NetworkVerendrye Electric CooperativeNews Velva, N.D. · PDF fileTh e rules require the state...

Verendrye Electric Cooperative Velva, N.D.

NetworkNewsVelva: 701-338-2855 • Minot: 701-852-0406 Website: www.verendrye.com

JANU

ARY

2016

JANUARY 2016IN THIS ISSUE

• EPA rules will cause cost increases

• Apply for $1,000 scholarships• Operation Round Up

welcomes new member

Beautiful frost = ugly outages.

Lineworkers Jim Hagen, closest, and Ethan Forbes, prepare to reattach a power line to a pole. Thick frost caused outages in December that affected as many as 1,500 people at one time.

www.verendrye.com VERENDRYE ELECTRIC NEWS , JANUARY 2016 C1

NetworkNews

Cost of ‘absolutely everything’ will increase under strict EPA rulesBY TOM RAFFERTY [email protected]

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules requiring massive reductions in carbon

dioxide emissions from power plants will cause electric bills to increase substantially and cause an increase in the costs of goods and services.

“I will say the cost of electricity is going to go up. Th e cost of absolutely everything will go up,” said Dave Raatz, vice president of cooperative planning for Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

Raatz spoke to Verendrye Electric Cooperative’s Member Advisory Committee about how EPA’s rule 111(d) will aff ect Basin Electric. Basin is a generation cooperative owned by Verendrye Electric and 137 other cooperatives in nine states.

Raatz said Basin doesn’t know exactly how much the rule would aff ect rates, but it is working on quantifying that amount. Public Service Commissioner Randy Christmann wrote in newspaper editorials that the plan could cost $50 a month for each person in North Dakota each year. Sen. John Hoeven said in a news release in August

the plan could increase the cost of electricity and natural gas for the average American family by $1,225 a year by 2030.

Th e rules require the state to reduce emissions by 45 percent over the 2012 levels by 2030, with some reductions required by 2022. Th e state can use a mass-based method which caps the total level of emissions, or it can use a rate-based method in which the rate of emissions per megawatt-hour is reduced by adding less carbon-intensive generation like wind and natural gas. Accomplishing the reductions would require coal plants to be retired, or massive amounts of new wind turbines and natural gas plants to be built, or both. Th ere’s also the possibility of buying and selling carbon credits with other states.

Raatz said Basin would need to spend at least $5 billion to comply with the rules, but there are other problems, included fi guring out how and where to build massive amounts of wind and natural gas facilities. One way to comply with the rules under the mass-based plan would be to shutter 1,700 megawatts (MW) of

coal production and build 1,800 MW of wind and 1,800 MW of natural gas production to back up the wind. Th e wind farm south of Minot owned by Basin can produce 122 MW with ideal wind. Th at means Basin would have to build 15 of those wind farms to help meet the rules. Or Basin could meet the rate-based rules by keeping

NOVEMBER 2011 • VERENDRYE ELECTRIC NEWS—C7

Join ACRE today for only $2.08 a month. Simply complete the slip below and mail to Verendrye

Please add the following to my monthly electric billRegular member: $2.08 per month ($25 per year)

I affirm that my contribution has been made with non-corporate funds

Name_________________________________________Signature___________________________

Address__________________________________________________________________________

City________________________ State________________________ Zip______________________Contributions to ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action are not tax deductible. All contributions to ACRE are voluntary andwill be used for political purposes. Contribution guidelines are suggestions only. You may contribute more or less than therecommended amount. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal. Contributions may be stopped at any time uponnotification to the cooperative.

Mail to: Verendrye Electric, 615 Highway 52 W., Velva, ND 58790 or call 800-472-2141

YES! I want to help keep the voice ofrural electric cooperatives heard in thepolitical process by participating in ACRE“Co-op Owners for Political Action.”

How you can help There are two ways you can help fi ght the EPA’s unreasonable rules. You can go to www.action.coop to send a message to Congress and learn more about the issues. We also urge you to join the Action Committee for Rural Electrifi cation (ACRE). ACRE is a grassroots political action committee for electric cooperatives. The funds raised through ACRE help support and educate elected offi cials who will speak for and protect the interests of electric co-ops. You can use the form on this page to sign up for ACRE.

Dave Raatz, Vice President of Cooperative Planning for Basin Electric Power Cooperative, speaks to Verendrye Electric’s Member Advisory Committee about the EPA new rules that require North Dakota to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent starting in about six years.

C2 JANUARY 2016 , VERENDRYE ELECTRIC NEWS www.verendrye.com

NetworkNewsall of its coal-fi red generation and building 4,500 MW of new wind, an amount about 39 times the size of the Minot wind farm.

“Th ink about all of the wind farms you’re going to see,” Raatz said. “You’ll see so many red blinking lights on the wind farms at night that you’ll think it’s Christmas year-round.”

