I make it a point to get out into our co-op communities. There is one topic that seems to come up everywhere I go. Whether I’m meeting with directors, talking with community leaders, or visiting with our member co-ops, the conversation often turns to growth. New investment. New businesses. New opportunities. And increasingly, questions about how much electricity those projects may need.

For much of my career, electricity demand was relatively flat. Growth in population and economic activity was often offset by gains in efficiency. Utilities could generally predict future demand with a fair degree of confidence. That has changed.

New opportunities

Across Indiana and much of the Midwest, communities are seeing interest from manufacturers, technology companies, data centers, and other large energy users looking for places to invest and grow. These projects can bring jobs, expand local tax bases, and create new opportunities for the communities we serve. 

Along with those opportunities come important questions. Can the electric system support the additional demand? What infrastructure will be needed? How long will it take to build? Who should pay for those investments? Most importantly, how do we continue providing reliable and affordable electricity to the members who already depend on us every day? These are not always simple questions, but they are the right questions.

Our responsibility

As co-ops, our responsibility is not to pursue every opportunity that comes along, nor is it to avoid growth altogether. Our job is to evaluate opportunities carefully and make decisions that strengthen our communities while protecting the interests of our members. That means looking beyond the headlines and considering the long-term impacts. It means planning for reliability, evaluating risk, and ensuring growth supports rather than compromises our mission.

The discussions and arguments surrounding growth will continue for years. The opportunities are real, and so are the challenges. What gives me confidence is knowing that co-ops were built for exactly these kinds of conversations. The cooperative business model encourages us to think long-term, ask tough questions, and keep members at the center of every decision.

Growth will continue to knock on our door. When it does, we will approach it the same way we’ve always approached important decisions: thoughtfully, responsibly, and with our members’ best interests in mind.

Jeff Conrad is CEO of Wabash Valley Power Alliance in Indianapolis.