“The annual meeting is important because it gives Members the opportunity to meet the coop’s board of directors and managers and staff, to express concerns they might have, and to get their questions answered…” – Reuben McBride, Director and Board President.
Lois McClellan and JoAnna Weech made sure the date was marked on their calendars, and when it was time, they made sure they were there for the Graham County Electric Cooperative (GCEC) annual meeting.
“For me, it's important because it gives me a chance to get to know the board members, and to hear them give their reports about what the coop is doing,” said McClellen.
“It's also important for the co-op to be transparent and for the people that run the Co-op to be available for us when we want to talk to them,” McClellen added.
Weech, who worked for the co-op at one time, said she “likes to keep track of what’s going on.”
“It's important to be here because that way we know what they're doing, and what the improvements and the challenges are,” said Weech.
The GCEC Annual Meeting, held in the Pima High School gymnasium on March 2, was well-attended by Members from across the co-op’s service territory.
Phil Cook, GCEC CEO, and general manager, said Members heard a lot about the co-op and its issues in a relatively short time, adding that he received a lot of good feedback on all the issues that were discussed by him and the board – and the Members who attended.
“We explained the power cost adjuster because that was high last summer, and fortunately we’re able to tell people we're in a better place this year. We talked about the water rate case that was approved last October and the electric meter charge that will be approved this April, and we talked about how and why rate cases are needed,” Cook said.
“We talked about some of our accomplishments and some of the projects that we are working on for this year, because there’s a lot going on,” Cook said. (See a list of some of the ongoing projects at the bottom of this story).
Cook discussed the co-op’s new water rates and electric meter rate in light of the aging and outdated infrastructure in both systems, which are faced with higher demand because of how the region is growing.
For more information on the water system and rates, visit the Utility Rates & Tariffs page, and for more information on the electric system and rates, visit the GCE Rates page. For coverage and information on the new Hooker substation, visit the article New Substation Brings Remote Area of GCEC Transmission System “In to the 21st Century”.
“The bottom line is, we have to upgrade these systems to keep providing safe, reliable, and affordable power when people flip the switch, and a reliable and safe and affordable supply of water when they turn on the tap, and we’re doing that in the most cost-effective manner possible,” said Cook.
“It's important for people to be here, at the annual meeting, because they have to ask themselves where are they getting their information from about electric rates and water rates; if they're getting it from social media and they don't know the source they may be getting information that doesn't tell the whole story.
“And I always tell them they can come into the office and talk with someone at any time, so they get their information first hand from the source; so we can provide the best information about where we are and where we're going – because it’s very different than what it's been for the past 20 or 25 years,” said Cook.
Reuben McBride, board president, also touched on the spike in fuel prices that led to higher-than-usual electric bills last summer, which led to Members wanting to know why that happened.
“When we explain how there was so much demand because of the unusually hot temperatures and the power was more expensive as a result, I think yes, people probably understand that,” said McBride.
“And we also have to point out that we kept the lights on, and they stayed on throughout the summer, and keeping the system reliable, that’s important,” said McBride.
“And, that gets right to the heart of 1 of the challenges we’re facing, and that is, trying to maintain reliable, affordable power; we’re installing, our power supplier AEPCO (Arizona Electric Power Cooperative) is installing, quick-start (natural) gas turbines called LM6000s, to go along with the solar fields to provide a good mix of backup, reliable and economical power,” said McBride.
He said the coal units at AEPCO’s Apache Generating Station at Cochise, south of Willcox, “have been our bread and butter.”
“But with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) being what it is, and all the other regulations we have to deal with, at the state level as well, it’s a certainty we’re going to have to have other sources (of energy) and this is the way we’re moving forward,” McBride said.
McBride said the annual meeting is important because it gives Members the opportunity to meet the coop’s board of directors and managers and staff, to express concerns they might have, and to get their questions answered.
“People need to be here, they need to understand they play a critical role in how the co-op is governed and that they have a say in everything we do,” McBride said.
List of GCEC Ongoing Projects for 2024:
- Completion of Advanced Metering Infrastructure project
- Pole and conductor replacement in Bonita
- Water mainline upgrade in Fort Thomas
- Fort Thomas, Ash Creek water automation project
- Obtain Ash Creek Water Grants
- Engineering for new water storage tank in Bryce area
(As always, Members with questions or concerns can call or visit the Pima office and someone will be available to talk with them. The phone number is (928) 485-2451, the address is 9 West Center Street)
