SVEC held its 89th annual meeting on Thursday, Aug. 7, featuring a telephone town hall-style event with several hundred members registered to attend.
Before the meeting, the co-op met attendance requirements, as set in the organizational bylaws, thanks to thousands of members who submitted proxies or participated in the online election for the board of directors.
The primary order of business at each annual meeting is the election, which takes place via mail and online balloting in the weeks leading up to the event. Incumbent directors Todd Van Horn (Frederick County), Larry Howdyshell (Augusta) and Brian Plum (Page) were reelected in uncontested races in 2025. They will serve three-year terms.
In prepared remarks, President and CEO Greg Rogers discussed a busy time for the cooperative.
“When we say we are the Valley’s electric cooperative, that’s because we are,” he said. “We have a vested interest in seeing the lights stay on, not just because we work for the utility company, but because we live, work and play here.”
Rogers highlighted nearly a dozen ongoing projects or semi-regular initiatives the cooperative takes on, all while keeping an eye on larger industry issues.
“All the buzzwords and topics that are out there – data centers, cyber security, green energy – are ones we have a talented workforce to understand and manage in conjunction with our industry partners at the state and national levels,” he said. “And at the end of the day, the job they
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do has led to 99.9% system reliability for our members.”
Thanks to all members who participated in this year’s annual meeting, be it by proxy, voting or listening to the call. To listen to a recording of the event, visit svec.coop.
Information about the 2026 annual meeting, plus director elections, will be shared early next year. •
“We have a vested interest in seeing the lights stay on, not just because we work for the utility company, but because we live, work and play here.”
– Greg Rogers, President and CEO
Longtime Counsel Receives Recognition
Speaking of annual meetings, the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperative held its event in July. There, Dale A. Davenport, long-time general counsel for SVEC, received the association’s Distinguished Service Award. Davenport held his role with the cooperative from 1991 until retiring in October 2021. He was
skilled at analyzing complex industry issues and transforming them into broadly understood concepts for implementation.
Highly respected within the industry, he also served as a member of the Electric Cooperative Bar Association and chairman of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives’ Lawyers Group.
Retired SVEC councsel Dale Davenport stands with his wife, Becky, after receiving the 2025 Distinguished Service Award.
Is There Money Waiting For You?
Do you recognize a name on this list? If so, they may be entitled to unclaimed capital credits.
Please visit our website and check the list of unclaimed capital credits. Those listed have refunds owed to them from their time as SVEC members.
If you see a name you recognize or have information on how to locate someone on the list, call 1-800-234-7832 and speak with a member service representative.
With your help, we can locate those listed and deliver the capital credits to the appropriate party. Please have the member or other person legally entitled to the capital credits contact SVEC within 120 days from publication of this notice.
‘An Engine for Workforce Development’
New local program develops the next line of lineworkers
by Preston Knight, Communication Manager
Jeanian Clark is in the joy business, and these are happy times.
A new class is in session at Laurel Ridge Community College in Frederick County, where Clark is vice president of Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education. In collaboration with regional partners, including SVEC, this month Laurel Ridge kicked off a 14-week electrical line training program, Expressway to Power. It’s the only program of its kind north of Richmond in the state.
“Any time we can have a program that is attractive to students living here, and jobs that are local, and they can stay local to raise a family,” Clark says, “that makes my team jump for joy.”
This summer they had reason to celebrate. Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a round of GO Virginia grant funds in June, to include over $400,000 for the launch of the Laurel Ridge program. Training occurs at the Middletown Campus and includes a trip to climb at a similar program at Southside Virginia Community College in Brunswick County.
For this inaugural group of Valley students, the class size is limited to 12.
When the program gets in full swing in future years, including development of a place to climb poles, the plan is to have three, 30-student classes a year at Laurel Ridge. This means up to 90 new, local people could be trained to keep the lights on every year.
SVEC, along with other business partners, including Dominion and Northern Virginia and Rappahannock electric cooperatives, would have an inside track to hire from this pool of potential applicants. These utilities are part of the Northwestern Virginia Energy & Power Consortium, founded by Laurel Ridge and Dominion to meet future labor demand in the Valley.
Jason Burch, SVEC’s vice president of engineering and operations and chief operations officer, says the co-op looks forward to the positive impact the new program will have on the Valley at large.
