Nine years ago, electric cooperatives across the country introduced Touchstone Energy, a national branding effort that has attracted over 650 TE co-ops across the country, now representing over 15 million customers. The effort was a move to make customers everywhere more familiar with electric cooperatives.

Research done prior to the branding effort showed that overall, customers of cooperatives – in which members have a direct voice in the operation of the business – were pleased with their electric service. Each cooperative, like United, is independently owned by the people who are its customers. Collectively they all have much in common. But many people are now familiar with cooperatives, and thus, one name was chosen to bring them under one identity.

No, there has been no change in local ownership. Each electric co-op is still independently owned and operated by its consumers. But now they are collectively known as Touchstone Energy, and people everywhere can readily identify what an electric cooperative stands for regardless of where they live – or will someday move to.

Electric cooperatives that have joined the Touchstone Energy effort – and the number is still growing –share not only a name, but a level of service. They are now all Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, and must meet national standards. In time, under deregulation, consumers will know that when they have a choice as to their power supplier,  Touchstone Energy remains a constant for reliable service and competitive prices.

Touchstone Energy can be seen in many places – from national TV and print advertising, to sporting events such as the Touchstone Energy Tucson Open golf tournament. Touchstone Energy logos now appear on your United REMC monthly statement, vehicle signs, employee clothing, building signage, stationery, and much more. Co-ops such as United have joined with others in northeast Indiana to place radio, TV, billboard, newspaper advertising promoting the Touchstone Energy theme.

With the new brand name is a slogan, "The Power of Human Connections." It is a reminder that electric cooperatives are locally owned and operated, not by people in some faraway corporate office, but by people who live in local communities and are your neighbors.

Official Touchstone Energy Website

Indiana Touchstone Energy Home Program