Member Guide

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Dear Member,On behalf of the Board of Directors and employees, welcome

to Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation. Our goal is to provide you with safe and reliable electric service at the lowest possible cost.

As a new member we hope this booklet will help you better understand the benefits to being a member of this electric cooperative. This booklet contains beneficial information such as our electric rates, policies and regulations while also giving you tips about how you can conserve energy. Also included in this book is information about community programs and exciting opportunities we offer to our members.

Another excellent information resource is our frequently updated website. Visit www.syemc.com weekly for news releases, to view our company newsletters and to see all the ways our co-op is working for you.

Again, welcome to our cooperative. You are now part owner of an electric cooperative that serves approximately 27,000 accounts in Surry, Yadkin, Wilkes, Stokes and Forsyth counties. We welcome you as a Surry-Yadkin EMC member and we look forward to serving you!

Greg PuckettExecutive Vice President & General Manager

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What is Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation?

Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation, your rural electric cooperative, serves members in Surry, Yadkin, Wilkes, Stokes and Forsyth counties, under purposes of the Articles of Incorporation as follows:

Purchase, transmit and distribute electric energy to members only. Power is purchased from NCEMC on a wholesale basis.

To do all such acts and things as may be useful, necessary, or convenient for the accomplishment of the purposes in these Articles of Incorporation expressed or any of them, provided, however, that all of the operations of the association shall be on a cooperative basis, not for profit, and for the use and benefit of its members.

Each member has one vote - and at annual meetings the members elect directors whom they entrust with the responsibility of operating your cooperative through a hired staff. Your cooperative is not an agency of any local, state or federal government.

Aims of Our CooperativeThe aims of the cooperative are three-fold:A. to make adequate and dependable service available to all members and

to all unserved persons within its service area desiring to become members;B. to render such service without discrimination on a cooperative basis

at the lowest cost consistent with sound economy and good management;C. to fulfill its obligations as a responsible business citizen in furthering

the general welfare of the citizens of the community in which it operates.

Who Owns Surry-Yadkin EMC? YOU DO!Your electric cooperative is owned by is members - you, the consumer!

This means the member is one of the most important people in our organization. They select cooperative directors who in turn hire the general manager who hires the employees that keep the power flowing on the lines and take your call when you have a concern or issue. They also share in any profit margins that the cooperative may realize.

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Facts About the Cooperative• Not-for-Profit organization founded in 1940

• Serves approximately 27,000 accounts

• Approximately 3,980 miles of energized distribution and transmission lines

• 55 full-time employees

• Serve 5 counties (Surry, Yadkin, Wilkes, Stokes & Forsyth)

• Our average residential account uses 1,200 kWh per month

Capital Credits - Your Profits ReturnedBeing a member of an electric cooperative entitles you to a share of the

capital that remains at the end of each year. Member dividends are the members’ share of the co-op’s net margins, calculated by revenue minus all expenses. Each member’s share is figured as a percentage of how much electricity they purchased in a given year.

Margins are retained to provide working capital for new construction and system improvements. They are used to fund these projects so money will not have to be borrowed and to keep rates as low as possible.

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Your Board of DirectorsSurry-Yadkin EMC’s ten-member board of directors is elected by

the members of the Cooperative and is entrusted to establish policies and procedures.

Board Officers: President ................................. Lee Von (Toby) Speaks Vice President ................................... Willard L. Swift Secretary...........................................Karoline Overby Treasurer .....................................James Aubrey Joyce

Directors:Bobby Adams, J.C. Brooks, Grady V. Nichols,

David Pendry, Alvin Reid & Benny Wiles

Annual Meeting of MembersEvery year an annual meeting of the members of Surry-Yadkin EMC

is held primarily to inform the membership of the financial and operating condition of their Cooperative, as well as to elect directors.

The annual meeting is very important to the continued success of your Cooperative and we hope that you, too, will feel it is important and will attend every year. Usually there are prizes awarded and fine entertainment at each meeting.

The date of the Annual Meeting of the members is at present set for the first Saturday in October.

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Keeping You Informed

WEBSITE: Visit www.syemc.com for up-to-date news, community programs, energy efficiency tips, to view newsletters and to pay and view your electric bill.

CAROLINA COUNTRY MAGAZINE: The Carolina Country magazine is published monthly by North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation with which Surry-Yadkin EMC is affiliated. Every member of the co-op receives a copy of this magazine in the mail. It is filled with a variety of informative and entertaining subjects.

THE CO-OP NEWS: The Co-op News is published by Surry-Yadkin EMC and can be found in the middle of your Carolina Country magazine monthly. It reports news of interest in the Surry-Yadkin EMC area and offers information of value to our members.

