External Relations

Community Relations

We take pride in our reputation as an outstanding corporate citizen and contribute to many worthwhile organizations throughout the communities we serve. Employee involvement is key to our success as a community leader. Big Rivers employees volunteer countless hours to nonprofit and civic organizations where we work and live. Our employees participate in a number of community fundraisers and efforts, including the March for Babies, Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity, chambers of commerce, food banks and blood drives.

The generosity of employees was most evident during the 2009 record-breaking United Way campaign. Big Rivers posted its largest employee contribution ever, donating nearly $150,000 to the cause. Working together, Big Rivers employees at Sebree Station (comprised of Robert A. Reid, Robert D. Green and HMP&L Station Two) achieved an 80 percent employee participation rate in the United Way campaign. More than 50 percent of Sebree Station employees contributed one hour of pay per month.

This outpouring of support is an example of Big Rivers exemplifying the cooperative principle of “concern for community.”

Governmental Relations

Big Rivers monitors and reacts to legislative issues impacting our business, the member cooperatives and the electric industry as a whole. By sharing governmental relations outreach with East Kentucky Power Cooperative and Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, we have been able to establish effective procedures for monitoring legislative bills of interest to Big Rivers and the members.

Environmental Compliance

Because of the myriad of environmental regulations placed on utilities at the state and federal levels, Big Rivers provides training and services to keep the member cooperatives in compliance. In addition to conducting annual training sessions required by OSHA and the EPA, Big Rivers also assists the member cooperatives with a host of other environmental rules and regulations, assists in preparing specific environmental related reports, and provides consultation.

Member Education

As a way to provide more support directly to the member co-ops, Big Rivers’ marketing efforts shifted in 2007 from general regional advertising to focused educational messages and training on energy efficiency.

Big Rivers staff helped the co-ops educate their customers about energy efficiency, continued distributing thousands of energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs, and developed localized advertising campaigns to support these efforts.

Economic Development

Despite an ailing economy in late 2008, Big Rivers experienced a high level of interest in economic development projects. Available natural resources drew the interest of multiple renewable energy projects such as carbon sequestration, photovoltaic, bio-fuels, algae, ethanol, and coal-related inquiries. Furthermore, Big Rivers encountered a steady flow of projects focused in automotive manufacturing, steel, aluminum, and various other energy intensive projects during 2008.