Farm: Furthering the breadbasket of the world, pg. 4
in the Valley: Fort Ransom, pg. 6
editorial
Paul Matthys, president/CEO, Cass County Electric Cooperative
This month, I want to take a moment to discuss the importance of understanding your electric bill. There are numerous benefits to taking a closer look at your bill. Doing so helps you learn how much electricity you use each month, view the breakdown of charges, and compare the prior month’s energy use to recognize patterns. Familiarizing yourself with your bill is particularly useful if you aim to conserve energy and lower costs. The Cass County Electric Cooperative (CCEC) mobile app provides extensive account management benefits and in-depth consumption analytics, helping you manage your consumption more effectively.
Your CCEC bill consists of several different line items: your basic charge, energy charges, and potentially, your city franchise fee. Some of you may have additional charges due to multiple meters or
other programs you participate in. Here’s a brief explanation of these components:
Basic Charge: This fixed monthly connection charge helps the cooperative recover its fixed costs of serving members. Some of these costs include poles, meters, and employee payroll.
Energy Charges: These charges represent the cost of the electricity you used in the last billing cycle. They include both a kilowatt-hour (kWh) charge and a purchased power adjustment (PPA)
kWh Charge: This is the cost of power you used plus the costs to deliver power, measured in kilowatt-hours. To calculate energy charges, multiply your rate (unit cost) by your usage (quantity). The cooperative receives this number through automated meter readings.
Purchased Power Adjustment:
This charge accounts for the variable cost of wholesale power and is a direct pass-through from our power supplier, Minnkota Power Cooperative. It is tied to your kWh consumption.
Franchise Fee: The last line item on your bill is the franchise fee. Franchise fees are common in many larger towns and are charges for using city rights-of-way for utility infrastructure. To clarify, a franchise fee is a charge allowed under North Dakota law and imposed by cities on utility companies that use public rights-of-way to deliver services.
This fee allows the utility to operate within the municipality, using public property for installing and maintaining infrastructure such as pipes, cables, and poles. All utility customers within the city pay these fees, even those not paying property tax. Franchise fees generate revenue for cities, ensuring they benefit financially from utility operations while providing a framework for reliable utility service provision within the municipality.
Currently, entities with franchise fee agreements with CCEC include Fargo, Horace, Valley City, and West Fargo. The West Fargo City Council recently approved an increase to the franchise agreement with CCEC, raising the franchise fee from 2% to 4% on gross energy sales. This change went into effect on Sept. 1, 2024, and will be reflected on bills in October. These fees are a direct pass-through, as CCEC collects the franchise fees and remits them directly to the city entities.
At CCEC, our commitment to providing affordable and reliable power remains steadfast. Despite various challenges, we have not passed on a rate increase to our members since 2017, demonstrating our dedication to maintaining stable rates.
We understand that any increase can be concerning, no matter how small. We are here to address any questions or concerns you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact our member service department at 701356-4400 or at info@kwh.com.
10 impact
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 2024
The CCEC board of directors met in person on July 30, 2024, and discussed the following topics:
• Approval of the July 2024 consent agenda for the regular board meeting, which consisted of minutes, monthly department reports, director expense reports, and the June purchased power adjustment (PPA).
• Received the chairman’s report.
• President/CEO Paul Matthys gave the president’s report providing updates on CCEC’s ACSI score, board/executive staff retreat topics, Innovate28, Keep It Local Coalition, and a potential boardroom remodel project.
• Received the June 2024 and mid-year financial reports.
• Received the annual IT security review.
• Received an update from NDAREC Executive Vice President & General Manager, Josh Kramer.
• Received a report on the employee career development plan.
• Received a report from the June and July Minnkota Power board meetings.
• Received a report from the NDAREC summer board meeting hosted by CCEC.
• Moved to approve the July 2024 capital credit estate payments.
• Reviewed upcoming meetings and events.
The next board meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024.
MEMBER MEETING
THURSDAY, OCT. 17, 2024, AT 5:30 P.M. HILTON GARDEN INN • 4351 17TH AVE S, FARGO
HEAR FROM COOPERATIVE LEADERSHIP AS WE DISCUSS IMPORTANT INDUSTRY INFORMATION WHILE ENJOYING A DELICIOUS MEAL.
