Lake country power: district 8 update

Jim Huhta

Jim Huhta

District 8

Covid has altered all our lives with social distancing and limited contact with essential service personnel. Some activities still demand attention in spite of precautions implemented over the past months, and providing power to our Lake Country Power members is one of those activities.

Communication, however, has been adversely affected with our member meetings suspended, and some of us “oldtimers” having an aversion toward electronic devices, hindering useful updates and information.

Newspapers still remain a reliable and a critical source of information for some of us. Multipurpose, too — best described by one old “dinosaur” when asked to compare newsprint to electronic devices, “You can’t wrap a fish in an iPad.” A spot-on analogy for this old geezer, and a big shoutout to newspapers!

With that said, some of the news at Lake Country Power is that no rate increases are on the horizon for the next year, and none are expected from our supplier Great River Energy. Coal Creek will shut down in 2022, as they ramp up renewables and natural gas to shoulder future load due to changing economic considerations.

A “storage unit” is undergoing evaluations at GRE to help store and then accommodate load during the periods when renewables can’t meet the necessary requirement for power. If successful, this will be a major move to transition to all-renewable, resulting in cost savings for members.

Other economic good news is coming from our subsidiary side. Lake States Tree Service and Lake States Construction should contribute more than our banner year did last year with the dividend and profits they are racking up — not to mention the economic development they provide the local economy and employment opportunities for the local area. Truly a boon to the bottom line for LCP.

Our manager, Greg Randa, announced he will retire in January. A majority of the board decided to conduct an internal search for his replacement, which is currently underway. So look for a new face at the helm next year.

That’s a short wrap so far this year. Stay well and be safe.

Cromwell’s Jim Huhta is Lake Country Power District 8 board member.