MMPA was awarded a “System Innovation Award” by the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (MMUA) at the organization’s summer meeting on August 22. The award recognized MMPA’s leadership and innovation in developing its customer engagement & education and generation portfolio.

The award presentation recognized a number of MMPA’s innovative achievements, including the Hometown Wind program, Hometown BioEnergy, Energy Education, the Hometown Solar grant program, and Shakopee Energy Park.

MMPA is managed by Avant Energy, Inc. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Avant performed the consulting studies that led to MMPA’s formation. Since then, Avant has partnered with MMPA, transitioning from consultants to management over the past twenty-plus years. Today, Avant performs all of MMPA’s management and operations functions, including long-term power supply planning, daily energy market operations, development of new generation facilities, accounting and finance, energy trading, and regulatory services.

Photographed: Bob Elston (President, MMUA) & David Niles (Avant Energy, on Behalf of MMPA)