Communications:
Morgan Bachelor
Jocelyn Lura Hovland
David Youngs
Printer: Forum Communications Printing
Board of Directors:
Paul White, secretary
Douglas Anderson
Vanessa Kummer
Stacey Ackerman
Tom Seymour
Glenn Mitzel, board chair
Wendy Loucks
Kalvin Hoff, treasurer
Terry Kraft, vice chair
Executive Staff:
Paul Matthys, President/CEO
Jodi Bullinger, VP of Engineering & Operations
Chad Brousseau, VP of Member & Energy Services
Chad Sapa, VP of Corporate Services & CFO
Tim Sanden, VP of Information Technology & CIO
Highline Notes (USPS 244-740) is published monthly by Cass County Electric Cooperative Inc., 3312 42nd St. S., Suite 200, Fargo, ND 58104. Periodicals postage paid at Fargo, North Dakota 58104, and at additional mailing offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Highline Notes 3312 42nd St. S., Suite 200 Fargo, ND 58104
Look Up and Look Out
for Power Lines
Overhead power lines are common on the farm, but failure to notice them can be a deadly oversight.
Grand Farm: Furthering the breadbasket of the world
It’s no secret that farmers are the basis of our world and fuel success for individuals and organizations across the globe.
Growers are the backbone, and the Red River Valley is the breadbasket… and Grand Farm is the vehicle that can connect the two to solve the biggest problems in agriculture through AgTech and innovation.
“Grand Farm is built around the space between growers, folks in agriculture, and research institutions who do amazing things in our region,” Grand Farm Cofounder (alongside Brian Carroll) and Executive Director Dr. William Aderholdt said.
To understand Grand Farm, one must first understand the ecosystem that the nonprofit sits in.
“There is an agricultural ecosystem that includes growers, retailers, cooperatives, and utilities. They all have their place in how agriculture currently functions, and each player has opportunities and challenges,” Aderholdt said. “It’s our job to connect them with innovation ecosystems to work toward solving those challenges.”
Aderholdt, who holds a master’s and a doctorate from Montana State University, references startups, corporations, and research institutions as potential members of innovation ecosystems that he and his team work with to problem-solve alongside those in the agriculture ecosystem. While technology is the driving force behind connecting the two worlds, a foundation is built through human relationships and connections.
“We meet with these groups (in the agriculture ecosystem), and we better understand them,” Aderholdt said. “We tour their sites, whether that be a farm or fertilizer distribution point, and ask a ton of questions to best understand the operation and how technology can play in.”
After garnering an understanding, Aderholt and his team work to expose challenges and opportunities by bringing in folks from external ecosystems.
“We ask them (those in innovative ecosystems) ‘Are you solving these problems? Could you be solving these, and how would you like to solve them?’” he said.
The final step? Bringing both parties to Grand Farm’s pristine 25,000-square-foot Innovation
Campus just west of Casselton, North Dakota. Debuting in June 2024, the campus spans 140 acres and is designed for growers, startups, corporations, researchers, and education groups to collaborate on technology.
“While we do plenty of matchmaking at conferences and events, the innovation campus has test plots and an environment that allows us to test in real life to see how things work and physically spot challenges,” Aderholdt said. “That physical connection and conversation is so important.”
It also creates trust, something that is vital to decreasing the time to market for solutions.
“We want relevant solutions in the hands of growers,” Aderholdt said. “We want people to trust the solutions going out, and it’s our hope to get them out. That’s what
we’ve built over the past five years.”
Ag through entrepreneurship
Inspired by the strong sense of community and a zest for new adventures in 2019, Aderholdt and his wife decided it was time to move from the Treasure State to the Peace Garden State.
“We were actually running the Fargo Marathon together alongside the beautiful trees on Albrecht Drive, and I looked at my wife and said, ‘We’re moving here,’”’ he recalled.
Once roots had been settled, Aderholdt found himself at 1 Million Cups (now known as StartupBREW), the Red River Valley’s premier entrepreneurial programming run by Emerging Prairie (which is Grand Farm’s parent organization).
“I was trying to figure out what to do after wrapping up my Ph.D,” he said. “From my military background, I wanted to be the first one there (to the event) and the last to leave.”
