Essentials

Man working at Cardinal Power Plant

Through extraordinary efforts, our lineworkers and plant employees remained largely healthy and available to keep our systems running.

Most of us are returning to nearly normal following months of lockdown. I’m thankful that Ohio has seen less severe health impacts than many parts of the country, but we’ve all seen tragic loss of life, a painful economic shutdown, and strained relations in urban communities across the country. This has been a difficult year for many.

I’m pleased to acknowledge with gratitude the many essential workers, who, through all of the chaos of the past few months, have continued to work every day to assure that we have the essentials of modern life.

Among the thousands of heroes across the country who helped keep our society functioning are the electric cooperative employees and power plant workers who made themselves accessible each and every day to ensure a reliable supply of electricity to your homes and businesses. Through extraordinary efforts, our lineworkers and plant operators remained largely healthy and available to keep our systems running and to make any needed repairs.

Thank you to all the essential workers who have kept us safe, secure, and fed throughout the past few months. We’ve come to appreciate some things that we may have taken for granted — even toilet paper, for instance. Let’s not forget to recognize the people who made it happen across dozens of industries that provide our essentials.

I hope you and your family enjoy a further return to a more normal lifestyle.

Pat O'Loughlin is president and CEO of Ohio's Electric Cooperatives.