Office & Service HoursOur office is open for business between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5

p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays. Routine and regular service work is performed during these office hours. No routine or regular service work will be performed on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. Emergency service work is performed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Mailing Address Street Address P.O. Box 305 510 South Main Street Dobson, NC 27017-0305 Dobson, NC 27017

Local: 356-82411-800-682-5903www.syemc.com

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To Report an OutageIf you need to report a power outage, call (336) 356-8241 or 1-800-682-

5903. It is important that your phone number be listed correctly on your account. Please keep the magnet, located inside this information packet, on your fridge or have the following pieces of information available when calling to report trouble:

Phone Number

Account Number

Meter Number

This information will make reporting your outage much easier. If your information changes, please keep our office updated so that we can have accurate information to identify you during trouble.

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Payment Options

Pay by MailUsing the remittance stub on your bill, you may send in payment by mail to:

P.O. Box 305Dobson, NC 27017

We ask that you do not mail cash and that you mail your payment at least 5 to 7 business days before the due date. *Notice: When you provide a check as payment, you authorize us either to use information from your check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction.

Pay in PersonYou may pay your bill in our office Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our office is located at :

510 South Main StreetDobson, NC 27017

Night Drop BoxIf you need to make a payment with a check or money order after business hours, you are welcome to place a payment in our night drop box, located past our drive-thru window. We ask that you include your bill stub and write your account number on the envelopes provided so your account is credited correctly.

Pay OnlineView and pay your bill on our secure website (www.syemc.com) using your credit or debit card. We accept Visa, Mastercard or Discover Card.

Pay by PhoneUse our FREE automated system by calling (336) 356-8241 or 1-800-682-5903 and Press 2.

*PLEASE NOTE - A $3 service fee will be applied to bill payments made through a Billing Representative.

Bank Draft (Electronic Funds Transfer)Your account can be set up for automatic draft from your checking account on the 1st, 10th, 15th or 25th of the month depending on your billing cycle. This will eliminate missed or late payments.

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Schedule of RatesSurry Yadkin EMC offers the following rates:

Single-Phase General Service (Rate 1)Basic Facilities Charge: $22.00Energy Charges:0 -1500 kWh 10.68 ¢ Over 1500 kWh 10.16 ¢WPCA charges may apply

Residential Conservation Service (Rate 2)Basic Facilities Charge: $22.00Energy Charges:0 - 600 kWh 10.68 ¢600 -1500 kWh 10.06 ¢Over 1500 kWh 9.57 ¢WPCA charges may apply

Surry-Yadkin EMC offers a conservation rate to its members. It is designed as an incentive for members who have insulated their homes to certain standards. You may be eligible for this conservation rate if you are building a new home or updating an older home by installing insulation or adding to your present insulation. There are a list of requirements your home must meet to qualify. Contact our office and ask our Billing Department if your home qualifies.

SSI Supplemental Security Service (Rate 7)Basic Facility Charge: $22.00Energy Charge:0-600 kWh 10.41¢600-1500 kWh 10.68¢Over 1500 kWh 10.16¢

This rate benefits individuals who draw SSI income and meet four (4) requirements. Visit our website at www.syemc.com or call our Billing Department for more information.

*Additional Rates for Large Power users can be obtained from our Billing Department.

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Schedule of Fees

Security Deposit (Residential)If required, $250.00 or two times the average monthly bill, whichever is greater.

Security Deposit Interest Rate Varies

Connect Fee $25

Yard Light Relocation Fee At Cost

Line Relocation At Cost

Conversion of existing overhead to underground service

At Cost

Aid-To-Construction At Cost

Penalty Charge 1.5% of past due balance

Disconnect Notice Fee $5

Trip Charge $25

Return Check $25

Meter Test Fee

$75 (Charge will be refunded if meter’s margin of error is greater than 2% for a mechanical meter; or 0.5% for solid state meter)

Reconnect Charge (from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

$35 (Monday-Friday)

Reconnect Charge (4:00 p.m.—11:00 p.m.)

$75 (Monday-Friday, weekends and holidays)

Reconnect Charge (After 11:00 p.m.)

$100 (Monday-Friday, weekends and holidays)

Meter Tampering $100

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What is Operation Round Up?The purpose of the Operation Round Up program is to collect funds to

provide assistance for special needs in the communities Surry-Yadkin EMC serves, particularly in situations where help is not available from other sources. For example, if an individual or family lost their home to a fire, the Round Up fund could provide immediate assistance (food, clothing, shelter). In addition to emergency situations the Operation Round Up program could provide assistance to meet health and medical needs. Many families with a catastrophic illness (cancer, organ transplants, etc.) have been given assistance. Each need will be reviewed when an application for assistance is submitted.

