ECA Policy Review

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Current outlooks suggest that Energy/Power Cost Adjustment (“ECA”) charges could be higher than historical average throughout 2022 due to the projected rising cost of electricity in the wholesale market.  This projected increase comes from rising fuel prices for generation resources, primarily natural gas, and could result in higher-than-average bills throughout 2022 for our members.

We want to ensure that our members are aware of this potential increase and draw attention to Pioneer Electric’s ECA procedure. The ECA is not a new charge; Pioneer Electric implemented its use in 2009 to avoid general rate increases due to wholesale power fluctuations. This notice is to provide members with a review of the ECA policies practiced by Pioneer Electric Cooperative. Members may direct billing questions to our customer service team at 1-800-794-9302.

 

What is the ECA?

The ECA charge is separate from base electric rates and is associated with the fluctuating costs of procuring wholesale power for Pioneer Electric members. Using an ECA helps Pioneer Electric avoid a general base rate increase with every change in wholesale power costs.

Pioneer Electric is a distribution cooperative and does NOT generate its own power; it purchases wholesale power directly from Sunflower Electric Power Corporation (“Sunflower”), a generation and transmission cooperative. Wholesale power costs fluctuate daily depending on Sunflower’s own generation resource fuel costs, operation costs, and the prices at which Sunflower buys and sells electric energy in the regional market. Pioneer pays Sunflower directly for the actual cost to procure wholesale power for its members. When the actual cost of wholesale power exceeds the amount built into base rates, there will be a positive ECA (or a charge) on your billing statement. When the actual cost of wholesale power is less than the amount built into base rates, the ECA will be negative and reflected as a credit on your billing statement. This ensures that Pioneer Electric collects no more and no less than the actual cost of wholesale power it pays to Sunflower every month.

Scholarship Application Now Open

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Pioneer Electric’s Scholarship contest is now open! Eligible students must plan to graduate this spring (class of 2022) from, and reside within, the district of one of our eight area high schools. A complete list of schools can be found here. Qualified students must also have plans to attend a postsecondary institution during the fall 2022 semester.

Applications will not be considered complete until submitted online with a one-page resume (without references) and a seventh-semester transcript. Transcripts may be mailed or emailed to complete the application.)

Pioneer Electric is offering $20,000 in general scholarships to students who submit their applications online. An additional $3,000 is also up for grabs for students interested in pursuing a career in power line technology. All applications must be submitted in their entirety no later than 5 p.m. on February 1. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Students may only apply for one of Pioneer Electric’s scholarships.

More information regarding this year’s contest, and the applications to apply, can be found on Pioneer Electric’s Scholarship page.

4-H Shooting Sports Receives Pioneer Electric H.U.G.S. Grant

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Members of the Pioneer Electric H.U.G.S. (Helping Us Give to Society) presented the Stevens County 4-H Shooting Sports with $2,000 in grant funds on Nov. 17. Money from the grant will be used to purchase new shooting equipment including new air rifles, BB guns and a hand pump.

“The goal of our shooting sports program is to teach our youth good gun safety habits,” said Ron Honig, shooting sports project leader. “They can use these skills for a lifetime of safe shooting.”

Honig stated that several of the guns the project currently uses are more than ten years old; new guns need to be rotated in to replace the oldest models. Honig expects the new equipment to be high enough quality to last for many years.

“Students enrolled in programs like the Steven’s County 4-H are learning valuable life skills,” said Anita Wendt, vice president of energy services. “They can take the skills they learn into the real world and often use them to give back to their communities.”