Eau Claire Energy Cooperative (ECEC) was awarded Over $1.1 million in funding from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) for two major projects aimed at improving grid resiliency.
PSCW awarded funds to 11 electric cooperatives across Wisconsin, recognizing their essential role in maintaining and improving the state’s electrical grid infrastructure. These grants are a testament to the
critical work being done by cooperatives to ensure that rural communities have access to reliable
electricity.
One of the awarded projects is aimed at rebuilding portions of outdated overhead power lines. By enhancing the structural integrity of these overhead lines, the cooperative will significantly reduce the
likelihood of outages and improve overall service reliability for its members.
The second awarded project will facilitate the upgrade of a portion of the cooperative’s traditional oil
reclosers to smart reclosers. Smart reclosers offer numerous advantages, including the ability to operate
on a wider variety of time-current curves compared to conventional oil reclosers. This will allow for better
coordination of devices and minimize the frequency of outages, providing members with a more reliable
and more resilient electric grid.
Projects will begin construction in 2025. Members will not see any changes to their power during this upgrade. Eau Claire Energy Cooperative will continue to provide safe, reliable, and affordable power for many years to come.
