Newsroom

NEWS FROM RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

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REC Power Costs Decrease in 2020

January 2,2020
In 2020, the power bill from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative for a typical home using 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month will go down $3 per month.

 

 

 

REC Seeks Approval to Test
Innovative Rate Program

December 20,2019
REC wants to pay its member-owners to use less electricity during certain hours in the summer, according to an application filed Friday with the State Corporation Commission.

REC and Orange County Partner to
Expand Fiber Communication Network

December 18, 2019
On Dec. 17, the Orange County Broadband Authority (OCBA) approved an agreement between the county and REC to lease capacity across 19 miles of fiber optic cable that REC is installing as a part of the Cooperative’s new Fiber Utility Network.

REC Launches Fiber Utility Network

December 13, 2019
REC has kicked off a six-year project that will bring benefits to its member-owners for decades. Known as the Fiber Utility Network, the $30 million investment will not only revolutionize REC’s communications network, but also represents a significant investment in the communities REC serves.

 

Powering the Future:
REC Scholarship Funds Available

December 10, 2019
Since 1996, REC has been powering the future with the Community Scholarship. Each year, local students who are seeking to advance their career goals by attending college or a trade school are encouraged to apply.

 

 

Happy Holidays from everyone at REC

December 5, 2019
Everyone at Rappahannock Electric Cooperative is wishing you a holiday season filled with joy.

 

 

 

REC Helps Local Communities 'Thrive'

December 2, 2019
REC and its employees show great concern for the communities REC serves. As an example of that, on Oct. 24, REC made a community donation to the Warren County Schools Special Services Department.

 

 

 

REC Returns $6.2 Million to Member-Owners

November 26, 2019
REC member-owners received a cash back credit on their November electric bill. This credit represents a portion of the member-owner’s share of the Cooperative.

 

 

 

REC Crews Work through the Night to Restore Power

November 1, 2019
REC crews continue to repair damage and restore electric service after strong storms with powerful winds roared across the state last night. At the peak of the storm, about 4,000 REC member-owners were without electricity.

 

 

 

REC Warns of Potential Phone Scams

September 16, 2019
REC urges members to be alert for phone calls from scammers who claim to be from REC stating that accounts are overdue.

 

 

REC Linemen Bring the
Gift of Light to Bolivia

September 4, 2019
Six REC employees traveled to rural Bolivia with twelve other linemen from Virginia and Maryland. The crew will be there for three weeks working to bring electricity to five communities for the first time.

Hurricanes Are Brewing:
The Time to Prepare is Now

August 30, 2019
You haven’t met Melissa, Nestor or Wendy, and trust us when we say you don’t want to. Each of those names is waiting to be tagged to a hurricane this season, which runs through the end of November.

 

REC Hosts Second Telephone Town Hall of 2019. Listen to the recording here

August 28, 2019
On Tuesday, August 27, REC hosted a Telephone Town Hall event. REC invited a random sample of 50,000 member-owners to participate in the call. Nearly 5,000 members accepted the call to participate.

 

REC Member-Owners Elect Peers to Board

August 23, 2019
REC member-owners selected three of their peers to serve on REC’s Board of Directors. More than 7,000 member-owners participated in the election by returning their Proxy Designation Card or attending the Annual Meeting Aug. 22 at the Fredericksburg Conference Center.

REC Annual Meeting: Elect Board of Directors

August 19, 2019
Member-owners of Rappahannock Electric Cooperative can elect directors and receive important updates at this year’s Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22, at the Fredericksburg Conference Center.

REC's CEO and President, Farmer, Elected to ODEC Board

August 1, 2019
Kent Farmer, president and CEO of Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, was elected to serve as chairman of the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s (ODEC) Board of Directors. ODEC is REC’s primary power provider. New officers were elected at ODEC’s annual membership meeting held in Williamsburg, Va. on July 30, 2019.

Help REC Hold Down the Cost of Power

July 17, 2019
REC wants member-owners to know they have the power to hold down the cost of electricity – keeping their energy bills as low as possible. Beginning today and continuing through this weekend, REC is asking member-owners to minimize their energy use to help reduce the demand for electricity.

