2017: A year of new growth, new options
Reflecting on a brilliant year
2017 marked another year of powerful change, both for the Texas Hill Country and the cooperative powering it. In the midst of record growth and major storms, we worked tirelessly to improve our safety and reliability, empower our community through grants and volunteerism, and offer you more options than ever before.
Giving back
We don’t just power our community; we also empower it through our commitment to giving and local involvement.
- Seven volunteer events sponsored in our community.
- Awarded $100,000 in scholarships.
- Through PEC United Charities, we donated $245,118 to 246 groups that serve our community.
- With the help of members like you, we awarded more than $28,000 in Power of Change Community Grants.
- Installed electric vehicle charging stations at PEC’s headquarters.
- Donated $24,000 to educational organizations through education contributions.
- Installed our first Hill Country Community Cupboard, a community-supported mini food bank.
- Sent three lineworkers to electrify a rural village in Bolivia.
- Ten students went to Washington, D.C., as part of the Youth Tour program.
Value and energy savings
Our members are our owners. We’re committed to providing you the best possible options for the power that serves your life.
- Distributed $8.6 million in capital credits to our members, bringing the lifetime total to more than $107 million.
- Gave away 2,500 Energy-Saving Trees.
- Helped members take control of their energy use by performing 370 home energy audits.
- Reached 121,749 members enrolled in auto pay and 79,912 in paperless billing.
- Launched two new rates: Time-of-Use and Cooperative Solar.
Growth and reliability
As the Hill Country grows, so do we — not just bigger, but safer and more reliable.
- Grew by 12,593 meters.
- Reached 300,000 active accounts.
- Completed two major conversions.
- Built 199 miles of distribution line, 117.88 miles of underground line and 81.12 miles of overhead line.
- Drove down average unplanned outage time from 69.2 minutes in 2016 to 56.7 minutes in 2017.
Hurricane response
This year, the United States and its neighbors weathered devastating hurricanes. Here’s how we helped.
- Worked 2,200 man-hours to keep the lights on during Hurricane Harvey.
- Sent 22 employees to help Talquin Electric Cooperative and Clay Electric Cooperative restore power in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
- Dispatched 20 employees to assist Jackson Electric Cooperative restore power after Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast.
Measuring up
Here are just a few of the ways PEC ranked on the national (and international) stage.
- Claimed four awards at the Texas Lineman’s Rodeo, and three more at the International Lineman’s Rodeo.
- Included on the National Cooperative Bank Co-op 100 list.
- The U.S. Department of Labor recognized our apprenticeship program as a “standard of excellence.”
- At the end of 2017, J.D. Power ranked us 10th in residential customer satisfaction for all electric utilities nationwide.