticket purchases.
When out-of-state electric cooperatives experienced outages caused by downed lines and broken poles from a February ice storm, Hoosier Energy member cooperatives eagerly answered the call to action.
When Trina Pardue joined Hoosier Energy 28 years ago, she couldn’t foresee how drastically her job would change. Starting as a division secretary and transitioning to an associate in Financial and Corporate services, Pardue had become the go-to person for designing presentation materials.
Chris Goffinet started visiting Hoosier Energy with his two law partners in 1993. When one retired and the other left to become a judge, Goffinet took over as Hoosier Energy’s general counsel in 2003 and has continued in that capacity since. EnergyLines sat down with him to discuss his favorite activities and the advice he would give his younger self.
Marketing commercial and industrial sites for development in member communities consists of detailed data for use by site selectors. This information includes area utilities and regional workforce demographics. Also important are the visuals. Capturing each property visually involves getting in an aircraft to get a bird’s-eye-view. Rising up to 8,000 feet shows site topography and property lines. This can be an expensive and time-consuming process. It is also one that has been dramatically improved by drones.
Whether adjusting for the pandemic or planning for the future, Hoosier Energy is responsibly executing its capital plans to maintain, repair and upgrade assets to ensure the resiliency of Hoosier Energy’s transmission system. “We’re targeting assets that are in the higher-risk category for failure because of their age and condition. That should translate to better asset performance, improved reliability and fewer outages,” said Matt Mabrey, Vice President of Operations. “This should give our members a lot of confidence that we’re utilizing financial resources wisely.”
In 1967, Hoosier Energy’s Franklin Training Center site was just a simple concrete block building full of mice that couldn’t be used for its intended purpose – a primary substation powered from Napoleon – because new regulations restricted power line construction in the area. Co-op leaders were dreaming of a training program to ensure line workers had the skills and knowledge they needed to keep themselves and others safe on the job.
Hoosier Energy CEO Donna Walker shared a video message with the board of directors and employees about the teamwork, persistence and achievements the G&T had throughout the year. Walker spoke about the long-range resource plan, employee training, wholesale rate design, COVID-19 and employee safety.
Southeastern Indiana REMC is joining forces with another cooperative – SEI Communications – to bring high-speed internet service to its members.
With the pandemic halting large gatherings across the state, organizers chose to hold the Fall 2020 Marketing and Member Services Meeting virtually. Taking place in six sessions, the virtual meetings provided updates on pilots, offered information on industry programs and facilitated feedback from members in roundtable discussions.
Hoosier Energy and member cooperatives, in partnership with GDS Associates, are relaunching the Rural Energy Audit pilot program. This is an opportunity for rural farms and small businesses to take part in an American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Tier II Energy Audit.
In his 27 years at Hoosier Energy, Line Foreman Mark Richardson has trekked countless hours across the hills and hollers of southern Indiana and Illinois to find downed power lines. Each winter storm comes with its own challenges complicated by cold temperatures and excessive snowfall.
On the outskirts of Vevay, Ind., one of Hoosier Energy’s primary substations has had substantial improvements made. The focus of this four-month project was to connect an alternate AC source for a nearby microwave tower. Power is being supplied by Southeastern Indiana REMC.
Just like a car that requires maintenance to operate reliably, the Merom Generating Station gets preventative maintenance during scheduled outages. Often occurring in the spring when energy demand is low, generation on a single unit is halted. Boiler tubes and duct work are inspected and repaired — along with about 1,400 other tasks that must be completed in a meticulously calculated order.
When you hear it, it is a distinct buzzing sound. It is a little louder than a bee buzzing nearby. If you look up, you might find it – a drone flying overhead. This equipment is no longer just for hobbyists, it has become an intricate tool used by electric utilities to increase safety and grid resiliency. Hoosier Energy is using this equipment for monitoring rights-of-way and powerlines that can transmit up to 345kV of energy. This improves safety, reduces response time and saves money.
The storage of digital data is big business. The data center market in the U.S. is expected to grow to more than $69 billion by 2024, according to a report compiled by market data and trends analyst Arizton.
Two cooperatives – one electric and the other telephone – have joined forces to ensure that Perry and Spencer county cooperative members have access to broadband internet service.
The energy industry is evolving and Hoosier Energy is evolving along with it. A new initiative was introduced by the Hoosier Energy Emerging Energy Resources (EER) team to help members focus on the changing needs and habits of member-consumers.
The response to the pandemic has led to new ways of doing things. For co-ops, they have changed how they meet – especially for annual meetings that often draw hundreds of members.
When asked to use a No. 2 pencil, fill circles completely and make no stray marks on the form, these instructions are likely to bring back memories of school years when scantron technology was used for testing. Merom Generating Station’s Job Safety Observation Team is utilizing scantron technology in a new way.
