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 Steps toward greater efficiency and cost-savings
May 1, 2010
There’s a multitude of important issues currently swirling around the electric-power industry. To a large degree, each one of these is shrouded in uncertainty. Some of these issues would include the following:
- federal carbon-emissions legislation
- cost and availability of future power-generation facilities
- massive expansion of the nation’s transmission-line grid
- mandates for using renewable generation resources
- additional taxes on electricity production
- Environmental Protection Agency regulations
Here at Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, we haven’t just now awakened to the potential impact any and all of these factors might have on our cost of operation. Several years ago, we recognized that—any one of these could have a significant impact on our members’ electricity prices.
As a consequence, the cooperative embarked in 2007 on an in-house effort to reduce expenses. We understood there was little we could do to control added costs that might be imposed upon Blue Ridge through government actions. Therefore, we decided to concentrate on those matters over which we did have some control.
Each and every department at the cooperative has taken steps to cut costs and to introduce even more efficiency to our work. I want to emphasize the word more because efficiency is a guiding principle at Blue Ridge. The cooperative serves a primarily rural territory that is also storm-prone and largely wooded and mountainous. With all the challenges these realities present to our supplying quality service, we have to be very efficient. I’m pleased to report that the measures undertaken at Blue Ridge to enhance efficiency and reduce expenses have paid off.
I’d call your attention to the information in this month’s magazine about our annual meeting. You’ll also find plenty of informative facts concerning our Blue Ridge Fest charity fund-raiser set for May 14-15. It would give me great pleasure to extend the hand of welcome and friendship to you at both of these occasions.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Dalton
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