A pair of Hoosier Energy cooperatives were recently awarded grants as part of the State Apprenticeship Expansion program. Clark County REMC was awarded $10,000 and Harrison County REMC $7,000 for apprentices dating back to 2019. To qualify, apprentices must have at least 2,000 on-the-job training hours and be registered with the Department of…
What started as an unknown six months ago has become a key component in determining the future for Hoosier Energy and its 18 member cooperatives. The DER (distributed energy resources) Strategy Subcommittee met for the first time at Hoosier Energy headquarters in Bloomington back in September and has gathered momentum ever since. Featuring…
Melanie Defore says she never thought of herself as a fixture. But when 15,104 days go by between starting a job and finishing it, the description just seems to fit. “She’s seen a lot of history and been a really important part of that history,” Hoosier Energy President and CEO Donna Walker said…
Ryan Wilson and Morgan Sutton grew up across the pasture from each other in Osgood, Indiana. They were more like brothers than cousins – playing together, going to school together and most everything else together. What they didn’t expect was to choose a career together. But both graduated from the North American…
For Erica Steinfeldt, Super Bowl Sunday is hardly the only day of the year that a sporting event takes center stage. As a mother of three, the Hoosier Energy Forecasting Analyst has plenty of experience attending football, basketball and baseball games as well as dance and show choir competitions. However, Steinfeldt had her…
The 2022 Youth Power and Hope Awards winners were announced at the Indiana Electric Cooperatives annual Recognition Banquet on Dec. 5, 2022, in Indianapolis, and it was a clean sweep for Hoosier Energy member cooperatives. The awards program, coordinated by the staff of Indiana Connection magazine, has honored a select group of middle school…
Winter Storm Elliott packed a punch in December, but Hoosier Energy’s 18 member cooperatives stood strong and experienced minimal disruptions. The system absorbed a record-setting blow as temperatures dropped nearly 50 degrees in a span of 12 hours on Dec. 22 with two-to-three inches of snow across the service territory. Overall, the average…
Decatur County REMC recently hosted a field trip from a dozen Greensburg High School seniors. The students were treated to a variety of presentations designed to teach them about the cooperative and the utility industry. The day started out with Decatur County REMC’s Pat Nobbe talking about distribution, Hoosier Energy’s Tommy Roberts speaking…
If things went according to plan, Matt Mabrey would have retired on October 1, 2022. But as Mabrey has found out in life, and at Hoosier Energy for the past 21-plus years, things rarely go according to plan. So it wasn’t until January 6, 2023, that he officially retired, sort of. The former Vice…
Wyatt Binkley is no stranger to the International Lineman’s Rodeo, held annually in Overland Park, Kansas, since 1984. Back in 2015, he was on hand to see his father, Jim Binkley, compete. Since then, Wyatt has been attending regularly with Jim Binkley, a superintendent for Scottsburg Municipal, serving on the International Lineman Hall of…
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. What no one expected around 5 p.m. on October 12 was that the Hayden Substation in Jackson County was on fire. A nearby farmer in his field saw the smoke and investigated, indeed finding a most unexpected fire. “Occasionally a bird’s nest might catch on fire or…
There are projects, and then there is the Bloomfield River Washout Project. Hoosier Energy recently wrapped up Phase I of one of the most daunting projects in recent memory. Others may cost more or take longer, but few match the complications involved in solving the kind of problem only Mother Nature can create. …
Dave Helton’s been in the electric industry since 1990. During that time, he’s been a contractor, a lineman and for the past nine years a safety instructor for the Hoosier Energy Apprenticeship, Training and Safety (HEATS) program for apprentice linemen. Recently, the Senior Training and Safety Specialist saw the 2022 HEATS class graduate, along…
One of the core cooperative principles is concern for community. Hoosier Energy saw 15 of its member cooperatives put this into practice for the annual “Indiana’s Electric Cooperative Community Day” as part of Co-op Month nationwide. Community Day officially took place on October 14, although a number of cooperatives set up different dates…
Hoosier Energy made the cut when Site Selection magazine recently revealed its 2022 Top Utilities in Economic Development. For Hoosier Energy, which was also featured in the publication for its efforts with ESG, being just one of 20 utilities so honored was no small feat. Hoosier’s economic development efforts are guided by manager Harold Gutzwiller, along with…
