Mechanicsville, Md. — More than 8,300 members of the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative cast ballots to elect five directors during the cooperative’s 87th annual meeting on August 20, 2025, at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall. The election, conducted through mail and online voting, drew participation from across the cooperative’s service area, with results announced to attendees. W. Michael Phipps secured the Calvert and Anne Arundel counties seat with 4,771 votes, defeating Terry W. Schroepfer’s 2,543. In Charles County, George Heinze received 4,127 votes and Richard A. Winkler 4,024, outpacing Brandi Jones at 3,634 and Matthews (Matt) Nolan Wills at 2,821. David A. Cross, Jr., won the Prince George’s County position with 3,418 votes over Matthew Mason’s 2,029 and John D. Rudzis’s 1,706. Scott White claimed the St. Mary’s County seat unopposed with 6,983 votes.
Ballots reached members by mail on July 14, with a submission deadline of August 13. Sixty-seven percent returned via mail, while 33 percent opted for online voting. Participants qualified for a drawing of 30 $50 electric bill credits. The process underscores SMECO’s member-driven governance, where customers own and influence the cooperative serving Calvert, Charles, southern Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties.
W. Rayner Blair, III, chairman of the SMECO board, opened the gathering. President and CEO Sonja Cox presented a video annual report for 202. The report detailed efforts in financial stability, service reliability and community involvement, amid shifts in energy demands.
“This past year brought significant challenges, including rising operational costs, which led to the difficult but necessary decision to request a distribution rate increase. Cost-saving initiatives helped minimize the impact on our members, while investments in system reliability, workforce development, and community support ensured we continued serving Southern Maryland effectively,” Cox said.
Cox addressed member inquiries on Rider-G, a program allowing customers to source 100 percent of their electricity from renewables through purchased credits, adding about 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour to bills. She also covered community solar, where subscribers buy shares in off-site arrays for bill credits under Maryland’s pilot program, open to SMECO members via net metering. On data centers, Cox noted the cooperative must serve all within its territory, but new facilities cover upgrade costs, feasibility studies and their energy use.
“Looking ahead, our focus is clear: provide safe, reliable, and affordable electricity; balance member needs with long-term sustainability; and continue to invest in our people and our communities,” Cox said. “Together, we will face challenges, embrace opportunities, and celebrate the successes that make this cooperative strong.”
The SMECO annual meeting election reflects the cooperative’s structure, established in 1937 to electrify rural Southern Maryland. Today, it powers over 170,000 services across 1,150 square miles, with a focus on affordability amid national energy trends. The 2025 SMECO annual meeting followed a rate adjustment request earlier this year, approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission to cover infrastructure and operational rises, averaging $13 monthly for residential users.
Voter turnout exceeded the prior year’s 7,400, signaling engagement in a region where cooperatives play key roles in local economies. The elected directors join a 15-member board overseeing policies, with terms staggered for continuity. Phipps, a returning member, brings experience in county affairs; Heinze and Winkler represent Charles County’s growing needs; Cross focuses on Prince George’s infrastructure; White addresses St. Mary’s naval and agricultural ties.
Data centers emerged as a topic at the SMECO annual meeting, mirroring broader Southern Maryland concerns. Recent projections indicate such facilities could strain grids, with Maryland’s energy auction revealing 5,400 megawatts in added demand, mostly from data centers, potentially raising bills $2 to $5 monthly statewide. In Charles County, proposals for centers near Waldorf prompt debates on power reliability and costs, though SMECO’s policy shifts burdens to developers. Community opposition in St. Mary’s highlights environmental impacts, as centers consume vast electricity equivalent to thousands of homes.
Renewables featured prominently at the SMECO annual meeting. Rider-G, launched in 2021, has enrolled hundreds, supporting wind and solar credits without infrastructure changes. SMECO’s Hughesville solar farm, operational since 2012, generates 5.5 megawatts, contributing to the cooperative’s 20 percent renewable portfolio. Maryland’s community solar, expanded in 2023, allows renters and shaded properties to participate, with SMECO facilitating interconnections for arrays up to 2 megawatts.
The SMECO annual meeting also touched on resilience, with investments in grid hardening against storms common in Southern Maryland’s coastal areas. Recent outages from Hurricane Isabel remnants in 2024 underscored needs, leading to $50 million in upgrades. Workforce programs, including apprenticeships with local colleges, aim to fill 100 positions amid retirements.
Historically, SMECO annual meetings have evolved from in-person votes to hybrid formats post-pandemic, boosting participation. The 86th in 2024 elected similar seats, with discussions on electrification trends like electric vehicles, now supported by SMECO rebates. As Southern Maryland grows, with Charles County’s population projected at 170,000 by 2030, SMECO balances expansion while keeping rates below national averages.
