Blair, Chairman of SMECO’s Board of Directors, welcomed members to the event and called the meeting to order. SMECO’s president and CEO, Sonja Cox, introduced the video version of the cooperative’s 2023 annual report. The video underscored the impact of the cooperative’s longstanding relationship with Southern Maryland, highlighting the cooperative’s dedication to supporting local and diverse businesses, advancing charitable initiatives, and protecting the environment, while also maintaining its high standards of reliability even in the face of quickly rising costs.

“In 2023, the cooperative continued its efforts to upgrade and enhance the system’s infrastructure, taking care to maximize the value of every dollar spent, while still maintaining the level of reliability and quality customer service SMECO members expect and deserve,” Cox said.

Cox also answered questions about Rider-G, a Standard Offer Service option available to cooperative members who choose to have 100 percent of their electricity supplied from renewable sources.

“SMECO was built by this community for this community, and we will continue to take the steps necessary to ensure the sustained financial wellbeing of the cooperative while remaining committed to our mission of providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions for our members,” Cox said. “We love our community and we want to see it thrive.”