In the news – February 2026

plenty to appreciate about the cooperative spirit

January was a challenging month, weather-wise, here at home and across much of the country. Cold temperatures tested people, equipment, and daily routines. Farmers worked to keep waterers open, vehicles struggled to start, and all of us felt it in our bones. At the same time, a major winter storm impacted large portions of the United States, stretching electric systems well beyond what many regions are accustomed to handling.

Here in the Upper Midwest, snow and ice are familiar. Our systems — and our crews — are built with winter in mind. But when severe winter storms hit the South or the East Coast, the impacts can be significant. Ice and heavy snow in areas not designed for those conditions can cripple electric infrastructure and leave communities without power for extended periods of time.

That’s where the cooperative network comes into play.

As part of the nationwide electric cooperative system, Minnesota crews were called upon to help stage lineworkers in areas that could potentially be affected. Two of our linemen, Austin Irlbeck and Jake Sell, answered that call and volunteered to help. While the area where they were stationed did not experience outages like those seen farther south, their willingness to step up is a powerful reminder that we are part of something much bigger than our local service territory.

Ninety years ago, neighbors came together to build an electric system that served rural America when no one else would. They understood that cooperation — working together for the greater good — mattered. That same principle still guides us today, whether it’s responding to storms, planning for the future, or supporting one another when help is needed.

Closer to home, we’re also having important conversations about the future of power in our own service territory. At the end of January, members of the Nobles Cooperative Electric team were on hand at a Geronimo Power open house in Worthington to visit with community members about a proposed project in our area. Projects like this naturally raise questions about what the future of electricity looks like and what it could mean for our cooperative and our members.

We value these opportunities to listen, share information, and help members understand our role in a changing energy landscape. If you have questions — about this project or about how your cooperative plans for the future — we encourage you to reach out.

As we continue our 90th anniversary year, moments like these remind us that while much has changed, the cooperative spirit remains at the heart of everything we do — locally, regionally, and nationwide.

- Adam Tromblay - CEO/General Manager