Access Energy Honored for Economic Development Leadership
Access Energy Cooperative
Honored For Economic Development Leadership
Commitment to community and creating partnerships with local economic development efforts are at the foundation of Access Energy Cooperative's mission. Access Energy was recognized at the Northeast Missouri Power Cooperative's (Access Energy's power supplier) annual meeting in Palmyra, Missouri, which focused on preparing for the future.
Access Energy received the Iowa Area Development Group System Award for Project Development for outstanding leadership and support of the Cambridge Investment Group project in Fairfield, Iowa.
Access Energy was successful in securing a $500,000 USDA Rural Development zero-interest loan to assist the company in building a 40,000 square foot office complex on a 40-acre campus near the community. The company already employs 150 people and has plans for additional employment and further development of the property in the future.
Also at the meeting, the board and management of Access Energy heard reports from Northeast Power and Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI) on what to expect over the next several years from our power suppliers.
AECI's vision remains to be the lowest cost wholesale power supplier, even with upcoming financial issues related to environmental controls, additional needed power supply, and rising costs to produce energy.
Environmental controls over the next four years are expected to cost AECI $249 million in pollution controls, which expect to reduce nitrous oxide emissions an additional 50% over the 80% they've already been reduced over the last 10 years.
New generation plants are being developed as a purchased 580 MW natural gas plant, a new 660 MW coal plant, and two 50MW wind energy projects.
Attending the annual meeting for Access Energy Cooperative were Board members: Don Atwood, Ron Campbell, Richard Bloomquist, Dwight Krebill, Frank Hasenclever, Fred Hickenbottom, and Marvin Holtkamp. Accompanying them were General Manager/CEO Robert Swindell, Director of Engineering David Peer, Director of Finance and Information Systems Vernon Mitchell, and Director of Marketing and Communications Kimberly Brumbaugh.
Caption:
Rand Fisher (left) of the Iowa Area Development Group presents the 2005 System Award to Access Energy Cooperative Board of Directors President Richard Bloomquist for outstanding achievement in project development in recognition of the Cooperative's leadership and support of the Cambridge Investment Research project in Fairfield. Also pictured from Access Energy Cooperative are General Manager/CEO Robert Swindell and Kimberly Brumbaugh, Director of Marketing and Communicatio