Statement in Response to Letters Regarding Proxy Designation Forms in REC Offices

July 16, 2019
REC respects and is always responsive to the concerns of its members. Unfortunately, certain members continue to make untrue allegations about the governance processes of the cooperative at an extensive costs to our membership.

Nonprofits: Apply for Funds from
The Power of Change

July 9, 2019
REC's The Power of Change program is
ready to support local charities and non-profit organizations. Applications for funding can be submitted now through 5 p.m. on Aug. 9.

 

 

3rd Party Text to REC Members

July 2, 2019
REC is aware that some members have received text messages from a 3rd party on behalf of the “REC Reform Candidates.” These messages were not sent, endorsed, or facilitated by REC.

Participate in the 2019 Board of Directors election

July 2, 2019
The election process for the REC Board of Directors began July 1. All members are encouraged to participate in selecting directors from Region I, Region VI, and Region VII. Send in your proxy designation by August 19.

REC Youth Tour Students Take in D.C.

June 28, 2019
REC selects students from its service territory each year to travel to Washington, D.C., to explore key issues in the electric industry, study the cooperative business model, interact with students in leadership-building programs, tour historical and cultural sites, meet their members of Congress and attend a show at the Kennedy Center.

The Spotlight is on REC: Communications Team is Recognized

June 20, 2019
REC's Communications and Public Relations team was recognized in the 2019 Spotlight on Excellence Awards program, sponsored by the Council of Rural Electric Communicators and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

REC Names New Key Accounts Executive

June 13, 2019
Jeff Powell has recently been promoted to key accounts executive for REC. Powell is now the primary contact for designated key accounts and large power activities for member-owners in the southern portion of REC's service area. He will work primarily from REC's Bowling Green office.

REC Makes Special Connection with Member-Owners

June 12, 2019
REC hosts Get Connected, a member appreciation event, in a different part of its 22-county service territory each year. It’s also a chance to share important information on energy use and conservation, electric safety and green energy initiatives - among other topics. More than 1,000 people attended this year’s event June 6 at the Frederick County Fairgrounds. 

Statement in Response to News Articles Regarding Reform Candidates

June 5, 2019
REC welcomes candidates for the board of directors, and encourages all REC members to participate in the democratic process of electing directors.  It should be clearly noted that there are in fact seven candidates seeking election to three board seats: three incumbent directors, three who have chosen to identify themselves as reform candidates, and an independent candidate. 

REC Names New Director of System Planning and Engineering

May 30, 2019
Gary Durdock was recently promoted to director of system planning and engineering design for REC. REC's engineering department is responsible for the planning and coordination of the Cooperative's entire electrical system.

REC Helps Children's Museum Make Space for Cooperatives

May 22, 2019
The Children’s Museum of Fredericksburg opened a new Cooperative space, co-sponsored by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, The Fredericksburg Food Co-op, NSWC and Cabot Cheese.

 

REC Employees Put Children First

May 17, 2019
The community day at Childhelp in Culpeper County was a joint effort between REC and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). More than 100 employees from the two organizations participated.

 

REC Linemen Take Top Prize at Lineman Compeition

May 16, 2019
Safety, precision and teamwork were on display at the 17th Annual Terex Gaff-n-Go Lineman & Equipment Operator's Rodeo, which was held at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Va.

REC Hosts Telephone Town Hall
Listen to the recording here.

May 3, 2019
On Thursday, May 2, REC hosted a Telephone Town Hall event. REC invited a random sample of about 30,000 member-owners to participate in the call. Nearly 5,000 members accepted the call to participate.

 

 

New Position for REC's Leader to
'Pay Dividends for Member-Owners'

April 5, 2019
Kent Farmer, president and CEO of Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, has been selected to serve as president of the Board of Directors of a primary financing arm of electric cooperatives.

 

REC's Koogler Tapped to Lead
Energy-Efficiency Organization

March 4, 2019
REC member-owners now have a prominent seat at the table when it comes to energy efficiency. David Koogler, vice president of member services and external affairs, was recently selected as chairman of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council, or VAEEC. His two-year term began last month.

