November 2016

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IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Jitterbug is owned by GreatCall, Inc. Your invoices will come from GreatCall. Plans and Services require purchase of a Jitterbug phone and a one-time setup fee of $35. Monthly fees do not include government taxes or assessment surcharges and are subject to change. Coverage is not available everywhere. 5Star or 9-1-1 calls can only be made when cellular service is available. 1We will refund the full price of the Jitterbug phone and the activation fee (or setup fee) if it is returned within 30 days of purchase in like-new condition. We will also refund your first monthly service charge if you have less than 30 minutes of usage. If you have more than 30 minutes of usage, a per minute charge of 35 cents will be deducted from your refund for each minute over 30 minutes. You will be charged a $10 restocking fee. The shipping charges are not refundable. There are no additional fees to call GreatCall’s U.S.-based customer service. However, for calls to a GreatCall Operator in which a service is completed, you will be charged 99 cents per call, and minutes will be deducted from your monthly rate plan balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Operator. Jitterbug and GreatCall are registered trademarks of GreatCall, Inc. ©2016 GreatCall, Inc. ©2016 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

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November 2016 3

“The Rural Voice of Nebraska”

Volume 70, Number 11, November 2016

FeaturesNuclear power: the overlooked energy resource 6 About one in every five electrons running through the wires inyour home comes from a nuclear power plant. What does thefuture hold for nuclear power in the United States? Writer PaulWesslund explains why nuclear power continues to serve as areliable source of generation.

Preparing for Cyber Attacks 12 Cyber-attacks are one of many risks electric utilities have tomanage, but the threat to sensitive data and financial accounts islarger than it is to the physical grid itself. Writer Thomas Kirkreports on how rural electric utilities are facing this high-techthreat.

Departments

On the coverNebraska’s farmers and ranchers have been using wind power in the statefor more than 120 years. Photograph by Wayne Price

Contents

GUEST EDITORIAL 4

SAFETY BRIEFS — Murphy 16

CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS by Pat Keegan 18

RECIPES 20

MARKETPLACE/CLASSIFIEDS 22

StaffEditor

Wayne PriceEditorial Assistant

Tina Schweitzer

Published by the

Visit us at www.nrea.orgGeneral ManagerTroy Bredenkamp

PresidentDavid Keener,

Niobrara Electric Association, Inc.Vice President/Secretary

Butch Gray, Cornhusker Public Power District

TreasurerGreg Weidner,

Elkhorn Rural Public Power District

Published monthly by the Nebraska Rural ElectricAssociation, 1244 K Street, Box 82048, Lincoln,Nebraska 68501, (402) 475-4988.Advertising in the Rural Electric Nebraskan doesnot imply endorsement for products by theNebraska Rural Electric Association.Correspondence should be sent to Wayne Price,Editor, Rural Electric Nebraskan, Box 82048,Lincoln, NE 68501.The Rural Electric Nebraskan is printed by theAradius Group, 4700 F Street, Omaha, NE 68117.Form 3579 should be sent to the Rural ElectricNebraskan, Box 82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, Neb.POSTMASTER: send address changes to theRural Electric Nebraskan, 1244 K Street, Box82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.Publication numbers are USPS 071-630 and ISSN0193-4937.Rates: $10 for one year; $15 for two years; $20for three years, plus local and state tax.

Rural Electric Nebraskan4

EDITOR’S PAGE

by Wayne Price

reader called my office recently tochide me for not including the cost ofgeneration resources in an article

that appeared in the Rural ElectricNebraskan. He felt like by leaving out theactual costs we were misleading readers.I explained that I didn’t mean to mislead

anyone but I could see where he was comingfrom. It is sometimes difficult to know whatdetails are going to be important to themajority of our readers, especially on sometopics that are more complex. The cost of electric generation is one such

topic. The folks at the National RuralElectric Cooperative Association puttogether a chart thatshows the cost ofvarious forms of newgeneration based oneach kilowatt-hourproduced, according to2015 figures from theU.S. EnergyInformationAdministration. What isn’t part of

the chart is whetheror not thesegeneration sources aredispatchable or non-dispatchable.Electricity that can becalled on at any timeis “dispatchable”.These fuels includenuclear, coal, and geothermal and areconsidered the baseload of the generationmix. Fuels that generate electricity

intermittently are called “non-dispatchable”.These include wind, solar and hydro. Theyare only available during certain times, likewhen the wind is blowing, when the sun isshining and when water levels are highenough to power a turbine.Making sure everyone has electricity

requires utilities to have enoughdispatchable demand to cover its highestpeak load. When demand rises quickly, likearound 5 p.m. when people get home fromwork or around 7 a.m. when people are

starting their day, this increase in demandhas to be met immediately. If you have towait for the wind to blow or the sun to shine,the system will fail. When the total demand level increases in

Nebraska, utilities have to add dispatchablepower equal to the demand increase. I’m not saying that renewable resources

like wind and solar shouldn’t be part of theenergy mix. They just can’t be relied onbecause they might not be there when youneed it. That could lead to a brownout orblackout on the electric grid. Electric storage is a subject that gets a lot

of attention in the media but there is stillwork to be done onthis technology beforeit is feasible oreconomical. Thestationary homebattery being built byTesla, called thePowerwall, wassupposed to beavailable this yearbut is looking morelike it will be nextyear. A 10 kWh unit isexpected to cost$3,500 and could becharged by the grid, asolar array, or smallscale wind turbine. Intheory, it wouldsupply your home

with electricity during those times whenpower wasn’t available from the solar array,wind turbine or grid. Another factor to consider when figuring

the cost of renewables is the tax breaks andsubsidies that are given to wind farminvestments. These benefits are often theprime motivation for companies to invest insuch projects. Many of these monetaryincentives aren’t available in Nebraskabecause we do not have any investor ownedutilities. Maybe that’s why companies arehesitant to build wind farms in Nebraska,even though we are ranked as one of the topstates in the country for potential windenergy generation.

