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G. Thomas Upshaw | President & CEO
 reen is the “in” color this time of year. Of course, “everybody’s Irish” on St. Patrick’s Day,
March 17. Presumably, they’ll all be wearing something green, lest they get pinched.
And when the Masters of golf converge on Augusta April 7–13, they’ll be vying for the coveted green jacket.
By the time Earth Day rolls around on April 22, hopefully we’ll all be a little greener.
This time, we mean “green” as in environmentally aware and conscientious. If you’d like to cut a
greener profile, Palmetto Electric Cooperative can help. Contact us about signing up for our Green
Power program.
Green power, generally speaking, is electricity generated by renewable resources such as solar
and decomposing garbage in selected landfills. These resources are replenished naturally and
minimize harm to the environment.
Santee Cooper, the state-owned utility contracted to supply energy to South Carolina’s electric
cooperatives, launched the Green Power program in 2001 in response to increased consumer interest
in renewable energy and concern for the environment. By taking this initial step to meet and encourage
the growing demand for renewable energy, we can all help reduce the reliance on limited resources
while improving and preserving the environment for future generations.
Last year was the first year that all of the 20 independent, consumer-owned co-ops across
South Carolina participated in the Green Power program. Partly because of this, Green Power
participation by co-op members grew by 42% during 2007. According to fi gures from Santee
Cooper, total participation rose by 1,017 co-op members between December 2006 and December 2007.
Palmetto Electric Cooperative leads South Carolina co-ops in Green Power sales.
 Co-op members go for the green |
 articipation in the Green Power program by South Carolina electric co-op members rose by 1,017 members,
a 42-percent increase, between December 2006 and December 2007. Comparisons between those two months:
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| 2006 | 2007 |
| Total co-op members buying Green Power |
| 2,417 | 3,434 |
| Total blocks of Green Power they bought |
| 3,813 | 5,459 |
| Residential co-op Green Power supporters |
| 2,399 | 3,403 |
| Green Power blocks they bought |
| 3,524 | 4,991 |
| Green Power they purchased |
| 289 | 468 |
That’s great, but we’d like to see South Carolina turn even greener. The fact is, even when you
add in Santee Cooper’s own Green Power supporters, the percentage of electricity consumers who
purchase Green Power is relatively low — it amounts to only 1% or so of the consumers served by
the co-ops and Santee Cooper.
Even so, that makes us even more appreciative of the 477 members of Palmetto Electric Cooperative who
regularly support Green Power. They’re doing something that customers of investor-owned utilities
in our state can’t do: Green Power remains the only program of its type available to power
consumers in South Carolina.
Join them and help develop more renewable energy sources in the Palmetto State. This year,
let’s make the “wearing of the green” — as in Green Power — fashionable all year long!
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