NRECA

08/21/2026

NRECA CEO Jim Matheson joined U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright and New Hampshire Electric Cooperative CEO Michael Jennings for a conversation about the energy challenges facing New England, and the importance of keeping electricity reliable and affordable.

The discussion covered the need for adequate natural gas supply during winter peak demand, expanding energy infrastructure, improving the permitting process for transmission and ensuring energy policy supports reliability and affordability.

Secretary Wright also expressed confidence that the Biden-era requirements for fossil-fuel power plants to install carbon capture technology will be repealed, an issue NRECA has consistently raised on behalf of electric cooperatives.

During his visit, Secretary Wright also met with NHEC line crews and recognized the critical work they do to keep the lights on and the importance of attracting the next generation of workers to the profession.

As Secretary Wright put it: “America would not be America without cooperatives.”

📷 by: NHEC

08/20/2026

NRECA and electric co-op leaders are calling for the repeal of EPA’s power plant emissions rule, which threatens co-ops’ ability to meet growing demand and keep the lights on.

“We are anxious to see action on this,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson during a press event this week.

Read more in Utility Dive:

“We are anxious to see action on this,” said National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson. “We all understand that natural gas is the go-to for new generation in this country.”

08/19/2026

With help from NRECA Broadband, co-ops providing internet service are boosting the quality of life in their communities. Federal funding is critical to that mission but comes with its own set of challenges. On this episode of Along Those Lines, we talked to NRECA's Erin Dobozy on how NRECA Broadband helps co-ops access these funding programs, and we’ll hear about broadband success stories and policy priorities from Beacon Broadband's Val Early and Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications' Jeff Blagg.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/4bRuaQY

08/19/2026

08/18/2026

A bipartisan group of US senators recently proposed legislation to help America’s rural electric co-ops reinforce their cybersecurity defenses against increasing cyber threats. Read more in the Daily Energy Insider:

A bipartisan group of United States senators recently proposed legislation to help America’s rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities reinforce their cybersecurity defenses against increasingly…

08/17/2026

When the Shining Stars Therapeutic Riding Program moves its operations to a spacious 60-acre horse farm with a new state-of-the-art arena and stables, there’ll be more room for volunteers and special-needs riders to engage with their four-legged friends.

While the larger space has great potential, the property needs work. The Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, nonprofit has raised about half of the $7.7 million needed to develop it, and a recent volunteer day coordinated by NRECA’s Insurance & Financial Services Department and Adams Electric Cooperative, Inc. helped move the project forward. Read more: https://bit.ly/4gbL91K

08/15/2026

kinda chic to be a member of an electric cooperative

08/14/2026

Undergrounding vulnerable power lines in South Dakota is helping reduce wildfire risk and improve long-term grid reliability for local communities. Through the WARN Consortium, led by Holy Cross Energy and coordinated by NRECA Research, electric cooperatives in 17 states are working together to strengthen energy resilience, share expertise and deliver innovative wildfire mitigation solutions. Thanks to U.S. Department of Energy for supporting this work through its Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program.

https://bit.ly/4gcELHk

Undergrounding vulnerable power lines in South Dakota helps to redu...

08/13/2026

Power crews do more than keep the lights on.

When a Midland Power Cooperative crew found a woman injured after a fall, they called for help and stayed by her side until first responders arrived.

Read more from KCCI:

A Boone County woman stranded in mud for over three hours after a fall was saved by a power crew responding to a false outage alert.

08/12/2026

Any reforms to a national program to subsidize telecommunications networks in high-cost areas must ensure that rural residents “are not relegated to second-tier broadband service,” NRECA told the Federal Communications Commission in comments filed. Read more:

Any reforms to the Universal Service Fund must ensure that rural residents “are not relegated to second-tier broadband service,” NRECA told the FCC.