York Electric Cooperative, Inc.

We are all no strangers to rising costs. From the rise in grocery store prices and other everyday items to supply chain disruptions, we’ve all worked to manage our households, businesses and bank accounts to the best of our ability.

Your Board of Trustees and the leadership at your co-op have been doing the same thing. We shared last month that through monthly tracking and accountability, we’ve been able to save members approximately $14 million in comparison to the median reported controllable expenses of co-ops throughout the Palmetto State. We’re the lowest and we intend to keep it that way.

Just like you manage your finances at home, you can also manage your energy use, helping your co-op hold down power costs. Simply being mindful of when you are using the most energy—such as three-prong appliances, your heating and cooling system and water heater—can help offset peak demand.

Your co-op gets a power bill just like you. A large portion of our bill is based on demand, or the moment in time each month when the most people are using the most energy. In the summer, that is from 3–6 p.m. and in the winter it is from 6–9 a.m. If we can reduce the amount of energy used at those times, we all save money.

Programs like Beat the Peak and our Smart Thermostat program are easy ways you can get involved and help your co-op move the needle on power costs. We’re doing all we can to cut costs, and we hope you will join us in this effort by using energy wisely.

We now know we will have to increase our rates for the first time in over a decade in 2025. As we finalize the number and impact to our members, we appreciate your continued help with managing your energy use, easing the burden for us all.

During this year’s co-op month, let’s remember how working together can make the biggest difference. Please know our board of trustees and co-op management have been dedicated to creating the least impact to our members as possible. We will have a final decision on what this increase will look like for members next month and will be sharing the changes you can expect in the November/December issue of the magazine.

We’re always looking out for you, and we hope you join us in also looking out for each other.

This Co-op Month, York Electric encourages you to remember that you are part of an energized group of Americans who have a voice and a network of cooperatives that believe in the power of community. The Seven Cooperative Principles below help us serve you with excellence and always put you first.

Thank you for being a York Electric member.

THE SEVEN COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES

1. Voluntary and Open Membership Cooperatives are voluntary organizations open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

2. Democratic Member Control Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. The elected representatives are accountable to the membership. Members have equal voting rights—one member, one vote. Cooperatives at other levels are organized in a democratic manner.

3. Members’ Economic Participation In an electric cooperative, the member’s patronage is an integral part of the business assets and financing. Members have an obligation to utilize the co-op’s services as members. This obligation and the rates you pay for service help to finance the cost of building, maintaining and operating the utility. Since the sole purpose of an electric co-op is to provide service without generating excessive margins, the co-op sets rates that will enable it to pay all operating and financing expenses. Any net income remaining after expenses is refunded to the members or credited to their accounts based on the amount of electricity they use in a given year. This net margin is called member equity. As a not-for-profit utility, York Electric later returns these revenues to the members who originally paid them through their electric bills by way of the Capital Credit retirement process.

4. Autonomy and Independence Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.

5. Education, Training and Information Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers and employees so that they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public, particularly young people and opinion leaders, about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

7. Concern for Community While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.

WORKING TOGETHER IS WHAT WE DO BEST.

For National Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, we’re here to encourage members, champion your safety and empower you to stay safe online.

Be cybersecurity aware this month and every month with the following tips:

Stay safe online when using AI. While AI might offer valuable capabilities, always remember to stay proactive and educated about the risks. Be sure to mind your inputs and refrain from sharing anything you want to keep private. Remember, what you share publicly online may be copied, in whole or in part, by AI tools since they scrape data from the web.

Kids need to learn, too. Be positively engaged by paying attention to the online environments your children use. Surf the web with them. Appreciate your children’s participation in their online communities and show interest in their friends. Be sure to review your privacy settings to provide appropriate protection for them online.

Update software promptly. When we see an update alert, many of us tend to hit “Remind me later.” Think twice before delaying a software update. Keeping software up to date is an easy way to stay safer online. Remember to turn on automatic updates and watch for notifications so that your software can protect you, fix bugs, improve performance and provide you with the latest features.

Keep a clean machine. Cybersecurity starts with protecting all household computers with a security suite, meaning antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall software. Software companies often send updates that deal with the latest cybersecurity threats, so set your software to update automatically to stay worry-free.

Remember to follow the “Core 4.” As generative AI increases in popularity, adopting the “Core 4” cybersecurity behaviors is important for all of us. Use strong, unique passwords, turn on multifactor authentication for all accounts, keep software updated and watch for phishing.

Follow these top tips to stay safe online!

