CFC Solutions Cast

Watch CFC Vice President Jan Ahlen for insights on data center growth and how artificial intelligence may drive significant power demand.

Listen to CFC’s Alisha Pinto for an update on the electric grid, areas for concern and what cooperatives can do to enhance reliability. 

CFC has launched the first episode of a new videocast series—CFC Solutions Cast: Industry Insights—which will focus on bite sized pieces of industry news and how it may impact electric cooperatives. The bi-weekly videocast will feature CFC’s industry team, who will highlight the most important and relevant topics electric cooperatives are facing today and in the future. Join Chris Whittle for an u...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, CFC Director of Utility Research & Policy Brian Sloboda connects the dots on artificial intelligence (AI) and important business questions cooperatives should consider asking during implementation of new AI technology. He highlights cooperative use cases and potential ways to integrate AI into business processes and systems.   Listen to the latest episode...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we count down the top three Solutions Cast episodes of 2023 and discover which of those trends are accelerating into 2024. CFC Vice President of Utility Research & Policy Jan Ahlen discusses the key electric utility sector trends in store this year, ranging from opportunities for using artificial intelligence to recent headlines challenging the growth of...

Educating the Next Generation of Co-op CEOs—Top Tips for Developing Leadership Talent In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with NRECA Executive and Staff Education Director Gary Pfann about what he’s learned during his more than 25 years of training cooperative executives. Pfann shares his expertise on building the next generation of cooperative leaders who are ready to meet the challen...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Hoosier Energy Member Solutions Manager Blake Kleaving and Emerging Energy Resources Senior Manager Ryan Henderson about what sets beneficial electrification apart from electrification. Hoosier Energy is a generation and transmission cooperative serving more than 760,000 consumers through 18-member electric cooperatives across a 15,000-square-mi...

A Game Changer: The Team Sport of Infrastructure Planning In the second half of this two-part episode, we speak with Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association Director of Operations Lee Nordby and Director of Engineering Curt Cordt to discuss the dynamic field of electric utility infrastructure planning and the transformative changes happening in the industry. The Wright-Hennepin team has a...

A Game Changer: The Team Sport of Infrastructure Planning   In part one of this two-part episode, we speak with Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association CEO Tim Sullivan and CFO Brian Swanson to discuss the dynamic field of electric utility infrastructure planning and the transformative changes happening in the industry. Sullivan has a unique approach to infrastructure planning—considering...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Coweta-Fayette EMC Vice President of Communications Chellie Phillips about communicating effectively with cooperative members and employees . Phillips discusses the importance of developing trusting relationships with colleagues and executive staff—including tips for building bridges and opening lines of communication. Phillips discusses the imp...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Southside Electric Cooperative CEO Jason Loehr about his transition from CFO to CEO. Loehr discusses his team philosophy and how he leads by example to develop culture and talent.    Southside Electric Cooperative is a distribution cooperative located in south central Virginia. They serve a rural area of approximately 13,000 square miles with ab...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) Innovation and Technology Leader Cyril Brunner and CFC Vice President of Utility Research & Policy Jan Ahlen about the future impact virtual power plants (VPPs) may have on the electric cooperative network. A VPP is a network of distributed energy resources, such as smart thermostats and batteries, that are...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Jeff Allen , vice president of operations, and Clayton Jones , vegetation management supervisor, from Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation (JOEMC). They discuss their use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for vegetation management and how the application is enhancing their vegetation management program.   JOEMC is a distributi...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Eugene Hamrick, director of enterprise analytics and innovation for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) and BrilliT, about the growing need for electric cooperatives to consider adding data scientist skills and how his cooperative manages talent acquisition of data professionals. REC is one of Virginia’s largest distribution electric coopera...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Cherryland Electric Cooperative (CEC) Engineering & Operations Manager Frank Siepker about a generator loan program that enhances resilience and supports business continuity for commercial and industrial (C&I) member-owners.   Based in Grawn, Michigan, CEC faces challenges from derecho wind bursts, thunderstorms and other extreme weather...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Oglethorpe Power Corporation Director of Emerging Technologies Alan Shedd about the continued growth of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, creating a national EV charging network and how electric cooperatives can get ahead of the EV adoption curve.  Shedd explains why cooperative leaders should not panic, yet, about growing EV sales, and instead fo...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with CFC Senior Energy Industry Analyst Roman Siegert about the lessons learned from the unprecedented load curtailments and power outages in North Carolina, Tennessee, Maine and Pennsylvania caused by Winter Storm Elliott.  Siegert discusses how Winter Storm Elliott caused the perfect storm for the electric grid during the holidays and how extreme w...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with CFC Vice President of Economic Research John Suter and CFC Vice President of Utility Research and Policy Jan Ahlen about economic, energy and technology expectations for 2023.   Suter and Ahlen provide insights to supply chain, job market and interest rate trends that remain top-of-mind for electric cooperative leaders as the country continues t...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) President and CEO Jeff Wadsworth , PVREA Energy Resources Specialist Tony Francone and PVREA Engineer Jeremy Eldridge about a new microgrid and battery storage system. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, PVREA uses the microgrid and battery storage system to enhance resilience for the Red Feather Lak...

In the first episode of the second season of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) General Manager Bob Marshall and PSREC Engineering and Operations Manager Jason Harston about protecting poles and other parts of utility infrastructure from the devastating effects of wildfires. PSREC, based in Portola, California, has enhanced its approach to wildfire mi...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative President and CEO Jeremy Richert and NRTC Vice President of Smart Grid, Advisory and Networks Joe Walsh as they discuss the importance of smart grid enablers when planning for smart grid applications. Maquoketa Valley, based in Anamosa, Iowa, has implemented multiple smart grid applications over the last 20 y...

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we chat with Roanoke Electric Cooperative CEO Marshall Cherry and Cobb Electric Membership Corporation Vice President of Power Supply, Rates and DER Strategy Tim Jarrell as they discuss their rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging programs, member adoption and how member feedback is driving improvements.   Roanoke, based in northeast North Carolina, has th...

Minnesota-based Dakota Electric Association is implementing an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) meter data management (MDM) and load management system, including all the integration and internal processes to use the data. The cooperative is in the final stages of exchanging 120,000 meters and about halfway done with replacing 50,000 load control devices. Dakota kicked off the MDM project in...

Alaska-based Homer Electric Association recently completed the construction and initial testing of a 46.5 megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) located at its Soldotna Generation and Substation facility. The BESS is made up of 37 battery units capable of delivering 93 megawatt-hours over a two-hour period and was built to increase grid stability, electric power reliability and system effic...

Alaska-based Homer Electric Association recently completed the construction and initial testing of a 46.5 megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) located at its Soldotna Generation and Substation facility. The BESS is made up of 37 battery units capable of delivering 93 megawatt-hours over a two-hour period and was built to increase grid stability, electric power reliability and system effic...