Applications for assistance will be accepted for review by the Round Up Fund Board of Directors, which consist of a volunteer representative from each county in the SYEMC service territory. All applications will be thoroughly reviewed and funds will be allocated when applicants substantiate a genuine need. Applications may be obtained at the Surry-Yadkin EMC office or by contacting Erica Johnson. Applications can be mailed, emailed or faxed to interested applicants. This program allows cooperatives, with the helps of their members, to put money back into their local communities to improve the quality of life for everyone. After all, this is what cooperatives are all about, “People Helping People.”How does the program work?

Members can volunteer to have their monthly electric bill “rounded up” to the nearest dollar. For example, if a member’s monthly bill is $80.80, the bill would be “rounded up” to $81.00 with the .20 cents going into the Round Up fund. The average donation will be about $6.00 a year. All donations are tax deductible and will be shown on your electric bill each month.How does one participate?

Participation in the Round Up program is voluntary. If you want to be included in the Round Up program, do nothing and you will automatically be a participant. If you DO NOT wish to participate, please let the office know by calling (336) 356-8241.

SYEMC Members Round Up Fund, Inc.

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Community Programs

Rural Electric Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. & ScholarshipSurry-Yadkin EMC sends one high school student each year to

Washington, D.C. to learn about how cooperatives were formed and what we offer to our local communities. During the trip, students meet with their elected officials at the Capitol, tour our nation’s museums and get the opportunity to make friends from all across the country. Along with the trip, we also give the winning representative a $1,500 college

scholarship. To qualify, you must be a rising senior and live in a home that has electric service with our co-op. Applications are accepted beginning January of each year and the tour takes place in June. Visit www.syemc.com for more information.

Touchstone Energy Sports Camp ScholarshipsEach year, Surry-Yadkin EMC awards a basketball

camp scholarship to two middle school students in our service territory. We award one young woman the opportunity to attend the Kellie Harper Women’s Basketball Camp at NC State University and one young man is sent to the Roy Williams Basketball Camp at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both camps are for students who will be in 6-8th grade and take place in the summer. Applications are accepted in the spring and more information can be found by watching for announcements in our Carolina Country newsletter and by visiting www.syemc.com.

Bright Ideas GrantsThe Bright Ideas grant program helps teachers fund creative classroom

projects that may otherwise be left out of their curriculum due to limited financial resources. Each year, Surry-Yadkin EMC gives a total of $6,250 dollars out to area schools.

If you are a K-12 teacher and are interested in this program, you can visit the Bright Ideas website at www.ncbrightideas.com to learn more. On this website you can view examples of applications, learn more about how the program works and also submit your application online.

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Check out “TogetherWeSave.com”From our home page, check out our link to TogetherWeSave.com,

Touchstone Energy’s interactive website that offers energy efficiency resources, tools and tips to help you manage your energy usage. Small changes can add up!

Energy Efficiency Programs OfferedSurry-Yadkin EMC is actively promoting a variety of energy efficiency

programs that can help reduce your electric bill. Special programs are offered throughout the year. Visit syemc.com, check our newsletter (located in the Carolina Country Magazine) or contact our office for more information about what programs are currently being offered to help you save.

Move Over LawThe North Carolina Move Over law requires motorists approaching or

passing any public service or utility vehicle that is operating a warning signal to reduce speed and move their vehicles into a nearby lane if possible. This includes electric utility vehicles stopped on roadway shoulders, with amber lights flashing. If the roadway has only one lane for proceeding traffic, or if the approaching vehicle may not change lanes safely, the motorist must slow the vehicle and proceed at a reduced speed. Failure to do so can create a safety hazard for the worker and can result in a $500 fine for the driver of the vehicle.

Call *811 Before you DigIf you need underground lines located, contact NC 811 before you dig!

Within two business days, your underground utilities will be located. This service is free to our members. For more information about how this service works and why it was formed, visit www.nc811.org.

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RUS Statement of Non-Discrimination

Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation is the recipient of Federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and the rules of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of this organization’s programs or activities.

The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Lisa Rippey, Executive Assistant. Any individual or specific class of individuals, who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination, may file a written complaint with this organization; or the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250; or the Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, Washington, D.C. 20250. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discriminatory action, or by such later date to which the Secretary of Agriculture or the Administrator of RUS extends the time for filing. Identity of complaints will be kept confidential except to the extent necessary to carry out the purpose of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

W. Gregory Puckett,Executive Vice President & General Manager January 16, 2012

Surry-Yadkin ElectricMembership Corporation

510 South Main Street

P.O. Box 305

Dobson, NC 27017

Local (336) 356-8241

Toll Free (800) 682-5903

Fax (336) 356-9744

www.syemc.com