REC's Youth Tour Students go to Richmond Legislative Day

February 26, 2019
Going beyond the textbook, REC recently hosted its annual Richmond Youth Legislative Day. , students from REC’s 2018 Washington Youth Tour program, traveled to Richmond to see Virginia state government in action.

 

 

High Winds Hamper Restoration Efforts

February 26, 2019
Thirteen crews from electric cooperatives in North Carolina joined REC crews today as they worked to restore service for member-owners affected by the wind storm.

 

 

 

Power Restoration Continues as Damaging Wind Lingers

February 25, 2019
REC crews worked through the night to restore outages associated with the high winds that arrived in Virginia late yesterday. This morning, 13 additional crews arrived from electrical cooperatives in North Carolina to assist with restoration efforts.

 

 

REC Leaders Meet With Legislators

February 22, 2019
REC leaders joined more than 150 of their peers from across Virginia to advocate for cooperative member-owners at the 2019 Legislative Day in Richmond. The activities were coordinated by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives.

 

Power Restoration Continues After Winter Storm

February 21, 2019
REC worked through the night to restore service to most members who lost power during yesterday's winter storm. As of 10 a.m., fewer than 400 members remained without power - down from a peak of more than 4,000 outages last night.

 

 

REC Sends Crews to Help SVEC Restore Power After Ice Storm

February 14, 2019
REC sent three line crews to the western half of Frederick County this morning to help Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) restore electric service after this week's ice storm.

 

 

REC Responds to Outages after Ice Storm

February 13, 2019
REC crews and contractors worked through the day Tuesday to restore outages after an ice storm impacted the Cooperative's Western Region.

 

 

 

REC Names Director of Member Services

February 8, 2019
David Johnson has recently been promoted to Director of Member Services for REC. Johnson now directs the Cooperative’s contact center, billing and payments department, debt-recovery services, the advanced metering infrastructure, member information system, and member service training.

 

Funds Available for Local Non-Profits

February 5, 2019
Is your local, non-profit organization planning a project, but lacking the funds? Do you know of an organization that has great ideas on how to serve the community, but needs the resources to make it happen? REC's member-driven charity, The Power of Change can help with that.

 

 

Youth Tour Applications Available

January 18, 2019
High School Juniors: What if you had a chance to learn leadership skills, hang out with peers from across the country - and have fun along the way? And what if all of that came rolled up into a neat, weeklong package in Washington, D.C.? Sounds pretty good, right? And what if we told you this experience is FREE? By now you should be thinking, 'Let's do this thing!"

 

 

REC Community Scholarship Application Now Available

January 14, 2019
REC is now accepting applications for its 2019 Community Scholarship program. REC is offering one-time $1,000 scholarships to current college students, current high school seniors and students applying to or enrolled in a trade school.

 

REC Helps Members Facing Financial Hardship

January 18, 2019
The Cooperative recognizes unforeseen circumstances such as a government shutdown, an unexpected high bill or other surprises can cause a financial strain. REC will work with individual members to address their individual circumstances. There are a variety of tools to help in times such as these.

 

REC Names New Manager of Member Services

December 19, 2018
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative has promoted S. Kris Sieber to manager of member services. In her new role, Sieber will manage member connections across the service territory, energy use information and advice, and supporting the success of businesses served by REC.

 

REC Names New Director of Vegetation Management Services

December 19, 2018
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative has promoted Cindy Musick to director of Vegetation Management Services. In her new role, Musick will direct REC’s professional foresters and contractor crews who are responsible for maintaining the Cooperative’s rights of way.

 

REC Names New Manager of Western Region

December 19, 2018
John Arp was recently promoted as manager of western region for REC. In his new role, Arp will oversee the operations, design and construction departments in REC’s western territory, which stretches from just north of Charlottesville to Winchester and from Spotsylvania County to the slopes of the Shenandoah Mountains.

 

Rain or Shine, Crews Focus on Reliability

December 18, 2018
REC recently identified a two-mile section of Route 11 in Middletown as a High-Reliability Zone (HRZ), a section of the circuit from the substation to the first down-line device. Protecting that main circuit significantly reduces outages farther down the lines.

