Introducing the New Currents Magazine
Welcome to our “new” Currents. In our member survey, you told us you wanted a magazine dedicated to local content—and here it is! Enjoy reading everything local with articles on MEC and community events and programs, business spotlight, 100% local business advertising, and a favorite new feature “Chef Boy-MEC.”
In more news, these are exciting, yet challenging times. Never before have our Board of Directors and management been challenged to this degree to maintain affordable electricity costs for members while facing a decreasing supply of wholesale power resources and an increased need for electricity by our members.
North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the organization charged by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with protecting the reliability of the grid, has identified the southwest states and California as elevated risk for insufficient dispatchable resources in their 2023-2024 Reliability Assessment. NERC has been warning for years that soaring demand for electricity combined with generation shortfalls put reliable energy in jeopardy, and the latest assessment shows this threat has worsened.
The exciting part is that MEC added a new solar and battery storage system in October 2023, and Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO/AzG&T), our major power and transmission provider, has plans to build significant new resources.
Your support for these projects, as members, has been impressive and essential to accomplishing the first steps including Arizona Corporation Commission approval of financing for AEPCO’s new natural gas generation, and Mohave County Board of Supervisors approval of an extension of time on a location in Fort Mohave for the project. Thank you for your support.
In February we held a Town Hall meeting where Patrick Ledger, AEPCO CEO, presented information and answered questions on the proposed new natural gas resource to generate electricity in Fort Mohave.
Here are the key benefits of the new units that we talked about:
We’re on the right track, and your continued support is vital to a reliable, affordable future. We’ll keep you informed on our progress with bill inserts, website, social media, and Currents.
— Tyler Carlson, CEO