Episode 8 - Your Voice is Your Power

Episode 8 - Your Voice is Your Power

Hosted by Jim Anderson, President & CEO of Midstate Electric Cooperative

In this episode of Power Factor, Jim Anderson, Midstate’s President & CEO, sits down with Britni, Midstate’s HR & Communications Manager, to break down how Voices for Cooperative Power (VCP) helps co-op members speak up on energy policies that shape affordability, reliability, and future electric rates.

They discuss the importance of the Northwest’s hydropower and why issues like increased spill at the dams—sending more water past turbines—can reduce power generation and increase Oregon electricity rates. They also explain how a recent court decision, stemming from litigation supported by Governor Kotek, will change operations at Columbia and Snake River dams—leading to more spill, less generation, and added pressure on both rates and grid reliability across Oregon communities.

Jim and Britni emphasize that member voices matter: when large numbers of people speak up, decision-makers listen. You’ll learn how easy it is to take action through VCP, with pre-written messages you can send in seconds supporting hydropower—and why participation from rural Oregon can influence outcomes.

Take action now: https://voicesforcooperativepower.com/or-lsrd2026/ to sign up and send a letter to Governor Tina Kotek in under a minute.

Help ensure rural voices are heard on the future of energy in the Northwest.

Transcript

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Welcome To Power Factor

Jim Anderson 0:04

Welcome to Power Factor, the podcast that takes you behind the scenes at Midstate Electric Cooperative. I'm Jim Anderson, the president and CEO of Midstate. I'll be your host as we dive into the topics about our industry, the challenges we face, and the numbers that we proudly serve.

What VCP Does For Members

Jim Anderson 0:20

So today we are joined by Britni, our communications manager, and she's going to be talking to us about VCP. And so I guess for the members, Britni, what is VCP?

Britni 0:31

Thanks, Jim. Thanks for having me. VCP is short for Voices for Cooperative Power, which is a national effort to get co-ops across the country involved at the federal and state level on issues impacting affordability, reliability, and our ability to provide power to our members.

Jim Anderson 0:51

Okay, so it's an important tool then for our cooperative members.

Britni 0:56

Very important. What VCP does is it shares the issues that are at hand, gives you talking points to provide information to learn more about what the issues are. And then it also provides an avenue for you to reach out directly to your elected officials and share your concerns.

Decisions Made by Elected Officials Affect Electric Bills

Jim Anderson 1:14

So how do decisions made by elected officials and policymakers affect the Midstate Electric members and their monthly electric bills?

Britni 1:23

Well, the Bonneville Power Administration, which is where Midstate Electric buys its power, is ultimately directed by congressional authority. It's ran by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. We are lucky in the Northwest, as we all know, to have this renewable, carbon-free resource. But every day we have politicians that want to change that. There's talk about removing dams. And what does that mean? Well, to us, it means less power. That could be a problem at a time when we're talking about potential blackouts in the future with the existing power that we have now.

Jim Anderson 1:59

So it's really important then that the cooperative members speak up on the issues about the lower Snake River Dams and the Federal Columbia River power system.

Britni 2:07

100%. Our members are our strongest asset. And making your voice heard with co-op members across the country to state and federal legislators, it's huge. They have to know how we feel and how their decisions impact us because they may be looking at one tiny little fraction of what somebody is telling them, but they're not looking at the whole picture. What does this mean to transportation, barging, river control? There's a whole bunch of issues that relate to this. It's not just power.

Jim Anderson 2:37

So I know a lot of our members probably wonder, can one message really make a difference? What would you say to them?

Britni 2:44

Oh, absolutely. Jim, you were just in Washington, D.C. And you met with Senator Wyden and they had received messages just this week. Governor Kotek has received over 1,200 emails from co-op members just in Oregon about issues that we're facing. Your voice is important and in large numbers, it forces elected officials to stop and listen to your concerns.

Spill Decisions And Rate Pressure

Jim Anderson 3:10

So, right now, why is it so important that our members take action?

Britni 3:15

Recently, Governor Kotek signed on in support of Judge Simon's decision to increase spill on the Columbia River dams. What that means is there's less water going through the turbines, which equals less energy.

Jim Anderson 3:30

So increased spill, less energy. What's that mean for our members? I'm hearing rumors anywhere from a 6% increase to 17% increase on the power bills this year. Is this something we can really do by getting involved with VCP? Can we have an effect on those rates being charged to us?

Britni 3:49

Absolutely. If water is not going through the dam, not creating the energy that we need in the Northwest to fuel our lives, then Bonneville will have to make other purchases. And those purchases are more expensive. And that comes back to the ratepayer, which is which is you. That comes back to Midstate, comes back to our bill. And the bottom line is it's all of us together that are going to be paying for this. And we have to let the governor know that it's not just one thing that adds to these at a time where things are already expensive. Talking to our members about a rate increase, that's the last thing we want to do.

Jim Anderson 4:27

No, and we see that a lot. Our members definitely feel the pressure of increased rates. And you know, Midstate's currently sitting in a position where we're not looking at a rate increase. But if this spill happens, we are looking at a rate increase. So being involved with VCP could really help maybe hold off a rate increase.