INDIANAPOLIS – In his closing remarks at Electrify Indiana 2022, Keith Dennis was focused on people, not technology. “If we’re going to meet (the beneficial electrification) challenge and do it in a way that strengthens us, we have to work together,” said Dennis, president of the Beneficial Electrification League (BEL). “Part of working together…
INDIANAPOLIS – The previous incarnation of the Electrify Indiana conference took place three years ago at Hoosier Energy headquarters in Bloomington. On September 22, the 2022 version upped the ante at The Westin in Indianapolis. With over 270 attendees – many from Hoosier Energy members, 33 sponsors and 23 exhibitors, the event sizzled…
The first-ever Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo was held Aug. 25-26 in Danville. The two-day event showcased the skills and safety training of electric cooperative lineworkers. A total of 15 teams and 54 individuals competed in this year’s event, including 26 individuals from six Hoosier Energy member cooperatives – Clark County REMC, JCREMC, RushShelby…
It started with a note in the suggestion box and ended with tears of joy three years later. That was how Clark County REMC came to be closed to the public on Sept. 7 for an employee training and appreciation day. Employee training sessions and appreciation events are a regular occurrence at the…
One week until Sept. 15 registration deadline INDIANAPOLIS – Hoosier Energy, Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) and the Benefici al Electrification League (BEL) will host Electrify Indiana 2022 in downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 22. Registration for this event ends September 15. The event will bring together multiple stakeholders, provide education about beneficial electrification, explore…
Hoosier Energy began annual substation training for the Member Systems in late July, and the sessions will continue through early November. “Whereas Hoosier employees are in the substations potentially hundreds of times a year, the co-op linemen have very limited exposure to the substations and the equipment within,” said Cory Berg, Hoosier Energy Safety…
One of Hoosier Energy’s strategic priorities is Continuous Improvement. Among the initiatives falling under that umbrella is Project Management Training for employees. That task was taken on by Vice President of Operations Matt Mabrey and his team, including Continuous Improvement Program Coordinator Chrystal Hoffmeister. With the aid of Chad Harding, Misti Beiser and Warren…
Earlier this year, Hoosier Energy announced the addition of two Member Relations Specialists to the Energy Management Solutions department. One of those was an external hire in Justin Thompson, who spoke with GridLines in June. The other was an internal hire in Kyle Coulson, who started at Hoosier Energy as an intern and…
Attendees to learn about beneficial electrification, emerging technology and funding opportunities INDIANAPOLIS – Hoosier Energy, Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) and the Beneficial Electrification League (BEL) are partnering to host the Electrify Indiana 2022 conference in downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 22. The event will bring together multiple stakeholders, provide education about beneficial electrification, explore emerging electrification…
It wasn’t so much a matter of seeing the future as knowing history suggested tough times would come again. When Terry Jobe took over as CEO of RushShelby Energy in 2010, the Hoosier Energy member system was ill-prepared for potential difficulties. Equity was at an all-time low and debt was high. The Great…
Mark Thompson was recently promoted to Manager of Market-Based Rates and Special Contracts at Hoosier Energy. He previously served as a Key Accounts Manager at Hoosier Energy. The new role will oversee the analysis, development and implementation of wholesale market-based rates and special contracts with large commercial and industrial loads. Thompson, who came…
June doesn’t only mark the start of summer, but the start of a new chapter for many high school graduates with college on the horizon. A total of 86 students from 14 of Hoosier Energy’s member cooperatives earned scholarships this year, including three winners of the Indiana Electric Cooperatives Manager’s Association Scholarship. Those…
Hoosier Energy recently announced the addition of two Member Relations Specialists to the Energy Management Solutions department. One of those was an internal hire in Kyle Coulson, while the other was an external hire in Justin Thompson, who came to Hoosier Energy from Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA). Prior to that, he worked as a…
Late May saw Hoosier Energy hold Employee Appreciation Meetings, which replaced the annual employee meetings. Two sessions were held at the Spencer Operations Center and one at Hoosier Energy Headquarters. There was also an Outage Appreciation Lunch at Merom Generating Station. During the meetings at Spencer and HQ, Hoosier Energy CEO Donna Walker…
