Stay Informed
This November brings Election Day, a reminder of the importance of democratic participation. As a cooperative, GVEC adheres to a set of core principles, one of which is democratic member control. As a member, you have the right to nominate director candidates, participate in elections, and attend district meetings every three years, as well as our Annual Meeting each June. This system ensures that our directors are not only from your communities but are elected by you to represent your interests.
In the spring of 2025, we will hold district meetings, where we will share updates and provide members the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions. You can expect more details after the new year, but I encourage you to take this time to familiarize yourself with the diversity of our service area and stay informed about the opportunities and challenges facing the electric industry, here in Texas and abroad.
Stay Safe
During this year’s Annual Meeting Members to Be Heard, a member posed a question, “What keeps you up at night?” My response, then and now, is safety. The safety of our employees, the members we serve, and the communities in which we operate are at the core of every decision we make. Whether it is maintaining power lines and sub-stations, improving response times, safeguarding the network with cybersecurity, or installing energy solutions like solar panels, batteries or generators.
What was once a one-way flow of power from GVEC to you, has become a dynamic, multidirectional system. As you begin to prepare for colder winter weather over the next couple of months, part of your weatherization efforts might include a standby generator to supply backup power in the event of a power outage. That’s smart but can also be dangerous. Improperly installed or operated generators can cause dangerous back feeding of power onto the grid, creating life-threatening risks for you, our line workers and other members. If you have a generator, please be sure to contact us to let us know. If you need help with the purchase or proper installation of one, our licensed electricians can ensure you’re set for a safe and reliable experience.
In addition, keep in mind that GVEC also has alternative backup power in the form of battery storage available. We’ll help you with information to install, making the process easy for you to understand, purchase, properly connect to the grid, and operate safely and efficiently.
Stay Connected
We’re here to help you integrate your energy-saving systems while protecting everyone involved. Beyond safety and self-reliance, there are other advantages to connecting these systems to the grid. If you’re interested in selling excess electricity produced by your renewable system back to GVEC or earning rebates for lowering demand during peak times, an Interconnection Agreement is required. Completing an Interconnection Agreement will enable you to maximize the potential of what GVEC and your renewable systems can do for you and the grid.
Visit gvec.org to learn more about electrical safety, our interconnection programs and your membership benefits. As always, I welcome your feedback and encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns by phone at 830.857.1152, by email at dschauer@gvec.org or by mail at P.O. Box 118, Gonzales, Texas 78629.