ACalculating the cost of wind power in Nebraska

Since Medicare and most private insurance do not cover hearing aids, ENT physician Dr. Cherukuri made it his personal goal to come up with a game-changing solution that customers could actually afford.

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Rural Electric Nebraskan6

by Paul Wesslund

s energy headlines screamabout a war on coal, frackingthat’s pumping up a lot of

low-priced natural gas and the rise ofwind and solar power, one form ofelectric generation quietly continuesto keep the lights on. About one in every five electronsrunning through the wires in yourhome comes from a nuclear powerplant. Even if you already knew that, youprobably haven’t given it muchthought lately. There are goodreasons for that lack of attention—nuclear power has been reliable andaffordable. Nuclear became one of our mainfuels for electricity by overcominghuge obstacles to a pretty simpleidea—heating water into steam thatturns a turbine that generateselectricity, similar to the way a coal-burning power plant works. Thedifference is that in a nuclear powerplant, the fuel is uranium, and itdoesn’t burn. Instead, the heat isgenerated by splitting the uraniumatoms, releasing large amounts ofenergy from very small amounts offuel. But the details are hugelycomplicated. Highly advancedphysics and engineering were neededto build the first nuclear plants inthe 1950s. And the dangers ofradioactivity called for extremesafety measures. Regulating thetechnically complex industry falls tothe Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC), an independent agency of the

federal government, and its nearly4,000 employees and $1 billionbudget. In the U.S., 60 nuclear powerplants operate 100 nuclear reactors(some plant sites have more than onereactor) in 30 states. In addition toregulation by the NRC, those plantsoperate under a variety ofagreements with groups as varied asthe Department of HomelandSecurity, state and localgovernments, emergency respondersand academic researchers. The regulation and cooperativeagreements are called for because ofthe high-stakes concerns withnuclear power. In addition to thehealth and safety concerns,cybersecurity and safeguards againstpossible terrorism are regularlyreviewed. Do all these protective effortswork? The fact that nuclear powerprovides one-fifth of the electricity inthe U.S. offers evidence of itsacceptance.

Public power supports nuclear power

Public power districts and electricco-ops as a national group seenuclear power as a valuable part ofthe mix of fuels that make ourelectricity. Nebraska Public PowerDistrict (NPPD) operates CooperNuclear Station, the largest singleunit electrical generator in the state.CNS is located south of Brownville,Neb., on the Missouri river. Supportservices are provided by Entergy

Nuclear Nebraska through 2029. CNS, which has performed safelysince it was first put into operationin July of 1974, generates 810megawatts of electricity. This wouldbe enough power to supply theLincoln and Grand Island areasduring their highest summer usageperiod. Nebraska Public Power District(NPPD) owns and operates CNS;however, it has contracts to share aportion of the electricity it generateswith other utilities. The remainder ofthe power is used by NPPD ormarketed to other utilities. Around20 percent of NPPD’s total annualgeneration comes from CNS. CNS is a steam-electric plant.Steam turns a turbine-generator,which produces electricity. Unlike

Nuclear power: the overlooked energy sourceWill the controversial source of electricity grow,

shrink or stay about the same?

A

traditional fossil fuel plants thatburn coal, oil or gas in a boiler, atCNS the water is heated by thefission of nuclear fuel in a nuclearreactor. The facility is named afterHumboldt, Neb., natives Guy Cooper,Jr., and Guy Cooper, Sr., inrecognition of their contribution topublic power in Nebraska. Nebraska’s other nuclear powerplant will cease operations by theend of the year. The Omaha PublicPower District Board of Directorsdetermined it was in the bestfinancial interest of the district andits customer-owners to retire FortCalhoun Station (FCS), located nearBlair, Neb., by the end of 2016. The decision is expected to causeno general rate increase for the next

five years, through 2021. This movefurthers the district’s goal ofpursuing rates that are 20 percentbelow the regional average. Senior management made theclosure recommendation in Mayafter a thorough review of variousfuture resource portfolio scenarios.The review was requested by BoardChair Mick Mines in April. Accordingto extensive modeling conducted by athird party, Pace Global, ceasingoperations at FCS and rebalancingthe generation portfolio will save thedistrict between $735 million and$994 million over the next 20 years. Factors that went into the decisionincluded market conditions, lownatural gas prices which reduceOPPD’s cost to generate electricityusing natural gas, and the fact that

consumers are using less energy. The economies of scale were also afactor. FCS is the smallest ratedcommercial unit in North America,based on accredited capability.Larger and multi-unit nuclear plantscan spread costs over high levels ofproduction. Slow load growth and increasingregulatory and operational costshave led to the recent earlyretirement of several other U.S.nuclear generating stations. These closures do not meannuclear is not a viable source ofproducing electricity. An officialmembership resolution of theNational Rural Electric CooperativeAssociation (NRECA) calls for“legislative and regulatory initiativesto support the continuation andexpansion of nuclear power.” Dale Bradshaw describes whyrural electric utilities see nuclearpower as a good way to generateelectricity. Bradshaw is CEO ofElectrivation LLC, a firm thatconsults on power generation anddelivery with groups that includeNRECA. “Nuclear power is safe and emitsno carbon dioxide,” he says, notingthe industry’s safety and securitysystems and the lack of greenhousegas. Bradshaw also sees advantages ofnuclear power over the increasinglypopular renewable energies of windand solar, since solar doesn’t produceenergy at night and wind doesn’t

November 2016 7

More on Page 8

NRC Senior Resident InspectorSilas Kennedy performs a routineinspection at the Calvert CliffsNuclear Power Plant in Lusby,Maryland. Photograph provided bythe Nuclear Regulatory Commission

work in calm weather. “We need nuclear for reliability; itruns around the clock,” he says,adding, “existing nuclear reactors arebasically cost competitive—it’s a low-cost resource.”

