CEO’s Message: Cooperative Values Make a Difference
August 2023Cooperative values make a difference daily
Back when Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) was founded, the goal was simple: Bring electricity to the people of this rural community. While the mission was straightforward, accomplishing it was anything but. The major power companies had already looked at regions like this one and decided there wasn’t enough profit in them to make the investment worth their while.
That’s why SVEC was born. A group of neighbors pulled together and decided if no one else would bring this transformative new technology to their area, they would do it themselves. Over time, SVEC and other Florida distribution cooperatives formed Seminole Electric Cooperative to be their wholesale power provider.
Earlier this year, Seminole completed a major project with the construction of the Seminole Combined Cycle Facility in Palatka. The natural gas-powered station uses cutting-edge technology to generate power extremely efficiently. The new facility replaces one of Seminole’s less efficient coal fired units. You can read about how the new facility works in this issue, as well as its importance to keeping our energy mix reliable and sustainable.
In this issue of our newsletter, you can also read about the local students SVEC sent to Washington, D.C., in June for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth Tour. While there, they joined thousands of other teens from across the country in meeting their elected officials, touring historical monuments and learning about the cooperative mission.
Not only did these students get to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime trip to our nation’s capital, but they were also wonderful representatives of our community. You can learn more about their trip and see photos on the back page of this newsletter.
Finally, as we enter the dog days of summer we know our two-legged members aren’t the only ones feeling the heat. For our furry friends, the combination of high temperatures and humidity can be extremely uncomfortable and even dangerous. Be sure to check out our tips for keeping your pets safe in the heat, even in the hottest days of the summer.
From the biggest generation facilities to the smallest members of our families, the cooperative mission guides everything we do. Just like for our founders, serving you may be a simple goal, but we take it seriously each and every day. You can count on us to continue bringing you safe, affordable and reliable service that puts our members first.
