Each April, leaders from electric cooperatives across the United States gather in Washington, D.C., to advocate for co-op issues and improve service to members.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association organizes the event and leads informational sessions, preparing co-op leaders to discuss federal issues electrical cooperatives currently face.
Peace River Electric Cooperative sent Paul Roberts, interim CEO/general manager, and Ashleigh Hayes, vice president of corporate services, to join other co-op leaders across Florida to visit legislative offices, attend informational sessions, and network with leaders of other electric cooperatives to understand the issues and successes happening in their states and co-ops.
PRECO met with Reps. Darren Soto, Greg Steube and Kathy Castor, as well as Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, to emphasize electric cooperatives’ support of H.R. 4669, the FEMA Act of 2025, which is a comprehensive bill to revamp many aspects of FEMA while keeping the agency intact. It also includes Florida’s key priority language, which reimburses interest expenses accrued while waiting years for FEMA to reimburse disaster-related power restoration expenses.
Co-op leaders discussed our willingness to serve any and all businesses in our communities and continue the principle electricity needs and expenses will not be subsidized by the consumer-members.
This year, several co-op leaders participated in “Mornings with Moody.” Sen. Moody holds open office hours to allow her and her staff to engage in conversations with constituents on important matters. It allowed each co-op to speak with staff and the senator about the impact FEMA delays have on consumer-members.
Co-ops encourage congressional leaders to oppose policies that would raise electricity costs for our consumer-members and increase the risk of blackouts.
Co-op leaders continually advocate on behalf of our communities for safe, reliable and affordable electricity.