At Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative (TWEC), reliability and safety go hand in hand. Much of our work happens behind the scenes, maintaining equipment, clearing right-of-way, inspecting our system, and planning for risks before they become problems. One important example is TWEC’s Wildfire Mitigation Policy.
Todd-Wadena was the first electric cooperative in Minnesota to formally adopt a wildfire mitigation policy, putting a framework in place to identify wildfire risks and establish practices designed to reduce the potential for our electric system to contribute to a fire.
Wildfire risk is often associated with western states, but Minnesota is not immune. Dry conditions, high winds, drought, vegetation, and severe weather can create conditions where a small spark can quickly become a serious threat. As weather patterns change and extreme conditions become more frequent, we believe it is important to prepare for risks before they become emergencies.
Our Wildfire Mitigation Policy brings together many of the practices TWEC already uses to operate a safe and reliable electric system. This includes vegetation management and right-of-way clearing, system inspections, equipment maintenance and replacement, protective devices, operational practices, employee training, and monitoring conditions that may increase fire risk. It also gives us a framework to continually evaluate our system and adjust our practices as technology, industry standards, and conditions change.
Being the first Minnesota cooperative to establish this type of policy wasn’t about checking a box. It was about recognizing an emerging risk and asking, “What can we do today to better protect our members and communities tomorrow?”
That is an important part of our responsibility as your locally owned electric cooperative. Our poles and wires stretch across thousands of acres of farmland, forests, wetlands, and communities. The decisions we make about how that system is designed, maintained, and operated have a direct connection to the people and places we serve.
A strong wildfire mitigation strategy does not mean every fire can be prevented. It means we are taking reasonable, proactive steps to reduce risk, prepare our employees, and ensure we have clear procedures in place when conditions become elevated.
Many of the most important investments we make at TWEC are ones members may never notice. A tree trimmed before it reaches a power line, equipment replaced before it fails, a system inspected before a problem develops, or a policy established before it is required may not make headlines, but those actions matter.
Planning ahead is part of how we protect the reliability, safety, and long-term strength of your cooperative. TWEC’s Wildfire Mitigation Policy is another example of our commitment to doing just that.
Daniel Carlisle
President/CEO & General Counsel
