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In the Spotlight

Rural electric co-ops are investing in renewable energy: wind, biofuels, solar, and hydro projects.

Energy innovation is possible when people willingly learn new ways of producing, delivering, and consuming energy. That means companies assume significant financial and technological risk when exploring the use of non-traditional fuels to produce power.

Scholarships awarded

Basin Electric awarded student scholarships for the 2010-2011 school year to children of member cooperative consumers, member cooperative employees, and Basin Electric and subsidiary employees. More than 160 $1,000-scholarships have been awarded.

2010 member co-op consumer dependents (PDF)
2010 employee dependents (PDF)

Now in its 20th year, the scholarship program recognizes and encourages academic and community achievements of students in the region. It is also considered an investment in the economic future of rural areas.

Today, America's rural electric cooperatives are taking great strides to change the way they provide power for their member-consumers. Because innovation is often expensive, there are benefits in partnering with others to get the job done. Recently, Basin Electric joined with other G&Ts and distribution cooperatives to form the National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO).

Every day Innovative ideas for using Mother Nature to produce more clean power are born - biofuels, solar energy and harnessing more hydro power are just a few evolving trends in America's energy industries. People have become more energy conscious and they are supporting efficiency goals and energy conservation.

Some Basin Electric members have boldly taken the initiative to look for new ways to capture and use energy.

Wright-Hennepin members donate $32,500 to many local worthy causes

December 2009

Rockford, MN (December 15, 2009) — Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association’s (WH) Operation Round Up (ORU) participants continue to demonstrate their commitment to helping others during these difficult economic times with their most recent donation of $32,500. This donation was used to support many local charities and worthy causes.

These worthy causes ranged from supporting the local Toys for Tots program to helping local residents pay their energy bills.
The ORU donation funding comes from WH members who allow their electric statements to be rounded up to the nearest dollar every month. The average donation of each WH member participating in the program is $6 per year. Almost 80 percent of WH members participate in this community-orientated program. Since the ORU program began in 1994, WH members have donated more than $2.4 million to local worthy causes.

The ORU Trust Board, which administers the program, approved the following donations on behalf of WH members in October:

Energy efficiency

Energy efficient measures taken during construction include:

applying caulking between all framing studs
using insulating Rboard between studs and around outside of the home
spraying polyurethane foam insulation
raising heel height on roof to allow for extra insulation
running wiring through the basement instead of through the studs
laying rigid 2-inch polystyrene foam insulation before pouring basement concrete
insulating and waterproofing outside of basement walls
wrapping the frame with Tyvek Home Wrap

Lebert Construction was selected to complete the house.

$ 1,000 ARC Central MN, to support SibShop programs for siblings of disabled children to help them with family issues.
$ 1,000 French Lake Sunshine Club, to help local people in need.
$10,000 Wright County Community Action, to provide energy assistance for warmth program.
The dollars donated are eligible for a 2 to 1 match by the “Reach Out for Warmth” program offered by Minnesota.
$ 3,000 Hammer Residences, Inc., to support their Quality of Life Fund.
$ 4,000 Annandale Youth First, Inc., to provide student-to-student mentoring.
$ 4,000 Buffalo Rotary Community Toys for Tots (Buffalo and Montrose), to purchase gifts for less fortunate children.
$ 4,000 Buffalo Rotary Silent Santa, to purchase snow pants and boots for less fortunate children.
$ 5,000 Community Toys for Tots (Monticello), to purchase gifts for less fortunate children.
$ 500 CEAP Quilters, to provide necessary quilting supplies

All funds generated for ORU go into a trust fund. A trust board that is appointed by the cooperative’s board of directors administers these funds. Donations are made to local civic organizations or worthy causes through an application and selection process. The trust board uses special guidelines and policies when choosing recipients.

For those wishing to apply for funds, the next application deadline for ORU is Feb. 1, 2010. To receive an application or for more information about guidelines and policies, visit WH’s website at www.whe.org, send an e-mail to info@whe.org, or call Lisa and leave a message, 763-477-3000 ext. 6126.

WH is a member-owned non-profit electric utility that provides electric power to Wright County and the western part of Hennepin County. The cooperative has been a corporate citizen in this area since 1937 and currently serves more than 46,000 electric accounts. The utility started its security division in 1989 that provides local home security solutions as well as monitors alarm systems for more than 50,000 customers in 32 states and three Canadian provinces.