HOW ELECTRICITY REACHES YOUR HOME
Central Rural Electric Cooperative has been powering rural central Oklahoma for decades, bringing electricity to areas that larger utilities overlooked. But how does electricity make its way from power generation to members’ homes?
Electricity starts at the sourcepower generation. Central is one of 51 electric cooperatives that receive power from Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), a generation cooperative headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. AECI produces electricity from a variety of sources including coal, wind, natural gas and hydroelectric plants.
Once energy is generated, the electricity travels over highvoltage transmission lines. Central’s transmission lines are owned by KAMO Power located in Vinita. These lines connect power plants to the 22 substations located throughout Central’s service area.
After transmission lines bring the high-voltage power to substations, where it is stepped down to a voltage suitable for distribution, it’s Central’s time to shine! The electricity is sent out through smaller, local lines directly to Central’s members. These distribution lines, often spanning rural roads and farms, are the backbone of Central’s infrastructure.
The final destination of the electricity is the member’s meter to power homes and farms. Each member pays for the electricity they consume, and any margins— what a for-profit utility would call profits—are reinvested into the cooperative or returned to members as capital credits.
Similar to how Central is owned by our members, KAMO Power and AECI are also cooperatives owned by their memberships. This cooperative model ensures that the needs of members dictate energy production.
In the world of electric cooperatives, one thing is clear, cooperation among cooperatives is key to success.
NOVEMBER 2024
Central Board of Trustees:
Randy Wedel (District 1)
Greg Tytenicz (District 2)
Melanie McGuire (District 3)
Sid Sperry (District 4)
Ken Starks (District 5)
James Wells (District 6)
Randy Ethridge (District 7)
Sondra White - Interim Chief Executive Officer
Empowered Editors:
Jillianne Tebow - Vice President of Business Development and Marketing
Larry Mattox - Director of Communications
Kory Bowman - Marketing and Communications Specialist
Ivy Swan - Marketing and Communications Specialist
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Contact Us: editor@mycentral.coop 405-372-2884 | 800-375-2884
3305 S. Boomer Rd. | P.O. Box 1809 Stillwater, OK 74076
YOU ARE THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE
Thank you for participating in Annual Meeting
After a long annual meeting day filled with ballots, buckets, and more vehicles than we could count, I finally took a moment to reflect. The word that kept coming to mind was gratitude.
Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual Meeting on October 1. Your participation is the foundation of our cooperative, and we are grateful to have witnessed Central’s members bring life to the cooperative difference.
As members, you are the heart of our cooperative. Unlike investor-owned utilities, where profits are distributed to shareholders, our cooperative is owned by you—the members we proudly serve. Your involvement, especially in voting on important bylaw amendments at Annual Meeting, keeps our cooperative strong, accountable and successful.
Your participation is what ensures Central remains a member-driven organization.
We greatly appreciate our dedicated board of trustees, who volunteered at each meeting location to connect with you directly and listen to your valuable feedback. These conversations help us understand not only your concerns but also the positive impact we’re making in areas that matter most to you.
Sondra White, Central Interim CEO
Thank you to our amazing staff and credentials committee volunteers, whose hard work ensured the event ran smoothly and in accordance with our bylaws. It is this combined commitment, paired with your active participation, that allows Central to thrive as a cooperative.
Notice: Central’s office will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11 for Veterans Day and Nov. 28-29 for Thanksgiving.
Central Rural Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
This year’s drive-thru meeting was a resounding success, with two important bylaw amendments passed. These amendments help clarify board member terms and combine board officer positions, all made possible by your engagement.
As we move forward, I encourage all members to remain engaged in the future of our cooperative. Your voice, your vote, and your involvement are what make the cooperative difference. Together, we will continue to ensure that Central remains strong and successful for years to come.
BYLAW AMENDMENTS PASS
Your 2024 Annual Meeting update ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Central had record attendance at its 85th Annual Meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Drive-thru voting occurred at four locations across the service area. Quorum was surpassed with 2,978 members in attendance. Stillwater had the largest turnout with 1,685 members, followed by Guthrie with 511, Chandler with 502, and Perry with 280.
Two bylaw amendments were passed. The first bylaw amendment clarified the length of a trustee term, outlined the staggered terms and
removed language pertaining to trustee elections in 2015-2017.
The second amendment combined the secretary and treasurer offices of the board of trustees and updated the responsibilities of the position.
“The board of trustees is pleased with the record turnout at this year’s Annual Meeting,” said Carol Dvorak, Central’s outgoing board president. “We would like to thank all the members who attended. You bring the cooperative difference to life.”
ENERGY SAVING TIPS
Saving energy at home can reduce our environmental impact, keep our homes comfortable, and cut down on monthly bills. Below are some easy, effective energy-saving tips to help you stay in control of your energy use.
⚠ Switching to LED bulbs is one of the simplest steps you can take to reduce your energy consumption.
⚠ Heating and cooling account for nearly half of the average home’s energy use. Installing a programmable or smart thermostat to automatically adjust temperatures can give your HVAC system a break while saving energy. Check out available rebates at mycentral.coop/rebates.
⚠ Proper insulation and sealing gaps in your home can make a huge difference in maintaining a stable temperature. Inspect doors, windows and attic spaces for air leaks, and add weather stripping or caulking where needed.
⚠ Unplug and power down devices you’re not using. Even when devices are turned off, they can still draw power.
Help Willie Wiredhand with this Co-op Kids word search!
DEDICATED TO SERVE
See where Central has been in our local communities
UNITED WAY’S DAY OF CARING
A team of Central employees volunteered at United Way of Payne County’s annual Day of Caring.
Six co-op volunteers painted at Camp Sylvia Stapley, the local camp for Girl Scouts and other girl organizations in Stillwater.
SHOOT FOR THE NATIONS
Near Guthrie, a team of four Central employees volunteered and competed in the Shoot for the Nations competition hosted by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives and the Oklahoma Energy Trails Foundation. The sporting clay fundraiser was the
largest event to date for Shoot for the Nations.
Central’s team took second place in the Trailblazers category. The event raised money for Energy Trails which sends electric cooperative employees to developing countries to bring electricity to remote villages that have never had electricity.
JUDGING CONTEST
Three of Central’s employees judged meat and livestock at the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce’s Judging Contest sponsored by the Chamber Agribusiness Committee.
Shoot for the Nations