DIRECTOR'S CORNER

By Nelson Smith, District 2, CCD, BLC, DGC

The fifth principle of the seven cooperative principles centers around education, training and information. This principle ensures that members, directors, managers and employees receive the necessary education and training to contribute effectively to the cooperative’s development. Additionally, cooperatives strive to inform members and opinion leaders about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

NRECA'S Annual Meeting

To stay abreast of current issues facing electric cooperatives across the country, along with Directors Don Hawk and Roy VanAtta, I recently attended the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) annual meeting.

In the context of electric cooperatives, this principle is vital. By educating our members about industry developments, legislative issues, and the benefits of cooperative membership, these organizations enable informed decision-making and active participation.

Power Plant Ruling

A major theme at the annual meeting was the concern over the recent Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Power Plant Ruling. The NRECA has expressed significant concern regarding this rule, stating that it threatens the ability of electric cooperatives to provide reliable and affordable electricity to our members. The EPA took action on March 12th to reconsider their rule along with several other rules which could limit our ability to produce reliable electricity.

One of the primary criticisms is that the rule imposes stringent requirements on existing coal and natural gas plants to install Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. NRECA argues that while CCS has potential, it has not yet been proven viable at the scale and levels mandated by the EPA. Currently no power plant in North America utilizes CCS to the extent required by the rule. This situation could force plants unable to comply to shut down, limit operations, or switch fuels, thereby jeopardizing grid reliability.

Response

In response, NRECA has actively lobbied against the EPA’s rule, emphasizing the potential threats to the American electric grid. The rule is described as “unlawful, unreasonable, and unachievable,” and that it exceeds the EPA’s authority and poses immediate risks to grid reliability. NRECA equips its members with the knowledge and tools to understand and address such regulatory challenges. This empowerment enables cooperative membership to engage effectively in advocacy efforts, ensuring that our interests are represented and that we can continue to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to our members.

Our efforts to help Congress understand the importance of the reliability issue is continuous, so to take that effort to the next level, CEO Todd Ware, Vice President of our Electric Operations Josh Filler and I will join thousands of Co-op leaders from all over the country as we ascend on Washington DC next month in our annual Legislative Conference where we meet with all of our individual Representatives and Senators. Along with the power plant rule, we will also address other concerns relating to providing reliable and affordable energy and ask for their support.

Get To Know Your Director

Nelson Smith was elected to the board in 2003 and is presently the Chairman of the Board.

He serves as a Washington Township Trustee and volunteers on the board responsible for restoring the Historic Licking County Jail.

Nelson served four years in the Navy and is a retired publisher of the Utica Herald, Heath News and The Pataskala Post.