Western Watts

What does it really take to keep your lights on—and your power bill low—in a changing energy world?In Episode 6 of the Western Watts Podcast, hosts Elizabeth Shilling and Julia Perry sit down with Lisa Tiffin, Senior Vice President of Energy Management, and Matt Fitzgibbon, Senior Manager of Planning Analytics at Tri-State. The conversation dives into the high-stakes world of electric resource planning: the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the grid reliable, affordable, and increasingly sustainable. They unpack the challenges of integrating renewables and battery storage, the economic trade-offs of energy decisions, and the essential role local communities play in shaping the future of power.

What does it take to power rural America? Join host Elizabeth Schilling as she uncovers bold ideas and personal stories at the Tri-State Annual Meeting with cooperative leaders Molly Lynn, Ruth Marks, Corey Robinson, and David Spradlin. From cutting-edge technology and legislative wins to community-driven wildfire strategies, hear how these innovators are reshaping the future of energy. Tune in for a dynamic blend of grassroots spirit and forward-thinking insight!

What’s it like balancing land stewardship with the responsibility of powering rural communities? In this episode of Western Watts, host Elizabeth sits down with Corey Robinson from Empire Electric, a board member and owner representative to the Tri-State Board. Corey shares his passion for energy and preserving the land and opens up about the unique challenges of delivering reliable, affordable electricity to rural areas. From his first annual meeting to Tri-State’s DC Fly-in, Corey emphasizes how face-to-face conversations shape better decisions for the future of the cooperative. 

What do 25 Tri-State annual meetings teach you about leadership and legacy? In this episode, host Elizabeth speaks with Ruth Marks, CEO of Mountain View Electric Association, who brings a wealth of experience from both the distribution and transmission sides of the cooperative world. Ruth reflects on decades of co-op evolution, the persistent need for affordable and reliable service, and the shared challenges that unite co-ops. She shares stories from a recent member panel and a major rebuild project that showcase the grit and teamwork at the heart of this industry. 

Can artificial intelligence and drones shape the future of rural power? In this episode of Western Watts, host Elizabeth interviews David Spradlin, CEO of Springer Electric Cooperative, David discusses his extensive experience in the co-op world, from his beginnings at Springer in 1986 to his role on the Board of Directors for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He shares insights on the advancements in technology and AI that are shaping the future of electric cooperatives, his focus on safety and reliability, and the importance of community connections. Join us for an engaging conversation about the challenges and opportunities in the energy sector and the invaluable role of cooperatives. Tune in to hear more about David's journey and his vision for the future. 

How does a six-person team keep the lights on across rural Wyoming? In this episode of Western Watts, host Elizabeth talks with Molly Lynn, General Manager of Garland Light and Power. Molly gives a behind-the-scenes look at how a small-but-mighty team delivers top-tier service through community connection and strong cooperative support. She talks about the advantages of being part of the larger Tri-State system and how small co-ops play a big role in shaping the future of energy. 

If you could do one thing today to improve the lives of your grandchildren, or even great great grandchildren, what would you want it to be? For Tri-State G&T CEO Duane Highley, that thing is providing them with reliable, affordable and responsible power.  In the final installment of his three-part interview, Duane discusses how the projects and decisions they’re making today will benefit cooperative members into the 2060s. He also lays out the work that goes into keeping prices low, even when the industry is doubling or tripling their rates.  It’s the cooperative difference in action, from an expert that’s been doing it for nearly four decades.  Like, subscribe and share with a fellow energy user! 

Join Tri-State's CEO for the second installment of his three-part interview to discuss something near and dear to his heart: reliability planning as it relates to increased demand, extreme weather and prehistoric reptilian monsters.All jokes aside, reliability is the driving force behind what Tri-State does for our members. Duane has been at the forefront of reliability planning and figuring out how to keep the lights on, no matter what. Duane also breaks down resource adequacy and how recent major storms have completely changed the model.  In addition to reliability, cooperatives like Tri-State have to balance cost in order to keep power affordable for our neighbors at the end of the line. Here, Duane dives into how powering communities is personal to him and his team. There is a real sense of authenticity within the co-op model because of the respect for the people he’s doing this work for. Like, subscribe and share with a fellow energy user! 

Tim Rabon can do a lot of things well, but retiring is not one of them. Get to know the busiest retired man you’ll ever meet and hear what Tim does as Tri-State's Chairman of the Board. Tim also walks you through an easy-to-understand history of why cooperatives exist and how crucial they are to the rural way of life.  The son of a World War Two veteran and life-long New Mexico rancher, Tim has seen the powerful effect of people coming together and discusses how that is the foundation of the co-op model.  Get to know more about Tim, Tri-State, cooperatives, and New Mexican pecans in this new episode. Like, subscribe and share with a fellow energy user! 

No one wants to hear the word wildfire -- except Curtis Hartenstine because he’s been working to mitigate their risk for most of his career. As the Wildfire Mitigation Program Manager at Tri-State G& T, the w-word has been a part of Curtis’ daily life for decades.  In this episode of Western Watts, we dive into how Curtis’ deep love of the nature has taken him from working at a shipyard in Martha’s Vineyard, to a field station in the Amazon forest, then the base of the Himalayas, and now to the Rocky Mountains where his daily work is centered around how to protect our members and the grid from wildfires.  Curtis details the immense effort that goes into managing a mitigation program for Tri-State's 200,000 sq mi territory with all its diverse ecosystems and terrains. Learn about the practices and technologies being used to help with early detection and as always, the brave men and women working year-round to deploy those strategies and keep our rural communities safe.  Stay tuned till the end for the fire preparedness advice that Curtis himself uses and how to apply that to your own life. Like, subscribe and share with a fellow energy user! 

Welcome to the first episode of Western Watts, Tri-State's new energy podcast! Who better to kick things off than our CEO Duane Highley? Duane joined Tri-State in 2019 and has almost four decades of experience with cooperatives, but this CEO is so much more than his resume. Learn about the French-horn-playing, motorcycle-riding, podcast-binging person behind the title and the beautiful, winding path that brought Duane and his family to Colorado.  This is part one of a three-part series with Duane where you’ll get to know the CEO, his plans for the cooperative, and maybe even some Godzilla talk.  Like, subscribe, and share with a fellow energy user!