Northland Connection: September 2025

Cooler Days, Brighter Future for PCEC Members

As summer winds down and kids head back to school, we can all look forward to football season, cooler evenings and the routines that come with fall. For me, this season is also about reconnecting with our members at our member appreciation events. This will be our fourth year hosting these gatherings, and they’ve become something I truly look forward to. I always enjoy sharing a meal, catching up with familiar faces, and meeting newer members of our cooperative. These events remind me of why co-ops are different. We exist to serve people, not profits, and these opportunities to visit in person really drive that home.

We used to hold one large annual meeting where members would come to vote on board directors and other matters. While that was a great tradition, online voting has changed the need for everyone to gather in a single place at one time. Instead, it has allowed us to host several smaller events across our service territory, bringing us closer to more members. PCEC leadership and directors attend these gatherings, so if you have feedback, questions, or even just a story to share, this is your chance to do so face-to-face. That kind of connection is one of the most valuable parts of being a cooperative.

This summer highlighted just how much our energy use is growing across Missouri and the surrounding region. On July 29 between 5 and 6 p.m., our generation partner, Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), reported a new all-time summer peak of 4,649 megawatts. To put that in perspective, the previous record set in August 2023 was 4,554 megawatts. Setting two new records in the last three years underscores how quickly demand is rising.

Meeting this demand requires both planning and investment. AECI is already building two new natural gas peaking plants—one in Ripley, Okla., and one right near us in Turney. These facilities will provide backup generation when energy demand is at its highest. At the same time, our transmission partner, NW Electric, is making more than $250 million in upgrades, including stronger steel poles and higher-capacity transmission lines. These improvements are essential to ensuring that PCEC members continue to enjoy reliable, affordable power well into the future.

Like many of you, I experienced firsthand how active this year’s storm season was. Storms remain the leading cause of outages in our system, and unfortunately, we had more than usual this summer. While no outage is ever convenient, I want to emphasize how quickly our linemen respond. Their dedication to restoring power safely and efficiently is something we take great pride in.

Our largest outage this year was actually caused by something other than a storm. In June, members near Smithville, Camden Point, and Edgerton were affected when a snake entered an NW Electric substation and knocked it offline, cutting service to about 2,100 members. It’s an unusual reminder that nature is unpredictable, and sometimes outages come from causes we can’t easily plan for.

Other interruptions this summer were tied directly to the transmission upgrades I mentioned earlier. NW Electric crews have been hard at work replacing infrastructure that in some cases dates back 60 to 70 years. Some members have noticed the larger steel poles being installed and have asked about them. These poles are taller and stronger because they must carry more electricity and meet today’s safety standards. While the work has caused short-term inconveniences, the long-term benefits will be a stronger, more resilient system.

Even with this summer’s challenges, PCEC continues to rank highly compared with peers nationwide when it comes to reliability. Industry metrics consistently show that our members experience fewer and shorter outages than many others across the country. That is a direct reflection of the skill, commitment and hard work of our operations team.

I believe one of the most important responsibilities of a cooperative leader is to be open with members. That’s why I share updates like these—not only to report the good news but also to acknowledge the challenges. Whether it’s storms, growth-related construction, or record-setting demand, I want you to know what’s happening behind the scenes and how we are responding. Our promise is to continue doing our best to provide reliable, affordable energy while keeping you informed every step of the way.

As we move into fall, I’m reminded of how much this season means to families and communities. There’s Friday night football games, holiday festivities and time spent with loved ones. I hope you and your family enjoy all that this season brings. Thank you for being part of PCEC.

Tips to Stay Safe During Harvest Season

Harvest means long hours, increased stress and tight schedules. Because of that, Safe Electricity reminds farmers that it only takes a split second for someone to come into contact with electricity. Your most seasoned worker to your least, your spouse, your son or daughter or other family member, an ag-related worker dropping off a load or applying fertilizer — any person on your farm is at risk of becoming injured or killed due to electrical contact.

