Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight: Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative

sbradford — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 19:40:57 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative

June 30, 2021

The smallest of Ohio’s electric cooperatives with just over 4,400 members, Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative is a nimble, lean machine. Manager Brett Perkins leads a team of 10 employees who are well practiced at wearing multiple hats, filling in wherever needed, and answering the call for all hands on deck. Although the name suggests otherwise, Tricounty serves members in five counties: Henry, Fulton, Wood, Putnam, and Lucas. The cooperative office is located in Malinta in Henry County, which was named for founding father Patrick Henry, often remembered for his passionate declaration, “Give me liberty or give me death!”

Away from the hubbub, but not too far away

The area has a rich agricultural history and enjoys a rural setting while benefiting from close proximity to Toledo and to Lake Erie, making for easy day trips. The Toledo Zoo, the Toledo Museum of Art, and the National Museum of the Great Lakes are popular destinations in this area of the state.

Maumee State Forest, the only state forest in northwest Ohio, is partly located in Tricounty’s territory. The park maintains trails for horseback riding, hiking, snowmobiling, and all-purpose vehicles. A popular pastime in spring is morel mushroom hunting. Careful and methodic hunting in the area can uncover these hidden treasures that are easily identified by their completely hollow body and their honeycomb-textured caps. They have a nutty, meaty flavor and can’t be cultivated — foraging is the only way to snag a bag of the coveted fungi.

Small but mighty

The small size of the cooperative may create challenges, but there are benefits as well, including personalized service and the ability to react quickly to unexpected situations. The small-town, in-person culture shows its worth. Dedication to reliability and affordability has contributed to Tricounty’s excellent customer satisfaction rating — the highest in the state among its peers.

Tricounty celebrates National Family Month in June by holding a prize giveaway drawing for its members. In 2019, the cooperative gave away family four-packs of tickets to nearby attractions, such as the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium, Sauder Village, and a Toledo Mud Hens baseball game. Last year, the cooperative gave away at-home activities for families to do together. Additionally, the cooperative awards scholarships to select high school seniors and sends a deserving student on the electric cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.

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Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative

nature

Co-op Spotlight: Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative

aspecht — Mon, 03 May 2021 14:07:07 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative

May 3, 2021

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Operating from Rio Grande, Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative covers an expansive territory in southern Ohio, serving 18,562 consumer-members in nine counties: Athens, Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton. Buckeye REC’s territory is in the Ohio Appalachians, one of the most scenic parts of the state. The area’s rolling hills and mountains and natural flora and fauna are unmatched for beauty in any season.

Buckeye REC’s territory encompasses portions of Wayne National Forest, the only national forest in Ohio, which covers over a quarter-million acres of unglaciated terrain in the Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio. The forest offers opportunities for outdoors enthusiasts to pursue their passions, including mountain biking, camping, fishing, horseback riding, ATV riding, boating, archery, canoeing and kayaking, or even just soaking in nature’s spectacular sights.

Working for business

Buckeye REC proudly supports economic development and job creation within the community.

In 2019, Buckeye REC was awarded a $2.5 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission POWER Initiative that will provide funds for fiber optic cable to connect cooperative substations in six counties and pave the way for future broadband expansion to members from internet service providers.
Additionally, Buckeye REC recently provided an economic development grant through Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives for site work needed to obtain “construction-ready” SiteOhio authentication at the Dan Evans Industrial Park II, which will allow potential developers to immediately build on the site. The cooperative also used site readiness grant funds to prepare their 13-acre Echo Valley substation property for future development.

Community

From offering school visits and teaching electrical safety, to partnering with the Red Cross for a blood drive, Buckeye REC participates in programs to benefit all members of their communities. Buckeye even donated a bucket truck to Buckeye Hills Career Center for use in the center’s power lineman training program.

Through the electric cooperative Youth Tour, Buckeye REC sends a high school student to Washington, D.C., each year to learn about our nation. Scholarships for high school seniors (including a recently introduced technical scholarship) provide assistance for children of members to pursue higher education. This past holiday season, when Gallia County Local Schools was unable to hold its annual food drive, Buckeye Rural employees helped fill the need by donating cash to cover the cost of feeding seven families — all part of the co-op’s guiding principle of Concern for Community.

