Art Thayer, MECA’s energy efficiency programs director, was elected May 21 to the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) Board of Directors. “This partnership with the Alliance will help our electric co-ops because it is the largest voice advocating for change in energy optimization targets and policies – especially policies that don’t recognize the member-owned uniqueness of co-ops and how they operate,” Thayer explains. The [...]
The 2014 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey released in May shows that members belonging to electric co-ops are more satisfied with their utility than consumers served by either investor-owned (IOU) or municipal utilities. Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives received an overall customer satisfaction score of 81 - the highest for any electric-only utility. Co-ops not affiliated with Touchstone scored 80. IOUs and municipals received scores [...]
A team of nine Michigan electric co-op representatives spent May 5-7 in Washington, D.C., at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Legislative Conference. Team members included Ken Swope, Dave Allen and Bob Hance (Midwest); Rachel Johnson (Cherryland); Brian Burns (Presque Isle); Nancy Gardner-Platt and Tom Harrell (Alger Delta); Kim Molitor (Wolverine), and Craig Borr (MECA). They lobbied the Michigan Congressional Delegation on several [...]
Midwest Energy Cooperative was honored this week with the Expanding Excellence Award for Best Mobility Implementation. The award recognizes outstanding contributions, innovations and excellence in utility customer service. The Cassopolis-based utility’s submission featured the 2013 upgrade of their customer self-service portal to SmartHub, and implementation of the SmartHub mobile application. SmartHub is an online and mobile platform that provides access and two-way communication with [...]
HomeWorks Tri-County Cooperative has added a new renewable option to their portfolio- a community solar garden. A solar panel dedication kicked-off the project on April 22 as employees, member-owners and the board of directors gathered at the Portland office to witness the ribbon cutting and learn more about the program. The cooperative will retain ownership of the solar panels and lease them to memembers [...]
Under a new law to fight copper theft in Michigan, not only are scrap dealers forbidden to pay sellers in cash, but any transaction of $25 or more requires that the check be mailed. That check has to be sent to the address on the seller’s legal I.D., not to a post office box. “Michigan is in the midst of a serious metal theft [...]
April 16, 2014 was a historic day for Alger Delta Cooperative as the board of directors approved paying out, or retiring, patronage capital in the amount of $379,122. This equals the total unretired margins from1965-1976. Alger Delta’s last Patronage Capital retirement was for fiscal year 1964 – fifty years ago! The board has reviewed and accepted management’s proposal to retire 22 years of capital [...]
Just before Easter, the Wall Street Journal published an article critical of security standards and the standards-setting process in the utility sector. Working with APPA and EEI, NRECA submitted the following letter to the editor under the names of the respective CEOs. Letter to the editor: Wall Street Journal Rebecca Smith’s latest article, “Proposal to Prevent Grid Attack Lacks Power, Critics Say,” warrants clarification from [...]
Midwest Energy Cooperative is attempting to change national policy to open the retail marketplace so that other entities (like electric co-ops), can provide real solutions for rural broadband. “Broadband Internet is a necessity for full participation in our economy and society,” explains Bob Hance, President and CEO, Midwest Energy. “Yet in 2014 many Americans, particularly in rural America, are without affordable, quality options.“ The [...]
Midwest Energy and Thumb Electric are the most recent co-ops to invite their members to join the ACRE (Action Committee for Rural Electrification) Co-op Owners for Political Action® movement. This growing network of member-owners willing to send strong messages to elected officials on important issues plays is vital to the long-term success of electric co-ops and the communities they serve. Over 30,000 people nationwide [...]
