Northland Connection: January 2026

Understanding Our Three-Tier Cooperative System

As we kick off a new year at your cooperative, I want to take a moment to share how optimistic I am about the year ahead. With a strong foundation and dedicated partners, Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative is well positioned for 2026 and beyond. This new year also brings an important leadership transition within our three-tier electric cooperative system that directly supports the reliable power you depend on every day.

Our transmission partner, NW Electric Power Cooperative, based in Cameron, Mo., recently welcomed a new CEO/General Manager. NW Electric plays a critical role in delivering wholesale power across our region, and as CEO/General Manager of Platte-Clay, I am proud to serve on the NW Electric Board of Directors. The NW Board is made up of the general managers of the seven distribution cooperatives it serves, along with one board director from each of those cooperatives. I currently serve as board president and was honored to help lead the search for a successor to retiring CEO/General Manager David McDowell, who faithfully served NW Electric for many years.

After a thorough candidate search and interview process last fall, the NW Board selected Loren Haines to take the helm as CEO beginning in January. Loren brings 27 years of experience in the electric cooperative system, most recently serving for the past decade as General Manager of North Central Missouri Electric Cooperative. His deep understanding of cooperative operations and strong relationships across the state make him an excellent fit for this role.

Loren will be a tremendous asset to NW Electric and to the cooperatives it serves, including Platte-Clay. His leadership comes at an important time, and it provides a great opportunity to reflect on how our cooperative system works together behind the scenes to deliver power to your home or business.

Platte-Clay Electric is part of a three-tier cooperative system that emphasizes efficiency through specialization. The first tier includes 40 distribution cooperatives across Missouri. These co-ops, like Platte-Clay, deliver electricity from substations directly to homes, farms and businesses. We operate at the “end of the line,” and we are locally owned and governed by democratically elected directors chosen by our members.

The second tier consists of six transmission cooperatives that move high-voltage electricity across regions of the state. These are the taller transmission lines you often see along highways and rural roads. Transmission cooperatives deliver power from generation sources to substations, which they own and operate on behalf of the distribution cooperatives they serve.

NW Electric Power Cooperative is our regional transmission provider for northwest Missouri. It delivers wholesale power across 34 counties through more than 1,700 miles of energized transmission line. Its member systems include Platte-Clay, Atchison-Holt, Farmers’, Grundy, North Central Missouri, United, and West Central electric cooperatives.

The third tier of the system is electricity generation. Missouri’s electric cooperatives receive their power from Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), which generates wholesale power for its six transmission cooperative member-owners, including NW Electric.

AECI relies on a diverse mix of energy sources, including coal, natural gas, hydroelectric power and wind energy from multiple wind farms across the region. To meet growing demand during peak periods, AECI is currently constructing two new natural gas peaking plants. One of these will be located right here in Platte-Clay’s service territory in Turney, Missouri.

Together, this collaborative system of 47 generation, transmission, and distribution cooperatives serves the daily electric needs of approximately 2 million Missourians. Each tier operates as a non-profit and delivers power at cost. Any margins are returned to members as capital credits or reinvested into the system to ensure long-term reliability.

To put this structure into perspective, about 67 percent of every dollar Platte-Clay collects from members goes directly toward wholesale power costs and depreciation. This means our local operating expenses represent a relatively small portion of your bill, and your board and co-op leadership work carefully and intentionally to manage the resources entrusted to us. Your rates will remain steady in 2026 even as costs associated with delivering service continue to rise.

Our cooperative remains strong, financially sound and focused on the future. In upcoming columns, I’ll share more about the challenges facing the electric industry and how we’re preparing for them. With a dedicated team and strong cooperative partners at every level, we remain committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable power today and for years to come.

Q. What is your favorite part of serving on the PCEC Board?

A. I enjoy working with fellow board members as we strive to serve our members in the best way possible when it comes to affordable, reliable and safe energy. Our current board members work well together with the co-op’s members’ best interest in mind as we make decisions at the board level. I also enjoy working with the senior management team at PCEC.

Q. What have you discovered about the cooperative since serving on the board that might surprise members?

A. PCEC is highly regarded by other electric co-ops throughout the state of Missouri and beyond due to the co-op’s high level of performance and leadership by our general manager and fellow team members.

Q. How does your career experience help you in serving on the board?

A. I have an extensive background in finance and management that is very helpful as a director for PCEC. The energy industry is experiencing increases in the demand for energy like never before. As our industry moves forward, a high level of focus will be required on managing our growth and the cost of power. Ensuring that our energy rates are fair and equitable to all of our members continues to become more complex and challenging with the growth that is being experienced. I am confident that I am well positioned to serve as a director of the co-op with these challenges ahead.

Q. What do you think the cooperative is doing well?

A. PCEC has the best safety record of all Missouri electric co-ops. We are financially sound and provide a high level of energy reliability. The co-op is very focused on its members and employees.

Q. What are you most proud of accomplishing during your time serving the co-op?

A. The board is constantly focusing on keeping energy rates as low as possible for PCEC’s members. We have kept rate increases to a minimum and we continue to develop strategies going forward to maintain affordable, reliable, and safe energy for our members.