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Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative

Milestones come and go

aspecht — Mon, 03 May 2021 14:03:03 +0000

Milestones come and go

May 3, 2021

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Power Lines

Steve Nelson didn’t necessarily plan to stay long in the job his peers elected him to back in 1996.

He had been named general manager of The Frontier Power Company, the Coshocton-based electric distribution cooperative, only four years earlier. In that position, he automatically had a seat on the board of trustees for Buckeye Power, the generation and transmission cooperative that is the source of electricity that co-ops like Frontier Power provide to their members.

Even early on, Nelson made a strong impression on the state’s other co-op managers, and he was elected as chairman of the board at a time when Buckeye Power was navigating some tricky issues, such as electricity deregulation and ever-more-stringent environmental regulation.

“I never planned to be chairman more than a little while,” says Nelson, now 65, who’s celebrating 25 years as Buckeye’s chairman this year. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll stay at it, but for now, it seems like they still want me, so I’ll keep doing what I can.”

Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives are as diverse in their needs as they are in their geography, so keeping the board running smoothly isn’t always an easy task —
but it’s one to which Nelson is particularly suited.

“Personally, I see a lot of that job as building unity,” he says. “You put a group of people together with the main goal that they always vote in the best interests of the group as a whole, but they all come from different places and represent a bunch of ideas, and it’s not always easy to look past those ideas. I’ve been around a long time, though, and I can use that sense of history to maybe explain an issue from different angles they might not have seen.”

“The term of the chairman is only a year at a time, and Steve keeps getting reelected year after year — so it’s obvious the board values his leadership,” says Pat O’Loughlin, president and CEO of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives.

“He does such a good job running the board meetings, which is the most visible part of the job, even though it’s certainly not the most important,” O’Loughlin says. “He makes sure that everyone on the board has a voice, that they all get to have input on issues of importance to them, and people appreciate that. Board members respect Steve’s common-sense approach.”

Nelson also is generous with the time that he devotes to board business. Running the Buckeye Power board meetings may be the most visible of his duties, but it only takes up a small portion of the time he gives to the cause. As chairman, he’s an ex officio member of all the various board committees, and he represents Buckeye Power in meetings with numerous outside partners, such as American Electric Power — which sometimes add up to four or five extra meetings every month — outside of his full-time job as CEO of Frontier Power.

Nelson realizes he’s not going to be at it forever, though. He enjoys traveling with his wife of 45 years, Beth — they were high school sweethearts at River View, just up the road from Coshocton — and plays golf in whatever spare time he comes by.

“Steve’s one of the most dedicated people I know to the cooperative ideals,” O’Loughlin says. “He puts in the time, often behind the scenes, to ensure that Ohio’s cooperatives are well represented.”

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co-op history

Buckeye Power

Frontier Power Company

Co-op Spotlight: Darke Rural Electric Cooperative

aspecht — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 15:03:16 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Darke Rural Electric Cooperative

March 1, 2021

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Darke Rural Electric Cooperative in Greenville serves about 5,000 members in Darke, Preble, and Mercer counties in west-central Ohio, along the Indiana border. Darke REC prides itself on being an engaged part of its community and offering exceptional service, along with affordable, reliable electricity that its members expect.

Community involvement

Darke Rural Electric’s Operation Round Up program allows consumer-members to round up their electric bills and donate the change to local charities and organizations. More than $414,000 has been donated since 2004. Darke REC awards $6,000 in scholarships each year to graduating seniors who are children of members and sponsors high school sophomores’ and juniors’ participation in the annual Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.

Across Ohio, county fairs are the highlight of the summer, not only for youth involved in 4-H projects, but for many members of the community. One of Darke REC’s most important events is The Great Darke County Fair in August, one of the longest running and most robust county fairs in Ohio. Members who visit the cooperative booth at the fair can learn about new programs, receive a gift, and register to win bill credits. Darke REC also partners with Butler Rural Electric Cooperative to host the Preble County Junior Fair Exhibitor Picnic on move-in day of the county fair, providing a meal for the young exhibitors and their families.

