Flathead Electric Cooperative Selected to Participate in National Grid Resiliency Initiative
Earlier this month our local utility company Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) was selected to participate in a national initiative designed to increase grid resiliency and reliability while ultimately lowering power supply costs. The Community Integrated Distributed Energy Resilience (CIDER) Initiative is a multi-million dollar project that will be managed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Funding for the initiative will be provided by the Department of Energy (DOE).
According to the Department of Energy, the overall goal of the initiative is to research and continue developing computer software to aid in utility system control in the event of electricity outages. Ultimately, the final step for the project is to involve community engagement and outreach for local cooperatives. With increased populations in the Flathead, the utility is facing unprecedented demand. With that in mind, Flathead Electric is now looking for local members with forms of battery back-up that would like to participate in the study and see how they can work to save money for themselves and the cooperative while also increasing grid stability into the future.
“The main message for me is that we are looking for ways to have co-op members become grid partners,” said Flathead Electric Distributed Energy Specialist Ashley Keltner. “We want to see how and when they use electricity and what behind-the-meter devices they would be willing to let the co-op control during peak times to provide mutually beneficial outcomes. We can work together to lower the co-op’s demand charge to Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and our partnering residential members’ demand charges to the co-op and create a more efficient and resilient grid.”
Currently, Flathead Electric and the other participating cooperatives are in the information gathering stage of the project. The cooperative is looking to gather information on how their members use energy in their homes via an energy use survey on their website. Members that participate in the survey will be entered into a drawing for a $50 bill credit.
“Our participation in this initiative reflects the co-op’s continued commitment to collaborative approaches and innovative solutions that empower our members, uphold our commitment to power affordability, and enhance grid reliability,” said FEC Community Relations Manager Katie Pfennigs in a recent article published on the FEC website.
For more information on the CIDER Funding and the potential opportunities for member participation visit the Flathead Electric Cooperative website.
Sources:
https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/CX-027612.pdf
https://www.flatheadelectric.com/co-op-awarded-cider-funding-energy-survey-underway/