BOONE, Iowa—Local leaders joined representatives from Midland Power Cooperative for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on the co-op’s Boone administrative office and power line training facility to be located at 2005 South Story Street, Boone – southwest of the intersection of Story Street and Hwy 30.
While the electric co-op has had power line crews stationed near Boone for many years, in October 2018 the cooperative announced its intentions to expand its office locations to include an office at Boone. The addition of this facility will improve office access to many Midland Power members.
“We are excited that by expanding on our existing presence in the Boone area, we will increase our accessibility to a larger number of our members and be able to better support our future growth in this area,” said Midland Power Board President Jack Runge.
Forty-five percent of the cooperative’s membership is within twenty miles of Boone. The addition of an administrative office will allow the cooperative to enhance services and convenience to a large percentage of its membership. Increased access to workforce will be another advantage, as the cooperative will be able to draw from the Boone, Story and Greene County labor markets to meet its future workforce needs.
The location of the future office and training facility was selected with safety in mind. “Having a facility that is a quick turn off of Hwy 30 yet located at a controlled intersection was appealing for convenience and safety of all facility visitors and employees,” said Runge.
The new all-electric facility will feature energy efficient technologies, including a geothermal heat pump and high efficiency air conditioning unit, LED lighting with occupancy sensors and natural light through efficient low E windows, and wall, foundation and roof insulation exceeding code minimums.
Components of the geothermal heating and cooling system will be supplied by B & D Mfg, Inc., Scranton, Iowa.
“Midland Power Cooperative has been a long-time supporter of energy-efficient geothermal technology, and we’re excited to have a geothermal system that will be manufactured right here in Iowa,” said Norm Fandel VP of Business Development and Member Services.
Open office hours and services, such as making payments and signing up for electric service will continue to be offered at the cooperative’s offices in Jefferson and Humboldt. Moreover, the cooperative will continue to have line crews working out of its Service Centers in Jefferson, Humboldt, Iowa Falls and Boone.
Midland Power is an electric cooperative serving more than 12,000 member businesses and households in portions of seventeen Iowa counties. The cooperative’s headquarters office is located at 1005 E. Lincoln Way, Jefferson, Iowa.
(contributed press release, Midland Power Cooperative)