National Trail High School is a cooperative member, and each year, Darke REC sponsors Cooperative Night at a football game to connect with the community and support the school’s athletic program.

Things to do

Darke County’s proximity to the metropolitan area of Dayton makes it a popular destination for weekend or day trips and offers visitors a variety of options for dining, activities, and entertainment. A few don’t-miss highlights:

Bear’s Mill is a water-powered mill outside of Greenville that still grinds grain using traditional methods. The Mill Gallery features rotating art exhibits and events throughout the year, including tours, a candlelight Christmas walk, and a fall open house, which make it a popular tourist destination.

Operated by the Darke County Historical Society, the Garst Museum offers over 300,000 American and Ohio historical artifacts.

Shawnee Prairie Preserve and Nature Center is the largest park in the area and hosts the Prairie Days Festival, where visitors can observe and participate in pioneer-era activities, such as blacksmithing, candle making, and apple butter stirring.

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Darke Rural Electric Cooperative

Co-op Spotlight: North Central Electric Cooperative

aspecht — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 19:19:44 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: North Central Electric Cooperative

January 29, 2021

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Located in the heart of northern Ohio, North Central Electric Cooperative (NCE) serves 9,972 consumer-members on 1,794 miles of electrical line across eight counties. NCE, whose headquarters is in the small town of Attica, serves communities that offer a variety of opportunities to locals and visitors alike.

Service partners

In addition to residential service, NCE boasts a strong and diverse commercial and industrial presence in its service territory, and provides electricity for several larger industrial companies. The National Lime and Stone Company in Carey provides aggregates and minerals throughout Ohio and the U.S., while remaining a local business proud of its history of civic involvement. The company offers tours and other educational opportunities for local school systems, and employees work with local charities and organizations to benefit their community. NCE also serves Charter Steel, a leading American supplier of carbon and alloy steel bar, among other products.

NCE further serves three rural schools and offers a variety of youth-focused programs for students, including scholarships, internships, and the chance to participate in Ohio Cooperative Youth Day and the Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.

Things to do

NCE’s service territory comes to life in the summer months, with a variety of places and activities for both residents and visitors to enjoy. Acres of campgrounds, local and county fairs, and several festivals liven up the warmer Ohio months. The Oak Ridge Festival in Attica, held in July and October, is a particular favorite, with live entertainment, handmade items, food, and fun for the whole family. Seneca Caverns in Bellevue is one of Ohio’s largest underground caverns, where visitors have the opportunity to descend 110 feet below the surface for a truly memorable adventure.

North Central Electric prides itself on being with its members from the time they wake up, while they’re on the job or in school, and when they return home at night. It’s all part of being a cooperative family.

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North Central Electric Cooperative

Co-op Spotlight: Harrison Rural Electrification Association

aspecht — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 14:44:09 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Harrison Rural Electrification Association

December 31, 2020

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Harrison Rural Electrification Association (HREA) is unique because it is the only electric cooperative in West Virginia. Serving 7,742 consumer-members, HREA spans seven counties on 828 miles of electrical line. With such a wide service area, HREA’s territory contains many attractions and sites that further contribute to the surrounding area.

So much to do

The area covered by HREA is a vibrant community. Visitors can explore multiple festivals throughout the year, including the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, the West Virginia Black Heritage Festival, the Greek Food Festival, and events such as the Cecil Jarvis Greater Clarksburg 10K. In Clarksburg, there’s a rich public arts and entertainment industry. Clarksburg Amphitheater hosts live music, movies, and other events. There’s also the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center for productions and programs appealing to all ages.

USDA ReConnect Program

Recently, HREA received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a program to bring optical fiber lines to its members. The grant provides funds for construction, facilities, and equipment needed to bring broadband service to rural areas. HREA is firmly committed to its community, and the Broadband ReConnect Program reinforces that ideal. HREA is partnering with Prodigi “Fiber to the Home” for the initiative to bring broadband service to rural areas in West Virginia and ensure access for its consumer-members. The project aims to build over 410 miles of fiber routes to provide high-speed internet, voice, and TV services.

