Message from operations: Reflecting on 2025

Message from Dale Nagel, Chief of Staff/Operations Manager 

This past year, we made significant strides on projects outlined in our work plan, but also faced some unplanned instances. Here are a few projects we completed to ensure safe and reliable electric services to you, our members. 

Pole testing
One of our routine construction projects each year is pole testing. Pole testing is a practice done each year at the cooperative, focusing on different sections of our service area. This year, KEM Electric Cooperative flagged 100 poles in the Ashley and Zeeland area and 45 in the Steele area, which line crews will continue to replace. Utility poles and any infrastructure exposed to extreme weather conditions can begin to deteriorate over time, both externally and internally. Testing allows us to find poles that are an issue and replace them before they fail.

Underground conversions
KEM Electric installed 8 miles of single-phase underground cable and 8 miles of three-phase underground cable in 2025. Seven miles of the aged overhead line was retired and replaced with three-phase underground cable from the
Tappen Substation. 

Additional projects included converting overhead utility line to underground cable, new service installations, service upgrades and replacement of line. Converting to underground cable allows for additional safety and reliability to our system. 

Storm restoration
This summer, we faced various instances of high winds, hail and thunderstorms across the service area. The impact to our system included widespread outages caused by broken poles, damaged transformers and a number of broken power line wires due to falling trees and flying debris. 

Technology updates
We continue to upgrade technology across our service area. Sectionalizing technology is being updated from aged oil-circuit reclosers to TripSavers. This year, we upgraded 40 oil-circuit reclosers to TripSavers. 

TripSavers are oil-free equipment and require little to no maintenance when compared to traditional reclosures, ultimately reducing outages due to failures and creating better coordination throughout our system.

As reclosures are upgraded, so is the technology compatible with them. This year, KEM Electric installed supervisory control and data acquisition compatible technology, commonly known as SCADA, within substations. This technology acts as a remote data monitoring and control system, allowing the cooperative to have real-time data and control at its fingertips.

As we continue into the winter season, we would like to remind members to report outages by calling the office at 701-254-4666. You can now also report outages by text message (OUT to 844-955-2714) if you have a single service on your account or through SmartHub if you have multiple services on your account. Thank you for your support throughout 2025. We look forward to ensuring safe and reliable electric services for you all in 2026!