GROWTH
The GVEC service area, much like other parts of Texas, continues to see tremendous growth across every sector of our business, including residential, commercial and industrial accounts. While the growth affects most of central Texas, the major activity affecting our electric system is occurring on the western side of our area in Guadalupe County where, today, over 65 percent of our members reside. In fact, projections show that over the next 20 years, the GVEC electric system could double in size, going from the current 63,000 electric meters to nearly 120,000 meters. Growth of that magnitude and speed is remarkable, considering that it took nearly 70 years for GVEC to grow from its inception to 63,000 members strong. In short, we’re growing fast and we must prepare now for that growth and the changes that it brings about.

There are a number of things we are doing right now that will help us keep pace with our increasing membership. We’re investing millions of dollars each year to upgrade our transmission and distribution system so that we can continue to serve increasing numbers of members with dependable, reliable electric service. We’re upgrading existing substations and looking for potential sites for new substations as the need arises. We’re updating facilities that we’ve outgrown (see cover story), like the Seguin office building that we recently broke ground on and the proposed operations center in Seguin.

The long range picture is clear. The growth that we will see over the next 10 to 20 years tells us that a proactive, strategic plan is needed, one that will carry us well into the future. The cost of building materials and electrical equipment and supplies will continue to rise, as will the cost of land for future offices and substations. We are making these improvements today so we can stay ahead of the curve and not fall behind it. We will keep pace with the growth and we will prepare today for tomorrow.

There are a number of ways we’ll pay for this growth and the needed improvements and expansion that it creates. Increased membership means increased sales from these new members. GVEC’s favorable bond rating has helped us reduce our cost of borrowing and this, coupled with favorable interest rate markets, creates savings that can go toward paying for these projects. We aggressively manage our expenses and have brought some projects in-house, such as transmission system design and maintenance, that were once bid out to contractors. We’re making smart investments today that will meet the long-term needs of our membership.

Our commitment of service to you remains as strong today as any time in our history. We are growing, but no matter where you live, we are committed to serving you and your community. And, we still answer to you, our member- owners.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
Please contact me anytime you have questions, comments or suggestions. Email me at info@gvec.org, call me at 1-800-223-GVEC (4832) or write to me at P. O. Box 118, Gonzales, Texas, 78629. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

View our archived "Thoughts from the CEO"

The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only,
and is subject to change. The official documentation can be obtained by
contacting the GVEC headquarters office at 800-223-4832.