Storms Impact Vermont rural utilities in patterns of threes; welcoming JJ Vandette and Pat Barnes; acknowledging Dan Couture and Elaine Gonier; grant and legislative updates Weather and Outage Management Louis: Weather and outage management continue to be a major focus area not just for Washington Electric, but for our fellow electric distribution utilities. Where and how the weather hits makes …
Roger Fox Flips the Switch
Retiring after 32 years, Board Vice President wins Aiken Award Longtime Washington Electric Co-op Vice President Roger Fox, of Walden, will step down from the Board of Directors this fall. For his service, Fox has been awarded the George Aiken Award, presented annually by the Northeast Association of Electric Cooperatives. Fox has served on the Board for 32 years, but …
Incumbents re-elected, storm resilience focus of Annual Meeting
Storms and an equitable energy future discussed at first in-person Annual Meeting since 2019 The Annual Meeting took place in WEC’s Operations Center, where a few dozen transformers were ready for deployment. Most were ordered in 2020, and only just delivered after three years tied up in the supply chain. Members, staff, and guests mingled and enjoyed farm-to-table dining from …
President’s & GM’s Message: WEC Accesses Contracted Hydro-Québec Power
Longstanding contract provides 2 MW of baseload power as Co-op members’ winter needs and WEC’s electric peaks rise. Also: member education around EV charging, adding load, and safety Background to Hydro-Québec Contract Steve: In 2012, WEC negotiated a new 25-year contract with Hydro-Québec [HQ], and the Board at that time approved it. At the time, WEC did not have a …
Three incumbents run for re-election to Board of Directors
Every year, WEC’s membership elects three fellow members to serve on the Co-op’s nine-seat Board of Directors. The members who serve in these critical roles oversee management and staff and make policy and leadership decisions for the member-owned electric utility. Three incumbent Directors are running for re-election in 2023: Don Douglas of Orange, Treasurer; Jean Hamilton of Plainfield; and Mary …
2023 Annual Meeting Scheduled for May 4
Board Candidacy and Bylaws Petition Deadlines Due Feb/March The 2023 Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 4. For the first time since 2019, the Annual Meeting will be in-person at WEC’s warehouse. More event details will follow in future issues of Co-op Currents. Every year, the Annual Meeting marks the election of three members to WEC’s Board of …
Financial assistance, scam awareness, Sign up for outage alerts, Board vacancies
Have your finances taken a hit? Don’t let your WEC bill go past due, or grow beyond what you can manage. Help is available: A Member Services Representative will help you put together a budget that works for you. Plus, there are state programs that may help pay down your bill. Call us today, and we’ll help you put together …
Together again
Co-op gathers members together for a cookout, connections, and engineering demonstration on a sunny September day Preview in new tab September 10 was hot and sunny. But with almost 150 members expected for lunch, the grills were busy at WEC’s Operations Center, cooking burgers and chicken from local farms. Typically, WEC hosts the Annual Meeting of the membership in early …
Net Metering’s Effects on Washington Electric Co-op
By the Board and General Manager of Washington Electric Co-op As the most expensive form of renewable power in the state, net metering raises the cost of electricity to Vermonters who do not own such systems while it lowers the costs for those who do. The members of Washington Electric Cooperative have a long history of supporting renewable energy. The …
Co-op Seeks Former Members for Capital Credits Refunds
WEC returns $400,000 to membership in 2022 When for-profit utilities collect excess revenue, those profits enrich their shareholders. When cooperative utilities take in more revenue from their members than it costs to run the utility, they return that money to their members. Since 1998, WEC has returned approximately $9.5 million in capital credit refunds to Co-op members. This year, the …