A New Year Message from Sarat Yellepeddi, President and CEO
5 ene 2026
As we turn the page to a new year, I want to take a moment to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together in 2025 and share what lies ahead for our cooperative in 2026.
I’m reminded that the true strength of our cooperative isn’t just in the power we deliver—it’s in the people we serve and the community we build together. This past year was a shining example of just how much we can accomplish when we work together. Your engagement, your ideas, and your support helped push our cooperative forward in meaningful ways, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved as a community.
In 2025, we made great strides in reliability, innovation, and member engagement —and it’s all thanks to you, our members.
Our cooperative footprint is expanding as PGEC continues to grow in residential and industrial load. In the last 12 months, we’ve welcomed over 80 new members into our cooperative family. This means we’ve gained additional opportunities for participation, feedback, and support that will keep our cooperative strong and moving forward.
Why does it matter? Because of our cooperative family, our energy efficiency programs and SmartHub digital tools have helped members make informed, cost-saving energy decisions. Specifically, our SmartHub account management tools reached a total of 8,000 members – more homes than ever before. Whether you explored new home energy management options like energy usage alerts, participated in demand response initiatives, or took advantage of paperless billing and automatic payment opportunities, your involvement has made a measurable difference. And the best part? Those choices didn’t just help you lower your bills—they helped your entire community by making our system stronger and more sustainable.
As our work extends beyond the power lines, I’m also pleased to say that our efforts have made quality broadband access a reality for more than 600 additional families last year. That means more than 5,800 residents are now connected to dependable internet service for work from home opportunities, telehealth services, and online learning via RURALBAND, the co-op’s wholly owned fiber subsidiary.
RURALBAND is always looking for ways to give its members the best internet experience possible. To continue providing top-tier connectivity and the latest technology, we’ll soon update our equipment lease program.
As mentioned during our Annual Meeting, RURALBAND will be adding a small equipment lease fee to help keep your devices fresh and up to date. Some of the equipment in use today has been running strong for seven years, and these upgrades will make sure you’re using the latest, most secure technology. This means faster speeds, stronger connections, and the dependable service you’ve come to expect from us—every single day. You will hear more about it as the year progresses.
These initiatives show the power of a cooperative in action. And now, with 2026 underway, we’re keeping that momentum going.
This year, we’re carrying that same momentum filled with opportunity and purpose. We’ll be:
Investing in grid modernization to strengthen reliability and resilience in preparation for load growth. This includes designing two new substations in Sussex and Prince George counties to support both residential and industry growth while remaining true to our goal —to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable power and providing exceptional service that meets and exceeds your expectations.
Expanding community partnerships that bring value close to home. Whether it’s through community events or educational programs, we are the community partner that seeks to improve the quality of life in our communities.
Introducing new ways to make managing your energy even simpler. We’re committed to meeting you where you are — and making sure every member has the support they need.
As we pursue these initiatives, I encourage you to continue engaging with us. If you’ve already joined one of our high-impact programs—thank you! You’re making a real difference. And if you haven’t yet, 2026 is the perfect time to jump in. Share your experiences, spread the word and invite your friends and neighbors to join in the programs that are helping so many members improve their quality of life.
Our mission has remained the same from the very beginning — to serve you with integrity, innovation, and heart. That mission is as vital today as it was when we first began, and it will continue to drive every decision we make. Together, we’ll make 2026 a year of progress, partnership, and pride in what we achieve as a community.