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Corn Belt Power Cooperative

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The 1950 board of directors serving Corn Belt Power Cooeprative.

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August 2022 | Volume 71 | Number 7

Celebrating 75 years of empowering rural Iowa communities

n August 28, Corn Belt Power Cooperative will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its articles of incorporation. This month and in coming months we will be looking back at Corn Belt Power's history. At the Hotel Wahkonsa in Fort Dodge on Feb. 10, 1937, Rural Electrification Administration representative John Carmody announced that the REA had allotted funds for two generating plants to serve the nine RECs in north central Iowa. With Carmody’s announcement, two generation and transmission cooperatives were the first in the nation to receive REA funds for electric generation. Central Electric Federated Cooperative Association — more commonly called Central — was formed by the partnership of four western cooperatives that decided to locate their headquarters and generating plant at Pocahontas. Those co-ops were Calhoun County Electrical Cooperative Association, Pocahontas REC, Humboldt County REC and Buena Vista County REC. Sac County REC joined Central in 1939. The five cooperatives from the eastern area formed Federated Cooperative Power Association — known as Federated — with its generating plant near Hampton. It was made up of Hardin County REC, Franklin REC, Butler County REC, Grundy County REC and Wright County REC. Hancock County REC became a member in November of 1937. Next, a steam-powered generating plant needed to be built. A location on the banks of the Des Moines River three and a half miles south of Humboldt seemed a perfect choice. In October of 1948, construction of Humboldt Station began, and the plant

Hotel Wahkonsa Above | At the Hotel Wahkonsa in Fort Dodge on Feb. 10, 1937, Rural Electrification Administration representative John Carmody announced that the REA allotted funds for two generating plants to serve the nine RECs in north central Iowa. These RECs made up the first two G&Ts in Iowa, Central and Federated, which merged on Aug. 28, 1947 to create Corn Belt Power Cooperative.

came online in 1950. While Corn Belt’s capacity was growing, so was its membership. On Jan. 10, 1950, D.E.K. Rural Electric Cooperative joined Corn Belt Power. A few months later, Boone Valley Electric Cooperative, lowa’s first REAfinanced distribution cooperative, was granted membership. Changes were coming fast and furious in 1954. In June, Corn Belt’s board decided to build a $7 million plant in northwestern Iowa near Spencer. The plant was named in tribute to the late Earl F. Wisdom, Corn Belt Power’s long-time attorney. Wisdom Station came online in 1960. Corn Belt Power’s office facilities also

grew. On March 28, 1958, groundbreaking took place for the headquarters building just north of the Humboldt County REC. Glidden REC, which had been purchasing power from Corn Belt for more than seven years, officially became a Corn Belt Power member on Jan. 1, 1961. As our first 75 years come to a close, Corn Belt Power Cooperative stands strong as a power supplier and committed partner to more than 34,000 homes, farms and industries plus 20,000 municipal customers. This achievement can be attributed to individuals with far-reaching vision who created the cooperative 75 years ago and to the dedicated people since that time who have worked to make it strong.

