November 2017 Share Package - Pioneer Utility Resources · variation bothers you, buy and install...

November 2017 Share Package Utility Contacts

Pam Spettel, Blachly-Lane Electric Co-op, (541) 284-2147, [email protected]

Jeff Beaman, Central Electric Co-op, (541) 312-7753, [email protected]

James Ramseyer, Consumers Power, Inc., (541) 929-8531, [email protected]

Sabrina Owens, Escambia River Electric Co-op, (850) 675-7433, [email protected]

Nikki Dunn Cullen, Florida Keys Electric Co-op, (360) 816-1453, [email protected]

Denise Whitehead, Glades Electric Co-op, (800) 226-4025, [email protected]

Teresa Lackey, Midstate Electric Co-op, (541) 536-7232, [email protected]

Mark Sellers, Peace River Electric Co-op, (863) 767-4644, [email protected]

Barbara Johnson, Tillamook PUD, (503) 815-8603, [email protected]

Steve Meyers, Umatilla Electric Co-op, (541) 567-6414, [email protected]

Mike Hengel, Valley Electric Assoc., (775) 727-2252, [email protected]

Traci Brock, Wasco Electric Co-op, (541) 296-2740, [email protected]

Garrett Hylton, Wells Rural Electric Co., (775) 752-1518, [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]













February 2018 Issuepages 1, 4-5 due...................................Dec. 26special projects due................................Jan. 5custom covers/color due.......................Jan. 5 mailing labels due.................................Jan. 9pages 8, 25, 28-29 due..........................Jan. 15page 32 due...........................................Jan. 17 camera-ready pages due.......................Jan. 19

March 2018 Issuepages 1, 4-5 due....................................Jan. 25special projects due...............................Feb. 5custom covers/color due........................Feb. 5mailing labels due................................Feb. 9pages 8, 25, 28-29 due.........................Feb. 14page 32 due..........................................Feb. 16camera-ready pages due......................Feb. 16

April 2018 Issuepages 1, 4-5 due..................................Feb. 26special projects due.................................Mar. 5 custom covers/color due........................Mar. 5mailing labels due................................Mar. 9pages 8, 25, 28-29 due.........................Mar. 15page 32 due..........................................Mar. 19camera-ready pages due.......................Mar. 19

May 2018 Issuepages 1, 4-5 due...................................Mar. 26special projects due................................Apr. 5 custom covers/color due.........................Apr. 5mailing labels due.................................Apr. 9pages 8, 25, 28-29 due..........................Apr. 16page 32 due...........................................Apr. 17camera-ready pages due.....................Apr. 17

June 2018 Issuepages 1, 4-5 due...................................Apr. 25 special projects due................................May 4 custom covers/color due........................May 4mailing labels due................................May 9pages 8, 25, 28-29 due.........................May 14 page 32 due..........................................May 17camera-ready pages due.......................May 17

July 2018 Issuepages 1, 4-5 due...................................May 25special projects due...............................June 5custom covers/color due.....................June 5mailing labels due...............................June 8pages 8, 25, 28-29 due........................June 14page 32 due.........................................June 18camera-ready pages due......................June 18

Ruralite Magazine 2018 Schedule of Important Dates

8

Patrick KeeganCut Your Utility Bills

To ask a question, send an email to Patrick Keegan at [email protected] 2017, Patrick Keegan

NOVEMBER 2017

Using the same type and age of bulb in each fixture ensures consistent color and extends bulb life. Photo by Brad Thiessen

Switch It up With Stylish,

Efficient Lighting

Q: After 20 years with the same lighting in our home, it’s time for a change. I’ve done some research, and there are so many types of light fixtures and bulbs it’s making my head spin! How can I select something practical, affordable and efficient?

A: We often take lighting for granted. We choose fixtures and bulbs without thinking about the important issues, such as the lighting needs of the room, how fixtures work together and how to save money on energy bills.

Saving energy starts with choosing the correct bulb. The three most common bulbs are incandescents, compact fluo-rescent lamps and light-emitting diodes. CFLs and LEDs are more efficient than incandescents.

Energystar.gov estimates you can save $75 a year by replacing the five most-used incandescent bulbs or light fix-tures with Energy Star-certified LEDs or CFLs. Of the three types, LEDs tend to save more money over time. They have decreased in price in recent years. A downside of CFLs is they contain a small amount of toxic mercury that can be released if one breaks.

When choosing which type of bulb to buy, consider both watts and lumens. Watts indicate the amount of energy and, therefore, money used to produce light. Lumens are how much light the bulb produces. An 800-lumen bulb is about equal to the amount of light from a traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb. Lumennow.org offers a guide to under-standing bulbs.

Bulbs also give off different colors of light, known as color temperature. If a bulb burns out—or in the case of an LED, it dims over time—it can be challenging to find a replacement that matches other lights in the room. If the variation bothers you, buy and install bulbs of the same brand and wattage for

the entire room at the same time.Installing dimmers instead of on/

off light switches is a good way to save energy while giving you greater control of the amount of light in the room. Not all bulbs are dimmable, so be sure to check the label on the bulb.

It’s worth considering whether you have the right number and the right loca-tion for light switches. Hire a licensed electrician if you decide to install new lighting and switches.

Different types of fixtures have differ-ent functions. Ambient lights, such as sconces and glass-covered fixtures pro-vide gentler overall lighting. Directional fixtures, such as pendants, desk lamps and track lighting, provide task lighting. Not all bulbs can be used in an enclosed fixture.

As you choose a light fixture, make sure it can provide the correct brightness, with an appropriate size and number of bulbs. It can be disappointing to install a ceiling light with the style you love, only to realize it doesn’t provide enough light for the room, or that your room is flooded with too much light, which wastes energy and money.

It’s not a good idea to mix bulb types in a fixture. Excess heat from an incan-descent can diminish the performance of an LED.

The Lighting Research Center web-site, www.lrc.rpi.edu, provides lighting patterns for homes with sample lighting layouts. Home décor sites, such as Better Homes and Gardens, Real Simple and HGTV, also have lighting explanations, plans and ideas.

Check with your local electric util-ity for energy audits or lighting product rebates. n

This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency. For more information on efficient lighting, visit www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips.

N O V E M B E R 2017 25

We’ve all driven down a street or country road and seen a home that, in our minds, was beautiful and would be an ideal place to live. Whether it was that great wraparound porch, beautiful view, color scheme, well-manicured yard or a modern look with efficiency upgrades, there was just something about the place you really liked.

Maybe you have owned a home that was a fixer-upper and felt like you could do all of the remodel-ing and landscaping and save a bunch of money. But once you got to the bathroom or the electrical, it became a bit overwhelming and your fixer-upper started looking more like a money pit.

Every home has a story to tell. Now and then, those stories can have unhappy endings. At some point, you start thinking you might need to hire a contractor to fix your problems. If you were lucky, you figured out you needed to hire a contractor before you started using the sledgehammer and crowbar to take out that wall that leads into the kitchen.

There are plenty of contractors out there, but which one works best for your big project? Most people new to an area go directly to the Yellow Pages and peruse the ads. These ads usually say things such as “licensed and bonded” and include the contractor’s licensing number.

Others like to talk to neighbors about projects they had done and ask about the quality and price of the work, how well the contractor kept to the sched-ule and if there were any surprises during the work.

Many businesses rely on this word-of-mouth advertising. They’ll often say, “If you liked our work, tell your friends. If you didn’t, tell us.”

Those words are powerful, especially if the con-tractor comes back to the homeowner to find out where the business failed the customer. More often than not, the contractor will take care of the issue before it becomes a bigger problem or a legal issue.

When dealing with energy-efficiency rebates, homeowners should ask their electric utility if there

are any home improvements that qualify. Items such as insulation, new windows, energy-efficient heat pumps or duct sealing can make a home comfort-able, and are important efficiency upgrades. Many utilities offer rebates for these items.

