A plain patch of parched grass may one day bloom with bustling buildings thanks partly to electric cooperatives plotting the way.
Two welder working. Wabash Valley Power Alliance partners with its member co-ops to plan for future anticipated growth, including industries such as manufacturing.
Electric distribution co-ops and the generation and transmission cooperatives that provide them with wholesale power plan for development in the regions they serve. They must anticipate future growth and ensure that electricity is available to serve the expected families and businesses in the area, said Brent Reyher, senior manager of strategic electrification and member relations for Wabash Valley Power Alliance. WVPA is the wholesale power provider for more than 20 Midwestern electric cooperatives and partners with them to develop energy infrastructure and foster economic development.
“These plans are often focused on organic growth, including the residences and businesses expected within a community,” said Reyher, who has worked more than 25 years in electric cooperatives, including as former CEO of EnerStar Electric in Illinois. “There are a variety of tools they use, including growth and demographic data, to have an informed perspective as to what is likely to develop in the future.”
Wabash Valley Power collaborates with businesses, including manufacturing facilities and data centers, to ensure that proper infrastructure is installed for reliable power. WVPA and its member co-ops also offer economic development incentives to businesses, including Power Moves® energy efficiency rebates and the Workforce Automation Grant, which provides up to $15,000 for workforce training.
“Our member co-ops embrace a service, member-focused perspective and strive to make sure that everyone’s needs are met,” said Rachel Huser, senior manager of economic development at WVPA. “We enjoy collaborating with them to solve the needs of businesses on their lines so they can thrive in our communities.”
Wabash Valley Power even offers 24/7 real-time energy grid monitoring at its operations center. If an outage occurs, WVPA contacts the co-op affected, and they immediately start on power restoration. Yet nearly 95% of WVPA’s member distribution substations also can deliver power by an alternate route to minimize service disruptions, Reyher said.
“We and our member co-ops go to great lengths to ensure the robustness of the distribution system,” Reyher said. “We have done several things to ensure reliability and minimize impact to families and businesses.”