Cooperative leaders have been working together to help policymakers recognize that now more than ever, people are depending on a reliable power grid.
Cooperation among cooperatives is a principle ingrained in the cooperative business model and lived out by cooperative employees when we face challenges. This summer, we have already seen powerful storms tearing through much of Ohio — uprooting trees, breaking utility poles, disrupting electric service, blocking roads, and generally making a mess of things.
Some co-op members were without power for up to a week as tree damage was cleared and repairs were made. The article "Helping Hands", on page 4 of the August 2022 issue, details some of the efforts required to get the lights back on as quickly as possible, thanks to the hard work of cooperative employees and the assistance provided from across our cooperative network here in Ohio and six other nearby states.
We’ve also seen weaknesses in the broad power grid when hot weather follows strong storms — vulnerabilities that have resulted from a combination of aging infrastructure and premature retirement of older power plants. Cooperative leaders have been working together, in Ohio and across the country, to help policymakers recognize that now more than ever, people are depending on a reliable power grid. A diverse set of controllable, always-available power generation plants, like those owned and operated by Ohio’s electric cooperatives, makes our supply both more reliable and more affordable. That diversity allows us to better handle unexpected challenges not only from the weather but also from economic upsets.
Cooperatives continue to do our part by regularly investing in the infrastructure needed to generate and deliver power to your home. By working together, we have a stronger voice to advocate for clear-eyed, commonsense policies that serve the public interest.
We will continue to see hot summer days, cold winter nights, and damaging storms. Ohio’s electric cooperatives will continue to work together to provide you the best service possible.
