Winter Storm Fern

A Message from the President

This is a request to all members to ask for help in conserving energy this weekend.

As you know, hazardous weather conditions are in effect throughout our service territory. A cold weather advisory will remain in effect from 6 p.m. this evening until noon tomorrow. Additionally, a winter storm warning is in effect from 10 a.m. Saturday through noon on Monday. The frigid temperatures, combined with record snowfall, will significantly impact electric, natural gas and propane use. Record levels of demand are expected.

The price of natural gas has been dramatically impacted by the upcoming weather conditions. We have seen current market prices rise by 10 times the normal price. In addition, PJM, our regional transmission provider, is asking all generation units in the region to operate over the weekend. As a cooperative, our rates reflect the prices we pay for the energy delivered to your home. When those prices rise, they impact what you pay. You can help us keep prices down by conserving energy this weekend. While it won’t change your current rates, it will help us avoid purchasing additional energy at elevated market prices.

Please consider how you can save energy this weekend. Any efforts to conserve energy are helpful. Our team continues to work hard to keep your family safe and comfortable, especially during these extreme weather conditions. We will respond to outages and emergencies as they occur. We will share updates on our website and social media pages.

-Todd Ware, President & CEO, The Energy Cooperative

Click Here for Tips on How to Save Energy

Our crews are prepared. Are you?

According to the National Weather Service, much of the state will be impacted by a winter storm over the next several days, bringing extreme cold, snowfall and ice. It's projected that the storm will reach our service area late on Saturday and conditions may extend through Sunday evening.

Our team is preparing for the event, and we'll be ready for outages and emergencies if they happen. Are you ready for the storm? Here are some tips to help you plan.

Be Prepared

Assemble an emergency kit: Make sure to include the following essentials: blankets, bottled water, non-perishable foods, flashlights with batteries, necessary medications, and charged power banks for electronics. For more help preparing a disaster kit, visit ready.gov.

Have a backup plan: Do you know where you'll go if your power gets knocked out? Your community may have established warming shelters in place - oftentimes schools, libraries, and churches.

Create a medical plan: Does someone in your home rely on medical devices that require electricity, like oxygen, a power wheelchair, or home dialysis equipment? If so, we strongly encourage you to arrange for a backup power source or have a plan for where to go in the event you lose power at home.

Be in the Know

Monitor real-time outage updates: Our crews work hard to keep you safe and restore your power quickly. Stay up to date with our live outage map.

Receive outage updates: Report outages easily and receive status updates via the SmartHub app. Make sure to turn on your notification settings to allow these updates through text message or email.

Follow our updates: We share outage information on our social media pages. It's a quick way to stay informed while our crews work to get the lights back on if the power goes out.

Be Safe

Stay away from downed lines: Call 911 immediately if you spot a broken power line or pole, then call us. NEVER approach a downed power line or touch anything it's come in contact with. Assume all downed power lines are energized and dangerous.

Be safe with generators: Never plug a generator into the circuit box. Doing so may result in serious injury for the line workers restoring your power. See more generator safety tips.

Avoid driving until road conditions are safe: Trees, utility poles and power lines could potentially block roadways and cause unsafe conditions. If you see utility crews working, please slow down and move over so they can continue to work safely.