USE STRONG PASSWORDS...

Make your passwords:

Long: At least 16 characters

Random: Use upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols

Unique: Use a different password for each account

...AND A PASSWORD MANAGER

Password managers can:

• Store all your passwords
• Tell you when you have weak or reused passwords
• Generate strong passwords for you
• Automatically fill logins into sites and apps

TURN ON MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION

It provides extra security by confirming your identity when logging into accounts, like entering a code texted to a phone or generated by an authenticator app.

RECOGNIZE AND REPORT PHISHING

Common signs of a phish include:

• Urgent/alarming language
• Requests for personal or financial info
• Poor writing or misspellings
• Incorrect email addresses or links

Spot a phish? Report it to your organization or email provider, then delete it.

UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE

Software updates ensure your devices are protected against the latest threats. Turn on the automatic updates in your device’s or app’s security settings!

Beware of Scams & Frauds Following Devastating Weather Events

Utility scams and fraudulent schemes often arise after severe weather events. Scammers use phone calls, texts, emails, fake websites, and even door-to-door visits to try to steal from you.

First, please be aware of anyone pretending to be a member services representative from York Electric who asks for your credit card information, banking details, or Social Security number via call, text, or email. Our strict policy is to NEVER ask for personal information or payment methods over the phone or through texts or emails.

Here are the other red flags that should tip you off to the “storm chaser” scam:

Offers for quick repair services. Always ask for an ID or a business license. Contact your insurance company first to see what your policy covers. Get offers in writing, but never pay anything or sign anything – especially regarding the rights to your insurance money – without doing your due diligence and researching the company (the Better Business Bureau is a great place to start.) Most importantly, do not succumb to the number one tool every scammer uses, pressure tactics.

Solicitation of donations in the names of well-known charities or “new” charities that are seemingly related specifically to this disaster, as they are often fake. Investigate the legitimacy of any charity before handing over a penny, never respond to unsolicited requests via phone, text, or email, and never click a link in an unsolicited email message.

Scammers are impersonating representatives from insurance providers or government agencies, like FEMA, offering relief in exchange for payment or requesting personal information to initiate the process.

Price-gouging for goods and services.

Offers of goods and services, requests for donations, pleas from seemingly legitimate community organizations, and more that come to your attention through social media should always be viewed suspiciously and vetted thoroughly before even a “like,” much less any engagement.

Finally, when you do pay for legitimate services or donations, never use cash, wire transfers, or mobile payment apps and services. Credit cards or checks are the safest, most traceable options.

We encourage members to report suspected scams to your cooperative, local authorities, and the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.

Be vigilant and also rest assured we’re watching out for you.

As we all look for ways to save money in this age of increasing inflation, I’ve thought about my daily routine and how much value I gain from the conveniences I enjoy compared to the money I spend on them. While my gym membership only costs me 30 cents per day, eating lunch out and buying a coffee every morning would cost me approximately $420 a month. What is the real value aside from short-term satisfaction and convenience? This got me thinking—is this the best value for my money?

For York Electric’s residential members, the average daily cost of electricity is about $4.20; the average monthly electric bill is $126—notably some of the lowest costs in the state. Although our members will see a rate increase in 2025, so will other utilities and co-ops. The cost of your service will still remain one of the lowest in the state.

Electricity has remained relatively cost-stable even amidst rising inflation. As a member-owned cooperative, York Electric does everything in our power to ensure your costs stay reasonable and that electricity remains a great value for our members. It’s not always easy, as there are several factors beyond inflation that impact the price of electricity—some within our control but most beyond it.

The cost of electricity can fluctuate due to supply and demand, infrastructure investment, maintenance and operational expenses. Weather patterns also contribute, affecting both demand and generation capabilities, with extreme conditions leading to increased energy use or disruptions. Government policies, such as subsidies for renewable energy or taxes and regulations on emissions, shape electricity costs as well. Your electric co-op considers all these aspects when adjusting rates, and because we’re a cooperative, we consider the impact of those costs on our members as well.

One of the most effective ways to control rates and rising costs is to lower electricity demand. You may not realize it, but York Electric doesn’t generate its own electricity. Instead, we buy wholesale power from other utilities such as Duke Energy and Santee Cooper. The price we pay fluctuates over the time of day and costs the most during the peak times when everyone is using electricity simultaneously, like just before or after the workday. In fact, around 80 cents of every dollar members pay the cooperative goes toward buying the electricity we provide you. The more we work together to control demand and shift it away from the peak times, the more we all save, which is why we offer programs like Beat the Peak.