A bright future for nuclear power

So if nuclear power is so great, whyisn’t it used for more than 20 percentof our electricity? The need for fuel diversity is onereason, but Bradshaw says growth innuclear power use is being restrictedby a unique combination of forces.The drilling boom of the past severalyears has dramatically lowerednatural gas prices, and variousgovernment subsidies have reducedthe costs of wind and solar.Electricity markets base energyprices on the lowest cost producersand because of the recent low cost ofnatural gas and continued subsidies

for renewables, prices are too low tosupport the building of new nuclearunits. When utilities make theirbuying decisions, nuclear power oftenis not the preferred choice thesedays. But Bradshaw sees a potentiallybright future for nuclear power,referring to today’s market forces as“a short-term problem.” He notesthat natural gas prices have startedrising, and that the tax breakskeeping wind and solar costs low willexpire in a few years. He adds thatresearchers are developing nuclearplant designs that will be even safer,lower in cost and will extend the lifeof existing nuclear fuel. “There are advanced reactortechnologies in the early stages ofdevelopment that might allow us inthe next 20 years to build thesetechnologies for 25 percent of the costof existing nuclear plants,” saysBradshaw. “Advanced nuclear willmore efficiently use the fuel andbecome essentially sustainable withthousands of years of fuel supply, andbe more price competitive in themarket.”

Rural Electric Nebraskan8

Nuclear powerFrom page 7

Highly advanced physics and engineering were needed to build the firstnuclear plants in the 1950s. In this photograph, Senator John F. Kennedylistens to Dr. Alvin Weinberg, director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory,in Tennessee, February 1959. Photograph provided by Department of Energy

Did you know heating and coolingaccounts for roughly half of yourhome’s energy use? Caulkingcracks and gaps around windows,doors and spaces around wires(telephone, electrical, cable andgas lines), water spigots anddryer vents can pay off with bigenergy savings. *Approximate cost: $5-$30 *Energysavings: Approx. 5-10 percent –Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy

Materials You Will Need: Caulk, caulk gun, knife or tool to

cut, rags, water

PREP: Clean the area where youwill be applying the caulk. Removeany dirt, loose paint or old, crackedcaulk. Be sure the area is dry beforeapplying new caulk appropriate foryour application. LOAD: You will need to pull theplunger all the way back to load thetube of caulk into the barrel of thecaulking gun. Next, squeeze the trigger a fewtimes until the plunger makescontact with the tube. Squeeze onceor twice more to fill the tip withcaulk. APPLY: To figure out the rightamount of caulk needed, experimentwith an out-of-the-way section. Youmay find that you need less caulkthan you thought. Hold the gun at a slight angle.Apply steady pressure on the triggerto create a solid stream from the tip,which should be placed 1/2 inch orless from the intended destination ofthe material. Use just enough caulk to do the job.Use your finger to gently press thecaulk into the corner, crack or space. RELEASE: Once the trigger isfully depressed, allow it to springback and depress it again. Keep thegun moving while caulk is stillcoming out of the tip. CLEAN: Use a damp cloth or ragto clean off most of the excess caulk.Use a dry cloth to clean off the rest.

Seal air leaks with

CAULK

November 2016 9

inter storms can causeprolonged power outages byweighing power lines down

with ice, causing trees to fall intolines, or creating hazardous roadconditions resulting in vehicleaccidents with power poles. To safetyweather a winter outage, you need toprepare and know what to do when astorm strikes. When the lights go out, you shouldfirst contact your utility company toinform them of the outage. Once theyare aware of an outage, they willimmediately begin the assessmentand restoration process. How long ittakes to get your power restoreddepends on the extent off the storm’sdestruction, the number of outages,and when it becomes safe for utilitypersonnel to get to the affected areas.Until the power comes back on, do allyou can to keep your familycomfortable. A storm preparedness kit can helpyou do this. The kit will need to be

assembled ahead of time and shouldinclude such items as: bottled water,non-perishable food, blankets, warmclothing, first aid kit/medicine,flashlight, radio, extra batteries, andtoiletries. Monitor the temperature in yourhome. Infants and elderly people aremore susceptible to the cold. You maywant to stay with friends or relativesor go to a shelter if you cannot keepyour home warm. There are many ways to stay warmduring a winter power outage. First,dress warm and cover up in layers ofblankets. Next, remember to close offunneeded rooms and place draftblocks at the bottom of doors tominimize cold air entering the house.Cover the windows at night to keepthe cold air out. Finally, avoid goingoutside. Opening doors will let coldair in and going outside will makeyou more vulnerable to the cold. If you are using an alternativeheating source, be sure to know how

to use it safely and that you have allsupplies gathered for it. Followoperating instructions, use firesafeguards, and properly ventilate.Always keep a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher nearbyand know how to use it. Use caution when using a portablegenerator. These should never beoperated indoors because they omitdeadly carbon monoxide.Additionally, never plug it into a walloutlet. This is an importantprecaution in preventing potentiallydeadly backfeed, which occurs whenelectricity travels from the generatorback through the power lines. Take steps to protect your circuitsand appliances before power isrestored by switching off lights andunplugging everything. Leave onelight switched on as a quickreminder that the power is restored. Source: SafeElectricity.org.

Weathering a winter power outage safely

W

Rural Electric Nebraskan10

ating carrots will greatlyimprove your eyesight,cracking your knuckles leads

to arthritis, watching too much TVwill harm your vision. We’ve allheard the old wives’ tales, but didyou know there are also manymisconceptions about home energyuse? Don’t be fooled by commonenergy myths. Myth: The higher thethermostat setting, the faster thehome will heat (or cool). Many people think that walkinginto a chilly room and raising thethermostat to 85 degrees will heat theroom more quickly. This is not true. Thermostats direct a home’s HVACsystem to heat or cool to a certaintemperature. Drastically adjustingthe thermostat setting will not makea difference in how quickly you feelwarmer. The same is true for cooling.The Department of Energyrecommends setting your thermostatto 78 degrees during summermonths, and 68 degrees duringwinter months. Myth: Opening the oven doorto check on a dish doesn’t reallywaste energy. While it can be tempting to checkthe progress of that dish you'recooking in the oven, opening the ovendoor does waste energy. Every timethe oven door is opened, thetemperature inside is reduced by asmuch as 25 degrees, delaying theprogress of your dish and, moreimportantly, costing you additionalmoney. If you need to check theprogress of a dish, try using the ovenlight instead. Myth: Ceiling fans keep yourhome cool while you’re away. Believe it or not, many peoplethink this is true. Ceiling fans coolpeople, not rooms. Ceiling fanscirculate room air but do not changethe temperature. A running ceilingfan in an empty room is only addingto your electricity use. Remember toturn fans off when you’re away andreduce your energy use.

