York Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Your co-op is different than other utilities. It is important that you understand, especially with the rate change going into effect on electricity used during the month of February, that our money is your money.

Your co-op is a not-for-profit business, and we share our success with our members. To be exact, we share our margins, or money we earn in excess of what it costs to keep your lights on and service reliable, with you in the form of capital credits in May each year. Remember, we operate your co-op on just 30 cents for every dollar we take in, which is lower than other co-ops in our state and other local utilities. It will stay that way even with the changes taking place this month.

As winter continues, I encourage you to do what you can to keep money in your pocket. Colder temperatures outside mean an increase in energy use inside. Stay proactive to keep your bill and energy use low.

Get cozy. Layer up for additional warmth instead of raising your thermostat. The lower you can keep your heat, the less energy you use.

Don’t block vents. Locate your home’s vents and ensure furniture, rugs or other items aren’t blocking them.

Take advantage of sunlight. During the day, open window coverings to let natural sunlight warm your home. Make sure to close them at night to block colder nighttime air.

Mind the draft. Locate and block air leaks and drafty windows and doors to increase energy efficiency and your comfort indoors. Low-cost items such as caulk and weather stripping can make a big difference.

Do a self-assessment. Go to our energy efficiency page to learn more about what you can do to save energy and money.

You can count on us to continue to look out for you, help you keep your bill low and support you as we navigate these challenges together.

York Electric Cooperative will host Shred Day on April 5 to accommodate our members’ needs after the event this past October was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene. Locally owned, veteran-operated company Carolina Shred and YEC’s smiling employees will be on hand to help members dispose of their sensitive documents safely and securely.

Who is invited? All York Electric Cooperative members

When? Saturday, April 5, 9 a.m. until noon

Where? YEC’s main office at 1385 E. Alexander Love Highway in York and Carolina Shred Headquarters at 3356 SC- Highway 51 in Fort Mill.

What should you do? Gather any documents that you need to safely dispose of and bring them to one of our two locations. Documents will be securely shredded on site. Please remove any trash and debris, especially batteries and electronics, from your shredding material.

At YEC, we’re proud to support education and the bright futures of our youngest members. Show us your creativity, best design and brightest colors to help YEC celebrate our community and hard-working lineworkers! Learn more about each opportunity to showcase your art and win valuable prizes at our website!

FIRST GRADE:

Linemen Gear Up for Safety Coloring Contest

Show us your best coloring skills while learning about electrical safety to win cash.

MIDDLE SCHOOL:

Co-op Magnet Design

Design a custom magnet showcasing the power of community for a chance to win cash and to have your artwork displayed on all of our trucks.

HIGH SCHOOL:

Visual Art Display

Create a piece of visual art that depicts one of the 7 Cooperative Principles to win cash and have your artwork displayed in our public meeting space.

York Electric Cooperative has the honor of hosting the South Carolina Lineman’s Rodeo on March 22 at the cooperative’s York office, 1385 E. Alexander Love Highway.

Sponsored by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, the event allows lineworkers from across the state to show off their skills in front of family, friends and peers. The rodeo features events such as overhead transformer changeout, streetlight replacement and hurt man rescue. Apprentice lineworkers (less than four years of experience) compete individually in four events, while journeymen compete as three-man crews in four events.

Training and competing in this competition help our linemen hone their skills and gain experience in a safe environment, so they can continue providing members with safe, reliable service each day.

The Lineman’s Rodeo is a family-friendly event including vendors and kid-friendly activities. The day begins with an 8 a.m. flag-raising ceremony.

You may see the construction of the competition course being built on our campus near Cooperative Way beginning in February! Save the date and learn more about the event at ecsc.org/rodeo.

The deadline to apply for York Electric’s summer youth trips, Washington Youth Tour and Cooperative Youth Summit, is fast approaching.

Washington Youth Tour, June 15-20, is an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for high school juniors. Participants experience the nation’s capital with hundreds of students from across South Carolina and the country, meeting lawmakers and touring all the sights. York Electric will cover your round-trip plane ticket, tours and meals.

