Sunflower News Archive

By Anne Prince Most of us use electricity, either directly or indirectly, at almost all times. Because electricity is so abundant and available with the simple flip of a switch, it’s easy to take it for granted. According to the Energy Information Agency (EIA), the typical U.S. household now uses more air conditioning, appliances and consumer electronics than … [Read More]

By Derrill Holly There’s more than one way to look at vegetation management. The work electric cooperatives and their contractors do to help keep electric lines and other equipment separated from plant overgrowth plays a major role in service reliability. From mowing and brush work at ground level to tree trimming near or above power lines, electric co-ops regularly … [Read More]

By Abby Berry Every day, millions of Americans are targeted by scammers through phone calls, emails, text messages, online or in person. Scammers’ tactics can change daily, which is why it’s important for consumers to stay on top of the latest scam reports from local and national news outlets, as well as your local utility companies. Some phone scams involve scammers … [Read More]

Condensation on your windows could be a sign your home is sealed too tight. \Source: Robert Couse-Baker Dear Pat and Brad: I read your column a few months ago on sealing air leaks, but I’ve heard a home that’s sealed too tight can lead to air quality issues. How can I be sure I have healthy air as I seal air leaks in my home? – Lee Dear Lee: Sealing air leaks is one … [Read More]

How co-ops keep electricity reliable—the traditional way, the digital way “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” It’s a familiar saying, and believe it or not, that age-old piece of wisdom is used by electric utilities to make sure you receive a reliable supply of electricity. Michael Leitman, senior analyst at the National Rural Electric Cooperative … [Read More]

As Congress works to reach agreement on a new COVID-19 relief package, electric cooperative leaders urged lawmakers to include a bipartisan bill that would save co-ops more than $10 billion in interest payments on their federal debt and provide financial relief during the coronavirus pandemic. “This is a really important issue for rural America,” NRECA CEO Jim … [Read More]

The U.S. electric grid has sufficient resources to meet this summer’s peak demand, even as uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic lingers, the North American Electric Reliability Council said in a new report. “Industry appears well-positioned for the coming summer season,” said John Moura, NERC director of reliability assessment and performance analysis. “As … [Read More]

The Federal Communications Commission has approved rules that will help electric cooperatives compete in the $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, the largest auction ever of funds for rural broadband. The commission agreed to offer smaller unserved census block groups in the bidding and exclude developers of the not-yet-operational "low-earth orbit" … [Read More]

By Anne Prince, NRECA Even though I work in the energy industry, like most people, I still don’t think much about the electricity I use. I expect the lights to turn on when I flip the switch and the coffeemaker to work each morning. Because electricity is so abundant, we don’t think much about it. Since many of us have been spending more time at home over the past few … [Read More]

"Tracey’s Takeaways" is a regular feature that focuses on employee development, management issues, leadership and organizational culture. When groups come together to tackle a problem or create something new, research shows that innovation and decision making improve. (Photo by: NRECA) The circumstances that cooperatives face today are complex with no existing … [Read More]

Experts talk us through how co-op mutual aid is coordinated and what it looks like on the ground, even with the added challenges of a global pandemic. https://www.cooperative.com/news/Pages/Along-Those-Lines-Podcast.aspx … [Read More]

May 20, 2020:Electric cooperatives, by their very nature, are accustomed to dealing with disruptions large and small. But the landscape for managing crises is changing dramatically.  https://www.cooperative.com/news/Pages/Along-Those-Lines-Podcast.aspx … [Read More]

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation’s rural co-op members now enjoying clean, cost-effective energy from facility built, owned and operated by Lightsource BP Johnson City, Kan. – Sunflower Electric Power Corp. and Lightsource BP have announced that the Johnson Corner Solar Project entered commercial operation on April 7. The $37 million project, which was financed … [Read More]

2020-spring-current For our Member Systems, Employees, and Friends … [Read More]

When the impact of the coronavirus pandemic began to hit home in Ford County, Kansas, an electric cooperative and a whiskey distillery teamed up to fill an urgent need for hand cleanser amid a nationwide shortage. “The main ingredient in hand cleanser is alcohol, and Boot Hill Distillery was in a prime position with the equipment and ingredients to make it,” … [Read More]

Shortly after midnight on Dec. 17 last year, congressional leaders met behind closed doors at the U.S. Capitol to negotiate an 11th-hour budget deal that would prevent a government shutdown. What became clear by sunrise was that the deal also included the RURAL Act, a simple one-page bill that would protect the tax-exempt status of electric cooperatives. “It was really … [Read More]

