Today's Quote
"My government will propose reform of the electricity market to deliver secure, clean and affordable electricity."
-Queen Elizabeth II, in a speech Wednesday to open the next session of Parliament.
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| Calendar |
May 11
Blue Ridge Fest
Pickens
May 12
Annual Meeting
York Electric
May 15
Annual Meeting
Fairfield Electric
May 17
Annual Meeting
Tri-County Electric
May 19
Annual Meeting
Aiken Electric
Visit our online calendar for more events
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e-blast is a weekly electronic newsletter created to provide the latest work of your state association, news from our member cooperatives and progress on issues important to us all.
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Storms, outages challenge S.C. co-ops 
High winds and equipment problems left at least two South Carolina co-ops coping with outages this week.
Crews from Aiken Electric Cooperative had power restored to nearly every member in less than two hours, after a thunderstorm Wednesday caused system damage and downed lines. Approximately 1,200 members lost power during the storm.
In Horry County, the culprit was an equipment problem at a substation that caused power outages for around 1,900 Burgess community members Thursday morning. Horry Electric Cooperative provided an alternate source of power while repairs to the substation are being made.
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Duke, Progress - more concessions | | Merger concession means customers will not pay severance costs. |
Progress Energy and Duke Energy have agreeed not to charge customers in North Carolina about $450 million in merger related costs. In return, the state's consumer advocacy agency has said it will recommend speedy approval of the merger if the deal is approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The biggest portion of the merger costs were related to severance pay for employees who would be laid off if the merger goes through. The companies had planned to ask customers to pay those severance costs in their monthly bills, with the rationale that the layoffs would ultimately save customers money.
The FERC has rejected the Duke-Progress merger twice. The companies are hoping to complete their $26 billion deal before July 1. By making these concessions, they hope to avoid additional public hearings with the N.C. Utilities Commission.
Related Story:
Duke, Progress agree not to charge NC customers for $450 million in merger costs
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Annual meetings attract large crowds
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Broad River honored World War II vets Roy Hall, Stan Cantrell, Francis Wilkins and Dewitt Elliott, who participated in the co-ops' Honor Flight. |
Saturday's annual meeting of Broad River Electric Cooperative members is believed to have attracted the largest crowd in the co-op's history, say long-time Broad River officals. Registered members tallied 1,543. Trustees Bill Peeler, Wayne West and DeCole Gallman were unopposed and re-elected to the board by acclamation. A crowd estimated at 6,000 attended Monday's Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting, with 2,714 members registered. Incumbent directors Mendel Stone, Jimmy Lee Dodgens and Frank Looper were re-elected to new terms on board. In an election to fill the last two years of the board term of deceased director Bill Barker of Oconee County, Len Talley defeated Shane Clardy.
Related Story: Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative annual meeting draws thousands |
Widow of WWII Veteran recognized at Blue Ridge Annual Meeting
 | | Mrs. Vogt receiving a flag in honor of her late husband |
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative member Shirley Vogt was honored by the co-op's board of trustees at their annual meeting this week.
Her late husband, Raymond, was scheduled to take the April 11 Honor Flight trip sponsored by the state's electric cooperatives.
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The flag presented to Vogt |
Sadly, he passed away less than two weeks before the scheduled visit to the nation's capital.
In Mr. Vogt's memory, the Blue Ridge board presented Mrs. Vogt with a South Carolina state flag that was displayed in a group photograph of the World War II veterans who went to Washington, D.C. She also received a red fleece jacket like the ones worn by veterans on the Honor Flight. |
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