As our community continues to rely on electricity for nearly everything in our homes, schools, hospitals and businesses, we need it to be reliable and affordable. You can be assured York Electric always puts you top of mind and works each day to ensure electricity remains the best value for your money, even in the midst of rising costs.

We like saving money as much as you do. As a co-op, we are proudly owned by those we serve and operate as a not-for-profit business. That means we try to help you save money and do what is best for your family. Interested in learning more about Beat the Peak and how you can join us to help keep power costs down? Sign up today at BeatThePeak.com.

Small changes lead to big savings. Remember to:

• Avoid three-prong appliances
• Purchase a smart thermostat or sign up your own on our Smart Thermostat page.
• Lower your energy use during times when power is in the highest demand

Together, we have the power to Beat the Peak!

Your board in action

Discussion continues in the board room about new technologies that help your co-op serve members. Gathering data from metering devices is key to measuring individual energy use for future electric needs. Updates to our system will be coming soon. Additionally, the board has decided it will be necessary to increase our electric rates in 2025. To minimize the impact to members, discussions will continue through October to determine the final number members can expect.

Powering Up

York Electric’s new Allison Creek substation is energized and available to serve members. This new infrastructure increases transmission and distribution reliability, increases electric capacity for the growth in this area and allows your co-op to seamlessly transfer service in a maintenance or outage situation. We’re always looking out for you!

We’re getting a new look!

You may notice an updated version of the back of your bill. Our goal was to make payment information as easy as possible for you to review. Also, be on the lookout for information about our improved website that will be available soon.

Tropical Storm Helene's devastation has left members and our entire community without power. Please watch the video below for an update from our President/CEO.

Locals Looking Out for You:
Our Crews at Work

York Electric Cooperative (YEC) is always looking out for you and wants our members to play it safe when you get a phone call, email, or text that seems suspicious. We've had reports of scammers calling members and imitating York Electric to obtain sensitive account information, including members' credit card information, and claiming power will be disconnected if details are not given.

YOUR CO-OP DOES NOT FOLLOW THESE PRACTICES. We will never ask you for sensitive information, like your credit card or account number, over the phone or by email. If your bill is past due, or if we have a question about your account, we have multiple documented methods to keep you safe. For example, whether you are paying your balance by phone, text, online or in person, the initiation and processing of the payment is dictated by you – the member. If you receive a call, email, or text regarding the balance on your account, we implore you to contact your co-op to discuss your account before releasing any sensitive information.

As an additional safety measure, and to never worry about your bill becoming past due, consider signing up for bank draft through our secure member portal.

For questions and concerns, please contact our Member Services team at 803-684-4248. If you have been a victim of a scam, or have received communications from a bad actor as described, we encourage you to contact local authorities.

York Electric Cooperative combats rising costs

One of our most important jobs is to keep the price of electricity down. We haven’t had a base rate increase in more than 12 years because we’ve trimmed expenses wherever we could. But not everything is in our control. Here are just a few challenges we’re seeing:

Inflation

Inflation isn’t just driving up the price of groceries. Utility poles cost much more than they did a few years ago. The price of electric transformers has soared from $874 in 2019 to $1,360 today. We also carry some of the highest property tax burdens in the counties we serve.

Interest rates also have risen significantly in recent years. To deliver the reliable power you have come to expect, we borrow money to make upgrades to our electric system. Those higher rates have caused our interest expenses to increase.

V.C. Summer and the Cook case

A few years ago, two South Carolina utilities tried and failed to expand the V.C. Summer nuclear power plant. South Carolina’s electric co-ops buy the bulk of our power from one of those utilities, Santee Cooper, and must share in the costs of their capital projects, successful or not.

In the wake of that project’s cancellation, Santee Cooper settled a class-action lawsuit and agreed to a four-year rate freeze that kept our power costs stable. Since then, a series of unfortunate events—including major storms, a fire at a supplier’s coal mine and global events that drove up the price of fuel— have added about $680 million to Santee Cooper’s balance sheet.

Those new expenses will get passed down to their consumers—including our co-op—after the rate freeze ends on Dec. 31. We are negotiating to spread those payments over a longer time, which will soften their impact on power bills.

Energy policy

Recently, the federal government has pushed hard to reduce carbon emissions, requiring power providers to adopt unproven and expensive technologies.

They may have good intentions, but those regulations will make the cost of producing power—and buying it—go up. When it comes to energy policy, we work diligently with our state legislators and congressional representatives to make sure our voices are heard.

