Blue Ridge Electric Co-op employees fund Watts of Love, an assistance and energy-efficiency grant program to help members’ power bills
February 12, 2026
Blue Ridge Electric Co-op employees have donated $30,000 to launch a new bill and home energy-efficiency assistance program designed to help members in need.
The seed money from employees supports the Watts of Love Member Assistance Program, which offers eligible co-op members two types of support.
Bill assistance provides short-term financial relief to help members manage their utility bills during times of hardship. The second type of support comes in the form of home upgrade assistance. Potential upgrades with this grant money may include programmable thermostats, new windows, mini-split units and home insulation.
“Blue Ridge has helped members with bill assistance and in other ways financially for decades, but we’ve never had a dedicated program like the one our employees have come up with,” said Grayson Kelly, Senior Vice President of Government and Public Relations. “Our co-op wants to continue the 85-year legacy of giving back to the community and our membership. We believe Watts of Love does that.”
Program applications are accepted year-round and can be found online at blueridge.coop/watts-of-love or at co-op offices in Pickens and Westminster.
About Blue Ridge Electric Co-op
On January 7, 1941, Blue Ridge energized its first section of power line. The co-op served 1,680 members and 486 miles of power lines at the time. Today, the co-op serves over 73,000 members and maintains 7,300 miles of power lines. Blue Ridge Electric employs 178 people who serve members and who support the greater community through volunteerism and philanthropic support. Blue Ridge provides power to communities in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties. The co-op remains committed to its mission of “service second only to safety.”
For more information about Blue Ridge Electric Co-op, visit BlueRidge.coop.
