 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
How to contact SLVREC: San
Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative 719-852-3538 or 800-332-7634 |
|
Why do I have to pay a wires and maintenance charge each month? How did electric cooperatives like SLVREC begin? |
|
Yes. Just click on this link: https://ebill.slvrec.com You will need your account number the first time you log in to the bill pay program. |
|
First check your fuses or breakers. Make sure they are all "on." If you find a problem with the fuses or breakers, you will need to contact a local electrician for repairs. Any equipment beyond the member's meter is the responsibility of the member. If you determine that your fuses and breakers are O.K., check with your neighbors to see if their power is off. When you call the office to report an outage, please provide your name, address, phone number and any information you might have on what may have caused the outage. In most cases we will attempt to call back to confirm that your power has been restored. It is important that you call the cooperative directly. Please do not tie up emergency responder lines at police or fire departments to report an outage unless the outage has been created by or is creating a life-threatening emergency. If our crews are requested to respond to such an outage and the problem is on the member's side of the meter, the member may be billed the actual cost of labor and overhead. Report outages 24 hours a day! |
Why do I have to pay a wires and maintenance charge each month? Every account at SLVREC must pay a wires and maintenance charge each month-even if you have no use on your account. This fee covers fixed maintenance costs for the substations and power lines and poles that provide your service. It covers the cost of the meter reader who checks your meter and the costs associated with the cooperative's billing department. This fee makes it possible for you to have electric service at your home or business. |
|
A cooperatives is a type of business organization. Co-ops are member-owned and democratically controlled. Unlike other types of businesses, cooperatives are not managed by a board of shareholders in a distant location. Cooperatives are locally owned and locally controlled. Every member has an equal voice in electing the cooperative’s board of directors. Elections for open director positions are held at the cooperative's annual meeting. SLVREC's Annual Meeting is held the second Tuesday in June each year. One important point about cooperatives is that they do not operate for a profit. Rates cover the cost of doing business. Cooperatives use excess revenue to provide working capital and to ensure financial health. However, over time, this excess revenue is allocated back to members when possible. More information on cooperatives, SLVREC's board of directors, SLVREC's annual meeting and other topics can be found in the About Us section of this web site. |
How did electric cooperatives like SLVREC begin? In 1935 President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act that made it possible for many rural people to organize electric cooperatives. The REA, as it was called, gave electric co-ops access to low interest loans for the purpose of constructing transmission and distribution systems in order to provide central station power to rural America. Many of the country's People's Utility Districts [PUD] also had access to REA funds. At the time the REA Act was signed there were very few rural people fortunate enough to enjoy the luxury of electricity that their city cousins had. Even if you happened to live next to the road right of way where an Investor Owned Utility [IOU] had a power line, the costs to connect in most cases was prohibitive, and you certainly could not afford to have the line built over a great distance. Evidence of this is still apparent today as you drive down Highway 97 in Sherman County. Today, electric co-ops nationwide serve 10.8 percent of the population and account for 7.4 percent of the energy sold. Although they own and maintain nearly half of the distributions lines in the U.S., spanning three quarters of the land mass, they average only 5.8 consumers per mile and collect revenues of approximately $7,000 per mile. IOU's average 35 customers per mile and collect $59,000 per mile of line; and public utilities, or municipals, average 48 consumers and collect $72,000 per mile of line. As a comparison, SLVREC has a average density of 4.4 consumers per mile and collects revenue of approximately $6,600 per mile. |
Can I choose who provides my electric service? At this time, Colorado has not deregulated the electric utility industry. You may not choose your utility provider. Service territory maps are available at SLVREC's office if you would like to verify the utility who serves a specific location. |
I want to complain about or complement you on your service. Who can I speak to besides the customer service representatives? As a cooperative, each and every member has a voice through the cooperative's elected board of directors. If you have a comment, good or bad, contact the board member for the service territory in which you reside. You can find contact information for all of the cooperative's directors on page 2 of each issue of the cooperative's newsletter, The Newsboy. Alternatively, you may also contact the cooperative's CEO, John Villyard. If you prefer to contact the cooperative via email, send your message to power@slvrec.com. Place a directive in the subject line of your message so that the message can be directed to the appropriate individual. |
San
Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative
3625 US Hwy 160 W Monte
Vista, CO 81144
719-852-3538 800-332-7634 power@slvrec.com
Phones are staffed 24/7
