Thank you to those who have taken action to protect rural Texans from harmful legislation that would increase energy costs and hurt reliability. 

Right now, a harmful bill is making its way through the Texas legislature that would increase energy costs for rural Texans and harm your co-op’s ability to keep the lights on.

Currently, electric cooperatives have a fair agreement with telecom companies to share utility poles. This partnership allows telecom companies to expand services into rural areas, while co-ops can continue providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity.

But a new bill being considered threatens to disrupt this agreement in dangerous ways:

· Higher Electric Bills: This bill forces co-ops to let telecom companies use their poles at rates so low they don’t cover costs, shifting the financial burden to hard-working Texans.

· Unsafe Conditions: It lets telecom companies bypass co-op safety standards and hijack private property without the owner’s permission — putting reliable electric service at risk.

· Halting Rural Development: This bill causes endless litigation on every rate, cost, fee, or reliability requirement that co-ops need to keep their systems safe. These contested cases could take years, stopping rural development in its tracks.

Electric co-ops are committed to serving our rural communities. But this legislation puts the needs of major corporations above those of everyday Texans.

We need your help to stop this pole attachment bill. Speak out today and tell your representatives to stand with their communities and oppose HB 3448.

By Clicking the link and joining VCP you can easily send a letter to your representative with the click of a button!

https://voicesforcooperativepower.com/stop-the-attack-on-affordable-power-for-rural-texans/