Lineworkers are often the most visible part of the electric utility. Whether performing planned rebuilds or working energized lines to avoid outages, their skill and teamwork are essential to reliability. Ride along with Line Foreman Adrian Garcia to see what goes into maintaining the backbone of the grid, day in and day out.

Substations are where power is controlled, protected, and prepared for delivery—but the expertise behind them often goes unnoticed. From protective relays to SCADA systems, substation teams ensure thousands of components work flawlessly together. Join Journey Level Substation Technician John Swanson as he performs critical testing that helps keep power flowing safely to our communities.

Not all of the work that keeps the lights on happens on poles or inside substations. Our telecommunications team designs and maintains the critical communication systems that allow crews, substations, and control centers to work together safely and in real time. Join Telecommunications Foreman Nick Franklin on a ride-along to see how this often unseen work keeps the grid smart, responsive, and reliable.

In 2025, Tri-State launched the organization’s first formal employee recognition program known as the Excellence Awards. Designed to honor individuals and teams whose work exemplifies the very best of who Tri-State is, the awards spotlight the outstanding contributions happening across the workforce every day, but the Excellence Awards did not happen overnight.

In the rugged terrain of northern New Mexico, keeping trees and plants away from power lines is a critical part of protecting electric reliability and reducing wildfire risk, especially along the transmission corridors in Carson National Forest. It became clear that without a more precise way to identify and manage incompatible vegetation in this area, efforts to maintain a safe distance between trees and lines would begin to fall behind.

Welcome to The People Behind the Power™, where we showcase the extraordinary work Tri-State employees are doing to keep the lights on for nearly 1 million energy consumers in the rural West. This series pulls back the curtain to share the real stories of the individuals whose dedication powers our communities. Because when you meet the people behind the power, you see the heart, talent, and perseverance that goes into every flip of a switch.

In rural America, nearly two-thirds of firefighters are volunteers, and they’re often the first line of defense when wildfires ignite. But as fire seasons grow longer and more intense across the West, these departments face mounting challenges. That’s why Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is partnering with San Isabel Electric Association (SIEA) to deliver superior technology and training to fighting fires, because the best wildfire response begins before the flames appear. 

Welcome to The People Behind the Power™, where we showcase the extraordinary work Tri-State employees are doing to keep the lights on for nearly 1 million energy consumers in the rural West. This series pulls back the curtain to share the real stories of the individuals whose dedication powers our communities. Because when you meet the people behind the power, you see the heart, talent, and perseverance that goes into every flip of a switch.