FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017 BRIDGER VALLEY PIONEER PAGE C3
Showcase 2017
Reliable Electric Bridger Valley Electric lights the lights in the Valley
Service
since 1938
Serving the communities of
Bridger Valley,Granger, McKinnon,
Eden-Farson, Dutch John,
Manila and Bear River
By VIRGINIA GIORGIS
Pioneer Editor
vgiorgis@bridgervalleypioneer.com
On May 21, 1936, Con-
gress passed the Rural Elec-
BRIDGER trification Act, and Bridger
Valley Electric had been
VALLEY a fixture in Bridger Valley
ELECTRIC since the late 1930s.
Bridger Valley Electric
ASSOCIATION incorporating in 1938, with
the first board meeting on
Nov. 3, 1938. BVEA has been
a main stay of the Valley
ever since and expanded its
BRIDGER VALLEY EXTREME ACCESS service area well beyond the
Valleys borders.
Fast Internet for all our members, One of the earliest actions
the Board took was to ap-
no matter where they live prove a loan from the REA
in the amount of $108,000.
Those funds were to be
used to purchase the genera-
tion plant owned by Union
Light and Power Company,
(307) 786-2800 www.bvea.coop to construct new lines, and
to build a larger generation
P.O. Box 399, Mountain View, Wyoming 82939 station. The board wanted to
build the new power station
Rocky Mountain Power a force in job
creation and economic development
The goal has always been to ensure that
electrical infrastructure projects are completed
on time to provide for the needs of customers.
Within the economic de-
velopment organizations
throughout Wyoming, Rocky
Mountain Power has been an
active participant for many
years. Both local and corpo-
rate employees are involved
in a variety of ways across
the state to help support job
creation and other economic
development efforts.
Company personnel part-
ner with state, regional and
local economic development
groups and community lead-
ers in responding to and work-
ing with business expansion
and relocation prospects.
Rocky Mountain Power is
pleased to help sponsor some
of the key economic devel-
opment and energy-related
events that facilitate sharing
of information and knowledge
as well as offering important
networking opportunities,
said Rocky Mountain Power
economic development man-
ager Mickey Beaver.
Working with state, region-
al and local officials across
Wyoming, Rocky Mountain
Power assists in the develop-
Energizing Wyoming.
ment and implementation of
economic growth strategies
After more than 100 years of service, you can count on us for solutions to help and planning for the future.
you save time and money: Beaver explained the com-
panys role in economic devel-
Get cash incentives on energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment.
opment throughout its service
Buy discounted LED bulbs at local retailers.
area has changed over the
Download our free mobile app to pay bills, report outages and more.
years, but the goal has always
2017 Rocky Mountain Power
Its our pleasure to serve you. Find been to ensure that electrical
convenient ser vices and energy infrastructure projects are
solutions at rockymountainpower.net. completed on time to provide
for the needs of customers,
including new, expanding
and existing businesses and
industries.
at Urie, but Mountain Fuel
refused to bring the gas line
to the proposed site so it was
constructed just outside the
incorporated limits of the
Town of Lyman where the
gas company already had a
line. By late 1940 lines had
been extended and so many
homes and businesses con-
nected that the old Union
power station and the new
BVEA power station were
not capable of supplying all
the electricity needed. After
the demand again exceeded
the co-ops generation ca-
pability, a representative
from Utah Power and Light
came to a board meeting
and offered to sell wholesale
power to the cooperative.
The board asked REA for
advice, and the REA told
them to buy more genera-
tors. Expansion continued
at a rapid pace. Lines were
exteded and Granger, Lone-
tree, McKinnon, Manila and
rural Kemmerer were added
In addition, the company
works with renewable energy
generators to help them un-
derstand processes for inter-
connecting their projects to
the electric grid and for power
purchase agreements.
Working with the local
business community Rocky
Mountain Power regional
business managers help busi-
ness owners access the com-
panys wattsmart energy ef-
ficiency incentive programs.
The companys wattsmart
programs for residential cus-
tomers are well known and
popular. This year there is a
renewed emphasis to reac-
quaint business customers
on the wattsmart programs
designed especially for them.
Helping businesses in-
crease the efficiency with
which they use electricity
is good for everyone, said
Leslie Blythe, regional busi-
ness manager. We know that
healthy businesses help build
a healthy economy for us all
throughout the state. Whether
the company is helping with
electrical connections for a
new business to locate in the
area or providing programs
COURTESY PHOTO
to the fold. The early history
of the cooperative shows
there were many challenges
to providing energy to ru-
ral western Wyoming and
northeastern Utah. Through
dedication and persever-
ance, each challenge was
successfully overcome and
the members of BVEA today
enjoy tremendous benefits
by having dependable elec-
tricity available to meet their
needs.
A growing project for
BVEA is Operation Round-
Up which is a program in
which BVEA members can
round up their bills and do-
nate the change to this chari-
table foundation. The funds
are used to help individuals
or charitable organizations
in need. BVEA customers
are urged to participate in
this program.To participate,
please check the box on your
next statement. For more
information, contact Bridger
Valley Electric.
and incentives for existing
Wyoming businesses to be
more energy efficient, it all
helps the vitality of our state.
Blythe explained that
Rocky Mountain Powers
wattsmart energy programs
and incentives are a great way
to save energy and money. All
these efforts combine to keep
Rocky Mountain Power elec-
tric rates among the lowest in
the nation.
Involvement in the com-
munity has always been a
hallmark of Rocky Mountain
Powers business in Wyo-
ming, said Blythe. Our
employees are part of the
communities we serve and
our company is a corporate
citizen in those same com-
munities. Whether its a com-
munity charitable donation or
financial support to economic
development agencies in the
state, we want our neighbors
to know they can count on
us as a partner in the com-
munity.
For more information
about Rocky Mountain Power,
check out the companys
website at www.rockymoun-
tainpower.net.
For individual help with
your service or account, you
can speak with a custom-
er service representative at
1-888-221-7070.