At the Rally in Raleigh in March, more than 150 representatives from all 26 of North Carolina’s electric co-ops convened at the General Assembly to meet with their legislators and discuss policy issues important to electric co-ops, their members and their communities. More than 100 state senators and representatives participated in the event.

At the April Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., more than 100 leaders from North Carolina’s electric cooperatives joined peers from across the country to meet with legislators on Capitol Hill. Co-ops met with all 16 members of the NC congressional delegation — 14 representatives and Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd.

Freshman Reps. Don Davis of North Carolina and Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, both elected in 2022, told co-op leaders they’re frustrated by the fierce partisan divide in Congress and hope to work together as members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

While meeting with legislators at both events, co-op leaders stressed that any future energy policy should support ongoing efforts to innovate on behalf of co-op members and maintain the reliability, affordability and sustainability of the electric grid.

“These meetings are a critical opportunity to discuss issues important to both electric co-ops and the rural communities we serve,” said Paul Meyer, senior leader of external affairs for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “Our members of congress rely on us for this insight, which is all the more important amid ongoing changes in our industry. Co-op members expect the lights to stay on at a cost they can afford — our nation’s energy policies must meet this fundamental expectation.”