Another concern is that utilities won’t have time to meet the requirements. Th at’s why several states and Basin are suing the EPA.

Basin is asking for delays through the legal system, seeking changes in Congress and at the same time trying to fi gure out how to comply if it is unsuccessful in the courts or Congress.

Raatz said the technology does not exist to capture carbon underground from coal-fi red power plants. Basin Electric currently sequesters carbon dioxide from its Dakota Gasifi cation Co. plant, but that plant turns coal into natural gas and is much diff erent than a coal-fi red power plant.

“Th ere isn’t a good carbon capture technology in place, but 10 to 15 years from now, there might be,” he said.

Not only would closing coal plants cost jobs, utilities would have to continue to pay fi nancing on them for decades even though they wouldn’t be used. In the end, all of the costs have to be passed on to the consumers.

“People don’t recognize how important electricity is. I believe this country is strong because of low cost energy,” Raatz said. n

Verendrye women help Dakota Hope Clinic

Shopping for babies can be fun, especially when it’s done as a group event for a good cause.

Th e women of Verendrye continued their annual Christmas outing by purchasing supplies for the Dakota Hope Clinic’s Baby Boutique. Th e Dakota Hope Clinic provides free services to women. Th e Baby Boutique is a large closet full of new clothes, toys and supplies for babies. Th e women served by the clinic get to pick items from the boutique as they earn points by taking classes on caring for their babies.

Th e women of Verendrye have made it a tradition to have a “girls night out” each year. In addition to helping a local charity, they participate in a team-building activity. Th is year, they had a Gallery on the Go painting party in Velva, where they each created a painting.

Verendrye Electric thanks the ladies for helping women and children in our area! n

Women working at Verendrye Electric have made it a tradition to have a fun night out together that includes buying gifts for a local charity. This year, they bought baby items for the Dakota Hope Clinic.

Verendrye members purchase Clean Tech

Whether it’s routine cleaning or restoring your home or business aft er a fi re or fl ood,

Clean Tech has been there to help for more than 20 years.

Th e Minot business, served by Verendrye Electric, was recently sold to a group of owners who were all Verendrye members prior to owning the business. It was sold by Pam Karpenko to Chelsea and Kent Kirkhammer, Rilie Domres and Darrik and Betsy Trudell.

Chelsea Kirkhammer, the marketing director, said the company plans to be around for a long time and would like to expand its clientele.

“We’re basically a group of friends and we like to drive home the point that

we are local,” Kirkhammer said. “We’re young families so we will be here for the long run.”

Kirkhammer and her husband, Kent, are also active in their cooperative. Th ey both serve on the Member Advisory Committee and Chelsea has an interest in serving on the Verendrye board someday.

“For me, it has been a goal to eventually serve on the board of a cooperative,” she said. She grew up around cooperatives and her mother, Christine Peterson, currently serves on the board of North Central Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Bottineau.

Clean Tech does a lot of commercial cleaning, in addition to smoke and

water damage restoration, sewer backup cleanup, pet cleanup, air duct cleaning and much more. Th e business has 24-hour response available and will travel within 120 miles of Minot for work. Th e business is located at 505-31st Ave. S.W. For more information about their services, go to www.cleantechllc.us/ or call 839-8811. n

New owners of Clean Tech participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony last year. A group of Verendrye members purchased the business.


NetworkNews

Thick frost causes widespread outages

Frost thicker than as a man’s arm coated power lines one week in December, providing

stunning scenery that left behind a trail of damage causing outages in a widespread area.

Th e problems started on Sunday Dec., 13 and became progressively worse the week of December 15. By Tuesday morning of that week, there were 1,500 Verendrye accounts without power at the same time. Crews were able to restore power to all but 56

accounts that night, but the number jumped back up to around 350 by Wednesday.

Minot Area Foreman Lance Werchau said heavy frost causes lines to sag or slap together, which can result in blown fuses or breakers opening. Electrical arcs can also occur, causing lines to burn and fall off of poles. In the worst case scenario, poles snap.

“If you have the right conditions, when one pole breaks, the whole line

can go down like dominoes,” Werchau said. “If one goes then the weight pulls down the next one and the next one and the next one. It is a chain reaction.”

More than 60 poles had broken because of the frost and there were several locations where lines broke. Lineworkers worked up to 14 hours a day in cold and windy conditions. Verendrye also hired contractors to help speed up the outage restoration. Th e hardest hit areas were in southern and western Ward County. n

Upper left: Old Glory was a spectacular sight against a backdrop of beautiful, but damaging frost. This picture was taken about 8 miles southwest of Minot along County Road 14.Large center: Lineworker Derek Oase, in bucket, Foreman Burton Atksinson, left, and Lineworker Ron Holte, work together to reattach a power line northeast of Berthold that came down from heavy frost. Upper right: Thick frost coated miles of power lines in Verendrye’s system, causing problems in a large area. Hardest hit areas were south and western Ward County. Left: Power lines and trees were heavily coated with hoar frost, which occurs when water vapor molecules contact a subfreezing surface, going directly from a gas state to a solid state.


