For 88 years, our mission has been to deliver safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible electricity to our members at stable and affordable rates.
Our members count on us to deliver their power 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – our communities and livelihoods depend on it.
But, for the first time in our history, that reliability is in jeopardy.
Buckeye Power, our generation and transmission provider, generates enough power for all 400,000 cooperative members in Ohio.
However, we depend on the larger grid to get that power to our members, and the grid’s ability to balance supply and demand in our region and across the nation is increasingly at risk.
Here are a few of the reasons why the risks to reliable, affordable energy are growing:
- Demand for electricity is higher than it has ever been, and it continues to rise.
- The overall supply of reliable electricity is down because of the rapid retirement of coal and nuclear plants.
- Intermittent sources of energy like wind and solar power have come online, but they have not filled the gap and they are not always available.
- Unreasonable regulations are creating unnecessarily high costs while providing minimal environmental benefits.
Check out these resources to learn more about this complex topic:
- “Reliability and Affordability” – This webpage from America’s Electric Cooperatives (NRECA) will give you a background of the current energy landscape, the cooperative stance, and a timeline of the events that led up to this point.
- “Nine Regulations Threatening Reliability” – This article from NRECA outlines the government regulations that pose the biggest threats to energy reliability and affordability in the U.S.
- “Co-op Leaders: Amid Industry Change, Reliability and Affordability are Crucial” – This article from NRECA summarizes the challenges facing the energy landscape from the perspective of cooperative leaders.
- “Carbon-free by 2035?” – This article from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives (OEC) analyzes the vast challenges that must be overcome to meet the government’s decarbonization goals.
- “PJM Warns of Risks Expected Resource Retirements Pose to Grid Reliability” – This article from OEC discusses recent reports of increased reliability risks, and warnings about retiring reliable resources while demand for electricity is growing.
