Northland Connection: March 2026

Holding the Line for Our Members

Steady Rates in a Rising-Cost World

A few months ago, we shared the good news that Platte-Clay’s rates would remain steady in 2026. In a time when it feels like everything is getting more expensive, that may have sounded simple enough. But the truth is, holding the line on rates in today’s electric industry is anything but simple. It is the result of years of careful planning, disciplined decision-making and a team effort focused on one goal, serving our members well.

Across the country, electric utilities are facing significant cost pressures. Generating plants have been retired at a rapid pace while demand for electricity continues to increase. The cost of producing power has climbed due to higher fuel prices, environmental compliance requirements and the need for new infrastructure. On top of that, supply chain challenges have made it harder to obtain transformers, wire and other critical materials. Labor costs have risen. Interest rates remain elevated. Tariffs and raw material shortages have added to the strain.

The result is that many utilities nationwide are forced to continue raising rates. At Platte-Clay, we are not immune to those same pressures. We continue to see wholesale power rate increases passed down to us. Those costs are real and ongoing, and they are something we monitor closely. The reality is that it becomes a question of how long we can absorb those increases before they require a rate adjustment. For now, we have been able to manage them without passing those costs on to you.

That stability is possible because of the collective effort behind the scenes on your behalf. It starts with our people. PCEC is fortunate to have a team of talented, dedicated employees who take pride in their work. From our linemen and engineers to our member services and administrative staff, our employees understand that we are stewards of a member-owned cooperative. They work efficiently, think creatively and stay focused on safety and reliability every day.

We also benefit from strong leadership at the board level. Your board of directors brings experience, sound judgment and a deep understanding of the communities we serve. They work well together, ask tough questions and remain focused on long-term sustainability rather than short-term gains. That steady leadership plays a critical role in keeping our cooperative on solid financial footing.

Growth has been another key factor. Over the last 30 years, PCEC has grown from approximately 12,000 members to more than 26,000. That growth allows us to spread many fixed costs across a larger membership base. While rising expenses still affect us, a growing membership helps soften the impact and improves overall stability.

Planning ahead has also paid dividends. Our engineering team maintains a comprehensive work plan to upgrade and replace aging infrastructure before it fails. Replacing equipment on a planned schedule is far more cost effective than responding to emergency outages. The same principle applies to our right-of-way maintenance program. By staying proactive with vegetation management, we reduce outages, improve reliability and avoid more costly storm damage repairs. Being proactive instead of reactive saves money over time and directly benefits our members.

We also remain committed to operating as efficiently as possible. We carefully evaluate projects, monitor expenses and look for ways to streamline processes without compromising safety or service quality. Holding rates steady means little if reliability suffers, and we will not sacrifice the integrity of our system to achieve short-term savings.

It is also important to remember what makes PCEC different. As a cooperative, we do not have shareholders expecting quarterly profits. Our members are our owners. Any margins above normal operating costs are returned to the membership in the form of capital credits. That philosophy has guided us since 1938. Decisions are made locally, with a long-term perspective and a focus on serving the people who depend on us.

While many utilities are continuing to increase rates, PCEC is proud to maintain stable rates for 2026. We will continue doing everything within our control to extend that stability into 2027. At the same time, we will remain transparent about the challenges we face and thoughtful about the decisions we make.

We cannot control every factor affecting the energy industry, but we can control how we prepare, how we manage resources and how we serve our members. I am confident in our team, our board and our cooperative model.

We are proud to serve you, and we remain committed to operating your cooperative in a way that reflects the trust you place in us every day. Be sure to let us know if you need anything.

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

A. My favorite part of serving on the board is interacting with Platte-Clay leadership and the members. What I like is how the leadership comes together to solve problems and provide service to the membership. I really enjoy the purpose-driven nature of the cooperative.

Q. What is something you have learned about the cooperative or power industry since joining on the board that might surprise members?

A. Just the complexity of delivering electricity to over 25,000 members and doing so reliably. There are a lot of things most people don’t consider when they turn on a light switch. There are so many interesting technical facets to delivering electricity across thousands of miles, but there are also so many ways the co-op prioritizes reliability by investing in things like brush control that keep our system running smoothly.

Q. How does your career in cybersecurity help you in serving on the board, and how do you assess how the co-op is doing when it comes to cybersecurity?

A. In my work, I get to see lots of different companies and what they do well and what they could do better to protect their organization and/or customers. It helps me understand the information when presented and provide perspective on how to prioritize efforts to improve cybersecurity.

The co-op does very well and members should feel good about how the co-op is putting a lot of effort into continuously improving their cybersecurity stance through investment in new tools, training and testing.

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

A. I think the top things we excel in are safety, reliability and cost of service. We’re doing everything we can to maintain low rates. As a director, we get to see the results up close every month at board meetings, and then we also get to attend meetings with other co-op directors around the state or country where it is always evident that our coop is among the top-performing organizations.

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

A. I’m proud of how the entire board effectively supports the co-op leadership in making good decisions. We’re maintaining an exceptional level of reliability while minimizing rate increases to the membership during a climate of high inflation and rising cost pressures. A lot of utilities are having to raise rates all the time, and this hasn’t been the way PCEC has operated.

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

A. Our co-op continues to experience growth, and we’re in a really good position to serve this growth. This isn’t the case with all rural electric co-ops. We are fortunate to be located in a thriving area with great communities.

Q. Is there any other message you’d like to share with PCEC members?

A. Directors really value member feedback because we are a member-driven and purpose-driven organization. We value feedback to make sure we are prioritizing member needs. We aren’t here just doing what we want or making unilateral decisions. We work closely and very well with PCEC’s management team, but ultimately we work for and answer to the members. That’s why it is important we have member elections and have the opportunity to choose who represents the membership.

Prepare for the spring storm season by safeguarding your electrical equipment with a whole-house surge protection system. PCEC offers a TESCO residential whole-house surge protector that can help you protect sensitive electronic equipment against power surges. The device provides complete household hard-wire protection for up to 70,000 amps. You can lease these devices for only $4.95 per month, which is added to your electric bill. PCEC recommends the use of a quality point-of-use surge protector on valuable electronic equipment in addition to the Tesco device. Warranty claims only apply when surges enter through the electrical service entrance.

Members may get a surge protector by emailing mail@pcec.coop or calling (816) 628-3121 to schedule an installation.

As spring arrives, take advantage of milder temperatures to save energy at home. Open windows on pleasant days to bring in fresh air instead of running your HVAC system. It’s also a great time to replace dirty air filters, which helps your system run more efficiently and improves indoor air quality. As daylight increases, turn off unnecessary lights and rely on natural sunlight when possible. Small seasonal adjustments like these can reduce energy use, lower monthly bills and help keep your home comfortable as winter transitions into spring.