Hulett Museum receives $4,500 grant for HVAC

SUNDANCE, Wyo. - The Hulett Museum recently received funding of $4,500 for heating and cooling system upgrades for the community museum facility in Crook County.

The grant is a result of combined efforts by Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp) and its wholesale power supplier Basin Electric. The $2,250 in PRECorp funds will come from proceeds associated with the company’s WyREC renewable energy credits program. As member/owners of Basin Electric, PRECorp then requested and received $2,250 from Basin’s member/owner match program.

“Thank you, Powder River Energy Corporation and Basin Electric for supporting the Hulett Museum as we improve our facility. Your contributions allow us to complete an important and long overdue upgrade and focus our efforts on other endeavors,” the Hulett Museum and Art Gallery Foundation Board said in a statement.

The WyRECs program offers the sale of renewable energy credits to companies within and outside of the state of Wyoming with sustainability objectives interested in reducing their environmental impact. Lunavi (formerly Green House Data) of Cheyenne, is one of those companies in the past who has offset their carbon footprint by purchasing renewable energy credits through the program. Lunavi purchased WyRECs from PRECorp, who reinvested those funds in community development projects.

“This is an innovative means for PRECorp to meet its strategic theme of ‘Member Engagement and Community Development,’ by facilitating business creation, retention, and economic development to benefit communities,” said PRECorp VP of Member Service Jeff Bumgarner. Other WyREC grants have assisted the Old Stoney project in Sundance, and economic development studies in Upton.

The WyREC program is made possible because of PRECorp’s membership in Basin Electric Power Cooperative, which has significant wind energy projects throughout its service territory.

For more information about the program or how to offset your energy consumption in Wyoming, contact Jeff Bumgarner, WyREC program manager at (307) 283-4905, or jeffb@precorp.coop.

ABOUT Hulett Museum, Basin Electric, and PRECorp

Hulett Museum: The Hulett Museum & Art Gallery has made its mission to collect and preserve the history and culture of northeastern Wyoming. The Museum seeks to inspire, educate and enrich the lives of community members and visitors by collecting and preserving prehistoric and historic artifacts. These objects are artifacts of the heritage of the people of Hulett and the surrounding areas. Go to https://hulettmuseum.com/ for more information.

Basin Electric: Basin Electric is a consumer-owned, regional cooperative headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota. It generates and transmits electricity to 131 rural electric system members in nine states. These member systems distribute electricity to about 3 million consumers. Basin Electric gives back to the communities it serves through its member cooperatives, of which PRECorp is a member.

Powder River Energy Corporation is a member-owned, nonprofit electric cooperative headquartered in Sundance, Wyo., serving approximately ­­­27,000 active electric meters at residences, ranches, coal mines, oil and gas wells, businesses, and industry in the five counties of northeastern Wyoming. For more information go to www.precorp.coop.  

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PHOTO CAPTION: (PRECorp Photo) The Hulett Museum and Art Gallery Board receives a $4,500 donation from PRECorp and Basin Electric on Monday, August 1. Pictured from left are Board members Barbara Goodvin, Lori Tucker, Merle Clark, and Pam Gustafson, PRECorp Communications Spc. Tim Velder; Museum Director Korina Ike, and PRECorp VP of Member Service Jeff Bumgarner.