Working for You and All Cooperative Members

January 21st, 2025

As we start the 2025 legislative session, I wanted to let our members know that late last year I was elected by other Kansas electric cooperative managers to lead the Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Legislative and Regulatory Review Committee. This leadership position includes collaboration with cooperatives, legislators and government agencies to advocate for policies that promote reliable and sustainable energy across Kansas. The relationships we build with decision-makers at all levels have the potential to help shape the regulatory and legislative environment that affects every part of the energy industry.

FreeState is more than just a utility. It’s an important part of the communities we serve. Our mission goes beyond providing you with electricity. It includes the promise to protect each member-owner’s wellbeing and prosperity. And that also means actively engaging with those who make decisions that impact us all.

Here at FreeState, we pride ourselves on collaboration. It’s one of our core values that our staff understand and practice internally and externally. Part of being a cooperative is working beyond our cooperative. We are lucky to have staff that serve on local, state and national committees and boards that help drive decision-making at all levels. It’s one way your cooperative stays proactively engaged and works for your interests.

By engaging with decision-makers, cooperatives can ensure that members are well represented and that any changes in laws or regulations do not adversely impact the ability to power and serve communities across Kansas.

Advocating for fair and equitable policies is important because electric cooperatives are primarily based in rural areas, and we have unique challenges that are different from investor-owned utilities. Our challenges are maintaining infrastructure over sometimes sparsely populated areas, and this can cost more and be logistically challenging. Having open conversations with policymakers allows us to communicate the needs we have, and lawmakers can work toward securing funding and support for areas that need infrastructure updates to ensure that rural areas receive the same level of service as urban areas.

Building relationships locally, in Topeka and Washington, D.C., is one way to stay informed about potential changes in legislation and regulations. Being proactive enables us to anticipate changes that could impact how we do business or serve members. By advocating for favorable policies and staying informed, cooperatives can use relationships to explore innovative solutions to challenges that may come up.

Working together, rather than against each other, means we can access resources that can help our communities and continue to provide reliable power for a brighter Kansas. It’s all part of the cooperative difference.

As always, if you have any questions, we encourage you to contact us. You can email customerservice@freestate.coop or call the office.

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