“We know an integral part of our future growth in the Valley is tied to building a talent pipeline that relies on our education system and aligns with the skills our industry
needs,” Burch says. “We believe Laurel Ridge’s plans for growing in the region offers potential to help our community’s industries continue to be innovative and thrive in the future.
“This project is an engine for workforce development.”
The course provides seven industryrecognized credentials to set students up for success, including First Aid/CPR, CDL Class A and VDOT work zone flagging.
A groundbreaking ceremony for Laurel Ridge’s training facility is scheduled for Oct. 16 — a fitting month in that it’s nationally recognized as Coop Month. Clark says part of what has “endeared” Laurel Ridge to lineworkers is the cooperative spirit on display at such events as the Gaff-N-Go Rodeo.
“It’s that sense of camaraderie,” she says. “We’ve just super dug it.”
To learn more, visit laurelridge.edu/ degree/power-line-worker. •
SVEC linemen participate in lineworker technician apprentice training.
Under Consideration
Burying more lines has benefits. Guaranteed service is still not one of them.
by Preston Knight, Communication Manager
Amid storms that bring down wires and leave poles strewn everywhere, the question comes naturally.
Why wouldn’t SVEC simply bury power lines to avoid this mess?
The answer, unfortunately, does not come so naturally or simply. Since the perfect electric distribution system has yet to be engineered and constructed, there will remain — for the foreseeable future — a mix of overhead and underground lines.
Sure, SVEC always welcomes ideas to lower the chance of member outages, and installing underground lines does solve many problems. But there’s often a considerable cost associated with this solution and, even then, outages can still occur.
COSTS: A ROCKY SITUATION
In a 2024 report prepared by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy, the higher direct costs, such as materials and labor, of underground lines relative to overhead is identified as their “primary disadvantage.”
It might be even more of a factor for electric cooperatives, which operate as not-for-profit utilities, relying on member payments, and not investors, to fund operations. SVEC attempts to build lines in the most economical way. In an expansive Valley with a lot of rock — i.e., a hard obstacle to dig through — going beneath the surface for cables can be costly, not to mention having negative environmental ramifications.
The cooperative’s Terms and Conditions for Providing Electric Service even state “the standard construction practices of the
Cooperative shall be overhead construction.” Additionally, where the member requests underground facilities and the co-op agrees, the terms outline “the cost differential between underground and overhead extensions shall be charged to the applicant in addition to other charges that apply.”
over the years, bearing the cost to improve the look and feel of their central districts.
Underground lines
are more vulnerable to soil corrosion, flooding and animals that may find their way in.
Primary lines carry electricity to transformers near a member’s home. Secondary lines then distribute a lower voltage from the transformer into the home itself. Underground service is generally more routine and affordable along secondary lines. Burying lines
But finances must line up for all involved to go underground, especially for SVEC. As one of its report’s references, the Berkeley Lab pulled from a 2021 article from the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives, which attempts to answer a familiar question: do the benefits of underground lines outweigh the costs?
“The cost of undergrounding continues today to remain a challenge for electric cooperatives and their customers who want lines put underground,” the article states. “If [underground] costs were the same as [overhead] costs, the decision would be an easy one.”
is also more common in small-lot subdivisions, where developers request and pay for the option for aesthetic reasons. A high concentration of homes in these areas helps spread out the expense.
Many cities and towns have also buried lines in their downtown areas
TROUBLE THAT’S HARD TO FIND
Out of the roughly 8,000 miles of energized lines SVEC maintains, about 2,800 are buried underground. Members served by these underground facilities enjoy, as the Berkeley Lab notes, the “substantially reduced vulnerability to disruption from extreme weather.”
“Underground infrastructure prevents outages that would otherwise occur on overhead lines (e.g., lightning
Digging for underground lines brings the potential for a major expense: hitting rock.
strikes, icing), and in doing so reduces overall system restoration times, or interruption durations,” the report states.
That’s the good news in the story of underground lines. The full story must mention that despite all the advantages, one of them is not guaranteed service.
Underground lines are more vulnerable to soil corrosion, flooding and animals that may find their way in, says Sam Lockhart, SVEC’s director of operations and field safety.
There is also the potential for lines to be struck if they aren’t properly marked for a digging project, which is why the free Virginia 811 service exists.