What we’re doing about it

York Electric has maintained the lowest controllable expenses in South Carolina, saving our members approximately $14 million in comparison to the median reported controllable expense amount in the state. This is something we track monthly to be sure we are doing all we can to help ease the burden of these new costs.

York Electric is working to determine if a rate change is necessary to provide safe and reliable power in the future. We’ll also continue to offer assistance and innovative programs to help our members save on their energy bills, as well as encouraging you to help hold down power costs through programs like Beat The Peak.

I think it’s important for members to be aware of these challenges. In upcoming columns, I’ll revisit these factors in more detail. There are many important questions still to be answered, but you have my promise that we will be transparent and proactive as we work to keep your power affordable.

YEC sends local students on summer youth trips

By Josh P. Crotzer

The view from the bucket of a utility truck looking out over a rural horizon certainly looks different than the view from the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Both, though, are places where local high school students stood and gained new perspectives, along with peers from across the Palmetto State, on life-changing summer trips sponsored by York Electric and South Carolina’s electric cooperatives.

Char McDowell of Clover, Heather Greenwald of Indian Land and Lilly Burke of York were among 57 South Carolina teens who traveled to the nation’s capital in June through the co-ops’ Washington Youth Tour. Ellie Dismukes of York, Peyton Sellers of Tega Cay and Angel Weaver of Fort Mill also joined 42 other high school students for Cooperative Youth Summit in July in Columbia and Newberry.

The Washington Youth Tourists spent six days visiting monuments, museums and memorials. They also went to the U.S. Capitol, where they met with congressional staff. Afterward, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott talked with the students and answered their questions on the Capitol steps.

For Greenwald, the day at the Capitol felt like a glimpse into her future.

“Our tour guide told us that out of all the statues of important people there, there was a space missing for the first female president,” says Greenwald. “When I heard that, I thought that could be me. I have a lot of things in mind that I’d like to do to improve our nation.”

Back in the state capital, Youth Summit students embarked on a four-day exploration of their state government, civic engagement and the cooperative business model. In addition to a visit to the S.C. Statehouse and Gov. Henry McMaster’s office, students had the opportunity to ask questions about current events, as well as state and national politics, with Senator Mike Fanning and Representative Micah Caskey. They toured Newberry Electric Cooperative’s headquarters, where buckets trucks lifted many of them more than 100 feet in the air.

They also participated in a public speaking competition, in which teams developed presentations arguing for and against current political and cultural issues, such as banning TikTok and subsidizing electric vehicles. Sellers’ team, which argued against EV subsidization, won the competition—and a $1,000 prize apiece.

“I really enjoyed all the activities, like riding in the bucket,” says Sellers. “I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in politics or anything else. It was just so fun and there’s so many people who want to go into different things here.”

Shining a light on September’s National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month

By Porter W. Gable

Longtime York County resident, Cheslie Kryst, made our area famous after winning Miss USA in 2019 and becoming an Emmy-nominated correspondent for the entertainment news show Extra.

To onlookers, Kryst appeared to have it all—team captain for Fort Mill High School track and cheerleading, academic scholar, University of South Carolina Honors College graduate and collegiate track star and the only student in her class to simultaneously earn a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration at Wake Forest University. Following graduation, she became a civil litigation attorney, licensed to practice law in both North and South Carolina.

For everyone who knew her, Kryst was the light in the room. But few knew about her years of silently battling mental illness. In 2022, Kryst died by suicide.

After her death, Kryst’s mother, April Simpkins, completed her daughter’s memoir, By the Time You Read This, about her daughter’s struggle between her many accomplishments and the reality of how she saw herself. Simpkins, who has lived in York County with her husband, David, for more than 20 years, has worked closely with York Electric Cooperative’s leadership for several years and currently serves as the chairwoman for the York County Regional Chamber. She is an ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness, and a board member for NAMI Piedmont Tri-County.

Her book provides a glimpse at Kryst’s beautiful life coupled with her hidden mental illness and celebrates her bravery to fight her disease for as long as she did. Her family’s story illustrates the need for advocacy, education and normalcy surrounding mental wellness. We can’t assume that the most outwardly confident people don’t struggle with their mental health. Success, money, fame—looking like you have it together—doesn’t mean you do.