Cooperative Youth Summit, July 14-17, gives high school sophomores the opportunity to experience South Carolina’s capital like never before. Students will tour the Statehouse, meet lawmakers, see how co-ops are preparing for our state’s energy future and visit popular Columbia attractions including Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. York Electric covers all your expenses.

The deadline to apply for Washington Youth Tour and Cooperative Youth Summit is Feb. 28.

YEC will also award five $3,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarships to graduating seniors at area high schools and one $3,000 Technical Advantage Scholarship to a local graduating senior attending a technical college in the fall.

The deadline to apply for these scholarships is March 15.

Visit our educational opportunities page for more information and to apply.

As Chairman of York Electric Cooperative’s board of trustees, I want to speak directly to you, our members, about your co-op’s rate increase. In the last issue, we announced that the board of trustees, after significant deliberation and discussion, unanimously voted on a rate adjustment. For over a decade, your co-op has maintained stable rates by managing costs and making wise business choices. As new rates are implemented for next month’s power use, we want to continue our record of transparency on the factors that led to this decision and reiterate the steps we are taking to minimize its impact on you.

Understanding the rate change

In 2024, we learned that YEC’s own power bill from our wholesale power suppliers would increase by 11%. To minimize the effect of these costs on our members, York Electric has absorbed about half the impact by carefully managing our expenses while maintaining strong equity. Still, we cannot fully absorb these rising wholesale power prices through cost-cutting. Accordingly, beginning in February, members’ rates will increase by 6%. Even after this adjustment, YEC will still offer one of the lowest electric rates in the area and in our state.

Factors driving costs higher

Since May 2024, we have reported on the escalating challenges we face, including rising material costs, which are up more than 70% since 2019. Increased interest rates and government regulations regarding power generation have further strained our cost of doing business. Like all South Carolina electric cooperatives, YEC purchases electricity through long-term contracts with suppliers such as Duke Energy and Santee Cooper. Our rates are driven in large part by the price of wholesale power from those suppliers. Those wholesale prices are going up.

In particular, we will see significant cost increases arise due to the end of a court-agreed Santee Cooper rate freeze on Dec. 31, 2024. Starting in 2025, Santee Cooper customers—including YEC members—will begin paying for the unbudgeted, extra costs that Santee Cooper incurred during its four-year rate freeze period, when the utility wasn’t allowed to raise its rates to cover those costs.

We don’t know exactly how much co-op members will have to pay for these new costs, but we expect it to be substantial—into the hundreds of millions of dollars. These charges will come on top of Santee Cooper’s other planned rate increases, which will help it meet the rising prices for fuel and materials.

Moving forward together

In the face of these challenges, our team and our board are committed to advocating for the best outcomes for our members by working with our trusted partners, our fellow cooperatives and our elected officials. We will continue to positively impact the lives of our members by looking out for you and providing reliable, safe and affordable energy.

Although 2024 came with its challenges, your board of trustees is proud to share in our noteworthy accomplishments made last year by our team of outstanding employees.

Thank you for your trust, your understanding and your commitment to your co-op.

Having reliable service is something we take seriously at YEC, and we know our members prioritize. Continued maintenance, planning and expansion for growth are all part of how we support this important part of your service. Additionally, our employees are locals looking out for you, answering your questions and taking your calls.

Our team is proud to partner with other cooperatives for the benefit of our members. For example, thanks to our partnership with New Horizon Electric Cooperative in Laurens, we recently were able to replace several failing transmission poles without disrupting service for any members. It was no small feat, but a successful example of how we are always looking out for you.

Below are our key performance indicators on continued system improvements and other prominent ways our team served you in 2024. We’re proud of the work we’ve accomplished. In fact, from surveying our members, we earned a 96.5% satisfaction rate on the work we’ve done for you. We look forward to keeping up the trend in 2025.

