News Archive

Dear Member: For more than 80 years, electric cooperatives have provided safe, affordable, and reliable electricity to their consumers throughout rural Illinois. The 25 not-for-profit electric cooperatives, each owned and democratically controlled by their members, provide service to approximately 600,000 primarily rural Illinoisans located in 90 of the state’s 102 counties, including you!  Prairie State Energy Campus is wholly owned by not-for-profit electric cooperatives and municipalities in Illinois and other midwestern states, providing affordable and reliable electricity. Under the comprehensive Illinois legislative energy proposal, Prairie State would be required to close by 2035. Prairie State is state-of-the-art and highly efficient, and today is only 10 years into its expected long life. We oppose legislation that reduces grid reliability, makes us dependent on neighboring states for energy generation, results in good paying energy and tax base being transferred to neighboring states, and raises rates for our member-consumers. In 2035, cooperatives will still have $188 million of debt owed on Prairie State Energy Campus. That debt, coupled with the cost of replacement energy and capacity, could result in 20-25% increased costs to our members. Eastern Illini is committed to keeping energy affordable and reliable while we invest in a cleaner energy future, but we cannot let policy get ahead of technology. Current technology needs to be improved and expanded upon before we can reliably power the grid with no carbon emissions. Forcing a premature closure of Prairie State will negatively impact the affordability and reliability of electricity in Illinois’ rural areas. Help send the message to Governor Pritzker and State Legislators that any legislation proposed must provide a delayed effective date for not-for-profit power plants to operate as currently permitted and allow owners to pay off their debt on these new facilities.  Visit https://voicesforcooperativepower.com/illinois/ and let your voice be heard. Thank you for your support.

We want to thank Eastern Illini members who attended Member Appreciation Days in Paxton, Sidney, and at the Iroquois County Fairgrounds. It was great to see you. This was the first year for the drive through, say hello, and pick up to-go meals appreciation events. We hope you enjoyed them. Hats off to our employees who went above and beyond to make certain everything ran smoothly. The Member Appreciation event at Iroquois County Fairgrounds culminated with the EIEC Annual Meeting which began at 6:30 p.m. in the 4-H Building. Kevin Moore, Chairman of the EIEC Board of Directors, confirmed the notice and proof of mailing for the meeting. The meeting minutes and Treasurer’s Report were also approved. Members heard from President/CEO Bob Hunzinger as to the impact COVID-19 had on the Cooperative. He also shared information about the future plans for Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative. Guy Hall, Attorney for the Co-op, determined that quorum had been achieved and he announced that the bylaw amendment was approved with 530 yes votes and 17 no votes. Three members of the Board of Directors ran uncontested and were reelected for three year terms. DISTRICT 3: Steve Meenen, Melvin DISTRICT 4: Bruce Ristow, Cissna Park DISTRICT 6: Brad Ludwig, Fithian Since there was no unfinished business or new business, Chairman Moore thanked members for attending and the meeting was adjourned. The Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative Board of Directors held a reorganization meeting following the annual meeting and elected board officers. CHAIRMAN: Kevin Moore VICE CHAIRMAN: Bruce Ristow SECRETARY/TREASURER: Steve Meenen ASST. SECRETARY/TREASURER: Chad Larimore The Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative board of directors hold their monthly meetings on the 4th Tuesday of every month at the EIEC Headquarters in Paxton.  

As a member of Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, YOU get the credit!   Eastern Illini is a member driven, community focused, not for profit co-op. As such, the EIEC board of directors is returning $1.2 million of 2020’s operating margins to members in the form of a margin rebate on bills mailed out in early January, 2021.   It will be listed on the back page of the bill as MARGIN REBATE. Your credit is based on the amount of electricity you used in 2020, and is the result of lower operating costs during the year.   This is a tangible benefit of being a member of the cooperative.    Give us a call at 1-800-824-5102 or email if you have questions about your margin rebate.

As member-owned electric cooperatives, voting is already in our DNA.  It's how we maintain an electric utility which is responsive to the consumers it serves.  Voting also plays a crucial part in our representative democracy.  Federal, state and local elections offer an opportunity to exercise a civic responsibility -- to select the best leaders for our communities.   This year is going to be a big one, with the possibility for unprecedented voter turnout.  Co-ops must find a way to ensure that elected officials in our communities understand the issues we face.    When voters miss the chance to vote, they also lose the opportunity to communicate their concern to our leaders about the issues that matter to us, where we work, live, and raise families.   Reliable electricity, rural infrastructure and access to rural broadband are just a few of the issues we all care about.  These issues will only become priorities if we continue to express our concerns to our elected officials.  Registering to vote and showing up to the polls on Election Day are the most effective ways to send this message.   When we go to the polls with the cooperative principle of "Concern for Community" in mind, we instantly improve our political system.  It's a system designed to produce a government "of the people, by the people and for the people."  People like us.   Eastern Illini Electric Co-op has (once again joined America’s electric cooperatives in continuing the Co-ops Vote campaign to help get out the vote and insert issues important to co-ops and our communities into the public discussion.  This effort will ensure that our voices are heard loud and clear every day, and especially on the next Election Day.   We have the opportunity to continue the dialogue with a variety of candidates this year, and now is the perfect time to ask, “what will you do to ensure we continue to have affordable and reliable electricity in our community?”    For information on how to register and vote in our state, visit the Co-ops Vote website: www.vote.coop.  You can also find information about elected officials and read more about issues important to our community. 2020 – It’s a great time to go vote!   Co-ops Vote is a non-partisan program developed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. You will join with 42 million members across the nation, to ensure that electric co-ops are a powerful voice on national issues that have a local impact.