Tropical Storm Helene’s devastation has left members and our entire community without power. Please watch the video below for an update from our President/CEO.
Helene Update from Craig Spencer - 9/30/24 Evening
News & Events
Your co-op urges you to beware of bad actors. Stay safe online.
York Electric Cooperative (YEC) is always looking out for you and wants our members to play it safe when you get a phone call, email, or text that seems suspicious. We’ve had reports of scammers calling members and imitating York Electric to obtain sensitive account information, including members’ credit card information, and claiming power will be disconnected if details are not given.
YOUR CO-OP DOES NOT FOLLOW THESE PRACTICES. We will never ask you for sensitive information, like your credit card or account number, over the phone or by email. If your bill is past due, or if we have a question about your account, we have multiple documented methods to keep you safe. For example, whether you are paying your balance by phone, text, online or in person, the initiation and processing of the payment is dictated by you – the member. If you receive a call, email, or text regarding the balance on your account, we implore you to contact your co-op to discuss your account before releasing any sensitive information.
As an additional safety measure, and to never worry about your bill becoming past due, consider signing up for bank draft through our secure member portal.
For questions and concerns, please contact our Member Services team at 803-684-4248. If you have been a victim of a scam, or have received communications from a bad actor as described, we encourage you to contact local authorities.
We’re doing all we can
York Electric Cooperative combats rising costs
One of our most important jobs is to keep the price of electricity down. We haven’t had a base rate increase in more than 12 years because we’ve trimmed expenses wherever we could. But not everything is in our control. Here are just a few challenges we’re seeing:
Inflation
Inflation isn’t just driving up the price of groceries. Utility poles cost much more than they did a few years ago. The price of electric transformers has soared from $874 in 2019 to $1,360 today. We also carry some of the highest property tax burdens in the counties we serve.
Interest rates also have risen significantly in recent years. To deliver the reliable power you have come to expect, we borrow money to make upgrades to our electric system. Those higher rates have caused our interest expenses to increase.
V.C. Summer and the Cook case
A few years ago, two South Carolina utilities tried and failed to expand the V.C. Summer nuclear power plant. South Carolina’s electric co-ops buy the bulk of our power from one of those utilities, Santee Cooper, and must share in the costs of their capital projects, successful or not.
In the wake of that project’s cancellation, Santee Cooper settled a class-action lawsuit and agreed to a four-year rate freeze that kept our power costs stable. Since then, a series of unfortunate events—including major storms, a fire at a supplier’s coal mine and global events that drove up the price of fuel— have added about $680 million to Santee Cooper’s balance sheet.
Those new expenses will get passed down to their consumers—including our co-op—after the rate freeze ends on Dec. 31. We are negotiating to spread those payments over a longer time, which will soften their impact on power bills.
Energy policy
Recently, the federal government has pushed hard to reduce carbon emissions, requiring power providers to adopt unproven and expensive technologies.
They may have good intentions, but those regulations will make the cost of producing power—and buying it—go up. When it comes to energy policy, we work diligently with our state legislators and congressional representatives to make sure our voices are heard.
What we’re doing about it
York Electric has maintained the lowest controllable expenses in South Carolina, saving our members approximately $14 million in comparison to the median reported controllable expense amount in the state. This is something we track monthly to be sure we are doing all we can to help ease the burden of these new costs.
York Electric is working to determine if a rate change is necessary to provide safe and reliable power in the future. We’ll also continue to offer assistance and innovative programs to help our members save on their energy bills, as well as encouraging you to help hold down power costs through programs like Beat The Peak.
I think it’s important for members to be aware of these challenges. In upcoming columns, I’ll revisit these factors in more detail. There are many important questions still to be answered, but you have my promise that we will be transparent and proactive as we work to keep your power affordable.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Finding new perspectives
YEC sends local students on summer youth trips
By Josh P. Crotzer
The view from the bucket of a utility truck looking out over a rural horizon certainly looks different than the view from the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Both, though, are places where local high school students stood and gained new perspectives, along with peers from across the Palmetto State, on life-changing summer trips sponsored by York Electric and South Carolina’s electric cooperatives.
Char McDowell of Clover, Heather Greenwald of Indian Land and Lilly Burke of York were among 57 South Carolina teens who traveled to the nation’s capital in June through the co-ops’ Washington Youth Tour. Ellie Dismukes of York, Peyton Sellers of Tega Cay and Angel Weaver of Fort Mill also joined 42 other high school students for Cooperative Youth Summit in July in Columbia and Newberry.
The Washington Youth Tourists spent six days visiting monuments, museums and memorials. They also went to the U.S. Capitol, where they met with congressional staff. Afterward, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott talked with the students and answered their questions on the Capitol steps.
For Greenwald, the day at the Capitol felt like a glimpse into her future.
“Our tour guide told us that out of all the statues of important people there, there was a space missing for the first female president,” says Greenwald. “When I heard that, I thought that could be me. I have a lot of things in mind that I’d like to do to improve our nation.”
Back in the state capital, Youth Summit students embarked on a four-day exploration of their state government, civic engagement and the cooperative business model. In addition to a visit to the S.C. Statehouse and Gov. Henry McMaster’s office, students had the opportunity to ask questions about current events, as well as state and national politics, with Senator Mike Fanning and Representative Micah Caskey. They toured Newberry Electric Cooperative’s headquarters, where buckets trucks lifted many of them more than 100 feet in the air.
They also participated in a public speaking competition, in which teams developed presentations arguing for and against current political and cultural issues, such as banning TikTok and subsidizing electric vehicles. Sellers’ team, which argued against EV subsidization, won the competition—and a $1,000 prize apiece.