The most important thing a homeowner should do before starting a project is to contact the utility to see if there are rebates for certain upgrades. What are the procedures that a homeowner must follow to receive the rebate? Is there upfront paperwork that needs to be filled out before starting the project?

Some utilities have contractor lists the homeown-ers must use to qualify for a rebate. If you are inter-ested in receiving a rebate, you need to follow all of the requisites.

Just because the contractor you plan to hire is not on the contractor list does not mean he or she isn’t reliable. Some contractors have been in business for a long time and don’t like to be bogged down with extra paperwork required by an electric utility for rebates.

Again, as a homeowner who plans to spend thou-sands of dollars to make improvements to a home, do the research. Don’t be afraid to contact the Better Business Bureau in your area. Staff can let you know if the business has been a problem in the past.

It is in your best interest to contact more than one contractor to get bids for a project. Have them sub-mit a bid for the project and closely read the plan. An itemized bid can give a better idea of what the plan is going to be. A bid that simply says “kitchen remodel, $10,000” doesn’t tell you much.

When the decision has been made and the con-tractor begins work, check on the progress and make sure the contractor keeps you up to speed about any problems that occur. It is much easier to decide how to tackle the problem sooner than later.

When the project is complete, the homeowner should do a walk-through with the contractor to make sure everything that was going to be done is done. n

A Little Research Goes a Long Way When renovating your home, take time to find the best contractor for your project

Dale Anderson is the member services manager at Big Bend Electric Cooperative in Ritzville, Washington.

Voice BoxCommentary on Power Issues

Power LinesEnergy News For Consumers

By Brandon Pomrenke

The power grid is a complex and ever- evolving part of American infrastructure. It’s no surprise several factors affect your electric rates.

Public utilities set their rates high enough to recover operating costs, main-tain and upgrade infrastructure, and set aside any funds required by loan originators.

Approximately two-thirds of a pub-lic power utility’s costs are attributed to the cost of power. For public utilities in the Northwest, most of that power comes from the Bonneville Power Administration—one of four federal power marketing administrations.

“In business management school, one of the fundamentals is to have your fixed costs covered by fixed revenue,” says Clatskanie PUD General Manager Marc Farmer. “If you look at any other utility or service—whether it’s phone, gas, water or sewer—it’s all based on fixed charge with your usage on top of that. The electric industry historically has not done that.”

Farmer, who took the helm at the PUD in Clatskanie, Oregon, a few years ago, says co-ops, municipals and PUDs throughout the electric industry have had to adapt their business models.

There are exceptions to every rule, and some communities must find other ways to recoup costs. Meera Kohler, president and CEO of Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, says the communi-ties AVEC serves may see rate structure changes in the future.

“Our rates are three tiered: a modest $5 customer charge, an energy rate that

covers all non-fuel costs and a fuel charge that captures the cost of fuel per kilowatt-hour in that specific community,” Kohler says. “Because we serve communities with greatly varying costs of fuel—some are in proximity to the coast, with year-round barge access, others are inacces-sible by anything other than air trans-port—we do not have a postage stamp fuel rate. We intend to shift our revenue structure to recover more from the fixed charge in the future since the customer charge is woefully inadequate to recover actual fixed costs per customer.”

While some utilities are preparing for changes, others have started the process of recovering fixed costs.

“When I first came here, we had to re-institute a base charge due to the financial condition of the district,” Farmer says. “We started with a $12 base charge. Our COSA (cost-of-service analysis) indicates we’re at $40 per meter per month to maintain the system. That includes not only the physical, but also the cost of customer service. Regardless of whether a person used 500 or 1,500 kilowatts, this is what the fixed costs are.”

It may be called something differ-ent depending on the utility, but the idea behind the base charge is it allows

utilities to better set their budgets when considering overhead.

“When your base charge is established and you can cover your fixed costs with fixed revenue, then you are indifferent to whether someone wants to go to solar, wind or some other form of distributed generation,” Farmer says. “You’re indif-ferent to that because if they’re still going to be connected as backup to your sys-tem, they’re still going to have that basic charge to cover their share of the cost to deliver power to their residence.”

Farmer says the Clatskanie PUD staff has presented a plan to its board to bet-ter recover the increasing costs associated with providing power. The idea, he says, is to not increase costs all at once, and to help customers understand the reasons rates must change.

“To do it right, it takes a prolonged education of your customer base so they understand what it is you are trying to do, why you’re trying to do it and the thought process in getting there,” Farmer says. “My philosophy has always been that nobody likes a rate increase—and I don’t like having to do a rate increase—but as long as they understand it is necessary, I’ve done my job.”

Tanner Electric Cooperative in North Bend, Washington, serves three distinct service territories: North Bend, Ames Lake and Anderson Island—a 90-minute drive and hour-long ferry ride away.

“One of the things that really affects our member rates is our operations,” says TEC General Manager Steve Walter. “We have additional linemen on the island that we probably wouldn’t have other-wise. If we were all connected, we would be able to serve our members with our current Northbend operations.”

More linemen means more equipment. “We have to have duplicate sets of

everything there that we have over here to be able to respond to calls,” Walter says.

Even though the service areas are spread far from one another and come

Electric Rates Not Just an Arbitrary NumberWhen setting rates, your public power provider considers factors from the national level down to your community

BPA Sets New RatesThe Bonneville Power Administration released its fiscal year 2018 and 2019 rates. BPA announced a 5.4 percent average wholesale power rate increase. BPA also announced an average transmission line decrease of 0.7 percent. These rate adjustments will take place October 1.

BPA also has generated a spill surcharge to recover costs associated with a state-mandated spill at eight dams along the Columbia and Snake rivers. The charge will be announced after further information is gathered. n

28 S E P T E M B E R 2017

with their own challenges, TEC does its best to keep rates equal across the mem-bership. With the exception of replacing the marine cable on Anderson Island. The island members picked up a larger share of the cost.

“I guess you could say that’s the co-op philosophy,” says TEC Chief Financial Officer Rob Carr. “We don’t charge dif-ferent rates for all of our members just because they live in a more expensive area.”

When it comes to spread-out service territories, few can comprehend the chal-lenges and expense as well as Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. Its head-quarters is in Anchorage, but the coop-erative serves 58 communities spread throughout interior, western and south-eastern Alaska. AVEC’s service territory is the largest of any retail electric coopera-tive in the world.

Providing electricity to such a large and dispersed membership is expensive, but the AVEC staff and board work to keep a lid on costs. This is done by consolidating power generation and sharing costs.

“By connecting communities electri-cally with what we call tielines, we can improve efficiencies,” says Kohler. “Larger engines equal more kilowatt-hours sold per gallon of diesel—and reduce genera-tion expenses by operating one less plant and typically three fewer generators.”

Keeping costs in mind is critical to cooperatives, municipals and public utility districts, which formed when investor-owned utilities did not want the expense and low profit margin dealing with rural communities.

While these entities work to keep power reliable and affordable, the number of meters per mile, terrain, vegetation and regulations affect rates.

“A lot of the rate increases I’ve been part of here at Tanner have had to do with Bonneville Power Administration charges that have been continuing to go up over 30 percent on the wholesale side,” Walter says. “In the same fashion, we’ve seen a loss of sales here the last four to five years, mainly due to conser-vation and a lack of growth.

“Our city of North Bend—where most of our load would be—is stagnated. It’s trying to keep rural. Any cost pressures wind up going onto our rates because there’s nowhere else to spread it.”

Kohler sees growth as a way to keep individual costs down.

“Adding communities also spreads fixed administration costs over a larger sales base,” she says.

Population density can affect individ-ual utilities, but government regulations can affect entire regions. One example is wildlife conservation.

