Participation Type
Panel
Session Title
Power to the People: A Panel Discussion of the Fight to Democratize Rural Electric Cooperatives in Appalachia
Session Abstract or Summary
Electric Cooperatives hold a vast amount of power–literally and figuratively–in rural communities throughout Appalachia, but members of these co-ops are often unaware of their role and face significant barriers to getting involved in decision making. In this panel, member-owners who have engaged in reform campaigns to bring transparency, accountability, and new programs to their electric co-ops will discuss lessons learned.
Presentation #1 Title
Power to the People: A Panel Discussion of the Fight to Democratize Electric Cooperatives in Appalachia
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Electric Cooperatives hold a vast amount of power–literally and figuratively–in rural communities throughout Appalachia, but members of these co-ops are often unaware of their role and face significant barriers to getting involved in decision making. In this panel, member-owners who have engaged in reform campaigns to bring transparency, accountability, and new programs to their electric co-ops will discuss lessons learned.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Bill Kornrich is a 40 year resident of Hancock County, Tennessee who recently ran for a board seat at Powell Valley Electric Co-op. After contractors hired by PVEC sprayed his property, and the property of many others, with herbicide treatment without notice, Bill worked with members and PVEC staff to implement opt-out and notification policies. Soon after, he joined a dozen member-owners to form the grassroots group, PVEC Member Voices, which kickstarted a full fledged reform effort at their co-op. In September of 2018, Bill and two others challenged three PVEC incumbents that had been on the board for an average of 23 years. Though they lost the election, Member Voices is continuing their work to democratize their cooperative in the face of a deeply entrenched power system.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Steve Wilkins was a rural electric co-op member for nearly 20 years and has been a rural municipal customer for the last eight. He has been active in shifting the visions of both utilities. He worked as a volunteer with Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC), to successfully block the construction of an unneeded coal-fired power plant. As part of the coal plant settlement, Steve represented KFTC in a newly created co-op clean energy collaborative. Over several years, this collaborative demonstrated that constructive dialogue between citizen-members and co-op management could bring new
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
An attorney specializing in environmental law, Julie Mayfield has worked for Georgia Conservancy, directed the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University, served on N.C.’s Mountain Resources Commission as well as the board of North Carolina Conservation Network, and is currently a member of Asheville City Council and co-director of MountainTrue. With MountainTrue (then Western North Carolina Alliance), Julie worked to support the efforts of member-owners of French Broad Electric Member Corporation to reform the electric co-op and promote a platform supporting fair residential solar policies and discontinuing the use of toxic herbicides to clear right-of-ways on the land of member-owners. Along with the grassroots organization, Member Scoop, Julie and community members saw first-hand the difficulty of creating lasting change in an electric co-op that creates barriers to member participation, and she has much to share about best practices in electric co-op reform efforts.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4
A local farmer, craftsman, and small business owner with a degree in electrical engineering, Barron Brown was a candidate for the French Broad Electric Membership Corporation board of director elections in both 2013 and 2014. Barron and other candidates ran on a platform of co-op reform to address the issues of high co-op executive pay, severe limitations on solar net metering, the use of toxic spraying to clear right-of-ways, and to change the co-op’s bylaws to promote transparency. This work was supported by the Member Scoop grassroots group, as well as the Western North Carolina Alliance (now MountainTrue). Although Barron and other candidates did not win seats on the board, many lessons were learned about the barriers designed by the entrenched power of the electric cooperative to prevent true participation by the co-op’s member-owners.
Power to the People: A Panel Discussion of the Fight to Democratize Electric Cooperatives in Appalachia
Electric Cooperatives hold a vast amount of power–literally and figuratively–in rural communities throughout Appalachia, but members of these co-ops are often unaware of their role and face significant barriers to getting involved in decision making. In this panel, member-owners who have engaged in reform campaigns to bring transparency, accountability, and new programs to their electric co-ops will discuss lessons learned.
