Author: Kiersten Sundell
In an effort to step out into new avenues of advocacy, Generation Atomic has recently become an associate member of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). It is an honor to be accepted into an organization dedicated to enabling vital energy & broadband connections to communities across the US.
Ensuring rural communities are not left behind in the transition to cleaner sources is a vision both Generation Atomic and NRECA share. Early members of NRECA were connecting the first light bulbs and refrigerators on 1930’s era farms. Today their members are moving forward by investing in clean energy sources, expanding infrastructure, and bringing high-speed broadband to every locality in their areas.
Some members are already moving forward with not only wind & solar but nuclear technologies as well. Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems and Dairyland Power Co-op are pursuing Small Modular Reactor technology with NuScale Power. The Copper Valley Electric Association in Alaska is currently in the midst of a feasibility study to determine if the Ultra-Safe Nuclear Corporation has a product that will serve their needs.
Generation Atomic is prepared to assist with public messaging or state legislative assistance to these or any other groups which might be considering nuclear as a component of their clean energy future. We are also exploring community educational opportunities. Communicating the correct messaging on the many great benefits that nuclear can provide to coop members is an important part of our mission.
Outgoing NRECA Board President Chris Christensen has said, “…enhancing engagement with your members reinforces our connection to the community and maintains the co-op’s role as a trusted partner”. These sentiments also resonate strongly with us — earning trust through consistent engagement is invaluable for sharing any message.
We see nuclear as not only a key solution to climate change, but also to having an affordable, dependable, and secure energy infrastructure. While NRECA members are also rightfully interested in technologies that aren’t nuclear, they do want the same affordability, dependability, and security.
This seems like the start of a beautiful friendship.
