Entries by KMEA

KMEA Supports Ottawa Community Following Tornado

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On April 13th an EF2 tornado struck and caused significant damage within the City of Ottawa.  KMEA staff came together looking for means of providing support to local families in the community.  A staff food drive was organized to be donated to the Hope House in Ottawa. 

A total of 253 pounds of food items, along with personal care and cleaning supplies, were delivered to the Hope House helping to meet immediate needs as the community continues to recover.

2026 KMEA and KMGA Board of Directors Meetings

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The KMEA Board of Directors met on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita in conjunction with the KMU Conference. Board members attended both in person and virtually. During the meeting, the Board reviewed the 2025 Financials and Accounting report, followed by staff reports covering legal and regulatory matters, operations and power supply projects, member services, Mid-States activities, and a general manager update from Paul Mahlberg. The next Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for October 28, 2026, in Wichita, Kansas.

KMGA is Hiring Manager of Natural Gas Operations

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KMGA is hiring for the position of Manager of Natural Gas Operations, a role responsible for managing natural gas supply to maximize economic benefits for member cities, including monitoring supply, storage, pipeline imbalances, and daily measurement data, and scheduling nominations in accordance with pipeline requirements. The position involves maintaining strong working relationships with member cities through data compilation, regulatory reporting assistance, and presentations to staff and governing bodies, as well as understanding pipeline tariffs and their impacts.

Kansas – The Place for Nuclear Buzz

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We are very dependent on our electrical grid in our daily lives. Electricity is, in many cases, taken for granted. We flip the switch and expect the light to come on. What happens to our country if the electrical grid collapses or is attacked? How do we go about our daily activities without lights, stop lights, gas pumps, no airports in service, and on and on?

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) may be one solution, or at least worth testing.

For years, the military has engaged in testing nuclear reactors for remote power generation. In 1957, the U.S. Army developed a multi‑service training reactor. It was the first reactor on the electrical grid. In the 1960s, they developed a small component reactor that was transportable by truck, rail, or barge.

This testing continued into the 1970s. Today, SMRs are a reality and are being considered for multiple applications. Those applications include remote and forward operating bases with a lack of infrastructure.

Garden City is Hiring Public Works & Utilities Director

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The City of Garden City is seeking qualified applicants to fill the role of Public Works & Utilities Director. Under administrative direction of the City Manager, this position operates, implements, plans and directs a comprehensive public utilities and public works program that will insure sound planning, maintenance and service to the public: directs municipal water treatment, water distribution, wastewater collection and treatment systems, and electric generation, transmission, distribution maintenance, solid waste, streets, fleet, traffic, and service systems; assists in planning, implementing and completing the capital improvements program; requires interpretive skills in established standards and procedures

Data Center Growth Strains Gas Turbine Supply as Prices Surge Through 2027

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Rapid growth in electrification—driven largely by expanding data centers and AI workloads—is placing intense pressure on the U.S. gas turbine market, according to a new Wood Mackenzie report. Global turbine orders reached roughly 110 gigawatts by the end of 2025, far exceeding annual manufacturing capacity of 60–70 gigawatts, creating a severe supply imbalance. As a result, turbine prices are expected to surge to $600 per kilowatt by the end of 2027, nearly tripling since 2019.

Upcoming KMEA and KMGA Board of Directors Meeting

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KMEA and KMGA members are encouraged to mark their calendars for the upcoming Board of Directors meetings later this month. Board participation is essential, and a quorum is required for both meetings, so your attendance is important.

To ensure an accurate count for quorum purposes, all board members must register their presence in advance for their respective meetings. Please use the registration links below to confirm your attendance.

Your participation helps ensure the agencies can conduct official business and continue supporting Kansas municipal utilities effectively. Thank you for your continued commitment to KMEA and KMGA.

SPP Completes Historic Western Expansion, Becoming a 17‑State RTO

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Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has successfully completed a historic expansion of its service territory into the Western Interconnection, officially becoming a 17‑state regional transmission organization on April 1. This milestone makes SPP the first RTO in the nation to operate across two major interconnections, significantly broadening the scope and value of its regional energy services.

Following months of testing, coordination, and preparation, nine load‑serving utilities led the expansion, bringing new resources and customers from Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming into SPP’s wholesale markets and planning processes. Participating utilities will benefit from enhanced reliability, improved access to diverse generation resources, transparent grid governance, and cost efficiencies enabled through regional coordination.

Garden City Recognized with RP3 Platinum Award for Reliable Public Power

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The City of Garden City Electric Department received the Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation on March 31, 2026, in recognition of its dependable electric service to the community.

Garden City Electric Department earned the Platinum Level RP3 designation. Valid for three years, the RP3 program recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate excellence in four key areas: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. The designation reflects sound business practices and a utility‑wide commitment to the safe and reliable delivery of electricity.

PHMSA Announces NGDISM Grants to Upgrade Aging Natural Gas Infrastructure

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The Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) Grant Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), provides $98 million in funding for municipalities and community-owned utilities to improve the safety and reliability of natural gas distribution systems. Established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), this program supports projects that repair, rehabilitate, or replace aging pipeline infrastructure and purchase safety-related equipment to reduce incidents, fatalities, and economic losses.