Wait, Watch and Learn
Obviously, there are many unknowns ahead for investor-owned utilities deregulation-many complex issues that have yet to be resolved...and may not be resolved until years down the line.

Under Ohio's deregulation legislation, not-for-profit, member-owned businesses like Pioneer Electric Cooperative have an advantage that investor-owned utilities don't. We can choose to participate, or opt in to deregulation, or we can choose not to participate entirely. Or, we can opt out initially and opt in at a later date, based on the needs and desires of our member-owners.

Given that the choice to opt in is one that cannot be revoked, your Pioneer board of trustees has elected to opt out for the time being. This gives our members the chance to make a more educated and responsible choice as the unknowns of deregulation work themselves out.

Pioneer Electric Cooperative believes our members will want choice eventually, and deserve to have that choice. But is it worth risking the many advantages the cooperative concept offers today without knowing what deregulation may bring tomorrow? We don't think so-and our members, as represented by the board of trustees, don't seem to think so, either.

The customer choice decision, as all decisions made by Pioneer Electric Cooperative, revolves around our members.