Kayla Wanous is KEC’s Lead Field Engineering Coordinator. She has worked for KEC for nine years.   

What made you interested in working for KEC? 

I was looking for a career at a company that offered the opportunity to grow in my professional development. While my education is in medical administration, my previous work experience prepared me to work well with a variety of people and also juggle multiple responsibilities. In addition, my husband is a lineman, which has helped give me a good understanding of the electric cooperative from the initial phone call with member service through the installation and energization of a new service.   

What does a day look like for you as the Lead Field Engineering Coordinator? 

A typical day for me consists of assisting members with new service requests, including members who need help bringing power to a vacant piece of land or modifying their electric service (such as building a shop or adding an EV car charger). I also work closely with KEC’s project engineering technicians who are responsible for electric distribution line design and more. 

As the lead, I am responsible for training and mentoring fellow field engineering coordinators in our department. I’ve also taken the lead on responding to member inquiries about installing solar panels, which have increased in number recently. 

What advice would you give a member interested in clean energy? 

Although 96.6% of the power KEC sells is carbon-free, we understand some members would like the option to be 100% carbon-free in their energy purchases. For those interested in renewable energy without the up front investment, I would recommend looking into KEC’s community solar project or carbon-free energy options. These programs help support clean energy without the initial investment or maintenance costs that are involved with member-owned generation systems. Learn more about these programs here. 

For those members interested in installing solar panels or other renewable energy resources—we are here to help! Check out the article on the next page to learn more about the factors to consider before making an investment. 

How should a member who is interested in solar or wind generation get started? 

Visit www.kec.com/member-owned-generation where you will find helpful common questions and answers along with our application packet and instructions on how to submit the application. We can also walk you through the process if you call our office at 208.765.1200.

What is the biggest challenge in your job? 

The biggest challenge in my job right now is ensuring new members understand the new construction process. From the initial application to our crews energizing a service, there are many steps in the process and it can take several months to complete. 

What is the best part of your job? 

In my role, I get to work closely with KEC’s members on a variety of projects and I truly enjoy the interaction I have with each one of our members.