WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Tim Lindahl, former Wheatbelt Public Power District CEO and current CEO of Kenergy in Kentucky, spoke before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy power grid security.  

 “I’m testifying today on behalf of the National Rural Electric Cooperatives otherwise known as NRECA, which represent nearly 900 cooperatives nationwide. At Kenergy, we serve about 60,000 homes and businesses across 14 counties. We also support a robust industrial base and have built over 3,500 miles of fiber infrastructure to help evolve our grid, and provide broadband to our rural economies,” Lindahl said. 

He said the power grid is under a constant threat of cyber and physical attacks. He added that protecting the electric grid is the top priority of the nation’s co-ops.  

“To rural electric cooperatives, these threats are not abstract.  They’re real, they’re sophisticated, and they’re growing,” he said. 

He outlined the impact of electricity cooperatives and their impact on the nation.

"We operate without profit incentive. We power over 42 million Americans, Americans including critical infrastructure including hospitals, data centers, and more than 150 military installations," Lindahl said.

Speaking for the 900-plus electric cooperatives, he advocated for safe, reliable and affordable energy. He also stressed the importance of protecting the grid.

"Protecting the grid is the top priority for the nation's co-ops. We are making smart investments, training our workforce, and sharing threat intelligence to keep the lights on. With continued partnership and targeted federal investment, we can strengthen our defenses, and ensure the security of the energy infrastructure that powers our nation. The electric grid is too critical to our existence for it to fail. We must get it right each time, every time, all the time," Lindahl said.