Underground lines don’t last as long as overhead wires, either, roughly 20-40 years compared to 30-50 years for overhead, the Berkeley Lab report states.
Underground distribution circuits are also typically still linked to overhead facilities, Lockhart says. Homes served by underground lines would not be spared if a substation, filled with overhead equipment, goes down during a storm.
Another consideration once the lights go out is the length it might take to get them back on.
“[A]lthough failure rates are lower for underground lines compared to overhead, underground repairs generally take longer because accessing lines and locating faults is more difficult, especially without
system monitoring capabilities,” the Berkeley Lab report states.
SVEC linemen are quick to say it’s easier to restore service when they can visualize the issue. Those downed wires and strewn poles after storms, while not an easy fix, at least offer a vision for how the fix is to be made.
“At least with overhead,” lead lineman Jayson Collins says, “you can see what you’re dealing with.” He said this during a recent underground installation, meaning the visibility portion relates to the before and after of buried service. It just goes to show, with the thought of underground lines, there is more to it than meets the eye.
“Between upfront costs and lag time with restoring service,” Lockhart says, “it’s evident that undergrounding is not simply burying a cable and forgetting about it forever.” •
Underground wires do not face some of the same issues as overhead, but they are not immune to outages either.
An SVEC crew prepares to install underground wire for a member’s home.
Shenandoah University: Looking Back and Thinking Ahead
WUniversity celebrates 150 years and shares energy conservation efforts
by Lydia Weaver, Community Relations Specialist
hile 2025 may feel like just another year for most colleges, at Shenandoah University, students and faculty are celebrating the 150th anniversary of its establishment. Not only focused on its history, but also looking forward to its future, SU is making sustainability efforts designed to carry it through the next 150 years.
Just like SVEC, SU was founded in Dayton. But SU and SVEC share another connection, literally, because the university’s campus, based in Winchester since 1960, is powered by SVEC.
The university’s past has been filled with growth, hence the relocation of the main campus, and the institution has no plans of slowing down.
“Shenandoah is known as being one of the movers and shakers in higher education,” University President Tracy Fitzsimmons says. “We are known for our strength of academic programs and the strength of our enrollment.”
That’s not a biased statement, either. Across various industry-ranking websites, SU receives high marks for its nursing, music, musical theater, sport management, physical therapy and dance programs. Fitzsimmons adds that the school ranks high in post-education job placement and that the student body continues to grow.
“We are about to have our largest first-year class, again, that we’ve ever had,” Fitzsimmons says. “This past fall [2024] was the largest first-year class. Now, we’re having another largest.”
A BRIGHT FUTURE
There’s no doubt that SU’s growth is largely due to its commitment to evolve as the needs of the student body and community continue to shift. One aspect of that evolution is the university’s sustainability efforts that the founders in 1875 could never have imagined, especially since the school’s conception happened decades before electricity came to the area.
The university’s campus has over 1,300 solar panels on the rooftops of three buildings. Together, those panels have the capacity to generate 500 kilowatts of electricity, about 675,000 kilowatt hours annually, which is roughly equivalent to powering 82 homes for a year.
According to Jon Sisler, SVEC’s manager of key accounts, SU was one of the co-op’s first commercial accounts to install solar. On its website, it boasts more rooftop solar than any other college or university in the state.
But the solar panel system offers more than just electricity and savings. It also offers opportunities for education. Fitzsimmons says the panels have become a learning tool for elementary school visitors and their own student body. From field trips to those studying environmental science or sustainable business, the solar arrays have provided up-close learning experiences.
Shenandoah University students walking across the Winchester campus.
PHOITO
SHENANDOAH SUSTAINABILITY
Another impactful way that SU strives to be efficient is its proactive participation in SVEC’s Beat the Peak program, where it was one of the earliest adopters. When it receives alerts from the co-op that the forecasted demand for electricity is high, SU makes efforts to reduce
most-used parking lots and one EV in its fleet.
“Conservation and sustainability efforts are more than just talked about at SU,” Sisler says.
SU strives to be a good environmental steward for more reasons than just attracting new students or saving money. They
its energy consumption during the prescribed period to lessen the load on the electric grid, thus beating the peak. Fitzsimmons says they adjust thermostats in campus buildings, advise students of energy conservation and turn off unnecessary lighting.
