BENNETTSVILLE – Marlboro Electric Cooperative, Inc., will lower residential power rates 8 percent from December 2018 to March 2019 providing its members greater savings during the high-usage winter months. This is the fifth year in a row that the MEC Board of Trustees voted to lower energy rates for its membership.
“This reduction will be like Christmas for a lot of folks and shows just how much MEC cares about their members,” said State Rep. Patricia Moore “Pat” Henegan, Dist. 54. “After Hurricane Florence, a lot of people in the community are struggling and this reduction will be a relief around the holiday season. This shows true leadership at the helm and on the part of the board. MEC lowering its residential rate is a blessing for so many in the community,” Henegan explained.
“Marlboro Electric Co-op is setting the bar high for electric utilities across the state. This is the 5th residential rate decrease in the past 5 years,” said State Sen. Kent M. Williams, Dist. 30. “During times when rate increases are the norm, this step clearly demonstrates how the leadership at MEC puts the needs of their customers first. Coming at a time of year when power bills traditionally rise, this decrease will have a direct and immediate affect on their members,” Williams continued.
“We can always rely on MEC to put the interest of their members first, and this particular rate decrease – coming when it does during high-power-usage months – is a big help to customers,” said State Rep. Jackie E. “Coach” Hayes, Dist. 55. “Lower power bills during the winter months benefit members in Marlboro and Dillon counties more than any other time of the year. Thank you MEC.”
Although this is the fifth consecutive decrease in power costs approved by MEC Trustees, this is the first time they specifically targeted the reduction to cover the high-usage months of winter.
“This year, we decided to target a rate decrease at the months our members typically have the highest bills,” MEC Board of Trustees Chairman Bo McInnis explained. “Marlboro Electric continually strives to be the cheapest utility in the state and a decrease like this proves it.
Let’s face it, at MEC we have been blessed beyond understanding, and when you combine that with the competitive nature of our board, management and employees, the true winners become our members,” McInnis added.
While other utilities struggle to maintain their current rates, MEC continually provides its members with rate decreases because of its continued growth along with the successes of its for-profit subsidiary, Marlboro Development Team.
“MEC strives to be as efficient as possible without sacrificing the excellent service that has come to be, and frankly should be, expected by our members,” MEC President and CEO William L. Fleming Jr. says. “It is our hope and confident belief that our company can continue proving to our membership that they are our priority.”
MEC was founded in 1939, is based in Bennettsville, S.C. and provides electric power to residential and commercial members in Marlboro and Dillon counties. In addition to its most recent rate decrease, MEC recently opened its new headquarters, which will also serve as home to Marlboro Development Team, the company’s for-profit real estate development subsidiary. The cost of the new facility is paid in full by Marlboro Development Team.