Investments for the future

Louie Ward Manager of Tallapoosa River Electric

There are things about the electric utility business that continue to intrigue me. I’ve been in this business for almost 22 years, and I love my job. I love the people I work for, that is you, and I love my co-workers. We all understand that we work for you. The longer I am involved in the electric utility business, the more I learn. For example, I fully understand that most of the Cooperative’s membership just needs safe, reliable, and of course, affordable electricity.

However, there are a few members that are entrepreneurial by nature and for various reasons, want to generate their own electricity. Now keep in mind that they still want us around, if for no other reason, than “just in case”. For them, the price of the electricity they consume is not the primary factor in their choice of supplying their home or business with electricity. I’ll not get into their reasonings, as they are too varied to cover in such a short article.

My goal is to comfort those of you mostly concerned about the financial aspect of your relationship with Tallapoosa River Electric Cooperative, Inc. I want you to know that when we, working with the other members of PowerSouth Energy, make decisions regarding the production of electricity for you, the membership, we consider a couple of complex things. First, safety, I think that speaks for itself. Second, we must work within the regulatory environment both now and what we anticipate coming. The investments we make in electric power pro- duction are very large. Plants are designed to last for 30, 50, maybe even 60 years. Counting the planning and permitting periods, a plant life cycle can certainly be in the 60-year range. They must last a long time to justify such a large investment. With political winds blowing ever faster, they sometimes are moving at a pace that make us question whether there even exists a “smart” power production investment. With all these competing factors, we strive to make the most reliable and cost-effective investments in new generation facilities.

I can go on and on, but I choose to cut to the chase. If you as a member want to make your own independent investment to produce electricity for yourself, because we know we work for you, we want to be a trusted resource. Whether you purchase all your electricity from us, or you produce some on your own, our goal is to make sure you and your neighbors remain safe. Next, we want to help you make an informed investment and understand the responsibilities you are taking on yourself. So, if you are considering investing in your own electric power production, call us, we will be glad to help you.

Winter Weather Event

During Christmas weekend, our nation, and yes the members of the Cooperative also, experienced what has been called a oncein-a lifetime cold weather and storm event.

4 FEBRUARY 2023 www.alabamaliving.coop