Pioneer Electric’s Annual Meeting is September 15

The count down to the 78th annual meeting is on! Pioneer Electric Members are invited to join us at the Grant County Civic Center on Thursday, September 15.
Registration for the annual meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the South Room. Members will need to enter the South Room through the former Civic Center Office door, signage will be in place to direct members to the entry. Members that did not submit a mail-in ballot will need to register to vote at the meeting. Members who have already voted by submitting a mail-in ballot are asked to register in order to receive their annual report and attendance gift. Once registered, members will be able to go through the meal line and find a seat inside the auditorium. The business portion of the meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Trustee Elections

Each year, members are appointed to serve on the Committee on Nominations. This committee, acting as the members’ voice, is tasked with selecting candidates who would make qualified trustees. Those nominated to the ballot must reside in the district they wish to serve and meet the qualifications outlined in the Cooperative’s bylaws.
Candidates selected by the Committee on Nominations are placed on the trustee ballot for election at the Cooperative’s Annual Meeting. The 2022 committee on nominations met on July 13 at Pioneer Electric’s headquarters and selected the following nominees for this year’s election:

DISTRICT 5
Fred Claassen (incumbent)
David C. Light (nominee)

DISTRICT 6
James N. Bell (incumbent)
Michael O. McCulley (nominee)

DISTRICT 9
Charles E. Milburn (incumbent)
Donald W. Beesley (nominee)

Casting Your Vote

Each member is entitled to one vote on each matter presented on the annual meeting ballot. Pioneer Electric members may cast their ballot one of two ways:

  • Vote by mail.
  • Vote in person at the annual meeting.

Members who opt to submit a mail-in ballot will not be permitted to vote in person at the annual meeting, but are still encouraged to attend.

Vote By Mail

Members received a mail-in ballot attached to their annual meeting notice in August. Votes cast by mail must be returned to Pioneer Electric’s office properly sealed, no later than Sept. 10 to be considered valid. Instructions on returning your mail-in ballot are included with the annual meeting notice.
COMMERCIAL MEMBERS MUST BE SURE TO INCLUDE A SIGNED RESOLUTION (ATTACHED TO NOTICE) INSIDE THEIR PRIVACY ENVELOPE WITH THEIR BALLOT.

Vote At the Annual Meeting

In-person voting will be available upon registering at the annual meeting on Sept. 15. A marked ballot box will be open for members to place their ballots in once they have finished voting.

Member Notice Regarding Automated and SmartHub Payment Methods

Pioneer Electric encourages members making payments through its automated payment phone number or SmartHub application to review their saved payment methods before utilizing them. Pioneer Electric’s payment platform received a general software update. This update has caused some members to experience issues with the system pulling payment information from old or expired payment methods, leading to disconnections.

Members should ensure their accounts include their most up-to-date method of payment and delete any expired payment methods. Additionally, members who have utilized these payment methods should consider confirming their payment has been processed successfully.

Again, the malfunction is due to a platform update. All information pertaining to members and their accounts is secure.

Questions and account information may be addressed by speaking with a member of our customer service team. Please call 620-356-1211 during regular business hours (M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Electric Consumers Encouraged to Conserve Energy

On Monday, July 18, Pioneer Electric was notified that Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) grid conditions had evolved to a “Conservative Operations Advisory.” The advisory, issued as a response to persistent high temperatures and reduced wind generation across the SPP’s 14-state region, is expected to last until 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 21.

Pioneer Electric encourages members to consider energy conservation methods as grid conditions continue to evolve.

“Conserving energy, regardless of weather conditions, is always a good idea,” said Anita Wendt, Pioneer Electric’s vice president of energy services. “Taking small steps towards conservation may help reduce your summer energy bill. During these hot days, we would encourage members to look around their homes – unplug electronics and cords that are not being used, remember to turn off lights and consider saving chores that require large appliances, like laundry and dishes, for times outside of the peak energy use hours between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.”

Members are not currently being asked to conserve to preserve regional grid operations. Load shed events may occur at an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3, when curtailment is required by the SPP. In the event of a load shed event or rolling outage, Pioneer Electric does not determine location or duration of the outage.

Members with questions may contact Pioneer Electric’s office during regular business hours (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) by calling 620-356-1211. Additional information regarding grid conditions and energy conservation can be found on the Cooperative’s website and Facebook pages.

Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Inc. is dedicated to providing members with safe and reliable electric service. Headquartered in Ulysses, Kansas, Pioneer Electric is a distribution cooperative owned and controlled by its members. Pioneer Electric serves approximately 15,900 retail electric meters across 10 counties in southwestern Kansas. The system is made up of more than 117 miles of transmission line, 3,600 miles of distribution line and 21 substations. All of Pioneer Electric’s electricity is procured by Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, which is owned by Pioneer Electric and five other Kansas electric co-ops. Pioneer Electric is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.