Sure enough, Brian Carroll, who serves as Grand Farm’s Chief Information Officer and Co-founder alongside Aderholdt, had the same mindset. The two conviened and the rest is history.
Five years later, Aderholt is confident that Grand Farm has and will continue to change the world for the better.
“We just finished a third agricultural revolution and increased the ability to be efficient in food production on a production scale to feed nearly 9 billion people in the world,” he said. “Now we’re beginning to look at what technology can bring to us as we prepare for the fourth agricultural revolution and how it can change things. There’s no better place to do it than here.”
Tranquility in the Sheyenne Valley: Fort Ransom
Ask any North Dakotan elementary student to list the three regions of the state, and they’ll respond with the Missouri Plateau, Drift Prairie, and Red River Valley.
And while perched in between the Red River Valley and Drift Prairie, Fort Ransom, North Dakota, resembles the thoughts that come to mind when listening to a John Denver song: peace, rolling hills, tranquility, and a yearning to explore the beauty that our world offers.
Rich history to modern escape Nested in the beautiful Sheyenne River Valley, Fort Ransom is rooted in history. Established in 1867 as a military post and named after Civil War Union General Thomas E. G. Ransom, the fort served as protection for settlers and railroad workers along the Northern Pacific line. Disbanded by the government
in 1872 (due to the growth of the Northern Pacific Railway), a stone monument still stands on Grizzly Hill, marking the once haven.
Eight years later, Fort Ransom became an incorporated town. A century and a half later, Fort Ransom features the essentials of a small American town: a post office, community center, churches, and bars, all down the road from Rockstad’s River Inn, a quaint lodge featuring a yurt and cottage that allows weary travelers to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Main Street occupies the bulk of the town, and its current population is just south of 100. Yet while small in population and real estate, the community’s impact on those who have the chance to grace it is monumental.
Along the river
Walk alongside the west side of town, and you’ll be treated to the tranquil sound of water flowing on the Sheyenne River to the right and the Ransom County Historical Society (RCMS) on the left. Founded by a women’s club in 1972, the RCMS features a museum, schoolhouse, and barn that house artifacts that date back to the 1800s. NancyLee Loftsgard heads the RCMS board and has been with the society since 1978. In her 36 years, she remains awestruck at the amount of history within the walls of the site.
“The floorboards (in the museum) were put in around 1908; we’ve got schoolbooks from the 1920s; it’s truly amazing,” she said. “Our job is to preserve all parts of the story of this region from the past that have brought us to today.”
Continue up the river and up the hill, and you’ll find Thrill Hills, one of the state’s only ski and tubing facilities. Owned and operated by two local families, Thrill Hills features a variety of runs, a terrain park, chairlift, and tow rope alongside a rustic lodge with full-service food and beverage.
“It’s such a great place to teach your kids how to ski,” Cass County Electric Cooperative Human Resources Specialist Sarah Rhea said. “There’s a ton of people in the region who learned how to ski there.”
When the snow is melted, Thrill Hills hosts summer events and community gatherings.
Mother Nature at its finest While small-town charm, preservation of history, and winter fun are substantial, the backbone of the area lies in its nature. Just east of town sits Sheyenne River State Forest, which touts the state’s lone waterfall. Head north, and you’ll find Fort Ransom State Park, which features unique yurts that travelers can stay in.
Yet across the town and region, the underlying constant of breathtaking trails rings through.
“The trails that we have coming from here to Valley City, Lisbon and Oakes, to Lamoure, it’s incredible,” Loftsgard said. “We encompass such a large area. We are Fort Ransom, but at the same time, we’re so much more.”
Whether camping, hiking, or just visiting, the destination is one of the state’s best-kept secrets.
“I think it can satisfy almost everybody’s wants and desires as far as both going outdoors and enjoying history,” Loftsgard said.