Protecting the environment and native species is important, but so is reliable, affordable energy. An issue utilities in the Northwest face comes from its wholesale power provider, BPA.

“About a third of the wholesale rate paid to BPA is for fish and wildlife miti-gation,” Walter says. “One of the things we always have to communicate with our legislators—whether federal or state—is how much we’re already paying for that. It seems like even after we give on certain things, when Bonneville gives on it, we pay for it. We’re the ratepayer, so we still end up the next year or two going back and they just want more.”

Farmer agrees, and wonders what the future will bring when utility contracts end in 2028—especially since BPA’s rates are not necessarily the cheapest anymore.

Local, state and federal governments need to understand that when they do things that affect electic rates, consumers are hit hardest, Farmer says, noting governments may think the utility absorbs the increased costs associated with providing power, but that is not true.

“Regulations always have an impact on us,” Farmer says. “How do utilities deal with it? Unfortunately, it goes right down to the customer because that’s where the revenue comes from.” n

Cooperatives, public utility districts and municipal utlities do what they can to keep power costs

affordable, but many factors affect your rates, including operations and maintenance,

power generation, population density and government regulations.

Photo by rdaniluk

S E P T E M B E R 2017 29

Consumers Power

By Tom Tate

The appeal of electric vehicles is gaining momentum. The push for greater mileage in terms of mpg that began in the second half of the 20th century has been joined by the push for greater miles per charge.

Before getting too far into this trans-portation evolution, a quick history les-son about EVs is in order.

The first known electric car was devel-oped in 1837 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Early variants were powered by galvanic cells rather than rechargeable batter-ies. The lead-acid battery was invented in France in 1859 with further French development leading to manufacturing these batteries on an industrial scale in the early 1880s. This allowed a recharge-able battery to be installed in the vehicle.

Manufacturers were soon selling a wide array of EVs ranging from trams to trolleys, to cars and even locomo-tives. Interest in electric cars blossomed in the late 1890s and early 1900s. As roads improved and became more exten-sive, demand for greater range emerged. A variety of solutions were put forth, including the first battery exchanges by an electric utility in Connecticut in 1910 and the first hybrid automobile in 1911. It would not be long until America led the world in number of EVs.

But the rapid expansion of the coun-try and the limitation of electricity to major cities and towns spelled the end of the electric car. The world wanted to be mobile, and EVs simply did not have the range required. Enter Henry Ford and the mass-produced, affordable internal combustion engine, and the EV’s fate was sealed.

Fast forward to modern times and EVs dominate the automotive news. Thanks to the electric cooperative movement, elec-tricity is available everywhere in the U.S., most roads are paved and environmental concerns are increasing awareness.

While many drawbacks of EVs are gone, there is still a concern dubbed “range anxiety.” This stems from the per-sistent limited range of all EVs.

While the Chevy Bolt delivers 238 miles on a charge and the Tesla provides 270 miles for its all-wheel drive model and 355 miles on its standard models, that pales in comparison to most internal combustion cars. A robust rapid-charging infrastructure is an ongoing develop-ment. Just like their 20th century prede-cessors, pure EVs are great “city cars.”

Fortunately, advances in battery tech-nology are hammering away at the range issue. Range is steadily expanding, and battery management systems are squeez-ing out more miles. At the same time, more companies and utilities are installing efficient charging stations at their places of business and in popular public locations.

Range anxiety notwithstanding, EVs have a bright future. Prices are drop-ping, and range is expanding so owners can confidently drive nearly everywhere with a little planning. On top of this, the cars are just plain cool. The Tesla Model 3 promises a minimalist interior with all

the necessary controls and information presented on a large touchscreen in the center of the console as opposed to using the traditional instrument cluster.

Further, if you have never driven an electric vehicle, the experience might surprise you. While an internal combus-tion engine must rev up to speed, an EV has full power at its disposal instantly. Of course, there are limits on this 0-60 mph capability to prevent inexperienced and over-eager drivers from launching them-selves into accidents and speeding tickets. They are quiet and well-appointed inside, and allow drivers to forever bypass the lines at the gas station.

If you do buy an EV, be sure to let your electric cooperative know. The service to your home is sized to meet the demands of your house as they existed when service was connected. Depending on its charging level, adding an EV charger may create a risk of overloading the wires and trans-formers powering your home. Overloaded services can fail and leave you in the dark with an uncharged EV.

Someday soon, many of us will all glide silently—and cleanly—on our travels. n

Electric Vehicles Gaining MomentumBetter batteries and more charging stations increase the range of electric vehicles

The Nissan Leaf is a popular option in the electric vehicle market. It has a range of 107 miles per charge.

8 N O V E M B E R 2017

S E P T E M B E R 2011 25

Umatilla Electric

Youth TourYouth TourTTTTTTTTThe

ELECTRICCOOPERATIVE

Visit historic monuments and museums.

Boost your community service and engagement.

Meet with your U.S. Representatives and Senators.

Join hundreds of young people from across the country.

YYYYY

Boardman Offi ce400 N.E. Eldrige DriveBoardman, OR 97818(541) 481-2220

Hermiston Offi ce750 W. Elm Ave.Hermiston, OR 97838(541) 567-6414 Toll Free 1-800-452-2273

WIN a WEEK in WASHINGTON D.C.!HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS...

A high school junior during the 2017 - 2018 school year in Umatilla, Morrow and Union counties.

Applicant’s parent or guardian must be a member of Umatilla Electric Cooperative.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 9, 2018Applications are available at Umatilla Electric offices in Hermiston and Boardman, or online at www.UmatillaElectric.com

WHO CAN APPLY?

June 7 - 14, 2018

N O V E M B E R 2017 25

Do you know a high school freshman or sophomore who would like to have an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in June 2018?

This is a wonderful opportunity to find out more about co-ops, see our nation’s capital, and visit special memorials and historical sites that most people only read about or see on television. You also will meet young people from around the United States and make new friends.

Requirements:• Parent(s) or legal guardians are members of Wasco Electric Cooperative.• Applicant is a current freshman or sophomore. If you are interested in participating, Wasco Electric Co-op encourages you to

get an application form, fill it out and return it to our office by Friday, December 22, 2017.

For most young students, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and an unbelievable experience. Students from across this nation are exceptional, and make the trip enjoyable for all involved.

To get application, download one from www.wascoelectric.com, contact your school counselor or call Wasco Electric Cooperative at (800) 341-8580 or 296-2740.

2018 Youth Tour

Central Electric

By Courtney Cobb

With winter just around the corner, now is the time to prepare for colder weather and winter bills. In Central Oregon, people typically can expect temperatures below 35 degrees from mid-November to early February.

During winter, members can be caught

off guard by higher-than-normal bills due to colder weather, increased use of space heaters and the heating of pump houses.

“Bills seem to go up in winter because, on average, space heating attributes to 48 percent of your bill, followed by water heating at 25 percent,” says Mandi Kucera, Central Electric Cooperative

AMI Specialist/Senior CSR. “Because of the colder temperatures, heating systems will generally be running all day long to keep up with the temperatures.”

CEC members can go to www.cec.coop and log in to their SmartHub accounts to monitor their use. Mandi points out energy use from the previous day is available to view within 36 hours.

Colder Weather Means Higher BillsHere are some steps you can take to lessen the impact of cold weather on your family

Don’t let high winter bills get you down. Prepare now and be aware of ways to decrease your energy use during cold weather.

4 N O V E M B E R 2017

“SmartHub is nice because members can monitor their usage down to the hour, and it even includes a temperature graph so they can see if their usage is weather related,” she says. “You can also compare your bills to previous years and months.”

Besides using SmartHub, members can also call and talk with a customer service representative. Mandi says she can assess the size of the home and compare the energy use to previous bills.

“The hardest part about high bills is we bill for part of the previous month to the current month,” she says. “Basically, it means the weather may be great when the member is calling, but just a few weeks back we may have had a solid week of sub-zero temperatures.”

