Counting Our Blessings
Gratitude, Resilience, & Your Electric Cooperative
With age comes a deeper appreciation for gratitude, especially for our loved ones and the blessings often overlooked. As the holidays approach, we’re reminded to count our blessings. That might seem repetitive, but it remains truly important. There’s much to be grateful for, even in adversity.
We have plenty to be thankful for at Union Rural Electric Cooperative (URE), as well, from stable energy prices and reliable energy delivery to the relationships with, and support from, our members and community. I’m also very thankful for our employees here at URE. It’s amazing to be part of such a skilled and dedicated group of community-minded employees.
Our industry isn’t without its challenges. We’ve wrestled with everything from the aftermath of ice storms and tornadoes to inquisitive wildlife and the occasional stray vehicle. Such unexpected events can disrupt the important service our members rely on. But there’s a silver lining: seeing the relief and appreciation of members when power is restored. I’m endlessly thankful for our hard-working team and the expertise they bring to navigate these challenges swiftly and safely.
On the policy front, we encounter regulatory hurdles that may limit our future ability to consistently serve you. The latest example is the EPA proposal targeting carbon dioxide emissions from coal and natural gas plants. This rule requires carbon capture and sequestration, technology that has yet to be proven effective at scale, and so has yet to be made available commercially. The proposed rule is effectively a way to shut down all fossil-fuel baseload generation and threatens the availability of reliable electricity.
In the face of such challenges, I appreciate the dedication of our cooperative professionals statewide and nationally. They’re tirelessly engaging with lawmakers to ensure our members’ interests remain a priority. These affiliated groups include legal and policy experts, who articulate our concerns and perspectives to decisionmakers in Columbus and Washington, D.C.
Looking back, I’m filled with gratitude for the foresight of Ohio’s electric cooperative members. Their decision to establish sources of baseload generation has proven extremely valuable. Today, thanks to Buckeye Power, we’re able to offer power at relatively stable rates, even as market prices may swing wildly due to the unregulated energy market and policies causing a large reduction in baseload generation.
I’m also thankful that URE has always been friendly to those who wish to utilize renewable resources. For many years, URE has allowed net-metering of home renewable generation. In cooperation with Buckeye Power, we own a share of our own solar generation. We know that it’s important to have energy diversity and we understand that some members want the flexibility to generate their own power.
So, as you reflect on your blessings this Thanksgiving, I humbly ask you to remember to count URE as one such blessing while we work on all fronts to keep the lights on. We’re not only here restoring outages after storms, but we’re also continuing to interact with policymakers on key energy issues that affect the reliability of the broader electric grid.
Let’s not take for granted the availability of reliable energy, delivered straight to our homes and businesses around the clock all year long, brought to you by your electric cooperative.