Text version of this graphic

Construction & Maintenance: 5,313 poles inspected, 2,500 construction jobs, 274 miles of right-of-way trimmed, 150 poles replaced, 7.7 miles of line replaced to increase reliability, 3 miles of line moved underground, 1 new outage automation project, 1 new substation built

Daily Operations: 777,576 miles driven, 696,000+ billing statements mailed, 87,509 calls answered, 5,000 members with access to fiber internet, 3,764+ hours assisting members over the phone, 2,000 members utilizing rural internet partnership with Comporium, 1,092 new YEC members, 871 online support chats

Community Involvement: $4.2M benchmark reached in total returned to community through Operation Round Up (ORU) since 2000, $339.500 funding awarded through ORU, $20,000 Bright Ideas grants awarded, $13,500 scholarship funds awarded, 10,000+ members hosted at YEC events

YEC awards Bright Ideas grants, fulfills classroom wish lists

Your cooperative is committed to supporting quality education within our community. Our children are our future, and we believe that empowering and inspiring educators is one way we can help ensure success for all.

This year, York Electric was able to award 11 grants out of 31 applications, and 35 $300 Amazon gift cards to help fulfill classroom wish lists, totaling $20,000 to local teachers.

Our Bright Ideas Grant program is made possible through the Operation Round Up Trust, which is funded by the generosity of our members. These classroom grants help educators bring their innovative ideas to life, providing students with unique, fun and memorable learning experiences.

Additionally, as part of the grant program, community members were encouraged to nominate teachers for their outstanding work in the classroom. These teachers received a $300 Amazon gift card to go towards purchases of classroom necessities.

If you are interested in applying for the 2025 Bright Ideas Grant program or would like to nominate a teacher who
has positively impacted you or your child, applications will be
open online beginning in June.

Amazon Wishlist Fulfillment Recipients

Fort Mill School District

Dana Reese, 1st grade, all subjects
Patrick Butler, 9th–12th grade, music
Beth Pulliam, Pre-K, all subjects
Katherine Hinton, Kindergarten, all subjects
Christie Reynolds, 9th–12th grade, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2

Clover School District

April Clinton, 2nd grade, all subjects
Elishia Bazzano, 1st grade, all subjects
Jessica Quinn, Pre-K special education
Jill Christenberry, Kindergarten, all subjects
Kelly Nellums, 4th and 6th grades, math and science
Lisa Jackson, 10th–12th grade, Occupational Credential Employability courses
Ta’China Williams, 8th grade, science

York School District

Aubrey Watson, 3rd grade, all subjects
Kayla Blackwell, 5th grade, math
Kimberly Taylor, 2nd grade, all
Mary Gilfillan, 4K
Solomon Eagles, 2nd grade teacher, all subjects
Ashley Cherry, K–5th grade, Applied Business Technology
Deanna Farrie, 3rd grade, all subjects
Erica Johnson, 1st grade, all subjects
Kayla Ledford, 5K, all subjects
Melina Burkell, 9th– 12th grade, science and biology
Mikayla Barnhart, 2nd grade, all subjects
Beth Bridges, 5th and 6th grades, Special Education ELA and social studies
Charity Meadows, 3rd– 6th, all subjects
Madelyn Jackson, Kindergarten, all subjects
Sherri Comer, K–5th, Media Center
Natalie Ashe, 5th grade, English
Brianna Inman, 2nd grade, all subjects
Colleen Cottom, 5th–8th grade, English
Emma Townsend, 9th–12 grade, theatre
Noell Ogden, 3rd grade, all subjects
Scottee Horne, 3K–8th, special education
Taylor McSwain, 7th and 8th grades, PE

2024 Bright Ideas Grant Recipients - Photos by Erin Powell

Valeria Vanstrien, 6th–8th grade teacher at Dutchman Creek Middle School, was awarded $1,000 for her project, “Appropriate and Tailored Writing Material for Multilingual Students.” Rock Hill School District

Mary Williams, 6th grade teacher at Castle Heights Middle School, was awarded $700 for her project, “Math Mania: Engaging Math Gaming.” Rock Hill School District

Krysti Blocker, 6th grade teacher at Banks Trail Middle School, was awarded $300 for her project, “Real World Math and Literacy with Hydroponic Garden.” Fort Mill School District

Erin Owens, Pre-K teacher at Riverview Elementary School, was awarded $1,000 for her project, “Outdoor Play Hooray!” Fort Mill School District

Anna Earles, 9th–12th grade teacher at Fort Mill High School, was awarded $1,000 for her project, “Illuminated Visions: Stained Glass Sculpture in Light and Color.” Fort Mill School District