“Review overhead power line locations and height clearance with anyone and everyone working on the farm or doing business there,” says Erin Hollinshead, executive director of Safe Electricity. “Although harvest is filled with tight deadlines and heightened work stress, making time for safety, including electrical safety, can save lives.” To help keep those who work or do business on your farm safe not only during harvest but year-round, follow these electrical safety tips:

• Educate everyone that potential electrical hazards include both direct and indirect contact with an overhead power line or pole. Indirect contact (coming too close to a power line or pole), could cause electricity to arc/jump
• Both direct and indirect contact can change electricity’s path to ground. Once that path changes, the stray voltage can energize anything in its path, such as a truck, a tractor, an extension, the ground, or a person
• Start every workday with a safety meeting. Discuss all operations for the day and go over power line/pole locations. Emphasize safety above speed to everyone on the farm, especially during busy seasons like harvest
• Never assume that because someone grew up on the farm that they understand the potential of stray voltage or other electrical hazards. In fact, do not assume this for anyone. For example, teens who have moved irrigation pipes to free an animal have been seriously hurt or electrocuted
• Encourage drivers and operators to position grain augers in their lowest position or to lower truck bed boxes before moving. Be especially cautious of overhead lines when using augers in the field to load trucks on the road
• Review potential hazards with grain/dump truck drivers and spot them when possible. Also:
• Encourage drivers to load and unload all materials away from overhead power lines.
• Even better, create a dedicated drop zone away from all overhead power lines.
• Post 10-foot clearance rule and “look up and look out” reminders.
• If you see that a hydraulic truck bed, extensions or other equipment gets within 10 feet of or contacts a power line, utility pole or guy wire, instruct the driver to stay in the cab. Call 9-1-1 to have your electric cooperative or utility dispatched to deenergize the power. Give instructions from 50 feet away and inform everyone else to stay back.
• Know how to instruct someone to properly exit a cab if necessary due to fire (do so from at least 50 feet away). The person should cross their arms close to their chest and make a solid jump out of the cab. Then, the person should make deliberate hops, with feet together, hopping away as far as they can. When people walk or run in an area with stray voltage, they could be exposed to two different voltages at the same time and become electricity’s path to ground. This is known as step potential.
• Encourage folding and unfolding to be done well into the field, not at the field’s edge, which could have power lines running next to it.
• Do not store irrigation pipes, hay bales, machinery or anything else under power lines.
• Be aware of power line locations in the proximity of grain bins. Always load and unload on the side without a power line. Contact your electric cooperative or utility with questions about grain bin power line clearance/OSHA regulations.

Contact PCEC immediately about damaged or downed power lines or poles. Our crews would much rather check out an issue than risk a potentially dangerous situation.

Join Us for Member Appreciation Events

PCEC’s popular member appreciation events return this fall with opportunities for delicious food and fellowship. Mark your calendars now to join PCEC staff and board members at the events. All members are invited to attend, and food will be served while supplies last. We hope you and your family can make it to one or all of the events!

Third Grade Safety Poster Contest Kicks Off

Henry, from Cameron, was a 2024 contest winner.

PCEC is always working to increase electrical safety awareness for our youngest members.

During National Co-op Month in October, Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative is sponsoring a safety poster contest for third graders in the communities we serve.

Safety is at the forefront of everything our Cooperative does for its consumer-members. Winners will be announced on our Facebook page and featured in an upcoming Northland Connection.

The top three students will receive prizes. Teachers who submit their class artwork will be also be able to win prizes. Three teachers will win a $100 gift card to use for their classrooms!

Submission guidelines

• Submit original artwork on 8.5×11 inch paper
• Poster must use the theme, “How do I stay safe around electricity?”
• Print the child’s name, phone number, school and teacher on back of poster
• One entry per student
• Posters must be received no later than October 31, 2025

Three options to submit entries

• Mail poster to: Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060
• Hand-deliver to our Kearney or Platte-City office
• Scan poster and email to AmandaM@pcec.coop

When it’s time to replace your old leaking water heater – replace it with an affordable, high-quality model from Platte-Clay. Take advantage of this great co-op member benefit and you will have even more peace of mind when your new water heater is covered under the PCEC Water Heater Service Agreement.

Co-op members may purchase one water heater at co-op member pricing; additional units are available at retail pricing. The co-op also offers all members a Water Heater Service Agreement to help maintain a new or existing water heater for $4.50 a month that is added to your monthly electric statement.

For members building a new home or converting from gas to electric water heating, Platte-Clay members can purchase an A.O. Smith electric water heater at a discount.

Members can inquire about a water heater or a service plan by emailing mail@pcec.coop or calling (816) 628-3121.