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October ‘26

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a reminder that staying safe online starts with simple, everyday habits. As cyber threats continue to evolve, taking a few proactive steps can help protect your personal information, accounts and devices.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommends practical actions everyone can take to improve their online security. Staying cybersecure doesn’t have to be complicated. Small actions can make a meaningful difference.

Keep these four cybersecurity basics in mind:

• Use Strong Passwords: Create long, unique passwords for each account and consider using a trusted password manager to keep them secure.
• Turn on Multifactor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds another layer of protection beyond your password, making it more difficult for someone else to access your accounts.
• Recognize and Report Phishing: Be cautious of unexpected links, attachments and requests for personal information. If something looks suspicious, avoid interacting with it and verify the request through a trusted source.
• Keep Software Updated: Updates often include important security fixes, so install them promptly and turn on automatic updates when possible.

Cybersecurity Tip: If something doesn’t look right, stop before you click. Taking a moment to verify a message, link or request can help prevent a much bigger problem.

October is National Cooperative Month, a time to celebrate the cooperative difference and the important role cooperatives play in our communities. At EnergyUnited we like to use this month to reflect on the ways we strengthen and improve our communities—and to celebrate you, our members.

As a cooperative, our responsibility extends beyond delivering safe, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.

Concern for Community is one of the seven cooperative principles that guides us on how we invest our resources throughout our service area. From supporting community programs to investing in infrastructure, technology and grid modernization, our goal is to make a positive impact on the people and places we serve.

But the cooperative difference is about more than how we serve our communities, it’s about how we meet the needs of our members. As an EnergyUnited member, you’re also an owner of your cooperative. That means the decisions we make and the investments we pursue are centered on serving you.

National Cooperative Month reminds us that EnergyUnited wouldn’t be a cooperative without its members. Thank you for being an EnergyUnited member. We’re proud to be your cooperative and look forward to building an even brighter energy future together.

The Seven Cooperative Principles

Do you know a high school sophomore or junior who would like to apply to become a Junior Member Ambassador? This EnergyUnited program gives students an opportunity to build leadership skills and learn more about the cooperative and energy industry. Eligible students will be considered for up to two different community engagement opportunities.

EnergyUnited’s peak demand hours will change for members beginning in November, as summer hours end on Oct. 31. Beginning Nov. 1 and continuing through March 31, peak demand hours will be 6–10 a.m. As you settle into your winter routine, simple steps like spreading out the use of large appliances can help manage peak demand while keeping your home comfortable. When possible, members can also reduce energy costs by using more energy during off-peak hours to take advantage of the cooperative’s reduced energy rate of 4.87 cents per kWh.

October 5–9 is Customer (Member) Service Appreciation Week! We’re proud to recognize the EnergyUnited employees who go above and beyond to support our members every day. Please join us in thanking our Member Support Team for all they do to serve our cooperative and our communities. Their dedication, professionalism and willingness to go the extra mile make a difference every day.

At EnergyUnited, serving our communities means more than keeping the lights on—it means being there for our neighbors. Through our Hometown Heroes campaign, we’re highlighting the people who give their time, talents and care to serve the communities we call home. For Jon Upright, that spirit of service extends from his work as a lineman to his role as a volunteer firefighter, where he continues to answer the call to help his neighbors.

For Jon, serving his hometown has taken two forms: 26 years as a lineman and about 15 years in the volunteer fire service. A Kannapolis native, Jon has spent the last 12 years serving EnergyUnited members, and he’s still answering the call whenever his community needs him.

Q&A

What made you want to become a lineman, and what made you decide to become a volunteer firefighter?

My dad encouraged me to find a trade after high school, and I grew up watching him work as a lineman. He put in a good word for me, and I started as a groundman for a local electrical contractor.

My introduction to the fire service came when I was 16. An RV caught fire near my home, and I went to see what was happening. I recognized some of the firefighters, and afterward they encouraged me to join as a junior firefighter. I did, and that’s where it all started.