Some of the questions customer ser-vice representatives ask members include whether their home is site-built or manu-factured, and if there have been any changes in the household, such as guests or Christmas lights. CSRs dive even fur-ther, asking how the home is heated, if members have a heat pump, the type or condition of their water heater, if there are any broken pipes and if the member

has a well house. “If heating elements go out in a water

heater, you can expect a significant increase in your power bill until the ele-ment is fixed,” says Mandi. “Broken pipes can cause your water pump to be work-ing nonstop, therefore raising the electri-cal usage. And if you have a well house you generally heat, it is a cost that could cause your bill to rise.”

The causes of high bills include animal water troughs, vampire appliances, heat-ing elements in clothes dryers, hot tubs and water features.

“If members are concerned about their bills, they can call and we would be happy to help,” says Mandi.

Besides being diligent in monitor-ing their use, members can also combat high bills by taking advantage of some of CEC’s energy-efficiency programs, such as weatherization, and the ductless heat pump or heat pump program. Through the weatherization program offered for homes built prior to 1992, CEC can pro-vide incentives toward insulation, win-dows, doors and duct sealing. CEC also incentivizes the installation of new heat pumps and ductless heat pumps.

“If members are having a hard time paying bills, they can apply for CEC’s Helping Hands Program or call 211 and ask for help from local agencies the cooperative works with, including NeighborImpact or St. Vincent DePaul,” Mandi says. “We may even be able to offer a payment arrangement.”

Most importantly, through a variety of methods and programs, members can avoid sticker shock this winter. n

Using a programmable thermostat can help keep high bills in check by making sure the heat stays off when you are not at home.

Winter Tips For Energy Efficiency:How much weather affects your electric bills depends on many factors, including your home’s original construction materials, insulation and air leaks. Here are some quick tips to help you save money and energy through the winter season.

h Set your thermostat to 68 degrees. h Make sure drapes and shades are open during the day to catch free solar heat in the winter. Close drapes and shades at night to keep the heat in.

h Ensure windows and doors are properly weatherstripped.

h Insulate electric wall plugs and wall switches with foam pads.

h Caulk around plumbing penetrations that come through walls beneath bathroom and kitchen sinks.

h Insulate exposed hot water lines. h Run ceiling paddle fans on low, blowing up in the winter to keep warm air circulating.

h Keep your outdoor heat pump or ductless heat pump unit clean and free of debris.

h Make sure heat tape is off when not needed. h Verify livestock water tank heaters are off when not needed.

h Regularly replace filters in your HVAC unit. h At least once a year, have a professional inspect your equipment and duct work, examine electrical connections, lubricate motors and clean equipment.

N O V E M B E R 2017 5

Blachly-Lane Electric

By Tom Tate

The appeal of electric vehicles is gaining momen-tum. The push for greater mileage in terms of mpg that began in the second half of the 20th century has been joined by the push for greater miles per charge.

Before getting too far into this transportation evo-lution, a quick history lesson about EVs is in order.

The first known electric car was developed in 1837 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Early variants were powered by galvanic cells rather than rechargeable

batteries. The lead-acid battery was invented in France in 1859 with further French development leading to manufacturing these batteries on an industrial scale in the early 1880s. This allowed a rechargeable battery to be installed in the vehicle.

Manufacturers were soon selling a wide array of EVs ranging from trams to trolleys, to cars and even locomotives. Interest in electric cars blossomed in the late 1890s and early 1900s. As roads improved and became more extensive, demand for greater range emerged. A variety of solutions were put forth, including the first battery exchanges by an electric

Electric Vehicles Gaining MomentumBetter batteries and more charging stations increase the range of electric vehicles

28 N O V E M B E R 2017

utility in Connecticut in 1910 and the first hybrid automobile in 1911. It would not be long until America led the world in number of EVs.

But the rapid expansion of the country and the limitation of electricity to major cities and towns spelled the end of the electric car. The world wanted to be mobile, and EVs simply did not have the range required. Enter Henry Ford and the mass-produced, affordable internal combustion engine, and the EV’s fate was sealed.

Fast forward to modern times and EVs dominate the automotive news. Thanks to the electric coop-erative movement, electricity is available everywhere in the U.S., most roads are paved and environmental concerns are increasing awareness.

While many drawbacks of EVs are gone, there is still a concern dubbed “range anxiety.” This stems from the persistent limited range of all EVs.

While the Chevy Bolt delivers 238 miles on a charge and the Tesla provides 270 miles for its all-wheel drive model and 355 miles on its standard models, that pales in comparison to most internal combustion cars. A robust rapid-charging infra-structure is an ongoing development. Just like their 20th century predecessors, pure EVs are great “city cars.”

Fortunately, advances in battery technology are hammering away at the range issue. Range is steadily expanding, and battery management systems are squeezing out more miles. At the same time, more companies and utilities are installing efficient

charging stations at their places of business and in popular public locations.

Range anxiety notwithstanding, EVs have a bright future. Prices are dropping, and range is expanding so owners can confidently drive nearly everywhere with a little planning. On top of this, the cars are just plain cool. The Tesla Model 3 promises a minimalist interior with all the necessary controls and informa-tion presented on a large touchscreen in the center of the console as opposed to using the traditional instrument cluster.

Further, if you have never driven an electric vehicle, the experience might surprise you. While an internal combustion engine must rev up to speed, an EV has full power at its disposal instantly. Of course, there are limits on this 0-60 mph capability to pre-vent inexperienced and over-eager drivers from launching themselves into accidents and speeding tickets. They are quiet and well-appointed inside, and allow drivers to forever bypass the lines at the gas station.

If you do buy an EV, be sure to let your electric cooperative know. The service to your home is sized to meet the demands of your house as they existed when service was connected. Depending on its charging level, adding an EV charger may create a risk of overloading the wires and transformers pow-ering your home. Overloaded services can fail and leave you in the dark with an uncharged EV.

Someday soon, many of us will all glide silently—and cleanly—on our travels. n

Above and opposite page, the Nissan Leaf is a popular option in the electric vehicle market. It has a range of 107 miles per charge.

N O V E M B E R 2017 29

N O V E M B E R 2017 25

Midstate Electric

FREE Energy-Efficiency Kit Just for Joining the Grassroots Effort!

Midstate Electric members who sign up for the ORECA grassroots movement in November will receive a free energy-efficiency kit.

Energy-efficient lightbulbs are a great way to lower your energy use and your power bill. Your free energy kit includes LED lightbulbs and other energy-saving items.

It’s a great way to save energy and get involved!

Simply fill out this card and bring it by our office to pick up your free kit. If you are unable to stop by the office, please call us to arrange delivery. Our office hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Hurry! The offer is limited to the first 100 members who sign up.

Your Cooperative - Your VoiceTo advocate for affordable rates and reliable service, join Midstate Electric’s grassroots effort. We will provide you the information to send messages directly to your elected officials when legislation that

would affect your co-op is proposed. Together we can make a difference!

Name

Service Address

Email Address

Signature

16755 Finely Butte RoadP.O. Box 127, La Pine OR 97739

(541) 536-2126, option [email protected]

More than 100 people gathered in Garibaldi on September 27 and 28 when Tillamook PUD hosted the Oregon People’s Utility District 2017 Annual Conference.

Attended by utility boards of directors, general managers, senior staff, state lawmakers and utility associates, the conference was held at the Old Mill Marina. Conference sessions included a wide range of topics and speakers, including a panel discussion by state legislators on issues affecting Oregon utili-ties, Bonneville Power Administration updates from top executives and the latest news on state employ-ment laws.

The sessions culminated with keynote speaker Galen Emanuele, who presented a captivating and engaging program on how to improve communi-cations and create a culture of high-level positive engagement.

