January 13, 2020 Home
The new year is here. Although we make resolutions for the new year and changes always happen in our lives, our need for electric power remains the same. Powell Valley Electric Cooperative provides this reliable inexpensive power and works in winter storms and bad weather to make sure our lights stay on.
PVEC released its financial report in the recent issue of Tennessee magazine (pages 20 and 21). Total income decreased by a bit more than 1%. However, total expenses for 2019 also decreased about the same – resulting in a slightly better net operating income than for 2018.
Electric cooperatives do provide other benefits to our communities besides electricity, including economic development and education. To quote Randell Meyers, General Manager/CEO of PVEC, “electric co-ops have the power to be agents for change – to push and lead our communities to a brighter and more abundant future.”
We agree that cooperatives can and should be involved in promoting change in our communities that directly and indirectly benefit member-owners. The next few articles will look at what some of the 22 other electric cooperatives in the state are doing to decrease expenses, provide additional services, and assist in reducing electric bills.
The first three will be Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC), Holston Electric Cooperative (HEC), and Volunteer Electric Cooperative (VEC). Each of these member-owned cooperatives has begun new programs to directly benefit its members.
AEC serves Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, and Sevier Counties. Its “U-Save Advantage” program assists member-owners by providing upfront costs to weatherize homes.
HEC serves our neighboring counties of Hamblen and Hawkins. HEC has a program called Holston Connect, which provides dependable and high quality fiber-based services, including high speed internet.
VEC serves 17 eastern and middle Tennessee counties along the Kentucky border. VEC is developing its own solar sources of power. This will enable the cooperative to generate power locally and reduce costs of power supply from TVA.
If you know of programs at other electric cooperatives that benefit member-owners, please let us know by email: pvecmembervoices@gmail.com
Everyone needs to learn more about our electric cooperative. For more information, go to pve.coop.
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