Reliable Power for Today and Tomorrow
Ringing in a new year sparks renewed hope and optimism about the future. As the board president of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative (GCEC), I take this time to reflect on where we are and where we’re going. At the heart of this reflection, I think about ways we can better serve you, the cooperative’s members.
Our team at GCEC is always looking ahead, exploring ways to innovate and use new technologies to improve our services. As our nation increasingly relies on electricity to power the economy, keeping the lights on has never been more important. We’re committed to powering—and empowering—our community at a cost local families and businesses can afford.
So, how are we working to ensure reliable and affordable power while adapting to a changing energy landscape and our community’s evolving needs?
1 critical component of reliable power is the mix of energy resources used to generate the electricity that keeps the lights on. You may not realize it, but GCEC doesn’t generate electricity. Instead, we buy it from our energy provider, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, and from there, we distribute it to homes and businesses throughout our community. Our current energy resource mix comprises natural gas, coal, hydroelectricity, compressed air energy storage and purchased power agreements.
We’re increasingly using more electricity generated from renewable energy sources, but we still depend on a diverse energy mix to ensure reliable power is available to our members whenever they need it.
In addition to managing that energy mix, GCEC uses technology to enhance our local grid, limit service disruptions and improve outage response times.
Advanced metering infrastructure, or AMI, enables 2-way communication between the co-op and consumers. In the event of a power outage, AMI helps pinpoint the exact location of the outage and can even analyze damaged or tampered meters. AMI helps GCEC save money with real-time data, improving power reliability for our entire community.
Proactive tree trimming is another way we limit service disruptions. Scheduled trimming keeps power lines clear from overgrown limbs likely to fall.
As we turn our focus to 2024, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative will continue working to provide the reliable, affordable electricity you expect and deserve—for today and tomorrow.
Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative offices close at noon on Wednesday, December 13. The co-op is also closed all day, beginning Monday, December 25, through Wednesday, December 27.
You may access your account and report power outages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by using our app (available on the App Store and Google Play), calling any of our office telephone numbers or logging on to the GCEC website. Merry Christmas!