American families and businesses depend on electricity that is reliable, affordable and always available. As demand for power continues to grow and long-standing energy resources face increasing pressure, smart energy policies are more important than ever, especially for the rural and coastal communities served by Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative.
At CCEC our responsibility goes beyond delivering power day to day. We also advocate on behalf of our members at the federal level to ensure decisions made in Washington, D.C., protect the reliability and affordability of electricity here at home. The policies shaping the nation’s energy future have real, local impacts on our members, our grid and our ability to serve you.
America’s electric cooperatives, including CCEC, are focused on several key policy priorities in 2026 that directly affect our members:
- Faster Disaster Recovery: CCEC supports the bipartisan FEMA Act of 2025, which would improve how the Federal Emergency Management Agency partners with electric cooperatives following major storms and disasters. FEMA plays a critical role in helping co-ops restore power and rebuild infrastructure, but reforms are needed to better serve rural areas. If passed, this legislation would help utilities restore power more quickly while keeping recovery costs lower for cooperative members.
- Cutting Through Red Tape: Outdated and overly complex federal permitting rules slow down critical upgrades to power lines and substations. Streamlining these processes allows CCEC to respond to growing demand, strengthen reliability and modernize our system more efficiently. We are urging Congress to pass comprehensive permitting reforms, including the SPEED Act and PERMIT Act, both of which cleared the U.S. House in December.
- Maintaining Funding for Grid Innovation and Investment: Federal loan and grant programs help cooperatives like CCEC strengthen the electric grid, prepare for extreme weather, enhance cybersecurity and explore new technologies—without shifting costs to members. Preserving access to these programs ensures continued investment in a resilient and secure energy future.
- Keeping Reliable Power Plants Online: CCEC supports balanced energy policies that recognize the need for dependable, around-the-clock power. Regulations that force reliable power plants offline before proven replacements are ready threaten grid stability and affordability. We are advocating for realistic emissions standards that maintain existing generation resources and allow new natural gas facilities to operate without compromising reliability.
- Protecting Critical Hydropower: Hydropower resources—particularly the Lower Snake River Dams—play an important role in maintaining affordable and reliable electricity across the country. Removing these dams would increase costs and strain the power system. That’s why electric cooperatives, including CCEC, support preserving these critical resources.
- Smarter Land Management Policies: We are advocating for commonsense land-management reforms such as the Fix Our Forests Act, which would allow electric cooperatives to more effectively maintain power lines on public lands. These policies help reduce wildfire risk, improve reliability and protect both communities and natural resources.
Electricity underpins nearly every aspect of modern life, even when we don’t think about it. As the energy landscape continues to evolve, understanding the policies that shape how electricity is produced, delivered and maintained is more important than ever.
Advocating on behalf of CCEC members is a core part of our mission and that commitment includes direct engagement with policymakers. At the end of April, members of the Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative Board of Directors, along with other electric cooperative representatives from around the United States, will travel to Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of co-op members. They will meet with elected officials to share the local impact of federal energy policies and reinforce the importance of reliable, affordable power for the communities we serve.
These 2026 policy priorities all come back to the same goal: ensuring our members continue to receive safe, reliable and affordable power now and for generations to come.