News Releases

FOR RELEASE:                                                                                    Media Contact: Cindy Hertel

11/21/22 @ 11:30 a.m.                                                                          Office: (785) 623-3341

                                                                                                              Cell: (785) 259-4822

                                                                                                              chertel@sunflower.net

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation Selects New CEO

Todd Hillman to replace Stuart Lowry

Hays, Kan.—Nov. 21, 2022—Sunflower Electric Power Corp. announced today that its board of directors has named Todd Hillman as the corporation’s next president and chief executive officer.

Hillman will begin his tenure on Jan. 16 to succeed Stuart Lowry, Sunflower’s current president and CEO, upon his retirement. Hillman is the sixth person to lead Sunflower since it was formed in 1957.

Since 2004, Hillman worked for Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), a member-based, regional transmission organization (RTO) and independent system operator (ISO) serving in 15 U.S. states. In his most recent role as senior vice president and chief customer officer, Hillman was responsible for all customer interface for the three MISO offices, including member and regulatory relationships, training, the call center, and customer experience (CX) and facilities.

Hillman led the MISO south region integration, which included 52 load-serving entities, 136 transmission customers with 35,000 MW of load, 16 balancing authorities, 10 transmission owners and 16,000 transmission line miles. He also led MISO’s strategic and regulatory outreach for MISO’s 15-state footprint.

Steve Epperson, CEO of Pioneer Electric Cooperative and Southern Pioneer Electric Company—two of Sunflower’s seven distribution member-owners—chaired the nation-wide CEO search and selection process.

“After participating in many committee discussions and multiple interviews, I believe that Todd Hillman represents the best fit for Sunflower moving forward in an industry facing vast disruption as well as transformation,” Epperson said. “Mr. Hillman’s breadth of experience, knowledge of energy markets and RTOs, and leadership approach are the best fit for Sunflower’s talented employees. I see great teamwork, collaboration and courageous decisions in our future and am confident that Mr. Hillman will deliver.”

Among other commendable traits, Hillman supports strategies and goals that lead to strong relationships and growing success for members, employees, and other customers.

“Mr. Hillman is a strong leader and visionary who brings with him a wide range of knowledge and experience. Through that experience he has developed valuable relationships in the industry,” said Wes Campbell, Sunflower’s board chairman and Wheatland Electric Cooperative director. “I have no doubt that his focus on innovation and the value of strong relationships will lead to further success for our members, helping ensure the vitality of western Kansas and those we serve. We welcome Todd to the Sunflower family.”

“It’s truly an honor to be selected as Sunflower’s next CEO,” Hillman said. “I can’t wait to get started and be a servant leader to our members and the people in western Kansas.”

About Todd Hillman — Todd Hillman earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Affairs and Commerce from the University of the Pacific and a graduate degree from the University of Chicago Executive Institute Graduate School of Business. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires (INSEAD).

He was born in New Jersey to a father who worked for Gulf Oil Company, giving Hillman his first introduction to the energy business.

• After graduating from the University of the Pacific, Hillman began working in 1992 for the New York Mercantile Exchange where he directed the largest new product marketing campaign in Exchange history, focusing on the world’s first exchange-traded electricity futures and options contracts.
• In 1995, Hillman began work with Dupont Conoco (Houston’s largest consumer of electricity and gas), where he learned electricity and gas origination and trading.
• In 1998, Reliant hired Hillman to develop a business plan to move and trade western U.S. natural gas.
• In 1999, Reliant purchased a utility business in the Netherlands, and Hillman became the Director of Transition Activity. He developed and led five electricity, three natural gas, three district heating, and two large scale transmission contracts. He established a European satellite office in Frankfurt, Germany, and developed a green power trading strategy.
• After sale of the Netherlands business, he returned stateside to work for Reliant in corporate planning and then as Director of National Accounts.
• In 2004, Hillman began his tenure at MISO.

Hillman and his wife, Dara, have two children.

About Sunflower — Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is a regional wholesale power supplier that operates a system of solar, wind, natural gas, and coal-based generating plants and a transmission system of approximately 2,400 miles for the needs of its seven Members, who serve customers living in central and western Kansas. Visit Sunflower’s website at http://www.sunflower.net 

Sunflower’s member cooperatives include Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative, Dighton; Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Ulysses; Prairie Land Electric Cooperative, Norton; The Victory Electric Cooperative Association, Dodge City; Western Cooperative Electric Association, WaKeeney; and Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Scott City, Kansas. Southern Pioneer Electric Company is also a Member of Sunflower. 

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For Immediate Release
Jennah Denney – Today’s Power, Inc. (501) 400-5548
jdenney@todayspower.com

DSO Electric Cooperative Maximizes Financial Security for Members and Harvests Solar Energy with Two Projects.