Sam Harper, Physical Education teacher at Bethany Elementary School, was awarded a $500 grant for his project, “Iron Sharpens Iron.” Clover School District

Laura Falls, 3rd–5th grade teacher at Bethany Elementary School, was awarded $1,000 for her project, “Empowering Students with 3D Printing: Fostering Critical thinking and Problem-Solving.” Clover School District

Alexa Dollard, Pre-Kindergarten–5th grade teacher at Griggs Road Elementary School, was awarded $1,000 for her project, “Buzzing through Books: One Page at a Time.” Clover School District

James Mayer, 9th–12th grade teacher at York Comprehensive High School, was awarded $1,000 for his project, “Physics-Optics Labs.” York School District

Rebecca Martin-Berry, 6th grade teacher at York Intermediate School, was awarded a $200 grant for her project, “A Night Divided.” York School District

Lesley Reel, 9th–12th grade teacher at York Comprehensive High School, was awarded a $1,000 grant for her project, “Math Festivals.” York School District

Your co-op has two amazing trips planned this summer.

Juniors: Apply for the Washington Youth Tour.

Washington Youth Tour: June 15-20, 2025

Experience Washington, D.C., with hundreds of students from across South Carolina and the country, meeting lawmakers and touring all the sights. Your electric co-op will cover your round-trip plane ticket, tours and meals. In other words, it’s all free!

Sophomores: Apply for the Cooperative Youth Summit.

Cooperative Youth Summit: July 14-17, 2025

Experience South Carolina’s capital like never before. Tour the Statehouse, meet lawmakers and see how co-ops are preparing for our state’s energy future. Plus, there’s plenty of fun with visits to popular Columbia attractions like Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. Your electric co-op will cover all your expenses.

We’ve made it easy to apply for either FREE trip.

Learn more and apply today!

Application deadline: February 28, 2025

Last month, your board of trustees made the tough decision to raise rates for the first time in over a decade. They unanimously agreed to a 6% increase for all members, which will go into effect in February 2025. We know that it is never good news to hear that your bill will increase, but please know we are doing all we can to mitigate the impact on you.

Since May, we’ve been transparent about the rising costs we’ve been combating to continue providing you with reliable, safe and affordable energy. While we have done our part to reduce expenses, costs continue to rise for supplies, materials, interest rates and electric generation.

As we announce this change, we think it is important for you to know all the facts. We hope this information allows you to stay informed about what your board and our management team discussed leading up to this decision.

• All rates will increase by 6% for York Electric Cooperative members.
• YEC has a power bill just like our members. In September, it was confirmed that power costs for YEC will increase 11%.
• To make up the other 5%, we will stay focused on controlling our expenses and managing our margins, while ensuring equity remains strong.
• The rate change will go into effect in February of 2025. Members will not receive a bill until March 2025 with the increase.
• Even with this increase, YEC will remain one of the lowest priced electric utilities in the state.
• Since 2019, the price of power line material has risen nearly 70%.
• YEC serves an average of 16 meters per mile of line, which is lower by more than half compared to the other electric utility providers in our service territory.
• While it costs practically the same amount for each company to build a mile of distribution line, YEC serves less members within that mile of line to cover costs. Even still, our price per kilowatt hour is lower than neighboring utilities.
• Because of regulations put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), additional expenses to generate more electricity for our state could create a greater impact on members in the coming years.
• Santee Cooper provides the state’s electric cooperatives with approximately 70% of the energy we distribute to our members. Their rate freeze will be lifted on Dec. 31, increasing costs for wholesale power purchases. Additionally, they are seeking to charge co-op members for their share of an estimated $750 million in unbudgeted costs the utility incurred during the rate freeze.

Remember, York Electric is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric utility. We are required by law to operate at an at-cost basis. We’re not increasing rates to make more money; we’re increasing rates to cover the costs it takes to distribute dependable and safe electricity to our members.

In a separate news post, you will see an average residential bill and what you can expect from this change in February 2025. We’ll navigate this together and continue to look out for you.

