CEO Column

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…

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…

Each fall, the leadership team at Lake Region Electric Cooperative spends time reflecting on the past year and preparing for the year to come. As a member-owned cooperative, we are always looking for ways to best serve our membership. Strategic planning allows us to look at the larger picture and make sure we’re focusing on…

As a member-owned cooperative, Lake Region is committed to supporting the communities we serve. We strive to go above and beyond what is expected and work to improve the quality of life for our members. We are motivated by people and their needs, not just the bottom line. In fact, ‘Concern for Community’ is one…

When severe storms roll through our service territory, power outages often follow. The band of destructive storms that swept through our area on Saturday, July 13th left a lot of damage in its path. Strong winds contributed to numerous downed trees and power lines, leaving approximately 6,000 members without power. Our hardworking lineworkers, along with…

As a member-owned electric cooperative, Lake Region strives to have a high level of member engagement. We value the input our members have and work to provide ongoing opportunities for you to get involved with your cooperative. The recent Energy Forum, held at Thumper Pond on May 30th, was a great example of a chance…

The number of LREC active services continues to grow. As I write this column, LREC has 29,955 active services. Since we are approaching the 30,000 active services mark, I thought it would be interesting to find out the years LREC passed the 10,000 and 20,000 active service marks. In 1958, twenty-one years after LREC was…

Above photo: Lake Region Electric Cooperative’s CEO Tim Thompson recently testified in support of local control for cooperatives. Locally elected co-op board members know their neighbors and are in the best position to serve their needs. Legislative Priorities I write this column fresh off attending the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) Annual Meeting in St. Paul…