Sunshine Provides Savings for All

FreeState’s Board of Trustees and staff have a member-centric outlook and consistently look for opportunities that benefit our members. That’s why we joined 11 other Kansas cooperatives in 2021 as part of the Kansas Sun Power Program. That program partnered with Today’s Power, Inc. to build solar farms at our Oskaloosa and Stranger substations — powering those members directly.

But, we didn’t stop there. The success of that program prompted us to partner with Evergy Energy Partners in our West District to build three additional solar sites at our Crooked Post, Kiro and Stull substations.

These local renewable projects provide FreeState a unique opportunity to set an example for working together for the greater good. Cooperative projects like our five solar sites provide members with a local energy source purchased directly from our partners through a power purchase agreement (PPA). The PPA allows us to supplement wholesale power purchased at a competitive rate, and allows us to pass on those savings to every member.

It’s how ample sunshine provides FreeState with savings, and powers our members every day. Each solar site is tied into the adjacent substation, so if you get your electricity from one of these substations you are also getting the advantage of local, renewable energy without investing in solar yourself.

However, all FreeState members benefit from solar production, not just members who are on those substations or those who choose to invest in their own solar. As a distribution cooperative, FreeState purchases the power used by our members, and now we can add solar into our energy purchases — and that means everyone benefits!

FreeState’s solar farms help the co-op manage peak demand on the hottest summer days — when solar production is high by allowing us to purchase lowcost, renewable energy and reduce our needs.

When solar farms are constructed, infrastructure upgrades are necessary and that means improved system performance and reliability.

More information about FreeState’s renewable portfolio, solar power and member-generated distribution follow in this issue. We are proud to harvest local, renewable and economical energy, which is vital to serving our members.