 

 

REC's The Power of Change Benefits Area Nonprofits, Charities

December 4, 2018
Veterans will have access to free dental care and residents in need will receive emergency assistance, thanks to the generosity of REC consumer-owners. REC’s The Power of Change recently awarded funding totaling $29,050 to those and other organizations making a positive difference throughout the REC service area.

 

REC Names New Manager of Information Technology and Security Services

November 20, 2018
Marc L. Seay was recently selected as manager of information, technology and security services for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative. In his new role, Seay will lead REC’s technology services, business analytics, and both physical and cybersecurity.

 

Early Season Winter Storm Knocks Out power to REC Members

November 15, 2018
Over 6,000 Rappahannock Electric Cooperative members are without power as of 5:30 p.m. after an early season winter storm. Ice accumulated on trees, causing many to fall onto power lines in the western region of the Cooperative’s service territory.

 

 

REC Introduces Director of Human Resources

November 15, 2018
REC is proud to introduce its director of Human Resources, Danielle Brokenburr. Brokenburr is responsible for assisting the manager of human resources and employee development in overseeing the day-to-day human resource operations.

 

 

REC Responds to Report on Wholesale Power Supply Costs

November 12, 2018
Consumers should understand that power supply is a marathon, not a sprint, and any accurate study must be evaluated over the long term. The following information is provided to illustrate the shortcomings of this study.

 

REC Returns $7.8 Million to Consumer-Members

November 2, 2018
REC is happy to announce REC members will receive cash back on their November electric bills. That cash – in the form of credits on members' bills - is the result of REC returning $7.8 million in capital credits to consumer-members.

 

REC 1st Cooperative to Sign Transportation electrification Accord

October 24, 2018
REC is proud to announce it has recently signed the Transportation Electrification Accord – an agreement among multiple entities to jointly encourage the advancement of electric vehicles.

 

 

REC: Most Outages tol be Restored by Late Tonight

October 13, 2018
REC and mutual aid crews made significant progress overnight, restoring power to an additional 2,000 members who lost service as the remnants of Hurricane Michael roared through Virginia.

 

 

Crews Continue Restoration Efforts

October 12, 2018
Crews restored power to about 3,000 REC members on Friday and will continue their efforts overnight and into Saturday after the remnants of Hurricane Michael stormed through REC's service territory.

 

 

 

REC Crews Respond to Outages After Storm

October 12, 2018
About 5,600 members of Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) remain without power this morning after the remnants of Hurricane Michael moved through REC’s service territory late Thursday and early today. Crews will work around the clock in 16-hour shifts until power is restored to all. Restoration efforts will continue into the weekend.

 

The Time to Prepare is Now

September 10, 2018
Confidence is growing that Hurricane Florence could significantly impact all of REC's service territory. REC’s crews are mobilized and stand ready to respond as quickly and safely as they can, and we urge members to prepare now as well.

 

REC Hosts Telephone Town Hall

August 23, 2018
On Thursday, August 23 REC hosted the 2018 Telephone Town Hall event. REC invited a random sample of over 40,000 members to participate in the call. Nearly 5,000 members accepted the call to participate. Kent Farmer, President & CEO was able to answer 18 questions live during the event that lasted just over an hour. At any given moment, there were over 100 members in line ready to ask questions.

REC Warns of Phone Scam

August 21, 2018
Residential and business members of Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) have received phone calls from scammers claiming to be from REC stating the members’ accounts are overdue.

 

 

 

REC Members Elect Peers to Lead Co-op

August 16, 2018
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) members selected three of their peers to serve on REC’s Board of Directors. More than 6,400 members participated in the election by returning their Proxy Designation Card or attending the meeting Aug. 15 at the Fredericksburg Conference Center.

 

Statement on Petition Filed with the
Virginia State Corporation Commission

July 27, 2018
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors fully respects our members and the democratic process of governing their Cooperative. It is unfortunate these three individuals have escalated this matter to the State Corporation Commission.

