Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation makes a difference in rural communities

During the August storm that struck Northwest Indiana, Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation (KV REMC) proved why they are a reliable resource for rural communities in the area. 

KV REMC stands out from other utilities by partnering with the communities they serve as a cooperative. Member-consumers who receive electricity from KV REMC are not just customers but are member-owners. 

Amanda Steeb, director of marketing and communications with KV REMC, knows very well just how the cooperative has used reliable, proven methods to keep their members connected.

“One of seven cooperative principles is Cooperation among cooperatives. The August storm took some utilities weeks to recover from. Our employees, with the help of fellow cooperative mutual aid and contractors restored power to our membership in 4 days,” stated Steeb. 

A distribution cooperative, purchasing its power from Wabash Valley Power Alliance, KV REMC serves portions of seven counties throughout Northwest Indiana including Porter, Starke, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Lake, LaPorte and Marshall counties. Regardless of the various weather KV REMC experiences, one thing is for sure, reliability is of utmost importance regardless of the storms, surging temperatures or other interruptions beyond members’ control. 

“The August storm was not an easy one to recover from. Nearly 12,000 members lost power, more than 70 poles were broken, miles of power lines were taken down, causing significant damage to our infrastructure. Being able to restore power in the timeframe that we did was because of the work ethic and determination of our employees,” stated Steeb. 

Prioritizing system improvements and right-of-way maintenance is what the co-op believes helped them weather the storm of August. 

“Maintenance is so important to KV REMC,” stated Steeb. “We are constantly working on vegetation maintenance and making sure that trees are trimmed away from lines.  This is a year-round process. Our commitment to this maintenance proved successful during the recent storm.”

The KV REMC team knows that they have a solid plan for keeping damage after natural disasters as low as possible.  Now that there has been a major storm testing their plan and recovery methods, the company understand that the best path forward is made by continuing what is already working. 

“At KV REMC, we are always looking for ways to do things a little better,” staid Steeb. “Our team is thinking ahead and tackling things before they become an issue.  When it comes to vegetation management, it’s not just about preparing the system for a storm. It’s about keeping our community and employees safe.”

“We’re always looking for ways to do things a little better,” said Steeb. “I’ve got to hand it to our leadership—they’re always thinking ahead and tackling things before they become an issue. When it comes to stuff like vegetation maintenance, it’s not just about getting ready for storms. It’s about keeping our community and our employees safe, day in and day out. That’s just how we do things—we stay on top of it, not just when we have to.”

To learn more about the difference KV REMC is making in the community, or for more information, visit kvremc.com.