“What Cheslie experienced isn’t uncommon,” says Simpkins. People are expected to perform at a consistent level of mental toughness. But when and how do we unpack the proverbial boxes of stress, anxiety, pain or negative thoughts we inevitably have in our day-to-day lives? Many times, we put on a brave face and live in the moment to maintain our power, strength and persona for others by boxing up our feelings and storing them to deal with another time. Simpkins discusses the importance of “finding a safe space to unpack your boxes.”

“Cheslie was a person just like everyone else,” says Simpkins, who has earned a Mental Health First Aid Certification and is also trained in Emotional CPR. “Although she was a celebrity, her feelings and battle with mental illness were real. I want everyone to know there is hope, there is help and you’re never alone.”

For Simpkins, losing a child—and the paralyzing grief she describes—is something parents share as their greatest fear. Loss, no matter what kind, requires those grieving to learn a new normal, living without a key part of their lives. Simpkins shares the rawness of her personal experience after Kryst’s death with the goal of normalizing the discussion of feeling mentally unwell.

She uses the example of how people will openly discuss their back pain but will typically hide how they are feeling mentally. Her transparency about her grief journey is intentional. She hopes her openness empowers people to speak up about their own mental health struggles. But for people to do so, Simpkins stresses the need for trust and safe spaces, something her family did not experience from others in the aftermath of her daughter’s suicide.

Simpkins, who has addressed audiences internationally on the topics of leadership, culture, DEI and mental health in the workplace, also highlights the importance of mental wellness in her professional life. She is a champion for those in need through her nonprofit work.

“Statistically, more than 80% of employees want an employer who prioritizes their mental health,” she says. “In order to break the stigma, we have to be willing to talk about it.” Through advocacy and education, Simpkins prioritizes changing the narrative about mental illness. She stresses the distinction between mental health and mental illness.

Simpkins suggests learning to be accepting and how to meet people where they are in their mental health journey by creating a judgement-free, safe space for people to express how they feel. For those struggling with mental illness, Simpkins implores them to keep seeking a circle of support.

“The people within your support circle aren’t necessarily who you would think and aren’t always your family, but they become family,” she shares.

Mental illness doesn’t always appear boldly like many other diseases. It is our job to “check on our strong friends, our smart friends, our cool friends, our colleagues and our family” as National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. writes in the afterword of the book.

If you are struggling, take the first step to wellness and contact your local NAMI chapter or call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. NAMI is an alliance of more than 600 local affiliates and 49 state organizations that works in local communities to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. Learn more at nami.org.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress and prevention and crisis resources for people and their loved ones. If you are in need or are helping someone in need, call 988 for support.

YEC knows supporting young artists’ creativity encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation, while also helping them learn resilience, adaptability, and the ability to approach challenges with optimism.

These skills and qualities are essential in all aspects of life, but most importantly, in ensuring we have a thriving and vibrant community for years to come. We’re more than just your power provider; we are local people looking out for you and building a better quality of life for everyone.

Below you will find the stories of two young students who are this year’s art competition winners and the future’s creative leaders.

Artistic goals

Gold Hill Middle School student artist Ishana Kunapureddy shows York Electric what the power of community means to her. In her work, she shows people connected by a string of lights, symbolizing the connection YEC brings to our neighbors.

Interested in all kinds of art, Kunapureddy plans to continue exploring her creativity. “I like art a lot and would like to study it later on. Fashion design is one of my favorite areas,” she shares.

As this year’s winner, Kunapureddy won $100 and the chance to have her artwork shown on all YEC vehicles until June 2024.

Want to participate next year? Visit our magnet contest page to learn more.

Coloring for safety

Young student artist Rileigh Hatzenbuehler of Rock Hill is the winner of the 2024 Linemen Gear Up for Safety Coloring Contest for students ages 6-7. Berger enjoys drawing in school and making art at home.

“I had so much fun coloring. I love art and trying new things,” Hatzenbuehler shares during her tour of our facilities. As the winner, Berger received $50 and a YEC hardhat, signed by all our dedicated linemen.

Want to learn more? Visit our coloring contest page.

We do our best to avoid power disruptions, but they are inevitable from time to time. Here are some key things to know about the work we do and what you can expect in an outage.

1. We need you. Ensuring you have the correct phone number on file is key so that our team can efficiently identify your account and communicate important outage updates.

2. We have high expectations. Our goal is to be onsite working to restore service within one hour, except in cases of large storms. Although every outage is different, our team is trained to work as quickly as possible to plan for restoration without compromising the integrity of service for other members.

