'Southwest Electric Co-op raised its rates to members earlier this year. Even a very frugal member who shuts off lights and watches a small television and cuts back on using the oven will still have a high electric bill. Actually, a member who does not use any electricity at all must pay almost $18 a month.
These high rates went into effect just a few months before the world economy collapsed. Southwest Electric Co-op is owned by its members. It may be necessary to hold an emergency meeting to vote on lower rates until the economy improves.-- Susan Salaki
The managing editor, Bob McEowen, sent me this reply:"Rate increases are the result of rising costs of wholesale power. The co-op must pay more for the electricity it buys and consequently, the members — who ARE the co-op — bear this cost in their monthly bills.
To not raise rates now would simply weaken the financial health of the cooperative, threaten reliability and, eventually, put the members in the dark. Bob McEowen, Managing Editor, Rural Missouri
