NRECA, TEC Leaders Meet With DOE Secretary

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry had some questions for Jim Matheson,CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and Mike Williams, president/CEO of Texas Electric Cooperative, when the three met in late April.

Perry asked how electric cooperatives have fared under regulation and requested input on how U.S. policies might affect the reliability and cost-effectiveness of electric co-ops.

The former Texas governor also stressed the importance of electric co-ops in rural America. Williams pointed out to Perry that electric cooperatives and their members have fared reasonably well under wholesale deregulation in Texas in terms of lower prices, but there is less fuel diversity today. That lack of diversity could be problematic depending on natural gas supplies in the future.

“Given his rural Texas roots, I think Perry will ensure that electric cooperatives have input into future energy policy and that rural interests are not ignored,” Williams said.