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Harrison Rural Electrification Association

Co-op Spotlight: Union Rural Electric Cooperative

aspecht — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 14:24:35 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Union Rural Electric Cooperative

December 1, 2020

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Just to the northwest of Columbus, Union Rural Electric Cooperative (URE), based in Marysville, is a not-for-profit electric and natural gas distribution cooperative serving over 10,000 consumer-members. Alongside the city of Marysville and Union County, URE has enjoyed prosperous growth over the last three decades. The communities served by URE have a proud agricultural heritage but celebrate the increased investments made in the advanced manufacturing, smart mobility, and research and development sectors in recent times.

Diverse membership

Unlike the typical rural electric cooperative, URE boasts an impressive mix of residential, commercial, and industrial accounts. The mix includes automotive manufacturing facilities and several automotive suppliers, which are critically important to the economies of Union County and the state of Ohio. The cooperative serves a few K-12 school facilities and families with students enrolled in five school districts. Also included in the member mix are city and county government facilities, chain and locally owned restaurants, automobile dealerships, hotels, and various retail accounts, all of which contribute to the economic strength and diversity of the area.

Commitment to its community

Commitment to community is a top priority at URE. Each year the co-op sponsors various activities, such as youth sports, 4-H, farmers markets, and local fairs and festivals. All sponsorship efforts are designed to boost economic development and improve the quality of life in Union County. The future is bright in and around Union County, and URE is positioned to be there powering the way.

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Union Rural Electric Cooperative

Co-op Spotlight: Firelands Electric Cooperative

aspecht — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 18:29:23 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Firelands Electric Cooperative

October 29, 2020

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Firelands Electric Cooperative serves over 9,100 homes and businesses on more than 900 miles of power lines in rural areas of Ashland, Huron, Lorain, and Richland counties. In 2019, Firelands Electric moved to a new all-in-one facility with a combination office and warehouse, with larger and more secure outside storage and a 152-panel community solar field.

History behind the co-op name

In 1792, the Connecticut legislature set aside 500,000 acres in northern Ohio for Connecticut residents whose homes were burned by British forces during the Revolutionary War. Known as the Fire Lands, or Sufferers’ Lands, the tract was located at the western end of the Connecticut Western Reserve in what is now the state of Ohio. The land was intended as financial restitution for residents of the Connecticut towns of Danbury, Fairfield, Greenwich, Groton, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, and Ridgefield. Most of the settlement of the area did not occur until after the War of 1812, and the name was later shortened to one word — Firelands. Some of the original townships in the Firelands territory took their names from locations in Connecticut.

Our members

Firelands Electric serves homes, farms, and businesses, including several nature-based organizations. Honey Haven Farm began as a family dairy farm, but the owners stopped dairy operations in 2003 to concentrate on grain farming. They also began adding to a fledgling pumpkin crop, and today, that simple pumpkin patch has grown into a one-of-a-kind fall festival, spring greenhouse, and summer farm market.

Fitch Pharm Farm maple syrup has been in production since 1989. The farm has turned to science and modern technology to help run the business. These advancements have made the work less time-consuming than the traditional bucket-and-tap methods of yesterday, but have kept the syrup just as sweet.

Firelands Electric also serves Green Valley Growers. Located outside of Ashland, they sow over 2 million seeds every year. Open to the public from April 1 until mid-June, the retail greenhouse offers bedding annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, vegetable plants, and much more.

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Co-op Spotlight: The Frontier Power Company

aspecht — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 18:31:00 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: The Frontier Power Company

September 29, 2020

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

Located in Coshocton, in the Appalachian foothills, The Frontier Power Company employs 39 people and has a service territory reaching into seven counties. Most of their 9,045 members are in Coshocton and Tuscarawas counties, with more in Guernsey, Holmes, Knox, Licking, and Wayne counties.