Myth: Reducing my energy useis too expensive. Many consumers believe thatreducing energy use requiresexpensive up-front costs, likepurchasing new, more efficientappliances or construction upgradesto an older home. But the truth is,consumers who make small changesto their energy efficiency habits, suchas turning off lights when not in use,sealing air leaks and using aprogrammable thermostat, can see areduction in energy consumption. Myth: Closing vents andregisters in unused rooms savesenergy. The heating and cooling system inyour house is designed to function asbalanced systems; by closing off onevent, it places a strain on other areasof the system, forcing it to use moreenergy rather than less. There’s no

point in shutting off vents andregisters in an effort to save energy– you’re probably doing the oppositeinstead. A better way is to set thethermostat a couple of degreeshigher in summer or lower in winter. Myth: Save energy by washingdishes by hand instead of thedishwasher. What many people may not realizeis that hand washing dishes actuallyuses more hot water per load thanusing a dishwasher. Many moderndishwashers have energy efficiencysettings that use less water andenergy to keep costs down. Takeadvantage of these settings to savemoney and energy when doing yourdishes. Remember, energy efficiencydoesn’t have to be difficult. Focus onsmall changes to save big. Source: NRECA; RESNET

EDon’t be fooled by common energy myths

Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, worry-free and literally puts the world at your fingertips.

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Rural Electric Nebraskan12

he specter of cyber-attacks onour nation’s criticalinfrastructure brings to mind

Hollywood depictions like WarGames or Mr. Robot. But howdangerous are cyber-attacks?Currently, cyber-attacks are one ofmany risks electric utilities have tomanage, but the threat to sensitivedata and financial accounts is largerthan it is to the physical grid itself.According to Chris Inglis, formerdeputy director of the NationalSecurity Agency, “I don't thinkparalysis [of the electrical grid] ismore likely by cyber-attack than bynatural disaster. And frankly, thenumber-one threat experienced todate by the U.S. electrical grid issquirrels.” While there are examples of cyber-attacks on utility systems, they’rerare. A recent cyber-attack ondistribution control systems inUkraine led to an outage thataffected 225,000 customers inDecember 2015. In the case of theUkraine attack, electricity wasrestored within three to six hours bymanually operating switches. Somefirmware was permanently damaged,but there was no damage togeneration equipment. A cyber-attack – especiallycybercrime – is a risk for electricutilities. Every year, cybercrime coststhe U.S. billions of dollars. For publicpower districts and electriccooperatives, the average cyberinsurance claim costs $733,000according to Bill West, vice presidentof underwriting at Federated RuralElectric Insurance Exchange. Toprotect against malicious hackers,cooperatives are implementingdifferent defensive strategiesincluding penetration testing, stafftraining, application whitelisting andinvesting in innovative research anddevelopment.

T

by Thomas Kirk

November 2016 13

Penetration testing involves payinga third party to hack your networkfrom the outside. Penetration testers,or pen testers, provide a report of theexploits they used in order to showthe utility its areas for improvement.The goal is to find weaknesses thatare visible to attackers and to patchthem before malicious hackersdiscover them. Public power districts and electricco-ops are also investing in stafftraining to teach employees how torecognize threats. Often hackers willtarget people rather than systemsthrough phishing – emails designedto make you click a link, or socialengineering, which manipulatespeople into clicking a link, visiting aspecific web page or sharingconfidential information. Typicalcyber security training includes waysto identify common scams and how tostay safer online. Another emerging strategy isapplication whitelisting. This is bestunderstood as the reverse ofblacklisting, which is how many spamfilters and anti-virus programs run.Blacklisting is a way to maintain alist of all malicious programs andblock them when they appear. Inwhitelisting, only programs on anapproved list are allowed to run. Thishelps to prevent unidentifiedmalicious programs from running andgives the utility tighter control overwhat programs are allowed. Lastly, rural electric utilities areinvesting in innovative research. TheDepartment of Energy is providingsupport in a $15 million, three-yearpartnership with the National RuralElectric Cooperative Association(NRECA) and the American PublicPower Association. NRECA will useits $7.5 million share to make cutting-edge cyber security expertise andtechnology more accessible to therural electric utility community.

While public power districts and electric co-opsare taking steps to protect the network, there areseveral steps you can take to protect your personalinformation online. • Don’t give out secure or confidential informationto anyone you don’t know, or whose identity youcan’t verify. This includes both on-line and on thephone. • Keep your software up to date. • Think before clicking any links or openingattachments in an email. Many viruses can “spoof”the return address, making it look like the messagecame from someone else. If you can, check with theperson who supposedly sent the message to makesure it’s legitimate before opening anyattachments. If an email link or attachment seemssuspicious, don’t open it. If it happens at work,report it to the appropriate person on your staff assuspicious. • Use strong passwords or passphrases with a mixof characters, and don’t reuse the same passwordfor multiple sites no matter how strong it is. If a siteis compromised, then that password iscompromised, and any other sites that use thatsame password are vulnerable as well. Considerinvesting in a password manager. • Be careful using any public wifi network.Network traffic can be easily monitored. Logginginto your bank account or other sensitive sites froman open wifi network can compromise yoursecurity. No single list of tips is comprehensive orguaranteed to keep you safe. Exercise goodjudgment and continue learning about ways toprotect yourself against cybercrime.

