Heavy
Rains, Tornadoes Rake Midwest: Violent storms that spawned dozens of tornadoes,
heavy rain and flooding raked the Midwest March 11, killing at least 10 people,
injuring hundreds and knocking out power to thousands.Success Stories for Illinois
Heavy
Rains, Tornadoes Rake Midwest: Violent storms that spawned dozens of tornadoes,
heavy rain and flooding raked the Midwest March 11, killing at least 10 people,
injuring hundreds and knocking out power to thousands.
The worst-hit region appeared to be south-central Missouri, where at least seven deaths and 42 injuries occurred, prompting Govenor. Matt Blunt to seek a federal disaster declaration for the state. The storm toppled several utility poles of at least five Missouri electric co-ops, which appealed to the statewide association for emergency work crews from other co-ops to assist in the recovery.
"It was bad. We had considerable damage across the state," said Rob Land, director of risk management and training for the statewide, based in Jefferson City.
Land said that Ozark Electric Co-op (MO-030), Mt. Vernon, Missouri, were losing about 100 poles that uprooted or snapped. Co-ops reporting losses of 60 to 80 poles included: Consolidated Electric Co-op (MO-036), Mexico; Missouri, Central Missouri Electric Co-op (MO-040), Sedalia; Missouri, Howard Electric Co-op (MO-022), Fayette; Missouri, and Osage Valley Electric Co-op (MO-037), Butler, Missouri.
Land said that despite extensive property damage, most customers were without no more than five to six hours.
Sweeping eastward into Illinois, the storms hammered Illinois Rural Electric Co-op (IL-018), Winchester; Illinois, Rural Electric Convenience Co-op (IL-023), Auburn; Illlinois, and Menard Electric Co-op (IL-021), Petersburg, Illinois.
The worst damage appeared to be inflicted on Menard, where about 70 poles were snapped, knocking out power to 5,500 at its worst. Service to all but about 700 was restored within 18 hours, said Lynn Frasco, general manager at Menard. Frasco said crews from adjacent co-ops were aiding in the restoration.
"We have maybe 50 poles that have snapped out due to the tornadoes or straight line winds. You can almost trace the path of the storm by looking at our pole damage," Frasco said.
Compliments of NRECA's "Electric Co-op TODAY", March 17, 2006 edition, Volume 12, Number 11.
March 2006
Winning
Is a Breeze for Ill. Co-op: The Department of Energy (DOE), in conjunction
with NRECA and the Cooperative Research Network, honored Illinois Rural Electric
Co-op (IL-018) (Illinois REC) with its 2005 wind Cooperative of the Year
Award, in recognition of Illinois REC's leadership, success and innovation in
wind power. The award was presented recently, during NRECA's TechAdvantage Conference
and Expo in Orlando, Florida.
Illinois REC has "demonstrated that wind power can contribute to a cleaner environment, a stronger local economy and act as a hedge against rising fuel costs," said Douglas Fowler, DOE acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, as he announced the award.
The Winchester-based Illinois REC was the first in the state to install wind capacity, completing a 1.65 MW turbine-sufficient to power some 500 homes-on a site 35 miles east of the Mississippi River in May 2005.
According to DOE, Illinois REC's service territory is one of the state's best sites for wind energy development.
Accepting the award, Bruce Giffin, Illinois REC's general manager, thanked DOE and other federal and state agencies that extended financial support for construction of the $1.89 million project. CRN, the Illinois statewide and others also provided key support, he said.
"If we can utilize renewables to generate electricity, and do it at the right price, that is the right thing to do", added Sean Middleton, Illinois REC's manager of engineering.
The Pike County Wind Project's turbine, with a hub 235 feet above the ground and a height of 365 feet with the blades straight up, transmits its power into Illinois REC's distribution lines for use by members, offsetting wholesale power purchase.
According to Illinois REC, turbines of this scale produce power at full capacity about 30 percent of the time, and their blades run about 80 percent of the time.
Wind levels in Pike County could support as many as 100 turbines, adding ad much as $7 million to the local tax base, the co-op said.
Compliments of NRECA's "Electric Co-op TODAY", March 10, 2006, edition, Volume12, No. 10.
March 2006
Tower
of Power Goes On-Line in Illinois: Electricity started flowing in May from
a 365-foot wind turbine in Pike County, Illinois to some of the Illinois
Rural Electric Cooperative (IL-018) (IREC) members. The turbine was the
first in the county, but the expectation is that scores more will eventually
line the ridge. IREC members had been looking for a way to harness a natural
resource, use it in a way that was beneficial to the environment and benefit
their membership.
The updrafts rising from the Mississippi River 35 miles away create utility scale winds just west of Pittsfield. IREC saw that as a real opportunity, but the up-front costs to purchase and install a wind turbine were prohibitive. The price tag for the 1.65 MW wind turbine was $1.88 million. "We had to do it for the right price," said Manager of Engineering Shaun Middleton. Without government investment, customers couldn't afford to use the wind generated electricity.
USDA Rural Development provided a $1.02 million loan and a $483,544 energy grant to make the project feasible. The blades of the turbine make a quiet whooshing noise, just barely disturbing the environment, as it produces enough energy to light and cool 500 homes from an endlessly renewable resource.
May 2005