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Photo by Canyon Durham
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Answer options to fill in the blanks: Capital credits, Not-for-profit, 623,000, 7, 50,000, 51.
Editor’s note: As you read this column, test your knowledge of electric cooperatives. Fill in the blanks with your best guesses from the choices provided. Answers are listed at the end of the photo carousel above.
If someone asked what a local electric cooperative does for your community, you’d probably respond with the obvious: they deliver power to homes, farms and businesses. That’s true, but co-ops generate more than electricity for the communities they serve.
Back when investor-owned utilities refused to extend their power lines to the small communities and rural areas that stretch across South Carolina and most other states, electric co-ops stepped up so local residents could enjoy the same comfort and advantages as their city cousins. While co-ops primarily provide a reliable, affordable source of electricity, they have transformed their communities in the process.
The nearly 900 co-ops have a significant economic impact on the places they call home. That includes supporting nearly [How many? ____] jobs that deliver [What amount? $____] billion in annual compensation––and those employees spend much of that money at their local supermarkets, diners and gas stations, supporting jobs in their communities.
In most of the counties and communities they serve, electric co-ops play leadership roles in championing local economic health by bringing new employers to the area and helping established businesses expand. In addition to working directly with growing companies, they invest in community assets like broadband networks and incubators to help local startups succeed.
Community members also benefit directly from their co-op’s prudent financial management. As [What type? ____] utilities, co-ops return to members any money that’s left over after covering the cost of operations, maintenance and improvements. These financial returns are known [As what? ____]. When a co-op’s finances are strong, the directors may choose to retire some of those credits by converting a member’s share into refund checks or bill credits.
Co-ops step up to handle natural disasters as some of the community’s first responders. As rescuers comb through wreckage and treat victims, co-op lineworkers are already hard at work to restore power.
Concern for Community is one of the [How many? ____] cooperative principles, so it comes as no surprise that co-ops seek a variety of ways to support organizations and events in the communities they serve. Whether it’s presenting electrical safety demonstrations in elementary schools, helping to organize fairs and festivals, sponsoring athletic teams or promoting food drives for local pantries, co-ops and their staff are involved in extensive outreach.
One of the biggest community priorities for many co-ops involves helping young people develop leadership skills. Co-ops know leadership efforts help those kids and teens become informed, engaged citizens who may one day serve as the next generation of community leaders and co-op employees. Building connections with youth also increases the chance that they’ll choose to live in their hometowns.
Perhaps the most familiar and long-running youth-focused effort is the annual Washington Youth Tour, which brings teens from co-op communities across South Carolina and most other states to get a firsthand look at our nation’s capital, learn about the political process from the people who make and influence our laws, and better understand the impact they can have as citizens. Nearly [How many? ____] students across the nation have participated, and many have since gone on to work for co-ops or enter government roles.
Students benefit from other summer gatherings, such as the South Carolina Electric Cooperative Youth Summit. Along with the usual touring, games and fun, they learn about energy and the people who keep the power running for their families. Sometimes, these experiences spark an interest that eventually leads to a career.
Yes, co-ops do light up communities by delivering safe and reliable electricity to residents and businesses. Yet, their power lies in the many ways they deliver the other kinds of energy that communities need to thrive.
For more than four decades, business writer Scott Flood has worked with electric cooperatives to build knowledge about energy-related issues.