Cooperatives are guided by a set of seven principles that help shape their actions and policies. In this solo episode of the podcast, host Nathan Grimm details those seven cooperative principles and how they relate to Southwestern Electric and its members.

For the third consecutive year, Southwestern Electric Cooperative sent a few select high school-aged members to Springfield, Illinois for the Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperatives Youth Day. Southwestern Executive Assistant Brooke Scott served as the chaperone for the trip this year, and she joined the podcast to discuss the experience.

On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Gulf Coast and quickly made its way across the Southeastern United States. In total, seven states felt the effects of Helene and another 17 states provided mutual assistance to those affected.

Among those affected was Satilla Rural Electric Membership Corporation, an Alma, Georgia-based electric cooperative that's one of the biggest east of the Mississippi River. Satilla manages more than 7,000 miles of power lines in serving more than 59,000 members across nine Georgia counties. And in Helene's wake, nearly all of those 59,000 members were without power.

When Satilla needed help getting back on its feet, Southwestern Electric was among those ready to answer the call. In the weeks that followed, two separate Southwestern crews comprised of 12 different SWECI employees made the trek to southern Georgia to aid in the recovery efforts.

Dustin Kemp, a journeyman lineman with Southwestern Electric, was one of those men who traveled to Alma to help get the lights back on, and he graciously joined the podcast this month to discuss the experience.

In March, Southwestern Electric will switch over its software platform provider, a change that means members will have a new account management system as well. Vice President of Information Technology Glenn Williams joins this month's episode to talk about the system, SmartHub, and what members can expect with regards to the change.

As a new presidential administration prepares to take office, the electric cooperative industry is focused on how the new regime might approach the burdensome regulations that are poised to threaten reliability as early as this winter. Host Nathan Grimm discusses both the national concern about reliability and how even locally leaders are expressing worry about the future.

The letter from NRECA CEO Jim Matheson to President-Elect Donald Trump's Transition Team can be found here.

In what's becoming an annual podcast tradition, Southwestern Electric employees give reasons why they're thankful in 2024.

Every year, the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) puts on a Lineworkers' Safety Rodeo for lineworkers to get together, share trade secrets and compete — safely, as the name suggests — in a variety of events. Hear from CEO Bobby Williams and the team of linemen that represented Southwestern Electric in this month's episode.

On Sept. 7, 2024, Southwestern Electric Cooperative held its 86th Annual Meeting of Members at the American Farm Heritage Museum in Greenville. In this month's podcast, hear the addresses from CEO Bobby Williams and Board President Jerry Gaffner in their entirety.