Highlights from the CEC Virtual Annual Meeting

By Mark Parker, CEC President & CEO

W.B. Smith Chairman

This year I had the privilege of participating in CEC’s Virtual Annual Meeting for the first time as CEO, and it was an honor to speak to co-op members alongside our board chairman Willie Smith. Together, with employees, we shared important information about the state of our co-op. We covered a lot of ground, from financial highlights and community involvement to major projects and milestones.

this world-class fiber service.

C. Heflin Smith Vice Chairman

One of the biggest highlights of the meeting was the announcement that CEC would retire $500,000 in capital credits this year. Not only does this show our commitment to financial responsibility, but it also underscores the importance of being a cooperative memberowner.

We also discussed some of the big changes that CEC has undergone in recent years. One of the most noteworthy changes is the implementation of technological advancements that have allowed us to lead the co-op in new directions. For example, we recently completed a community solar garden across the street from our main office in Sanford. This program gives our members an easy option for exploring the benefits of solar power without the hassle and expense of installing rooftop solar panels on their homes.

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We are also pleased with the progress in the build-out of Buzz Broadband. Buzz is bringing fast, reliable fiber broadband to more than 3,100 homes and businesses throughout the CEC service area, making it possible for many in our area to get a dependable internet connection. Those fiber connections are improving how locals work, learn, enjoy entertainment and as we continue to expand the build-out more people will have access to

CEC has implemented several new technologies and software upgrades in recent decades to work more efficiently and improve service reliability. Smart meters, advanced software and sophisticated computer networks have drastically changed our daily operations. We now have highly efficient means to quickly process payments, address member inquiries in real time and improve productivity and customer service.

With the help of innovative tools, the engineering department improved its ability to effectively manage the CEC electric distribution system. They can create detailed, cost-effective designs for building new facilities and quickly identify, analyze and solve problems with enhanced ease and accuracy. Our engineers can also better prioritize changing workloads and recommend new procedures to produce the most efficient electrical distribution.

During this time of the year especially, it’s important that we are working with the latest technology to increase service reliability. As we enter hurricane season, we need to be able to detect and respond to outages quickly. Advancements like our centralized dispatch system help us do that. However, our boots on the ground are still the most important aspect of responding to outages. Throughout the year, we prepare to respond to outages with regular training, drills and reviews of our processes.

I’m excited to serve the CEC membership through this new era of innovation and growth, and I look forward to working with our valued team of employees to continue achieving great things. n