Episode 1 – Introducing Power Factor Podcast

Episode 1 – Introducing Power Factor Podcast
Hosted by Jim Anderson, General Manager and CEO of Midstate Electric Cooperative

In this inaugural episode of the Power Factor Podcast, Jim Anderson introduces Midstate Electric Cooperative’s new platform for open conversation and member connection. Tune in as we explore the key factors that drive our power, influence our decisions, and shape the future of MEC. 

Episode Transcript

Jim Anderson (00:08):
Hello, and welcome to the very first episode of
Power Factor, the officialpodcast of Midstate Electric
Cooperative.
I'm Jim Anderson, the CEO andGeneral Manager here at
Midstate, and I'll be your hostas we launch this brand new
platform.
We're calling it Power Factor,not just because it's a term in
the electrical industry, butbecause it reflects on what
we're trying to do here.
We're going to be talking aboutreal factors that drive our

(00:28):
power, shape our decisions, anddefine the future of Midstate
Electric.
We're proud to serve over22,000 meters across Central
Oregon, from the High Desert, tothe pine forest, covering
Deschutes, Klamath Lake, andLane Counties.
Everything we do is centeredaround the cooperative
difference, member-owned,locally controlled, and driven
by the service over profit, as atrue nonprofit should be.

(00:51):
You might want to ask, why apodcast?
We know you're busy.
You might not always have timeto to attend our meetings, read
the newsletters, catch up on themagazine, or even look at
social media.
But when you're driving towork, out in the field, or
relaxing at home, we hope thatthis podcast gives you a new way
to connect with us, to learnabout us, to understand, to
engage with the co-op, yourco-op, in a deeper way.

(01:13):
Over the course of thispodcast, we're going to explore
all facets of Midstate, who weare, what we do, and where we're
going.
We'll also bring you behind thescenes to meet people who make
things happen, from the lineworker and engineers, to the
board members, finance staff,and all the people that it takes
to keep the co-op going.
What you can expect out of thispodcast is each episode will
dig into a different part of theco-op.

(01:34):
No topic is going to be offlimits.
Here's just a preview of somethings that we're going to
cover.
We're going to talk aboutengineering and system design,
and that's going to be how yourgrid is built, maintained, and
modernized.
What goes into the design of areliable electric system in
rural Oregon?
We're also going to talk aboutoperations and maintenance.
What a day in the life of aline worker looks like,
especially during outages,wildfires, and storms.

(01:56):
We're going to talk abouttechnology, innovation, from
advanced metering infrastructureto battery storage, demand
response, grid automation.
We'll even talk about how we'repreparing the grid for the
future.
And everybody's favorite topicis finance.
So we're going to cover financeand rates.
We're going to talk about ratesand how they're calculated,
what your bill actually paysfor, and how Midstate manages

(02:18):
its budget to remain financiallyhealthy while returning capital
credits to our members.
Wildfire mitigation and safetyis another topic.
Our strategy for preventingwildfires is to ensure that our
members wildfires, managingrights of way, and partnering
with service agencies like theU.S.
Forest Service and the Bureauof Land Management in making the
right-of-ways safe for us andour power lines.
We're going to talk about thedemand charge and energy use,

(02:38):
why we introduced the demandcharge, how it works, and how
you can actually use energysmarter and eventually save
money by utilizing the fullbenefits of the demand charge.
We're going to talk aboutcybersecurity and resiliency,
how we actually protect oursystems and your personal data,
and the integrity of ourinfrastructure in a rapidly
changing and a threateningenvironment.
Cooperative principles andgovernance, another topic that's

(03:00):
very important to us.
What it means to be a member-owner, how your voice matters
and how the board of directorsleads the co-op through policy
and our strategic planning.
We're going to talk aboutrenewables and power supply, our
relationship with BonnevillePower Association and our role
in the broader Pacific Northwestenergy landscape and how we
ensure that clean, reliable andaffordable power can be

(03:20):
delivered to you.
We're going to talk about youthand community programs,
scholarships, safety education,Local grants that we've applied
for are working with and to helpget for the co-op, economic
development in our communities,and the work that our staff does
in schools and with the futureleaders of the co-op.
We're also going to be talkingabout our employees through
employee spotlights.
These are the people that arebehind the scenes, behind the

(03:42):
poles.
Stories from our linemen, ourmember service reps, our
marketing group, all people thatare involved in the co-op are
going to have a chance to get onthis podcast and talk to you
about what they do and how theyaffect the co-op.
We're going to talk about wherewe're going.
As we look into the future,Midstate is more focused than
ever on long-term sustainabilityand member satisfaction and

(04:04):
system resiliency.
We're upgrading infrastructure,improving vegetation
management, and we're takingvery proactive steps to reduce
the wildfire risk that we havehere in Central Oregon.
We're expanding our use of dataand analytics to forecast
energy use and make smarterinfrastructure investments as we
go forward.
We're going to be investing inpeople, and that's something

(04:25):
that Midstate's always done, tobuild a strong team for the
future, creating opportunitiesfor leadership within our
organization.
Our focus is on keeping yourlights on, but also on building
a co-op that will serve yourkids and grandkids just as
reliably in the future.
The utility industry ischanging fast, with
electrification, distributedenergy resources, EVs, electric

(04:47):
vehicles, and the evolving roleof the grid.
We believe that co-ops likeMidstate can lead the way, not
by just keeping up, but bystaying true to our values of
accountability, transparency,and providing the service that
you expect from us as a member.
You are a co-owner.
Your voice, your vote, and yourinput all help shape the future
of this cooperative.
So, whether you've been with usfor decades or just moved into

(05:09):
the area, we hope you'll findthe value in what we're doing
here.
As you ask questions, we'regoing to try to give you the
feedback in this podcast to thequestions you ask.
So whether you've been herewith us for decades or just
moved to the area, we hope thatyou'll find value in what we're
sharing ask questions to us andwe'll try to answer them on the
podcast give us feedback tell uswhat you want to hear more
about and most importantly stayengaged we're excited to kick

(05:32):
this off.
We hope that you'll besubscribing and sharing and
tuning in regularly you'll behearing from a wide variety of
people on the upcoming podcastas we start.
But thanks for joining us onthe first episode of Power
Factor we're proud to serve youand we're looking forward to
bringing you into theconversation each episode at a
time