“In March 2023, we launched our Outage Management System (OMS), giving our members and staff real-time information, visibility, and quicker response time during outages. We also just completed our 150-mile fiber ring to connect UCEMC’s corporate and district offices and substations, and we are eager for this all to come together with smarter downstream devices. Recently, we deployed past-due member texting and automated IVR calls. Our collections are down 50% so far! This technology promises to save our members unnecessary collection fees and prevents staff from multiple trips and conversations, saving money for both UCEMC and our members.”

“We are monitoring how battery storage may help manage our peak and help our members’ reliability. We’re also looking into advanced distribution automation to provide intelligence to our OMS and SCADA systems to shorten outage restoration time. Our rugged terrain presents some challenges in deployment, but we think there will be opportunities. We are extremely excited to have a 4.75 MW solar project that will begin construction in 2024 as well.”

“Seven States helped us explore potential revenue streams for leasing dark fiber on our 150-mile fiber ring. This is not an area we have experience with, so we’re thankful we have Seven States to lean on. We also turned to Seven States to learn from their expertise in solar energy options, and we have two EV chargers in our territory that Seven States supports.”

“My advice to any manager wanting to bring innovation to their community would be to start ‘at home’ first. Before you can bring innovation to the community, ensure you’ve appropriately considered igniting and inspiring innovation within your cooperative or municipality. Do you have metrics in place that inspire innovation or discourage it? Take the time to get staff ideas, buy-in, and feedback, and you’ll have the best ambassadors in the community to promote and share innovation.”