MiEnergy Cooperative Wins NRECA Award

MiEnergy Cooperative has been awarded the Cooperative Purpose Award by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).  According to a press release issued by MiEnergy Cooperative, the award is presented for "outstanding contributions to improving the quality of life and purpose of the cooperatives in their communities".  MiEnergy Cooperative was one of eleven cooperatives to receive the award during NRECA's annual meeting in San Diego, California on March 1.  More than five thousand electric co-op representatives from across the United States attended the meeting.
MiEnergy Cooperative was formed as the result of a merger between Hawkeye REC of Cresco, Iowa and Tri-County Electric Cooperative of Rushford, Minnesota, maintaining 5,700 miles of power lines throughout Fillmore, Houston and Winona counties in Minnesota, as well as Chickasaw, Howard and Winneshiek counties in Iowa.  A Touchstone Energy Cooperative, MiEnergy is member-owned and provides electricity to 18,600 members.

Pictured:  Southern Minnesota Energy Cooperative won the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Cooperative Purpose Award. SMEC members in attendance to receive the award pictured L-R: Ron Horman, Redwood Electric Cooperative, Clements, Minn.; Elaine Garry, People’s Energy Cooperative, Oronoco, Minn.; Mike Heidemann, Brown County Rural Electrical Association, Sleepy Eye, Minn.; Brian Krambeer, MiEnergy Cooperative, Rushford, Minn.; Wade Hensel, BENCO Electric Cooperative, Mankato, Minn.; Tim McCarthy, Sioux Valley Energy, Colman, S.D.; Syd Briggs, Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Owatonna, Minn.; Scott Reimer, Federated Rural Electric; and Adam Troblay, Nobles Cooperative Electric, Worthington, Minn.