The pressures felt on the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative

Jim Lovinggood, president/CEO of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, devotes his current South Carolina Co-Op news column to the financial pressures that the multi-county electric power supplier is experiencing during the pandemic and a time of supply chain delays.  But, BREC spokesman Terry Ballenger, makes clear that the Pickens-based cooperative is not approaching the time where it should consider raising retail rates.  BREC notes that conditions have been such that it has avoid a retail increase since 2008.  BREC’s Lovinggood also addresses a concern that some customers might have that Blue Ridge’s entry into the broadband business will drive higher base costs.  As Lovinggood puts it, “I want to take this opportunity to put those concerns to rest.  Our rapidly growing high-speed internet project is paying its own way, period.”