Tidelanders know all too well the anxiety that comes with an approaching hurricane. The seemingly endless wait while you refresh forecast models for the latest coordinates. Wondering if you have taken all the necessary precautions. Worrying what damage you and your community may suffer.

The coronavirus crisis has many of us experiencing similar feelings but instead of looking for updated satellite imagery we return over and over again to sites that track the path of COVID-19.

The co-op did not have a global pandemic in our local emergency response playbook. Nevertheless, our daily commitment to safety, reliability and resiliency well positioned us to remain productive on your behalf while adhering to both state and federal COVID-19 guidelines. I appreciate the efforts made by each of our employees to safeguard their own health and that of co-workers and members.

To members experiencing a financial hardship resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, please reach out to us if you anticipate a delay in making your on-time electric bill payment. While non-payment disconnects and late fees have been suspended through May 31, we have several tools at our disposal to help you rebound from the eventual resumption of normal service rules and regulations. For some, levelized billing may ease budget concerns. Those with an existing security deposit may want to use those funds to convert to our FlexPay service option.

Regardless of your budget situation, every member with a post-paid account should sign up for a high energy use alert via email or text message. It is your best defense to avoid an unusually high electric bill. That is particularly important for those of you now telecommuting, homeschooling or spending more time at home while furloughed from work.