Late May saw Hoosier Energy hold Employee Appreciation Meetings, which replaced the annual employee meetings. Two sessions were held at the Spencer Operations Center and one at Hoosier Energy Headquarters. There was also an Outage Appreciation Lunch at Merom Generating Station. During the meetings at Spencer and HQ, Hoosier Energy CEO Donna Walker…
The seed was planted two and a half years ago. This May, what was planted finally got to bloom. Clark County REMC and Charlestown High School have combined to give students not only a classroom view of the generation and transmission of electricity but practical, hands-on experience. The 2021-22 school year was…
Clark County REMC was looking for a live line tabletop demo. The Utilities District of Western Indiana (UDWI) had an extra one. In the cooperative spirit, the latter donated to the former, putting both co-ops in a position to better educate their member-consumers. “We were happy to help out,” UDWI CEO Doug…
Results and comments from the 2021 Safety & Culture Survey were recently released to Hoosier Energy employees. The process to reach this point took longer than expected but remains ongoing, as this was the first company-wide survey, building off a similar previous survey at Merom. Approximately 70% of Hoosier employees participated in the survey and…
No stop signs, no traffic lights. Not even a roundabout. That was how file management used to feel for Bernie Voges, Senior Protection Engineer for Hoosier Energy. But thanks to Adept Software, Hoosier finally found a way to police those files and provide some direction. In April, Voges was one of three…
Hanging by a thread usually has a negative connotation. But in the world of electric and telecommunications co-ops, it has begun to take on an entirely different meaning. Broadband fiber networks have introduced a new world of possibilities, a subject which was explored at the 2022 Hoosier Energy Annual Meeting on April 7…
“There’s a guy here in the corporate office looking to hire an engineer, do you want to talk to him?” Bill Lonnberg answered the question in the affirmative and never looked back. Hired on in November of 1986, Lonnberg wrapped up a career of more than 35 years at Hoosier Energy last month.…
Hoosier Energy recently announced a change in its service awards program, moving to a digital format rather than in-person via RecogNation.com. Megan Miller, HR Analyst Training and Technology, spoke with GridLines about the change to what is now known as Power Points and what the program offers. Q: What prompted the change in the…
FRENCH LICK – The Hoosier Energy Annual Meeting is a rite of passage, or at least it was up until 2019. After a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that rite was renewed on April 7, 2022, at the French Lick Resort. But in keeping with the abnormality of the previous three…
Before launching the WhyElectrify website, which happened on March 1, there was another question to be asked – why WhyElectrify? For Hoosier Energy’s Blake Kleaving, Manager Energy Management Solutions, the best way to answer the question was with a question. “It was really a lack of educational resources for member-consumers to learn about what’s…
Hoosier Energy and its 18 member-cooperatives announced the launch of the “Why Electrify” website on March 1. D esigned as a member-consumer educational resource website, www.whyelectrify.com will offer resources and materials for member cooperatives to offer their communities. Blake Kleaving, Manager Energy Management Solutions, told GridLines more about the project, which has been a long-time…
Whether it was the first grade or eighth grade, the dream began early. On December 17, 2021, that dream became reality for Jasper’s Mitchell Werner and Greensburg’s Waylan Case as they graduated from the North American Lineman Training Center. Both claimed their diploma from the school in McEwen, Tennessee, with the help of…
The Hoosier Energy Board of Directors recently approved new strategic priorities for the organization. The process included updating Hoosier’s vision and mission statements as well. They are now identifying initiatives that will fall within each priority and look forward to sharing those once finalized. OUR VISION The trusted partner and provider of reliable, affordable…
For Hoosier Energy’s Chad Harding, side-by-side is a way of life. That goes for his hobby, riding side-by-side utility vehicles and serving as one of four administrators for the 6,400-plus members of the Southern Indiana SxS Facebook group. But the term also fits that group’s mentality when it comes to adversity, opting to…
When the calendar turned from 2021 to 2022, the ball didn’t just drop in Times Square at midnight. A new learning management system, located at www.heca.coop, also came online for Hoosier Energy employees as Docebo replaced Taleo Learn. Technology Support Services Team Lead Heather Hughet recently answered some questions from Gridlines about the change. …
At the heart of the cooperative culture is an honest desire to provide services that value reliability, affordability and sustainability, as well as fairness to all. Find out how Hoosier Energy and its members are making a difference together.
