Flathead Electric Cooperative names Weyerhaeuser Energy Partner of the Year
Flathead Electric Cooperative has named Weyerhaeuser as its inaugural Energy Partner of the Year. Pictured from left to right are Flathead Electric Co-op CEO Mark Johnson, Weyerhaeuser MDF Plant Manager Kyle Cram, Electrical Superintendent Nick Sparagna, Evergreen-Kalispell Complex Manager Jared Richardson, Electrical Supervisor Ben Fabling and FEC Energy Services Supervisor Andy Masa. (Courtesy photo)
Weyerhaeuser, which manufactures lumbers and plywood in Kalispell and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) in Columbia Falls, recently completed the Energy Smart Industrial (ESI) Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program offered through the Co-op and its wholesale power provider, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).
When Weyerhaeuser began the program, it set a goal to reach 2% in energy savings per year. Through continued participation — and diligent, hard work — Weyerhaeuser more than doubled this goal, achieving 4.24% in energy savings. That equaled 1,381,850 kilowatt hours (kWh) in year one. Every kilowatt hour Weyerhaeuser saves is one kilowatt-hour that doesn’t need to be generated elsewhere, whether by hydropower, coal, solar, or other generation, according to the co-op.
Co-op CEO and General Manager Mark Johnson presented Weyerhaeuser with its Energy Partner of the Year award.
“However impressive Weyerhaeuser’s economic impact is on the Flathead Valley, at Flathead Electric, we are humbled by their commitment to partnering with us to manage their energy use in ways that benefit all members,” Johnson said.
As part of its energy efficiency process, Weyerhaeuser’s energy team solicited energy savings ideas from internal team members that led to 47 completed energy projects. Today, the Energy Team meets weekly to discuss current and proposed energy savings items. These regular meetings involve employees across multiple departments and have led to incredible energy and cost savings for Weyerhaeuser, and by extension, all members of Flathead Electric Cooperative.
“Weyerhaeuser has a long-standing relationship with Flathead Electric Cooperative and Bonneville Power Administration and a shared interest in sustainability,” said Kyle Cram, Columbia Falls plant manager for Weyerhaeuser. “We’re honored to receive this recognition and appreciate the employees who implement these energy improvement projects as part of our daily operations. Advancing energy efficiency is essential to our long-term success in Montana, and we continue to explore new ideas to minimize our environmental impact and achieve our ambitious energy efficiency goals.”
Andy Masa, energy services supervisor for the co-op, noted that Weyerhaeuser’s savings are an incredible lesson that energy efforts make a difference.
“The savings Weyerhaeuser has achieved are the equivalent of one year of the energy use of 187 average homes in our area — this is a big deal, especially on a transmission-constrained system like ours,” he said.
Residential members of Flathead Electric Cooperative can learn more about improving energy-saving and/or efficiency efforts at flatheadelectric.com/energy-solutions
Nonresidential members should call at 406-751-4483 and ask to speak with Energy Services.