Imbalance of Power

Related Stories Intro: Imbalance of Power The Problem with Monopoly Utilities Power Play: Countering Electric Utilities’ Political Influence Seeking Cooperative Change When we think of shared resources, our waterways, forests and air are often the first that come to mind. Yet in many ways, the electric current that runs from home to home is also…

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The burden of rural home energy costs

chart showing energy burden by region and demographic

Rural households spend 40% more of their income on energy costs than households in metropolitan areas, according to a new report. Our executive director explains how rural electric cooperatives could help families alleviate that burden through energy efficiency.

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Murky Rules Raise Questions About Coal Ash Minefill

By Brian Sewell When FirstEnergy Corporation announced plans last year to close Little Blue Run coal ash pond, a 1,700-acre unlined basin that sits along the banks of the Ohio River, nearby residents were understandably relieved. But not everyone was celebrating. The coal ash still has to go somewhere, and the Bruce Mansfield coal plant…

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Bill Howley: Making Electricity Local

By Harrison Dreves In 1974, a trip to West Virginia changed the course of Bill Howley’s life. The recent Yale graduate was immediately entranced by the taste of blackberries, the view of receding ridgelines and the smell of Appalachia in June. Three years later, he purchased 46 acres in a West Virginia valley and made…

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The Dollars and Sense of Energy Savings

Using electricity wisely is vital for Appalachia, a region that has borne the burdens of our national appetite for cheap energy. Unlocking the Southeast’s vast energy savings potential could be the key to forging a cleaner, greener future. That’s the premise behind The Dollars and Sense of Energy Savings, our first-ever issue devoted to electricity…

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A Case for the Smart Grid

How adding intelligence to an aging system could put control in the consumers’ hands By Davis Wax While we can often take our 21st-century technology for granted, whether it is the next smartphone, laptop or means of digital storage, there is at least one area such innovation has failed to revolutionize: today’s electric grid system.…

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Powering with Change

On-bill financing helps low-income co-op members retrofit their homes By Matt Grimley The Great Depression was a time of dust bowls and poverty, but at least cities had electricity. The rural areas had it rough. Citing high development costs and low profit possibilities, utilities often denied electric service to farms, hollers and other far-off places.…

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