Western Watts

“It's just this really beautiful world of really incredibly kind people who care about their community, who care about democracy, who care about education.”— Lauren Vernon, Government Relations AdvisorGo behind the scenes with Tri-State's Government Relations team as they share what it's really like to advocate for cooperative communities. From wildfire liability and educating policymakers about the cooperative model to an inside look at legislative sessions, this episode highlights the work being done to protect and strengthen Tri-State and our members.

Keeping the power on often requires long days, tough conditions, and strong leadership in the field. In this episode, Line Foreman Adrian Garcia takes us inside his current work along the Frontier–Picacho transmission line in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Adrian shares how he leads crews maintaining and restoring critical transmission infrastructure—and why their work is essential to system reliability for the communities our members serve.

From breakers to protective relays, reliable power depends on experts who know every detail of the system. As a Substation Technician, John Swanson works at facilities like the Cahone Substation, helping ensure our transmission system operates safely and efficiently each day. In this episode, John offers insight into his role at substations and how they help deliver power to our members. 

Reliable power starts with reliable communication. In this episode, Telecommunications Foreman Nick Franklin takes us behind the scenes of the systems that keep remote locations connected across the transmission network. From maintaining critical infrastructure to supporting safe, dependable power delivery, Nick’s work plays a vital role in keeping energy flowing where it’s needed most.

In this episode of Western Watts, hosts Elizabeth Schilling and Julia Eshleman sit down with Travis Berg, Vice President of Transmission Maintenance at Tri‑State, for an inside look at the people and systems that keep the power flowing. Travis breaks down how Tri-State's transmission line, substation, and telecommunication department work together across our four states, and why much of this critical work happens far from public view. From wildfire response and storm restoration to safety and leadership, the conversation highlights the skill, dedication, and teamwork behind grid reliability. It’s a powerful reminder that keeping the lights on takes far more than meets the eye, and that these transmission workers and their families all play a vital role.