Our work for you doesn’t stop
by General Manager Steve Stroshane
This April, we celebrate Lineworker Appreciation Month, Earth Day, Safe Digging Month and spring! As we move into a new season, I'd like to share an update about our first quarter performance and what to expect going forward.
Like many of you, we're watching closely to see how new local, state and federal energy policies will affect us. But day to day, our work is unchanged. Locally, our lineworkers, engineers and right-of-way specialists are in the field year-round, building and maintaining the system that delivers reliable power to your homes and businesses. I want to assure you that our critical work for our members and community doesn't stop; for 87 years, we've adapted to change, the ebb and flow of seasons, and energy legislation and regulation. In the first two months of 2025, our operations crew had already designed 17 miles of line and constructed four miles of line as part of our $6.1 million work plan investment.
Over the winter and into early spring, lineworkers and right-of-way specialists patrol our overhead power lines looking for maintenance issues. The problems they find and correct prevent future power outages.
I'd like to recognize our Polk-Burnett lineworkers and operations crew for their skill and commitment to keeping the lights on. The next time you flip a switch, take a moment to remember those who make it possible, regardless of weather conditions!
You play an important role in ensuring safe, reliable power, as well. Always contact Diggers Hotline before you dig (we've seen an average of 20 outages per year caused by dig-ins the past three years!) and never plant in the right-of-way under power lines. I invite you to read more about our right-of-way program and Diggers Hotline in our April 2025 Powerlines on our website.
Work is also progressing on the new Cedar Lake substation to serve growing areas around East Farmington, Star Prairie and Somerset. The substation will be owned by Dairyland Power Cooperative, with electricity supplied by Dairyland's high-voltage transmission lines.
Also in partnership with our power supplier, Dairyland Power Cooperative, we are beginning the update of our load management program in 2025. (Existing load management receivers are no longer manufactured and replacement parts are hard to find.) New load management receivers will be installed at participating member homes over the next few years. Our load management program helps reduce energy demand and cost by pausing electricity to participating devices (such as electric water heaters, boilers, baseboard and storage heat) during peak demand periods, typically the hottest and coldest days of the year. This reduces the need for costly peak power generation. When we can lower the peak, all members benefit from lower wholesale power costs.
We're always looking for ways to lower costs. But we're seeing higher prices across many areas of our electric operations, especially for equipment and materials made with steel, aluminum and other metals. We were able to absorb the increases last year, but the board is considering a rate increase this year to help cover the rising costs of delivering power.
At the beginning of 2025, I shared a list of expectations with co-op employees. These expectations ensure we are working strategically and responsibly to fulfill our mission to you:
> Focus on safety.
> Focus on reliable power and extraordinary member service.
> Be involved in the community.
> Work cooperatively with neighbor co-ops, especially mutual aid during storm restoration.
> Focus on the future. This includes using data to make smart business decisions and adopting new technology when it improves our ability to work efficiently and restore power faster.
Next, Board President Ed Gullickson will share a report from our wholesale power provider, Dairyland Power Cooperative. This will provide you with a broader view of what we're seeing in the energy industry and how it impacts us locally.
Dairyland report from Polk-Burnett Board President Ed Gullickson
I'm proud to represent Polk-Burnett on Dairyland Power Cooperative's board of directors. Dairyland is the generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative that provides power required by Polk-Burnett members 24/7/365.
Dairyland is part of MISO, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which manages the flow of electricity across 15 states and Manitoba, Canada. One critical aspect of providing reliable power across the MISO footprint is building new power generation facilities. The other is efficiently delivering electricity where it is needed. In Sept. 2024, the 102-mile Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line was energized between Dubuque, Iowa and Middleton, Wisconsin.
Beginning in 2026, Dairyland announced that its service area will expand to include Oconto Electric Cooperative with 10,000 members in Wisconsin and Norris Electric Cooperative with 20,000 members in Illinois. Based in La Crosse, Dairyland supplies wholesale power to co-ops and municipal utilities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.
At Polk-Burnett, we depend on Dairyland and MISO for reliable power generation and transmission in our region. Dairyland generates electricity with traditional and renewable resources, including John P. Madgett Coal Generating Station in Alma, RockGen Natural Gas Energy Center south of Madison and the Flambeau Hydroelectric Station in Ladysmith.
Mark your calendars for our 87th Annual Meeting June 6 to learn more about co-op performance and let us know if we can assist you with energy-related questions and services, 800-421-0283.
