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We will hold a public hearing on the proposed increases on January 27, 2025, at 5 p.m. Arrangements have been made for you to attend the Public Hearing by Zoom if needed.

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84266507228?pwd=m7ulsceVR9Lms3IkzFWZnjIN1nrQE4.1

Meeting ID: 842 6650 7228
Passcode: 029085

If you need to call in by phone please call:

1-929-205-6099 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 842 6650 7228
Passcode: 029085

As highlighted in our most recent newsletter, we are proposing a $3 increase to our monthly Customer Charge. This Customer Charge is essential for covering the costs associated with providing reliable electric service for all members regardless of power consumption. It supports expenses related to maintaining critical electric infrastructure including line construction and repairs, right-of-way maintenance, and customer support. This charge applies to all customers, whether residential or commercial.

 

 

This decision was not made lightly, and we want to share some of the primary reasons behind this necessary adjustment. 
We have experienced significant increases in our operating costs in recent years, including: 
•    Right of Way Maintenance: The upkeep of our line rights-of-way has become increasingly expensive, growth of vegetation in our area requires more frequent attention as well. We have been and will continue to need to contract Right-of-Way crews to help our internal crew with this work. Scheduled right-of-way maintenance helps protect critical electric infrastructure and vastly improves the duration of outages when they do occur. OEC and its contractors cleared over 20% of our primary lines in the past two years. 
•    Labor Costs: In the current labor market we are seeing rising wages. In order to provide the best possible service for our members we need to be able to attract and retain skilled staff who provide the quality services you expect.
•    Material Costs: The prices for materials needed to maintain our infrastructure have increased drastically due to supply chain disruptions and inflation. The average cost of critical materials such as poles, transformers, and line conductors has increased over 60% since 2020.
•    General Operational Expenses: Other overheads including Interest rates as well as supporting vendor rates continue to increase as well as they face many of these same pressures. 
We are committed to maintaining the high standard of service you rely on and continuously monitor our costs to ensure we are getting the best possible prices for the services we require. As a testament to this commitment, OEC’s average customer bill has risen at less than half of the rate of inflation since 2020.  
Your board of directors, CEO, and staff want to thank you for your understanding and continued support. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.