Minnesota’s legislature enters 2025 facing new challenges and opportunities. Electric cooperatives across Minnesota, led by the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA), are focused on ensuring the electric grid remains reliable, affordable, and sustainable in two key areas: 1) Keeping Energy Costs Fair: Net Metering ReformNet metering compensates members who generate their own electricity (such as…
Tim Thompson has submitted his resignation as Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) CEO, effective Feb. 27, 2025. Thompson joined LREC in 2007 and has served as CEO for the past 17 years, using his leadership role to focus on providing safe, reliable energy, advocate for local cooperative governance and creating a relationship with LREC’s member-owners…
Happy 2025! The holiday season remains the perfect time to focus on what really matters and we hope all our members stayed safe, warm, and were able to slow down and take some time to celebrate with those they love. The beginning of a new year also allows us an opportunity to reflect on the…
What does the line for PCA mean on my power bill? A PCA, or Power Cost Adjustment, is a pass-through that reflects the increases/decreases in the co-op’s cost of power purchased from its wholesale providers. Why use a PCA? Wholesale power cost is an electric co-op’s largest expense. While a portion of the co-op’s cost…
Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) is pleased to announce a combined retirement of $1.24 million in patronage capital credits for 2024. This will mark the 12th consecutive year that LREC has retired over $1 million in capital credits— a testament to the cooperative’s strong financial position. This retirement is a result of LREC’s commitment to…
As your cooperative, service to our members is at the center of our mission. Our efforts to fulfill that commitment are driven, in large part, by what we hear from you – what we’re doing well, and where we can improve. I want to thank all of you who took time to complete our member…
This past summer, Lake Region’s wholesale provider, Great River Energy (GRE), was able to meet high electricity demands because of its well-rounded energy mix including a growing fleet of wind resources backed up with natural gas peaking plants. Peaking plants, essential during times of high demand, are designed to quickly ramp up electricity production when…
LREC’s Operation Round Up program gives back to local communities in our backyard and across the state by helping those who do good. 10 organizations from the surrounding area were named at the October 7th ORU Board of Trustees meeting as the final award recipients for the year, receiving a total of $34,495. Since 2007,…
Candidates for the LREC Board of Directors will be nominated in districts 3, 6, and 9 at the district meetings. Meetings will be held in each of the three nominating districts. All members are invited, although only members of each district can vote. Livestreams of the meetings will be available as well. Interested in…
As you know, the drive to develop and adopt renewable sources of energy has been a topic of conversation in our country over the last few years, both as a political talking point and in the general discourse. In 2023, our state legislature passed the MN Carbon-Free by 2040 Standard, mandating a 100% transition to…