Touchstone Energy Cooperatives hosthot air ballon for RAGBRAICo-ops show commitment to their communities

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Thousands of bicyclists were greeted by the TouchstoneEnergy hot air balloon when the Register’s Annual Great BikeRide Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) came to Spencer, Humboldtand Hampton July 22-24. The balloon’s appearance wassponsored by Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, HumboldtCounty REC, Franklin REC, Corn Belt Power Cooperativeand Touchstone Energy.

The balloon was created in 2000 to serve as a goodwillambassador for Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, promotingthe brand and the values of integrity, accountability, innovationand commitment to community.

Over 77 feet tall and 60 feet wide when fully inflated, the balloon holds more than 77,000 cubic feet of hot air and is fired by dual propane burners. The balloon features fabricpanels and has a 14-cubic-foot basket.

With winds too high Sunday evening in Spencer, the ballooncould not fly, although the route had the 10,000-plus cyclistspedal by the displayed basket and Touchstone Energytransport van. Weather conditions were better in Humboldt,where visitors were given tethered rides above the downtownfestivities. The balloon and its crew then traveled on toHampton for the next evening.

Cheri White, chief pilot and general manager of the balloonteam, has been flying balloons for over 30 years and has over1,250 pilot hours. She is a former Women’s National Hot AirBalloon Champion.

White comments, “RAGBRAI is a fascinating event. The communities really pull together to host – there’s anamazing amount of work to make it all happen. It’s a goodplace for the Touchstone Energy balloon to appear because it promotes the goodwill of the cooperatives and theirinvolvement in their communities.”

The Touchstone Energy balloon has been seen by more than 10 million people at events. More than 250Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have hosted the balloonin 27 different states.

A Touchstone Energy® CooperativeCorn Belt Power Cooperative

At left | The Proeber family from Muskego, Wis., participated in the Register’s Annual Great Bike RideAcross Iowa (RAGBRAI) and enjoyed a tethered ride in the Touchstone Energy balloon in Humboldt July 23.

August 2007 | Volume 56 | Number 8

Directors from Basin Electric PowerCooperative, Bismarck, N.D., toured WisdomStation, Spencer, July 12, to get an up-closelook at Wisdom Unit 2, jointly owned by BasinElectric and Corn Belt Power Cooperative.

Five of Basin’s 10 directors plus one spousetoured the site, visiting Wisdom Unit 1’s controlroom where both units 1 and 2 can be operated.They also toured Wisdom Unit 2’s combustionturbine, generator and controls.

Mike Thatcher, vice president, generation,and Tim Oetting, plant manager, explainedoperation of the both Wisdom units andanswered questions concerning coal purchases,the units’ output and relationships withneighboring farmers.

“The Basin directors got a chance to see the unit they own 50 percent of. When WisdomUnit 2 is referred to in their boardroom, theywill now have a concrete idea of what the plantis like,” explains Thatcher.

Commenting on the tour, Wayne Child, BasinElectric’s president, said the plant personnelwere very accommodating and answered allquestions. “I was very impressed,” he said.“They made every effort to make sure we had a chance to see every aspect of both units and to make sure all our questions were answered. I really appreciated their hospitality.”

Other Basin Electric directors participating inthe tour included Gary Drost, Reuben Ritthaler,Roberta Rohrer and Dean McCabe, and hiswife, Jan.

The Basin directors stopped at WisdomStation after attending a meeting in Okoboji andbefore returning to the Spencer Airport for theirflight home.

Basin directorstour Wisdom

Corn Belt Power Cooperative | www.cbpower.coop

Above | Basin Electric Power Cooperative owns 50 percent of Wisdom Unit2 combustion turbine, shown in the lower right of the photo. The unit came online in 2004.

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Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative appoints new director

The Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative (ILEC) Board of Directors hasappointed Craig Deim, Swea City, to fill the director’s position vacated by the resignation of Dennis Knoner, Swea City. Knoner resigned due to hismove to Forest City. The change was effective following the July 26 ILECboard meeting.

Josh Smith achieves journeyman status

Josh Smith has completed the apprenticeship program and has beenpromoted to journeyman electrician in the Humboldt electrical maintenancedepartment. Smith started with Corn Belt in February 2003, working on the Hampton electrical maintenance crew. In July of 2005, he transferred to Humboldt.

Smith completed four years of apprenticeship and several courses tobecome a journeyman.

Sac County REC holds annual meeting, elects new director

Members of Sac County REC elected a new director at the cooperative’sannual meeting July 18 in Wall Lake. Kim Laursen, Sac City, was elected to the seat formerly held by Norman Kolbe, Sac City, who retired from theboard of directors after more than 25 years of service. Kolbe, a retired CornBelt Power director, plans to move from his family farm to Sac City.

