CEO’s Message: Forward Together

March 2026

What makes a cooperative different is also what guides us. Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative exists to serve its members through electric service. Unlike investor-owned utilities, we do not answer to shareholders elsewhere, and we do not operate for profit. Instead, what you pay goes directly into the service you receive.

Decision-making is guided by SVEC members who are elected by their communities to represent their areas. Democratic and local leadership help shape the cooperative’s future and enhance understanding in ways investor-owned utilities cannot. At the same time, it also means the responsibility we carry is significant, and the decisions we make are not always easy.

In recent years, we’ve continued navigating more than $134,000,000 in storm recovery costs. Long after service is restored, the work continues through careful documentation, coordination, audits, and good financial husbandry. As we know, the reimbursement process can take years, and its impact follows us well beyond the initial response.

Through this, we remain focused on being careful stewards of member dollars. We continue addressing debt methodically, maintaining financial stability, and planning for the long term. At the same time, we do not pause investment in what matters most: our electric system, our employees, and the communities we serve. That balance is essential to ensuring reliability today while preparing for tomorrow.

While system durability is crucial, we recognize that the true strength of SVEC is our people. Our team works year-round to ensure consistently safe, reliable service. In 2025, our system maintained 99.96% availability, a testament to the hours spent maintaining infrastructure and responding to service needs so members can power their homes, families, and daily life with confidence.

Internally, we continue strengthening our workforce and operations through training, certification, and system improvements. This year, with more team members earning certification through Northwest Lineman College, SVEC achieved full Energy Control Center status. We also continued expanding Rapid Fiber Internet service, supporting education, economic development, and quality of life across our service territory for years to come.

As a member-owned cooperative, participation in co-op meetings helps keep you informed about the business of the cooperative so that you can better understand operations and the decisions we make. At our annual meeting, you can meet some of our team, hear from co-op leadership, receive outcomes for the annual audit, and learn more about what lies ahead. I appreciated the opportunity to meet with many of you at the District 1, 2, and 3 meetings this year, and hope you’ll join us again for our Annual Meeting on April 25.

As we look ahead in 2026, we continue moving forward by navigating challenges, strengthening our system, and making decisions with the future of the cooperative and our communities in mind.

Thank you for being part of SVEC.