When an outage occurs, operations crews focus on getting the power back on safely. While they’re doing that, co-op communicators work to keep member-consumers updated with timely information. This requires a collaboration between the communications and operations teams – a relationship Henry County REMC’s Lara Sullivan has been building for several years.
Just days before closing the One Southern Indiana office for the COVID-19 pandemic, President and CEO Wendy Dant Chesser had two challenges facing the economic development and Chamber of Commerce organization — how to not only sustain, but also help the 1,068 business members that would be scared and hurting financially.
Just under a century ago, electric cooperative employees went door to door, explaining the benefits of electricity to prospective members and answering their questions. Since then, co-ops have played a key role in educating members about new electrical technologies, from grain dryers to heat pumps.
For months, people have faced stress and negativity while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain future. Work schedules changed, schools converted to online learning, offices relegated to homes, activities halted, sports events cancelled and visits with family and friends stopped.
Since 2004, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has provided cooperatives actionable information to help improve member satisfaction and engagement. A recent survey shows that co-op member satisfaction has been on the decline during the past five years. Affecting the downward trend is how younger members view their co-op.
For months, people have faced stress and negativity while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain future. Work schedules changed, schools converted to online learning, offices relegated to homes, activities halted, sports events cancelled and visits with family and friends stopped.
Working alongside member-cooperatives, Hoosier Energy is creating competitive advantages for the industries, farms and residences that make up the communities that depend on us to meet their power needs. Every conversation, every project, every pilot program is executed with one question in mind — How will our collective efforts benefit our members and theirs?
In 2019, Hoosier Energy made significant progress on power delivery capital projects to update and improve aging infrastructure, while managing costs to maintain grid resiliency, according to Rob Horton, Chief Operating Officer at Hoosier Energy.
Hoosier Energy created a pandemic plan about 10 years ago when the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health organizations suggested that businesses prepare for an influenza A outbreak.
With a focus on providing grid resiliency, Hoosier Energy employees are at the forefront of measuring system performance. This special edition of EnergyLines focuses on the work power delivery professionals do as they continually provide value for members co-ops and their communities.
Republic Transmission (through a Hoosier Energy and LS Power partnership) together with Big Rivers Electric Corporation, have completed about five miles of the single circuit 345 kilovolt Duff/Coleman line. Spanning 30 miles, this transmission line will cross sections of Dubois County, Indiana; Spencer County, Indiana; and Hancock County, Kentucky.
Clark County REMC is working closely with a high school on a project in hopes that the experience will inspire students to pursue careers in the electric utility industry.
The Demand Side Management (DSM) annual report focuses on program descriptions and data, as well as highlights from the year, the most significant being in the lighting programs. The residential lighting program accounted for nearly 90 percent of 2019 measures, with cooperatives securing more than 9,000 LEDs and members buying an additional 16,000 bulbs through the lighting store.
Wanting to meet the needs of farmers and rural business owners, Hoosier Energy launched a pilot program to conduct rural energy audits and find ways to improve operations.
Reliability is part of Hoosier Energy’s mission for members. Connecting to this mission was a recent event focusing on reliability beyond equipment maintenance. Thought leaders in the industry from the cooperative presented at the International Maintenance Conference with more than 1,000 in attendance from around the world.
When Matt Figg trained as a control operator at Merom Generating Station, he stood at a tapered bench board covered with pistol grips, switches and buttons and looked at a giant wall of lights, gauges and paper charts. To prepare for future situations, Figg would run actions through his mind – turn this switch, push that button.
Electric vehicles (EV) are converging on the Midwest, albeit slowly. With their entrance, new challenges are being identified for members and cooperatives alike. EnergyLines was able to reach out to Southern Indiana Power member-consumer Bradley Lynch to discuss the challenges he faces with owning an all-electric car in Southern Indiana.
In December 2017, South Central Indiana REMC board of directors made the decision to create SCI Fiber, a business division that would not only provide high-speed internet access to its members, but also a smart grid to improve system reliability and lay the foundation for broader infrastructure that could elevate Indiana’s connectivity standing in the country.
If you visited Whitewater Valley REMC last year you might have seen a lot of fleece. That’s because employees were making fleece tie blankets for residents of a local nursing home.
Lori Grubbs, vice chair of the board of directors for Volunteers in Medicine Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland Counties, says the free clinic was at a crossroads when it received a $1,000 grant from the Southeastern Indiana REMC’s Operation RoundUp.
The Facilities Department at Hoosier Energy is tasked with maintaining more than 70 locations 24/7/365. From maintaining generators to office maintenance, the team of eight keeps the cooperative running smoothly. EnergyLines followed Brad Smith for a day. What took place was average until an emergency call came in.
The Hoosier Energy Apprenticeship and Training Safety (HEATS) Program celebrates its 45th year.
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