Members also re-elected Neil Pullen, Sac City, to the board. Officers re-elected were Dennis Mauser, Early, president; Pullen, vice president; Jeff Cranston, Odebolt, secretary; and John Franken, Schaller, treasurer.

Kenneth Kuyper, executive vice president and general manager, Corn Belt Power Cooperative, presented a forecast on future energy requirements andcosts. Barry Buehler, Youth Tour participant, spoke about his trip toWashington, D.C., in June.

This year’s meeting took on a new format with a catered evening mealserved at the Wall Lake Community Building. Attendance totaled 276 with106 members present. Each member received a compact fluorescent lightbulb. Door prizes included electric bill credits and children’s toys.

Chad Lankford, first class lineman, staffed a display that featured a metershowing the difference in kilowatt-hour usage between incandescent andcompact fluorescent light bulbs. Additional information on energy-efficientelectric water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and radiant heat was also featured.

On July 10, MidAmerican EnergyCompany changed the name of theCouncil Bluffs Energy Center to theWalter Scott, Jr. Energy Center. Corn Belt Power is a joint owner of both Council Bluffs Units 3 and 4.

The name change is in recognition of Scott’s commitment to the developmentof the greater Omaha-Council Bluffscommunity and his service as a director of MidAmerican Energy HoldingsCompany (MEHC).

The renaming of Council Bluffs EnergyCenter occurred during the MEHC boardof directors meeting hosted on site. Allnecessary regulatory, operating permit andsignage changes will be made this summer.

Council Bluffs 3 and 4 will now beknown as WS-3 and WS-4. Corn BeltPower owns approximately 26 megawattsof WS-3 and 42 megawatts of WS-4.

Council Bluffs 3, 4

get new name

A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative< www.cbpower.coop>

Above | Council Bluffs 4, which came on line June 1, is part of thenewly named Walter Scott, Jr. Energy Center. MidAmerican EnergyCompany renamed the energy center July 10.

Sixty-four participants golfed in the Corn Belt Power

Cooperative/REC/NIMECA Golf Tournament held July 14 at Spring Valley Golf Course,Livermore. The winning four-some included Norm Fandel, Jeff Ten Napel, Denny Kinseyand Jim Kurth of Midland Power Cooperative with a score of 61. Second place went to Dick Anderson, Pat Walsh, Doug Dau and Jed Skogerboe of Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative, with a score of 64. The Card family – Shorty, Troy, Sheldon and Mylon –received third place with a score of 66.

News in brief

< www.cbpower.coop>

Craig Deim

Josh Smith

Norman Kolbe

Kim Laursen

Golf tourney held

Touchstone Energy Co-op Values | Integrity | Accountability | Innovation | Commitment to Community

The Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Relay for Life Team participated inthe relay walk and raised money by selling concessions, luminaries andraffle tickets, raising approximately $1,800. Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative is a corporate sponsor in Emmet County and also donates toRelay for Life fundraisers in Kossuth, Clay, Dickinson, Pocahontas, PaloAlto and Buena Vista counties.

The power of human connections

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDHumboldt, IowaPermit No. 32

pA Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

Published monthly for the employees and associates of Corn BeltPower Cooperative.

Watts Watt, the official publication of Corn Belt Power Cooperative,is published monthly by Corn Belt Power Cooperative, 1300 13th St.North, Humboldt, Iowa 50548-0508.

www.cbpower.coop

Copyright 2007

Kenneth H. Kuyper, Executive Vice President and General Manager

Kathy D. Taylor, Editor; Vice President, Corporate Relations; CCC

Corn Belt Power Cooperative

Corn Belt Power CooperativeA Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

1300 13th Street North

Humboldt, Iowa 50548-0508

Summer energy-saving tipsTake control of your summer electricity use:• Turn up the thermostat. For each degree the thermostat is turned up,

approximately 3 percent is saved on cooling costs. • Clean and replace air filters on the air conditioner at least once a month.

A dirty filter can add as much as 10 percent to cooling costs.• Lower the temperature on the water heater. A setting of 120 degrees

provides comfortable hot water for most uses.• Use a microwave when possible to cook or warm a meal. A microwave uses

up to 50 percent less energy than a conventional oven.• Turn off the computer. Conserve energy by turning off or using sleep mode

for any computer not in use for two hours or more.• Wash full loads of laundry. Also use cold water when possible.

Children enjoy a ride in theTouchstone Energy balloon duringRAGBRAI in Humboldt July 23.