I have been associated with electric cooperatives for almost twenty years, and I still get that glazed look from people when I mention I work for a co-op. 

I don't know why, but hopefully this won’t be the case for much longer because 2012 has been designated "International Year of Cooperatives."

Maybe this isn't such a big deal for you -- but it should be.  This action promises to spur a year-long celebration of the seven cooperative principles and the people who make them possible.  And as a member of an electric cooperative, you should be proud that you are served by a cooperative with "principles!"

Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), says that cooperatives are value-based businesses known for innovation.  Your board and management at WEC like to think that we've been innovative and have taken the steps to put technology to work to make it easier to do business with your cooperative.  In today's economy, that's taken a lot of innovation! 

So where did the bright idea for co-ops come from?

It’s a matter of principles (seven, to be exact). The modern movement traces its roots to a store started by weavers in the town of Rochdale (pronounced Rotch-dale) in northern England in 1844. The group was guided by a set of principles drawn up by one of its members, Charles Howarth.

When introduced into the U.S. by the National Grange in 1874, these “Rochdale Principles” fueled a cooperative explosion. Although stated in many ways, the Rochdale Principles require that a cooperative must be open for anyone to join. Every member retains one voice, one vote. Electric co-ops hold member business meetings annually, allowing members to elect fellow consumers to guide the co-op and have a say in how their utility is run.  (This is called "transparency" -- a big part of "principles"!)

There also have to be real member benefits. For example, members of electric co-ops often get money back (called capital credits) when the co-op’s in good financial shape. WEC recently refunded capital credits from 1979, and more than $2.5 million has been returned to members by WEC to date -- and that's nothing to sneeze at.

Education remains another big focus. Electric co-ops provide safety information in schools, share ideas on how to make your home more energy efficient to keep electric bills affordable, and make sure elected officials and opinion leaders know about the co-op business model. Because there is strength in numbers, co-ops tend to stick together when tackling regional and national issues.

Perhaps most important of all, co-ops are independent and community-focused, not tied to the purse strings of far-flung investors. Co-ops help drive local economic development, fund scholarships, support local charities, and work to make life better in the areas they serve—the heart of the cooperative difference.

We're going to learn more about cooperatives and the principles that define them throughout this "Year of Cooperatives."  If you want to find out more on your own, check out this website:  www.go.coop.