Local mustsees, visits, and events in the Fort Ransom area:
Eats and treats
• Dry Hollow Bar
• Thor’s Old Mill Grill
• Stiklestad Lodge and Event Center
Attractions
• Thrill Hills
• Sheyenne River Valley
National Scenic Byway
• Fort Ransom State Park
• Sheyenne River State Forest
• Mineral Springs Falls
• Little Yellowstone
• Sheyenne River
• Pyramid Hill
• Ransom County Society Museum
• Fort Ransom State Historic Site
• Sunne Farm
Events
CCEC is excited to announce our sponsorship of the Rods, Ribs, and Rock-n-Roll, hosted by the Hi-Way Rollers Car Club at Thrill Hills on September 28. Be sure to check out this new event that takes place during the area’s largest arts and crafts event, SVACA Marketplace Festival.
• Fort Ransom 4th of July Rodeo
• Fort Ransom
Sodbuster Days
• Sheyenne Valley Arts and Crafts
Association (SVACA) Marketplace Festival
• Rods, Ribs, and Rockn-Roll
Meet Director White
Paul White smiles as he pulls a jar of homemade spicy canned pickles off the shelf at his home in Stirum, North Dakota, for an out-of-town visitor.
“Put ‘em in the fridge for a while, and they’ll get nice and crunchy.”
A walking depiction of ‘North Dakota Nice,’ White serves as the owner/general manager of Bobcat of Gwinner and is going on the third year as a member of Cass County Electric Cooperative’s (CCEC) board of directors. While his tenure on the board is young compared to some, his recollections of the cooperative world and love for the region he calls home rival those of a long-term director.
Just down the road
A self-described ‘homebody for life,’ White grew up on a farm just north of Stirum that sits just a stroll away from his current residence. During outages, the sight of a CCEC bucket truck was a beacon of light.
“When you’d be out of power back in the ‘70s, it wasn’t like it would just flash back on,” White recalled. “I just remember when you’d see the trucks come, there was this huge sense of excitement.”
Splitting time between his factory job and the farm at 27, White recalls the infamous ice storm of 1997 and CCEC’s impact.
“(I remember) how closely the farmers worked with CCEC,” he said. “It was all hands on deck and had such a community, memberbased feel. We saw the same sense of community during last year’s ice storm.”
The nostalgia resonated with White in 2022 when he ran and was
elected to serve CCEC’s District 1, encompassing the entire western side of the cooperative’s service territory.
“I’ve learned so much and how important it is to embrace the diversity that our service territory offers,” White said. “There’s so much opportunity for us to do good things.”
Full circle
White has held his position since 2019. He has bachelor’s degree in agriculture and biosystems engineering from North Dakota State Univeristy.
His solution for covering tuition?
Starting White Trucking at age 23, a business that maintains and transports garbage and recycling
receptacles in West Fargo and central Minnesota. White sold the business in 2015.
While his career path shifted to the machinery industry, White’s love of agriculture still weaves its way into his life.
“I still own a few acres and find great joy in driving around monitoring and checking on fields,” White said. “My kids make fun of me for it, but it’s a nostalgia thing.”
As White looks toward the future of CCEC and the region, he couldn’t be happier with the people seated at the table.
“I think our members have done an excellent job selecting members of our board, and it’s going to pay off; it already has,” he said.
save
Maximizing efficiency and comfort in your farm shop
Imagine the heart of a bustling farm, where the shop is the lifeblood during the harsh winter months. Second only to the farmhouse in importance, this shop needs to be a fortress against the cold, a place where energy efficiency and warmth go hand in hand.
To achieve this, start by insulating the shop well. For the ceiling, use insulation with an R-30 to R-40 value, and for the sidewalls, an R-19 value. Doors should have an R-value of 10 to 12, equivalent to two inches of foam insulation, ensuring minimal heat escape.
Seal every nook and cranny. Install weatherstripping around doors to prevent drafts. Air infiltration can drain heat quickly, so tight seals are essential.
To fortify the foundation, install one or two inches of extruded polystyrene (closed-cell insulation) at least two feet below ground level. This barrier should extend well below the surface, at least six inches, to protect against the elements and wildlife. The insulation should connect seamlessly with the wall insulation for continuous protection.
Consider using an off-peak program for electric floor heating. Waste engine oil can serve as a reliable backup during peak control times, efficiently heating the space. Farm engines generate a lot of waste oil, which can be stored and used in waste oil heaters during winter. Regular service and inspection of these heaters ensure
they run smoothly.
