C. H. Guernsey & Co. Celebrates Long History with Co-ops

August 12, 2010
NRECA Associate Membership Newsletter

C. H. Guernsey & Company is a full-service engineering, architectural and consulting firm specializing in electric cooperatives. The company’s association with electric co-ops started in 1936, when it began providing distribution engineering services to rural electric co-ops in the Midwest.

“Today our company provides a full range of services for G&T and distribution co-ops throughout the U.S.,” says David Hedrick, Vice President of Analytical Services for C. H. Guernsey & Company. “Those services include wholesale and retail cost of service and rate design; financial forecasting; power supply planning; transmission, substation and distribution engineering; security, environmental and architectural services,” he explains.

Guernsey’s electric utility services, including cost of service, power supply and power engineering, are provided almost exclusively to electric co-ops. The company provides architectural, engineering, environmental and security services to municipal, state and federal government clients, as well as to co-ops.

Hedrick says that Guernsey’s consultants note that co-ops are paying particular attention to three key challenges: power supply, conservation and energy efficiency. “To help them navigate those key issues,” he says, “they look for experts knowledgeable about electric co-ops and their particular business requirements. Our current staff has the proven expertise to help co-ops succeed today, just as we did back in the early 1980s when electric co-ops faced similar challenges.”

Hedrick stresses the importance of experience in his answer to the question, “What makes your company a ‘good fit’ for working with electric co-ops?” He points out that Guernsey’s engineers routinely work side by side with co-op staff to address the challenges they and their co-ops face. “Our people have been working closely with co-op staff for decades now,” says Hedrick, “so our co-op clients know we understand their systems and culture, and can align our services to support the interests of the co-op and its board. Our record of service enables co-ops to know they can call on us with confidence to help them get the job done right.”

In summing up his comments about C. H. Guernsey & Company, Hedrick reflects on the fact that the rural electrification program will celebrate 75 years since the signing of the REA Act next year. “At the same time,” he says, “our company will be celebrating 75 years of partnering with electric co-ops. During that time we’ve seen our staff grow from one original engineer to more than 150 engineers, architects and consultants. In the future, we will continue to work alongside our electric co-op clients to help them meet the challenges of an ever-changing electric industry.”

C. H. Guernsey & Company, a Silver Associate Member, will be exhibiting at the 2011 TechAdvantage Expo in Orlando, FL.