Commentary Co-ops Add Solar to Generation Mix E


Chris Meyers General Manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives


lectric coopera- tives have a prov- en track record of innovation and


leadership in the energy industry. While striving to fulfi ll their mission of delivering safe, affordable, and reliable power to the membership, co-ops seek


out and try to implement new technologies that benefi t members at the end of the line. To more effi ciently serve their consumer-owners, electric co-ops believe in a diversifi ed energy portfolio that includes fossil fuels as well as renewable ener- gy sources such as hydro, wind and solar. In fact, for the year 2017, co-ops will add to Oklahoma’s solar capacity in a big way. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reports 3.7 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity were installed in Oklahoma in 2015. As of April 2016, the state of Oklahoma had 5.2 MW of solar energy installed, ranking the Sooner State as 45th in the country in installed capacity. In 2017, elec- tric cooperatives will add 20-plus MW to the state’s existing solar power capacity—a nearly fourfold growth. This cooperative-led capacity is


a game changer for Oklahoma. The effort is spear- headed by a generation and transmission cooper- ative, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC), based in Anadarko, Oklahoma. WFEC provides power to 17 member cooperatives in Oklahoma, along with the Altus Air Force Base, plus four cooperatives in New Mexico. WFEC completed fi ve utility-scale sites in various loca- tions in Oklahoma and 12 smaller solar projects, some of which are community-solar sites. Additionally, Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC) based in Hooker, Oklahoma, was the fi rst utility in the state to offer a community solar project to its membership.


On the national level, the total solar energy capacity of America’s electric cooperatives will be fi ve times what it was two years ago, according to data released by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. For 2017, co-ops are on pace to add 480 MW of solar, which would bring their total capacity to 873 MW. Co-ops’ solar footprint is present in 44 states. We are glad to see Oklahoma on the list of co-op solar efforts. Co-ops will continue to invest in solar power in a way that makes sense to the membership and enables them to ‘power the needs of new genera- tions.’


Thankful for opportunity to serve I


Gary McCune President, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives


t is only appropriate that this issue of your Oklahoma Living mag- azine has a musical


theme, since this is the “swan song” of my edito- rials. From the very fi rst, I have been apprehensive about writing for 325,000- plus readers and sharing my thoughts. It can be a


little intimidating. But this challenge became easier by working with such a talented magazine staff. They have informed me of the content of the next issue’s articles and have given me plenty of notice of pending deadlines. I am not the only one to no- tice their abilities. The magazine was recently recognized nationally at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Annual Meeting held in San Diego, California for the prestigious George W. Haggard Award. This award is presented to the statewide publication that best demonstrates forthrightness, clarity and balance in communicating the objectives of the electric cooperatives. Well done, Oklahoma Living!


4 WWW.OKL.COOP As my term ends being your statewide associ-


ation chairman, I have several others to thank. First, thanks to my family for allowing me the additional time away from home and work, thus enabling me to devote the time needed to accom- plish what had been set before us. Thanks to Central Electric Cooperative for placing their trust in me to represent them on the local level, thus allowing me this statewide opportunity. I thank each of the executive team members who exemplify the cooperative spirit on a daily basis, always keeping the members’ interest in the fore- front of their decisions. A special shout out to those readers who sent a personal letter or note to comment on how one of my articles somehow spoke to them personally. It made writing the next article that much easier and made my efforts meaningful. Scott Copeland from Northfork Electric


Cooperative will serve as the next chairman. I look forward to his views and opinions in the following issues. I know that he will receive and appreciate the same support that I have. Always remember that nothing is more power- ful than the cooperative spirit—collectively we can do so much more than we could ever do individually.


Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Chris Meyers, General Manager Gary McCune, President


Scott Copeland, Vice-President Larry Hicks, Secretary Tim Smith, Treasurer


Staff


Sid Sperry, Director of PR & Communications sksperry@oaec.coop


Anna Politano, Editor editor@okl.coop


Hayley Leatherwood, Multimedia Specialist hleatherwood@okl.coop


Shannen McCroskey, Marketing Specialist smccroskey@okl.coop


Kirbi Mills, Director of Admin. Services kmills@oaec.coop


Hillary Barrow, Admin. Services Assistant hbarrow@oaec.coop


Miguel Rios, Editorial Intern intern@okl.coop


Editorial, Advertising and General Offi ces P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154 Phone (405) 478-1455


Oklahoma Living online: www.okl.coop Subscriptions


$3.48 per year for rural electric cooperative members.


$7 per year for non-members. Cooperative Members: Report change of


address to your local rural electric cooperative. Non-Cooperative Members: Send address


changes to Oklahoma Living, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.


Oklahoma Living (ISSN 1064-8968),


USPS 407-040, is published monthly for consumer-members of Oklahoma’s rural electric cooperatives by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, 2325 E. I-44 Service Road, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.


Circulation this issue: 324,177


Periodical postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Association of Electric


Cooperatives is a statewide service organization for the following electric cooperatives: Alfalfa, Arkansas Valley, Canadian Valley, Central,


Choctaw, Cimarron, CKenergy, Cookson Hills, Cotton, East Central Oklahoma, Harmon, Indian, KAMO Power, Kay, Kiamichi, Lake Region, Northeast Oklahoma, Northfork, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Ozarks, People’s,


Red River Valley, Rural, Southeastern, Southwest Rural, Tri-County, Verdigris Valley, and Western Farmers Electric Cooperative.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120