Q. What excites you most about the cooperative’s future?

A. We are fortunate to have a great team of employees that enjoy working for PCEC and its members. I’m always amazed by the continuity we’ve experienced in many key staff positions.

PCEC is also located in a service area that is experiencing growth, which helps our co-op remain financially strong. Not every electric co-op is growing, so we are in an advantageous position among cooperatives.

I mentioned the challenges and complexity surrounding balancing growth in energy demand and equitable rate structures. I think these kind of challenges that directors face are fascinating to take on, and I enjoy the dialogue and collaboration among PCEC’s leadership and directors that takes place as we collectively work to find the best solutions moving forward for our membership.

Q. Is there a message you’d like to share directly with PCEC members?

A. PCEC is well managed and operated by a very good team of officers and employees that desire to serve its members at the highest level possible. My hope is to continue serving on the board in the years ahead, and we continue to ensure our co-op remains strong for our members. Affordability, reliability, and safety continue to be at the forefront of my focus as a director.

Member Voice at the Center of Cooperative Governance

I’m often reminded that the strength of our cooperative comes from the connections we share as members. That sense of connection was on full display at our recent Holiday Open House. I had the pleasure of attending the event in Kearney with my mother, and together we enjoyed some warm chili, festive decorations and, most importantly, meaningful conversations with fellow members.

Events like the Holiday Open House are special because they show how a cooperative brings neighbors together to share stories and build relationships. I want to thank our employees for the time, care and creativity they put into hosting such a welcoming event. From the food to the decorations, it was clear how much pride they take in serving our membership.

The board of directors takes seriously its responsibility to serve the membership and protect the long-term strength of the cooperative. Over the years, I’ve seen how steady leadership and thoughtful decision-making help our co-op navigate change while staying true to its values. That perspective is especially relevant as we move into the 2026 election cycle and begin implementing recent updates to our election process.

It’s important to note that these changes did not originate with the board or management alone. They began with a motion brought forward by a member at our annual business meeting, reflecting growing member interest in election transparency and fairness. That motion ultimately led to bylaw amendments that were presented to the membership and approved with an overwhelming 95 percent support. That level of approval speaks volumes about the shared values and trust within our cooperative.

One update members will see is a more direct, member-driven method for board candidacy. Beginning this year, candidates will qualify for the ballot by submitting a petition signed by at least 15 fellow members. This approach
simplifies the nomination process and reinforces the idea that board service begins with demonstrated member support. It is a clear and consistent process that applies equally to all candidates.

Another key update focuses on transparency in board elections. Candidates are now required to disclose campaign contributions and any third-party support they receive, and those disclosures will be shared with members. In addition, total campaign monetary and in-kind contributions will be capped at $500 per candidate. These measures are designed to keep elections focused on service, experience and commitment to the cooperative, while ensuring no candidate has an undue advantage.

From the board’s perspective, these updates are positive and forward-looking. Healthy cooperatives evolve, and strong governance depends on processes that members understand and trust. By increasing clarity and openness around elections, we believe members will feel more confident participating in the process, which in turn helps strengthen voter engagement and turnout.

While the election process has been updated, the role of members remains the same and as important as ever. Voting is one of the clearest ways members exercise ownership in their cooperative. It ensures that leadership continues to reflect the values and priorities of the membership as a whole.

As part of the election timeline, online voting for the 2026 board election will open on May 1. The 2026 Annual Meeting, which is a business-only meeting, will be held on May 28. Additional election details, including information about the candidates, will be shared in our April Northland Connection election guide to help members prepare to cast their ballots.

After more than three decades of service to this cooperative, I remain confident in its future. That confidence comes from a strong board, dedicated employees and, most importantly, engaged members. Transparency, accountability and participation are more than principles on paper. They are practices that keep our cooperative strong.

I appreciate the continued trust members place in the board, and I encourage everyone to stay informed and take part in the upcoming election. When members engage, our cooperative is better positioned to serve today’s needs while planning responsibly for the generations ahead.

Winter weather can cause your home heating system to work overtime. Check for air leaks and drafts around doors and windows, then seal them with weatherstripping or caulk. Close fireplace dampers when not in use, and consider installing insulating curtains to help keep warm air inside. You can also save energy by lowering your thermostat a few degrees. Even small adjustments like these can reduce heating costs and improve comfort during the coldest months.

Source: energy.gov

Board Nominating Petitions Due Feb. 17

PCEC members can choose to run for the board of directors through a fair, transparent annual membership election process. Board members serve three-year terms, and three of the nine board seats are up for election each year — one from each of our three service districts (North, South and West).

Any member interested in running for the PCEC Board of Directors in 2026 should contact the co-op beginning in January to receive candidate information packets. To become eligible for election, director candidates are required to submit nomination petitions with at least 15 qualifying member signatures to the co-op by Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.

To contact the co-op with your interest or if you have questions about the process, please email PCEC Human Resource Director Angie Kinard at angiek@pcec.coop.

PCEC will begin annual election voting in May. Members will be able to vote online again this year, with a paper ballot option available. Members can also vote in person prior to the annual Business Meeting May 28, when results of the election will be announced.

Directors play an important role in the cooperative by giving members a seat at the decision-making table through local representation. Each director on the Platte-Clay Board of Directors receives $500 for each local meeting attended with no other benefits paid.