Ringing in a new year sparks a sense of renewed hope and optimism about the future. As the CEO of Butte Electric, now is a time to reflect on where we are and where we are going. At the heart of this reflection, I think about ways we can better serve you, the members of the cooperative.
Our team at Butte Electric is always looking ahead, exploring ways to innovate and utilize new technologies to improve our services. As our nation increasingly relies on electricity to power the economy, keeping the lights on has never been more important to us. Butte Electric is committed to powering––and empowering––our communities at a cost local families and businesses can afford.
So how are we working to ensure reliable and affordable power while adapting to a changing energy landscape and the evolving needs of our communities?
One critical component of reliable power is the mix of energy resources used to generate the electricity that keeps the lights on across our service territory. As a distribution cooperative, Butte Electric doesn’t generate electricity. Instead, we purchase it from our energy providers, Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Western Area Power Administration. From there, we distribute the power to homes and businesses throughout Butte, Lawrence, and Meade Counties. Our current energy resource mix includes 34% from coal, 21% from wind, 15% from natural gas, 15% from hydro, and 14% from other sources (see the chart below for the full portfolio).
We are increasingly using more electricity generated from renewable energy sources, but we still depend on a diverse energy mix to ensure reliable power that’s available to our members whenever they need it.
In addition to managing a reliable energy mix, Butte Electric is using technology to enhance our local grid, limit service disruptions, and improve outage response times.
Advanced metering technology (AMI) enables two-way communication between the co-op and consumers. In the event of a power outage, AMI helps pinpoint the exact location of the outage and can even analyze damaged or tampered meters. AMI helps Butte Electric save money with real-time data and ultimately improves power reliability for our entire community.
Proactive tree trimming is another way we limit service disruptions. Scheduled trimming keeps power lines clear from overgrown limbs that could likely fall. Inspections of lines and vegetation have allowed us to reduce equipment costs while bolstering reliability.
Additionally, we’ve implemented advanced mapping software to help maintain the local grid while providing reliable service.
One of the best methods for improving our services to you is monitoring trends and leading practices from other electric co-ops in South Dakota and across the country. Learning from other co-ops is one of the many benefits of the cooperative business model because, for us, it’s about cooperation, not competition.
As we focus toward 2024, Butte Electric will continue working to provide the reliable, affordable electricity you expect and deserve–– for today and tomorrow.
