Manager’s Message – June 2023
Gaining Ground in Washington, D.C.
Dear Co-op Members
Our elected leaders in Washington, D.C., hold enormous sway over our ability to provide you with safe, reliable and affordable electricity. That is why the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which represents and promotes the interests of the state’s 18 electric cooperatives, recently organized a trip to our nation’s capital to advocate for our co-op.
20 cooperative leaders from Oregon, including me, traveled to Washington, D.C., joining nearly 2,000 other co-op leaders to participate in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference. We spent time on Capitol Hill meeting with each member of Oregon’s congressional delegation about legislative issues affecting Lane Electric Cooperative and you, our member-owners.
During our sessions, we asked for our delegation’s help to alleviate supply chain constraints and provided an update on contract negotiations with the Bonneville Power Administration for our future power supply.
We also asked our delegation to oppose the removal of the lower Snake River dams. Federal studies indicate breaching the dams could raise your rates by as much as 50% and jeopardize the reliability of the power grid in the Northwest.
Our House and Senate members asked good questions and requested additional information on key issues. I appreciate their time and attention and look forward to visiting with them when they are in the state. Too much is at stake to not engage in state and federal policies that would jeopardize our ability to deliver safe and reliable power.
Sincerely,
Debi Wilson
