Economic Development

West Richland Mayor Brent Gerry, right, accepts an energy-efficiency incentive check from Bob Evans, vice president of the Benton REA Board of Trustees. PHOTO BY SHANNON OLSEN

Wastewater Treatment Efficiencies Save City 1.7 Million kWh

On August 9, Benton REA presented the city of West Richland the second of two rebates for energy-efficiency improvements to its wastewater treatment plant. “Since 2016, there have been two major efforts completed where energy savings has persisted and reduced operational expenses for the city of West Richland ratepayers,” says Tony Simon, with the Bonneville…

Map of Benton REA Purchased Property in West Richland (Keene Road and Cooperative Way))

Benton REA Buys Land for New Administration Building in West Richland

Electric prices will not increase due to phased construction schedule.  After years of research, the Benton REA Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 17.79 acres on Keene Road in West Richland in December 2021. The land will be home to a new Benton REA administration building, with room to add operations facilities, truck bays…

Ruppert Substation bus work

Ruppert Substation to be Energized in December

Benton REA’s newest electric distribution substation is scheduled to come online in December. This eight-bay power distribution hub will receive 115 kilovolt electricity from Bonneville Power Administration transmission lines near Ruppert Road in West Richland. It will transform the high-voltage electricity to 12.4 kV, making it ready to send through Benton REA’s distribution power lines.…

Ostrom Mushroom Farms Energy-Efficiency Rebate 2021

Ostrom Mushroom Farms Receives $102K Energy-Efficiency Rebate

Ostrom Mushroom Farms accepted a $102,585 energy-efficiency rebate from Benton REA, its electric cooperative utility, on November 18, for construction and installation of energy-saving equipment at their Sunnyside facility. In 2019, Ostrom’s installed several energy-efficient measures including LED lighting, water-cooled chiller equipment and variable frequency drives on air handlers, cooling tower fans, boiler fans and…

A man and woman lean on the kitchen countertop looking at an i pad the man is holding

Benton REA Pays Back $1.75 Million to Members

Benton REA will pay back more than $1.75 million in ownership credits this summer. This amount is shared among more than 17,400 active and inactive members. People and businesses that receive electricity from Benton REA are members and owners of the cooperative. All utilities have margins, but only electric cooperatives like Benton REA allocate and…

David Hanson, executive director, and Ken Trainor, director of operations for Sunrise Outreach Center food banks accept a check for $3,000 from Benton REA Board President Connie Krull (center).

Benton REA Donates $15K to Local Food Banks

Fifteen thousand dollars is helping feed local families thanks to Benton REA and matching funds from CoBank, one of the utility’s lenders. Benton REA received a $7,500 matching grant from the CoBank Sharing Success program. Together, the $15,000 donation will help families through three organizations within the Benton REA member service area. Nine thousand dollars…

Someone handing a cashier their Co-op Connections Card

Co-op Connections App Offers Local Coupons Without Scissors

Co-op Connections is a free coupons program brought to you by Benton REA. Benton REA wants to help you stretch every dollar when running errands, planning a trip or taking care of you and your family. Your Co-op Connections Card will help you to save money at local restaurants, service providers and retailers. The card…

Hot air balloons fly over Prosser in the 2017 Great Prosser Balloon Rally

Wanted: Donation Requests

Benton REA is seeking community donation requests. Those meeting the following guidelines will be granted on a first-come-first-served basis.  Only one donation request greater than $200 per organization, activity or group will be considered per calendar year. A maximum of three total donations per organization each year will be awarded. Requests exceeding $500 may be…

On August 31, 2020, an Ellensburg Solar technician installed solar panels on the roof of a YCH building in Sunnyside. PHOTO COURTESY OF YCH

YCH Installs Largest Solar Array in State

In August, Yakima Chief Hops, a 100% farmer-owned hop supplier for the brewing industry and a Benton REA member, announced its latest solar panel installation. YCH now has 3,706 solar panels, the largest rooftop solar array in Washington state. YCH has offices located across the globe, but the company’s headquarters are based in Yakima, which…

Property Manager Kari Kallio and Owner Don Winton accept a $80,196 window rebate from Benton REA for upgrades to the Westview Gardens Apartments in West Richland.

$80K Window Rebate Makes Energy-Efficient Upgrade Possible

If you live in or drive by Westview Garden Apartments on West Richland’s 38th Avenue, you will notice new paint and new roofs. What you cannot see is residents enjoying lower electricity bills from their new, energy-efficient windows. “The windows are awesome,” says one apartment resident. “Our electric bill is down about $30 a month…