Entries by KMEA

Testo 340 Gas Analyzers Added to KMEA Loaner Equipment Inventory

Beginning in January 2021, KMEA has added 2 Testo 340 Gas Analyzers to our Loaner Equipment inventory.  The analyzers were purchased specifically for pre-testing the reduction of emissions in the catalysts for our member’s “RICE” compliant engines.  This allows operators some comfort that the catalysts will perform as they should ahead of scheduling expensive certified tests.

What is Energy Storage Really?

A holistic approach to America’s energy storage challenge.
Michael Pesin
DEC 02, 2020

The electric power grid is facing a number of challenges from the technological change across the power system and increasing severity and frequency of natural and man-made threats. As the generation mix rapidly evolves throughout the country, technologies that provide additional operational support to the grid will become more valuable.

Message from the General Manager – 2020 is Over! 2021 is Here!

A year ago, I wrote about how we were looking toward a bountiful harvest in 2020 as the year prior (2019) was spent planting the seeds for things to come. Little did we know what we were about to face with the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The pandemic created new challenges, both professionally and personally, that we all had to experience, learn and navigate through while trying to keep the services we provide at the highest level. We can only imagine the complications this created for all of you, especially our members who provide the essential services to your city and citizens.

Quiz: How attractive is your utility?

Utilities might not be thought of as employers of choice at first, but they certainly have many of the common factors that employees value. Here are a few questions to get you thinking about how you present yourself to prospective (and current) employees and where you might have areas to improve your odds of landing — and keeping — a pool of employees with the right fit for you.

Where We Came from and Where We Are Going

We are quickly approaching the end of the year that marked the 40th Anniversary of KMEA. I wanted to have one more look back at where KMEA came from and the cities that made this exceptional agency possible today.

We have found the “Minutes of Annual Meeting of Members of Northwest Kansas Power Agency.” These minutes are from a meeting held at the Ramada Inn in Colby, Kansas on April 27, 1976. This meeting occurred approximately four years before KMEA was created by State Law.

Sharing public education resources in December

To help raise awareness of public power in your community, we encourage you to join APPA and other public power utilities across the country in sharing public education resources in December. We’ve listed some helpful resources below that you can use in your social media posts, newsletters, and other customer communications. Use the hashtags listed […]

WAPA, Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska and others to evaluate SPP membership

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) on Nov. 12 reported that it has received letters from several western power entities committing to evaluate membership in the organization. If they pursue membership, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Deseret Power Electric Cooperative, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN), Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, and Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) […]

KMEA/Dighton Line Crew Assists with Community Veterans Banners

The idea of creating banners for Veterans came about when the teachers in the Dighton School District were trying to come up with a cross-curricular activity.

The Graphic Design students designed the template for the banners and the entire school voted for the final one, MJ’s Stitching & Screening printed and prepped the banners for hanging and the KMEA Staff was excited to play a small role in hanging the banners.

The Changing Electric Industry

In the last 15 years the electric industry has evolved the most through the changing mix in resources for electric generation. In the 1980s, 1990s, and into the 2000s the building of coal plants was a thing of the times. Nuclear was struggling due mainly to massive cost overruns for nearly every nuclear project that was undertaken. Coal plants were reliable (and still are), and a known technology making them less complicated to build than nuclear.