News
From perspectives on energy issues to the cooperative difference, read the latest news from Minnesota's electric cooperatives.
New ERA Funding Statement
The Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) is a nonprofit trade association representing Minnesota’s electric cooperatives, which serve over 1.7 million people. Some member cooperatives have...
Inequity in costs from home solar systems discussed at Energy Issues Summit
Minnesota’s net metering policy needs reform, energy experts said this week at the Minnesota Rural Electric Association’s (MREA) Energy Issues Summit, Aug. 7-8. The annual summit brings together...
Minnesota Rural Electric Association raises record amount for burn centers at golf benefit
The 19th Annual Burn Center Golf Tournament, hosted by the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA), raised a record-setting $64,606.30 for Minnesota’s three specialty burn centers. The charity...
Cooperative lineworkers to help electrify Guatemalan villages
The five Toyota four-wheel drive Hilux pickup trucks carried 14 lineworkers, four translators, tools and equipment for the job through the mountains in the rugged Guatemalan countryside to a local...
Legislative Wrap Up
The 2024 legislative session adjourned in complete chaos at midnight on Sunday, May 19. Democrats, who control the House, Senate and Governor’s office, rushed to pass their legislative agenda before...
Energy experts discuss reliability challenges and solutions at LREC Energy Forum
Our energy industry is going through rapid change and that’s one of the main reasons why we do things like these Energy Forums for our members,” Tim Thompson, CEO of Lake Region Electric Cooperative...
Southern Minnesota cooperatives celebrate 10 Years of landmark acquisition
July 31 marks the 10-year anniversary of the successful acquisition of Alliant Energy’s Minnesota service territory by Southern Minnesota Energy Cooperative (SMEC). The $127 million deal, completed in 2015, represents the largest-ever acquisition of investor-owned...
Dakota Electric Association crews respond quickly to electrical contact incident
Around 9:20 a.m. on May 8, a semi-truck was involved in an electrical contact incident near a grain elevator on the edge of Miesville. Two Dakota Electric crews traveling to another job site observed the situation and stopped to respond. The crews arrived shortly...
Summer Reliability Report for Minnesota and region shows “elevated risk of supply shortfalls” during heat waves or abnormal weather
The Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) is drawing attention to a new report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), which warns of an “elevated risk of operating reserve shortfalls” in Minnesota and surrounding states during the...