State of the Co-op

LIHUE — Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will hold its annual membership meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23 at the Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center.

A main purpose of the meeting held by KIUC’s nine board members is to present to the membership a state of the co-op report, which will include a summary of the year’s activities, updates on future goals and an overview of the financials.

“The biggest accomplishment was the completion of the 12-megawatt solar array in Koloa, which came online last August and is producing about 5 percent of the island’s energy,” KIUC spokesman Jim Kelly wrote about some of the highlights the meeting will cover. “We also broke ground on the 12-megawatt Anahola solar array, which should be coming online within the next couple of months.”

KIUC finished 2014 with 16 percent of its energy coming from renewable resources — double what it was in 2010.

KIUC’s budget in 2015 is $178 million. It will be its 13th annual membership meeting since becoming the state’s only electric cooperative in 2002.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. with music by slack-key guitarist Paul Togioka.

The first 350 attendees will be issued tickets for LED bulbs and a bag of rice, which will be passed out after the meeting. Chili and rice will be served.

Members may offer testimony and ask questions at the meeting and can also submit questions before the meeting to info@kiuc.coop. Staff members and the board of directors will also be available to speak with members before and after the meeting.

KIUC is giving away 25,000 energy-saving light bulbs to Kauai residents.

• July 18: from 6-7 p.m. at the Princeville Community Association “Movie in the Park” night, 4334 Emmalani Drive, Princeville.

• July 31: from 6-7 p.m. at Kukui Grove center stage, Lihue.

• Aug.6: from 6-7 p.m. in the Waimea Canyon School parking lot.