The last two years have shown consumers how volatile pricing can be – from gas to building supplies to vehicles. Most recently, propane prices have skyrocketed, leaving some people planning for  a costly heating season. If you’re looking for something rock solid, take advantage of an air-source heat pump on your co-op’s off-peak electric heating program for your next system replacement or new home.

For the last decade, our low off-peak electricity price has remained stable, protecting you from the harsh, sometimes pocket-emptying cost swings of propane. With the off-peak electric program, you still have the choice to utilize a backup fuel source when it’s very cold, and you have more control over your monthly expenses. It’s the comfort and security you’ve been longing for.

What is the demand response – or “off-peak” – program?

The demand response program is voluntary for our members, and it has become a popular way to save on heating and cooling by reducing your exposure to variable propane prices. Participants allow our power supplier, Minnkota Power Cooperative, to remotely turn off electric heaters and other interruptible loads in exchange for a discounted retail electric rate. This enables Minnkota to more effectively manage its existing power resources and avoid adding new, costly electric generating resources.

Save money with an air-source heat pump

Because of their advanced efficiency, the cost to run an air-source heat pump (ASHP) often falls well below the cost of propane-only heat. The difference grows when propane prices rise, which can happen without much notice. North Star offers hundreds of dollars in rebates to help offset the cost of installing a qualified ASHP. In addition to protecting you from unpredictable fuel prices, ASHPs maintain the same comfort you expect without the need to endlessly monitor fuel levels. Electric heat doesn’t run out, so you can avoid more seasonal refills and messy maintenance. Plus, less reliance on fossil fuels means fewer emissions inside and outside your home.

• Your service location description
• Your phone number(s)

Please let us know of any changes by filling out the form enclosed with your bill, and including it with your payment.  If you are on paperless billing or on ACH/autopay, you can email us at nsec@wiktel.com, message us on Facebook Messenger, or call us at 218-634-2202 with any updates.

Provide us with your information by August 31, 2021 and be entered into a drawing for a $50 bill credit!

View the August 2021 Enlightener online!

In this month’s Enlightener:

• Operation Round Up helps local organizations
• Please verify your member information for chance at $50 bill credit
• Pioneer beans recipe submitted by member Kara Stromlund
• Prize winners at the fairs
• Residential energy efficiency incentives
• Manager and staff reports

We know that COVID-19 has created additional financial hardships, placing an even larger burden on families already struggling to pay their bills or bring their accounts current. If you are experiencing difficulty paying your electric bill, the Energy Assistance Program (EAP) helps pay for home heating costs and furnace repairs for income-qualified homeowners and renters.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce has expanded EAP by raising income eligibility and extending the deadline to apply to Sept. 1, 2021. Households with incomes at or below 60% of the state’s median income may be eligible, which is about $65,000 in annual income for a household of four.

To learn more about the EAP program or to apply for assistance:

• Visit the Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Assistance website, https://mn.gov/commerce/consumers/consumer-assistance/energy-assistance/, for more details and to access the application portal.
• Contact your county EAP service provider for additional information and assistance.

North Star Electric Cooperative exists because of you, and we are dedicated to the people and communities we serve. If you are having difficulty paying your electric bill and do not qualify for either of these programs, please contact Sue Williams at 218-278-6658 to set up a payment plan.

North Star has a 1965 Clark CY 70 forklift up for bid. It is propane powered, has 7,000 lbs. lifting capacity, and is located at our Littlefork office.

To be considered, bids need to be delivered to North Star’s Baudette office by 4 pm on Friday, July 2, 2021. Contact Kevin Holen with any questions at 218-634-2202.

Would you like to serve as a director on the North Star Electric Cooperative Board for your district? North Star Electric is governed by a seven-member board of directors elected by our membership. There are seven districts located within our service area, and any co-op member is welcome to run for an open board position within the district that the member’s primary residence is located. Directors elected will serve a four-year term. This year we will have a director election in Districts 5 and 6.

American EV startup Rivian performed cold-weather testing for its newest R1T all-electric pickup truck. Situated far north near the Canadian border in Baudette, Minnesota, the R1T is seen here frolicking in the largest cold-weather testing facility in North America across acres of ice, snow, and forest, where temperatures regularly dip below -30 degrees Fahrenheit during the cold season.

The test facility known as Automotive Enviro Testing (AET),  is a former radar base of the United States Air Force and offers up to 25 road courses, including autocross ice test tracks, steep grades, a slush pool, and a combination of surfaces to “capture winter weather at its worst,” said Rivian.

Check out this video about the Rivian team’s experience while testing their vehicles at Baudette’s unique cold-weather test facility. (Spoiler alert: The results were great.)

We know that COVID-19 has created additional financial hardships, placing an even larger burden on families already struggling to pay their bills or bring their accounts current. If you are experiencing difficulty paying your electric bill, the Energy Assistance Program (EAP) helps pay for home heating costs and furnace repairs for income-qualified homeowners and renters.

EAP primary heat grants range from $200 to $1,600 depending on family size, income and energy costs. In addition to primary heat grants, crisis-benefit grants are also available. For the second year in a row, the Minnesota Department of Commerce has increased the maximum annual crisis-benefit grants for qualifying households from $600 to $1,200.

Despite the large infusion of dollars into the EAP program, applications for primary heat benefits are down by about 10%, and applications for crisis benefits are down by about 30%. The EAP application deadline is May 31, 2021, but may possibly be extended until July 1, 2021

To learn more about the EAP program or to apply for assistance:

• Visit the Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Assistance website, https://mn.gov/commerce/consumers/consumer-assistance/energy-assistance/, for more details and to access the application portal.
• Contact your county EAP service provider for additional information and assistance.

Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule also helps to protect and reconnect residential heat from Oct. 15 through April 15.

North Star Electric Cooperative exists because of you, and we are dedicated to the people and communities we serve. If you are having difficulty paying your electric bill and do not qualify for either of these programs, please contact Sue at 218-278-6658 to set up a payment plan.

North Star has three vehicles up for bid.  To be considered, sealed bids must be delivered to North Star’s Baudette office by 4 pm on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.  Contact Marty Mollberg with any questions on these vehicles at 218-634-2202.

2002 Ford F150 with171,000 miles

2009 Chevy Silverado with 188,000 miles

1996 GMC Digger truck – 4950 engine hours, 112,400 miles – 3116 Caterpillar engine