“I really enjoyed all the activities, like riding in the bucket,” says Sellers. “I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in politics or anything else. It was just so fun and there’s so many people who want to go into different things here.”
You’re never alone
Shining a light on September’s National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month
By Porter W. Gable
Longtime York County resident, Cheslie Kryst, made our area famous after winning Miss USA in 2019 and becoming an Emmy-nominated correspondent for the entertainment news show Extra.
To onlookers, Kryst appeared to have it all—team captain for Fort Mill High School track and cheerleading, academic scholar, University of South Carolina Honors College graduate and collegiate track star and the only student in her class to simultaneously earn a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration at Wake Forest University. Following graduation, she became a civil litigation attorney, licensed to practice law in both North and South Carolina.
For everyone who knew her, Kryst was the light in the room. But few knew about her years of silently battling mental illness. In 2022, Kryst died by suicide.
After her death, Kryst’s mother, April Simpkins, completed her daughter’s memoir, By the Time You Read This, about her daughter’s struggle between her many accomplishments and the reality of how she saw herself. Simpkins, who has lived in York County with her husband, David, for more than 20 years, has worked closely with York Electric Cooperative’s leadership for several years and currently serves as the chairwoman for the York County Regional Chamber. She is an ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness, and a board member for NAMI Piedmont Tri-County.
Her book provides a glimpse at Kryst’s beautiful life coupled with her hidden mental illness and celebrates her bravery to fight her disease for as long as she did. Her family’s story illustrates the need for advocacy, education and normalcy surrounding mental wellness. We can’t assume that the most outwardly confident people don’t struggle with their mental health. Success, money, fame—looking like you have it together—doesn’t mean you do.
“What Cheslie experienced isn’t uncommon,” says Simpkins. People are expected to perform at a consistent level of mental toughness. But when and how do we unpack the proverbial boxes of stress, anxiety, pain or negative thoughts we inevitably have in our day-to-day lives? Many times, we put on a brave face and live in the moment to maintain our power, strength and persona for others by boxing up our feelings and storing them to deal with another time. Simpkins discusses the importance of “finding a safe space to unpack your boxes.”
“Cheslie was a person just like everyone else,” says Simpkins, who has earned a Mental Health First Aid Certification and is also trained in Emotional CPR. “Although she was a celebrity, her feelings and battle with mental illness were real. I want everyone to know there is hope, there is help and you’re never alone.”
For Simpkins, losing a child—and the paralyzing grief she describes—is something parents share as their greatest fear. Loss, no matter what kind, requires those grieving to learn a new normal, living without a key part of their lives. Simpkins shares the rawness of her personal experience after Kryst’s death with the goal of normalizing the discussion of feeling mentally unwell.
She uses the example of how people will openly discuss their back pain but will typically hide how they are feeling mentally. Her transparency about her grief journey is intentional. She hopes her openness empowers people to speak up about their own mental health struggles. But for people to do so, Simpkins stresses the need for trust and safe spaces, something her family did not experience from others in the aftermath of her daughter’s suicide.
Simpkins, who has addressed audiences internationally on the topics of leadership, culture, DEI and mental health in the workplace, also highlights the importance of mental wellness in her professional life. She is a champion for those in need through her nonprofit work.
“Statistically, more than 80% of employees want an employer who prioritizes their mental health,” she says. “In order to break the stigma, we have to be willing to talk about it.” Through advocacy and education, Simpkins prioritizes changing the narrative about mental illness. She stresses the distinction between mental health and mental illness.
Simpkins suggests learning to be accepting and how to meet people where they are in their mental health journey by creating a judgement-free, safe space for people to express how they feel. For those struggling with mental illness, Simpkins implores them to keep seeking a circle of support.
“The people within your support circle aren’t necessarily who you would think and aren’t always your family, but they become family,” she shares.
Mental illness doesn’t always appear boldly like many other diseases. It is our job to “check on our strong friends, our smart friends, our cool friends, our colleagues and our family” as National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. writes in the afterword of the book.
If you are struggling, take the first step to wellness and contact your local NAMI chapter or call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. NAMI is an alliance of more than 600 local affiliates and 49 state organizations that works in local communities to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. Learn more at nami.org.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress and prevention and crisis resources for people and their loved ones. If you are in need or are helping someone in need, call 988 for support.
Sparking creativity
YEC knows supporting young artists’ creativity encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation, while also helping them learn resilience, adaptability, and the ability to approach challenges with optimism.
These skills and qualities are essential in all aspects of life, but most importantly, in ensuring we have a thriving and vibrant community for years to come. We’re more than just your power provider; we are local people looking out for you and building a better quality of life for everyone.
Below you will find the stories of two young students who are this year’s art competition winners and the future’s creative leaders.
Artistic goals
Gold Hill Middle School student artist Ishana Kunapureddy shows York Electric what the power of community means to her. In her work, she shows people connected by a string of lights, symbolizing the connection YEC brings to our neighbors.
Interested in all kinds of art, Kunapureddy plans to continue exploring her creativity. “I like art a lot and would like to study it later on. Fashion design is one of my favorite areas,” she shares.
As this year’s winner, Kunapureddy won $100 and the chance to have her artwork shown on all YEC vehicles until June 2024.
Want to participate next year? Visit our magnet contest page to learn more.
Coloring for safety
Young student artist Rileigh Hatzenbuehler of Rock Hill is the winner of the 2024 Linemen Gear Up for Safety Coloring Contest for students ages 6-7. Berger enjoys drawing in school and making art at home.
“I had so much fun coloring. I love art and trying new things,” Hatzenbuehler shares during her tour of our facilities. As the winner, Berger received $50 and a YEC hardhat, signed by all our dedicated linemen.
Want to learn more? Visit our coloring contest page.