Tips to avoid becoming a cybercrime statistic

y now, most Nebraskans havelikely heard of the “smartgrid.” This phrase is being used

to describe the computerization ofAmerica’s electrical infrastructure.The purpose of this computerizationis to improve the reliability, efficiency,resiliency and security of the electricgrid. A key component of the smart gridis an advanced meteringinfrastructure, also known as AMI inthe utility world. AMI systems utilizedigital meters as well as computertechnology to measure electric use athomes and businesses more preciselythan was possible with analog meters.The digital meters communicate viaradio or the existing power lines andhave been loosely termed as “smartmeters.” AMI benefits rural electricutility consumers with greateraccuracy in billing, faster outagerestoration, operational savingsversus manual meter reading anddetailed data that you and yourutility can use to manage electric usemuch more accurately. Unfortunately, a number of mythshave developed over the yearsconcerning smart meters. Thesemyths can be classified into threecategories: privacy concerns, securityand health effects. Let’s take a look ateach, starting with privacy. Nebraska’s public power districts

and electric cooperatives takes greatpains to keep your informationprivate – and that informationincludes the details of your electricuse. The only people who see thatdata are utility employees and you.Your public power district or electricco-op will not release this informationto anyone else without your specificpermission. The myths are that thedata collected can tell when you arehome or away and exactly what youare doing when you are there andthat this data is being given to thegovernment. Naturally, the data willshow when you are home because formost families, energy consumption ishigher then. But having said that, thecurrent smart meter cannot identifywhat activities are taking place downto the specific appliance in use. Thismyth is simply unfounded. What about the myth that thesemeters actually make the electric gridless secure by providing an avenue forhackers to break into systemsthrough the smart meter and wreakhavoc? While hackers continuallyattempt to break into electricsystems, their focus is at higher levelsin the operation. Hacking a meter isunlikely for a variety of reasons.Hackers like to work remotely via theInternet, and smart meters don’t offerthat option. Radio-based smartmeters require the hacker to be

nearby to catch the weakcommunication signal, break theproprietary communication protocoland to be there for extended periodsof time to collect the short burst ofdata sent. Therefore, smart metersare an unlikely and unprofitabletarget for hackers. Finally there are the mythssurrounding smart meters and illeffects on health. These concernsstate that having the radio-basedsmart meter is the equivalent tohaving a cell tower attached to theside of your home. Again, this isunfounded. Let’s look at why. Numberone is that they communicateintermittently for as few as fiveminutes a day. These devices areregulated by the FederalCommunications Commission, andtheir output is well below the levelsthis Federal agency sets. As onedoctor observed, the radio wavesemitted are more like those of acordless phone or wireless router.Radio waves emitted by smart metersare much weaker and less frequentthan other sources we use on a dailybasis. We will all benefit from thecontinued development of Nebraska’ssmart grid and can rest easy with theknowledge that the rumorssurrounding radio-based smartmeters don’t hold water.

Rural Electric Nebraskan14

BBusting the myths about “smart meters”

Drug Companies Nervous as Doctors and Patients Demand the AloeCureBig Pharma execs stand to lose billions as doctors and their patients abandon drugs like Nexium® and Prilosec®. Drug free remedy could put Big Pharma out of the digestion business.

Drug company execs are nervous. That’s because the greatest health ad vance in de-cades has hit the streets. And analysts ex-pect it to put a huge crimp in “Big Pharma”

So what’s all the fuss about? It’s about a new ingredient that’s changing the lives of people who use it. Some call it “the greatest discovery since penicil lin”! And others call it “a miracle!”

The name of the product is the AloeCure. It’s not a drug. It’s something completely

anyone who wants it, at a reasonable price. But demands may force future prices to rise.

Top Doc Warns: Digestion Drugs Can Cripple You! Company spokesperson, Dr. Liza Leal, a

leading integrative health specialist out of Texas recommends Aloecure before she de-cides to prescribe any digestion drug. Espe-cially after the FDA’s stem warning about

pump inhibitors like Prilosec®, Nexium®, and Prevacid®. In a nutshell, the FDA state-ment warned people should avoid taking these digestion drugs for longer than three 14-day treatment periods because there is an increased risk of bone frac tures. Many people take them daily and for decades.

Dr. Leal should know. Many patients come to her with bone and joint com plaints and she does everything she can to help

help avoid possible risk of tragic joint and bone problems caused by overuse of diges-tion drugs is to take the AloeCure.

The secret to AloeCure’s “health ad-

Acemannan, a polysaccharide extracted from Aloe Vera. But not the same aloe vera that mom used to apply to your cuts, scrapes and burns. This is a perfect strain of aloe that is organically grown in spe-cial Asian soil under very strict conditions. AloeCure is so powerful it begins to ben-

soothes intestinal discomfort and you can

avoid the possibility of bone and health damage caused by overuse of digestion drugs. We all know how well aloe works externally on cuts, scrapes and burns. But did you know Acemannan has many of

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According to a leading aloe research sci-entist, the amazing Aloe plant has a pow-

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that chronic PPI use increases the risk of heart attack in general population.

Debilitating brain disorders are on the rise. New studies show PPI’s are linked to an increased risk of dementia. Cutting edge research shows that the health of your brain is closely linked by the state of healthy bac-teria that comes from your gut. The things happening in your belly today might be deciding your risk for any num ber of brain conditions. Studies have been ongoing

taking PPI’s at both low and high dosage also disrupts a healthy human gut!

Sleep Like A Baby A night without sleep really damages

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One of the Best-Kept Secrets in Holly-wood. Certain antacids may great ly reduce your body’s ability to break down and ab-sorb calcium. Aloe delivers calcium as it aids in balancing your stomach acidity. The result? Thicker, healthier looking hair ... more youthful looking skin ... And nails so strong they may never break again.

