MCREA Hosts Fellow Co-ops for Statewide Meeting

Collective voices for a common goal — that’s the cooperative model. It is what led our founding members to establish Morgan County REA in 1937, and it continues to guide our electric co-op today. It is also why MCREA is proud to be a member of the Colorado Rural Electric Association, along with 20 other electric cooperatives in the state.

In late May, MCREA was privileged to host CREA for its monthly meeting. Throughout the two-day event, board directors and general managers from electric co-ops across the state visited Morgan County to learn about the people and places that make our co-op and community unique.

The event kicked off with a tour of Quail Ridge Dairy just south of Fort Morgan. Owner Chris Kraft provided an excellent tour of the facilities, teaching attendees about all aspects of the dairy industry. From the feed mixers to the milking parlors, the group learned about the immense work that goes into producing milk.

The CREA group also saw the newest addition to the dairy: a methane digester. Aside from that being built at Quail Ridge, more are being built at other dairies in MCREA’s service territory. Simply put, dairies supply manure into the digesters, where microbes separate it into biogas and digested solid. The biogas can be used to generate electricity and heat homes. It can also be purified to renewable natural gas (RNG), which can be injected into the natural gas distribution system.

Dairies like Quail Ridge supply the manure but also receive the residual material after it has been separated from the biogas. This digestate can be used as organic fertilizer, animal bedding and more. Methane digesters are becoming more prevalent, especially with markets for RNG in places like California. The group enjoyed learning more about the technology. (Carrie Hickson, acct. #xxx4400)

The next day, CREA’s official meeting was held at MCREA headquarters in Fort Morgan. Throughout the day, members of CREA’s board and staff were highly complimentary of MCREA’s facilities, employees and overall co-op hospitality.

As a proud member of CREA, MCREA is grateful for the opportunity to host neighboring co-ops to share about the people and places that make our service territory what it is.

WIN $ 25 OFF YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

Each month, Morgan County REA gives two lucky members a chance at a $25 credit on their electric bill, just by reading Colorado Country Life.

Congratulations, Roger Littlefield! You spotted your name in the May issue and received a $25 bill credit! There are two more MCREA member names and their account numbers hidden somewhere in this issue. If you find your name and account number, call MCREA member services at 970-867-5688 by July 31 to claim a $25 credit on your bill.

July is always a big time in Morgan County. The excitement of Independence Day parades, rodeos and fireworks displays are time-honored traditions that the community looks forward to. But the fun doesn’t stop there. The second full weekend of July is home to another huge event: Bobstock Music Festival.

Taking place in downtown Fort Morgan, Bobstock is two days full of music, vendors, food trucks and fun activities for the whole family. The best part? Bobstock is free to attend, making “big city” entertainment available for the community and visitors to enjoy.