Why Basin? Good environment, people, and pay

When Korrigan Look first heard about an opening in Basin Electric’s dispatch center, he thought although it’d be different work than what he had been doing, why not give it shot?

And so he applied.

The rest, as the saying goes, is history—at least to this point. After almost a year working as a dispatcher, Look is still making his own history at the cooperative and anticipates a long and fulfilling career at Basin Electric.

Look’s official title is service dispatcher I, a position at the cooperative’s headquarters in Bismarck, North Dakota, that he says started with a steep learning curve but has since become almost second nature to him. He finds his job both interesting and rewarding.

“It’s interesting talking to so many people from different areas of the country,” he says.

One phone call might come from a cooperative member in Texas, while another might come from Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, or another cooperative-member state. On a typical day he answers between 80 and 90 phone calls, while a busy day could result in 200 calls. On the phone he answers questions from callers, helping them with their utility challenges, and dispatches line crews to restore service where power outages have occurred.

Formerly, Look worked for a sports broadcasting company in Bismarck, but he was laid off in early 2024 due to budget cuts. That’s when he heard about the opening at Basin Electric. It’s different work than he was doing as a videographer, but he’s glad he applied.

As thankful and excited as Look is about his current position at Basin Electric, he wonders if one day he might have the chance to explore other opportunities at the cooperative. One area of interest is the audio/visual department, because, having worked for a broadcast company, he believes he has skills he could offer that department.

Either way, there’s so much to like about the cooperative, he says. The people, pay, and benefits top the list, but he also likes his shift schedule—typically 12-hour days, with several days off and rotating weekends.

Thinking of his future, Look says he sees Basin Electric being a big part of it—something he is excited about, especially since he has a growing family to consider. “I have to think about my kids,” he says, explaining the cooperative offers what he needs to provide well for his family.

Look and his fiancé, Alyssa, are set to be married in October 2026 and have two children, a 3-year-old and 1-year-old. Besides being a fulltime mom, Alyssa is attending school to become a dental hygienist, and on his days off Look helps where he can so she has time to do the things she normally doesn’t get done while watching their brood.

“We’ve got this system down pretty good,” he says. “We make it work.”

Look enjoys watching and participating in sports, especially basketball, and is excited to share his love of the game with his children. He and Alyssa recently bought a child’s basketball hoop for their 3-year-old, who recently started asking if he can watch basketball with his daddy before bed.

“I was so excited to hear that from him for the first time,” Looks says. Watching a basketball game with his young son, seeing his son’s childlike love for the sport grow, is a good way for Look to end his day.

Getting up in the mornings is easy too, knowing that he’ll get to spend another day with his work crew. He says he couldn’t have asked for a better team. “They are super nice, super helpful. Any questions I ask, they’ll answer without any hesitation,” he says. “They're like a family.”