correct in their position that renewable energy will provide a path forward to an energy future that will be more carbonconstrained. However, the intermittency of these resources alone will not sustain the increasing energy demands of our growing economy. Battery storage remains costly, and its long-term storage capacity has not kept up with the growth of renewable energy across the country nor the increasing demands for energy Above | Cody Montgomery, control operator, Corn Belt Power, monitors performance of Wisdom Station’s generating units. to power our economy. Unless battery Due to prolonged warm weather, Southwest Power Pool (SPP) called on both Wisdom Station units to run several times in July to storage technology advances, we must rely help meet generation needs across its footprint. on dependable baseload, fossil fuel power plants to keep the lights on all the time. At the same time, the economics behind tax-subsidized green energy has contributed to the closure of many fossil fuel, baseload power plants. Reliance on favors the incorporation of renewable he energy industry is undergoing a a generation mix that depends heavily resources like wind and solar to work dramatic transformation as more on renewables will impact the overall alongside traditional reliable sources of renewable energy comes online affordability of your power. When the energy like oil and natural gas. For us, and innovation and technology continue to wind is blowing and the sun is shining, adopting a strategy incorporating renewable advance. We recently reported on the North energy generation is abundant, and energy sources must be done in a way that American Electric Reliability Assessment power is inexpensive. However, severe protects our members financially and does and the need for an All-of-the-Above energy weather events can also negatively impact not impede power supply. approach. This month, we’ll delve deeper renewable generation resources, inhibiting It takes a slow and logical approach to into what an All-of-the-Above energy their operation, thus driving up costs to transition electric generation away from fossil purchase energy from the markets at a strategy means and how renewable energy fuels in a way as to maintain the affordability growth contributes to the shuttering of many premium. and reliability of your power supply. baseload power plants across the country, That was evident at 4:44 p.m. on July 11, While renewable generation such as potentially impacting the reliability of electric when the Southwest Power Pool, reached service. a new all-time peak load of 51,377 Green energy is certainly not megawatts (MW). This was the new. Solar and wind power have peak at the time this newsletter been around for decades. Thanks went to press. During that time, to government tax incentives that July 11 almost 80 percent of power make renewable generation sources generated to meet the load was Wind affordable, we have seen growth made up of either coal, natural gas Other Coal in renewable energy across the or nuclear (see chart). 16.60% (solar, waste, fuel oil) 35.12% country, including in our state. This demonstrates the value 0.71% Recent innovations and advances of our abundant baseload in renewable technology have led generation sources in an All-ofNuclear to sharp decreases in cost, making the Above energy mix. If not 3.63% it more feasible and accessible. In for reliable baseload generation, recent years, Corn Belt Power has predominately made up of fossil Gas Hydro adjusted our fuel mix by utilizing fuels, many of us would be in the 40.59% 3.34% more renewables in our generation dark during times of peak electric portfolio. Last year, 25.8 percent demand. Our goal is to provide of the energy delivered to Corn our members with safe, affordable, Belt Power’s member cooperatives reliable, and sustainable forms of wind and solar remains an affordable comprised of renewable energy resources energy in a way that moves us toward a supplemental generation resource to an such as wind and hydropower, up from 12 cleaner energy future. overall energy mix, these resources are percent in 2010. This is a transition to a It all boils down to having reliable considered “intermittent” power since cleaner and greener generation mix when you baseload generation for when renewables the sun does not always shine, and the consider the national average electricity cost aren’t available. It’s why we call it “All-ofwind does not always blow. Often, there has only increased a little over two percent the-Above.” We will continue to advocate is minimal wind or solar generation over the same time period. on behalf of our members for that energy on the coldest or hottest days of the An All-of-the-Above energy approach strategy on a state and federal level. year. Proponents of these resources are

Reliability needs to be

at forefront of energy transition

Peak Day Generation Mix

Prairie Energy and Corn Belt Power partner to help rural hospital handle record births

Shine the Light contest receives nearly 70 nominations

he 2nd annual Shine the Light contest received 68 volunteer nominations in June. Sponsored by the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of Iowa, this statewide contest is an opportunity for Iowa’s electric cooperatives to celebrate commitment to community. This year’s contest entries represent 26 Iowa distribution co-ops. Corn Belt Power’s service territory entries are as follows: Butler County REC: 3 Calhoun County Electric Cooperative Assn: 3 Franklin REC: 2 THE LI Grundy County REC: 1 NE Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative: 6 Midland Power Cooperative: 6 Prairie Energy Cooperative: 4 Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative: 4 Three winners will each receive a $2,000 donation to their local charity and be announced in this newsletter and featured in the September issue of Iowa Electric Cooperative Living magazine.

Midland Power members elect new director

Baby boom Above | Prairie Energy Cooperative and Corn Belt Power Cooperative present loan and grant funds totalling more than $2 million to representatives from the Iowa Speciality Hospital in Clarion June 27. These funds help finance a much-needed maternity center expansion. Pictured from left at the check presentation are Steve Simonin, President & CEO, Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics; Todd Foss and Sarah Olson, Prairie Energy; Cindy Hunter, chief quality officer, Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics; Brittany Dickey, vice president, business development, and Stacy Cirks, development finance director, Corn Belt Power Cooperative; and Greg Polzin, chief financial officer, Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics.

