By Ryan J. Redmond 

Picture yourself getting home from work, starting dinner and talking to your family about how their day went. Then your house goes dark and quiet. Everyone is a little startled, but you quickly come to your senses and realize – the power is out.  

Most people will reach for their cellphones to check social media for some information about what’s happening. Why is the power out? You may wait a few minutes and then call your utility to report you have no power and ask for an estimated time frame for when it could be back on.  

Our nights go similarly. Except when there is an issue with your power, we jump into action and go to work. When staff gets the outage call, we check our systems, dispatch crews – no matter the weather or time and start communications with members – all to restore power quickly and safely. We know how important it is to you. And we want to serve you in the best way possible. 

The truth is – most of our members don’t think much about their power unless it’s out. And that’s our goal. We want to be in the background keeping all the pieces moving smoothly so you can live your life. It’s what public power is all about. We want to be there for you whenever you need us – powering your lives every single day.  

If you are a member of a rural electric association, like Benton REA or a customer of a local public utility district (PUD), you are a part of the public power community. The public power industry was organized by the communities we live in to bring electricity to the rural and vulnerable communities that investor owner power companies refused to serve. This spirit of community service pervades our culture to this day. We are the folks that stay up all night to get your lights back on. To put it simply – we love our jobs. We love serving our community.  

To give you some background – my name is Ryan Redmond. I currently serve as the chief executive officer of Benton Rural Electric Association in Prosser. I joined the public power industry after graduating from law school because I saw it as the perfect way to make a difference in the region. It seemed like the place where my environmental law classes along with Gonzaga’s focus on service to the community combined to create the perfect opportunity to help others thrive. 

Public power utilities are community-owned and not-for-profit. We safely provide reliable, low-cost electricity to more than 49 million Americans, while protecting the environment. Homes and businesses in 2,000 communities across the U.S. – large cities like Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles and Seattle, as well as small towns like Prosser, West Richland, Grandview and Sunnyside – get electricity from a public power utility.  

We are one of three primary types of electric utilities in the U.S. Public power is distinguished by a few of the key traits below.  

Locally controlled 

Like public schools and libraries, we are owned by the community and run as a division of local government. Benton REA is governed by elected trustees who represent six districts within our service territory. Our members have a direct voice in utility decisions. 

Affordable 

We are not-for-profit entities that provide electricity to customers at the lowest possible rates. Homes and businesses pay less than homes powered by private utilities. 

Reliable 

Our members lose power less often. They are without power for an average of 62 minutes a year, compared to customers of private utilities, who lose power for an average of 150 minutes a year – provided there are no major adverse events. In 2022 Benton REA provided power to your homes and businesses 99.98% of the time.  

Invested in the community 

At Benton REA this is one of our top priorities. We feel strongly about supporting and investing in our community. If we enhance the quality of the places where we live and work, we enhance the lives of our members.  

Each year, Benton REA supports youth programs like Little League baseball, volleyball, high school sports programs and youth choir, just to name a few. We donate to local food banks: Prosser Food bank run by Jubilee Ministries, Sunrise Food Pantries and Tri-Cities Food Bank. We attend events throughout the community so we can engage our memberships and be available to provide information, answer questions or listen to your concerns. We see you at Harvest Fest, RiverFest, the West Richland Veterans Day Parade, school science nights and career days.  

The people we employ live and work in the same communities our members do. They truly care about our members. This is what public power is all about.  

Environmentally responsible 

The power we provide to our members comes from two main sources: 85% hydropower and 11% nuclear. The other 4% is comprised of a mix of resources purchased on the open market. Simply put, the power you receive is clean and at least 96% carbon-free.  

Serving this community is a privilege. We work hard for our members every single day. We don’t make decisions without your best interest at heart. We are the folks who stay up all night to get your lights back on. We love our jobs. We love serving our community. We are public power. 

 Ryan J. Redmond is Benton REA’s chief executive officer.