Colorado Rural Electric Assn.

📢THE CALL FOR PRESENTERS DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 8 📢 The #deadline to submit presentations for the 19th Annual Rocky Mountain Utility Exchange has been extended to April 8, 2025. Take advantage of this opportunity to share your knowledge and skills. We're looking for utility case studies focused on federal/state funding resources and partnerships, silo-busting collaboration, innovation development and paradigm shifts, consumer engagement, distributed energy resources, and more! To learn more and submit a proposal visit: https://lnkd.in/gme6C48A #savethedate: Join us for the 19th Annual Rocky Mountain Utility Exchange on September 22-25, 2025, at The Grand Hyatt in Vail, Colorado. 

An initiative of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority - NTUA in coordination  with the American Public Power Association (APPA), Light Up Navajo brings electricity to families living on Navajo Nation.     From April 6 to July 27, eight volunteer line crews from #Colorado electric co-ops will assist in setting power poles, running lines, and connecting homes. This effort helps families gain access to essential services such as lighting, refrigeration, and heating.     In 2024, 170 homes were electrified. However, more than 10,000 families still live without basic electricity in their homes. This initiative is making a significant impact, and Colorado co-ops are proud to be a part of this project. Stay tuned to CREA’s social media channels for project updates!  

#CREA welcomes Marv Powell as its new Job Training and Safety Instructor. He will work with Mountain Parks Electric, Inc., Morgan County Rural Electric Association, Poudre Valley REA, Y-W Electric, United Power, Inc., Highline Electric Association, White River Electric, and Yampa Valley Electric Association.  Beyond work, Marv enjoys time with his grandkids and his wife, Lois, on their 13-acre property, where they care for animals and appreciate the local wildlife.  Committed to supporting Colorado’s electric co-ops, Marv focuses on training and #safety programs. “My goal is to help linemen grow in their field and ensure everyone works safely to return home to their loved ones,” he said. Welcome aboard, Marv!  

The #deadline to submit presentations for the 19th Annual Rocky Mountain Utility Exchange is quickly approaching! 📢 Take advantage of this opportunity to share your knowledge and skills. We're looking for utility case studies focused on federal/state funding resources and partnerships, silo-busting collaboration, innovation development and paradigm shifts, consumer engagement, distributed energy resources, and more! Presentation submissions are due April 1, 2025. To learn more and submit a proposal visit: https://lnkd.in/gme6C48A  #savethedate: Join us for the 19th Annual Rocky Mountain Utility Exchange on September 22-25, 2025, at The Grand Hyatt in Vail, Colorado.  The Rocky Mountain Utility Exchange is a networking and professional development conference designed for staff from utility and government organizations, as well as industry partners who supply products and services to support utility customer programs. 

CREA's communication team recently received two national awards from the National Rural Electric Association's Spotlight on Excellence Awards, recognizing their outstanding work in #cooperative communications. This year, they earned a Silver Award for Best Social Media Campaign for CREA's Social Media Takeover, which took place last October in observance of Co-op Appreciation Month. This campaign highlighted each #Colorado co-op and the vital work they do to provide safe and reliable electric service to rural communities. Additionally, Colorado Country Life was honored with a Gold Award for Best Feature Story for the article "Building a Brighter Future on Navajo Nation," which shared the story of how Colorado's electric co-ops are bringing light to the homes of those living on Navajo Nation. Please join us in congratulating CREA's #communications team! 

CREA staff joined fellow operations and engineering professionals at the CRE O&E Conference. We received a warm welcome and keynote address from our host and United Power, Inc. CEO, Mark Gabriel. The morning continued with engaging breakout sessions focused on practical explanations of phasing, phase angles, and synchrophasor-based islanding detection for distributed generation applications. After lunch, we heard from Kristen Bove, Manager of Physical Security at E-ISAC who discussed securing the grid. Next, Chief Elizabeth Bednarcik EFO, MPA, Brighton Fire Rescue Fire Marshal, discussed "BESS Products: Prevention, Preparedness, and Risk Reduction." Following her, Chris Beatty at United Power, Inc. Power Distribution Engineering Manager, presented on "SCADA to Advanced Distribution Management." Thank you United Power, Inc. for an excellent day two of the conference!

Yesterday, CREA's safety team visited San Isabel Electric Association, Inc. to work with the co-op and local law enforcement on various #safety exercises to keep our communities safe. Thank you to San Isabel Electric and the emergency responders who assisted with this training event. 

Last year, Sharif Khan, sponsored by Holy Cross Energy, was elected as the Colorado YLC representative. 🇺🇸 This year, we had the opportunity to see him again at NRECA’s PowerXChange in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was proudly representing #Colorado. Great job representing Colorado's electric cooperatives, Sharif! 🎉

This week, several members of CREA's staff and representatives from #Colorado co-ops are attending the 2025 NRECA Annual Meeting in Atlanta. This morning, attendees had the opportunity to hear from NRECA CEO Jim Matheson and Daymond John, the founder of FUBU and a star of ABC's Shark Tank. Daymond John has been a highly successful entrepreneur for over 25 years. Throughout his journey, he has gained valuable insights from both his successes and failures. During his presentation, Daymond shared fundamental principles and strategies for developing the right mindset to succeed in business and life. The rest of the day was filled with excellent breakout sessions that offered opportunities for learning and networking. It has been wonderful #connecting with our co-op leaders nationwide.

Happy Employee Appreciation Day! At #CREA, we’re so thankful for our amazing team members who keep our organization running strong. From ensuring co-op safety to providing education and training, your hard work makes a real difference in supporting Colorado's electric co-ops. We truly appreciate everything you do!   Missing in this photo is our Job Training and Safety Instructors Curt Graham, Jesse Peeler and Marv Powell.