Windows can be a weak point for heat loss, so keep them to a minimum. Install double- or tripleglazed windows to maximize energy efficiency. A single-glazed window has an R-value of about 0.9, whereas a double-glazed window with inert gas between panes boasts an R-value of 3.0 to 4.0, cutting heat loss significantly.
Illuminate your workspace with bright, energy-efficient LED lighting. These lights save on electricity and reduce maintenance with their longevity. Enhance efficiency further with timers, occupancy sensors, and task lighting.
Position large doors strategically to face away from the prevailing northwest winter winds, ideally to the south or east. This simple step can prevent significant heat loss when doors are opened to bring in large machinery, which can be warmed up overnight.
Use zone heating to target only the areas in use, like over workbenches, with directional or radiant heaters. Separating the shop from the storage area, even with a plastic curtain, can conserve heat. Turn down the heat when it’s not needed and choose power-vented or condensing unit heaters over gravity-vented ones for better efficiency.
Plant dense shelterbelts around the shop to reduce wind velocity and heating needs. Arrange shorter trees
on the edges and taller ones in the middle, maintaining a distance of at least 200 feet from buildings to avoid snow buildup.
Embrace these measures to transform your farm shop into a warm, efficient hub of productivity during the winter months. For more energy-saving tips, visit CassCountyElectric.com.
CCEC Off-Peak Programs:
Grain sites
We offer discounted rates and program flexibility. Through our Incremental Pricing Plan (IPP), there are different rates for various control events, referred to as yellow zone or red zone time periods.
Shop heating
When electric demand and market electricity prices are high, an off-peak device automatically switches from an electric source to a backup source, such as propane or fuel oil. In exchange, participating members receive discounted off-peak electric rates, which are competitive with fuel oil and propane. Our off-peak program is designed to reduce electric demand during peak times, saving you money.
To learn how off-peak may work for you, please contact us at 701-356-4400 or energy@kwh.com.
Concern for community is one of Cass County Electric Cooperative’s (CCEC) five core values. We believe that by investing in the people, businesses, and organizations within our service territory, we can play a role in paving a brighter future for the communities we serve.
Growth and progress are rooted in preserving history; that’s why CCEC is proud to support the Ransom County Historical Society (RCHS). Through the My Co-op Cares program, members of CCEC’s team spent Thursday, Aug. 8 volunteering at the Ransom County Historical Society.
impact
Ransom County Historical Society
Seated in the beautiful Sheyenne River Valley, the RCHS is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and manages, exhibits, and preserves historically significant artifacts that are representative of the history of Ransom County. Surpassing a century of age, the museum is being prepared for a foundation renovation.
From moving shelves and antiques to lifting a wooden floor that has held its ground since 1904, CCEC team members helped prepare the museum for renovation.
“We’re so appreciative of CCEC’s commitment to helping keep our history alive,” RCHS Board President NancyLee Loftsgard said. “The
significance of the work done was outstanding.”
CCEC is committed to continuing to uplift the wonderful organizations that make southeastern North Dakota a special place to live.
Coalition launches to preserve property tax, local control
A coalition launched in June to oppose the initiated ballot measure that seeks to abolish property tax in North Dakota. Keep It Local coalition members represent a broad spectrum of North Dakota interests, including agriculture, public safety, education, energy, cooperatives, business and local, city and county government.
The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC), whose members include 17 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives operating in North Dakota, have joined the coalition. North Dakota’s electric cooperatives urge a “no” vote on the property tax measure.
Electric cooperatives urge ‘NO’ vote on property tax measure WHAT DO PROPERTY TAXES SUPPORT IN NORTH DAKOTA?
through a ballot measure changing the state constitution.
“We represent industry, but we also represent community. We represent those who run the community, who live, work and raise families in the community,” Kramer says. “We don’t represent out-of-state landowners, who might be the one group who
will benefit from the elimination of property taxes.”
CCEC will provide more information on the property tax measure in the October issue. Visit www. keepitlocalnd.org to learn more.
This story originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of North Dakota Living.