Save Your KidneyNational and local news outlets are re-

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Rural Electric Nebraskan16

SAFETY BRIEFS

Avoid the dangers of holiday decorationst’s the happiest season of all,but it is also one of the mostdangerous. This holiday season,

Safe Electricity encourages you to beaware of electrical hazards that comewith the season.“Holiday decorations are one of the

most festive and dangerous parts ofthe season,” says Molly Hall,executive director of the SafeElectricity program. “Combineholiday lighting, space heating, andholiday guests, and you have a lot ofsafety hazards.”With the following information

from Safe Electricity, you can keepyour season merry, bright, and safe:• Your safety precautions should

start before you begin holidaydecorating. Inspect all the lights youplan on using. Make sure the wiresare in good condition—not cracked,brittle, or frayed. The sockets shouldnot be damaged, and no light bulbsshould be missing. • All lights should be certified by

Underwriters Laboratory, ETL, orCSA. The Underwriters Laboratorysymbol is a capital UL in a circlewith the word “LISTED” below. The

ETL symbol is a capital ETL in acircle, with a small CM at the end ofthe “L”. The circle contains the wordsINTERK and LISTED. The CSAlabel is a large letter “C” around theletters “S” and “A.” You should beespecially observant of properlistings if you buy lights online. • Never tack or nail through a

strand of lights. Do not place cordsunder rugs or in high traffic areas. • Never string more than three

strands of lights together unless thepackaging says it is safe to do so. Thelights could overload and start a fire.• Turn the lights off before going to

sleep or leaving the house. A timercan help you do this. • For outdoor decorations, use only

lights and decorations that are ratedfor outdoor use. Use plastic orinsulated hooks to hang lights. • Lighted and electrical outdoor

decorations should be plugged intoground fault circuit interrupter(GFCI) protected outlets. GFCIsdetect and prevent dangerouselectrical situations where a shockmay occur. GFCI protection is veryimportant outdoors, where weatherconditions can create dangerouselectrical situations.• Do not overload extension cords

or outlets. Electric overloads cancause shocks and start fires. • All children and pets in your

home, including ones that arevisiting for the holidays, should knowthe dangers of electricity and knowthat your electrical decorations arenot toys. Source: SafeElectricity.org.

I

arvest season is one of thebusiest times of year forfarmers—and can be one of

the most dangerous. Nebraska Public Power Districturges farm operators to be aware ofoverhead power lines, keep farmequipment safely away from thelines, and know what to do ifaccidental contact is made withpower lines. A key factor for those harvestingcrops is to look up and around whenworking in the fields this fall. Takinga few minutes to look for overheadelectric lines may be life-saving timewell spent. So what are some of thedangers that farmers can encounter. End rows are an area where farmequipment can accidentally becomeentangled in the power lines.Remaining inside the equipmentuntil help arrives is critical toeveryone’s safety. Those involved in

harvesting work should understandany contact with power lines carriesthe potential of a serious or fatalaccident. Electricity can arc to theequipment if it comes close to theline. “It’s always best to call for help,and wait until the local electricutility arrives to make sure the lineis de-energized,” said NPPDTransmission and DistributionManager Joel Dagerman. If thepower line is energized and you stepoutside, your body becomes the pathand electrocution could happen.

“Even if a power line is on theground, there is still the potential forthe area nearby to be energizedunless there’s fire or imminent riskof fire.” If you must exit the vehicle, theappropriate action is to jump – notstep – with both feet hitting theground at the same time. Jump clear,without touching the vehicle andground at the same time, andcontinue to shuffle to safety, keepingboth feet together as you leave thearea. Dagerman explained that voltagefrom a downed line tends to be likethe ripples in a pond or lake, thevoltage diminishes the farther out itis from the source and at no timeshould anyone touch the equipmentand the ground at the same time.Never should the operator simplystep out of the vehicle — the personmust jump clear.

November 2016 17

The benefits of choosing an electric water heaters expected, most people don’tthink much about waterheaters. They take for

granted that they make it possible tohave hot showers, clean dinner dishesand enjoy load upon load of freshlylaundered linens. The lonely waterheater, tucked away in the basementor a utility closet, is out of sight andout of mind. There are times, however, whenyour attention turns to that mostessential of appliances: when anexisting water heater breaks (“Brrr.That water is cold!”) or when buildingor renovating a home. At those times, a homeowner willmake a decision that hasconsequences that persist for adecade or two, maybe longer. Yourwater-heating choice will haveimplications for energy efficiency, costof use, the environment, safety andreliability. As a trusted energy

advisor, your local public powerdistrict or electric cooperative canhelp you make the right decision. As a member of the public powerdistrict or electric cooperative, youmight already know about many ofthe advantages and benefits ofelectric water heaters. First, electricwater heaters are safe. There is nothreat of carbon monoxide poisoning,combustion or explosion. Electricwater heaters are environmentallyfriendly and capable of usingelectricity generated from solar, wind,hydro and other renewable sources. Electric water heaters are also easyto install, requiring no expensive gaslines, exhaust flue or on-site fueltanks. Compared to other fuels, thecost of electricity is stable. In addition, electric water heatersare emerging as a building block ofthe future electric grid. Theseformerly mundane units are evolving

into smart appliances and energystorage units that are helping thegrid become more stable and moreefficient. By heating water whendemand for electricity is low andstoring the thermal energy for lateruse, electric water heaters can saveyou money. Not everyone acknowledges thesuperiority of electric water heaters.In the coming months, you might seetelevision commercials or otheradvertisements that will try to sellyou on the merits of propane waterheaters. A propane marketing groupis behind the campaign, and there’sno telling what kind of claims they’llmake. The fact is that propane is afossil fuel, and prices tend tofluctuate wildly. If you install apropane heater today, you’ll live withthe consequences and risks for yearsto come. That’s the inconvenienttruth.

A

Harvest season a time to look up and around

H Know the location ofpower lines, and whensetting up the farm

equipment, be at least 20feet away from them.

Rural Electric Nebraskan18

: I’m trying to make my home asenergy efficient as possible. I

recently installed a new heat pumpand efficient water heater, andincreased the amount of insulation inmy home. I also enlisted the help of ahome energy auditor, and he didn’tfind much in the way of air leakage.However, my energy bills still seemshigher than they should be. Can youpoint out other areas of the homethat I might be overlooking?

