Manager's Message

Most of us rely on electricity—directly or indirectly—at nearly every moment of our lives. It’s so abundant and accessible that we rarely stop to think about what powers everything around us. With a simple flip of a switch, electricity lights our homes, runs our appliances, keeps us connected, and supports our quality of life. It’s no longer just the “light bill.” Electricity powers so much more.

At Central Electric, we know electricity isn’t just a commodity—it’s a necessity. As demand for power increases across homes, businesses, schools, and even the transportation sector, we remain committed to ensuring you have access to reliable, affordable electricity. This commitment drives everything we do.

Looking to the future, the challenges of providing power are evolving. U.S. electricity demand is projected to rise to record highs in the coming years, and the demand is expected to double by 2050. Meanwhile, the supply of electricity is shrinking as always-available power plants are prematurely retired. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has already warned that 19 states face potential rolling blackouts during periods of high demand in the next five years.

So, how did we get here, how do we address these challenges and what are we doing at Central Electric to protect our members?

Over the next several months, we will dive into factors that impact the reliability and affordability of the service we provide to you. Some of these are within our control, such as proactive right-of-way trimming and system maintenance. Others are outside of our control, such as trees that fall from outside the right-of-way in our tree dense area, and policy decisions over the last two decades that have severely impacted the availability and cost of reliable base load power generation, leading to today’s lack of capacity and increasing cost issues.

In the coming months, we will cover and take a dive into several topics, including:

The Energy Mix: We’ll explore the diverse mix of energy resources that generate your electricity. 

Advanced Technologies: Central Electric is investing in tools to help us operate more efficiently.

Grid Resilience: Tree trimming and proactive maintenance are key to keeping power lines clear and improving system reliability.

Innovating for Tomorrow: Rising electricity demand calls for collaboration and forward-thinking solutions to ensure affordable solutions for our communities. 

Planning for the Future: As the energy landscape changes, conversations with elected officials whose decisions affect energy policy are paramount.

Central Electric was built by the community we serve, and we remain dedicated to powering the lives of local families and businesses. As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, our priority is ensuring you have electricity that is both dependable and affordable—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

Thank you for trusting us to power your lives. In the months ahead, I look forward to sharing more about the challenges we continue to face, as well as how we are actively working to keep the lights on and protect our members into the future.