How To Join And Send Letters

Jim Anderson 4:48

So being a new member, say I'm somebody brand new, what are you going to do? How do I send a letter to the governor? How complicated? Do I have to write it?

Britni 4:57

Oh, we make it very easy for you. There's two ways to join VCP. The easiest way would be to go to midstateelectric.coop and go to our homepage, find VCP, register as a member based on your location. They will be able to tell that you're a Midstate member. And then once it comes for a call to action, like we're calling on you today to send a letter to Governor Kotek, you'll receive an email which will tell you, hey, here's the issue. And here's a letter. And guess what? It's already pre-populated. It's a template that's already made for you. If the letter also is going to be going to your legislators at the federal level, they will have those folks listed as well. So it really could not be easier.

Can Rural Oregon Move The Needle

Jim Anderson 5:39

So rural Oregon, yeah, we're spread out. Midstate covers four counties, you know, 22,000 members that we have, meters in service. Can we make that big a difference if everybody were to get online today and send that email in? How would that look in comparison to the rest of the state?

Britni 5:59

Oh, it would be huge. The governor would know that people in Central Oregon care about the dams and are worried about what will happen with their electric bills and essentially their livelihood. You know, the thing is, is your voice is your power. I mean, and that's what you have. There's so much that our board can do at the board level, but these are decisions that are way, way above Midstate Electric. And the only way to get your concerns across is to reach out to your elected officials, starting with Governor Kotek.

Jim Anderson 6:28

I know we have a one of our statewide associations that we belong to, Oregon Electric Cooperative Association, has a heat map that shows how many people are actually responding right now, because this issue is so pressing.

The 30-Second Ask And Why Now

Jim Anderson 6:43

What would we need to do to really put Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Lane County on the map?

Britni 6:51

I'll tell you, if we could have a hundred members from each of those counties sign up today, our heat map is gonna be hot. We are gonna light it up. So, you know, really what we're asking is for you to take 30 seconds out of your day to make a difference that that will potentially save you money down the road. And this spill isn't just gonna be the first. This will lead to more. So we've got to let the governor know that this is something that we care about and that we do not want to see.

Jim Anderson 7:20

So, first and foremost, we definitely want to get the message out about the dams, increase spill. And we want to let her know that she needs to take a second look at what she's doing and support rural Oregon and keep our rates lower. But VCP just doesn't stop there. VCP goes farther. I think we just had a grassroots with Senator Wyden that you referred to earlier. There are others out there that we need to make sure that we are in the chain and ready to go at a moment's notice because we can have an effect on the policies that shape our regions. So somebody's still on the fence and we haven't convinced them yet. What would be the closing thought that you would want to convey to that person out there to get them to get out there and actually sign up for VCP?

Britni 8:05

Well, what we're looking for with VCP is we're looking for advocates. You may not agree on every single issue that comes up, but by being a part of VCP and being an advocate, we'll email you when there is an issue and you can decide, does this align with my values? Is this something that I care about? And if it is, we're giving you a platform to take action. So continue to educate yourself and to learn about the issues that are not only affecting us here locally, but also at the federal level. And by joining VCP, we make that really easy for you.

Jim Anderson 8:37

And this is something that they could share with other people on the link. So it's not just necessarily their link. They could share it with a neighbor, they could share it with a friend that's somewhere else in the state. So this could be put out to a lot of different people to get the message out. And it's really critical because I think we're in a pretty tight time window to get the message across to the governor.

Britni 8:56

Absolutely. Um, you can also share your story if you have something personal that has touched you in Oregon that you want to share with other co-op members across the state about how electricity or different things have impacted you. It's a great resource just to connect and stay up to date on the issues. And time is of the essence because now is the time.

Share Your Story And Get Support

Jim Anderson 9:18

So you touched on something really good there. So if any of our membership has a story on how a rate impact has touched their lives or how a future rate impact could really affect their business, their farm, their community, they should share that with us. Just a small note to us, an email, or even contact our communications department and they will help walk you through getting your story out.

Britni 9:41

Absolutely. You can call our office, or once you're registered on VCP, there is a link to share your story. We want to hear your story first and foremost, but there's lots of ways to get that out there, and we'll we're happy to help.

Jim Anderson 9:54

Perfect. So, do you have anything else you want to add to the membership today?

Britni 9:58

Want to thank you for your time. Together, we can work to protect the reliable and affordable power that we're used to here in the Northwest that we're lucky enough to have to learn more about voices for cooperative power and send your letter today. Visit the campaign link provided in this episode's description, or visit midstateelectric.coop and sign up today.

Jim Anderson 10:18

Thank you, Britni. I know this is extremely important to us to get this out, and I know you're pushing the effort here at Midstate. Anyone listening, please, if you need to reach out to Britni, do so or her staff, and they will help you navigate this.

Final Thanks And Stay Informed

Jim Anderson 10:33

So thank you for tuning in to another episode of Power Factor. Be sure to subscribe or follow us on your favorite podcast application to stay informed on the latest for Midstate Electric Cooperative. We appreciate you for listening, and as always, stay safe, stay informed, and stay empowered. Until next time, thank you.