Economic development Archives - Great River Energy https://greatriverenergy.com/category/economic-development/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:18:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://greatriverenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/GRE-favicon.png Economic development Archives - Great River Energy https://greatriverenergy.com/category/economic-development/ 32 32 East Central Energy’s financing program sees busy year https://greatriverenergy.com/economic-development/east-central-energys-financing-program-sees-busy-year/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:18:53 +0000 https://greatriverenergy.com/?p=4778 The board of directors for Great River Energy member-owner cooperative East Central Energy (ECE) approved four new Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) loans in 2024, providing $730,000 in financing to support a variety of economic development and business expansion projects in east central Minnesota. From food processing to fire trucks, this RLF — supported by the […]

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]]> Investing where they serve https://greatriverenergy.com/economic-development/investing-where-they-serve/ Thu, 11 Jul 2024 15:05:48 +0000 https://gredev.local/?p=4485 New headquarters demonstrate cooperative focus on economic development Many Great River Energy member-owner cooperatives have recognized the need to update their headquarters buildings, service centers and other facilities in recent years to better serve their members and ensure the safety of their staff. The unique ways they have approached these projects have created significant economic […]

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]]> Senior living projects address greater housing demand https://greatriverenergy.com/community/senior-living-projects-address-greater-housing-demand/ Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:54:13 +0000 https://gredev.local/?p=4209 Access to housing is a challenging theme in communities throughout the United States. Housing shortages exist for nearly all demographics and age brackets. The situation for individuals and couples seeking places to retire or needing health services is no different. Creating a greater supply of senior living offers hope for those entering the silver years […]

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]]> New fire engine ready to serve Jamestown area https://greatriverenergy.com/community/new-fire-engine-ready-to-serve-jamestown-area/ Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:24:24 +0000 https://gredev.local/?p=4086 The Jamestown Rural Fire Department’s newest truck has arrived and is ready to keep the community safe, thanks in part to a $25,000 donation from Great River Energy. The department covers a wide area surrounding Jamestown, North Dakota, including Great River Energy’s combined heat and power plant Spiritwood Station and the homes of many employees […]

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]]> Stearns Electric secures $1.5M USDA loan to support the state’s first whey-based distillery https://greatriverenergy.com/community/stearns-electric-secures-1-5m-usda-loan-to-support-the-states-first-whey-based-distillery/ Fri, 19 May 2023 14:06:41 +0000 https://gredev.local/?p=3615 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a $1.5 million loan to Stearns Electric Association through the Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program (REDLG) to support the owners of Redhead Creamery in their efforts to establish an innovative on-farm distillery that uses the leftover whey from their cheesemaking process to produce premium distilled […]

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]]> Unique loan program supports advanced manufacturing https://greatriverenergy.com/economic-development/unique-loan-program-supports-advanced-manufacturing/ Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:52:05 +0000 https://gredev.local/?p=3503 The Energy Efficient Equipment (E3) Loan Program administered by Great River Energy is seeing an uptick in activity as businesses work to overcome challenges related to workforce shortages, inflationary interest rates, and increased shipping and material costs. One recent example is Midstate Plastics Corporation, a thermoforming and injection molded plastics manufacturer based in the northern […]

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]]> Stearns Electric supports manufacturing facility expansion https://greatriverenergy.com/economic-development/stearns-electric-supports-manufacturing-facility-expansion/ Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:39:23 +0000 https://gredev.local/?p=3495 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a $1.5 million loan to Stearns Electric Association, one of Great River Energy’s 27 member-owner cooperatives, to support the expansion of the Berkon Outdoors manufacturing facility. Berkon Industries, LLC was established in 2001 as an all-cedar dock manufacturing company owned and operated by entrepreneur Eric Berscheid. Berkon […]

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]]> Event connects entrepreneurs, leaders to support economic growth https://greatriverenergy.com/community/event-connects-entrepreneurs-leaders-to-support-economic-growth/ Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:25:44 +0000 https://gredev.local/?p=3385 As part of its commitment to powering economic growth in the communities it serves, Great River Energy sponsored the fourth annual Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference. Led by University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality, this event brought together entrepreneurs, business leaders, economic development professionals, decision makers, and community champions from around the state to […]

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]]> Cooperatives serve members by investing in their communities https://greatriverenergy.com/community/cooperatives-serve-members-by-investing-in-their-communities/ Wed, 20 Jul 2022 16:05:20 +0000 https://greatriverenergy.local/?p=3251 Electric cooperatives serve their members with the electric power necessary for community businesses and residents to operate and live as they prefer. The economic development services cooperatives provide are also some of the most critical resources that local projects and communities need. But sometimes, the cooperatives are the economic development projects themselves. For example, some […]

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]]> Construction underway on Faribault air separation plant https://greatriverenergy.com/cooperatives-articles/construction-underway-on-faribault-air-separation-plant/ Thu, 16 Jan 2020 01:28:00 +0000 https://greatriverenergy.local/?p=2326 Construction is underway in Faribault, Minnesota, on an independently owned and operated air separation plant that will be powered by reliable electric service from Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric (SWCE), one of Great River Energy’s 28 member-owner cooperatives. Absolute Air—a consortium of five independent gas and welding supply distributors along with the Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative—will bring […]

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