Every service we use in our homes or businesses—whether it's electricity, cable/satellite television, natural gas, propane, or telephone/cell phone—has some form of a monthly charge to cover the cost of providing the service. It might be called a service charge, basic charge, fixed charge, or monthly minimum charge. For MEC member/consumers, this monthly charge is called a facilities charge. It is a fair share investment that assures there is power when it is needed.
When you need electric power, all you have to do is flip a switch or plug into an outlet. What happens before that flip of the switch is a significant commitment of time, equipment, facilities, and people your cooperative already has in place to ensure that power is there when you need it.