On March 28th, Karlee Weinmann of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance's Energy Democracy initiative delivered a presentation detailing the benefits of moving rural electric cooperatives to renewables and away from long-term contracts with dirty energy.

1. T R A N S I T I O N I N G F R O M C O A L T O C L E A N E N E R G Y
RURAL ELECTRIC
COOPERATIVES
Karlee Weinmann, Research Associate
Energy Democracy Initiative, Institute for Local Self-Reliance
March 28, 2017

2. 75% of land area, 42% of distribution lines, 11% of population

3. W H E R E D O E S P O W E R C O M E
F R O M ?
Generation & Transmission Co-ops
Distribution Co-ops
Member-Owners
(They like coal)
(They like coal a little less sometimes)
(They increasingly dislike coal)

4. S T U C K I N L O N G C O N T R A C T S
Great River
Energy
Tri-State
Seminole Electric
Basin Electric
Typical power contract expiration date for members co-ops of…
2045
2050
2055
2070

5. H O W O U R C O - O P S Y S T E M
“ W O R K S ”
Long-term contracts keep coal in play
Co-op boards blindly follow outdated policy
Lacking diverse perspectives

6. … A N D C O - O P M E M B E R S D O N ’ T S H O W U P
According to ILSR analysis:
70% of rural electric co-ops
have a voter turnout rate of
less than 10%

7. E N G A G I N G W I T H C O - O P S :
D A T A Numbers that back up your claims
S T O R Y A narrative that reinforces your data
V O I C E The right person to tell your story
T H E T H R E E T H I N G S Y O U N E E D