Electricity provides powerful value

If you’re like most, there are aspects of life that become sort of a daily routine… get ready for work, get in your car and drive to the coffee shop on the way to work. At lunchtime, drive to the nearest fast-food location and get lunch. At home, spend the end of the day streaming an episode or two of your favorite show before bed.
As we all look for ways to save money in this age of increasing inflation, think about your daily routine and how much value it provides compared to the money spent. A morning latte costs about $6, a fast-food combo with a burger, fries and a drink is nearly $10, and that Netflix subscription is about $16 each month. All these daily expenses total around $85 a week or about $340 monthly. And what is the real value—short-term satisfaction and a larger waistline? Is this the best value for your money?
The average daily cost of electricity is about $4.57, and the average monthly electric bill for residential members of San Luis Valley REC is $122 ($4.01/day). You can power your entire home every day for less than the price of a medium latte. You can brew your own coffee, cook your own meals, binge a series and run on a treadmill for less than the cost of that drink. That’s real value.
Electricity provides benefits that we often take for granted. It goes well beyond short-term satisfaction by allowing us to charge devices and have cold food and hot water, all in a comfortable indoor climate. Besides the privilege it affords, electricity has also remained relatively cost-stable even amidst rising inflation.
As a member-owned cooperative, SLVREC does everything in our power to ensure your costs stay reasonable and that electricity remains a great value for our members. It’s not always easy, as there are several factors beyond inflation that impact the price of electricity—some within our control but most beyond it.
The cost of electricity can fluctuate due to supply and demand, infrastructure investment, maintenance and operational expenses. Weather patterns also contribute, affecting both demand and generation capabilities, with extreme conditions leading to heightened energy use or disruptions. Government policies, such as subsidies for renewable energy or taxes and regulations on emissions, shape electricity costs as well. Your electric co-op considers all these aspects when adjusting rates, and because we’re a cooperative, we consider the impact of those costs on our members as well.
As our community continues to rely on electricity for nearly everything in our homes, schools, hospitals and businesses, we need it to be reliable and affordable. You can be assured, San Luis Valley REC always puts you top of mind and works each day to ensure electricity remains the best value for your money.