News Archive

Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative will be changing the rate structure for members of the cooperative in March of 2024. We want to invite members to an informational meeting that provides background details, explains the new rates, and answers questions. Please join us for any one of these six meetings being held throughout our service territory.   

Eastern Illini has begun replacing meters throughout our service territory. The installation of new meters began in Iroquois County and will continue until all meters have been replaced. The goal is to have all the new meters in place by the end of 2023. Members will be notified in advance that the new meters are being replaced. A meter installation technician will knock on the door of members’ homes to inform residence the new meter is being installed. Members don’t need to be home for the installation. If members aren’t home, a hang tag will be left on the door. Members need not do anything in advance of the new meter installation. After the installation, members may need to reset the clock on their microwave if it is blinking. Most meters are located outdoors, so the technician will remove the old meter and install the new meter in a matter of less than 30 minutes. According to Brad Smith, Vice President of Operations and Engineering, the new meters are part of Eastern Illini’s on-going commitment to responsiveness and reliability. These meters are an investment in our distribution system and future automation. Paul Crutcher, Eastern Illini Engineer and project manager for the new meter installation project, shared that automation and other distribution system intelligence has the ability to integrate with other sensors, such as fault indicators. By incorporating this additional information, Eastern Illini will have enhanced troubleshooting capabilities during outages and the end result is faster restoration times.

Mark Slagel, Strawn, has been elected to the Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. Slagel was elected by co-op members at the Annual Meeting events in June. He will be the Directorate District 2, a seat previously held by Tom Schlatter, Chatsworth, since 2006. Slagel is President of Slagel Manufacturing and farms with his brothers. Slagel has served on the Strawn Fire Department, Prairie Central School Board and is a member of the Fairbury First Baptist Church and Prairie Central Athletic Boosters. Slagel and his wife, Suzanne, have four children.

Lauri Quick, Tolono, was re-elected to the Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative Board of Directors at the EIEC Annual Meeting events in June. She has served on the board of directors since 2018. Quick is the representative for Directorate District 9. She earned her Board Leadership Certification from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in 2022. Quick is also the EIEC alternate director for the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives. Quick is a member of the First Christian Church of Champaign, and is involved in Effingham Performance Center and Cunningham Children’s Home. She and her husband, David, reside in rural Tolono.