RAJAN For Dakota Electric Board 2022

04/28/2022

In two hours, the deadline for online voting for the 2022 Dakota Electric Board elections ends. If you or your friends and neighbors who are members have not voted yet, please urge them to do so. Less than 10% of members typically vote in these elections. If you are waiting for someone who does not want to transition our power generation portfolio to renewables, you will be disappointed and not find anyone. The differences between those of us on the ballot is not about what and how much- it is just about how fast. Please VOTE!

04/14/2022

If you live in Dakota Electric territory, ballots for the Board of this member-owned CoOp will hit your mailbox today or tomorrow. Please mark and return the ballots this weekend, if you can. You get to pick a director for each district (there are three directors for each district and each of them comes up for election once every three years).

And if I may be so bold, may I suggest that you vote for the following candidates, by district? 1. Raj Rajan, Lakeville (yup, that would be me); 2. Steven Lucas, Apple Valley; 3. Aaron R. Decker, Farmington; and 4. Stacy Miller, Eagan.

If you prefer doing things online, you can also vote at the CoOp's website. Login using your Dakota Electric Account Number and Election Passcode for this election (printed on your ballot).

04/13/2022

"Debates about distant future decisions and future uncertainties are distracting advocates, policymakers, researchers and the public from their shared, near-term goals."

"For the coming decade, rapidly reducing coal electricity and building extensive wind, solar and storage systems are low-cost strategies in many places, regardless of how much energy might or might not eventually come from renewables."

"Let’s also not argue about exactly how much carbon removal may be needed by midcentury. We can also move past the debate over whether we have all the technologies we need. Ultimately, we don’t know exactly what a net-zero emissions energy system will look like."

"We know enough to keep us busy for at least a decade: We need to deploy mature technologies (renewables, storage, electric vehicles, efficient equipment like heat pumps)."

- from an expert at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

We don’t know exactly what a net-zero-emissions energy system will look like, but we know enough to keep us busy for at least a decade.

04/12/2022

Dakota Electric members- every year, at this time, we get to exercise our authority and contribute to the selection of our CoOp's Board of Directors. Look for the ballot in your mailbox this week and remember to mark your choices and return it soon. Please consider voting for me in District 1. You can lookup the qualifications and experience I will bring to the Board, here, on this page.

As a cooperative utility, Dakota Electric's members have a voice in who serves on the board of directors. Ballots were mailed yesterday. You may easily...

04/05/2022

Dakota Electric Association members: Please look for this postcard in your mailbox sometime after your receive ballots.

A Dakota Electric member since 2013, I look forward to leveraging my 30+ years of experience working on energy and the environment in the private sector, to serve fellow members and help accelerate this transition. Please scan the QR Code below, to review my qualifications and experience. Share your support for my candidacy with our fellow Dakota Electric CoOp members.

03/31/2022

Clean energy is more affordable and reliable than ever before, prompting the most fiscally conservative commercial and industrial electricity users to make long term commitments for large-scale procurement. A Dakota Electric member since 2013, I look forward to leveraging my 30+ years of experience working on energy and the environment in the private sector, to serve fellow members and help accelerate this transition. Please click on the QR Code below, to review my qualifications and experience. Please share your support for my candidacy with our fellow Dakota Electric CoOp members.

03/31/2022

A Dakota Electric member since 2013, I look forward to leveraging my 30+ years of experience working on energy and the environment in the private sector, to serve fellow members and help accelerate this transition. Please scan the QR Code below, to review my qualifications and experience. Please share your support for my candidacy with our fellow Dakota Electric CoOp members.

03/24/2022

03/23/2022

Today (22 March 2022) is World Water Day. While we have all heard that water and electricity don't mix, all forms of thermoelectric power generation (coal, gas, nuclear, oil) need a lot of cooling water. Precious water we have less and less of everywhere- to meet our drinking, cooking, and cleaning needs. Nuclear power needs the most cooling water per unit power generated, coal is next and natural gas needs the least of the three. Used cooling water discharged to the environment is much warmer, adversely affecting fish and other aquatic life.

Also, atmospheric deposition of pollutants like mercury, from coal fired power plants, contaminates our ambient waters in lakes and rivers everywhere in Minnesota. About 25% of utility-scale electricity generation in Minnesota came from coal-fired electric power plants in 2020, down from 53% in 2011. As CoOp members, we need to keep asking our utilities to bring that number down further.. down to zero. Without affecting affordability and reliability. Also, we Minnesotans consume more electricity than is generated in the state. During the past decade, we received as much as one-fifth of our annual electricity supply from other states. We also need to pay attention to the sources of power we import into Minnesota.

Let's make this commitment, to celebrate World Water Day!

03/20/2022

"There are three Dakota Electric Board Members who represent each of four districts in our Electric CoOp's territory. One of the three seats in each district is up for election this year. In District 1, we have a 3-way race. Jeff Nelson is the other challenger in District 1. Jeff and I met last week. I recognize that we share common values and vision for our CoOp's priorities. You can only vote for one of us this year (and it is too late to change the ballots). Whether I win or not this year, I am committed to supporting Jeff's candidacy for District 1 next year, if he does not win this year." - Raj Rajan

PS: I shared and discussed this post with Jeff Nelson and he approves this message.

In accordance with Section 3, Article III, of the Bylaws of this Association, we the undersigned Nominating Committee, in a meeting held on January 25, 2022, have selected the following nominees for directorship of said Association to be on the ballot for the 2022 board elections: District Candidate...

03/20/2022

"What is Beneficial Electrification?"

"The use of electricity for end-uses that would otherwise be powered by fossil fuels, where doing so reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves consumers money."

To learn more about how Dakota Electric helps members, through incentives that enable adoption of beneficial electrification, read the February 2022 issue of the Circuits newsletter here.