As we close out election season, you have probably thought through the power of your vote in choosing political representatives. But there's another important way you can use your voice. You can influence the policies that impact your co-op, and therefore, your power bill. At York Electric, we are ready to champion your interests, and we would like to know whether we can call on our members to support their co-op.

As a York Electric member, you are part of a network of approximately 42 million Americans who receive their power from an electric cooperative. Electric co-ops serve a diverse web of communities, in both rural and suburban areas. The hardworking individuals and families that receive their power from an electric cooperative are not just co-op members, but partial owners that depend on the same power grid, and this is why your co-op champions affordability and reliability. When our members unite, we have the power to shape the policies that keep energy costs low and services reliable.

Today, our state and federal representatives are debating critical issues that could impact our energy future, from the growing demand for electricity to supply chain shortages and outdated permitting processes that slow down infrastructure development. These challenges make it more vital than ever to advocate for policies that safeguard reliable, affordable power for our communities.

That's where you come in. By joining York Electric's grassroots network, you will become part of a group we can call upon to help us advocate for energy policies that work for our community. You do not need to be a member- friends and family can join too. We will only contact you when your voice is needed, and your information will remain safe with us.

Electric co-ops connect us, power our daily lives, and empower the communities that we live and work in. That is the cooperative difference, and we hope we can count on you to help inform our local, state, and federal governments of our value. York Electric Cooperative is ready to work for you in any storm.

Visit our sign-up form or scan the QR code and join our grassroots network today.

York News Brief: Your Board in Action

Last month, your board was hard at work planning for 2025, discussing the rate increase that will go into effect and planning for increased power costs.

How will a rate increase affect me?

Managing costs and smart business moves have kept our electric rates stable for more than 12 years at York Electric Cooperative, but not everything is in our hands.

Government regulations, skyrocketing prices for critical materials and other factors are driving up our costs. We also face the prospect of significant cost increases from our primary source of wholesale power, Santee Cooper. Here’s why.

We join with other electric cooperatives to buy wholesale power through Central Electric Power Cooperative, an energy portfolio manager that negotiates on our behalf to purchase electricity at the best possible rates from Santee Cooper, Duke Energy and others.

Central’s long-term contract with Santee Cooper requires the cooperatives to pay for about 70% of Santee Cooper’s costs, including for large construction projects such as power plants. Notably, that includes the billions of dollars Santee Cooper and SCE&G spent before abandoning their effort to expand the V.C. Summer nuclear plant in Fairfield County.

Cooperative members across South Carolina will be charged for that V.C. Summer debt for decades to come—until 2056. In fact, it is already factored into your power bill as a small percentage of the monthly total.

Unfortunately, even more costs are coming. After the V.C. Summer project’s 2017 cancellation, Santee Cooper agreed to freeze its electric rates for four and a half years to settle the “Cook” class-action lawsuit brought by the utility’s customers.

That rate freeze has kept our power costs—and yours—stable.

Unfortunately, it ends Dec. 31. The Cook case settlement also provides that Santee Cooper may recover certain unbudgeted costs incurred during the rate freeze. Unfortunately, Santee Cooper has claimed that a series of events during the rate freeze caused the utility to incur approximately $750 million in unbudgeted costs— what Santee Cooper calls the “Cook Settlement Exceptions.”

When the rate freeze ends, Santee Cooper will begin charging its customers— including co-op members—to recover those costs. These charges will come on top of Santee Cooper’s other planned rate increases.

Last month, York Electric made the hard decision to adjust rates to begin covering these expenses.

In keeping with our mission to protect our members from paying unreasonable costs, York Electric—through Central—continues to ask questions and scrutinize Santee Cooper’s plans to charge consumers for these claimed Cook Settlement Exceptions. The court-appointed attorneys for the Cook class action are also involved in this process.

Central will be negotiating with Santee Cooper to ensure our members pay only their fair share. While we hope these negotiations lead to a resolution regarding these Santee Cooper costs and how they are collected, Central stands ready to do whatever is necessary to protect our members.

As we move forward, know that your co-op is doing everything it can to manage costs while still delivering safe, reliable electricity to your homes and businesses.

