It seems like the cost of everything continues to rise, and we understand that this concern also exists when it comes to your electric bill. However, you can take some comfort knowing that South Central Power members pay less than the Ohio average when it comes to what we charge for your electric usage. And, the good news doesn’t stop there. We continue to take steps to capture every opportunity for cost savings, and we pass those savings on to you. Here are a few ways that your cooperative is helping you pay less and save more in 2026 and beyond.
Generation savings
As I explained last month, more than $13 million will be returned to all our members starting this summer through a reduction in the generation portion of your bill. This refund is possible due to lower-than-expected generation costs, along with revenue from our generation and transmission provider (Buckeye Power) selling excess power to the market. You’ll see the largest savings on your June and July bills, with smaller savings continuing to reduce your bill through at least the end of the year.
Capital credits
On the next page, you can read in greater detail how capital credits work. Capital credits are a major benefit we offer, compared to other utilities. This year, your trustees approved a record-high capital credit retirement of roughly $16.8 million, which will be returned to members and former members of the cooperative from 2005. If you were a member in 2005, you can see that in the form of a credit on this month’s bill. If you’re one of our newer members, don’t worry — you can see your capital credit allocation balance on the front of your bill each March. As financial conditions allow and after a period of 20 years, those funds are generally retired and refunded back to you.
Data center tariff
There’s a lot of concern out there about the impact of data center growth on rates. Working with Buckeye Power, we developed a special rate structure for data centers and other similar large new businesses. Essentially, we are reserving our existing low-cost generation that we own through the Cardinal Power Plant and other sources for members like you. New large loads, like data centers, will be buying power from the wholesale market or building their own generation that would supply what they need. This ensures that our rates won’t rise for everyone just because one large consumer needs more power.
South Central Power is a co-op, which means we are owned by you and exist to serve you. Our approach to power distribution is to sell you power at cost, only retaining what we need for operating margin and to cover our expenses. We understand that in spite of these efforts, for many members, high bills are still a concern. If we can assist you through a program such as budget billing or by helping you analyze your home energy use and identifying opportunities for savings, please visit our website or give us a call. We are here to serve you.
By Rick Lemonds, president and CEO