Technology helped limit outage caused by high windsBY TOM RAFFERTY [email protected]

One November day, the wind busted three poles holding a high-voltage transmission line crossing U.S. Highway 52 in east Minot. Th e transmission

line was laying across the highway and 2,200 Verendrye members had lost power.

Th ankfully, technology kept the outage down to less than three minutes and the line was automatically de-energized to keep the public safe. Th is was accomplished through Verendrye Electric’s use of a system called Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). SCADA constantly monitors data such as voltage levels, loading, breaker status and temperature of equipment at substations to help detect problems.

“Th e main goals of SCADA are to provide safety, increase service reliability and to protect equipment,” said Brad Doll, electric power systems engineer with Verendrye Electric Cooperative.

Aft er the line went down, dispatchers at Verendrye Electric quickly saw notifi cations that a breaker had automatically opened and locked out the transmission line, resulting in the line being de-energized. Th is prevented the public from being exposed to an energized conductor. Even though cooperatives and other utility providers have these safety measures, we urge the public to always assume downed lines are energized and to report them immediately.

Dispatchers were able to quickly isolate the problem because SCADA provided the distance from the substation to where the fault was. A motorist also reported the downed line. A dispatcher was then able to restore power to the 2,200 members by remotely switching power to another source.

“Th ey knew the location of the fault, and with two clicks of a computer mouse, we were able to isolate the faulted line section and feed the substation from another source and everyone was then back on,” Doll said.

Verendrye Electric and Central Power Electric crews immediately responded to the scene to remove the line from the road. Because another source of power could be used, repairs didn’t have to be made the same day when wind speeds made working conditions dangerous.

SCADA is helpful for more than outage management. Data is stored and analyzed over periods of time to help engineers identify weaknesses in the system and make repairs before outages occur. SCADA also reports Verendrye’s load (overall power needs) every minute to Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Basin Electric, Verendrye’s generation cooperative, needs this information to make sure it is producing enough power for Verendrye and the 137 other cooperatives it serves.

“Pretty much everything at a substation that we need to monitor and control, we can do with SCADA,” Doll said.

SCADA also helps the cooperative conserve energy by allowing Verendrye to remotely shut off 4,500 water heaters and other devices during peak usage, resulting in signifi cant cost savings to members. n

Crews from Central Power Electric Cooperative set new poles and wires across U.S. Highway 52 in east Minot to repair damage done during a November wind storm. Because of technology, Verendrye was able to limit the outage casued by the damage to less than three minutes.

This is one of the three transmission line poles that was broken during high winds in November.

NetworkNews


Use your space heater safelyMany people turn to space heaters as a convenient source

of warmth in winter months. However, space heaters can be dangerous if not used properly. • Keep the heater at least three feet from fl ammable

items such as curtains, furniture or bedspreads. • Select a space heater with a guard around the

heating element.• Read and follow the manufacturer’s

operating instructions.• Keep children and pets away from space heaters.• Never leave a space heater unattended. Always unplug

the heater when it is not in use. Never go to sleep with a space heater still operating.

• Do not use an extension cord or power strip with a space heater.

Use portable generators safelyDuring an unexpected power outage, a portable

generator can keep us comfortable until power is restored. But if not operated properly, a generator can quickly become dangerous.

What’s the fi rst rule? Never, ever use a generator indoors – even with windows open – or in an enclosed area, including an attached garage. Locate the generator where fumes cannot fi lter into your home through windows or doors – even 15 feet is too close. • To avoid risk of shock, use your generator only

on a dry surface where rain or snow can’t leak or puddle underneath.

• For stationary generators that are permanently installed, a licensed electrician will need to install a “transfer switch” that complies with the National Electric Code. Th e switch safely cuts the electricity to the power lines.

• Shut down the generator and let it cool down before you refuel – gasoline or kerosene spilled on a hot generator could start a fi re.

Other safety precautions• Frayed wires can cause fi res. Replace all worn, old or

damaged appliance cords immediately.• Replace any electrical tool if it causes even small

electrical shocks, overheats or gives off smoke or sparks.

• Keep electrical appliances away from wet fl oors and counters; pay special care to electrical appliances in the bathroom and kitchen.

• If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fi t into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.

