Southern Pioneer Electric is passing through credits for billing adjustments from Sunflower Electric Power Corporation related to February 2021’s Winter Storm Uri to consumers in March 2023 billings. This pass-through credit will be reflected in the Energy Cost Adjustment (ECA) on consumers’ upcoming bills. The credits are the result of market settlements and billing adjustments related to the wholesale power and generation costs during the event.

The unprecedented winter storm event provided the cooperative with a $17-20 million addition to its February 2021 wholesale power bill. To recover costs incurred by the cooperative,  Southern Pioneer implemented a “Storm Uri Recovery Charge” to amortize these costs over 36 months.

Sunflower Electric has been tracking the cumulative cost adjustments (Southwest Power Pool market settlements, natural gas billing adjustments, etc.) since Winter Storm Uri occurred in February 2021. Since the risk of additional adjustments is minimal, Sunflower is crediting the current balance of the adjustments, approximately $630,000, with February’s billing to Southern Pioneer Electric. In return, the Southern Pioneer Electric Board approved to return of the credit to consumers through its March 2023 ECA.

“Winter Storm Uri was an unprecedented event that some consumers are still feeling the impact of,” said Vice President of Energy Services, Anita Wendt. “This passthrough is the result of our commitment to ensure any credits Southern Pioneer receives directly benefit our consumers.”

Consumers may direct questions regarding the credit pass-through to the Southern Pioneer Electric customer service team by calling 620-624-7433 or 866-668-8800.

Southern Pioneer Electric is accepting applications for its 2023 scholarship contest. $22,000 in scholarships will be given out to students within Southern Pioneer’s service territory. To be considered for a scholarship, students must meet the criteria outlined within Southern Pioneer Electric’s scholarship application:

• Students must attend high school, be a 2023 spring graduate and reside within the district of one of the schools within our service territory. Eligible schools include: Ashland, Cunningham, Kiowa County, Kiowa South Barber, Liberal, Medicine Lodge, Minneola, Satanta, Skyline, South Central, Southwestern Heights, and Sublette.
• Complete the application on the cooperative’s website .
• Submit a one-page resume stating future plans, activities the student participated in, accomplishments, honors, community involvement and employment. Please do not include references.
• Submit a seventh-semester transcript (official or certified copy) from the student’s high school. Transcripts may be mailed to Southern Pioneer at:

Southern Pioneer Electric Scholarship Program
c/o Ruby Terrazas
PO Box 1177
Liberal, KS 67901

Transcripts may also be emailed by a staff member of the student’s school to rterrazas@southernpioneer.net

• A brief, five to ten sentence, paragraph detailing why the student would be a good recipient of the scholarship. Space for the paragraph is available within the application.

Students must submit their application no later than 12 P.M. on March 9, 2023 to be considered for this year’s scholarships. Questions about Southern Pioneer Electric’s scholarship program and the 2023 application may be directed to Ruby Terrazas, energy services coordinator by calling 1 (800) 670-4381 or emailing rterrazas@southernpioneer.net.