Not long after our firstborn arrived, I offered to give my wife a few minutes of peace and solitude while I ran an errand with little Max. It was just a quick trip across town, so I scooped up my boy and took off, not even thinking about bringing a diaper bag.
I don’t have to tell you what happened next. It didn’t get any better when I had to call my bride and ask her to deliver me a diaper. That was one lesson I learned the hard way: It pays to be prepared.
That was the case once again this winter when rolling blackouts hit consumers all over the Midwest. I am proud to say not one Missouri electric co-op member lost power from a blackout.
I had to ask myself why we were so fortunate. The answer is that the hardworking employees of Missouri’s cooperatives were prepared. They had a plan. They watched the weather. They made sure their electric grid was running smoothly.
Associated Electric is our member-owned generation cooperative tasked with keeping the power pumping out to our members. Their board made plans long ago to ensure there was adequate electricity to supply today’s needs.
In preparing for this, they diversified their fleet of generation resources much like a farmer who plants more than one crop.
One other huge advantage electric co-ops have is their family relationship with members like you and I. During this rare cold snap our local electric co-ops asked us to lower our thermostats a few degrees and avoid using major appliances during peak times. These voluntary efforts helped prevent the rolling blackouts other states experienced when demand hit an all-time high.
You can learn more about how we got through this crisis on page 28. There’s also a message from your wholesale power supplier on page 27.
Being prepared for me meant keeping a diaper in my glove box. Preparation for electric co-ops means having a plan in place that covers whatever might go wrong and having member-owners who will do what is needed to help all of our co-op family keep the lights on.
I’d like to thank all of you and our co-ops for doing what was needed when it was needed the most.