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  1. Balanced generation
  2. Keep your energy affordable

Keeping your energy affordable

When Associated Electric Cooperative generates electricity, producing affordable power is a top priority for the Springfield, Missouri-based cooperative. Their mission — to provide a reliable, economical power supply — has remained constant throughout its 59-year history of providing service to local distribution cooperative member-consumers.

Associated is owned by and provides wholesale power to six regional and 51 local electric distribution cooperative systems in Missouri, southeast Iowa and northeast Oklahoma that serve 2.1 million member-consumers.

Members want — and need — affordable electricity

Each day, member-consumers across three states receive power supplied by Associated. Who are these members? Surveys conducted by Associated and member distribution cooperatives show most members are over the age of 45 and have been a cooperative member for more than 10 years. Most members — more than 50% — are categorized as middle income. As a result, members need, and expect, affordable power to ensure their homes, farms and businesses thrive.

Diverse generation helps deliver affordable power

How does Associated generate power to serve member-consumers across three states affordably? In a word: balance. Associated’s commitment to reliable, responsible and affordable power requires options for generating electricity. Associated continues its time-tested strategy of maintaining a diverse and flexible portfolio of generation resources that includes coal, natural gas, wind and hydropower.

Options for generating power lead to lower costs

Associated’s goal is to match the needs of local distribution cooperative member-consumers to the most affordable generation resource.

Associated invests in coal power plants that run around-the-clock to make them more efficient. Along with natural gas plants, they are an important part of a balanced, diverse generation mix that enables the cooperative to run the units that are less expensive at the time electricity is needed.

While coal is traditionally a less costly fuel to make electricity than many other sources, low natural gas prices in 2019 and 2020 have, at times, made Associated’s natural gas generating units less expensive to run than coal units. During those times, more of members’ energy is coming from natural gas. The ability to choose among different ways to generate power — like coal or natural gas — is a tremendous advantage that benefits member-consumers with lower costs.

Making the most of electric generation resources

Many hours, Associated has generation available above its member-consumer needs. When utilities outside of the Associated system need power, they can buy the cooperative’s excess generation. The revenue from these power sales helps keep member costs lower than they otherwise would be.

“The balance and flexibility of our diverse generation fleet allows us, at times, to have significant volumes of excess generation we can sell to nonmembers, which reduces our overall costs,” said Associated’s Michael Denning, manager, energy marketing. “That’s good for Associated and its members.”

The bottom line: Balance benefits members

A balance of generating options used to produce electricity allows Associated to do what is necessary to control costs on behalf of member-consumers. Whether it is using the lowest-cost electricity produced by Associated’s power plants or selling extra power off-system to bring in revenue that relieves rate pressure for members, providing affordable power is a top priority.

 

Listen to our podcast to learn more.

 

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Reliable electricity

Associated’s balanced generation mix — featuring different fuels and ways to generate electricity — ensures lights come on when you flip that switch. Coal, natural gas, wind and hydro-power generation means flexibility to meet members’ needs. This mix lets Associated focus on reliability, along with providing electricity that is affordable.

Power when you need it.

Affordable electricity

How do we generate power to serve members across three states affordably? In a word: balance. A commitment to reliable, responsible and affordable power requires options for generating electricity. Associated continues its time-tested strategy of maintaining a diverse and flexible portfolio of generation resources that includes coal, natural gas, wind and hydropower.

Power at a fair price.

Responsible electricity

By adding significant amounts of wind power to diversify generating sources, investing in environmental controls and staying up to date with regulations and technologies, Associated continues to comply with environmental regulations at an affordable cost for members. This requires teamwork throughout the generation cooperative.

Power the right way.
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Associated Electric Cooperative Inc.

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 754
Springfield, MO 65801-0754

Tel. 417-881-1204
Email. membersfirst@aeci.org

About Us

Even though your electric cooperative is locally owned and committed to your local community, we are part of something bigger too. We are a network of 51 distribution cooperatives in Missouri, southern Iowa and northeastern Oklahoma, serving 935,000 member homes, farms and businesses. We receive power generation through six regional Generation and Transmission (G&T) cooperatives and one collective G&T, Associated Electric Cooperative.

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©2022 Members First. Cooperatives put members first every day.

  • It's all you
    • Activities for kids
    • Reliable electricity
    • For the good of all
    • Ownership
    • Cooperative principles
    • New members
    • Proud to sponsor kids' activities
    • Co-op month
  • Your money
    • Solar energy information
    • Penny power
    • Capital credits
    • Beneficial electrification
    • Save energy, save money
    • Solar 101
    • Member contests
  • Your safety
    • Indoor electrical safety
    • Outdoor electrical safety
    • Safety for kids
    • Outage safety
    • Power line hazards and cars
  • Your community
    • Local control
    • Personal service
    • Your community
    • Thank a lineworker
  • Balanced generation
    • Epic Failure a Cautionary Tale
    • Diverse energy mix
    • Reliable power
    • Balanced generation summary
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • About us