Brush upkeep and tree trimming are vital to keeping your power flowing efficiently and safely. That is why we contract trained, certified vegetation control specialists once a year to remove summer foliage that may threaten the functionality of your electricity.  The Daltons, Inc., will perform upkeep as part of our right-of-way maintenance spraying program. The focus… Continue reading.

If you’re planning to use balloons for outdoor celebrations this summer, it’s important to keep safety in mind, especially when it comes to metal-coated Mylar balloons. Mylar balloons pose a serious risk to electric systems and are linked to thousands of power outages each year. A simple gust of wind can carry a balloon into overhead… Continue reading.

By Jeff Conrad In Indiana, the month of May brings a familiar rhythm. The Indianapolis 500 captures our attention, and with it comes the language of racing, preparation, precision, teamwork, and strategy. Drivers don’t just show up on race day and hope for the best. Success is built through months of planning, testing, and coordination… Continue reading.

People often ask me what makes cooperatives like Kankakee Valley REMC different from large investor-owned utilities. At a time when state regulators are responding to customers’ affordability concerns from other utilities, it’s worth taking a moment to remind our members of the key differences. The biggest difference is mostly about profits. Big utilities are under… Continue reading.

Concern for community is one of the guiding principles of electric cooperatives. Members of two classes of Kankakee Valley REMC’s Junior Board of Directors are taking that concern to the next level by sponsoring events to help others in the community. Join us on May 30 at the Porter County Fairgrounds (215 Division Road, Valparaiso)… Continue reading.

Each April, we recognize the dedicated individuals who keep the lights on — our lineworkers. Kankakee Valley REMC’s 27 lineworkers serve our community every day, restoring power, maintaining lines, and keeping life running smoothly for all our members. When storms strike and outages occur, lineworkers leave family dinners and work long hours in challenging conditions to… Continue reading.

If you’ve ever heard a loud bang during a storm and thought a transformer exploded, it was likely a cutout doing its job. A cutout, also called a fuse cutout, is a protective device mounted high on a power pole near transformers or along primary distribution lines. Its purpose is to protect electrical equipment from… Continue reading.

Interested in helping guide KV REMC’s future? Now is your chance. Director petition packets for the upcoming board election are available online. Two positions are open: District 4 and one At-Large seat. District 4 represents Oregon, Washington, North Bend, Davis and Center townships in Starke County, along with Union and West townships in Marshall County. The At-Large… Continue reading.

KV REMC hosted its third annual Trades Camp, bringing together 63 students from 15 schools to explore nine trade professions. Trade participants included electrical journeyman linemen, plumbers, carpenters, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters, operators, electricians, fiber optic installers, and laborers. Students engaged with professionals to learn about daily responsibilities and educational requirements. “Skilled trades are important to… Continue reading.

If you opened your January electric bill and thought, “That seems high,” you weren’t alone. When bills jump, it’s natural to ask what changed. One question I’ve heard quite a bit lately is whether data centers and large energy users are driving up electricity costs. Here’s what I can tell you. In February, we announced… Continue reading.