June 22, 2021  LINDSBORG, KS — DSO Electric Cooperative dedicated two solar farms with a “Flip the Switch” event today.  One of the farms is located north of Lindsborg and the other is within the city of Junction City.  Both farms were built to minimize the cooperative's peak demand and maintain stable rates for its members.

Originally announced in November of 2020, DSO’s two solar farms were formally linked to the grid by Today's Power Inc. (TPI) of North Little Rock, Arkansas.  These farms are among the first of the 22 systems to be built as part of the Kansas Cooperative Sun Power Program (KCSPP), a TPI solar power services agreement program that ensures low-cost renewable energy to 12 participating Kansas electric cooperatives.

Both of DSO’s solar farms were customized in the design process to maximize output during peak demand hours, when power is most expensive.  Lowering the peak demand charges helps DSO keep power affordable for its members.  Along with the other participating Kansas electric cooperatives, DSO negotiated very competitive long-term pricing.  In addition, these solar farms will add to DSO’s diverse fuel mix.  With these projects generating power, approximately 67% of DSO’s power will come from wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear sources.

Michael Henderson, president of TPI said, “we are very excited to partner with DSO Electric Cooperative on this project.  I have spent my career serving electric cooperative members and having able to provide direct, quantifiable savings through projects like KCSPP is very gratifying.”  He went on to say, “the leadership of DSO should be commended for their forward-thinking efforts in serving their members.”

Tim Power, CEO of DSO, noted that, “A lot of work went into these solar projects.  Mike Olberding, our operations manager, did a great job managing the projects and making sure things stayed on schedule.  I also want to give a shout-out to the owners of the land we purchased for the solar farms, the city and county officials, and people with Today’s Power; they were all easy to work with and instrumental in helping us get to this day.”

TPI was chosen by the Kansas Cooperative Sun Power Program in 2020 to provide solar-produced power for cooperative use.  Work on the two sun farms began in early 2021 and was completed in May 2021, after all regulatory and engineering approvals were issued.  For the length of the 25-year-or-more agreement, the cooperative will purchase electricity generated by the solar farms at a fixed-low cost.  TPI operates and owns 100% of the solar arrays.

DSO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE SUN FARM STATISTICS:

Location: JUNCTION CITY, KANSAS

• Size: 1.42-Megawatt (MW) DC / 1 MW AC
• Modules: 3,450 Solar Modules
• Racking: Single-Axis Sun Tracking Technology
• Inversion: 8 125 kW String Inverters

Location: LINDSBORG, KANSAS

• Size: 1.42-Megawatt (MW) DC / 1 MW AC
• Modules: 3,500 Solar Modules
• Racking: Single-Axis Sun Tracking Technology
• Inversion: 8 125 kW String Inverters

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More Information:

This opportunity to participate in the Kansas Cooperative Sun Power Program began when the wholesale power contract between all participating cooperatives and their forward-thinking generation and transmission cooperative, Kansas Electric Power Cooperatives, was recently modified to provide Kansas electric cooperatives with the ability to self-procure up to 15% of peak demand – with 5% of that amount specifically allowing for the addition of solar (or some other renewable).

Using the sixth cooperative principle of cooperation among cooperatives, twelve cooperatives in Kansas joined together to secure low-cost power and reduce their peak demands for the next 25 years or more.

        PO Box 4267 * Topeka, KS66604-0267 * (785) 478-4554 * (785) 478-4852 FAX

Feb. 15, 2021; 4 p.m.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Vicki Estes, 785-221-3083                                                   

Extreme Temps Result in Southwest Power Pool Issuing Level 3 Alert Earlier in the Day

KEC Urges Electric Consumers to Reduce all Unnecessary Electricity Usage

The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which balances electricity production and use for a 14-state region including Kansas, declared an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3 just hours after issuing a Level 2 alert. The Level 3 declaration resulted in the SPP directing its member companies to implement controlled interruptions of service. That load-shed was ordered at 12:15 p.m. and rescinded approximately an hour later. The service disruptions lasted between 30-60 minutes and then power was restored. The SPP remains at EEA Level 2, however conditions will remain tight over the next 48-72 hours and the SPP could reactivate EEA Level 3 if necessary.

Kansas electric cooperatives are asking their members to conserve energy wherever possible and safe to do so to prevent worsening system conditions that could impact a broader area or have longer-lasting effects.

“We are already seeing high electric use and are anticipating record-breaking demand in the next 24 to 48 hours,” said Lee Tafanelli, CEO of Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

The record-breaking cold is also putting a significant strain on natural gas supplies. The cold weather is freezing off natural gas production, making less gas available for delivery to customers.