Originally posted by NRECA - As Americans reduce direct contact with one another to slow the spread of the coronavirus, generation and transmission cooperatives are working to keep electricity flowing to homes, businesses and institutions.    “Our transition to working at home for those [employees] who are doing so was very smooth,” said Mike McFarland, … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives work to improve the quality of life across all the communities they serve. But too often, infrastructure projects that would serve that mission are hampered by extensive delays and added costs from outdated federal environmental permitting rules, say NRECA experts. It doesn’t have to be this way. Under a proposal that would modernize the … [Read More]

The number of electric utilities deploying large battery systems to store power is on the rise, but it’s a technology that’s still very much in its infancy. How are electric cooperatives integrating storage, and how are they using it to serve their members?  https://www.electric.coop/along-those-lines-battery-storage/ … [Read More]

The Trump administration has released a replacement of the controversial 2015 “Waters of the U.S.” rule with definitions to clarify federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act and consider rural landowners in ways that will reduce regulatory delay and costs. The new “Navigable Waters Protection Rule”—developed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the … [Read More]

https://www.electric.coop/along-those-lines-co-op-voters-2020-elections/ … [Read More]

Along Those Lines host Scot Hoffman (right) discusses rural voters and the 2020 elections with pollster Keith Frederick (left) and NRECA Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Connor. (Photo By: Alexis Matsui/NRECA) With 2020 elections less than 300 days away, we’re kicking off the year by delving into the critical role of rural voters: What issues are important to … [Read More]

A key gauge of rural America’s economic health has reached its highest level since June 2018. Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet Index rose to 55.9 in January from 50.2 in December. It’s now been above the growth-neutral mark of 50.0 for 11 of the past 12 months. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy, while a score below 50 indicates a shrinking … [Read More]

Hays, Kan.—Jan. 15, 2020—Following an announcement by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association that the utility will no longer pursue the Holcomb Expansion Project, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation announced that it will allow the project’s air permit to expire on March 27, 2020. Sunflower and Tri-State, which provide wholesale generation and transmission … [Read More]

Hays, Kan.—Jan. 2, 2020—Sunflower Electric Power Corporation announces its merger with Mid-Kansas Electric Company Inc. effective Jan.1, 2020. The merger of the two cooperatively operated, wholesale electric utilities incorporates Mid-Kansas into Sunflower.    Regulatory filings for the merger were submitted in August 2018 to the Kansas Corporation Commission, … [Read More]

https://www.cooperative.com/programs-services/bts/energy-access/Pages/default.aspx … [Read More]

Congress on Thursday passed the RURAL Act, protecting more than 900 electric cooperatives throughout the nation from the risk of losing their tax-exempt status when they accept government grants for disaster relief, broadband service and other programs that benefit co-op members. United States Capitol Building at sunset - Washington, DC, USA The Senate’s vote to … [Read More]

The 2017 law counts grants as income, making it hard for some co-ops to avoid going over the 15% limit on non-member revenue that they must maintain to remain tax-exempt. Previously, grants were counted as capital and did not factor into co-ops’ revenue ratios. The RURAL Act would once again exclude grants from counting as co-op income. Congressional experts from … [Read More]

Nov. 12, 2019: Midwestern farmers faced devastating flooding last spring, with recovery efforts still ongoing. Nebraska farm owners Kristi and Drew Wolfe give a firsthand look at what it’s been like to cope with this disaster. Kim Christiansen, who was GM of the Nebraska Rural Electric Association before joining NRECA, discusses the overall impact in Nebraska, and Sam … [Read More]

More than a third of senators have now signed on to support the RURAL Act, a bipartisan bill by Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Tina Smith, D-Minn., to protect electric cooperatives’ tax-exempt status. As of Monday, 38 senators were co-sponsoring the bill, which would allow not-for-profit co-ops to accept government grants for disaster relief, broadband service and other … [Read More]

NRECA's monthly podcast is focused on the important stories from across co-op country about the issues that matter most to rural America and the energy industry. https://www.electric.coop/along-those-lines-co-ops-cybersecurity-protecting-grid/   … [Read More]

Sunflower has chosen to support the United Way because of the positive impact the organization has in the Sunflower service territory. CoBank recognizes that their customers often know best where funding can most effectively be provided to benefit their communities. Since the program was established in 2012, CoBank and its customers have together contributed more … [Read More]

The record-setting snowstorm that walloped Oregon last February was so severe it turned off the lights to all of Douglas Electric Cooperative’s members for the first time in the co-op’s 80-year history.“We’d never had a 100% outage before,” said Keith Brooks, general manager of the Roseburg-based co-op. “It took about three and a half weeks to get everyone’s power back … [Read More]

