News Releases

Energy upgrades can make your home more comfortable, lower electricity use, and help equipment perform better in every season. Columbia REA offers energy-efficiency programs for residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural members. If you are planning a renovation or replacing aging equipment, review the current requirements and applications available on our website at www.columbiarea.coop/energy-efficiency/ before work begins so you can make the most of available incentives.

Columbia REA will implement a rate adjustment in January 2027 Columbia REA is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to our members. As a cooperative, we do not set rates to generate a profit. Every rate decision is made with our members in mind, balancing transparency and cost control with the investments needed to keep your electric system strong and dependable for years to come.

No one likes it when rates go up. And if you’ve seen pages 4 and 5 of this issue, you have seen that rates will be going up in 2027. It is our responsibility to keep rates steady until the forces that determine rates exert pressure that can no longer be absorbed financially. In the pages of this issue we detail what those forces are right now, and I would like to use this space to talk about how we use that information to set your rates so that we can keep delivering safe, reliable service, and keep your co-op financially strong.

You may notice a new electric meter at your home or business as Columbia REA continues upgrading its metering technology. As these meters get changed out, our metermen will attempt to speak with the member prior to swapping out the old meter for the new meter. There is a short service interruption during this meter […]

Simple Ways to Stay Warm and Save Money this Winter October is Energy Awareness Month, and it arrives just as cooler mornings and windy fall days start reminding us that winter is not far away. Before the first hard cold snap, take a little time to look over your home and make sure the heat […]

It seems nowadays that when the topic of politics comes up in any group, the collective blood pressure rises and the group attention level drops, and yet, here I go again. Please hang in there with me, because the impact of state and federal government policy on Northwest electric utilities has never been greater, or […]

Good cybersecurity does not require an IT degree, a cape, or the ability to speak like a computer wizard. In fact, these three simple safety habits can dramatically reduce the chances of becoming a victim of cybercrime. Whether you’re checking email, shopping online, managing family finances or accessing your SmartHub account, a few practical steps […]

Few topics are generating more discussion in communities across the Northwest, and right here in our backyard, than data centers. Supporters point to new jobs, tax revenue, and economic growth, while others have questions about water use

Each year, Columbia REA recognizes one staff member as the Power Player of the Year. This honor is awarded to the employee who best understands and supports Columbia REA’s vision and values; incorporates that vision when planning, generates enthusiasm and embodies the Seven Cooperative Principles of Voluntary and Open membership.

Following a thorough review of all 29 applications, Columbia REA’s 2025 MPT Grant funds will be presented to two local non-profit organizations with a tightly focused mission