: It sounds like you have madesome solid investments with

your focus on space and waterheating, which are usually the majoruses of energy in the home. Yourenergy auditor may be able toprovide information about how yourhome’s energy use compares tosimilar homes in the area—and if itis substantially higher, what could becausing the problem. Your public power district orelectric co-op could also be a valuablesource of information. Many ruralelectric utilities have installed smartmeters at their members’ homes,which can show detailed hourlyenergy use. This information cansometimes help pinpoint a largeenergy user. For example, you may beusing more electricity on weekends,which would be an important clue todiscovering what is driving up yourenergy costs. Armed with whatever clues youcan glean from your energy auditoror your rural electric utility, you arebetter able to search for an energyhog in your home. Are there uses ofenergy outside your typical livingspace that are “out of sight, out ofmind?” Below are some possibleunconventional energy uses that

could be adding to your energy bill:

Swimming pools and spasA swimming pool and spa are niceamenities to have in your home, butthey can significantly contribute toyour energy bill.

• Your pool pump keeps the watercirculating through its filteringsystem and could be the most energyintensive part of your pool. Older poolpumps run continuously on a single,high speed setting, but thiscirculation is more than the typicalresidential pool needs. An EnergyStar-certified pool pump can beprogrammed to run at differentspeeds depending on your pool’sneeds—and can pay for itself in aslittle as two years. • If you heat your pool, try using anefficient heater. Pool heaters that run

on natural gas or propane are themost common, but an electric heatpump water heater or a solar waterheater could be a more cost-effectiveoption. Remember to put a cover onthe pool when it is not in use to keepyour heater from working as hard. • If you have a hot tub or spa thatyou occasionally use, considerturning it off when it is not in use. Ifyou use your spa frequently, use acover with a high insulation value tokeep the water warm and yourelectric bill low.

Pump systems Water pumps often run on electricityand can be found in many areas ofyour property. • Irrigation: If you have a largerproperty, you may have an irrigationsystem. Leaks in your irrigationsystem can greatly increase yourpump’s electricity use. • Wells: If your home uses wellwater, you have a well pump thathelps bring the water from the well toyour home. A malfunctioning wellpump may run continuously to tryand maintain proper waterpressure—this can cause a significantincrease in your electricity bill. • Garden fountains: Fountainsmake a charming addition to yourgarden, but the pumps that run themuse about as much energy as a smalllamp. If you have multiple fountainsin your garden, look into installing atimer so that the fountains only runpart of the day.

Non-living spacesYou may have some energy hogs inyour garage, outbuilding or basement.For example: • Do you have a second working,but inefficient, refrigerator or freezerplugged in? Is it in use, or can youconsolidate its contents into yourkitchen? • Do you have a recreational spacein an uninsulated part of your home,like the garage or basement? Using

CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS

Do you have an energy hog in your home?

by Pat Keegan

Q

A

Home businesses can contributesignificantly to your energy use if theyinvolve heavy power users, such as arcwelders.

November 2016 19

space heaters or portable airconditioners in uninsulated spacescan definitely lead to higher bills. • Do you have a block heater to helpwarm your vehicle on cold mornings?Plugging in your heater overnightwill use far more electricity thanneeded—use a timer to start the blockheater just a few hours before youneed your vehicle.

Home businessIf you run a business out of yourhome, there could be a large energyuser contributing to your electric bill.For example, regularly using weldingequipment, ceramic kilns or powercarpentry tools can contributesignificantly to your electric bill, ascan equipment that supports homefarming operations. Look for energy hogs around yourhome, and try to limit their use ifpossible. Find more ways to be energyefficient by contacting your publicpower district or electric co-op.

Rural Electric Nebraskan20

ooler temperatures, beautifulchanging leaves and thefamiliar scent of pumpkin pie

spice are all signs of fall. Whetheryou’re hosting a pumpkin carvingparty or decorating sweet treats withfamily, celebrate the season withmaple-flavored leaf-shaped cookies,pumpkin patch cupcakes and hotapple cider. “The crisp air seems to inspire usall to start baking again,” saidMcCormick Executive Chef KevanVetter. “Create an autumn frostingpalate with our new Color fromNature Food Colors, which are madefrom ingredients such as beets and

turmeric. You can combine the trio ofstarter colors – berry, sunflower andsky blue – to make everything froma maroon glaze for an Autumn LeafCookie to orange frosting for aPumpkin Patch Cupcake.”

The Color from Nature Food Colorscan be used in icing, beverages andother no-bake recipes for bestresults. For more tips and recipes for thefall season, visit McCormick.com.

Down Home Recipes

Celebrate the fall season with flavor

C

2 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened1 1/2 cups sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons McCormick Maple Extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix flour,salt, cinnamon and nutmeg inmedium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter

and sugar in large bowl with electricmixer on medium speed until lightand fluffy. Add egg, vanilla andmaple extract; mix well. Graduallybeat in flour mixture on low speeduntil well mixed. Roll dough on generously flouredsurface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut outleaves with 2- to 3-inch leaf-shapedcookie cutters. Place on ungreasedbaking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edgesstart to brown. Cool on baking sheets1 minute. Remove to wire racks; coolcompletely. Prepare desired colors of glazes.Decorate cooled cookies with glazes.