When Congress returns next month from its August recess, there are only about 40 legislative days left this year in the House and about 50 in the Senate. That leaves a small window of opportunity for progress on the most pressing issues for electric cooperatives. John Cassady, NRECA’s vice president of legislative affairs, gives an update on how co-op priorities have … [Read More]

If you work in the energy industry or follow its developments, you’re probably familiar with the term “beneficial electrification.” But do you really understand what it means? What is its impact on the environment? How does it benefit consumers? And how are co-ops leading the industry on this … [Read More]

  About the DER Tracker The purpose of this tracker is to capture the latest information at the state level on policies impacting the deployment of distributed energy resources (DER), including information on legislative and regulatory actions in the states and how these policies impact electric cooperatives. The tracker is interactive and will be … [Read More]

In March, Roanoke Electric Cooperative CEO Curtis Wynn officially took the gavel as NRECA’s new president. Wynn, a member of the NRECA board since 2007, first got into the business when he was just a teenager, washing trucks after school at his local co-op. Decades later, he’s charged with leading co-ops across the country through the challenges of a changing … [Read More]

The monarch butterfly is in trouble, with its numbers in decline for the last few decades, its habitat rapidly disappearing, and an Endangered Species Act listing on the horizon. We’re joined by NRECA’s Janelle Lemen and Stephanie Crawford along with Dairyland Power Cooperative’s Brad Foss to discuss the challenges the monarch faces and the steps co-ops are taking to save … [Read More]

When it was enacted in 1973, the bipartisan authors of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) envisioned a law to protect plant and animal species on the brink of extinction. At that time, 109 species were listed for protection. Today, there are more than 2,000 species designated as either threatened or endangered with additional species considered as candidates for listing. … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives have a broad financial impact on the United States, directly or indirectly supporting nearly 612,000 jobs each year and contributing hundreds of billions of dollars to the economy over a five-year period, according to a new analysis. Between 2013 and 2017, co-ops employed an average of 67,800 people a year, hired about 100,600 contractors, and by … [Read More]

NRECA believes that environmental, wildlife and land-management policies should encourage flexible, local approaches rather than imposing costly rules that discourage innovation. We favor policies that rely more on providing incentives and encouraging voluntary conservation efforts. Cooperatives and Businesses Environmental laws affect nearly every aspect of co-op … [Read More]

From booming suburbs to remote rural farming communities, America’s electric cooperatives are energy providers and engines of economic development for more than 19 million American homes, businesses, farms and schools in 47 states. Electric cooperatives play a vital role in transforming the electric sector. Advanced communications and automation technology enable co-ops … [Read More]

As we spend the month of April recognizing the efforts of lineworkers, the latest episode of Along Those Lines zeroes in on safety and what it takes to ensure that crews don’t come into contact with live lines. Heath Martin, who’s now the safety director at Northfork Electric Cooperative in Oklahoma, shares the harrowing story of a mistake early in his career as a … [Read More]

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, the latest episode of Along Those Lines takes you behind the scenes with a woman who’s making her way in a male-dominated industry.Kaitlyn Vaillancourt, 21, is an apprentice lineworker at Pedernales Electric Cooperative outside Austin, Texas—the only woman among the co-op’s 200 lineworkers.As co-ops and other utilities are seeing … [Read More]

Congress has taken the first step to protect electric cooperatives from losing their tax-exempt status when they receive government grants to help restore power after a storm or bring broadband service to rural communities. Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Tina Smith, D-Minn., introduced legislation Thursday to correct an unintended consequence of the sweeping Tax … [Read More]

NRECA is working with a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress to pass legislation that would give electric cooperatives access to more money to modernize their plants and reduce costs for consumer-members. “Rural electric cooperatives reach underserved areas far and wide providing dependable electricity … to power their homes, farms and businesses,” said Sen. … [Read More]

President Trump’s 2020 budget proposal once again calls for selling off federal dams and transmission lines that are crucial for more than 600 electric cooperatives to provide low-cost power to their consumer-members. The president’s budget would privatize dams and transmission lines operated by the Bonneville Power Administration in Oregon, the Southwestern Power … [Read More]

