There is a common saying about South Dakota having two seasons: winter season and construction season. Central Electric Cooperative has been in construction mode since the frost left, and the crews and contractors are busy making infrastructure improvements. 

This is the fourth and final year of our construction work plan, and the year is already over. The remainder of the summer and fall will be spent finishing projects we planned four years ago. 

We have already completed some line replacement projects this year. Additional projects include replacing 7 miles of overhead line south of White Lake and west of Kimball. We also plan to replace 2 miles of line near Chamberlain, 28 miles in the Howard area, 8 miles of line in the Crow Lake area and 10 miles of line in the Letcher area. 

East River Electric, our power supplier, is investing in the transmission system that feeds their substations near Chamberlain, Fedora and Howard. A new substation and switchyard will be built a few miles east of Chamberlain to accommodate growth in that area. The transmission line that runs from Fedora to Madison will be updated along with the Fedora and Howard substations. These investments will improve the reliability of our power supply and allow for the delivery of more electric power to these areas.

Central Electric Cooperative has a goal to replace 60-65 miles of older overhead power lines each year. The new lines mainly consist of buried high-voltage cable, but crews have also installed new overhead lines built to a heavier construction standard. We have made significant progress in our line replacement in the last 4 years, which will improve reliability long into the future.  

One of the continued challenges we face is material supply. We are seeing lead times increasing to as long as two years, and some items have increased significantly in price. Fortunately, we have developed strong relationships with our suppliers to secure needed inventory.

Internally, we have increased the materials we keep on the shelf so we can continue to do our work. We anticipate supply chain issues to continue for another 3-5 years. While our efforts have helped us avoid delaying most projects, they come at a cost.  

STAR Engineering of Alexandria, MN, is assisting Central Electric in developing a new 4-year construction work plan. That plan will be submitted to the USDA Rural Utilities Service and, when approved, will provide loan funds to continue making improvements over the next 4 years.

Our members come from many different backgrounds. We serve a broad spectrum, from farmers, ranchers and homeowners to small business owners and large industrial facilities. We serve members raising a family, working remotely or simply enjoying life. Reliable electric service has been and will continue to be the key to keeping our members safe and helping them thrive. 

Until next month, stay safe!