“We all say we ‘back the blue’ and support law enforcement, our schools, our emergency responders, but how can we say that if we get rid of their main funding source, which is property tax?” says Josh Kramer, NDAREC executive vice president and general manager. “I get it, folks want property tax reform, and so do I. But it is irresponsible to pull the rug out from local government without having a plan in place to fund essential community services into the future. Abolishing property tax is not the answer, and property tax reform cannot be accomplished responsibly
Sharing the road with farmers safety
Harvest time in the Midwest is busy. Farmers and farm workers have big equipment and implements on the road, and navigating roadways can be dangerous for farm equipment operators and the auto drivers around them.
During the fall harvest season, our region experiences a surge in agricultural activity, making it a hazardous time for farmers and farm workers. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the agriculture sector consistently ranks as one of the highest-risk industries for occupational injuries and fatalities, recording 453 deaths in 2021, translating to 9.5 deaths per 100,000 workers. Transportation incidents, such as tractor overturns, were the leading cause of death for farmers and farm workers.
Follow these safety tips to make harvest season safer for everyone involved.
Equipment operators:
1. Make sure all flashers and lights are operational.
2. Drive as far to the right side of the road as is safe when going around a curve.
3. Pull over and allow vehicles to pass when traffic builds up behind you.
4. Take care at railroad crossings.
5. Avoid traveling during busy traffic times.
6. Be mindful of the height and width of machinery, and watch power lines, bridges, and other hazards.
7. Stay rested; do not drive when you are too tired.
8. Keep a first-aid kit in case of accidents.
Auto drivers:
1. Calculate the time it will take to reach your destination and add extra time for busy farm roads.
2. Give farmers plenty of room on the road. If a piece of equipment takes up the entire road, pull into a driveway or approach and wait for them to pass.
Scan here for more safety tips!
3. When passing, be sure you do so in a passing zone and that there is clear visibility around farm equipment. Watch for oncoming vehicles.
4. Go slow. Farm operators often stop or turn into fields. Cars going at or over the speed limit can quickly catch up to farm machinery since farmers in equipment move slowly.
5. Do not assume that a farmer can move over in narrow areas; it is not always possible.
6. Do not tailgate; the farmer often cannot see you.
7. Do not pass and then slow suddenly in front of equipment with implements behind it or farm trucks full of grain. They cannot stop quickly.
8. Farmers make very wide turns; give them plenty of time and room.
For information about safety around electricity, including farm and ranch safety, visit CassCountyElectric.com.
Check out our Pinterest page for more recipes!
Easy caramels
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cup Karo white syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups whipping cream
Preparation:
recipes
As summer winds down and the school year gears up, our sweet tooth doesn’t take a break. We understand how hectic life can get, so we’ve curated a collection of fast and easy recipes that satisfy those sweet cravings without taking up too much time. Let’s dive into the kitchen and make the back-to-school season a little sweeter!
Easy fudge
Ingredients:
3 cups Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand milk
Dash of salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Stir continuously in an electric fry pan, starting with sugar, syrup, vanilla, and 1 cup of cream; cook at 325-350 degrees until the light goes out. Add 1 cup of cream and cook until the light goes out. Add the last cup of cream and cook until the light goes out. Pour into a 9 x 13 greased pan, cool, cut and wrap.
Easy cherry dessert
Ingredients:
1 can Wilderness pie filling
1 box white Jiffy cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Cool Whip
Preparation:
Put Wilderness pie filling in a 9 x 9 pan. Sprinkle white Jiffy cake mix over the top. Drizzle melted butter over the cake mix. Sprinkle on chopped pecans. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with Cool Whip.
Preparation:
In a microwave dish, combine the chocolate chips, milk, and salt and cook until the chips are melted, stirring occasionally. Add the walnuts and vanilla. Spread evenly onto a wax paper-lined 8-or 9-inch square pan. Chill for 2 hours or until firm. Turn the fudge onto a cutting board; peel off the paper and cut into squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Easy peanut butter bites
Ingredients:
1 package crushed gram crackers
1 stick melted butter or margarine
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 bag chocolate chips
Preparation:
Mix all together except the chips. Pat into a 9 x 13 pan sprayed with Pam. Melt chips and spread over peanut butter mixture. Put in fridge to harden chocolate. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
Lighting the way: CCEC’s innovative approach to power reliability with FLISR technology tech
Reliability has always been at the forefront of Cass County Electric Cooperative’s (CCEC) commitment to members. Keeping the lights on at an affordable rate will always be your cooperative’s top goal.
