Runestone Electric Association

08/31/2026

October 2, 2026, 7:30 AM to 4 PM. Join REA for a day showcasing some REA businesses and their unique energy needs. This year, we will be visiting Andes Tower Hills, Pope/Douglas Metal Recovery, Kensington Runestone Park, West Central Research & Outreach Center and more! Check out our website for more info: https://www.runestoneelectric.com/2026/07/day-trip-bus-tour-in-celebration-of-co-op-month/

07/16/2026

📢 CONTROL NOTICE FOR TODAY, JULY 16, 2026 📢

Participating Programs include:
◾️ Peak Shave Water Heaters: 3:30-8:30 PM
◾️ Cycled Air Conditioners: 3:30-8:00 PM
◾️ Irrigation: 4:00-8:00 PM
◾️ C&I Interruptible Metered: 4:00-8:00 PM
◾️ C&I with GenSet: 4:00-8:00 PM

Find real-time information here: https://lmguide.grenergy.com/

07/15/2026

☀️ It’s a hot one, and the extreme temperatures are happening all across our region (not just REA or MN).

MISO- our regional grid operator has issued a Maximum Gen Warning. This means that the region's generation capacity may be near or at its threshold. We can all do our part to help conserve energy by following some of these easy steps:

• Adjust your thermostat by raising it a few degrees during the day
• Use ceiling fans to create a wind-chill effect that will make the air feel cooler to the skin
• Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes or shades
• Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible
• Turn off lights and electronics when not in use
• Run large appliances overnight (e.g., dishwashers, laundry machines)

This isn't an emergency, just a heads-up. Small steps from all of us add up to a big impact. Thanks for helping support reliability for our community during this stretch of extreme heat.

06/17/2026

2:25 PM: Power has been restored at our Le Homme Dieu Substation! 🥳 Please call the office at 1-800-473-1722 if you are still without power.
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We are experiencing an outage at our Le Homme Dieu Substation. This substation serves areas north and east of Alexandria. We have crews responding who will work with our power supplier, Great River Energy, to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. To report your outage, please call 800-473-1722. Thank you for your patience.

06/12/2026

11:00 AM, Friday, 6/12/2026:

Power has been restored! 🥳 Please call the office at 1-800-473-1722 if you are still without power.

10:45 AM, Friday, 6/12/2026:

We are currently experiencing an outage affecting multiple substations in the southwest portion of our service territory. The outage is due to a transmission issue affecting the substations that serve this area.

We're working closely with our power supplier to resolve the issue and restore service as quickly as possible.

If you are without power, please call 1-800-473-1722 to report your outage.

06/12/2026

6:00 AM Friday, 6/12/2026

Our line crews worked into the evening, and by midnight, power was restored to all REA members! Although power has been restored, repair work on power poles and power lines will continue today and into the coming weeks.

If you are still without power, or know someone who is, please call us at 1-800-473-1722. Do not assume we know you are without power.

We are so thankful for the crews from ALP Utilities in Alexandria, Lake Region Electric Cooperative in Pelican Rapids, and Traverse Electric Cooperative Inc., who helped restore everyone’s power.

It has been a really long couple of days for many people, and REA thanks everyone for their help and patience.

Again, if you are still without power, or know someone who is, please call us at 1-800-473-1722.

Have a good weekend!

06/11/2026

4:00 PM Thursday, 6/11/2026:

Crews have been working since early this morning, and we are now in the final phases of restoring power to all members. Restoration efforts will continue throughout the night until outages are resolved.

Our crews continue to work alongside crews from ALP Utilities, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, and Traverse Electric Cooperative Inc.

A few important reminders:
• Always assume a downed power line is energized and stay far away from it.
• The same goes for trees that have fallen onto power lines. Do not attempt to remove, trim, or cut trees that are in contact with power lines.
• If you are still without power, please call 1-800-473-1722. Please don’t assume we are aware of your specific outage.

We understand that being without power is a major inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as our crews work safely and as quickly as possible to restore service.

06/11/2026

12:30 P.M. Thursday, 6/11/2026:

Outage restoration efforts are still going strong! Our crews continue to work alongside mutual aid crews from ALP Utilities, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, and Traverse Electric Cooperative Inc..

We estimate that approximately 2,000 members remain without power. While we still have significant work ahead of us, we are making steady progress and appreciate your continued patience as crews work through repairs.

Many members have asked why restoration is taking time, so we wanted to share a little insight into what our crews are facing:

1️⃣ The outages are widespread

The storm came through with a vengeance, leaving damage across nearly our entire service territory—from Elbow Lake to Cyrus to Miltona and many areas in between. With so much damage spread over such a large area, crews must work through repairs one outage at a time.

2️⃣The damage is complex and time-consuming to repair

Every outage is its own puzzle. Before repairs can begin, crews must assess the damage, develop a plan, and safely make repairs. Many outage locations involve multiple issues, including broken equipment, trees on power lines, downed wire, and broken poles.

To put things into perspective, replacing a single broken pole can take two hours or more. While the work is often slow and meticulous, our crews are working efficiently and safely to restore power as quickly as possible.

We know it may be tempting to clear trees that have fallen on power lines, but please stay away from all power lines and electrical equipment. Never attempt to move a downed line. With restoration efforts ongoing, a line that appears de-energized may become energized at any time. Our rule of thumb is simple: if a line is down, it is dangerous.

We have been overwhelmed by the kindness, patience, and support shown by our members throughout this event. It has been approximately 34 hours since the first outage calls came in, and we understand how difficult and frustrating extended outages can be for those still without power.

If you are still without power, please call 1-800-473-1722. Never assume we are already aware of your specific outage.

06/11/2026

ALP Utilities is our closest utility neighbor, and we can always count on them to show up when we need them most. We are grateful for their assistance as we continue restoration efforts across our service territory.

Partnerships like this remind us that restoring power is truly a team effort. Thank you to the ALP crews for lending a hand and helping us serve our members following this week's storm. We appreciate your hard work and support!

We're proud to support our friends at Runestone Electric Association as they continue restoration efforts following Tuesday night's storm.

Utilities helping utilities is one of the things that makes our industry special. When the community needs a hand, crews step up and work together to help get the power back on safely.

Thanks to everyone out in the field.

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06/11/2026

We’re incredibly grateful for the support of our co-op neighbors as we continue restoration efforts. Mutual aid is a great example of the cooperative spirit in action, and we're thankful for the crews who have stepped up to help our members when they need it most.

We’re also excited to welcome a familiar face back to REA! Kolby spent several summers working with us as summer help, and it’s great to have him back on our system—this time helping restore power following the storm. Thank you to Kolby, Tristan, Joe, Heath for lending a hand.

Today we sent Tristan, Joe, Kolby and Heath to help Runestone Electric Association with storm recovery. Runestone has an estimated 3,000 accounts who remain without power. They will be clearing trees, replacing broken poles and repairing damaged power lines.

This is an example of Cooperative Principle #6:
By working together through local, national, regional and international structures, cooperatives improve services, bolster local economies, and deal more effectively with social and community needs.