ILLINOIS ELECTRIC COOP FINISHES SUCCESSFUL YEAR DESPITE FLOODS

Despite equipment damage from Mississippi River floodwaters, Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative has had a successful year, its manager, Larry Lovell, told a recent annual meeting.

No rate increases are planned for at least through early 1994, he said.

The system sustained damage from severe thunderstorms in June and in July when a Mississippi River levee near Miller City, Ill., broke, he said. Approximately 100 meters have been disconnected because of the flood, a number of poles have been washed away, and some electric lines are surrounded by water, said.

The final toll of the flood remains to be seen, Lovell said. Union and Alexander counties have been designated as federal disaster areas, and the cooperative should qualify for federal assistance for the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding, he said.

Aside from the special work called for by emergencies, the cooperative has continued its previously planned program of replacing or improving old lines and equipment, clearing brush from rights of way and conducting preventative maintenance, Lovell said.

Lovell said that although SIEC last year had its first rate increase since September 1983, its rates are among Illinois' lowest.

"Current projections show moderate increases will be needed in the near future," he said. "However, no rate increase is planned for the rest of 1993 or early 1994."

Guy Casper of Cypress, Ill., Raymond C. Snell of Thebes, Ill., and Lawrence L. Wilke of Karnak, Ill., were recently re-elected to three-year terms on the Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. Dale Taake of Ullin was elected to fill the unexpired term of the late Milo Thurston.

The cooperative provides electric service to 9,744 members over 1,965 miles of line in Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski and Union counties.