I’m happy to report that our new Mockingbird substation is energized and serving the areas surrounding its location near Hamlin. Construction on this substation began in 2024 and was a priority for our operations team over the last couple of years as we planned, then executed the project. The substation will add power and provide reliable service to support business expansion in the area.

And while we're on the substation subject, the transformer at our Perry substation was replaced over the summer after the old one went bad. As you can imagine, this upgrade was important in order for us to continue serving our members in the Perry area. Construction on a second substation in the Perry Industrial Park should start soon, and will serve business expansion in that area.

Guthrie County REC supports smart rural business expansion, and we know that businesses that are growing or relocating to our service territory need to have dependable power to support their operations. We are proud to have worked with the City of Perry leadership to make sure they get the power they need for their businesses, both now and for many years to come.

Over the summer, crews also spent time installing new regulators at our substation near Panora. Regulators help keep the voltage within the desired range for our members who are served by that feeder. We serviced line breakers, which are safety devices to help prevent equipment damage, fires and other hazards when an electrical fault occurs. Finally, we completed rebuilding approximately 6 miles of line.

Between now and the end of the year, we hope to finish up the remaining line rebuild sections we have planned, replace the rotten wood poles that were flagged by our contractor and replace regulators at our Woodward substation.

Since October is National Co-op Month, I hope you feel Guthrie County REC is on your side when it comes to providing the power you need when you need it. After all, we wouldn’t exist without you! If you have any feedback for us on how we can do better, please drop us a line. And as always, give us a wave or a hello if you see us out working.

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Josh Oltmann, Line Superintendent