Next month, the American people will take to the polls to choose the next President of the United States, members of Congress, and in many cases state legislators and local officials.

As electric cooperatives strive to meet our present and future energy needs, we are asking all legislators what they’ll do to ensure that consumers continue to enjoy safe, reliable and affordable electric power.

Many policy-makers and elected officials believe renewable energy, like wind, solar and biomass, provide the solution to addressing climate change and establishing energy independence.

But to keep the lights on and electric rates affordable, electric cooperatives will need to make use of all available generation resources, including renewables, nuclear power and fossil fuels—like coal and natural gas that use the latest environmental technology.

Our nation’s electric system, commonly referred to as the "grid," relies on a network of power plants, transmission lines and distribution facilities woven together in an intricate web to provide us with electricity.

In the coming years, demand for electricity is predicted to increase 30 percent.

That means we will need to build new power plants, all at a time when costs for construction materials such as steel, copper and concrete, and fossil fuels like natural gas and coal are skyrocketing. The challenges we face are immense.

As a result, we are urging lawmakers to invest in technology that will allow us to help all households become more energy efficient.

We are also asking for fast-track plans to build new transmission lines–connecting rural regions where renewable electricity is generated to the population centers where it’s used.

We need to be able to cut through the red tape that prevents construction of new nuclear power plants (which emit only clean water vapor), and capture and permanently store carbon from coal-fired power plants (as a way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions blamed for contributing to global climate change).

These steps will not only strengthen our nation’s electric infrastructure and head off an impending electric power crisis, but significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Even better, they will help ensure that any climate change goals ultimately adopted remain politically and economically sustainable over the decades necessary to make a difference.

Now’s the time to make your voice heard. In addition to casting your vote on November 4, you can also help educate and inform lawmakers about these concerns.

Electric cooperatives nationwide are engaged in a grassroots campaign called "Our Energy, Our Future: A Dialogue With America."

October is Co-op Month nationwide. It’s a time we celebrate people working together for a common goal.

At this time in our history it’s even more important that we work together to ensure we have reliable and affordable energy supplies—now and in the future.

At a time of increasing national concern about the economy, especially rising energy costs, we also must communicate the cooperative difference to decision makers at all levels whose actions affect our members and the communities in which they live and work.

The cooperative difference defines who we are and what we can achieve: looking out for our members’ best interests.