Electric Co-ops Meet the Moment as Technology Advances and Demand Surges

Electric Co-ops Meet the Moment as Technology Advances and Demand Surges

From GridPulse, a Grid Forward podcast by gridforward

March 24, 2026 · 31 min · Episode 74

About this episode

Jim Matheson discusses how electric cooperatives are adapting to meet the challenges of rising demand and technological advancements.

What does it take to power rural America in a time of fast-changing technologies and rising demand and costs? Jim Matheson of NRECA shares insights into how electric cooperatives are adapting to meet supply chain pressures, infrastructure needs, and the rapid growth fueled by data centers and other energy demands. He also discusses the importance of federal financing and the cooperative model to maintain affordability and reliability on the rural grid. How well are U.S. co-ops suited to meet the day? Tune in to listen to our lively conversation.

People in this episode

Guest: Jim Matheson

Topics covered

  • electric cooperatives
  • technology
  • rural energy
  • supply chain
  • infrastructure
  • federal financing

Keywords

  • affordability
  • reliability
  • data centers
  • energy demands

Mentioned in this episode

Places: America, U.S.

More episodes of GridPulse, a Grid Forward podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the GridPulse, a Grid Forward podcast podcast page.