A first for KEC, Rathdrum

RATHDRUM - Ground was broken and a new era started Thursday in Rathdrum.

Following 4 1/2 years of planning, construction begin on what will be a 180,000 square foot facility for Kootenai Electric Cooperative at 9014 W. Lancaster Road.

In 1979, KEC moved into its facility in Hayden on 10 acres. At that time, they serviced about 8,000 customers and had 30 employees, CEO Doug Elliot said.

“Today we serve over 30,000 customers and have approximately 110 employees,” Elliot said Thursday. “We’ve simply outgrown our current headquarters capacity to further grow with us.”

Mayor Vic Holmes gave a hearty welcome, noting that this is the first project within Rathdrum’s Urban Renewal District, which was created six years ago.

“This is a fabulous start to that,” Holmes said. “I couldn’t imagine a better start.”

The building will sit on 44 acres and will be three times as big as the current facility. Its design meets the needs of the company for the next 10 to 12 years, but it's designed to support future expansion, Elliot said.

The facility will support “modern utility operations, and the decentralization of operations during emergencies,” Elliot said.

Also part of the design is an indoor safety training center for line workers. Training can take place during inclement weather and apprentice line workers will have a safe environment in which to learn.

KEC plans to partner with “public power peers to provide similar training to their respective staffs throughout the region,” Elliot said.

The facility will also allow for a partnership with the nearby North Idaho College Workforce Training Center. KEC will support a new pre-apprenticeship program that's now in development stages.

The company worked with consultants determining the “most financially viable and effective way” to serve its members' needs for the next 40 years, Elliot said. The project represents a $53 million investment in KEC’s membership and the city of Rathdrum.

Construction is expected to take 18 months. Cooperative Building Solutions will manage the project.

“If mother nature cooperates as it is today and supply chains cooperate, we’ll be moving in around October of next year,” Elliot said.

The project is the result of professional collaborations between the city of Rathdrum, the Rathdrum and Coeur d’Alene Chambers of Commerce, and KEC. Kootenai County has purchased the existing KEC facility in Hayden for its expansion needs.

“We look forward to partnering with you and with the school district for internships,” Rathdrum Chamber President Chantel Koho said. “And maybe even employees later down the road.”