Bennettsville, SC – April 20, 2021 – Marlboro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MEC) and Pee Dee Electric Cooperative (PDEC) are reducing residential rates a full 10% this Summer when energy use is typically the highest. This decrease was announced at the MEC annual meeting of its members last Saturday.
In September 2020, the utilities announced their entry into a partnership. This strategic move aligned the two neighboring co-ops with the goal of creating economic benefits, long-term efficiencies, and overall improved service for its consumers. Together the cooperatives serve 15% of the counties in SC.
“We are so pleased to be able to provide you, our valued MEC and PDEC members, with a 10-percent energy rate decrease for the months it matters most,” said president and CEO William Fleming at the annual meeting. “We’re so grateful to the board of directors of both cooperatives for making this possible. This partnership between our two neighboring co-ops has resulted in the largest geographical territory of any commonly managed cooperatives in this state, and we are proud of what we’ve been able to achieve thus far, while looking forward to continued efficiencies and enhancements in the future.”
This rate decrease comes on the heels of a previous energy decrease provided by the two electric cooperatives of approximately 8% collectively during the most recent Winter. It also sets a historical benchmark for the largest known rate decrease in history for the two electric cooperatives, and for any other SC electric utility this decade.