Basin Electric Power Cooperative CEO Paul Sukut told a Senate panel Wednesday he supports efforts to help co-ops develop technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants and turn them into useful products. Sukut spoke in support of bipartisan legislation by Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., that would spur new … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives have a broad financial impact on the United States, directly or indirectly supporting nearly 612,000 jobs each year and contributing hundreds of billions of dollars to the economy over a five-year period, according to a new analysis. Between 2013 and 2017, co-ops employed an average of 67,800 people a year, hired about 100,600 contractors, and by … [Read More]

Geoff and Tina Wilson planned to live off the grid in a remote part of Utah when things went horribly awry. Smoke from wildfires and steady rains hampered their lone solar panel, and their generator broke. Health problems prevented Geoff, a Navy veteran, from working, and Tina worked only part-time as a teacher’s aide. Their savings were all used up to pay for Geoff’s … [Read More]

Download the monthly “Along those Lines” Podcast to hear electric cooperative industry news and how electric cooperatives advocate on your behalf. For the latest episode of “Along Those Lines,” our host, RE Magazine Editor Scot Hoffman, talks to Kirk Johnson, NRECA’s senior vice president for government relations, and John Cassady, NRECA’s vice president for legislative … [Read More]

Reaching out and helping the communities in our service territory is more than just a part of the mission statement framed in our hallways. It’s a culture of concern for community that is encouraged among all Sunflower employees. With the last remaining funds of 2018, Sunflower staff decided that animal shelters across western Kansas should receive donations. Shelters that … [Read More]

NRECA advocates on many public policy issues on behalf of electric cooperatives. As the new Congress kicks off, here’s a look at several electric co-op policy priorities for 2019. Energy Policy/Infrastructure The potential for energy and infrastructure legislation presents a significant opportunity as electric cooperatives work to meet the growing needs of their … [Read More]

To the relief of electric cooperatives, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to replace its 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, which significantly expanded what waters and wetlands should be federally regulated. EPA on Dec. 11 proposed to limit “waters of the U.S.” to traditional navigable waters and tributaries, ditches, wetlands and other features that … [Read More]

From community development to broadband and renewable energy, electric cooperatives stand to benefit from the Farm Bill overwhelmingly passed by Congress this week and now headed to President Trump, who’s expected to sign it. The House voted 369-47 in favor of the bill on Wednesday, a day after the Senate approved it, 87-13. “The bill advances the interests of … [Read More]

"Tracey’s Takeaways" is a new feature focusing on employee development, management issues, leadership and organizational culture. Silos form over time and can be hard to break, but they are important for leaders to address. There's an African proverb that states, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others." This conforms to what I … [Read More]

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development Production leads to processing which leads to progress. That is the desired path of value-added economic development. It was true for the Kansas beef industry in the 1980s and 1990s, and it is now coming true in the Kansas dairy industry. Milk production in western Kansas has grown to the point that new … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives in 24 states will receive nearly $1.6 billion in loans from the Department of Agriculture to improve system operations, repair power lines and substations, and increase grid resiliency. Loans are going to 44 co-ops, a green energy developer in Hawaii and the Seneca Nation of Indians in New York. “Reliable and affordable power is an underpinning … [Read More]

The voters’ decisions last night resulted in several noteworthy shifts in power in Washington, D.C., and many state capitals. As of 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the Democrats gained a net total of 26 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, shifting control from the Republicans for the first time in eight years. Republicans gained a net of two seats in the U.S. Senate with four … [Read More]

What: 2018 Sunflower Local Planning Meeting When: December 4, 2018 Time:  1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Rose Garden Banquet Hall (Ballroom) – 2350 East 8th Street, Hays, KS   … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives want the Environmental Protection Agency to recognize their efforts to protect their members’ wallets, assure grid reliability and reduce carbon dioxide emissions as the agency works to replace the Obama-era Clean Power Plan over the coming months. The proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, with some recommended improvements, could accomplish … [Read More]

The nation’s top cybersecurity watchdog and industry experts concur: When it comes to protecting the electric grid from cyberthreats, public-private partnerships are vital. “We can all agree our nation’s security depends on safe, reliable energy infrastructure,” said Jeff Baumgartner, senior adviser at the Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy … [Read More]

Cybersecurity is a never-ending battle, with online criminals constantly adapting their tactics to outsmart the latest patch or protocol. Fortunately, electric cooperatives have a partner in the fight: NRECA’s Rural Cooperative Cybersecurity Capabilities Program (RC3). RC3, now entering its third and final year of funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, is … [Read More]

Arlington, VA – The lack of broadband access for 6.3 million electric co-op households results in more than $68 billion in lost economic value, according to new research by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The new report investigates the cost of the digital divide and the growing economic advantages to America’s rural communities. The study … [Read More]

