Defeat electricity-guzzling villains, earn a plushie and help your family save money. That's the premise behind Rappahannock Electric Cooperative's Power Saver Heroes program, which aims to harness the power of the youngest members of the household to inspire energy-saving habits and lower electric bills.

The Fredericksburg, Virginia-based co-op developed Power Saver Heroes to help ease affordability pressures driven by steadily increasing energy and infrastructure costs, said Casey Hollins, REC’s managing director of communications and public relations.

With capes, bookmarks, trading cards, comic books and a plushie awarded for defeating four Voltage Villains, Power Saver Heroes encourages kids to practice everyday energy efficiency. The family-friendly program has reached more than 2,500 people since its launch this year at public libraries, comic conferences and other events throughout REC’s electric service territory, Hollins said.

“We want to educate member-owners to attain the greatest savings on their electric bills, but efficiency can be a difficult message for people to grasp, so we wanted something to grab their attention,” said Hollins. “When children are engaged, it has a ripple effect in the households. It has been exciting to see it grow.”

Youngsters begin their adventure by getting a bookmark at an event or on REC’s website. The bookmark presents a quest and tips for defeating a Voltage Villain, which draws power from wasted electricity but weakens as families conserve energy. After completing the mission, each child receives a trading card and a comic book featuring the villain and energy-saving tips.

The first villain, Volty, who draws strength from unattended lights and TVs, debuted this spring at a Culpeper County library’s young readers program and gained popularity at other events. REC will introduce three more villains in 2027, each with a mission, trading card and plushie: Watthog, which feasts on unattended chargers and electronics; Inferno, who thrives on drafts and power-hungry space heaters; and Frostbite, which overworks air conditioners by letting cool air escape through open doors, windows and drapes.

REC is working with public schools to introduce the program to students next year. Hollins and her team plan to publish a children’s book in 2027 that shows readers how energy-efficient actions can defeat the villains.

“There is a lot of momentum,” she said. “We want to keep children engaged in this activity.”

The entire co-op supports the program and helps deliver it to households across its service area. Employees from several departments and REC’s three regional offices work with Hollins’ team to staff booths displaying Voltage Villains swag at public events. A former REC employee voices Volty in the co-op’s radio and TV ads airing across its territory.

“We know our members are struggling, and this is important information for members to know and understand to save more energy,” said Hollins. “Hopefully, we’re building this little power-saving army to manage their home energy costs.”