Blog
Giving Safely During National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Did you know that December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month? According to estimates by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are over 250,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. each year for toy-related injuries. The majority of these affect children...
December GM Message: Winter Weather Preparations
We’ve been hard at work prepping for the winter season. GVEC prepares for winter and summer operations conditions on an annual basis by performing equipment maintenance, vegetation management, mock emergency drills and by procuring the right amount of power to protect...
Drawing a Line Against DIY Home Generator Transfer Switch Installs
In the wake of the great winter storm of February 2021 (a.k.a., Uri), GVEC encountered instances of our membership purchasing home generators but installing those backup-power systems incorrectly. This is extremely unsafe, endangering not only the homeowner but also...
Giving Thanks for Electric Innovations in the Kitchen
In 1621, the first colonists at Plymouth—a.k.a. the Pilgrims—joined several Native Americans for a meal we now think of as the original Thanksgiving. Those preparing the food didn’t have ovens, electricity or numerous other conveniences, but in some ways, modern...
Why Local Internet from GVEC is Better
Every year, Small Business Saturday® serves as a brick-and-mortar, mom-and-pop answer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It always falls on the Saturday after Black Friday (November 27 this year) and encourages shoppers nationwide to shop only at locally owned and...
GVEC Cooperative Control Center Staff – What They’re Thankful for in 2021
GVEC’s Control Center is staffed by seven men of varied backgrounds who share a passion for keeping the lights on across our service territory. As GVEC celebrates Thanksgiving this month, we give thanks for their dedication not only to members, but also to Cooperative...
Thankful for Battery Storage Solutions
2021 has been a year of ups and down, good times and challenges. On balance, though, we see much to celebrate as the year stretches towards its conclusion: cooperative values, community, good health, family, friends…batteries. Yes, batteries—or more precisely, battery...
GVEC Power Up: Funding for Those Who Serve
The Vietnam War Memorial to the war's DeWitt County veterans, opened in 2012 by the DeWitt County Vietnam Veterans of America "Never Again Will One Generation of Veterans Abandon Another..." This motto drives the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), a national...
Tips for Celebrating the Holidays with Greater Energy Efficiency
The holidays are here! It’s a time for gatherings of family and friends, for football, shopping, decorating, and food and cooking—lots of food, eating and cooking. All those festive gatherings can significantly impact overall electricity usage. According to the U.S....
Thinking About Buying an Electric Vehicle? Here’s What’s Available Now — Pt. 4
Chances are, your current vehicle is propelled by an internal combustion engine (ICE). There’s a fair chance, however, that the next vehicle you purchase or consider purchasing may be based on electrification technology. In the next five-to-20 years, the world will...
The Changing Face of Rural Internet – November Message from GM Darren Schauer
For the past 20 years, fast, reliable internet has been increasingly critical to GVEC’s commitment of delivering products and services to the areas we serve. More recently, the pandemic led to a dramatic increase in the degree to which people throughout our service...
Thinking About Buying an Electric Vehicle? Here’s What’s Available Now — Part 3
For over 100 years, the internal combustion engine (ICE) has been the dominant method for getting people from Point A to Point B. In the last decade or so, this has begun changing, and in the next five-to-20 years, the world will shift away from ICE-powered vehicles...
Thinking About Buying an Electric Vehicle? Here’s What’s Available Now — Part 2
It may not seem like it, but the world is slowly turning away from the internal combustion engine (ICE)—the United States included. In the next five-to-20 years, the shift toward an all-electric world of transportation will accelerate to levels not currently...
Rest Easy with GVEC AC/Heating!
There are few things that make for a restless night’s sleep like being uncomfortable in your own bed. Your home thermostat setting often plays a big part in your nighttime comfort. However, if you find yourself waking in the middle of the night because you’re too hot...
Haunting Tales and Spooky Places in GVEC Communities
Ghost stories are often just that—made-up or exaggerated urban legends, created in the imaginations of the story tellers, often embellished as they are passed down from generation to generation. However, please note the use of the word “often.” Sometimes we hear...
Thinking About Buying an Electric Vehicle? Here’s What’s Available Now — Part 1
You may have noticed electric vehicles (EVs) beginning to pop up on local roadways. The same trend is happening everywhere, with charging stations beginning to dot the landscape. Certainly, EVs aren’t as numerous as vehicles powered by internal combustion engines...
Intimidated By Electrical Repair Needs?
When you need a fully-licensed, professional electrician, “Who ya gonna call?” GVEC! GVEC’s history is electricity, as the first to energize lines to homes and farms in the Guadalupe Valley over 80 years ago. It’s only natural for us to deliver professional...
October is National Co-op Month!
You may know GVEC is an electric cooperative and that you became a member-owner of when you set up your electric service with us. But have you ever wondered just what, exactly, a cooperative is? According to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA),...
Pumpkins & Corn Stalks & Fun, Oh My!
It’s fall in South Central Texas, and that conjures up dreams of crisp, cool weather, fireplaces, falling leaves, pumpkin spice and everything nice! Many South Texans love this time of year and all the figures, fun and festivities that go along with it. Proof of this...
Community Volunteering: It’s a Good Thing
If you ask those who donate their time, talents and skills the reason they volunteer in their communities, the answers may vary. Some might say because they have a genuine passion toward the cause they’re furthering. Some may stress their belief in giving back to...
