You may already know that you are a member of Dixie Electric, but what you may not be aware of is you are a part of something much bigger. As a Dixie Electric member, you are connected to a network of electrical cooperatives and other power companies that work every minute of every day to provide the electricity that powers your life.
Dixie Electric, along with ten other cooperatives in the state, are members of Cooperative Energy, a generation and transmission electric cooperative. Cooperative Energy generates electricity at power plants across the state and then delivers that electricity along high-voltage transmission lines to the distribution cooperatives. From there, each electric distribution cooperative, like Dixie Electric, distributes the electricity to its members – that’s you!
With 12 cooperatives working together as one mutual source of power, the service provided to nearly 1 million Mississippians across the state is more affordable and reliable than it would be if each system operated alone.
With that same concept in mind, Cooperative Energy is part of MISO, a regional transmission organization. MISO, also known as the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, is a large network that joins Cooperative Energy with other power companies in the U.S. and Canada. Working together, each power company in the network can provide more affordable and reliable electricity than if each power company operated independently.
This year, our summer began with a heat wave across much of the nation, resulting in a high demand for electricity. Cooperative Energy, and MISO, are closely monitoring operating conditions this summer and have already taken actions to prepare for the intense pressure on the electrical grid, including delaying discretionary equipment maintenance, completing seasonal assessments, and preparing emergency resources in the event they are needed.
As an electricity consumer and member of Dixie Electric, there are ways you can help by working to conserve electricity throughout the summer, especially on days when a heat advisory has been issued.
- Avoid using larger appliances in the evenings between 5-10 p.m., which is considered high-peak times.
- Keep your thermostat set as high as possible. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temps, the less strain on your home’s cooling system and the lower your electric bill.
- Keep blinds and curtains shut during the hottest parts of the day to keep out the heat.
- Use ceiling fans only when you are in the room. It is important to remember that fans cool people, not rooms.
- Lower the temperature on your water heater.
- Turn off unused lights and unplug unused electronics.
Dixie Electric has an 84-year heritage of providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to our local communities that we call home, serving over 40,000 members. The relationships demonstrated between Dixie Electric, Cooperative Energy, and MISO hold true to the cooperative way of doing business. All three entities demonstrate the power of working together to provide affordable and reliable energy to our members. That is a top priority at Dixie Electric and Cooperative Energy.