3 minute read
Our Responsibility, Your Power: Building brighter futures
A Message from Colby Wells, CEO
As a new school year begins, we’re reminded that our mission at South Central Electric Cooperative reaches far beyond keeping the lights on. It’s about empowering the next generation — not just with electricity, but with opportunity, knowledge and trust.
Our 2025–2026 theme, Our Responsibility, Your Power, captures what it means to be a cooperative. It’s our responsibility to deliver safe, reliable and affordable service. It’s your power to guide our future and help your community thrive.
This issue highlights how we’re investing in education, energy efficiency and youth leadership — from school visits and scholarships to Youth Tour experiences that shape tomorrow’s leaders.
Thank you for trusting us. Together, we’re not just powering homes. We’re powering futures.
Our Responsibility, Your Power: South Central’s vision for 2025-2026
With more than 80 years of experience, South Central Electric Cooperative continues to adapt and grow with our members. While technology evolves and communities expand, one thing remains the same — the trust you place in us.
Our Responsibility, Your Power isn’t just a slogan — it’s a promise. It reminds us who we are, what we do and why we do it.
Our responsibility: A daily commitment
At South Central, responsibility is more than a job — it’s a calling.
From lineworkers in the field to your local service representatives, every team member is focused on serving you.
We maintain over 1,800 miles of line with regular inspections, right-of-way clearing and system upgrades.
We prioritize safety through continuous training and protocols to protect both our employees and members.
We act as financial stewards, ensuring every dollar spent is done with transparency and long-term value in mind.
Your Power: More than electricity
As a co-op member, your power is more than what comes through the lines:
Ownership: You elect our board members who vote on policies, giving you a voice in how your cooperative operates.
Partnership: We work for you, not for profit. Every improvement is made with members in mind.
Information: We share resources, tools and tips to help you manage usage and save on bills.
Community: From scholarships to local events, we invest in the places we call home.
Turning the theme Into action
We're bringing Our Responsibility, Your Power to life through three major focus areas this year:
Reliability & system education — We’re improving how we communicate about outages, repairs and upgrades — through videos, infographics and educational content that take members behind the scenes.
Energy efficiency & rates — We're expanding programs that help you save — like take-home efficiency kits, seasonal energy tips and home energy audits to reduce usage and lower monthly bills.
Improved member services — Through our journey mapping project, we’re reviewing every interaction — from new service applications to outage reporting — to make your experience faster and easier.
Powering the school year
As backpacks are packed and buses roll out, August marks more than a new school year — it’s a fresh opportunity to invest in our youth, our communities and our future.
We believe responsible power starts with empowered members, especially the next generation. That’s why we focus on smart energy habits in the classroom and at home.
Smart habits start young
Energy efficiency can begin in early childhood. Small habits make a big impact:
Unplug devices when not in use
Turn off lights when leaving a room
Adjust thermostats during school hours
Talk about energy use and conservation with your kids.
