Prepare early Know your area’s risk for winter storms. Extreme winter weather can leave communities without utilities or other services for long periods.  Prepare your home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping. Learn how to keep pipes from freezing. Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery… Continue reading.

As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, it’s time to start preparing your home for winter.  Winterizing your house not only protects it from harsh weather conditions but also helps you save energy and avoid costly repairs down the line. Here are some essential tips to ensure your home stays cozy all winter long:… Continue reading.

This November, I’m especially mindful of the blessings in my life — my family (even if my kids may not love that I am sharing this photo), my friends, and the incredible team at Wabash Valley Power Alliance dedicated to serving you. It’s the perfect time to reflect on the work we do together as… Continue reading.

October is National Co-op Month — and this year, the United Nations has gone even further, declaring 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives. What does that mean? Maybe not much at first glance. But for me, it’s a powerful reminder that co-ops aren’t just another business model. They are something better. A few years ago,… Continue reading.

Cooperatives worldwide operate according to the same core principles and values adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance. These principles are rooted in the first modern cooperative, founded in Rochdale, England. These principles are a key reason that America’s electric cooperatives operate differently from other electric utilities, putting the needs of their members first. Over the… Continue reading.

Cooperatives in America are as old as the nation itself. The first successful U.S. cooperative was organized in 1752 when Benjamin Franklin formed the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire — the nation’s oldest continuing cooperative. It continues to operate today. Electric cooperatives began in the 1930s because investor-owned utilities… Continue reading.

The fall is a popular time to burn leaves or branches in your backyard. When burning yard waste and debris, follow these important steps from the USDA Forest Service. CHECK THE CONDITIONS Dont burn when its windy or whe vegetation is very dry. PREPARE YOUR PILE Keep your piles small and manageable. Add additional debris… Continue reading.

The U. S. Fire Administration recommends installing smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of a home, including the basement. This is a fire safety precaution that all homeowners and landlords in your community need to take to protect residents from fire. Here are some common questions about… Continue reading.

COOKING SAFETY Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. HEATING SAFETY Use caution around heating equipment such as space heaters and fireplaces. Keep anything that could catch fire at least 3 feet from the heat. CANDLE SAFETY Avoid using candles because they can cause a fire. Use battery-powered lights… Continue reading.

Every week, it seems there’s another headline warning about rising electricity prices. One recent report really stood out to me. In July, the Citizens Action Coalition shared that over the past year, rates from Indiana’s investor owned utilities (IOUs) rose by an average of 17.5%. As the CEO of a utility, I take that personally…. Continue reading.

Explaining where power comes from may seem simple, but it’s not. The act of turning on your lights is at the end of a long and complex journey. The intricacies of getting power to that switch involve thorough and ongoing planning. There is not a day that goes by that my team at Wabash Valley… Continue reading.

Shedding light on reliability This past Memorial Day weekend, more than 100,000 people across Louisiana had an “unexpected outage.” To the regional electrical grid operator, it was a “load shed” event. Some folks called it a “black out.” Whatever label is used, people lost their power. As Wabash Valley Power Alliance’s CEO, this is what… Continue reading.