“We are facing several critical days where both electric and natural gas supplies will be extremely tight,” Tafanelli said. “By reducing power usage where safely possible, we can help protect the integrity and reliability of the electric grid.”

Kansans can conserve energy by turning down thermostats and not using high energy-consuming appliances, such as clothes washers and dryers, ovens and dishwashers, beginning now and continuing through mid-week.

Other ways Kansans can do their part to help conserve electricity include:

• Turn down thermostats to between 65-68 degrees if your health permits.
• Set your water heater at 120 degrees.
• Check and change furnace filters if needed to ensure optimum airflow. Rule of thumb: change filter every 3 months; 2 months if you have pets or family members have allergies.
• Close furnace registers and doors to unoccupied rooms to keep occupied rooms warmer, which will help reduce consumption.
• Keep vents clear. High efficiency furnaces have vents leading outside. Make sure they are not blocked with ice or debris. Inside, make sure vents are not covered by rugs or furniture.
• Resist the urge to crank up the thermostat as it’s unlikely to make much of difference except to put a strain on the furnace and your energy bill. Instead, wear an extra layer or use blankets to keep warm. Lowering the temperature just a couple of degrees will protect your furnace.
• Reprogram thermostat if it’s set to lower significantly at night or when no one is home. During extreme cold weather like we are experiencing now, the furnace will have a hard time raising the temperature to the desired level and it will use more energy to do so.
• Close blinds and curtains to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
• Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
• Make microwave or toaster-oven friendly meals to save energy.
• Unplug electronics and other items not in use.
• Businesses should minimize use of lighting and electric-consuming equipment as much as possible.

To prepare for more potential planned outages, KEC urges the public to make sure phones and other electric devices are charged at all times, keep flashlights with batteries on hand, have several blankets, sweaters, gloves and coats at the ready, and have a “go kit” with food, water, medicine and other must-haves in case you need to head to a local warming center.

The winter weather is affecting all of Kansas and several surrounding states, and Kansas electric cooperatives are monitoring conditions and staging personnel and resources so in the event there are power outages, restoration work can begin as quickly and safely as possible.

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KEC advocates on behalf of 27 electric distribution cooperatives and three generation and transmission cooperative serving rural Kansas. The association’s primary services are government and regulatory relations at the state and federal level, communications including a monthly magazine that is distributed statewide, loss control and safety training and consulting, employee and director training, youth outreach and public relations services. The association is headquartered in Topeka and has 14 employees. Visit https://kec.coop/.

        PO Box 4267 * Topeka, KS66604-0267 * (785) 478-4554 * (785) 478-4852 FAX

Feb. 15, 2021, 11:30 a.m
For Immediate Release.
Contact: Vicki Estes, 785-221-3083

 Extreme Temps Result in Southwest Power Pool Issuing Level 3 Alert

KEC Urges Electric Consumers to Reduce all Unnecessary Electricity Usage

The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which balances electricity production and use for a 14-state region including Kansas, has declared an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3 just hours after issuing a Level 2 alert. The Level 3 declaration requires the SPP to direct its member companies to prepare to implement controlled interruptions of service if necessary.

Your electric cooperative will be preparing to implement controlled service interruptions if the SPP deems it necessary to safeguard continued reliability of the regional grid.

Kansas electric cooperatives are asking their members to conserve energy wherever possible and safe to do so to prevent worsening system conditions that could impact a broader area or have longer-lasting effects.

“We are already seeing high electric use and are anticipating record-breaking demand in the next 24 to 48 hours,” said Lee Tafanelli, CEO of Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

The record-breaking cold is also putting a significant strain on natural gas supplies. The cold weather is freezing off natural gas production, making less gas available for delivery to customers.

“We are facing several critical days where both electric and natural gas supplies will be extremely tight,” Tafanelli said. “By reducing power usage where safely possible, we can help protect the integrity and reliability of the electric grid.”

Kansans can conserve energy by turning down thermostats and not using high energy-consuming appliances, such as clothes washers and dryers, ovens and dishwashers, beginning now and continuing through mid-week.

