FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
Why should this matter to me?
Answer:
Your local cooperative provides your home’s electricity needs, but the energy’s path to you starts at large-scale power plants. These plants use fuel like natural gas or coal to generate electricity.
Just as your electric distribution cooperative serves you, it is served by a generation & transmission (G&T) cooperative that supplies wholesale power on the distribution cooperative’s behalf.
While the G&T is not-for-profit and makes every effort to keep costs down, any external factors that affect the price of the fuel used to generate power can, ultimately, affect what you pay.
Question:
What can I do? I feel like I have no control over the factors involved in energy generation.
Answer:
Help us spread the message. Unfortunately, misinformation about energy generation is rampant. It is great to imagine our country running entirely on renewable energy like solar and wind, but it is not practical or possible. Renewables will not keep the lights on around-the-clock, especially in our region of the country. Dependable energy comes from natural gas, coal or nuclear. Attacking these sources with political and regulatory policy or uninformed rhetoric hinders our ability to keep power flowing at a reasonable price. Help us spread the word. Many voices united are more powerful than one.
Become an advocate for your cooperative and for reliable generation. For more, see: What You Can Do
Question:
I also sometimes feel I have no control over my bill. Is there anything I can do?
Answer:
There absolutely is. You may not have the ability to directly control the external forces that apply cost and reliability pressure, but you do have control over a large portion of your monthly bill. Check with your local electric cooperative. They may offer demand reduction programs, energy audits, energy efficiency tips, or even rebates for home energy efficiency upgrades. And never underestimate the power of peak shaving.
Question:
What is the most-used fuel source powering my home? Why?
Answer:
Natural gas, and it’s not even close. It’s the only fuel source currently available that can produce large-scale, reliable energy at a cost that won’t bruise your wallet.
Question:
Could we use more solar, wind or renewable sources?
Answer:
Renewables are a great supplement to always-on power sources. They add diversity to the fuel mix. However, adding too many of them could destabilize the energy grid and leave large groups of people in the dark, especially during peak times, when the most people need the most energy. Renewables do not generate around the clock, especially in our region.
Question:
Why don’t we just store the energy?
Answer:
This is a common question. Batteries are great, in theory. Unfortunately, in practice, batteries are pricey. They have a low lifespan. They’re severely limited at the large scale necessary for keeping the lights on.
Think about your cell phone. The first time you charge it, the phone’s battery life is at 100%. By the time you’ve had the phone for a while, the battery life has diminished to less than 90%. This is the same thing that would happen to the batteries required to store the energy we produce.
If something has a high upfront cost, as well as a high chance that it would require repair, maintenance or replacement costs, why would it be a worthwhile investment? It is simply not a prudent use of member resources.