KMEA to Provide Electric Line Maintenance Services

Following in the direction of the 2019 KMEA Strategic Plan, KMEA will provide electric line maintenance services to one of its members, the City of Dighton, beginning on May 1, 2020. Under the two year agreement, KMEA will provide the labor for the operation and maintenance of the City’s distribution system. KMEA has been exploring providing these services to its members over the last several years and the City of Dighton will be the first member to receive these services.

The City has contracted for line maintenance service for over 20 years with the local rural electric cooperative and felt it was the right time to make a change. “We are excited about the new agreement with KMEA and believe this partnership with KMEA will provide us more control and involvement in maintenance and health of our electric system,” said Dighton’s Mayor Doyle Capra.

Initially, KMEA will hire one journeymen lineman to work closely with the City staff, with eventual plans to expand to a two person line crew by the end of the year.  Once the two man crew up is up and running, KMEA will be able to assist other members in western Kansas that need assistance with line maintenance and special electric system projects.

“We are excited that the City was willing to step out and allow KMEA to help them with regards to their system,” stated KMEA President, Mike Muirhead. “One of the top needs identified through a 2019 survey of our membership was line maintenance services. This is the kick start that was needed for us to begin providing these services to our membership and we hope to expand to other parts of the State in the future.”