Many attendees participated in a guided walking tour of Kilchis Point Reserve or enjoyed a round of golf at Alderbrook Golf Course prior to the official start of the conference.

Garibaldi House Inn and Suites was home away from home for many during the two-day event. Guests gathered for a welcome reception at the Garibaldi Museum catered by Offshore Grill of Rockaway. The Portside Bistro of Garibaldi set out breakfast and lunch each day, and the conference concluded with guests savoring fine local cuisine with a dinner catered by Offshore Grill.

State Sen. Arnie Roblan and Portland attorney Paul Romain were each presented with an OPUDA Rock Solid award. The Rock Solid award is given to a state legislator and/or leader who has shown consistently exceptional support for people’s utility districts and community-owned electric utilities in Oregon.

Tillamook PUD Hosts Oregon People’s Utility District Annual Conference

Tillamook PUD

Sen. Arnie Roblan, left, receives the OPUDA Rock Solid award from Tillamook PUD Board Member Ed Jenkins.

4 N O V E M B E R 2017

“Both gentlemen have a unique understanding of issues impacting the energy sector, not-for-profit utilities and our customers,” said OPUDA President Ed Jenkins. “We feel fortunate knowing that each is on our team.” n

The Oregon People’s Utility District Association is a trade asso-ciation representing Oregon’s electric and water PUDs. The mission of OPUDA is to influence state legislation and regula-tion to benefit the customer-owners of Oregon people’s utility districts and provide focus on related interests of its member PUDs.

Thank you, SponsorsThe event was made possible through the following sponsors:

h Cable Huston, LLP h EES Consulting, Inc. h Special Districts Association of Oregon h General Pacific h Macpherson, Gintner & Diaz h Piper Jaffray & Co. h Electrical Consultants, Inc. h Hawkins Delafield & Wood, Inc. h 3M h Anixter, Inc. h Acti-Dyne Survey Research h NW Line Chapter, NECA h The Energy Authority h Tyndale Co. h Northwest Municipal Advisors h WHA Insurance h NWPPA h Ruralite Services, Inc. h TriAxis, A Division of David Evans and Associates

h USIC Locating Services, LLC h VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. h The Romaine Group

Above, session attendees listening intently to conference presenters.

Top, OPUDA electric utility general managers, from left: John Nguyen, Columbia River PUD; Todd Simmons, Tillamook PUD; Marc Farmer, Clatskanie PUD; Debra Smith, Central Lincoln PUD; Scott Coe, Emerald PUD; Roger Kline, Northern Wasco PUD.

Ed Jenkins presents an OPUDA Rock Solid award to Paul Romain as Danelle Romain looks on.

N O V E M B E R 2017 5

Wells Rural Electric Co. employees work hard to provide accurate consumer accounting and ensure every bill repre-sents reliable electricity service and tre-mendous value for all of our members. We also realize it can be a complex pro-cess for members who might only look at their bill and electricity use once a month when they pay their bill.

To better explain the components of your bill and electricity use—and the value cooperative members receive—we will use this space regularly to address some of the bill questions we are most commonly asked.

The No. 1 source of questions we hear from members relates to your bill’s basic service charge, which has risen steadily the past decade. This rise is a reflection of transferring costs to accurately separate WREC’s true cost of service and the cost-based rates we pass to our members after buying power for the cooperative. Here are a few common questions.

What is the basic service charge?The basic service charge is the fee every member pays to cover the costs associated with the materials, labor and equipment necessary to ensure every member has access to safe, reliable electricity whenever they need or choose to use it.

While the member-elected board of directors actually sets the rate structures for each class, WREC conducts an ongo-ing cost-of-service study (COSS) to keep a pulse on the true cost of service for each rate class. The basic service charge is based on this study.

While transferring costs to the basic service charge may seem expensive on your bill, it’s an accurate reflection according to the COSS and in terms of the value provided based on what it cov-ers. Primarily, the service charge includes the costs associated with installing, upgrading, maintaining and repairing 1,400 miles of electrified power lines that stretch through more than 10,000 square miles of WREC’s service territory.

Think of all the power lines, power poles, transformers, substations and equipment required to deliver electricity to every member and the amount of main-tenance—including preventative mainte-nance and planning for things such as tree trimming and right-of-way clearance to protect against fires—and upgrades neces-sary to meet those load requirements.

Why did my monthly basic service charge increase?For residential members, seeing the $28.89 monthly line item on your bill can

be a bit of a shock. In reality, WREC’s cost of service, and

that of most electric utilities, has long been far more than the basic service charge on your bill would indicate. For years, the industry trend has been to arti-ficially deflate the basic service charge passed on to consumers by blending the cost of service with the energy charge that is based on your kilowatt-hour use. Obviously, every utility must collect enough money to cover the cost of its ser-vice. The traditional blended rate meant WREC was obliged to ensure you used a certain amount of electricity to cover costs.

By separating the cost of service from the energy charge, the board of directors has created an environment that allows WREC to work with members to con-trol their electricity use and save money through energy efficiency and conserva-tion without worrying about the revenue requirements of the cooperative.

But I don’t use much electricity. Why do I pay the same service charge?Another way to think of the service charge is to look at it in similar terms to other monthly bills for products and services, such as satellite TV or cellphones. Those companies bill customers some form of base charge for access to their product. Regardless of how much you watch TV or talk on your cellphone, the bulk of your bill is a fixed, monthly base charge for the ability to do so at your convenience. The bill then increases as you add channels to your service package or by using data.

Your electricity bill is no different. Whether you use 0 kWh or 1,000 kWh, the cost to maintain our distribution sys-tem and equipment—and thus guarantee your access to safe, reliable electricity—is the same. Our goal, and the direction your board has set, is for WREC to be in a position to help you control your costs while also providing great value for your cooperative membership. n

Understanding Your Power Bill

Wells Rural Electric

101BillingWREC

28 N O V E M B E R 2017

Cover contest winner

Carol Selby took this

photo of Castle Rock

from a campground

just outside Wells.

FE BRUARY 2017

FE BRUARY 2017

Wells REC

A Love of Weaving and Wells

A crowd gathers in

downtown Rupert,

Idaho, to watch the

annual Fourth of July

fireworks display.

© WARREN YADON

J U LY 2016Wells REC

Airfield Remodel Takes Flight






Attention PhotographersWells Rural Electric Co. is hosting a Ruralite Cover Photo contest, with winning entries earning $25 power gift certificates. • Each member may submit up to five

photos.• All submissions must include the

photographer’s name and location of the photo.

• All submitted photos must be taken within the WREC service territory.

• Contest is open only to WREC members.

• Submissions must be high resolution, vertical digital images in jpeg format sized to approximately 8-by-10 inches.

• Prints will not be accepted. • The contest will be judged by

Ruralite editors.

Email your high-resolution photos to [email protected], or deliver a CD with high-resolution images to the Wells Rural Electric Co. office. Winning photos will be featured on the cover of the WREC edition of Ruralite magazine. Winners also will receive a poster print of the cover with their winning photo.

Deadline to submit photos is December 25, 2017.

Your photo could be on the cover of Ruralite magazine

A Love of Weaving and Wells

PAGE 4n

Board Meeting Minutes PAGE 8

“Seasoned Veteran” won first place

in the acrylic division of the Nevada

Artists Association’s Nevada Day Show. The piece is on display

through January 6 at the associa-tion’s gallery in Carson City.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DARCY TATE

Bringing Artistic Vision to Life PAGE 4 n Properly Ventilate Your Home PAGE 28

Bringing Artistic Vision to Life



Airfield Remodel Takes Flight PAGE 4 n In Court, No Fair Shake for Hydro

In Court, No Fair Shake for Hydro

In Court, No Fair Shake for Hydro

In Court, No Fair Shake for Hydro Bringing Artistic Vision to Life

In Court, No Fair Shake for Hydro Bringing Artistic Vision to Life

PAGE 28

Heather Boyer took this photo of a red tail hawk on snow-crusted branches in Clover Valley.

