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History

Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative Inc. can attribute its success to the vision and forethought of its founding members and to those who were chosen to carry the cooperative torch since its inception.

The humble beginnings of what is now Mor-Gran-Sou Cooperative Inc. actually began in 1940, when the people of rural America were learning that electric service could possibly be extended to their homes and businesses through the use of finances from a government agency known as the Rural Electrification Administration, better know as the REA. Like many rural Americans, the Flasher Commercial Club of 1940, composed of Flasher businessmen, decided that an REA financed electric cooperative was their ticket to receiving low cost dependable electric service like their cousins who lived in larger cities.

The commercial Club president C.R. Albrecht, Carl Borge, M.J. Moorhead, C.C. Shearer and R.F. Hoffman were appointed to investigate an REA project in Kindred, N.D. and, if favorable institute such a program in the Flasher vicinity. After visiting with superintendent Strehlow of the Kindred project the group recommended that immediate action be taken to continue and contacted the REA and begin organizational procedures.

REA field representative Bud Carroll was sent to help with a preliminary survey of the area. E.F. Weinrich, R.H. Spielman, L.T. Craige, C.C. Shearer and Carol Borge provided volunteer transportation for Carroll to meetings held in the area. The efforts from Mor-Gran-Sou came from all areas of the three counties. This is reflected at the organizational meeting held in June of 1941 when the temporary Board of Directors was chosen.

Original Board of Directors

Those chosen included: C.L. Albrecht, Flasher, president; James McGrath, Fort Rice, vice-president; Mrs. Eleanor Borge, Flasher, secretary-treasurer; John Toman Jr., Flasher, P.G. Rausch, Raleigh; Fred P. Schones, Shields; John M. Klein, Huff; R.W. Reed, Cannonball; Walter Smith, Mandan; Weaver Colins, Fort Yates and R.B McDonald, Solen. These thirteen people acted as the incorporators of the cooperative. Mor-Gran-Sou was legally incorporated under the laws of the State of North Dakota on August 26, 1941.

The unfortunate outbreak of war in 1941 caused a delay in the realization of "rural electrification" in Morton, Grant and Sioux counties. Although Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative, Inc. saw its birth in 1941, activities to make Mor-Gran-Sou a provider of central-station power to the areas of Morton, Grant and Sioux counties finally materialized years later. On December 6, 1945, REA approved the first loan in the amount of $210,000 to construct 173 miles of line.

Mor-Gran Sou Electric Cooperative Inc., under the direction of Art Leno Coordinator of Rural Electric Systems, purchased the Flasher Electric Company from Hans Jorgenson in 1946, but the actual operation of the plant began in May of 1947. The first employees of Mor-Gran-Sou included C.O. Stoddard who was employed to operate the plant in May of 1947, later joined by Paul Baarstad in August of 1947. At midnight, in the month June 1948, Mor-Gran Sou employees Stoddard and Baarstad witnessed the shut down of the diesel plant that served Flasher and the start up of a 24-hour central power station. Arnold Ketterling was employed by Mor-Gran-Sou in September of 1948 as the organizations first Office Manager.

Pictured above is Carl
Albrecht who was
the first member
of Mor-Gran-Sou.

Carl Albrecht was the first member of Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative, Inc. The first farm service to receive electricity was that of Herbert Friese of New Salem on May 29, 1948. The last area to receive service was Sioux County. The generating plants at Shields, Solen and Fort Yates were purchased in 1952, with the contract completion date of January 1953.

What has come to light in the 21st Century is the visionary development of long-term reliable electric service to the region. Mor-Gran-Sou, working with the Bureau of Reclamation, was a key player in the development of the hydroelectric resources associated with the dams along the Missouri River. In the 1940's and 1950's the Garrison dam was in the initial planning phase as part of the Pick-Sloan Project. As part of the benefit from the flooding of farmland, it was determined that the electrical generation from these dams should go to rural areas. Because of this philosophy the Rural Electric Cooperatives, irrigation Districts and Municipal Utilities were allocated portions of the generation output. They became what are known today as Preference Customers.

In the beginning Preference Customers purchased power from the Bureau of Reclamation, who was responsible for operating the dams. In later years, the generation of electricity and the transmission of the power were split. A new organization, known as the Western Area Power Administration, was formed to manage the transmission of electrical power. The vision demonstrated by signing long-term power agreements for the energy has contributed to the success of Mor-Gran-Sou. This vision came forth again in the late 1950s.

During the later years of the 1950's, the Bureau of Reclamation determined the existing hydroelectric facilities were not going to meet the ever-increasing consumer demands. The electric cooperatives, of the region, felt that it was in their best interest to take control over their long-term power supplies came together to create a transmission and generation system. The result of this concept was the birth of Basin Electric Power Cooperative in 1961.

Today Mor-Gran-Sou receives approximately 21% of its annual electrical needs from the Western Area Power and Administration, whose corporate office is based in Lakewood, CO, with the balance of needed power purchased through an All Power Requirements Contract from Basin Electric Power Cooperative headquartered in Bismarck, ND.

At its inception, Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative Inc. largely served farm and ranch loads. Today we still serve these, but also serve many other types of members. Our fastest growing type of load is the residential home, located in housing subdivisions. In recent years Mor-Gran-Sou has tipped the scale and serves more urban than rural members.

The role of management has played a key role in the successes Mor-Gran-Sou experienced. As mentioned Art Leno under the title of Coordinator of Rural Electric Systems worked for the cooperative until April 1949 when he resigned his position with Mor-Gran-Sou and on May 16, 1949, Wallace Timpe assumed the position of manager. On December 1, 1969, Wallace Timpe passed the management torch to John W. Allen. Allen remained at the helm of Mor-Gran-Sou until January 1, 1989 when John L. Sims was hired as General Manager. Allen's official retirement date was January 20, 1989. Manager Sims resigned on March 4, 1994. Connie Rossow was selected as Interim Manager until August 1, 1994 when Donald A. Franklund was hired as the General Manager/CEO of Mor-Gran-Sou Electric. On January 1, 2008, a management alliance called Innovative Energy Alliance, LLC., was formalized. Innovative Energy Alliance, LLC, currently managed by Alliance Co-Managers Donald A. Franklund and Clayton O. Hoffman, provides management services to Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative, Inc., Roughrider Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Slope Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Mor-Gran-Sou grew as the employee base and member/owners demands grew. By 1952, the original office building and storerooms that the personnel operated from were now inadequate. In February, of that year, a steel Quonset was purchased to provide temporary office and warehouse space. The main office building, located at 202 6th Ave W was completed June of 1955. The old light plant building and lots were sold in 1956. In 1979 another addition was added to the existing building headquarter building.

Currently, the Mor-Gran-Sou employees are housed at three different locations including the Mandan Service Center at 2816 37th St NW where we share a facility with Missouri West Water System in Mandan, the Fort Yates Service Center and warehouse located at 9714 Highway 24 in Fort Yates, and the Mor-Gran-Sou headquarters located in Flasher.

The board, management and employees of Mor-Gran-Sou are committed to providing solutions for the needs of today and tomorrow's members. Our history provides us a glimpse into the past while our vision for tomorrow provides us an opportunity to leave a legacy for those in the future.

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