Our People

Safety

At Minnkota, keeping our employees safe is our top priority. Minnkota has built a culture of safety through active awareness programs and consistent, hands-on training for all employees. The cooperative strives to be an industry leader in all aspects of safety. In 2024, Minnkota recorded its best-ever safety incident rate through Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI), ensuring that our employees – the individuals who work tirelessly to power our communities –return home safely each day.

Minnkota is committed to operating its power plants, high-voltage transmission lines, substations and other equipment in the safest manner possible.

Minnkota crew working to repair a transmission line after a summer storm

Minnkota crew member working on a repair at a substation

Minnkota lineworker in a harness working at night

Community Safety

Minnkota not only prioritizes safety among our employees, but also out in the communities we serve. We pride ourselves on communicating safety information through educational presentations and awareness campaigns.

Watch the Wires

In 2025, Minnkota and its member cooperatives launched Watch the Wires, a power line safety campaign. The objective of the campaign is to help reduce the number of public incidents involving electric infrastructure in Minnkota’s territory, with a focus on those in the agriculture sector.

Learn more about the Watch the Wires campaign here.

Power Line Safety

A hand reaching to unplug an appliance from an outlet

Outdoor Electrical Safety Tips

Always look for nearby power lines before you cut down any tree or trim branches. If a tree falls into a power line, or you notice a tree/branch that might interfere with power lines, contact your local electric cooperative.
Treat all power lines as energized. Never climb or attempt to handle a tree that has a limb caught in a power line. You may not see any visible evidence that the tree is “electrified” or dangerous.
If you are planning to plant trees on your property, make sure not to plant them directly under or within at least 25 feet of power lines for short trees, and at least 40 feet away for medium-sized trees.
Make sure to maintain required clearances between equipment and power lines. If you are working on a farm or in construction/contracting, use Minnkota’s Watch the Wires Safety Briefing with your team.
If a fire starts from a fallen power line, notify the fire department and your local electric co-op. Stay away from the site of the electrical hazard. Make sure others stay clear of the line and treat it as energized.

Indoor Electrical Safety Tips

Avoid overloading outlets with too many plugs, as they can overheat and start fires.
Inspect all cords and plugs for damage, and replace them immediately if necessary.
If you have children or pets, use tamper-resistant outlet covers to prevent shocks.
If you need any electrical upgrades or repairs, HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. Do not attempt it yourself.
Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, garages and basements to prevent shock hazards.
Unplug appliances when not in use to reduce the risk of fire.
Watch for warning signs. Flickering lights, burning smells, warm outlets, or frequently tripped breakers are signs of trouble, so get them checked out immediately.

Call 811

Call 811 before you dig! 811 notifies the appropriate utilities to locate (at no cost to you) utility-owned buried electric cable, TV cable, telephone lines and gas lines on your property. You can be held responsible for damages if you do not call 811 in advance. At least 48 hours before you begin a project that requires digging, call 811. Be sure to have the following information readily available: your name, address, township number, quarter section number and directions to your property.

Safe Electricity

SafeElectricity® is an award-winning, multimedia public awareness program of the Energy Education Council (EEC). Since the program’s creation in 2001, SafeElectricity® has been providing information to consumers and helping complement the safety education activities of utilities and educators. Minnkota and its member cooperatives use the program to help promote safe energy use among their members.