Why is the International Year of Cooperatives important for U.S. electric co-ops?

Answer: The International Year of Cooperatives is important for electric cooperatives because it celebrates a business model that works not only in the United States but throughout the globe. The theme of this year’s designation is “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” I could not agree more. Every day, we reap the benefits of the sacrifices made by rural electrification pioneers. For nearly two centuries, the cooperative business model has transformed the way of life of countless communities, changing their lives for the better. We enjoy the fruits of this sound business model in the electric cooperative program in America. While our pioneers laid out a strong foundation for the rural electrification movement, our mission is to continue refining this path, evolving with the industry and making a difference in the lives of those we serve. And when we have the opportunity to pay it forward, we should. Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives have had the distinct privilege to serve other nations under the guidance and direction of NRECA International. These projects have humbled us. We have seen firsthand the power and influence of the cooperative business model at home and abroad. While we experience the impact of electric cooperatives at home, we know it extends beyond our borders. Together, in cooperation, let’s continue building a better world.

Answer: As a lifelong electric cooperative member, I often wonder what my kids are going to know about how the lights came on. My generation is probably the first that doesn’t remember or even hear stories about those life-changing moments in rural America. For most of us, electricity has always been a given. Flip a switch, and the room glows. Plug in a device, and it charges. But for those who came before us, bringing electricity to rural Missouri was anything but simple. Nearly 90 years ago, hardworking men and women drove miles of gravel roads, neighbor to neighbor, asking families to contribute $5 to join a soon-to-be-formed electric cooperative. That wasn’t just money; it was a leap of faith in an idea that would change their lives. Electric cooperatives transformed rural communities. Today, our co-ops are expanding broadband, creating high-tech jobs and supporting economic growth in rural communities. The impact of electric cooperatives also extends beyond our state. Missouri has played a role in the international effort to bring electricity to remote communities across the globe. Since 2016, nearly 100 lineworkers from the Show-Me State have traveled to places like Guatemala and Bolivia to help turn the lights on, just as their predecessors did for rural Missouri so many years ago. This year offers a chance to reflect on our history and celebrate the ongoing impact of cooperatives. Let’s make sure the next generation knows not just that the lights turn on, but how and why it all began.

Answer: At the Minnesota Rural Electric Association, we welcome the International Year of the Cooperative. Most people are unaware of the numerous services and products that cooperatives provide them every day—banking, insurance, food, health care and more. I believe this recognition highlights the vital role that cooperatives of all types play and raises awareness of their many accomplishments. Having been involved with electric cooperatives for more than 30 years, I firmly believe in this grassroots business model that empowers those it serves by putting the decision-making into their hands. In June, I had the privilege of traveling to Guatemala with the NRECA International program. A team of 14 lineworkers from Iowa and Minnesota worked together to build power lines and bring electricity to a rural village for the first time. Witnessing the lights coming on—and the joy on people’s faces—was a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of electric cooperatives. That moment gave me a glimpse of what rural America must have experienced in the 1930s, when the advent of electricity transformed the countryside and brought joy and prosperity. Electricity is truly a life-changer, and the cooperative model remains a powerful way to deliver this and many other essential services. Personally, I cheer the recognition of the International Year of the Cooperative and the important work cooperatives continue to do.

Answer: The theme for the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives is “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” The Colorado Rural Electric Association has sponsored several trips to Guatemala for co-op linemen, and I’ve witnessed firsthand how our crews have “built a better world” for remote villagers. The linemen from Colorado and many other states who spend weeks constructing distribution systems in rural Guatemala and other places around the world are true heroes. Their work is celebrated as part of the International Year of Cooperatives, and we could not ask for better ambassadors for Colorado and the United States. And while the primary beneficiaries of the NRECA International program are the folks who gain access to electricity for the first time, our linemen come home with a deeper appreciation of our state and country and a renewed commitment to their work. They also come home having made many new Guatemalan friends and also new linemen brothers. We are so thankful that we were invited to join our dear friends at the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives in this mission. The designation of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives gives us a chance to reflect and be thankful for the opportunity to “build a better world” at home and abroad.

Answer: The International Year of the Co-op is important to me and to MECA because what NRECA International and the linemen who travel to foreign countries do makes such a difference in the lives of people, particularly the disadvantaged. Montana sent linemen to Bolivia in 2020, and just had a team return from a successful mission to bring power to the village of Cocalitos, Guatemala, last month. Our linemen and MECA staff who have made those trips tell me that the work they perform is nothing short of inspiring. NRECA International’s work reminds me of the founding of electric cooperatives in rural Montana. Our farmers and ranchers started electric co-ops because the larger utilities didn’t see the profitability in reaching remote areas in rough terrain where there were more animals than people. This is exactly the situation our crews found in Guatemala as they worked around cows and carefully stepped over chickens and chicks as they brought power to home and installed light switches for the first time for people who had lived in Cocalitos for decades. And in both of our projects, a school was involved. The simple act of bringing power to a school, which allows for the introduction of technology, can literally make a generational difference for these villages. NRECA International and our linemen not only turn on lights, but they open a door to the world—through technology—for the youth in these villages.