2024 88th Annual Meeting Recap

Rain Doesn’t Dampen Spirits at Cullman Electric Cooperative’s 88th Annual Meeting

Cullman Electric Cooperative hosted its 88th annual meeting on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at Northbrook Church in Cullman. Despite a steady rain, an estimated crowd of more than 1,100 people participated in this year’s event.

Guests enjoyed free hot dogs and drinks served by the Hanceville Band Boosters, a free health fair hosted by Cullman Regional, a bluegrass concert by Cotton Pickin’ Kids, free popcorn and video games. The rain did not wash out all of the outdoor festivities as Drive Electric Alabama hosted a car show with help from local electric vehicle owners.

A total of 4,161 co-op members mailed in ballots for this year’s Board of Trustees election, and another 229 voted at the meeting. Incumbent board members Phillip Garrison (District 1), Robert Tidwell (District 3) and Dr. Lisa Weeks (District 5) were re-elected to serve three-year terms.

During the annual business meeting, CEO Tim Culpepper discussed the challenges Cullman EC has faced as the co-op works through one of the largest growth periods in the co-op’s history.

“We continue to experience record growth,” Culpepper said. “We have never grown this fast, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Growth is generally a good thing, but it does bring challenges and costs. We have built two new substations at Berlin and Trade and will build two more in the next few years at Jones Chapel and on Highway 91 to meet the increased demand for electricity.”

Culpepper discussed the recent TVA wholesale power increase and announced Cullman EC’s plans to implement its own two-part rate increase beginning in October.

“Cullman Electric has only had one rate increase in the last six years, but we cannot avoid one this year,” Culpepper said. “The cost of everything has gone up over the last six years. Our material cost for items such as transformers, poles, wire, regulators and breakers has gone up more than 140 percent, and as responsible stewards of our electric system, we must pay to keep providing reliable electric service to you, our members.  

“We know that many of our members are struggling right now, so we have decided to phase in our rate increase. In October, rates will go up between $5 and $6 dollars a month for our average member, with a smaller rate increase in April, after the increased winter usage, to help shield our members from a large rate increase all at one time. Hopefully, this will be the last rate increase for a while.”

Cullman EC also announced its plans to expand Sprout Fiber Internet to more than 7,000 additional locations during 2025. The co-op launched its fiber-optic broadband internet service in 2021 and has more than 11,500 subscribers.

“Your response to our high-speed broadband internet service has been phenomenal,” Culpepper said. “Around 40 percent of those who are eligible for service have signed up for high-speed internet service with us. The 2025 expansion plan is heavily influenced by grant funding, with almost all of our expansion areas at least partially funded by grants.”

Culpepper noted that Cullman EC is on pace to have Sprout Fiber Internet available to all co-op members by the end of 2026.

2025 and 2026 Sprout Expansion Areas Map