VEA looks forward to new opportunities in 2016

As 2015 comes to a close, Valley Electric Association, Inc. (VEA) and its family of companies look forward to providing local communities with a wide range of exciting opportunities in 2016.

This year, as we collectively celebrated VEA's 50th anniversary, our cooperative announced a number of innovative new projects and initiatives that will benefit our member-owners in 2016 and beyond. We expect 2016 to be our cooperative's most successful and productive year to date as we continue to serve as a catalyst for economic growth across southwestern Nevada.

In 2016, VEA will continue its optical fiber broadband communications project, providing community members with direct access to the most advanced communications network in the area. While the full build out is expected to last approximately 12 to 18 months, many community members will not have to wait until construction is complete to begin receiving service at speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second. VEA will connect residents and businesses to its advanced optical fiber network during the construction process. As a community-focused organization, we understand the value of enhanced broadband service, which will provide our area of the state with a wide range of new economic opportunities.

Through the optical fiber broadband initiative and other strategic endeavors, our team continues to diversify VEA's offerings. Looking toward the future, this diversity of business will play a critical role in generating new revenue for our cooperative while promoting rate stability for our member-owners. In recent years, VEA has expanded its capabilities, building upon our recent accomplishments while developing a talented team of experts in a variety of fields.

This team will continue to position VEA for another 50 years of success while implementing a variety of member-focused projects and programs.

In 2016, we will also begin providing our member-owners with improved access to affordable renewable energy through our cooperative's 15-megawatt community solar energy generation project in Pahrump.

The project, which is expected to start delivering energy in July 2016, will serve as a valuable asset to our member-owners while supporting VEA's efforts to position Nevada as a leader in our nation's renewable energy industry.

While 2016 is set to bring a number of exciting new opportunities for VEA and its members, we look forward to announcing other new projects and initiatives throughout the next year that will have a positive impact on our communities. As a member-owned cooperative, VEA will continue to promote growth and success within the communities we serve.

Tom Husted has served as the chief executive officer of VEA since 2006. He has more than 30 years of experience in the utility industry across the Western United States, including more than 20 years as a CEO.