 

 

REC Warns of Potential Scammers

June 6, 2018
REC urges members to beware of anyone calling to demand immediate payment for services from the co-op. Callers may claim the electric service will be disconnected unless the bill is immediately paid.

 

 

 

Community Connects with REC

May 21, 2018
REC's annual community event, Get Connected, attracted more than 500 members to Lydia’s Barn in Stanardsville. REC employees connected with residents of Greene County and surrounding areas as they gathered for an evening of food, entertainment, learning about their Cooperative and - mostly - community.

REC Restoration Effort
Nears Completion

May 16, 2018
RECand mutual aid crews worked through the night to restore service to members who lost power during what the National Weather Service described as a “mini derecho” Monday night. As of 9 this morning, approximately 1,600 members remain without power.

 

 

REC Continues Restoration
Efforts after 'Mini Derecho'

May 15, 2018
Power restoration efforts will continue overnight after storms packing winds of up to 75 mph barreled through REC's service territory Monday evening, knocking out power to more than 38,000 members at the storm's peak.

 

 

 

REC Crews Respond
to Outages after Storms

May 15, 2018
Strong thunderstorms with gusty winds crashed through Rappahannock Electric Cooperative's (REC) service territory Monday evening, snapping trees, downing wires and knocking out power to more than 38,000 members. About 12,000 remained without power as of 7:30 this morning.

REC's Community Grant
Application Now Available

March 15, 2018
REC has made its grant application available to emergency service agencies, community non-profits, and educators for 2018. The grants are made possible through REC's community grant program, which provides supplemental funding for projects that will positively impact members of the cooperative. Completed applications must be returned to one of REC's offices, or postmarked, by April 13, 2018.

 

 

Power Restoration Complete
After Wind Storm Riley

March 8, 2018
REC crews completed the weeklong, tedious task of restoring outages caused by the 36-hour windstorm that thrashed REC's 22-county service territory. The final outages persisted in REC's western region, which saw wind gusts up to 78 mph. Restoration was completed yesterday evening.

 

 

Wind Storm Riley
Restoration Nearly Complete

March 7, 2018
REC and mutual aid crews entered the homestretch today as they race to restore service to the final few hundred members who remain without power after last week's 36-hour windstorm. All storm-related outages should be restored by later today.

 

 

 

REC Continues Restoration Efforts

March 6, 2018
Crews continued to tackle devastating damage in REC's western territory today, replacing poles, setting transformers and rebuilding electric lines battered by last week's 36-hour wind storm.

 

 

 

REC Restores Service to
92% of Members Without Power

March 6, 2018
REC and an additional 200 mutual aid workers from Virginia and out-of-state electric co-ops have restored more than 92 percent of the outages caused by the catastrophic wind storm that hammered the state last week.

 

 

 

REC Continues to Discover
Extensive Damage to Infrastructure

March 5, 2018
REC continues to discover more broken poles and extensive damage as crews make their way into previously inaccessible areas, especially west of State Route 29, as well as Route 17 corridor in Southern Fauquier.

 

REC Continues to Repair
Extensive Damage to System

March 5, 2018
While members in REC's Eastern territory of Caroline, Essex, Hanover, King and Queen, King William, Louisa and Spotsylvania will see service restored today, some members west of State Route 29 may not see service restored until Wednesday.

 

 

REC Aggressively Working
to Restore Power

March 4, 2018
REC and mutual aid crews again worked through the night to restore service to about 5,000 members who lost power during the powerful wind storm. As of 8 a.m., more than 16,000 members remained without power, and restoration efforts will continue beyond this weekend.

REC Makes Restoration Progress,
Much Work Remains

March 3, 2018
Over 250 workers and REC employees continue around-the-clock efforts to restore power to more than 23,000 members who remain without service. That workforce, about double REC's normal force of line personnel, includes REC crews and more than 50 crews from other cooperatives.

REC's Restoration Efforts Continue
after Devastating Wind Storm

March 3, 2018
REC crews worked nonstop overnight to restore power to several thousand members who lost service during the extended and dangerous wind storm that roared through REC's 22-county service territory. REC cautions that many of the outages may extend beyond this weekend into next week.

