Throughout 2025, we remained focused on dependable service, member value, community support and investments that strengthen our cooperative for years to come.

Serving Today

Serving our members begins with providing dependable service and meaningful value. In 2025, Lumbee River EMC maintained 5,425 miles of line while serving 68,647 active services across our system. These numbers reflect the reach of our cooperative and the responsibility our employees carry each day to keep homes, businesses and communities connected.

One of the clearest examples of the cooperative difference in 2025 was the retirement and distribution of $3.5 million in Capital Credits. The Lumbee River EMC Board of Directors approved the retirement of capital from 2005, 2016 and 2021, returning financial value to the member-owners who share in the success of their cooperative.

We also improved the ways members connect with us by implementing an updated phone system designed to create a more efficient member experience, with updated voice recordings and menu options for both electric and fiber services.

Our Member Engagement & Energy Management Expo connected members with energy experts and community partners. Attendees learned about weatherization, energy assistance, home efficiency programs and Energy Saver NC rebates, with representatives from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality available to provide information and applications on-site.

Safety remained a priority through our continued commitment to the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program, or RESAP. The program provides a framework for evaluating safety practices, facilities, equipment, and procedures while encouraging continuous improvement across the cooperative.

Investing In Our Communities

Our commitment to service extends beyond poles, wires and substations. We believe strengthening our communities means investing in the people who live, learn and work within them.

Lumbee River EMC awarded more than $53,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to 34 teachers across Hoke, Robeson, Scotland, Cumberland and Moore counties. These grants supported creative classroom projects in subjects ranging from art and music to science, math and technology.

We also continued supporting students through our annual scholarship program, recognizing seven scholarship recipients for their academic accomplishments. In addition, two local students represented Lumbee River EMC during the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., where they participated in leadership development and civic engagement.

Our investment in education also extended to educators through our sponsorship of a Kenan Fellow in partnership with the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State University. The fellowship gave a local STEM educator an opportunity to learn firsthand about electric operations, member service, broadband and other areas of the cooperative, creating new connections between classroom learning and real-world careers.

These programs are investments in the students, educators, and future leaders who will continue strengthening our communities.

Preparing For Tomorrow

Preparing for the future requires us to understand how energy, technology and member expectations are changing. We began installing a new Advanced Metering Infrastructure system that provides more accurate electric usage information, on-demand meter readings and improved data about the timing and duration of power interruptions while giving members greater visibility into daily energy use through SmartHub.

We also added battery energy storage technology in Raeford. The battery is one of 17 substation batteries deployed in North Carolina electric cooperative territories since 2022. Together, these systems provide 90 MW of power and can be dispatched during periods of peak demand to support grid reliability.

Our Customer-Owned Generation Program offered eligible Commercial and Industrial members another way to help manage peak demand while receiving a monthly bill credit for allowing the cooperative access to their standby generators.

Through RIVR Tech, broadband projects awarded through North Carolina’s Completing Access to Broadband program will bring fiber service to 1,362 homes and businesses across Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties, helping expand reliable connectivity in rural communities.

Moving Forward Together

As we look back on 2025, we see a year that demonstrated both the importance of serving our members today and the responsibility of preparing for the future.

That responsibility is reflected in our mission, “To Be the Light That Empowers Our Communities,” and our five core values: Family, Safety, Innovation, Integrity and Excellence. These principles guide how we serve, make decisions and continue building a stronger cooperative.

Our ability to prepare for tomorrow also depends on maintaining a financially strong cooperative. Through responsible planning and careful stewardship of our resources, Lumbee River EMC continues to support reliable service, invest in infrastructure and technology, and position the cooperative to meet future needs. Maintaining that financial strength allows us to make thoughtful decisions today while protecting the long-term interests of our members.

The technologies we use and the challenges we face will continue to evolve, but our purpose remains clear. We will continue listening to our members, investing responsibly, supporting our communities, and pursuing solutions that strengthen Lumbee River EMC for the years ahead.

Together, we remain committed to serving today and preparing for tomorrow.