Co-ops Make a “Power Difference” in Their Communities
By Fred Cole, President and CEO of the South Carolina State Association
Home and community are concepts that are dear to all of us. Gestures of goodwill among neighbors help bind us together as a community.
It is true that electric cooperatives provide vital services that are essential to the life of a community. But they do much more.
Co-op members are often tremendously passionate about issues affecting their co-op. They expect the co-op to do the right thing and help the communities. They seem to believe that the co-op’s actions reflect on them.
They are correct.
Electric cooperatives are indeed representative of the communities we serve. Each home and business in an electric co-op’s service area uses co-op services and is a part of the co-op’s membership.
The members are owners of the electric cooperative, which sets us apart from other kinds of businesses. It is truly the cooperative difference—a very powerful difference.
Electricity is the lifeblood of a community. On a national scale, electric cooperatives are America’s largest utility network, yet we are each locally owned and involved in our local communities.
Electric cooperatives work hard to deliver to their members safe and reliable power at the lowest possible cost in keeping with sound fiduciary and environmental practices. We meet this mission daily in the office, the field and in the halls of government.
Electric cooperatives are all about people. People are members and owners of their electric cooperative—and they are members of the communities it serves.