Through an internal study, it was determined upgrading high voltage power poles from Bloomington to Sullivan would increase grid reliability. Find out how the multi-year project was completed ahead of schedule.
Hoosier Energy helps co-ops produce pre-recorded and live video productions as socially distant annual meetings take place during the pandemic.
As organizations utilize more digital services, they can be exposed to cyber attacks if vendors used are not properly vetted. Bad actors are sneaky, sometimes persistent, and can move around networks undetected – SolarWinds can attest to that.
From tornadoes to cyberattacks, the world is not always as safe as we’d like it to be. Unfortunately, we’ve seen from places like Texas what can happen when millions of people are cut off from power. More than 100 people lost their lives in the state this winter due to hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and other accidents.
Hoosier Energy’s communications team has a new face on the public relations and media front, but he isn’t a new face among the media. Curt Durnil served the Indiana State Police for 26 years and retired as its public information officer late last year to join Hoosier Energy.
Every two years Hoosier Energy’s forecasting group takes a snapshot of energy trends to develop 20-year load forecasts across the power network. This business analysis is compiled into the Power Requirements Study (PRS) and it tackles three main business functions – system planning, budgeting and financial requirements. Tina Elliott and Justin Rice lead the forecasting work at Hoosier Energy and their process is research-focused and driven by data.
Managing consumer energy demand has taken many directions during the past 12 years. From helping members transition to LED lights to the recycling of inefficient refrigerators, the program continues to be nimble as it connects programs to meet member needs.
Glance up to the sky and the answer likely lies above. Nine times out of 10 when those clear blue skies change, electric service is threatened. How can you outguess Mother Nature? You can’t. But that doesn’t sway the Hoosier Energy Power Delivery team. It challenges them. They are always monitoring the weather, and if a storm rolls in or lightning strikes, they are ready.
Hoosier Energy recently signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Capital Dynamics CEI to buy 150 megawatts of power generated by the Ratts 2 Solar Project in Knox County, Indiana. Construction is expected to begin in 2022 with commercial operation anticipated in 2023.
Every two years Hoosier Energy’s forecasting group takes a snapshot of energy trends to develop 20-year load forecasts across the power network. This business analysis is compiled into the Power Requirements Study (PRS) and it tackles three main business functions – system planning, budgeting and financial requirements. Tina Elliott and Justin Rice lead the forecasting work at Hoosier Energy and their process is research-focused and driven by data.
Member co-ops are working to electrify Indiana, but some consumers are hesitant to go all-in with electric cars and other big-ticket purchases.
When out-of-state electric cooperatives experienced outages caused by downed lines and broken poles from a February ice storm, Hoosier Energy member cooperatives eagerly answered the call to action.
When Trina Pardue joined Hoosier Energy 28 years ago, she couldn’t foresee how drastically her job would change. Starting as a division secretary and transitioning to an associate in Financial and Corporate services, Pardue had become the go-to person for designing presentation materials.
Chris Goffinet started visiting Hoosier Energy with his two law partners in 1993. When one retired and the other left to become a judge, Goffinet took over as Hoosier Energy’s general counsel in 2003 and has continued in that capacity since. EnergyLines sat down with him to discuss his favorite activities and the advice he would give his younger self.
Marketing commercial and industrial sites for development in member communities consists of detailed data for use by site selectors. This information includes area utilities and regional workforce demographics. Also important are the visuals. Capturing each property visually involves getting in an aircraft to get a bird’s-eye-view. Rising up to 8,000 feet shows site topography and property lines. This can be an expensive and time-consuming process. It is also one that has been dramatically improved by drones.