 

REC Cautions Members
to Prepare for Extended Outages

March 2, 2018
More than 40,000 REC members remain without power Friday evening as the dangerous wind storm continues to pummel the Cooperative’s 22-county service territory.REC cautions that many of the outages may extend beyond this weekend and into next week.

 

REC Responds to Widespread
Outages as Wind Storm Continues

March 2, 2018
REC's crews will continue to work as long as they can do so safely. Right-of-way and power line contractors are assisting REC, and additional assistance has been requested from other cooperatives. Sustained winds of 30 mph with gusts over 50 mph are expected to continue through tonight.

 

 

REC Prepares for Outages in Advance
of Expected Wind Storm

March 1, 2018
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative crews are preparing for possible power outages due to the major wind storm expected to impact REC's entire 22-county service territory.

 

Hollins Promoted to Director of
Communications and Public Relations

Febraury 27, 2018
Casey Marie Hollins has recently been promoted to director of communications and public relations for REC. In her new role, Hollins leads REC's communications and public relations department, which facilitates the Cooperative's internal and external communications, digital and social media, public and media relations, and school and community involvement programs.

 

REC Sponsors Richmond
Youth Legislative Day

Febraury 9, 2018
To show the importance of being involved in the legislative process, REC recently hosted its annual Richmond Youth Legislative Day. Sudents from REC's 2017 Washington Youth Tour program traveled to Richmond to view state government in action.

 

REC Names New Eastern Region
Director of Member Services
and Community Relations

Febraury 7, 2018
Ann M. Lewis was recently promoted to director of member services and community relations for REC. In her new role, Lewis oversees the member services department in the Cooperative's Eastern Region, based out of the Bowling Green office in Caroline County.

 

REC Seeks Approval
of Community Solar Pilot Program

Janurary 31, 2018
On Tuesday, January 30, REC, along with three fellow Virginia electric cooperatives, began seeking formal approval of a pilot program to provide additional solar energy to interested members. If approved, the Community Solar Pilot Project will allow members of the cooperative to subscribe to solar energy generated from two facilities in Virginia.

 

REC Names New Manager
of Eastern Region

Janurary 30, 2018
David M. "Maxie" Rozell Jr. was recently selected to be manager of REC's Eastern Region, based in Bowling Green. Rozell is responsible for the eastern region distribution operations and construction. He will oversee vegetation management services, fleet management and contracts and permitting throughout REC.

 

Cooperative's Region IX
Board Member Vacancy Filled

Janurary 17, 2018
In the fall, the Board of Directors of REC announced the Region IX director vacancy in Cooperative Living magazine and in several newspapers. Region IX covers the counties of Essex, King and Queen, and King William. After interviewing all candidates, the Board took action to appoint Eugene L. Campbell Jr. to the position. In accordance with the Bylaws, Campbell began serving the Region IX term effective January 17, 2018.

 

 

Youth Tour Applications
Available From REC

Janurary 16, 2018
Picture this: an opportunity to travel to Washington D.C., meeting nearly 2,000 other students, a tour of Capitol Hill, meeting congressional representatives, a Potomac River cruise, touring museums like the National Museum of African American History, and so much more!

 

Did I Really Use
That Much Electricity?

Janurary 11, 2018
During December and January, REC service area experienced record-breaking cold temperatures that put heating systems into overdrive and increased electricity use.

The Power of Change Can Boost Your Non-Profit - Applications Available

Janurary 8, 2018
REC is excited to announce The Power of Change application is now available. Non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply.

 

 

REC Community Scholarship Application Now Available

Janurary 4, 2018
REC is now accepting applications for its 2018 Community Scholarship program. For the first time ever, REC is now offering one-time $1,000 scholarships to current college students, along with current high school seniors.

 

 

 

 

REC Names New Director
of Human Resources

Janurary 2, 2018
In her new role, Patricia James Hatcher is responsible for assisting the manager of human resources and employee development in overseeing the day-to-day human resource operations. She has the primary responsibility for directing the staff and in executing personnel policies and practices.

 

 

 

 

 

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