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s more and more rural health care systems close down, one north central Iowa hospital is experiencing an unprecedented baby boom—and local electric cooperatives have stepped in to help finance a much-needed maternity center expansion. Prairie Energy Cooperative in Clarion and power supplier Corn Belt Power Cooperative in Humboldt recently passed through $2.36 million in federal loans to help Iowa Specialty Hospital boost services for Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum (LDRP) care. Through the REDL&G program, Corn Belt Power sponsored a pass through loan for $1,000,000. Corn Belt Power also sponsored a grant for $300,000 with a $60,000 match from Corn Belt Power to loan a total of $1,360,000 to the hospital for the renovation of its existing footprint to make room for three new LDRP rooms. Prairie Energy also sponsored a loan of $1,000,000 toward this project. The loans and grant come as a record number of births strain an already-busy hospital system, where five of 25 beds are dedicated for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care. In 2021, doctors delivered a record 568 babies, compared to 485 in 2020. And the hospital is projecting 600 births this year. “We consistently fill these rooms and overflow into medical and surgery rooms daily,” said Jenn Mewes, Iowa Specialty Hospital’s OB Leader, adding that doctors and nurses have been paying extra attention to “bed management” to keep pace with deliveries. Throughout the state, 10 labor and delivery units closed in the past three years. “As birthing facilities continue to decrease, patients are more likely to have to drive for this care,” said Mewes, noting that in some cases, expectant families travel as far as 100 miles roundtrip. The expansion, estimated right now at $5.5 million, will result in three added LDRP rooms and additional specialty clinic space. It’s all part of improving the lives of members, said Corn Belt Power Cooperative’s Brittany Dickey. “Our members and staff use this hospital and it’s part of our community,” said Dickey, vice president of business development at the G&T.

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he retirement of Charlie Gilbert left a vacancy on Midland Power Cooperative’s board of directors. At the Midland Power annual meeting on Wednesday, June 29, members elected Jim Vierkandt to fill the spot left by Gilbert. Vierkandt lives in Buckeye township in Hardin County. He is a grain and livestock farmer and vice president of the Hardin County Pork Producers. Following the annual meeting, the board voted to Jim Vierkandt keep officers the same. They are as follows: Mike Coleman, President Rick Thompson, Vice President Randy Christensen, Secretary Kim Rinker, Treasurer Joel Skow, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer

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1300 13th Street North • PO Box 508 Humboldt, IA 50548

Mark Saxton, journeyman lineman, Corn Belt Power Cooperative, begins to climb a training pole in Humboldt to complete his annual climbing competency test in June. Linemen are required to perform a solo climb annually for safety training.

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Humboldt, Iowa Permit No. 32

July Touchstone Energy Volunteer Challenge winner | Mat Kilgore, foreman, Iowa Lakes Electric

Luke Nostrom

Cooperative, donated his $100 prize drawing to the Emmetsburg Baseball Academy. Congratulations, Mat!

The power of human connections

uke Nostrom, apprentice electrician, Corn Belt Power, demonstrates the Touchstone Energy value of commitment to community by volunteering to coach youth T-Ball games. Nostrom is no stranger to coaching, he says he loves to help out with his kids’ activities. Here he’s coaching one of his daughter Paisley’s t-ball teammates on how to hit the ball.

Corn Belt Power Cooperative

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Watts Watt is published monthly for employees and associates of Corn Belt Power Cooperative, 1300 13th St. North, Humboldt, Iowa 50548-0508. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Visit us at the State Fair!

Above | The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of Iowa sponsor the Bruce Rastetter 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair August 11-21. Stop by and see us in the newly renovated 4-H Exhibits Building on the southwest corner of the fairgrounds. Come into the air-conditioned facility for a break from the heat and look for us near the new concession area.

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