Whether adjusting for the pandemic or planning for the future, Hoosier Energy is responsibly executing its capital plans to maintain, repair and upgrade assets to ensure the resiliency of Hoosier Energy’s transmission system. “We’re targeting assets that are in the higher-risk category for failure because of their age and condition. That should translate to better asset performance, improved reliability and fewer outages,” said Matt Mabrey, Vice President of Operations. “This should give our members a lot of confidence that we’re utilizing financial resources wisely.”
In 1967, Hoosier Energy’s Franklin Training Center site was just a simple concrete block building full of mice that couldn’t be used for its intended purpose – a primary substation powered from Napoleon – because new regulations restricted power line construction in the area. Co-op leaders were dreaming of a training program to ensure line workers had the skills and knowledge they needed to keep themselves and others safe on the job.
Hoosier Energy CEO Donna Walker shared a video message with the board of directors and employees about the teamwork, persistence and achievements the G&T had throughout the year. Walker spoke about the long-range resource plan, employee training, wholesale rate design, COVID-19 and employee safety.
Southeastern Indiana REMC is joining forces with another cooperative – SEI Communications – to bring high-speed internet service to its members.
With the pandemic halting large gatherings across the state, organizers chose to hold the Fall 2020 Marketing and Member Services Meeting virtually. Taking place in six sessions, the virtual meetings provided updates on pilots, offered information on industry programs and facilitated feedback from members in roundtable discussions.
Hoosier Energy and member cooperatives, in partnership with GDS Associates, are relaunching the Rural Energy Audit pilot program. This is an opportunity for rural farms and small businesses to take part in an American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Tier II Energy Audit.
In his 27 years at Hoosier Energy, Line Foreman Mark Richardson has trekked countless hours across the hills and hollers of southern Indiana and Illinois to find downed power lines. Each winter storm comes with its own challenges complicated by cold temperatures and excessive snowfall.
On the outskirts of Vevay, Ind., one of Hoosier Energy’s primary substations has had substantial improvements made. The focus of this four-month project was to connect an alternate AC source for a nearby microwave tower. Power is being supplied by Southeastern Indiana REMC.
Just like a car that requires maintenance to operate reliably, the Merom Generating Station gets preventative maintenance during scheduled outages. Often occurring in the spring when energy demand is low, generation on a single unit is halted. Boiler tubes and duct work are inspected and repaired — along with about 1,400 other tasks that must be completed in a meticulously calculated order.
When you hear it, it is a distinct buzzing sound. It is a little louder than a bee buzzing nearby. If you look up, you might find it – a drone flying overhead. This equipment is no longer just for hobbyists, it has become an intricate tool used by electric utilities to increase safety and grid resiliency. Hoosier Energy is using this equipment for monitoring rights-of-way and powerlines that can transmit up to 345kV of energy. This improves safety, reduces response time and saves money.
The storage of digital data is big business. The data center market in the U.S. is expected to grow to more than $69 billion by 2024, according to a report compiled by market data and trends analyst Arizton.
Two cooperatives – one electric and the other telephone – have joined forces to ensure that Perry and Spencer county cooperative members have access to broadband internet service.
The energy industry is evolving and Hoosier Energy is evolving along with it. A new initiative was introduced by the Hoosier Energy Emerging Energy Resources (EER) team to help members focus on the changing needs and habits of member-consumers.
The response to the pandemic has led to new ways of doing things. For co-ops, they have changed how they meet – especially for annual meetings that often draw hundreds of members.
When asked to use a No. 2 pencil, fill circles completely and make no stray marks on the form, these instructions are likely to bring back memories of school years when scantron technology was used for testing. Merom Generating Station’s Job Safety Observation Team is utilizing scantron technology in a new way.
When an outage occurs, operations crews focus on getting the power back on safely. While they’re doing that, co-op communicators work to keep member-consumers updated with timely information. This requires a collaboration between the communications and operations teams – a relationship Henry County REMC’s Lara Sullivan has been building for several years.
Just days before closing the One Southern Indiana office for the COVID-19 pandemic, President and CEO Wendy Dant Chesser had two challenges facing the economic development and Chamber of Commerce organization — how to not only sustain, but also help the 1,068 business members that would be scared and hurting financially.
Just under a century ago, electric cooperative employees went door to door, explaining the benefits of electricity to prospective members and answering their questions. Since then, co-ops have played a key role in educating members about new electrical technologies, from grain dryers to heat pumps.