Other ways Kansans can do their part to help conserve electricity include:

• Turn down thermostats to 68 degrees if your health permits.
• Check and change furnace filters if needed to ensure optimum airflow. Rule of thumb: change filter every 3 months; 2 months if you have pets or family members have allergies.
• Close furnace registers and doors to unoccupied rooms to keep occupied rooms warmer, which will help reduce consumption.
• Keep vents clear. High efficiency furnaces have vents leading outside. Make sure they are not blocked with ice or debris. Inside, make sure vents are not covered by rugs or furniture.
• Resist the urge to crank up the thermostat as it’s unlikely to make much of difference except to put a strain on the furnace and your energy bill. Instead, wear an extra layer or use blankets to keep warm. Lowering the temperature just a couple of degrees will protect your furnace.
• Reprogram thermostat if it’s set to lower significantly at night or when no one is home. During extreme cold weather like we are experiencing now, the furnace will have a hard time raising the temperature to the desired level and it will use more energy to do so.
• Close blinds and curtains to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
• Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
• Make microwave or toaster-oven friendly meals to save energy.
• Unplug electronics and other items not in use.
• Businesses should minimize use of lighting and electric-consuming equipment as much as possible.

The winter weather is affecting all of Kansas and several surrounding states, and Kansas electric cooperatives are monitoring conditions and staging personnel and resources so in the event there are power outages, restoration work can begin as quickly and safely as possible.

###

KEC advocates on behalf of 27 electric distribution cooperatives and three generation and transmission cooperative serving rural Kansas. The association’s primary services are government and regulatory relations at the state and federal level, communications including a monthly magazine that is distributed statewide, loss control and safety training and consulting, employee and director training, youth outreach and public relations services. The association is headquartered in Topeka and has 14 employees. Visit https://kec.coop/.

        PO Box 4267 * Topeka, KS66604-0267 * (785) 478-4554 * (785) 478-4852 FAX

Feb. 15, 2021, 10:34 a.m
For Immediate Release.
Contact: Vicki Estes, 785-221-3083                                                                           

Kansas Electric Cooperatives Ask Co-op Members to Conserve Energy Where Possible; Extreme Temps Result in Southwest Power Pool Issuing New Alert

At 7:22 a.m. central Monday, Feb. 15, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which balances electricity production and use for a 14-state region including Kansas, declared an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 2. This Level 2 declaration requires the SPP to direct its member companies to issue public conservation appeals. Kansas electric cooperatives are asking their members to conserve energy wherever possible to avoid a potential Level 3 declaration, which would force the SPP to implement controlled service interruptions, also called “brownouts.” If this happens, utilities will responsibly implement temporary interruptions of service to certain customers, either residential or commercial, to prevent worsening system conditions that could impact a broader area or have longer-lasting effects.

“We are already seeing high electric use and are anticipating record-breaking demand in the next 24 to 48 hours,” said Lee Tafanelli, CEO of Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

The record-breaking cold is also putting a significant strain on natural gas supplies. The cold weather is freezing off natural gas production, making less gas available for delivery to customers.

“We are facing a several critical days where both electric and natural gas supplies will be extremely tight,” Tafanelli said. “By reducing power usage where safely possible, we can help protect the integrity and reliability of the electric grid.”

Kansans can conserve energy by turning down thermostats and not using high energy-consuming appliances, such as clothes washers and dryers, ovens and dishwashers, beginning now and continuing through mid-week.

Other ways Kansans can do their part to help conserve electricity include:

• Turn down thermostats to 68 degrees if your health permits.
• Check and change furnace filters if needed to ensure optimum airflow. Rule of thumb: change filter every 3 months; 2 months if you have pets or family members have allergies.
• Close furnace registers and doors to unoccupied rooms to keep occupied rooms warmer, which will help reduce consumption.
• Keep vents clear. High efficiency furnaces have vents leading outside. Make sure they are not blocked with ice or debris. Inside, make sure vents are not covered by rugs or furniture.
• Resist the urge to crank up the thermostat as it’s unlikely to make much of difference except to put a strain on the furnace and your energy bill. Instead, wear an extra layer or use blankets to keep warm. Lowering the temperature just a couple of degrees will protect your furnace.
• Reprogram thermostat if it’s set to lower significantly at night or when no one is home. During extreme cold weather like we are experiencing now, the furnace will have a hard time raising the temperature to the desired level and it will use more energy to do so.
• Close blinds and curtains to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
• Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
• Make microwave or toaster-oven friendly meals to save energy.
• Unplug electronics and other items not in use.
• Businesses should minimize use of lighting and electric-consuming equipment as much as possible

The winter weather is affecting all of Kansas and several surrounding states, and Kansas electric cooperatives are monitoring conditions and staging personnel and resources so in the event there are power outages, restoration work can begin as quickly and safely as possible.

###

  KEC advocates on behalf of 27 electric distribution cooperatives and three generation and transmission cooperative serving rural Kansas. The association’s primary services are government and regulatory relations at the state and federal level, communications including a monthly magazine that is distributed statewide, loss control and safety training and consulting, employee and director training, youth outreach and public relations services. The association is headquartered in Topeka and has 14 employees. Visit https://kec.coop/.

Wheatland Electric Awards $2k to Four Organizations