Editorial: It's National Cooperative Month

October is a month of transition and tradition. Cool mornings and evenings give way to warm afternoons, harvest is in full swing, hunting seasons are underway, and families are preparing for Halloween. It is also National Cooperative Month, a time to recognize the history, impact, and unique business model of cooperatives across the United States.

The story of electric cooperatives is rooted in a time when much of rural America was left behind. In the 1930s, private utilities often chose not to extend power lines into sparsely populated areas because they did not view rural electrification as profitable. As a result, many farms, homes, and small communities lacked the safety, productivity, and quality-of-life improvements electricity could provide.

That began to change with the creation of the Rural Electrification Administration in 1935 and the passage of the Rural Electrification Act in 1936. Through low-cost federal loans, rural residents gained the opportunity to organize locally, build electric systems, and bring power to their communities. Farmers, neighbors, and local leaders came together to form consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives designed to serve their members and strengthen their communities.

Looking back at those beginnings helps clarify where we need to go next. Our responsibility remains the same: to provide members with reliable electricity at the lowest possible cost while making decisions that protect the long-term strength of the cooperative.

That member-first approach still guides how we evaluate new opportunities. Any major new electric load must be considered in light of its effect on reliability, affordability, and the long-term interests of the cooperative’s members.

To meet that responsibility, we continue to plan, prepare, and evaluate the energy resources needed to support reliable service for our legacy members. The energy landscape is changing, and growth from new large-load users, including AI data centers, will require additional power supply resources to meet rising demand.

When planned carefully, that growth can create opportunities without shifting undue costs or risks to existing members. If new large-load customers invest in the generation and infrastructure needed to serve them, the resulting economies of scale may help reduce costs for existing members while strengthening the broader electric system.

Our goal has always been — and will continue to be — to provide affordable electricity, financial stability, responsible stewardship, and dependable service. National Cooperative Month is a fitting time to remember why electric cooperatives were formed and to recommit ourselves to the purpose that guided our founders: serving the people and communities who depend on us.