As Southern Maryland grows so too does its electrical cooperative.
“It’s been a long journey,” said Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) Board of Directors Chairman Richard A. Winkler, who greeted the community leaders attending the Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 15 open house at the co-op’s new Engineering and Operations Center. Located about one mile away from SMECO’s main headquarters on Burnt Store Road in Hughesville, the facility includes offices, vehicle bays, areas for customer assistants, engineers and emergency specialists to gather and get their jobs done. The building is adjacent to SMECO’s new solar farm.
“It was a very challenging project,” said SMECO CEO Austin J. “Joe” Slater Jr., who thanked the co-op’s staff, various partners and contractors for making the facility a reality. Slater noted the project also had federal government participation but due to the government shutdown none of the agency representatives involved were allowed to attend the open house.
State and local governments were represented as several members of the Southern Maryland Delegation to Annapolis were on hand.
“We hear nothing but good things about SMECO,” said Delegate Sally Jameson [D]. “You guys are doing it right.”
Slater indicated there were many things to love about the new center. Nearly 250 co-op employees—mostly of the blue collar variety will be working from the building. The center includes a large multi-purpose room/auditorium “that can hold every single SMECO employee,” said Slater, adding that despite the building’s posh, modern look, “there are no boardrooms and no executive suites.”
At the building’s contact center, where co-op customer service employees will be at the ready to receive calls about a variety of concerns, the layout includes “larger, more functional cubicles,” said Slater. “We have the tools to continue our record of service. Our customers deserve world-class service”
Slater said it is the hope to have the new building attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification.
During a tour of the facility, SMECO spokesman Tom Dennison pointed out the numerous geothermal components.
The 47-acre solar farm also serves as evidence SMECO has made a significant foray
