Over 400 Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative members and their families came to the Cooperative Pavilion in Chase City on June 15 for the Annual Meeting of the Members held for those who own and receive electricity from the Cooperative. The theme of this year’s meeting, “My Electric Cooperative,” emphasized that Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative is owned by those it serves. President and CEO John Lee highlighted the major responsibilities that the Cooperative has to its members.

Special guests in attendance included Delegate Tommy Wright, Delegate Don Merricks, Senator Frank Ruff, and newly elected State Senator, William M. Stanley, Jr. Stanley spoke to the group of his admiration for the work of the Cooperative’s linemen. “I have a new and profound appreciation and respect for the work done by the Cooperative in their efforts to keep the lights on. “They make the tough tasks that they do look easy.”

A portion of the meeting was set aside to honor military veterans and their families. A video presentation of soldiers returning and surprising their loved ones was shown.

In his address to the audience, Lee pointed out safety for the members and employees is our top priority. He also talked about system improvement projects that have taken place over the past year to better serve the members. Upgrades and rebuilds to various substations will pay reliability dividends for years to come and will assist in meeting the membership’s ever increasing electric need.

Also mentioned were the Cooperative’s intensified efforts to encourage the wise use of energy. While the concept of conservation and energy efficiency has been promoted by Mecklenburg Electric for many years, it has become an increasingly more important subject, given the continuing volatility of power supply costs and the regulatory uncertainty associated with traditional generation sources.

Last but certainly not least, Lee shared information about ratings that Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative received in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). MEC received an ACSI score of 84 which surpasses an elite group of acclaimed consumer friendly corporations, including Nike, Outback, Dell, Hyatt, Nordstrom, and Starbucks. He emphasized that MEC employees continue to put the members’ best interests first and are working diligently to provide the very best in customer service.