OPALCO survey results are In

||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE |||

OPALCO has been engaging the co-op membership in the realities facing the energy world. Things are changing due to climate impacts, carbon reduction legislation, and the transition to renewable energy. As our regional energy supply reaches capacity, utilities throughout the country are pursuing carbon-free power sources.

OPALCO has been exploring local renewable energy options in San Juan County, balancing the cost of these
projects, aesthetic trade-offs, and limited land for siting against the need to provide reliable power. This winter OPALCO conducted a member survey to gather information on the direction the membership wants OPALCO to take for our energy future.

OPALCO worked with a third-party vendor to conduct the survey. The first part of the survey was a
representative sample to have a statistically relevant data set. The survey questions assessed general
perceptions of OPALCO, tested awareness of and reception to local renewable project development, and
gauged member priorities for projects.

Key takeaways from the representative portion of the survey were:

• High satisfaction rate with OPALCO overall (94%)
• Maintaining and improving service and reducing dependence on mainland energy were top priorities
• Members want OPALCO to prioritize renewable energy but only about half are willing to pay more for
  it
• Members emphasized protecting the environment, improving reliability, and keeping costs down
• 82% say it’s very or somewhat important to build local resources to minimize future power disruptions
• 74% said San Juan County should adjust policies for more local energy generation with most
  emphasizing that all environmental, conservation, and safeguards should be met
• Impacts on scenic views and wildlife were top concerns followed closely by an increase to cost
• 80% support local renewable energy projects

After the representative portion of the survey was complete, OPALCO opened the survey up to the whole
membership to give everyone the chance to weigh in. Since this portion of the data does not rely on random
sampling and cannot be treated as a representative sample – the two data sets should not be compared. The
results from the open portion of the survey include high satisfaction rate, high awareness of the energy issues in San Juan County, and prioritizing microgrids and rooftop solar projects.

The Board has reviewed the material closely and will utilize the data as they balance the competing priorities of having low cost, carbon-free, reliable power. These three criteria are almost impossible to meet in tandem, so the team is looking at ways to balance all three priorities.

Members can find the full survey report and comments on our website in the Document Library:
www.opalco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Complete-Survey-Materials.pdf. If you have additional comments, feel free to email communications@opalco.com

Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) is our member-owned cooperative electric utility, serving more than 11,400 members on 20 islands in San Juan County. OPALCO provides electricity that is 97% greenhouse-gas free and is generated predominantly by hydroelectric plants. OPALCO was founded
in 1937.