In addition to the electric cooperative, Frontier Power has a management agreement with several other businesses located on its property: Frontier Propane, a locally owned and operated propane cooperative; Frontier Supply, which incorporates an electrical and plumbing supply store; Whit’s Frozen Custard; Progressive Water; and Coshocton Coffee Connection.

Businesses and attractions

The small businesses in Frontier Power’s service territory are as diverse and varied as the people themselves: Tool fabricating shops, glassmakers, teardrop camper manufacturers, hickory rocker makers, a coyote trap manufacturer, a reclaimed wood sign maker, a quilt finisher, a wildlife management business, and a fish hatchery all call Frontier Power’s territory their home. Local residents and travelers alike can learn all they need to know about raising koi at veteran-owned Amore’s Koi Farm or about how Twig Archery makes custom bows and arrows for customers around the world. Cooperative-served businesses offer tasty and unique food items and meals, award-winning wines, and even specialty cheeses. Sportsmen can find plenty to keep them busy while in Frontier Power’s service territory: Gamekeepers Retrievers is well known for training retrievers, River Greens and Hickory Flats are both challenging golf courses, and there are many bodies of water where you can spend a leisurely afternoon fishing. The Coshocton County Heritage Quilt Barn Trail is an excellent way to see the beautiful scenery throughout the hills of the county — Frontier Power employees hung the quilt squares as a service to the community. Don’t forget a visit to the Old Stone Fort, reportedly Ohio’s oldest building, when you’re in the area. There are also a number of bed-and-breakfasts and other cozy locations for overnight lodging.

Events

Frontier Power is a proud sponsor of the annual Coshocton Hot Air Balloon Festival — a free event that features hot air balloons floating through the hills of Coshocton County, fireworks, and food vendors. Wings Over Coshocton is also a flying event held every few years at the Richard Downing Airport, another member of Frontier Power.
Giving to the community

Since 2012, Frontier Power’s members have been giving back to the community through the Frontier Community Connection Fund. To date, members have donated over $310,000 to community organizations. The Frontier Power Company also hosts an annual customer appreciation day for the entire community. Approximately 1,000 people, members and nonmembers alike, are welcomed at the co-op for lunch and appreciation gifts.

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Frontier Power Company

Co-op Spotlight: Carroll Electric Cooperative

aspecht — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 18:37:35 +0000

Co-op Spotlight: Carroll Electric Cooperative

August 27, 2020

Ohio's Electric Cooperatives

Co-op Spotlight

In the eastern part of Ohio near the Pennsylvania border, Carroll Electric Cooperative provides reliable and affordable energy to more than 10,000 consumer-members. The area is rich in agriculture, and Carroll Electric serves mostly residential members in its six-county territory.

Carroll County attractions

The Carroll County Arts Center features exhibits designed to inspire an appreciation for the arts. It provides classes taught by local artists in birdhouse decorating, woodcarving, oil painting, and more. In keeping with their mission to provide a creative outlet for the community, admission is free to the public.

In the picturesque rolling hills of Carroll County, the 55-acre Bluebird Farm Park features a century-old farmhouse and barns dating back to before the Civil War. Bluebird Farm Park has scenic nature trails, sit-down eating, a toy museum, and an amphitheater for events and outdoor wedding ceremonies.

Members of the Carroll County Daffodil Society plant flowers around the restaurant and other buildings, adding to the beautiful landscape of the farm. Atwood Lake is another area known for camping and sailing. Visitors can fish, hike the nature trails, or spend a day at the beach area.

Notable people

The Daniel McCook House was home to three brothers and their 15 sons, known as the “fighting McCooks,” who fought during the Civil War. The 1830s restored home is now a museum that has exhibits about the family and the Civil War and features several rooms decorated to fit the time period.

Former professional baseball player Jack DiLauro lives on Carroll Electric’s territory. DiLauro was a relief pitcher who played against all-time greats such as Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. He spent most of his career in the minor leagues for the Detroit Tigers organization but made it to the majors to play for the “Amazin’ Mets” in 1969, when he was a part of the World Series-winning team.

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Carroll Electric Cooperative