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Minneapolis-St. Paul is one of the leading biomanufacturing and med-tech hubs featured in a new report released by the Hickey Institute, division of Hickey & Associates, a global consulting firm specializing in site selection and location strategy.According to the report, “Minneapolis–St. Paul stands out as one of the most important...
Great River Energy calls for all its members to celebrate Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative in 2025, which marks its 85th anniversary of providing reliable and affordable electricity to rural central Minnesota. Beginning with power supplied to its first residence near Verndale in 1941, the cooperative has expanded its service area to...
Viking Substation now on ECE’s grid
Jul 3 2025East Central Energy marked a key milestone by successfully interconnecting the Viking Substation, formerly owned by North Branch Water & Light, into its distribution system. ECE purchased the electric infrastructure in 2023.A planned outage occurred in North Branch at 4 a.m. on June 24, which lasted a total of ten...
Great River Energy electric cooperative of Minnesota will be the host utility at a major regional conference that brings electric utilities of all types together to discuss solutions to challenges facing the power industry.DTECH Midwest—the first regional meeting in the region—will be held July 14-16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. GRE's commitment...
State of Minnesota Transportation Economic Development Infrastructure Grant Program Request for Proposals
Jun 30 2025The Transportation Economic Development Infrastructure Program (TEDI) is a competitive grant program available to communities for road and public infrastructure projects that create jobs and support economic development.Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development's (DEED) TEDI Program can be combined with the Minnesota Department of Transportation's (MnDOT), Transportation Economic Development...
McLeod Cooperative Power actively works to maintain the safety and reliability of its electric system through proactive vegetation management. McLeod cleared trees and shrubs from over 240 miles of right-of-way in its service area in 2024, including Acoma, Hutchinson, Hale, and Winsted. The efforts are intended to reduce outages, improve...
Powering progress in rural communities: The value of Great River Energy's E3 Commercial Financing Program
Jun 30 2025As federal funding and economic conditions remain uncertain, Great River Energy is doubling its commitment to rural progress. Through its Energy Efficiency and Electrification (E3) Commercial Financing Program, Great River Energy provides a stable, affordable financing tool to help member-owner cooperatives and their communities invest in high-efficiency equipment and innovative...
The Minnesota Department of Commerce this week announced $15 million in clean energy grants for Minnesota electric cooperatives, businesses, nonprofits, Tribal governments, and other organizations, including more than $2 million to projects located in Kandiyohi, Swift and Renville counties.The grants are issued via the State Competitiveness Fund Matching Funds Program,...
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded more than $5 million in grants to three infrastructure projects in Greater Minnesota. The funding, from DEED's Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program (BDPI), is expected to create or retain 1,006 jobs in North Branch, Sartell and...
Each summer, the Heartland Lakes Area transforms into a hot spot for summer fun.Cabins, hotels and resorts fill up.Restaurants and shops buzz with activity, and our area hosts two to four times more visitors than locals.What looks like seasonal fun is also a pillar of our local economy - and...
Did you know Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) utilizes drone technology to improve service and reliability? MVEC embraced drone technology to enhance safety and efficiency, inspecting 833 miles of overhead line, out of a total of 1,948.6 miles, in 2024.MVEC leverages innovative technology for member benefitsEquipped with high-resolution cameras and...
Oppidan Investment Company broke ground on a 61,000-square-foot data center on Argenta Trail, south of the YMCA in Eagan, Minnesota, one of only two ground-up data center projects underway in Minnesota. Oppidan has developed data centers across the country since 2016.The project is unique in its build-to-suit approach: Oppidan is...
Manufacturing’s New Risk Game for Site Selection
Jun 16 2025In the current political climate in the U.S., companies face significant challenges choosing manufacturing locations. The ever-changing Trump trade policies and tariffs have sown doubt and uncertainty around costs, currency fluctuations, regulations, and sourcing and sales strategies. Multinational firms, in particular, must carefully review their current and projected global operations...
Rural electric cooperatives support local tourism by powering many of Minnesota's lake resorts
Jun 11 2025Minnesota's iconic lake resorts are the heartbeat of many rural communities. They generate economic activity, preserve traditions and offer visitors an unforgettable escape into nature. With 11,842 lakes and 755 resorts and lodges across the state, these family-owned businesses fuel the tourism economy, creating jobs and sustaining local enterprises.But behind...
The completion of Stearns Electric Association’s new operations center and headquarters at its Melrose location is on the horizon! As a valued member-cooperative of Great River Energy, Stearns’ dedication to its 29,000+ members have been evident for years and will be enhanced through the capabilities provided by the new facility. New...
Form Energy is presently building its first four iron air batteries to help power an electric grid in Minnesota, and the company expects to ship them this summer, according to its founder.Form Energy Chief Operating Officer Ted Wiley provided an update on Form Energy happenings during the West Virginia Manufacturing...
Governor Tim Walz announced a new $2.4 million initiative to develop and implement agriculture-focused workforce training programs."Farmers drive our economy, contribute to a nation-leading industry, and most importantly, provide the food and raw materials that the rest of the world depend on," said Governor Walz. "We should be supporting, training,...
President Trump is committed to unleashing the potential of the American economy, affording all Americans the opportunity to pursue their version of the American dream. However, nature often has other plans when damaging storms and unforeseen destructive natural disasters occur. This Administration champions an America First platform, and that extends...
Some big developments for Talon Metals and their Tamarack Nickel Copper Project.Last week, leaders in North Dakota celebrated the signing of an agreement between Talon and Westmoreland Mining, giving Talon the rights to buy the former Beulah Mine.That’s where the minerals will be processed, after they are mined out of...
Five hundred billion dollars in capital investment over the next four years. This is the expected investment by NVIDIA to manufacture AI supercomputers and Blackwell chips in the United States. Although this single project is at a mind-boggling scale, it is one of many high-dollar projects announced in recent years...
Manufacturing facility construction is experiencing record-breaking growth, but the risks associated with location decisions are more substantial than ever. Companies that rushed to expand over the past two years are now confronting real challenges: securing labor, navigating unpredictable utility timelines, and responding to policy swings that can alter cost models...
Several of #GREecondev’s members are sending local students to Washington D.C. this summer, joining more than 1,800 students from across the country for the 2025 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington D.C. The opportunity allows students a unique look into government, electric cooperatives and peer connection.Education, community and electricityThe all-expense-paid...
Chart: US steelmaking is slowly getting cleaner
May 30 2025The future of steel and ironmaking in the U.S. is poised to get cleaner — so long as the country can let go of the industry’s dirty past.All new steelmaking and ironmaking capacity in the U.S. is slated to use technologies that sidestep the need to burn coal, according to...
Electric cooperatives have been innovators in rural America for decades, starting when farmers and other rural leaders banded together to deliver not-for-profit electric service in the countryside during the 1930s and 40s. For Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative, serving portions of Blue Earth, Carver, Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Sibley, Hennepin,...