For months, people have faced stress and negativity while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain future. Work schedules changed, schools converted to online learning, offices relegated to homes, activities halted, sports events cancelled and visits with family and friends stopped.
Since 2004, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has provided cooperatives actionable information to help improve member satisfaction and engagement. A recent survey shows that co-op member satisfaction has been on the decline during the past five years. Affecting the downward trend is how younger members view their co-op.
For months, people have faced stress and negativity while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain future. Work schedules changed, schools converted to online learning, offices relegated to homes, activities halted, sports events cancelled and visits with family and friends stopped.
Working alongside member-cooperatives, Hoosier Energy is creating competitive advantages for the industries, farms and residences that make up the communities that depend on us to meet their power needs. Every conversation, every project, every pilot program is executed with one question in mind — How will our collective efforts benefit our members and theirs?
In 2019, Hoosier Energy made significant progress on power delivery capital projects to update and improve aging infrastructure, while managing costs to maintain grid resiliency, according to Rob Horton, Chief Operating Officer at Hoosier Energy.
Hoosier Energy created a pandemic plan about 10 years ago when the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health organizations suggested that businesses prepare for an influenza A outbreak.
With a focus on providing grid resiliency, Hoosier Energy employees are at the forefront of measuring system performance. This special edition of EnergyLines focuses on the work power delivery professionals do as they continually provide value for members co-ops and their communities.
Republic Transmission (through a Hoosier Energy and LS Power partnership) together with Big Rivers Electric Corporation, have completed about five miles of the single circuit 345 kilovolt Duff/Coleman line. Spanning 30 miles, this transmission line will cross sections of Dubois County, Indiana; Spencer County, Indiana; and Hancock County, Kentucky.
Clark County REMC is working closely with a high school on a project in hopes that the experience will inspire students to pursue careers in the electric utility industry.
The Demand Side Management (DSM) annual report focuses on program descriptions and data, as well as highlights from the year, the most significant being in the lighting programs. The residential lighting program accounted for nearly 90 percent of 2019 measures, with cooperatives securing more than 9,000 LEDs and members buying an additional 16,000 bulbs through the lighting store.
Wanting to meet the needs of farmers and rural business owners, Hoosier Energy launched a pilot program to conduct rural energy audits and find ways to improve operations.
Reliability is part of Hoosier Energy’s mission for members. Connecting to this mission was a recent event focusing on reliability beyond equipment maintenance. Thought leaders in the industry from the cooperative presented at the International Maintenance Conference with more than 1,000 in attendance from around the world.
When Matt Figg trained as a control operator at Merom Generating Station, he stood at a tapered bench board covered with pistol grips, switches and buttons and looked at a giant wall of lights, gauges and paper charts. To prepare for future situations, Figg would run actions through his mind – turn this switch, push that button.
Electric vehicles (EV) are converging on the Midwest, albeit slowly. With their entrance, new challenges are being identified for members and cooperatives alike. EnergyLines was able to reach out to Southern Indiana Power member-consumer Bradley Lynch to discuss the challenges he faces with owning an all-electric car in Southern Indiana.
In December 2017, South Central Indiana REMC board of directors made the decision to create SCI Fiber, a business division that would not only provide high-speed internet access to its members, but also a smart grid to improve system reliability and lay the foundation for broader infrastructure that could elevate Indiana’s connectivity standing in the country.
If you visited Whitewater Valley REMC last year you might have seen a lot of fleece. That’s because employees were making fleece tie blankets for residents of a local nursing home.
Lori Grubbs, vice chair of the board of directors for Volunteers in Medicine Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland Counties, says the free clinic was at a crossroads when it received a $1,000 grant from the Southeastern Indiana REMC’s Operation RoundUp.
The Facilities Department at Hoosier Energy is tasked with maintaining more than 70 locations 24/7/365. From maintaining generators to office maintenance, the team of eight keeps the cooperative running smoothly. EnergyLines followed Brad Smith for a day. What took place was average until an emergency call came in.
The Hoosier Energy Apprenticeship and Training Safety (HEATS) Program celebrates its 45th year.
English 
Spanish