Power Generation

Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) and its member cooperatives have led thousands of consumer members through the Dakotas on annual Energy Trail Tours for decades. The tour connects western Iowa members with the generation resources and the people responsible for delivering electric power to their homes, farms and businesses.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) recently released a reliability report indicating that many states, including Iowa, are at an increased risk for power generation shortfalls this summer. What does this report mean for Iowa’s electric cooperative member-consumers?

If your smartphone battery has become a large share of your daily thoughts, just wait because the battery market is booming. Analysts estimate the world battery market value at more than $100 billion and project it will grow more than 10% annually over the next five years.

An adequate inventory of power cable, transformers, utility pole hardware and other products is vital, especially in times of supply chain disruptions and inflationary challenges. That’s why 37 electric cooperatives in Iowa are members of the Rural Electric Supply Cooperative (RESCO) to ensure equipment and materials are readily available, regardless of the circumstances.

Learn how electric cooperatives serving Iowa member-consumers are integrating new energy sources into their energy portfolios.

In mid-February, utilities across the Midwest, including several local electric cooperatives in western and north-central Iowa, implemented unprecedented load control measures and temporary power disruptions to reduce electric demand on the grid. 

Iowa’s locally owned electric cooperatives have been balancing the need for safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible power for decades. As conversations include talk about a clean energy economy, it’s important to set realistic expectations about the timeline.

Two years ago, Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) announced it would purchase 100% of the power from Wapello Solar, currently the largest solar project in Iowa, owned and developed by Clēnera, LLC. Today, the project is well underway and on schedule to produce low-cost energy to CIPCO member-owners in early 2021.

Corn Belt Power Cooperative’s first solar project is now mostly complete. After a few delays, the remaining panels in the 150-kilowatt array are generating energy at Wisdom Station. The panels take up the space once occupied by the plant’s coal pile.

Central Iowa Power Cooperative’s new Summit Lake Generation project is quickly progressing and is on track to be operational early in 2021.The $85 million project will repower the natural gas-fired Summit Lake Generating Station in Creston.