Tropical Storm Helene causes unprecedented damage in York Electric’s service territory

On the morning of Friday, Sept. 27, Tropical Storm Helene swept through York Electric’s service territory, causing widespread damage across the western and central parts of our system. By 10 a.m., we hit a record-high number of outages, with 34,000 members reporting power loss—the most in York Electric’s 83-year history. The storm brought down trees, snapped poles and downed lines on a scale we hadn’t seen since Hurricane Hugo.

For the next five days, our team, alongside contract crews and mutual aid from other cooperatives, worked tirelessly under dangerous conditions to restore and even rebuild parts of our power system. Meanwhile, every YEC employee contributed—whether answering members’ calls, delivering meals to field crews, managing communications or coordinating efforts with statewide and government officials.

By Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 4:10 p.m., power had been fully restored to all members affected by the storm. This monumental task was only possible thanks to the dedication of our employees, the patience of our members, the hard work of our fellow cooperatives and the generous support of our community.

As we reflect on this challenging time, we are reminded of the resilience and strength of our community. Together, we faced the storm, and together, we came through it stronger than ever. York Electric is proud to serve such a remarkable group of people, and we remain committed to providing the safe, reliable power you deserve—no matter what storms may come.

Community support

We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from our community following Tropical Storm Helene.

Thank you to the following restaurants, whose staffs often worked in the early hours of the morning to feed more than 175 York Electric employees and assisting crews. Many also either donated food or gave a discount.

• Bojangles (York location)
• Captain Steve’s Family Seafood Restaurant
• Chick-fil-A (Cherry Road location)
• Courtney’s BBQ
• Domino’s Pizza
• Eggs Up Grill (Rock Hill location)
• Jackson’s Kitchen and Catering
• McAlister’s Deli (Rock Hill location)
• Smokey Beard BBQ
• Subway (York locations)
• The Honey Baked Ham Company
• Wing King (York location)

We are equally grateful to the following community members who donated food with money out of their own pockets to support our crews. This included everything from providing snacks to laundering uniforms for out-of- town crews here to help.

• Black’s Peaches
• Bush-N-Vine Farm
• Greater Life Ministries
• The Gilbert Family and Friends
• The Nellums Family
• The Podmore Family
• York School District 1

Help for those still suffering

Our sister co-ops, particularly in Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, are still facing catastrophic damage from Tropical Storm Helene. As you consider contributing to relief efforts in these areas, we hope you keep the Cooperative Development Foundation’s Disaster Recovery Fund in mind. Your donation will help them get back on their feet and continue serving their communities.

Please consider contributing today to support co-ops in need by scanning the QR code.

Staying safe after the storm

Utility scams and fraudulent schemes often arise after severe weather events like Tropical Storm Helene. 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.

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

By Josh P. Crotzer

It takes a lot to restore power after a historic storm— a lot of materials, a lot of labor and long hours.

Frank Hobbie knows it also takes sustenance. That’s why the owner of Smokey Beard BBQ, a local food truck and caterer, wanted to help after Hurricane Helene.

“I knew no one in our area had power, and I knew nothing was open,” says Hobbie. “So, I reached out to York Electric. I figured I could feed these people.”

The cooperative had plenty of people to feed—about 200 employees, YEC lineworkers and crews from other electric cooperatives who had come to help get power back to York members. All these workers were treated, at no cost, to pulled pork plates one day and hot dogs and hamburgers the next, as the co-op was in the thick of restoring power to more than 34,000 members who had lost it during the storm.

“I had my daughters, my son, my wife, and grandpa,” says Hobbie. “It’s a family thing, and we just want to do our part.”

Feeding lineworkers wasn’t all the Smokey Beard and Hobbie clan did to help those affected by the storm. They also took the food truck and donations from the York County community to Swannanoa, N.C., where residents had lost more than just their power.

“It’s a good feeling to be able to help people out,” says Hobbie. “If the rest of the world could just do a little bit, it would be a whole lot better place for all of us.”

Smokey Beard Food Truck & Catering
ESTABLISHED: 2021
SERVING: York, Rock Hill, and Clover
MENU: Pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken, and sides
PHONE: (704) 502-5115
EMAIL: eat@smokeybeard.com