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Electric cooperatives earn safety achievement awards
MANDAN, N.D. — Fourteen electric cooperatives are being recognized for outstanding safety achievements in 2025.
“A strong safety culture in any organization adds to the value of its overall purpose and mission, but it is a non-negotiable for an electric cooperative. Cutting corners or unsafe safety practices can mean life or death when it comes to electricity and working on high-voltage equipment,” says Josh Kramer, NDAREC executive vice president and general manger. “That’s why we are proud to recognize electric cooperative achievements in safety, because it means everyone goes home safe to their families at the end of the workday.”
Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative, Columbus, earned the Safety Excellence Award, which recognizes outstanding performance in safety. To achieve this award, a cooperative must not have had a lost-time accident for five consecutive years.
“Many years ago, the cooperative set a safety goal, because we want our people to go home safely every day. That is our No. 1 commitment to our employees,” says Jerry King, general manager of Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative. “This achievement reflects the team’s commitment to working safely every day.”
Derek Sondreal, safety coordinator for Nodak Electric Cooperative in Grand Forks, earned the Stepping Up for Safety Award. The award recognizes outstanding electric safety advocates who demonstrate safe job performance and inspire peers through their actions, ultimately influencing a cooperative culture of safety. Sondreal has helped instill a team approach to safety, his colleagues say.
“Derek’s done a great job in his new role. He brings a fresh perspective to the important and critical profession of linework,” says Jay Raymond, line superintendent for Nodak Electric Cooperative.
In addition, the following cooperatives earned safety awards at a Jan. 15 ceremony held in Mandan:
The Safety Performance Award is presented to cooperatives with zero recordable injuries for one year. Nine cooperatives achieved this designation from Dec. 1, 2024, to Nov. 30, 2025:
Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative
Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative
Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Cooperative
McLean Electric Cooperative
Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative
Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative
Northern Plains Electric Cooperative
Roughrider Electric Cooperative
Slope Electric Cooperative
One cooperative earned the Significant Improvement Award, recognizing improved efforts in leadership commitment, employee engagement and continuous improvement in the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP), a national safety program among electric cooperatives:
Nodak Electric Cooperative
Six cooperatives earned the Certificate of Safety Achievement for successful participation in the RESAP program:
NDAREC is the statewide trade association for 17 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives operating in North Dakota. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to nearly 250,000 North Dakotans. NDAREC services include legislative advocacy, lineworker safety training, cooperative business and rural development, professional development and communication services, including publication of the North Dakota Living magazine.