Is there a particular experience that has stayed with you?

Hurricane Lili in 2002. I went to southern Louisiana to help restore power and saw the devastation firsthand. Seeing how much it meant to people and communities when we could restore their power was the moment I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

What do you think your two roles have in common?

Teamwork. At an electric cooperative, it takes everyone, from the people answering phones and dispatching calls to the crews in the field, to make things happen. The same is true in the fire service. When the call comes in, everyone has a role. When we arrive, we work together to bring our best to someone’s darkest day.

What drives you to keep answering the call?

A deep sense of responsibility. I know the person making that call is likely having the worst day of their life. Knowing I have the training, skills and a brotherhood standing behind me to help fix the problem is why I keep showing up.

When you think about the word “home,” what does it mean to you?

Home is my family. My wife is the backbone of our family and makes it possible for me to do what I do. My dad’s military background and guidance helped shape who I am, and my daughter reminds me every day how precious life is.

What does being a hometown hero mean to you?

Honestly, I don’t see myself as a hero. I just do what I love every day. But my dad is my hero, and my greatest hope is that I’m a hero to my little girl, too.

As we approach the November 2026 general election, it is important to remember that decisions made in Washington and Raleigh can have a direct impact on the affordability and reliability of electricity. EnergyUnited advocates year-round for policies that protect cooperative members and address the needs of the rural communities we serve.

Earlier this year, EnergyUnited leaders joined North Carolina’s electric cooperatives for the annual Rally in Raleigh, meeting directly with state lawmakers to discuss important issues affecting cooperative members. The message was clear: maintaining safe, reliable, and affordable electricity for the families, farms and businesses that depend on it every day remains a top priority.

Protecting Members from Unnecessary Costs

One recent legislative success addressed utility relocation costs. Road construction projects sometimes require electric lines, poles or other equipment to be relocated. Recent guidance from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (“NCDOT”) created uncertainty regarding responsibility for these costs.

Electric cooperatives worked with lawmakers to seek greater clarity, and the issue was addressed through the DOT Omnibus bill, House Bill 1094, which was recently signed into law by Governor Stein. The legislation helps preserve effective cooperation between NCDOT and electric cooperatives on critical transportation projects while reducing the potential for unnecessary costs to be passed on to cooperative members.

Modernizing Clean Energy Requirements

EnergyUnited also continues to advocate for the modernization of North Carolina’s Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (“CEPS”). Enacted in 2007, the law requires electric cooperatives to meet certain renewable energy requirements, including the purchase of renewable energy certificates (“RECs”) from swine waste and other renewable sources.

The policy was intended to encourage renewable energy development; however, the technology needed to economically generate electricity from swine waste at scale has not matured as anticipated. As a result, co-op compliance with swine waste REC requirements has been waived each year.

With these annual waivers expected to sunset, electric cooperatives could be required to purchase costly swine waste RECs if no legislative action is taken. North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives estimates the mandate could drive hundreds of millions of dollars in additional compliance costs over the next 15 years, with those costs ultimately passed on to families, seniors, farms and small businesses across rural North Carolina. Recently filed, public pricing estimates indicate swine waste RECs could cost as much as 50 times the cost of RECs from other sources. Modernizing the law would help control costs while continuing to support responsible renewable energy development.

How Members Can Stay Involved

As voters prepare for the November election, EnergyUnited encourages members to stay informed about issues that may affect their electric service and energy costs. While elections provide an important opportunity to make your voice heard, advocacy extends beyond the ballot box.

Make your voice heard: Sign up for Voices for Cooperative Power to receive updates on issues affecting electric cooperatives and opportunities to participate in grassroots advocacy efforts. By staying informed and engaged, you can help ensure that the voices of North Carolina’s electric cooperative communities 
 are represented in the legislative process.

Together, we can help advance policies that support safe, reliable and affordable electricity for EnergyUnited members and their communities.