PALMETTO, GA, October 6, 2026 – More than 2,900 Coweta-Fayette EMC members participated in the cooperative’s Annual Meeting and Member Appreciation Day on October 6, celebrating the cooperative’s accomplishments, electing directors, and learning about investments being made to strengthen reliability and service.
As member-owners, CFEMC members help guide the cooperative through the annual election of directors. This year, members re-elected Wayne Ross Henry (All Counties Except Coweta & Fayette), James Lee Hunter (Seat 2, Coweta County), and James W. Fulton, III (Seat 3, Fayette County) to three-year terms on the board of directors. The Nominating Committee received no other nominations from the membership, and the incumbents were reappointed by acclamation.
Registered members also voted to approve the minutes from the 2025 Annual Meeting, selected a free member gift—a garden tote or utility light—and were entered to win the grand prize, a $1,000 credit on their electric bill.
Members had several ways to participate, including online registration, mail-in registration, early registration at CFEMC offices, or in-person registration during the Drive-Thru Annual Meeting. The business meeting and grand prize drawing were streamed live on Facebook, with recordings and reports available online at www.utility.org/annual-meeting
In his address to members, Board Chairman Neal Shepard highlighted the cooperative’s ongoing strength and preparation for the future.
“Demand for electricity is growing at a pace we haven’t seen before,” Shepard said. “The investments and planning happening today will help ensure our members continue to receive reliable and affordable power for years to come.”
Shepard told members that while demand for electricity continues to grow, CFEMC is actively planning and investing to ensure members continue to receive reliable, affordable power. He explained that the infrastructure needed to deliver electricity takes years to develop, making today’s decisions critical to meeting tomorrow’s energy needs.
Shepard reaffirmed the cooperative’s commitment to putting members first. CEO Chris Stephens echoed that message, noting that CFEMC remains focused on its mission to “Protect What Matters, While Powering What’s Next.”
Stephens noted that 2026 brought several weather-related challenges, including Winter Storm Fern and multiple rounds of severe spring and summer storms. He praised employees for their dedication to restoring power safely and efficiently while continuing to improve system reliability and reduce outage times for members.
Stephens noted that CFEMC continues to invest in automation and technology that will improve the service members receive.
“We’re also nearing completion of one of the largest technology upgrades in our system in recent years: our advanced meter replacement project. By the end of this year, virtually every member will have access to new technology that helps us identify outages faster, respond more efficiently, and plan future improvements with greater accuracy. These meters do much more than measure electricity use. They provide the data needed to operate a smarter and more reliable system. They’ve even allowed our crews to identify aging meter bases and potential issues at member homes before those problems became emergencies.”
Stephens announced that CFEMC has returned $4 million in capital credits to members who received electric service in 2006 and 2025. He also shared that True Natural Gas returned a $2.5 million dividend to CFEMC, helping the cooperative maintain stable electric rates. Members also received an update from the Coweta-Fayette EMC Trust Board, which oversees the Operation Round Up program.
This year’s grand prize winner was Jacqueline Chancellor, who received a $1,000 credit toward their CFEMC electric bill.
You can watch this year’s meeting and speeches here.
Coweta-Fayette EMC is a member-owned energy company, serving over 90,000 accounts, headquartered in Palmetto, Ga. Coweta-Fayette EMC is an equal opportunity provider and employer /M/F/Y/D