Our numbers prove it; through July of this year, our reliability rate sits at 99.9957% (excluding major events). Despite rising inflation, CCEC is proud to have kept rates stable since 2017 without a rate increase.
Yet, as we saw last winter, living in North Dakota means that outages are an unfortunate reality from time to time. And while outages are often out of our control, how we respond to them is.
CCEC prides itself on being at the cutting edge of technology to best serve its members. One of the most recent examples? Fault location, isolation, and service restoration technology, best known as FLISR.
What is it?
Implemented this year, FLISR provides a cutting-edge approach to limit the number of residents without power during an outage.
“In the past, if a substation breaker opened up, you could have 1,500 or more people out of power, and all 1,500 would be out until lineworkers were called into the shop, able to locate that area and get out there and isolate it,” CCEC SCADA and Relay Technician Tony Tasa said. “There was no technology in our system that allowed us to automatically lower the number of members without power in a geographic area.”
That’s not the case with FLISR.
“With FLISR, the system can autoreconfigure on its own to isolate the faulted area, so fewer people are out of power,” Tasa said. “So instead of 1,500 people out in a six-mile radius, there are only 500 out in a two-mile radius because the system knows right away where the problem is.”
When an outage occurs, FLISR hops into action right away, isolating the fault in under a minute. Yet the complexities of the technology and CCEC’s commitment to it expand far beyond a computer screen.
“We’ve been adding switches in the field (that make FLISR possible) for the past two decades,” Tasa said. “FLISR can’t happen without those
and increased technology at our substations that isolate faults.”
When 2022 rolled around, CCEC updated its SCADA system (a technology that draws in data from the field), presenting a perfect opportunity for CCEC’s team to begin testing out FLISR in a concentrated area.
“We chose an area of our system with a large number of switches already installed in the field to test it and implement it,” Tasa said. “Now that we know how to do it, we will continue implementing it in more areas.”
Two years later, CCEC was one of the state’s first electric cooperatives to implement the system for its members. As FLISR is implemented in more areas, Tasa credits CCEC’s commitment to reliability and technology.
“Reliability has always been huge for us,” he said. “We’ll always have outages, but this will help reduce the size and duration. The more switches we have, the more we can shrink that number.”
Watch the video to learn more here: https://bit.ly/3SLkTjO
ads
All ads must be 40 words or fewer and will be abbreviated following our guidelines. No real estate or commercial ads will be accepted. Ads are published for members at no charge as space permits on a first-received, first-printed basis. Ads are due by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Members may submit only one ad per issue. Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any ad. Email ads to: ccec@kwh.com.
For sale
Toolbox for truck bed, good shape, $100. 701-799-6661
1930 Model A chassis, drive train, motor/radiator on 4 wheels, started as frame-up restoration, it runs, build it back. 701-412-3287
‘19 Georgetown 35’, 3,350 mi, perf. cond., 2 slides, king bed, etc. 701-4309829
Vintage metal toys, pics avail. 701200-3976
John Deere Model LX 280 lawn tractor in running cond., w/ or w/o mower deck. 701-372-3860 or moparnut@rrt.net
Teeter Hang Up, medical inversion table model #EP-550/650, great for back pain relief. 350lb weight cap, $60. 701-886-6671
New cargo load bag, 48x20x 20”, $35. Libman janitorial size mop bucket, new, $40. 701-866-0218
