As the son of a co-op lineworker, Sen. Kevin Cramer understands electric cooperatives in a way no one else in Congress can.

“My father was a lineworker, and I spent three summers at Cass County Electric working with lineworkers. They are some of the most dedicated and skilled tradesmen,” the North Dakota Republican senator said at the 2022 opening of the Lineworker Training Center at the North Dakota Association of Rural Cooperatives (NDAREC) headquarters in Mandan.

“Lineworkers brave the freezing winter cold and the sweltering summer heat to ensure the lights stay on when we need it the most.”

Sen. Cramer, a native of Kindred, North Dakota, learned more about the electric industry as a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission, where he helped regulate the rates of investor-owned utilities for nearly a decade.

“Energy is kind of his forte,” says Josh Kramer, NDAREC executive vice president and general manager. “He’s obviously a go-to guy in Congress for us and NRECA for all things related to the electric grid.”

The senator, who serves on the Environment and Public Works Committee, has supported issues crucial to co-ops, including permitting reform, supply chain improvements and the importance of funding the Rural Utilities Service loan program that helps co-ops improve their systems, Kramer says.

Sen. Cramer also opposes the Environmental Protection Agency’s power plant rule, which requires existing coal plants that plan to operate past the start of 2039 and new natural gas plants to capture 90% of their emissions by 2032. Critics fear it will halt the creation of new gas plants and force the premature shutdown of coal plants.

“He’s been an advocate for not shutting down our coal plants in North Dakota and champions the need for dispatchable power,” Kramer says. “He prioritizes the reliability of the electric grid.”

At the same time, the senator has been an advocate for developing new technology, Kramer says.

Sen. Cramer has been a strong proponent of Project Tundra, an effort led by Minnkota Power Cooperative, in partnership with the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center, to retrofit the coal-fired Milton R. Young Station with carbon capture technology.

He even invited EPA Administrator Michael Regan to North Dakota to hear more about the project a few years ago.

“Regan was very appreciative of having that experience,” Kramer says. “It’s not too often a Republican senator works as closely as he did with a Democratic administration. It helps us build bridges to discuss the issues facing electric cooperatives.”

Mac McLennan, Minnkota’s president and CEO, has praised the senator for his support of Project Tundra and his efforts to help the project utilize tax credits to support innovation.

“As the energy industry faces rapid change, Sen. Cramer’s leadership on preserving reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity is more important than ever,” McLennan said in a statement.

Sen. Cramer says electric co-ops “are essential to keeping affordable, reliable electricity flowing across North Dakota.”

“Rural co-ops, like those across our state, balance innovation, investment and cost-effectiveness for customers,” he says. “As a former public service commissioner and son of a rural electric lineman, I have a deep appreciation for our co-ops and their work to keep the lights and power on through storms and blizzards.”

Recently, the senator pushed back on efforts by the U.S. Postal Service to cut back on delivery to rural communities.

NRECA is asking USPS to reconsider its proposal to curb evening mail service in rural areas. Service cutbacks could cause problems for co-op consumer-members who don’t have access to high-speed internet service to receive or pay their electric bills, NRECA says.

“The senator just signed onto a letter with many of his colleagues urging the postal service to halt these moves and make sure our rural places continue to be served,” Kramer says.

The freshman senator and former three-term House member stopped by the statewide association in September for a visit, something he does regularly when he’s home, Kramer says.

“Sen. Cramer is very approachable,” he says. “We can pick up the phone and call him, or he’ll call us to get our opinion on an issue. He speaks at our statewide meetings whenever he can, and our members have great access to him. He’s always there for us.”