NRCO Welcomes New Member
October 26, 2021
National Renewables Cooperative Organization
welcomes new Class A member
Central Electric Power Cooperative becomes 23rd Cooperative Member of NRCO
Carmel, IN – Membership in the National Renewable Cooperative Organization (NRCO) has grown to 23 following the addition of Columbia, South Carolina-based Central Electric Power Cooperative (CEPCI).
CEPCI has a growing portfolio of solar capacity through a combination of ownership and long-term agreements.
Electric cooperatives formed NRCO in 2008 to facilitate cost-effective joint contracting and development of renewable resources. NRCO functions as a clearinghouse for renewable development opportunities while aggregating its members’ renewable energy needs. It provides its members with strategic advisory and market intelligence services on evolving renewable and related technologies. NRCO has helped its member owners develop and contract for over 2,000 MW of renewable energy, which provides energy to more than 7.8 million homes and 40 GW of electric load. NRCO’s Members are located from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast and from the Upper Midwest to the southeastern United States.
CEPCI is the wholesale power aggregator and transmission operator for 20 electric distribution cooperatives, which together deliver power to 1.5 million South Carolinians through 800,000 accounts. CEPCI has not owned generation historically, but with the development of solar technology and changes in supply, CEPCI has as a generation and transmission cooperative fostered the growth of solar capacity. CEPCI owns some solar generation outright, contracts with independent developers, and has enabled its member cooperatives to build community solar programs locally.
“When considering types of generation technology, we long ago changed our mindset from either-or approach to all-of-the-above-if-practical, which today includes solar,” said Rob Hochstetler, CEPCI’s president and CEO. “In typical co-op fashion, we like working with other cooperatives to make the job easier. NRCO will do that for us when it comes to solar.”
“We are pleased that Central Electric Power Cooperative has joined NRCO as its 23rd Class A member. We have had the opportunity to work with CEPCI on a couple of projects over the years and look forward to assisting them in meeting their strategic objectives” said Todd Bartling, Interim CEO of NRCO.
About NRCO:
Cooperatives across the country formed the National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO) to promote and facilitate the development of renewable energy resources for its members. NRCO’s main purposes are to provide ongoing opportunities for its members to contract and develop cost-effective renewable energy resources, helping its owners meet the requirements of voluntary and mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standards. http://www.nrco.coop
About CEPCI:
Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. It was created in 1948 and is owned by 20 distribution cooperatives. Central and its member cooperatives provide power to approximately one third of South Carolina’s population through the only statewide electric system. www.cepci.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Scott Bradtmiller, NRCO
Renewables Developer
(317) 344-7908,