For the past several years, we have shared the challenges the utility industry is facing nationwide. Unfortunately, those pressures have continued to grow. Some of the key factors driving increased costs across the industry include:

• Rapidly rising demand for electricity with growth of homes, businesses and AI
• Early retirement of generation plants, which reduces available supply
• Higher prices for materials, equipment, and infrastructure needed to reliably deliver power
  

While these challenges are outside our control, we remain committed to finding every savings opportunity possible. We are continually evaluating operations, reducing expenses where we can, and working to keep rates stable for as long as possible.

Supporting You Through This Change

We want to empower you to manage your energy use and keep bills as low as possible. Small changes can make a meaningful difference. A good place to start is our Switch and Save program, which rewards members for shifting energy use away from peak demand hours. By being strategic about when you use electricity, you can save money.

Energy-efficiency choices can also help offset cost changes:

• Adjust your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature during colder months
• Limit or avoid space heaters, which use significant energy
• Open blinds or curtains during the day to bring in natural heat
• Reverse ceiling fans in winter to circulate warm air through living spaces

We understand this change comes at a time when many families are watching their budgets closely. Please know that we do not take this step lightly.

Our commitment remains the same: to operate responsibly, advocate for our members, and continue providing reliable service that keeps our communities energized.