• Use safety closures to child-proof electrical outlets.• Use electrical extension cords wisely; never overload

extension cords or wall sockets.• Immediately shut off , then professionally replace, light

switches that are hot to the touch and lights that fl icker.• Finally, having a working smoke alarm dramatically

increases your chances of surviving a fi re. And remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family. n

winter

As we snuggle into our homes during the winter season, Verendrye Electric Cooperative shares some safety tips.

NetworkNews


CHECK OUT THE ESSAY-CONTEST GUIDELINES AT

www.ndyouthtour.com and www.youthtour.coop

JUNE 11 to 17, 2016

TOP 3 REASONS TO ENTER THE ESSAY-WRITING CONTEST1. All-expense-paid trip to Washington,

D.C., compliments of Verendrye Electric Cooperative.

2. A whole week to visit unforgettable historic monuments, museums and the U.S. Capitol.

3. A learning experience you’ll never forget.

• To enter the essay-writing contest, you must be a sophomore or junior in high school.

• You and your parents or guardian must be served by Verendrye Electric Cooperative.

• If you have questions, contact Tom Raff erty, Verendrye Electric, at the address listed below, or call 701-338-2855 during regular business hours.

• The deadline is Jan. 29, 2016. Emailed entries should be directed to [email protected], and hard-copy entries mailed to: Youth Tour Essay Contest, Verendrye Electric Cooperative, 1225 Hwy. 2 Bypass E., Minot, ND 58701-7927.

ESSAY QUESTION:“Pick one of the four Touchstone Energy® core values ― innovation, integrity, accountability and commitment to community ― and describe how you see this in action at Verendrye Electric Cooperative.”

HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORES & JUNIORS

North Dakota Electric Cooperative

WRITE A WINNING ESSAY AND WIN A TRIP OF A LIFETIME!

An all-expense-paid trip to WASHINGTON, D.C.

Find out why you should write an essay for the

2016 Youth Tour. Visit www.youtube.com/ndarec

Travis AndersonNorth Dakota Youth Leadership

Council delegate


BOARD PRESIDENTBlaine Bruner

MANAGERBruce Carlson

EDITORTom Rafferty

VERENDRYE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVEVelva, ND 58790

Velva: 701-338-2855 Minot: 701- 852-0406Toll-Free: 800-472-2141 Website: www.verendrye.com Email: [email protected]

Apply for $1,000 scholarships and Youth Tour

Students still have time to apply for one of three $1,000 scholarships and an all-expenses-paid Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C. Th e deadline for the

scholarships is Feb. 15 and the Youth Tour deadline is Jan. 29.

ScholarshipsVerendrye Electric Cooperative (VEC) and its power

provider, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, team up each year to award three, $1,000 scholarships, one per director district, to area high school or college students.

High school seniors or college students have until Feb. 15 to apply for the scholarships.

To be eligible for the VEC scholarships, students must be dependents of a VEC member and enter college in the fall of the school year for which the scholarship is awarded. Students must complete an application, which is available at www.verendrye.com/communityprograms/StudentOpportunities or by calling or visiting Verendrye Electric’s offi ces in Velva or Minot.

Applicants are required to include a recent academic transcript, copy of a college entrance exam (ACT or SAT scores), a one-page essay and an appraisal completed by a teacher, counselor or supervisor. For questions about the scholarships, call 800-472-2141.

Youth TourTo enter the Youth Tour contest, students must be

sophomores or juniors in high school and be dependents of Verendrye members. Entrants must write a one- to two-page essay. For full details about the Youth Tour contest, including the essay question, see the previous page. n

Operation Round Up board welcomes new member

Steve Peterson is the newest Verendrye member to serve on the Verendrye Electric

Trust board, which oversees the cooperative’s Operation Round Up program.

Peterson was elected to the board at the November meeting of the Member Advisory Committee. Th e Member Advisory Committee meets once a year to learn more about their cooperative and to elect VE Trust offi cers.

Peterson, of Minot, is an online disability services coordinator at the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities located at Minot

State University. He has 30 years of experience in business management and technical consultation in the healthcare fi eld.

He replaces Nikki Espeseth, of Towner, who served on the board for six years. Verendrye Electric Cooperative would like to thank Espeseth for her dedication and service to the Operation Round Up program.

Th e committee also re-elected Verla Rostad to a position on the VE Trust board. She has served since 2012 and was elected president of the board in January 2015.

Operation Round Up is a program

where Verendrye members round their bills up to the nearest dollar each month and the funds are used to help communities and people with extraordinary medical expenses. In 2015, the program awarded 40 grants totaling $68,000. In all, the program has awarded $906,500 in grants since 1996. n

Steve Peterson

Ethan Hinkel, last year’s Youth Tour winner, does a presentation about his trip to Washington, D.C., to Verendrye’s Member Advisory Committee as his mother, Patricia, records it on her phone. For more information about Youth Tour and scholarships available for students, go to www.verendrye.com or contact us.


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