M A R C H 2016

It Must Be in the Jeans PAGE 4 n Spring Cleaning for Energy Efficiency PAGE 28

Wells REC

Tips to Improve Your PhotographyX Read the contest rules carefully. Make

sure your photos meet the resolution standards required. No horizontal photos will be accepted.

X Check your focus. Even slightly out-of-focus images will not make the cut.

X Look for the light. Wait to shoot when the sun is low in the sky, either at

sunrise or sunset.X Practice. Professional photographers

practice their craft, so why shouldn’t you? Experiment with the settings on your camera and lenses, read a book, take a class. The more photos you shoot, the better odds you have of making one that will be a winner next year.

By submitting photos to this contest, you agree to give Wells Rural Electric Co. the right to use sub-mitted photos on the cover of Ruralite magazine and on the WREC website and Facebook page.

Wells Rural Electric

N O V E M B E R 2017 29

Valley ElectricLooking Ahead - Leading by Example

Late September, the condi-tions were finally perfect for a homecoming.

Mojave Desert tortoises relocated and sheltered dur-ing construction of Valley Electric Association’s 80-acre community solar project were released on the site, which

included several design fea-tures with tortoises in mind.

Kristin Mettke, VEA Executive Vice President of Engineering & Compliance, said encountering tortoises is common when you’re build-ing in the Mojave Desert.

“Typically you either stop construction, or if you have a permit to pick them up, you pick them up and move them out of the way,” she said.

With the scope of this solar project, VEA officials real-ized moving tortoises a few

With Solar Construction Complete,Tortoises Released Back in the Wild

Special precautions taken to protect animals and habitatBy Ginger Meurer

“Homes” were built at the site to help protect “Pandora” and the other tortoises.Photos by Kristin Mettke

“Carlos” shows off his personal radio transmitter. All the tortoises were fitted with the devices to help biologists track and study them.

4 N O V E M B E R 2017

hundred feet away just wasn’t enough. So the association, in partnership with Bombard Renewable Energy, contracted with wildlife biologists at HDR Inc., of North Las Vegas to capture and care for tor-toises until the project was completed. HDR is also work-ing with VEA to track and study the tortoises for three years.

HDR Wildlife biologist Kurt Rautenstrauch said a catch-and-release, while uncommon, could set a new industry standard.

Also groundbreaking is the tortoise-conscious facility design.

Rautenstrauch said half of the site features wider spac-ing between solar panels than industry standards to allow more sunlight to reach the ground and enhance the growth of vegetation the tor-toises need for foraging. They also left a fairly large wash area near the middle of the facility undisturbed to provide water.

Mettke said effort was made to reduce impact on the project site in north Pahrump to a minimum. Plants were mulched or mowed, but roots were left intact. Earth was compacted only when absolutely necessary, which allowed plants to bounce back and tortoises to dig burrows.

“And the height of the solar panels is higher than industry standard, and that is again to allow the vegetation to grow and more light to get to the ground,” she explained.

Rautenstrauch said one of the most unique things about the project is that now that

construction is complete, the site is open to tortoises.

“Normally in any kind of industrial facility like this, a fence is put up to keep tor-toises out because there is a risk of them being crushed,” he said. “In this facility there are small openings every cou-ple hundred feet in the fence for tortoises to enter and exit.”

Rautenstrauch said it makes sense to open the facil-ity to wildlife.

“A solar facility like this, there’s just not much that goes on inside it,” he said.

“It is kind of an ideal area. So it gets down to, why not let tortoises use the site.”

Before the tortoises could be released, conditions had to be perfect.

“It’s a pretty narrow win-dow,” Rautenstrauch said. “It can’t be too hot. It can’t be too cold, and the tortoises need to have plenty of daytime to be active and find a safe place to overwinter.”

Radio transmitters attached

to each tortoise will help biol-ogists track and study them.

“We’re also going to do avian species surveys out there to make sure nothing is causing bird deaths,” Mettke said. “And if it is, we’ll look at ways to modify the site to eliminate that.”

With assistance from UNLV, VEA also will study plant species and soils at the site for the next three years.

Mettke said that if project goals are successful, “this may be a model for other solar projects.” n

Small openings in the fence were custom built to allow the tortoises to come and go from the solar site.

TORTOISES AT SOLAR SITE

• Four tortoises were captured — an adult male, an adult female, a juvenile and a hatchling. They were held for 23 months.

• Originally they were to be released in April 2017, but the release was delayed to wait for the radio transmitters and for the arrival of optimal weather conditions.

• Since the release, both adult tortoises left the site. The female returned and then left again.

• In order to track the tortoises, researchers must be on site. It’s not something you can do from a desk.

Tortoises were rounded up when construction began in 2015 and were released back to the site in late September.

N O V E M B E R 2017 5

Hurricane Recovery EffortsAs Hurricane Nate made its way ashore near Biloxi, Mississippi, just after mid-night October 8, the Escambia River Electric Cooperative service area began to experi-ence intense wind and rain.

Crews worked through the night repairing services as the storm continued to cause more outages. When the wind died down in the morning, crews were able to restore all of the outages caused by Hurricane Nate.

A total of 1,587 members lost power during the storm. EREC crews were able to complete the power restora-tion process by midday.

The EREC outage map, at www.erecoutagemap.com, was a valuable tool during the restoration process for members to be able to stay up-to-date with outages in EREC’s service area.

“Regular power system upgrades, a technologically advanced metering sys-tem and an aggressive right-of-way pro-gram are attributed to holding the num-ber of outages incurred to a minimum,” said EREC General Manager/CEO Clay Campbell. “The hard work and dedica-tion of EREC line crews are credited for getting the lights back on in record time.”

EREC thanks members for their patience and kind words during the aftermath of the storm.

“We know a power outage is

inconvenient and difficult for every-one, but we appreciate our members’ understanding and forbearance as crews worked to get everybody back on as quickly as possible,” Campbell said. n

Escambia River

Hurricane Nate came ashore in Mississippi, but caused problems in Escambia River Electric Cooperative’s service area, too, sending EREC crews into the field Saturday night, October 7, through midday Sunday, October 8, to make repairs. Above, Kevin Macht (in the bucket), Doug Stewart and Heath Langford fix a line torn down by a large pine tree. Right, Jonathon Tutt works to restore power to EREC’s system. Left, Tony Moody remotely operates an auger to dig a hole for a replacement power pole.

Nate makes landfall in Mississippi and whips up wind and rain, knocking power out to part of Escambia River Electric Cooperative’s service area

6 N O V E M B E R 2017

Hurricane Recovery Efforts

EREC Mobilizes for Irma AssistanceHurricane Irma, an extremely powerful and catastrophic storm, caused significant damage throughout Florida in September. Tri-County Electric Cooperative in Madison suffered major damage to its electric system, with more than 90 percent of members without power. Escambia River Electric Cooperative sent line crews to assist restoration efforts and bring normalcy back to Tri-County communities. n

An Escambia River Electric Cooperative line crew heads to Madison to help Tri-County Electric Cooperative with Hurricane Irma power restora-tion. Back row, from left, Matthew Reynolds, Gary McCaskill, Jeremiah Daugett and Jake Moye. Kneeling in front, Tyler Prescott, Alan Mitchem and Kent Calloway. Top, trucks roll out of EREC headquarters.

N O V E M B E R 2017 7

25 NOVEMBER 2017

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma,we know our members will bereplanting landscaping. When doingso please remember these tips forplanting near power lines.

Remember trees growing underor near power lines are the mostcommon cause of power outages, tohelp prevent outages consider themature growth of any tree and plantthe right tree in the right place.

