June 10, 2003
Contact: Chris Tryba,
Telephone: (812) 876-2021
The Hoosier
Energy Board of Directors approved Jackson County REMC as a member of
the central and southern Indiana power supply cooperative on June 9.
With the addition of Jackson County REMC, Hoosier Energy provides power and other services to 17 Indiana electric cooperatives (REMCs/RECs).
After more than 60 years as a customer of an investor owned utility, Jackson County REMC’s Board of Directors voted unanimously May 13 to join the generation and transmission cooperative.
Jackson County REMC’s decision to join Hoosier Energy was based on several factors including a shared agenda and common goals with other cooperatives, access to services such as economic development, key accounts and marketing assistance, and the outlook for future power supply stability.
Jackson County REMC will begin receiving power from the generation and transmission cooperative on July 1, 2005, when its current power supply contract terminates.
With 63 employees, Brownstown-based Jackson County REMC serves 23,000 consumers and operates 2,800 miles of line in Jackson, Washington, Scott, Jennings, Brown, Bartholomew, Clark, Jefferson, Lawrence and Monroe counties.
Member-owned Hoosier Energy operates three power plants and a transmission network with 1,400 miles of line and 200 substations spanning 48 central and southern Indiana counties.
Generating facilities include the 1,070-megawatt Merom Station in Sullivan County, the 250-megawatt Ratts Station in Pike County and the 174-megawatt Worthington peaking plant in Greene County.
As well, Hoosier Energy is constructing a 258-megawatt peaking facility in Lawrence County that is scheduled for completion in 2005.
As a generation and transmission utility, Hoosier Energy provides power and other services to its member cooperatives, which distribute electricity to homes, businesses, industries and farms.
With Jackson County REMC as a member, the Hoosier Energy power network serves approximately 260,000 retail customers in a 15,000-square-mile service territory in the southern half of Indiana.
Members founded Hoosier Energy in 1949 to provide consumers a dependable power supply at the lowest cost possible.
Eight Hoosier Energy members’ territories border Jackson County REMC’s service territory: Bartholomew County REMC, Clark County REMC, Decatur County REMC, Harrison REMC, Orange County REMC, South Central Indiana REMC, Southeastern Indiana REMC, and Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC. Other members include Daviess-Martin County REMC, Dubois REC, Henry County REMC, Johnson County REMC, RushShelby Energy, Southern Indiana REC, Whitewater Valley REMC and WIN Energy REMC.