Get Paid to Upgrade: Smart Rebates Add Up to Savings
Looking to shave a little off your electric bill? Blue Ridge Energy’s Smart Rebates can help! When you upgrade to energy-efficient appliances or make simple improvements around your home, you use less electricity. That means lower bills month after month. To help you get started, we’ll send a little money back your way, too.
Here’s What Qualifies:
Appliances
• ENERGY STAR® refrigerator (15 cu. ft. or larger) — $25
• ENERGY STAR® freezer (10 cu. ft. or larger) — $25
• High efficiency heat pump or mini split (16 SEER or higher)* — $150
• Geothermal heat pump (19 SEER or higher)* — $250
Home Improvements
• Duct sealing or replacement — up to $100
• Air sealing* — up to $100
• Insulation* — up to $100
• Building an ENERGY STAR® home* — up to $500
*Some of these upgrades may also qualify for federal ENERGY STAR tax credits, which means even more savings.
Smart Rebates are just one way Blue Ridge Energy looks out for its members. Using less energy helps keep bills lower, takes pressure off the power grid, and benefits our whole community.
Rebate forms and full details are available at BlueRidgeEnergy.com/Rebates
Perspective
THE Finding Summer Savings
It’s no secret that costs are rising all around us. Whether you’re feeling it at the gas pump, the grocery store or when purchasing everyday essentials, the pressure on household budgets is real, and we know it’s impacting your family.
At Blue Ridge Energy, we’re experiencing many of the same challenges. Costs have increased across nearly every aspect of our operations— from the materials and equipment needed to maintain a reliable grid, to the price of the power we purchase and deliver to your home. Even with these pressures, we remain focused on doing everything we can to manage costs responsibly on your behalf.
That includes leveraging the financial strength of our for-profit subsidiaries, Blue Ridge Energy, LLC., and RidgeLink, LLC., implementing employee-led cost-saving efforts through our revitalized WorkSmart program, and continuing to negotiate strategically with our power suppliers. Each of these efforts is designed with one goal in mind: keeping your electricity as affordable and reliable as possible.
While much of this work happens behind the scenes, our commitment to you is not just about long-term planning, it’s about providing real, practical support today.
That’s where the cooperative difference matters most. As a member-owner, you are at the center of everything we do. Our mission, making life better, is more than a
statement, it’s a responsibility our employees take seriously every day. And one of the most meaningful ways we can deliver on that mission is by helping you take control of your energy use and costs.
Our team of energy specialists is available to help you better understand how your home uses electricity and identify opportunities to save. Whether it’s small changes in daily habits or more tailored recommendations based on your usage, these insights can make a noticeable difference on your monthly bill.
We also offer programs designed to provide stability and predictability when costs are high. Options like Budget Billing and FlexPay can help you manage seasonal fluctuations and stay in control of your energy expenses.
As summer temperatures rise and energy use increases, we encourage you to explore the tools and resources available on our website and reach out to us for guidance. Your Blue Ridge Energy team is here to work alongside you, helping you find ways to reduce strain on your budget while maintaining the comfort and reliability you depend on.
Serving you is at the heart of what we do. And as we navigate this changing cost environment together, please remember that we are here to help.
From Blue Ridge Energy CEO Katie Woodle
Members Recognize Blue Ridge Energy for Exceptional Customer Satisfaction
Blue Ridge Energy has earned a Customer Satisfaction Award from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), a distinction based directly on feedback from our members.
In Q1 2026, Blue Ridge Energy received an ACSI score of 89 on a 100-point scale. As part of this independent survey, members rated:
• Their overall satisfaction with Blue Ridge Energy
• How well we met or exceeded their expectations
• How closely their experience aligned with their ideal cooperative
These measures are the core components of the proprietary ACSI methodology and are widely regarded as the national standard for assessing customer satisfaction across industries.
Blue Ridge Energy’s ACSI results substantially outperform the national customer satisfaction average for publicly measured energy utilities, as reported in the ACSI Energy Utility Study. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to reliability, service, and putting our members first.
Capital credits: allocations vs. refunds
Members receiving notice of capital credit allocations
During the month of July, members will receive notice of capital credits allocations from the previous year. This notice will come on the back of your July billing statement. For FlexPay members, this notice can be found on our website after logging into your account. Please be aware this is NOT a refund — refunds were issued in May.
Here’s more about the difference between capital credits allocations and refunds:
• Allocations are based on the amount of electricity a member purchased the previous fiscal year. This annual allocation amount is added to your overall membership capital credits balance, which reflects all the years in which you had service with Blue Ridge Energy.
• Refunds occur when your Board of Directors approves a capital credits retirement. This involves refunding a portion
of your overall membership capital credits balance. The rotation of these funds over time allows the cooperative to build and maintain power lines, substations, rights of way, and other areas to ensure safe and reliable electric service. It also reduces the need for loans, which keeps costs down for members while still allowing for refunds to the member-owners of Blue Ridge Energy.
Capital credits are a benefit of belonging to a cooperative. This not-for-profit business model is used by thousands of cooperatives to balance debt and equity to help keep member rates low and provide reliable electric service.
Your annual capital credits allocation notice communicated in July is NOT a refund, but rather one of the first steps in the annual process. Refunds were issued in May.
Planting in Right-Of-Way Areas
Should you plant in a right-of-way area on your property? Since a rightof-way exists to help ensure reliable electricity by protecting power lines from trees and large shrubs, it’s best not to plant in these areas. Clear rights-of-way areas also contribute to the safety of our line technicians.
However, we understand that planting new trees can be a good way to accent your property. When planting, here are a few tips to keep in mind for a beautiful view while also protecting the reliability of your electricity:
• Before taking a trip to a plant nursery, consider the location of power lines and right-of-way areas. Think about the height of a fully grown tree or shrub and avoid planting within 20 feet of power lines. If that’s unavoidable, select plants that grow no higher than 15 feet.
• Trees that grow up to 40 feet can usually be safely planted at least 25 feet away from power lines. Trees that will grow larger should be planted at least 50 feet from power lines.
Be aware that to provide reliable electric service for all members, we must maintain rights-of ways. Trees and shrubs planted too close to power lines must be trimmed, cut, or removed in order to maintain the required amount of clearance.
