Verendrye Electric Cooperative
Encyclopedia
Verendrye Electric Cooperative is a public utility cooperative
based in Velva, North Dakota
, but also has a service center in Minot
. It serves rural consumers across a seven-county area in north central North Dakota
, but the bulk of its service area lies within Ward and McHenry counties. Verendrye Electric receives power from the Central Power Electric Cooperative
- in fact, Verendrye took the lead in establishing Central Power in 1949 after having to deal with a 30% rate hike from its previous power supplier in 1948.
It is named after the French Canadian
explorer La Vérendrye
; and for its first two years, it was headquartered in the small town of Verendrye, North Dakota
(northwest of Karlsruhe; now a ghost town).
Utility cooperative
A utility cooperative is a type of cooperative that is tasked with the delivery of a public utility such as electricity, water or telecommunications to its members...
based in Velva, North Dakota
Velva, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,049 people, 436 households, and 275 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,359.7 people per square mile . There were 483 housing units at an average density of 626.1 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.33% White, 0.10%...
, but also has a service center in Minot
Minot, North Dakota
Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...
. It serves rural consumers across a seven-county area in north central North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, but the bulk of its service area lies within Ward and McHenry counties. Verendrye Electric receives power from the Central Power Electric Cooperative
Central Power Electric Cooperative
Central Power Electric Cooperative is a North Dakota-based electrical generation and transmission cooperative based in Minot, North Dakota and was founded in 1949. Central Power purchases power from Basin Electric Power Cooperative to serve its six member rural electric cooperatives. It also...
- in fact, Verendrye took the lead in establishing Central Power in 1949 after having to deal with a 30% rate hike from its previous power supplier in 1948.
It is named after the French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
explorer La Vérendrye
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye was a French Canadian military officer, fur trader and explorer. In the 1730s he and his four sons opened up the area west of Lake Superior and thus began the process that added Western Canada to the original New France in the Saint Lawrence basin...
; and for its first two years, it was headquartered in the small town of Verendrye, North Dakota
Verendrye, North Dakota
Verendrye is a ghost town in McHenry County, North Dakota, United States. The Verendrye Electric Cooperative was established here in 1939 but relocated to Velva within a couple years. By 2007, the remnants of the town amounted to two or three house foundations and the backless facade of an old...
(northwest of Karlsruhe; now a ghost town).