News and Events

Electric cooperative directors and employees are spreading the news about the co-op form of business and explaining how electric cooperatives are different to state legislators today. Fifteen teams of 4-6 co-op representatives have been spending time with the state's senators and representatives letting know there are utilities which are not investor-owned or municipal owned.

The co-op representatives also share their views on potential new legislation being considered by the state's legislature. Those proposed laws having an impact on the operation of the electric cooperatives and their consumers are on the top of the list for discussion by the co-op folks.

Jim Lewis polished off a 34-year career in the utility industry on January 3.  Jim has been a journeyman lineman, and a loss control and safety instructor for five different utility organizations.

Jim says, “It is time for some new blood, but I have no regrets and I have enjoyed my career.”

As director of loss control and safety services for Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association, Jim has seen one of his major duties really blossom. The GCSECA line school held annually in early October provides line workers for electric cooperatives and other public power utilities, like municipal and electrical district utilities, has grown immensely in his eleven years of oversight.

“I am really proud of being able to add the lineman rodeo component to the school several years ago. The rodeo competition means the guys really try to learn new things and then they perform them in timed events. But, we stress safety and proper completion over how quick they do their work,” notes Lewis. He says the participants’ time only matter in ties.

Lewis started his career in 1977 as a lineman for Ark Valley Electric Cooperative in Hutchinson, Kansas. After eleven years, he then worked for Federated Rural Electric Insurance Corporation of Lenexa, Kansas as a loss control consultant. Four years later, we went to work for the Kansas Electric Cooperative Association in Topeka as an instructor for their loss control program providing training to the 32 electric cooperatives across the state.

Jim’s next career stop put him in South Dakota in 1992 when he went to work for the state’s electric cooperative association in Pierre as a safety instructor. In 1998, he assumed the director duties over the safety program there. The warmer weather in Arizona brought him in late 2000 to work in the same capacity for GCSECA, headquartered in Phoenix. 

Jim holds a number of “certified” instructor titles and has been a longtime member of the National Utilities Training and Safety Association. In 2008, he led GCSECA’s efforts to become the second electric cooperative statewide association in the country to achieve safety certification.

Jim reflected, “I take a certain sense in pride in knowing the things I have taught over the years may well be the reason some of the co-op workers have gone home in one piece to their families.”  

As this new Web site was "turned on" last Thursday, December 16, the settings for GCSECA's incoming email were changed. Unfortunately, this resulted in staff being able to send email on Friday but not receive any for several hours. If you sent an important message to GCSECA staff on Friday, December 17, you may want to resend the message. We're sorry for the inconvenience.

This two-and-a-half-day overview will be led by the always popular Bob Witter, a noted utility expert. He will review the 2012 National Electrical Safety Code. His session will cover the major changes in the Code and include real-life examples to illustrate the reasons behind the changes. 

Each participant is expected to have a copy of the new Code as reference during the workshop. This is one of a number of sources for the Code - http://www.techstreet.com/cgi-bin/detail?vendor_id=5194.

Available in book form and on CD, Witter prefers attendees bring the Code in book form. In addition to the Code, participants should bring paper and pen.

There will be a lunch break and participants will be on their own.

Dates, Class Times and Location:

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 2012;

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2012;

and 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, January 12, 2012

THe event is tentatively set for Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association Office at 120 N 44th ST, STE 100, Phoenix, AZ 85034. However, it may change due to the number of people enrolled. 

Click here for registration PDF.