BEFORE PLANTING CONSIDER:• Rate of growth: Slow growing

plants are easier to groom andmaintain.

• Mature size: Small, immature treesplanted today can grow intoproblem trees in the future soplease consider the ultimate maturesize of a tree before planting.

• Canopy size: Large canopy treesgrow up and out. Plant these treesaway from power equipment.

• Root system: When planting nearunderground power equipment, useonly vegetation with a shallow rootsystem.

• Air Flow: Power equipment needsventilation to operate properly. Do notplant trees or other vegetation that willobstruct natural airflow aroundoverhead and underground powerequipment.

GENERAL PLANTING GUIDELINES:• Shrubs & Small Trees (20’ mature

height or less): Plant these under oradjacent to overhead power lines.

• Medium Trees (20’-30’ mature height):Plant at least 20 horizontal feet fromoverhead power lines.

• Large Trees (30’ mature height ortaller): Plant at least 30 horizontal feetfrom overhead power lines.

• Palm Trees: Plant one maturefrond length (coconut palmshave 15’ long mature fronds)plus ten horizontal feet fromoverhead power lines.

For more details consult FKEC’sProper Planting guide. The free guide toplanting around power equipment isavailable online at www.FKEC.com or inCo-op offices.

UNDERGROUND POWEREQUIPMENT

Even areas served by undergroundpower have some above groundequipment requiring clearance. Utilityworkers must have proper clearances(see smaller diagram) to work safely onpadmount transformers (equipmentnecessary for underground power).

Plant Smart to Prevent Power Outages

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG! Avoid injury and prevent damage tounderground equipment by calling

Sunshine State One Call.

Always dial 811 beforeyou do any digging.

Nov-2017-Final_Layout 1 10/18/17 3:04 PM Page 8

N O V E M B E R 2017 25

Our Story of RecoveryCommunity rallies following hurricane damage

By Denise Whitehead

Many stories came out of the weeks following Hurricane Irma: stories of devastation and loss, stories of hardship and sadness, stories of anger and fear.

But there were also stories of compassion and cooperation, stories of neighbors helping each other, families reconnecting and local businesses supporting their communities.

Those stories resonated with us at Glades Electric Cooperative. They were seen in the hundreds of thank you notes sent to us, the meals delivered to our linemen, the encouraging words and the frequent requests from members asking how they could help.

When our lives get turned upside down, Floridians know how important the basics are. Especially during hot weather, electricity is a basic.

Our crews worked tirelessly to return members’ lives to normal as quickly as possible.

With unprecedented damage across our service territory, that work turned out to be a monumental task. GEC prepared extensively in the months, weeks, and days leading up to the storm, but our service ter-ritory had never seen damage on this scale before.

The cooperative spirit is more than just a saying with us. Cooperatives across the nation realize how important it is to come together during times of cri-sis. It is one of our guiding principles, and was key to a quick restoration after Irma.

As soon as there is even the slightest chance of

a hurricane impacting our service territory, GEC begins putting out requests through our statewide network to have crews and equipment on standby to come to our aid. It makes sense to connect with nearby cooperatives and contracted companies first to benefit from the quickest response.

However, Hurricane Irma presented a new chal-lenge as every utility company in Florida—coopera-tives, investor-owned utilities and municipalities—faced the same type of damage we did. As a result, we began contacting out-of-state crews we had made arrangements with prior to the storm.

Immediately, those cooperatives mobilized and began sending crews and equipment to our area.

We quickly realized a new challenge was ahead of us. Crews from Mississippi faced traffic jams, as many residents who had evacuated attempted to return to their homes.

Despite the challenges, GEC employees did not wait. As soon as the weather cleared enough for us to mobilize, our crews were on the road to help local first responders clear essential roadways and assess damage to our service territory.

As we watched the storm pass over us Sunday night into Monday morning, we knew it was going to be bad. GEC Director of Operations Tracy Vaughn remembers stepping onto his front porch and looking toward a town normally lit up on the horizon. All he saw was darkness and the occasional flash of a transformer going out.

None of us could have realized just how bad it really was until we entered our assessment phase. It was clear from the beginning that only a small num-ber of members still had power. In fact, of approxi-mately 16,000 meters served by GEC, only 79 main-tained power through the storm.

During our assessment phase, we learned many meters might have kept power had the transmission lines coming into several of our substations stayed energized. Our members were quickly beginning to learn a great deal about the power grid and what it takes to restore power after a storm.

Through the GEC Facebook page, we began informing members of our restoration efforts and the challenges faced. While it may have seemed little work was being done while we waited for other utility companies to repair their transmission lines,

Glades Electric Cooperative CEO Jeff Brewington, center, checks in with the crew during a meal break. Brewington kept members updated on restoration progress with a nightly video.

Glades ElectricNeighbors Working for Neighbors

4 N O V E M B E R 2017

Above, a lineworker from Bowie Cass Electric Cooperative in Texas is silhouetted by a rising sun. Thirteen electric cooperatives and eight contracted companies converged on the area to help Glades Electric Cooperative restore power. Left, poles and lines are down in the Buttonwood Bay area of Highlands County. Hurricane Irma brought down 693 poles.

our crews were hard at work preparing substations, clearing main distribution lines and preparing as many meters as possible to receive power as soon as the substation was energized.

Transmission poles turned out to be a big chal-lenge from our northernmost service territory in Highlands County and our southernmost area in Big Cypress Reservation. Crews worked 12 days straight to restore the transmission poles that lead to more than 400 meters at the reservation. The moment those poles were repaired, the lines were restrung and energized, bringing the last large group of mem-bers power following the storm.

A lot of our employees were here the last time we faced serious damage caused by a hurricane. That was following Hurricane Wilma in 2005. It took two full weeks to restore power following Hurricane Wilma, and the damage was isolated to only part of our service territory. Hurricane Irma dealt a more devastating blow to our area, knocking out power to 99.5 percent of our members.

GEC employees feel a sense of pride that we were able to restore power in only 12 days. We know those 12 days were difficult for our members. It was hot, there were a lot of bugs, and we all had homes

and yards to clean up and business to return to. One thing stood out during those 12 days: our

amazing members and the support they showed our crews. All of us at GEC were humbled by our mem-bers’ words of encouragement, praise and thanks.

Visiting linemen were amazed at the hospitality they received in the field and from our support team.

Our community pulled together in ways we could have never expected. All of us here at GEC extend our warmest thanks to our members. Now more than ever, we are extremely proud to be Neighbors Working for Neighbors. n

N O V E M B E R 2017 5


GEC employees have done a lot of counting and math in the weeks following the storm to provide a picture of the extent of damage Hurricane Irma inflicted on our service territory.

Tracking the number of poles, transformers, workers, miles of line, meals, loads of laundry, bags of ice, gallons of gas and so much more help us plan for future emergencies.

One number we planned for, but hoped we would not have to use, is two. We quickly knew it was unavoid-able, and opened two staging locations full of supplies for tree and line crews.

Our original standby site in Lake Placid would have been much too small for the number of crews we wel-comed following Irma. Fortunately, Leo Bruso, owner of a large vacant

commercial property across the road from our Lake Placid office, offered the facility that once housed Georgia Pacific.

With more than 150 workers, their trucks and equipment, and a steady supply of poles, transformers and other materials, the new staging yard was full of activity each morning.

Without the use of this amazing facility, our crews would have spent more time travelling to work sites from staging areas in remote areas. This would have also made it more difficult for our support staff to provide essential supplies and meals to those men and women working the lines. nFor more information about the commercial property in Lake Placid, please contact Leo at Land & Commercial Inc., (301) 952-9705.

Restoration Effort A Major Undertaking

A worker repairs lines.

