Along Those Lines

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.