Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) is adjusting its monthly customer charge to offset rising costs for maintaining and upgrading the electric system that serves its members. These expenses encompass essential infrastructure such as poles, meters, power lines, transformers, substations, and right-of-way maintenance, all of which are vital for delivering safe, reliable, and readily available electricity.

As a fixed component of the monthly bill, the customer charge helps recover these costs regardless of electricity usage, allowing VEC to minimize rate impacts on members compared to raising energy consumption charges. As a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative, VEC evaluates all adjustments carefully to ensure affordability, fairness, and long-term system reliability while continuing to provide dependable service to homes, schools, businesses, and communities in its service area.

Members should also note that for every dollar paid on their electric bill, approximately 77.86 cents goes directly to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for wholesale power purchases.