3. Our employees might be affected, too. YEC is proud to have locals looking out for you, which means our employees share this same community. If your power is out, it is likely our power is out at home, too.

4. Our priority is safety. Our crews focus on responding first to public safety issues and critical services. Then, we complete work that impacts the largest number of members. Besides working around high voltage electricity, our crews are also often working in severe weather conditions.

5. We’re prepared for this. Aside from maintaining a five-year right-of- way trimming cycle, we invest in planning and building a resilient grid. Keeping rights-of-way trimmed allows us to safely and easily access our equipment and help prevent tree-related outages. Additionally, our smart devices allow us to isolate outages so that we can quickly restore service for members who are unaffected by the damages. Your reliability begins in the planning and construction of your service. When possible, we like to provide two different power sources, creating a loop, to serve members. This allows your co-op more flexibility in an outage situation, strengthens our grid, and creates less disruption for our members.

6. Flickering lights are sometimes a good thing. Flickering lights are not outages. These “blinks” indicate our equipment worked and prevented a possible outage.

7. You need a plan. If you depend on electricity for life support purposes, you should have a backup plan. It is also helpful to always have a supply kit to stay safe in a storm. You can learn more online in our storm center.

8. Sometimes, it’s a waiting game. Our portion of the power grid is connected to transmission lines from other utilities. If your outage is due to an issue from their equipment serving our system, we must let them do their repairs first.

9. It’s a team effort. When the power goes out, all hands are on deck to get the job done. We plan for this, and everyone goes to work to do their part to efficiently restore service, no matter the time of day or day of the year.

If you experience an outage, please let us know by calling PowerTouch, 1 (866) 374-1234, or you can text OUTAGE to 352667. As always it is our privilege to look out for you and provide you with service excellence.

Your board in action

Continued training and education for current and new board members is ongoing. To serve you with excellence, York Electric Trustees spend a great deal of time learning about industry challenges, the cooperative business model and new technologies that might benefit our members.

We are looking forward to hosting and celebrating our members again this year with three important events.

Sept 19—Hot Dogs for Heroes

If you are a first responder, we invite you to enjoy a hot dog lunch at YEC’s main office, 1385 E. Alexander Love Hwy. from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Our team will be here to serve you and thank you for keeping our community safe and healthy. We’re partnering with Hungry Heroes again! Learn more about how Hungry Heroes supports our community.

More details will be shared in the coming months for:

Member Appreciation Shred Day—Saturday, Oct. 5

Veterans Day Celebration—Monday, Nov. 11

Students hold the keys to success

We wish each of these students well and congratulate them on taking the next step towards a brighter future. Learn more about our scholarships and these students.

2024 $1,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarship Recipients

Alexandra Becze

Catawba Ridge High SchoolParents: Jacquelyn Parris and Brian Becze; Arts Management, College of Charleston

Timothy Simpson

Fort Mill High SchoolParents: Dalia and Mark Simpson; Computer Information Systems, University of South Carolina

Katie Buehler

Indian Land High SchoolParents: Pamela and Jonathan Buehler; Business Administration, University of South Carolina

Laura Skroban

Northwestern High SchoolParents: Leane and Karl Skroban; Dental Hygiene, East Tennessee State University

Garrett Brown

South Pointe High SchoolParents: Sarah and David Brown; Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University

Cameron Hefner

York Comprehensive High SchoolParents: Kelly and Robert Hefner; Animal and Veterinary Science, Clemson University

Brooke Taylor

Clover High SchoolParents: Melissa and Rodger Taylor; Business Administration, Clemson University

Colette Dismukes

Home SchoolParents: Kimberly and Thomas Dismukes; Business Administration, Erskine College

Carena Tollefson

Nation Ford High SchoolParents: Sarah and Chris Tollefson; Cybersecurity, Dakota State University

Ellison Briggs

Rock Hill High SchoolParents: Meredith and Joseph Briggs; Special Education, University of South Carolina

Chase Dillingham

Westminster Catawba Christian SchoolParents: Heather and Paul Dillingham; Electrical Lineworking, Horry Georgetown Technical College

Olivia Rogers

York Preparatory AcademyParents: Robin and Gary Rogers; Biology, Coastal Carolina University

2024 $1,000 Technical Advantage Scholarship

$500 Work-Based Learning Scholarship

Luis Govea

York Comprehensive High SchoolParents: Esperanza Hernandez and Roberto Govea; Construction Management, York Technical College

Jenna Harris

York Comprehensive High SchoolParents: Jennifer and Chris Harris; Lander University, Nursing