DC Legislative Advocacy Trip
Every year, Mohave Electric Cooperative (MEC) CEO Tyler Carlson and senior management travel to Washington, D.C., and meet with our federal Legislative representatives on behalf of our MEC members to strengthen public policies that promote electric reliability and affordability.
With changes in our Presidency and Administration, there were a few key co-op issues to discuss and underscore with our Senate and Congressional representatives, including:
Meeting Growing Energy Needs
American families and businesses need the lights to stay on at a cost they can afford. Our nation’s energy policies must reflect this fundamental expectation. Growth is inevitable, and over the next 4 years, electricity demand is forecasted to increase by nearly 16% nationwide. MEC and other co-ops across the country are advocating for national energy policies that help us keep the lights on today while meeting the energy needs of the future.
Protecting Hydroelectric Power
Hydroelectric power is a reliable source of low-cost energy benefitting the majority of the country, and although Arizona is home to multiple dams that supply hydroelectric power, long-standing contracts with the federal government have determined the distribution of water and power to various utilities.
Because of these decades-old federal contracts, Mohave Electric Cooperative surprisingly receives a relatively small share of hydro power – 5% of our energy mix. It is critical that MEC advocates for both the preservation of this allocation and to protect our direct access to this clean energy resource from potential threats posed by other federal policies.
Defending Against Wildfires
The U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation earlier this year that would expedite federal approvals to allow co-ops to harden their grids against wildfires, remove hazardous vegetation, and reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits that delay wildfire mitigation projects. The Fix Our Forests Act still needs approval from the U.S. Senate before moving forward for President Trump’s consideration.
Funding Broadband, New ERA, & PACE
With the change in Administration, all remaining federal grant funding is under review to ensure accountability in the use of taxpayer dollars. TWN and MEC applied for BEAD grant funding, which, if awarded, would allow us to complete our 100% fiber-optic network and bring high-speed internet to all our rural MEC members.
Additionally, our main electricity provider, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO), has been informed of being awarded nearly $500,000,000 in New ERA and PACE funding, with approximately $154,000,000 for solar & Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) projects for our broader area. For more information on any of these topics, please contact Allison Ellingson at (928) 763-1100 or email Mohave Electric.