Greetings for the new year!
As we make plans for closing out 2023 and starting another year, I thought I’d share with you some highlights of this past year for your cooperative and some things to look for in the year ahead.
Office staff is working to close out the 2023 fiscal year records in preparation for the year-end financial statements for 2023. They are organizing records needed for the annual independent financial audit that will be conducted in February.
The operations staff is conducting routine inspection of poles, lines, substations, and sectionalizing equipment to determine if repairs or upgrades are needed. Ongoing inspection, maintenance, and replacement of system components enhances reliability and preserves their ability to withstand adverse conditions.
We are also preparing for projects in our 2024-2027 work plan. Projects in the work plan include construction of new tie lines between substations, distribution line upgrades, substation and transmission line upgrades, conversion of overhead power lines to underground, and installation of sectionalizing equipment. The completion of these projects will improve load transfer capabilities, voltage levels and service reliability.
We are working with other cooperatives in the state and our statewide organization, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, to secure federal grant funds to offset some of the costs associated with converting portions of our overhead power lines to underground. We are also working with the North Dakota Transmission Authority to secure federal grant funds to offset the costs of a substation and transmission line project.
As always, know that we are working hard for you. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions about your cooperative or any of the projects we are working on.
Until next time,
Jerry King
General manager