Gazebo canvas cover 15’x15’, fleet farm gazebo new, $100. Sea eagle raft that you can pull behind your boat 200, new $650. Like new DeWalt 2 q. HP dw 618 was used twice plus two bits, $150. 701-238-9549
2019 Winnebago 2500FL. Power awning, dbl. entry door, dbl. door fridge, microwave oven, gas range w/ oven, roof ducted a/c unit, propane furnace, roof ladder, outdoor speakers, outdoor shower, 32” TV, AM/FM DVD bluetooth stereo, 1 slide, clear title, $16,000/OBO. 701-289-0010
Table 36x60 oak finish w/ 3 upholstered captain swivel chairs, $150. Briggs and Stratton 8.5 HP snow blower engine w/ elec. start, $70. 701-232-4341
Coleman camping stove. Dorman wheel nuts N14-150 qty. 20. Tool Shop 5-speed press drill ½”. 4-Bridgestone tires 245/60 R18. 6-year white baby crib. 701-566-7165
2 Red Lion elec. irrigation pumps, used from Sheyenne River to my lawn to irrigate, 4:2” hoses, 2:14’, 1:18’, 1:25’ w/ banjo couplings, & 2 inlet screens, all $250. 701-799-1114
Red Lion 5hp 2” trash/water pump, approx. 15 hrs. of use, comes w/ 20’ suction hose & 100’ discharge hose, $275/OBO. 701-361-7294
Horse harnesses, saddles, & horse machinery. 701-830-9700
100+ wildlife wood carvings, 100+ wildlife glasses, Stevens o/u 410-gauge NIB, $600. Tristar o/u 28 gauge NIB, $800. 9” horse-drawn plow, very rare. 701-840-0538
Western books, authors include Eric Red, William Johnstone, Ralph Compton, & more, $1/ea. 701-261-5588
‘03 Harley Davidson Fat Boy (100 anni.), 13,000 mi, fuel injected, detachable windshield, eagle pipes, lockable saddlebags, chrome swingarm, pics avail. $7,500. 701-3612551
Remington pump 270 Game Master 760, like new, includes 2 boxes of shells, leather sling, camouflaged gun case, extra clip, Leopold 3x9 scope sighted at 200 yds, cash only, $800. 701-552-2048
Newly constructed 8x12’ wood storage shed w/ shingled gable roof, pine paneling siding, 16” center rafters, studs, & floor joists, ¾” plywood floor, dbl. door opening 56”Wx71”H, $3,000, no delivery. 701840-5438
Empire propane wall furnace, direct fan, 55000 BTU, Model DV55spp, $600. 701-660-9468
1979 Allis Chalmers lawn tractor, 9.14 shuttle mower & snowblower attach. All orig. cond., $1,200/all. 701-412-6606
Small square bales of grass hay & wheat straw. 701-238-2933
1977 Porsche Boxster, hard-top convertible, 102,529 mi. red, $9,000. 701-371-9391
2006 Lund 1800 Series fishing boat, 150 & 10 Mercury motors, electric troll motor, electronics Bimini top & roller trailer, very nice cond., estate sale, $22,000/OBO. 612-418-2820
Porter-Cable router kit #893pk, $150. Router table w/acces., $100. New Craftsman 3/4hp garage door system, $190. Craftsman production paint sprayer gun, $45. Craftsman 6.5-amp sawzall w/case, $40. Carpet tools, bonding iron, seaming tool, cutters & kicker. 50’ air hose. 14 gal. Agrifab sprayer tank, $25. 50’ drainpipe cleaning cable. 701-367-0115
8’ used turning lathe Schumacher boy & Emmes Cincinnati, Ohio. Low/ high gear, 8’ bed, 5hp motor 230V, different attach., left or right rotation, $4,000/OBO. 701-845-9995
Wanted
Outdoor farm cats. 701-238-0074
Propane tank for home/shop, 500 or 1,000 gal. tank. 701-680-1509
Motorcycles & ATVs. All makes/ models, years/cond. 701-361-7289
Vintage stereo equipment, music collections, cameras, video games, toys, & sports cards. Call/text photos to 701-541-7852
Bulls, Barrels and Boxing, Sponsorship
September 6 and 7
Historic Bohnsack Ranch, Sheldon
Aronia Berry Festival, Sponsorship
September 8, from noon – 4 p.m.
Nelson Aronia Farm, Amenia
WestFest Parade, Entry
September 21 at noon
West Fargo
SunFest Parade, Entry
September 21 at 5 p.m.
Enderlin
Scan
Rods, Ribs, & Rock-n-Roll, Stage Powered by CCEC
September 28, from 1 – 7 p.m.
Thrill Hills, Fort Ransom
Arthur Market, Stage Powered by CCEC
October 5, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Arthur City Park, Arthur
CCEC Member Meeting
October 17 at 5:30 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn, Fargo
Lone Oak Farm Fall Festival, Sponsorship
October 20, from noon – 4 p.m.
Lone Oak Farm, Ayr