Glazed Autumn Leaf Cookies

Glaze Variations: For the variationsbelow, dissolve the designated amount ofthe Color from Nature Food Colors withwater in small bowl. Stir in anyremaining ingredients until smooth. To glaze cookies, hold a cookie by itsedge and dip the top into the glaze. (Orspoon the glaze onto cookies using ateaspoon.) Place iced cookies on wire rackset over foil-covered baking sheet to dry.(The foil-covered baking sheet will catchdrips.) Let stand until glaze is set. Maroon Cookie Glaze:Use 1/2 teaspoonBerry color from McCormick Color fromNature - Assorted Food Colors, 3tablespoons water (plus additional todissolve color), 2 cups confectioners’ sugarand 1 teaspoon cocoa powder. Forest Green Cookie Glaze: Use 1/2teaspoon Sky Blue color and 1/4 teaspoonSunflower color from McCormick Colorfrom Nature - Assorted Food Colors, 3tablespoons water (plus additional todissolve color), 2 cups confectioners’ sugarand 1 teaspoon cocoa powder. Pumpkin Cookie Glaze:Use 1 teaspoonSunflower color and 1/4 teaspoon Berrycolor from McCormick Color from Nature- Assorted Food Colors, 3 tablespoonswater (plus additional to dissolve color)and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar.

November 2016 21

Reader Submitted Recipes

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened 4 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract 2 boxes (16 ounces each) confectioners’ sugar, sifted 3 tablespoons milk1 1/2 teaspoons Sunflower color from McCormick Color from Nature - Assorted Food Colors, divided 1/4 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature - Assorted Food Colors 1 teaspoon Sky Blue color from McCormick Color from Nature - Assorted Food Colors 24 unfrosted cupcakes 12 regular marshmallows, halved crosswise 12 small chocolate flavored taffy rolls (Tootsie Roll), halved crosswise

Beat butter and vanilla in largebowl with electric mixer on mediumspeed until light and fluffy. Graduallyadd confectioners’ sugar, beating wellafter each addition and scraping sidesand bottom of bowl frequently. Addmilk; beat until light and fluffy. Remove 2 cups of the frosting intomedium microwavable bowl. Tintfrosting orange using 1 teaspoonSunflower color and 1/4 teaspoonBerry color. Set aside. Tint remaining frosting green using1 teaspoon Sky Blue color andremaining 1/2 teaspoon Sunflowercolor. Spread top of cupcakes withgreen frosting. Using a fork, gentlytouch frosting in different directionsto resemble grass spikes. To make the pumpkins, microwavethe orange frosting on HIGH 10 to 20seconds or until runny. Using a fork,dip marshmallow halves into frostingmixture, then place on top of frostedcupcakes. Let stand until pumpkinfrosting has dried. Press a tootsie rollhalf in center of each pumpkin for thestem. Decorate leaves and vines withremaining green frosting, if desired.

Pumpkin PatchCupcakes

Holiday Sweet Potatoes 3 cups cooked sweet potatoes, mashed 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup milk

Margaret Trojan, Beaver Crossing, Nebraska

Frozen Cranberry Salad 1 can (16 oz.) jellied cranberry sauce 1 can (8 1/4 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained 2 (3 oz.) packages cream cheese softened 1 cup chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 banana, diced 3/4 cup sugar 1 (8 oz.) container of whipped topping, thawed

Lois Cockson, Bellwood, Nebraska

Mix together the first six ingredients. Put in slightly greased baking dish. Blendtopping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350degrees for 35 – 40 minutes.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie 1/2 cup raisins 1 cup sugar 1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of nutmeg 3 egg yolks 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pie shell, baked or can use a graham cracker crust

Meringue: 3 egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 6 teaspoons sugar

Dan Schweitzer, Lincoln, Nebraska

Boil raisins in 1 cup of water. Add sugar and spices and cook for 5 minutes. Addcornstarch to egg yolks with enough water to mix well. Add to raisin mixture and cookuntil thickened, then add 1 cup sour cream and cook only until well mixed and heatedthroughout. Pour into pie shell. For meringue: Beat 3 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon creamof tartar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla till soft peaks form. Gradually add 6 tablespoonssugar, beating until stiff peaks form and all sugar is dissolved. Spread over filling andbrown in a 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 hour;refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.

At least 4 hours in advance, refrigerate can of cranberry sauce. Open can at bothends and remove onto a plate. Slice and then cut into small chunks. Refrigerate. Mixcream cheese, lemon juice and sugar thoroughly with electric mixer, until smooth andcreamy. Stir in pineapple, nuts and banana. Fold whipped topping into mixture.Lightly fold in cranberry chunks. Pour into a 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan, that has been linedon all sides with a double thickness of waxed paper. Cover and freeze for 12 hoursovernight. To unmold, lift salad out of pan and invert onto platter. Peel off waxedpaper and slice 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. About 12 servings.

Topping: 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup oleo, softened 1/2 cup flour 1 cup chopped pecans

Rural Electric Nebraskan22

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Do you get discouraged when you hear your telephone ring? Do you avoid using your phone because hearing difficulties make it hard to understand the person on the other end of the line? For many Americans the telephone conversation – once an important part of everyday life – has become a thing of the past. Because they can’t understand what is said to them on the phone, they’re often cut off from friends, family, doctors and caregivers. Now, thanks to innovative technology there is finally a better way.

A simple idea… made possible with sophisticated technology. If you have trouble understanding a call, the Captioning Telephone can change your life. During a phone call the words spoken to you appear on the phone’s screen – similar to closed captioning on TV. So when you make or receive a call, the words spoken to you are not only amplified by the phone, but scroll across the phone so you can listen while reading everything that’s said to you. Each call is routed through a call center, where computer technology – aided by a live representative – generates voice-to-text translations. The captioning is real-time, accurate and readable. Your conversation is private and the captioning service doesn’t cost you a penny. Captioned Telephone Service (CTS) is regulated and funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is designed exclusively for individuals with

hearing loss. In order to use CTS in your home, you must have standard telephone service and high-speed Internet connectivity where the phone will be used. Callers do not need special equipment or a captioning phone in order to speak with you.

Finally… a phone you can use again. The Captioning Telephone is also packed with features to help make phone calls

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The Captioning Telephone is intended for use by people with hearing loss. In purchasing a Captioning Telephone, you acknowledge that it will be used by someone who cannot hear well over a traditional phone.

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SALUTE TO YOUR SERVICETri-State Generation and Transmission Association proudly supports the veterans who have served our country. We thank you.

WWW.TRISTATE.COOP