Fresh off our national electric cooperative meeting, it’s no surprise data centers were a “charged-up topic,” just as they are at the national, state and local levels. This gathering brings electric cooperative leaders together from across the country to discuss and tackle the challenges of our ever-changing industry and inspire us to rise to meet the moment.
There is much apprehension and concern about the rapid growth of data centers and their strain on the electric grid, local communities and price of electricity. And rightfully so, as these large, fast-growing energy loads run the risk of outpacing the infrastructure needed to support them. The good news is electric cooperatives were built for moments like this.
It’s important to remember the purpose of established utility service territories and recognize who has invested in and deployed infrastructure, and supported farms, ranches, businesses, rural economies and communities for generations. While electric co-ops are not in the business of chasing big loads, they do welcome responsible growth. When approached thoughtfully, large loads, such as data centers, processing facilities for agricultural and energy production, can help share fixed costs, improve efficiency and load patterns, stabilize rates and strengthen reliability for the entire system. You can read more about data centers and the electric cooperative approach on page 24.
Also in this issue, we celebrate this magazine for winning the 2025 George W. Haggard Memorial Journalism Award, which recognizes the nation’s top statewide electric cooperative magazine for overall excellence. It may not be an award readers know by name, but in the cooperative world, it’s a big deal. One judge called North Dakota Living “the gold standard in locally produced electric cooperative journalism.”
I’m incredibly proud of our team and grateful for the support we receive from our member cooperatives and our readers. Our editor, Cally Peterson, and I often talk about the responsibility we have to use this platform for good, and we’re committed to telling stories about rural America in a way which honors the people we serve.
Those conversations will soon become less. As you’ll read on page 4, Cally is beginning a new chapter as she signs off as editor of North Dakota Living. Many agree her words, her stories and even her featured recipes have often felt like greeting a friend as you page through the magazine each month.
On behalf of our entire cooperative family, I’m deeply grateful for the passion Cally poured into this publication, for the way she honored and advanced the legacy of North Dakota Living, and for how she brought to life the people, places and issues at the heart of our cooperative communities.
Thank you, Cally, for your time at the helm telling our story. As we turn the page, we remain firm in our commitment to serving cooperative members. North Dakota Living will continue to be the vibrant, reliable and trusted publication co-op members have valued for generations.
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Josh Kramer, editor-in-chief of North Dakota Living, is executive vice president and general manager of NDAREC. Contact him at jkramer@ndarec.com.