Electric cooperative leaders say the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to replace the Clean Power Plan would allow them to serve members the cleanest, most efficient and affordable electricity available. The proposed Affordable Clean Energy rule would provide “the certainty and flexibility we need to meet our member-consumers’ local energy needs,” said Paul … [Read More]

It took some time, but grandma and grandpa are getting with the digital revolution in a big way. "The once-wide technology divide between the old and the young continues to shrink as the middle-age and senior members expand their utilization of technology," said Audrey Gould, research analyst at TSE Services, which produced the Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives … [Read More]

As Congress enters the August recess, NRECA is urging conferees to reach a compromise on the Farm Bill that achieves electric co-ops’ priorities for the legislation. “We are encouraging Congress to pass a final Farm Bill that supports several key policy issues for electric co-ops and their member-consumers in rural America,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. The House … [Read More]

Making Way for 5G 5G is coming. The much-anticipated next generation of wireless communication, expected to be launched as early as later this year, promises to deliver on a host of futuristic technologies, including self-driving cars, real-time virtual reality, and smart cities and towns. “With the proliferation of mobile technology and the growing popularity of … [Read More]

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As nuclear and coal-based plant retirements continue, the Energy Department is growing concerned about the impacts of a "historic shift" in energy resources. "Today, America's grid is reliable and resilient to disruption because of the diversity and security of fuels that supply it. But the most secure of these fuels are retiring at an alarming rate that if unchecked … [Read More]

  NRECA CEO Jim Matheson thanked electric cooperative leaders for coming to Washington for the 2018 NRECA Legislative Conference and for their work in building relationships with policymakers that improve their members’ lives every day.   “That’s so important that you are here today,” he told the more than 2,000 participants from co-ops across the … [Read More]

Modern bucket trucks rumbled into the electric utility industry starting in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that McCullough Electric Cooperative in Brady, Texas, saw its first such vehicle. Danny Williams, now the manager of loss control at Texas Electric Cooperatives (statewide) in Austin, was a young McCullough Electric groundman back then. “We might … [Read More]

Sunflower and Mid-Kansas board members continue to support diverse electric generation. This is the third article in a series that gives an overview of each electric generation fuel type and describes how it fits into the Sunflower and Mid-Kansas systems. It seems as if they are popping up everywhere across the nation—giant “pinwheels” used to generate electricity from … [Read More]

Electric co-op members continue to diversify electric generation resources Hays, Kan.—February 27, 2018—Mid-Kansas Electric Company Inc., along with its sister company Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, announced its plan to purchase renewable energy from a 20-megawatt solar project scheduled for construction in southwest Kansas. The cooperatively operated wholesale … [Read More]

Federal energy officials have made their first forecasts for 2019, and they expect to see modest growth in the nation's electricity consumption, with a record set for renewables. In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the Energy Information Administration predicts a 1.3 percent consumption increase this year, followed by a rise of just 0.5 percent in … [Read More]

The Environmental Protection Agency should act quickly to develop a “common-sense, flexible replacement rule for the Clean Power Plan,” an NRECA official told EPA officials at a public hearing. “We appreciate and support EPA’s proposal to rescind the Clean Power Plan,” Daniel Chartier, NRECA regulatory director, environmental policy, said at a Nov. 28 hearing in … [Read More]

If there’s one definitive truth about cybersecurity it’s this: We’re all in it together. That was a common theme at the forum “Insights on Cybersecurity for Electric Utilities,” hosted by NRECA in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Alliance and Department of Homeland Security. “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. It touches all of our lives, at … [Read More]

  BONNER SPRINGS, Kan.—Throughout late August and September, electric cooperative linemen put their skills to the test rebuilding power systems destroyed by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. In October, they put those same skills to the test against elite utility linemen from around the world—and came out on top. A three-member journeyman team from Cobb … [Read More]

As the Trump administration proposes to withdraw the Clean Power Plan, electric cooperatives will work with the Environmental Protection Agency toward “sound regulation” with the durability and flexibility necessary to provide affordable and reliable electricity to their millions of members, NRECA CEO Jim Matheson said. “We look forward to working with the … [Read More]

ARLINGTON, Va. – NRECA CEO Jim Matheson today applauded the Department of Energy’s (DOE) loan guarantee for the Plant Vogtle nuclear power project. “Today’s announcement is welcome news for Oglethorpe Power, the Vogtle project, and the future of America’s electric generation,” Matheson said.  “Nuclear energy is an essential source of emissions-free, 24/7 power. This DOE … [Read More]