Waste Management of Indiana, LLC, Wabash Valley Power Association and Hendricks Power Cooperative recently dedicated a renewable energy generation ­facility that uses gas from landfill waste to generate electricity. Wabash Valley provides wholesale energy to three Illinois electric distribution cooperatives. The celebration marks the com­pletion of the fourth landfill gas-to-energy plant at the Twin Bridges [...]

Derrick Knearman, son of Shelby Electric Cooperative employees Diane and Brian Bunton, and Rory Knearman recently won one of only four scholarships given out by the International Lineman’s Rodeo Association. Derrick also won the 2012 LaVern and Nola McEntire Lineworker’s Scholarship from the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives. Derrick is enrolled in the lineworkers’ training [...]

GE Lighting is introducing a new light-emitting diode replacement for the traditional 100-watt incandescent light bulb. The new LED packages 27 watts of input power in a standard “A-19” bulb shape. The GE Energy Smart(R) 27-watt LED bulb will be on store shelves the first half of 2013. GE’s existing portfolio of LED bulbs includes [...]

Hurricane Sandy was a monster storm that hit the East Coast hard, leaving the member-owners of New Hampshire Electric Cooperative and millions of others without power. More than 50 linemen from 11 Illinois electric cooperatives volunteered to help our sister cooperative, headquartered in Plymouth, N.H. Jim Bakas, Vice President of Operations & Engineering for New [...]

Consumers wanting to shop locally, support values-based ­businesses and find affordable co-ops in their communities can use the new CooperateUSA mobile app and online directory. CooperateUSA.coop and the CooperateUSA app are free resources and provide access to 29,000 US cooperatives in a variety of industries, ­including credit unions and financial service, grocery and consumer goods, [...]

Jo-Carroll Energy linemen know the power of storms and the devastation they can bring to lives and property. To help warn people in the area of Denleith Township, the linemen helped install a storm siren at a township building located at 7753 Badger Road in East Dubuque. “In the past the only way that residents [...]

Coal-fired electricity generation in the United States is expected to increase by 9 percent in 2013, while natural gas generation could decrease by about 10 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Short-Term Energy Outlook. The trend is the result of a predicted increase in natural gas prices relative to coal. Coal has [...]

At Spoon River Electric Cooperative’s September board ­meeting, State Representative Mike Unes (R-East Peoria) received the Illinois Electric Cooperatives’ Public Service Award. The award was made in recognition of Rep. Unes’ dedicated public service and for out­standing contributions to the rural elec­trification program. “It has been an honor to work with Spoon River Electric Cooperative, [...]

In September Governor Pat Quinn signed a new executive order to further increase transparency and accountability in government by establishing a new state Open Operating Standard. The order encourages state agencies and local governments across Illinois to increase the amount of raw data they share with each other, ­businesses, academic ­institutions and the general public. [...]

Dairyland Power Cooperative is purchasing the excess energy output from a new 368 kW solar photo­voltaic installation at the City of Galena, Ill. Wastewater Treatment Plant. The facility is interconnected with Jo-Carroll Energy, a Dairyland member cooperative. The solar units’ production at the wastewater treatment plant is expected to produce sufficient power to satisfy the [...]