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Press Release

RESCO Reports Record Inventory Shipments in Response to April Blizzard in the Dakotas, Eastern Montana

May 26, 2022

Williston, ND – Rural Electric Supply Cooperative (RESCO), a member-owned, not-for-profit electrical wholesaler and one of the Midwest’s largest full-line distributors of high-voltage electrical products, has shipped a record amount of equipment, supplies, and materials to its electric cooperative members following a strong blizzard that downed utility poles and power lines in parts of the Dakotas and Eastern Montana in late April, resulting in power outages for thousands of households and businesses.

Employees at RESCO’s Williston, ND, warehouse shipped 370,000 pieces of storm material over the last 30-plus days, a record amount over that specific time frame (the typical storm response duration is four to seven days, which makes this situation very unique).

These products were essential in helping its cooperative members restore power to their customers.

“This strong blizzard that struck the region April 22-24 delivered a swift and powerful blow to the region’s power grid, with thousands of poles and lines downed due to the rain, snow, ice, and intense winds that the storm unleashed on us,” said Chris Pederson, RESCO regional vice president. “Given the widespread amount of damage, our cooperative members needed supplies and materials well in excess of what they normally would for storm-related repairs, and we responded immediately.”

Pederson adds that the RESCO warehouse team continues to process deliveries and ship orders daily to member cooperatives still in need of materials to repair damage and restore power in areas impacted by the April storm.

“When an event like this occurs, it’s an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ scenario, and our dedicated teams in both the Williston and Moorhead, MN, warehouses, as well as the Purchasing Department in our Middleton, WI, office, did a fantastic job of keeping up with inbound shipments and outbound orders of products,” he said.