“SU did more than just sign up for the Beat the Peak alerts,” Sisler says. “They put together a communications plan to spread the word about conserving electrical energy on campus during the Beat the Peak events.”
Coinciding with those efforts but in effect around the clock, Fitzsimmons says buildings have occupancy sensors to automatically turn lights off when not in use and most facility appliances meet high-efficiency standards. Additionally, SU’s campus has nine electric vehicle chargers in its
reflect the beauty and the values of that word, that name. So, of course, we should be a place that encourages students to go hiking, to get on the river, to be mindful of energy consumption — to protect our planet. It would be the right thing for a place called Shenandoah to do.” •
partake because betterment of the community and the planet is part of the institution’s legacy and sets the tone for the individuals they educate.
“The word ‘Shenandoah’ evokes indigenous history, it evokes folklore, it evokes nature and beauty and the outdoors,” Fitzsimmons says. “As a place called Shenandoah, we want to
Visit svec.coop/btp to learn more about Beat the Peak and sign up for alerts.
For more information about the anniversary and to see coming events, visit su.edu/celebrating-150-years.
The university sports 1,300 rooftop solar panels, more than any other college or university in Virginia.
The school’s fleet now includes its first EV, a Ford F150 Lightning.
Where Does Your Power Come From?
This is the third part in a series on electric grid reliability from SVEC’s wholesale energy provider, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative.
In a world that never stops, demand for power has never been greater. Electric vehicles, smartphones, smart appliances, laptops, AI, video games — all powered by electricity. Reliable, affordable energy is not only the heartbeat of a thriving economy. It’s central to how we live our everyday lives.
Together with 10 other regional electric cooperatives, SVEC cooperatively owns ODEC, a not-forprofit wholesale electric generation and transmission provider. ODEC generates most of the power SVEC provides.
ODEC ensures power for SVEC members’ needs is always at the ready by maintaining a mix of power generation, including dispatchable power sources that are available on demand — regardless of weather conditions or time of day — as well as renewable energy sources.
In addition to owning and managing
several power plants, ODEC has a robust hedging program in which wholesale power markets are constantly evaluated to determine whether ODEC operates its plants or, when beneficial for member-cooperatives like SVEC, buys power on the market. Sometimes it’s more cost effective to buy electricity than to produce it. This strategy helps ODEC deliver on its promise to keep energy prices affordable for its 11 member cooperatives and their members.
Unlike other plants which run continuously, ODEC’s Louisa and Marsh Run natural gas generation facilities functions as “peaker plants,” which can power up quickly and produce power when it’s needed the most. Peaker plants don’t run all the time — only when needed during periods of short supply or to help the grid keep costs low. They’re primarily used at “peak” times, during extreme weather or when there’s high demand for heat or A/C. In times of need, even when the weather doesn’t cooperate, they are the backbone of the energy grid. ODEC’s energy mix also includes renewable energy sourced from solar and wind facilities throughout Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. While important to the overall mix, wind and solar are considered intermittent resources because they rely on weather to produce energy. ODEC has partnered
with private developers for more than a decade to add wind and solar to its mix.
PLOTTING A FUTURE
Looking forward, ODEC remains focused on diversifying its energy portfolio to support our energy future. ODEC recently entered into a long-term power purchase agreement to purchase 100% of the energy and capacity from the 600-megawatt Wolf Summit Generating Station in Harrison County, W.Va. Wolf Summit is expected to come online in late 2028 and will further align ODEC’s generation capacity and energy with its members’ growing needs, and SVEC will be among the biggest beneficiaries of the increased capacity.
As the energy industry grows and changes, ODEC continues to invest in and plan for the future.
To learn more about ODEC, visit odec.com. •
On July 25, ODEC issued a press release in response to the latest energy-auction results affecting a broader region served by PJM Interconnection. While the auction results reflect a tightening supply-demand balance and a 22% year-over-year increase in capacity prices, ODEC emphasized that its members are largely insulated from the financial impact of elevated market prices. ODEC covers over 80% of its capacity obligation with owned generation, the release states. Furthermore, ODEC’s power supply team purchases power in advance at advantageous prices.
In the release, ODEC President and CEO Chris Cosby says, “ODEC’s long-standing strategy of investing in owned generation within the PJM region, continues to protect our member distribution cooperatives and their member-consumers from the volatility of the capacity market.”
