In a move that's sure to add a little extra jingle to the pockets of many Georgians, the Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is giving back over $8 million to its current and previous customers. The energy cooperative, which services parts of northern Georgia, announced the substantial refund as a general retirement of patronage capital from the years 2005 and 2006, according to a report from WSBTV.
The refund, impacting roughly 130,000 members, is not the company showing off but rather a reflection of the cooperative's financial health and its commitment to members. "It is important for us to demonstrate through this, and many other actions, that the cooperative business model still works for our members and our organization," Michael Goodroe, Sawnee EMC’s President and CEO, conveyed to the public. The average refund hovers around $61, but individual amounts vary depending on each member's contribution through their electricity bills during the eligible years.
Come March, present customers will see these returns as credits on their electric bills. But for those who've moved on from Sawnee EMC, checks will be in the mail bound for the last known addresses around April 4, 2023. Details concerning the refunds as well as instructions for claimants were outlined on Sawnee EMC's website and through customer service communications.
Goodroe's assertion aside, the Electric Membership Corporation isn't new to this kind of generosity – they also repay patronage capital voluntarily, to the estates of deceased members, detailed Blake House, Vice President of Member Services. With an impressive command of over $881 million in assets, the cooperative appears to comfortably maintain its financial foothold while keeping the consumer's interests at heart. For those executors seeking claims for deceased estate members, or former customers unsure about their eligibility, Sawnee EMC's customer service is the go-to resource for clarity. The cooperative embodies its dedicated mantra, serving its electric current to a lofty count of approximately 193,000 accounts across seven Georgia counties.
Additional details are available for interested parties on Sawnee EMC's official website where they pride themselves on efficient service and staying true to their motto. With a massive network covering more than 12,000 miles of distribution lines, Sawnee EMC continues to deliver more than just electricity – a statement which these refunds clearly echo, bringing tangible benefits back to its community members and reinforcing the cooperative spirit.