Some of the faces of workers from Glades Electric Cooperative and outside crews who worked long hours for 12 days to restore power to GEC members. Clockwise from top left, a worker from Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association in Mississippi loads poles onto a trailer. Dustin Chapman with Power Secure in North Carolina rolls out wire. Fatigue is evident in the eyes of Bret Whidden, GEC’s right-of-way manager. A lineman from Southern Pine Electric is all smiles.

Greg Culbertson and Matt Perry brief a crew from Bowie Cass. A crew from Pike look at thank you cards and supplies from a Moore Haven school.

6 N O V E M B E R 2017

Hurricane IrmaBy the Numbers

99.5 693 363

21 12 8

Percent of Members

Damage from Hurricane Irma covered GEC’s territory from Big Cypress Reservation in the south to Sebring in the north, as well as our most eastern and western borders.

Poles Men and Women

Companies Days States

Both distribution and transmission poles were damaged or knocked down and required replacement. Many leaning poles were still being removed weeks following the storm.

Sixty-nine GEC employees were joined by 294 visiting workers to restore power to members. This included line crews, tree crews, support staff and office personnel.

Before the storm, GEC made arrangements through our statewide cooperative association with cooperatives and contracted companies around the country to help with efforts to restore power.

Following initial damage assessment, restoration was expected to take weeks. Thanks to the power of the cooperative network, the last members that could safely receive power were connected on day 12.

Thirteen cooperatives and eight contracted companies responded from parts of Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

N O V E M B E R 2017 7

Social Media Key to Storm CommunicationsEvery effort was made to respond with specifics to members’ need for information

By Denise Whitehead GEC Media Manager

Hurricane Irma began impacting the Glades Electric Cooperative service territory with tropical storm force winds as early as Saturday, September 9, and were still being felt Monday morning, September 11.

Irma entered our area as a Category 3 hur-ricane and spread across approximately 425 miles. Damages were felt by every electric cooperative and utility in the state, with resto-ration efforts lasting more than two weeks in some areas. The numbers were staggering.

Getting information out to members was a priority for GEC during Hurricane Irma. While phone lines to our offices experienced problems during our recovery efforts, we turned to social media to ensure information was provided regularly to members.

Through short progress notes during the day, video updates from CEO Jeff Brewington and lengthy, informative daily reviews of prog-ress, members were able to get a clear picture of our restoration efforts.

These updates were followed by many GEC members, local community organizations and

family members of visiting line crews.GEC employees responded to messages and

comments from members constantly through-out the restoration process, answering as many questions as possible and providing detailed information on specific areas.

GEC noticed and appreciated how mem-bers showed their support of our crews through the online forum, sending words of thanks and encouragement. Members also coordinated efforts to provide meals and donations to the crews, including bug spray, socks, lip balm and sunscreen.

For GEC members, Hurricane Irma was the first time social media was used on this scale. It was certainly a benefit to provide updated, real-time information to our members.

The plan put in place prior to the storm and the teamwork of all GEC employees during the restoration made the recovery manageable.

Our last daily wrap up was September 22— 12 days after restoration efforts began—when Brewington announced 100 percent of mem-bers who could receive power were energized. n

Glades Electric Cooperative crews repair a pole and line taken down during Hurricane Irma.


28 N O V E M B E R 2017

N O V E M B E R 2017 29

6 N O V E M B E R 2017 Peace River Electric Cooperative

Billy AlexyLine Tech SupervisorCentral Division, Wauchula

The first couple of days were very stressful, then things settled down because everybody just wanted to get the lights back on.

It was good to see how everybody from top to bottom, beginning to end, pulled together and worked so hard to restore power.

Many people don’t realize that even though their service may be buried underground, their power still comes from overhead lines somewhere, where trees can cause an outage.

I worked 16 hours a day. At the end of the day, I would come home, take a shower, see my son, go to bed, then get up the next day and do it all over again. For 2 weeks, I saw my son – he’s 6 years old – for about 30 minutes a day.

In Their Own Words: Hurricane Irma RestorationWe spoke to four PRECO employees who supervised out-of-state line crews following Hurricane Irma’s devastating impact on our electric distribution system. It’s vitally important for repair crews to know where the lines are located and how they

Darryl KeenLineman, First ClassCentral Division, Wauchula

One of the benefits of doing storm work is working with crews from other places and seeing how they do things.

Storm work is pretty much like our normal day-to-day work, but on a lot bigger scale and longer days. I worked 16 hours a day for a week-and-a-half.

We did a lot of work on deenergized lines. Even though the lines aren’t energized, we still have to wear our protective gear because someone’s generator could be backfeeding onto the lines.

Working long days made it hard to spend time with family. Most nights, when I got home, my 6-year-old daughter was already asleep. She only stayed awake long enough to see me on two nights.

17-0096_PREC_NOV_FINAL.indd 8 10/18/17 1:56 PM

www.preco.coop N O V E M B E R 2017 7

In Their Own Words: Hurricane Irma Restoration

Darryl KeenLineman, First ClassCentral Division, Wauchula

One of the benefits of doing storm work is working with crews from other places and seeing how they do things.

Storm work is pretty much like our normal day-to-day work, but on a lot bigger scale and longer days. I worked 16 hours a day for a week-and-a-half.

We did a lot of work on deenergized lines. Even though the lines aren’t energized, we still have to wear our protective gear because someone’s generator could be backfeeding onto the lines.

Working long days made it hard to spend time with family. Most nights, when I got home, my 6-year-old daughter was already asleep. She only stayed awake long enough to see me on two nights.

James PerryLine Tech SupervisorEastern Division, Indian Lake Estates

We stayed wet – from rain, high water and sweat.

It’s a good feeling when you help people get their lives back to normal by bringing the lights back on, even if it takes long hours every day. But, it’s part of the job when you work for the power company – other people’s needs come before yours.

A few people were upset because they didn’t have power and don’t understand how power restoration works. But, most people were very appreciative of our help.

On a personal level, it’s tough when you live in the same area that was hit by the storm and you don’t have power at home either. I came home late every night and had to bathe in my pool.

I didn’t like walking through waist-deep water in swamps with gators and snakes.

Water was a big problem for us and our members. Some houses had 2 to 3 feet of water in them.

Bryan PritchardLine Tech SupervisorWestern Division, Bradenton

One good thing about the storm was that we didn’t find anybody who had a generator hooked up wrong.

While we were working after the storm, everybody was very nice. A lot of folks asked if we needed food or water.

The biggest problem we had was trees and poles down.

We worked 16-hour days; roughly 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.

For the first couple of days, we didn’t have much to eat. Some of the linemen’s families cooked and delivered food to the worksite.

At first, a lot of roads were closed due to trees and limbs. Before long, people started to clear the roads around them and things got better.

interconnect, so seasoned PRECO employees are assigned to supervise visiting crews whenever hurricane restoration takes place. In their own words, they describe what the work was like and how it affected them personally.


8 N O V E M B E R 2017 Peace River Electric Cooperative

Giving Credit where Credit is DuePRECO gratefully acknowledges the many electric co-ops and contractors who provided mutual aid to assist us in our hurricane recovery work. These men and women left their families and the comforts of home to bring power back to you, so that you could enjoy your home and family.

O U R S I S T E R E L E C T R I C CO O P E R AT I V E SCarroll White Rural Electric

Membership Cooperative, Monticello, Indiana

Clark County Rural Electric Membership Cooperative, Sellersburg, Indiana

Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative, Talladega, Alabama

Decatur County Rural Electric Membership Cooperative, Greensburg, Indiana

Delta Electric Power Association, Greenwood, Mississippi

Dubois Rural Electric Cooperative, Jasper, Indiana

Fulton County Rural Electric Membership Cooperative, Rochester, Indiana

Kosciusko Rural Electric Membership Cooperative, Warsaw, Indiana

Marshall County Rural Electric Membership Cooperative, Plymouth, Indiana

Noble Rural Electric Membership Cooperative, Albion, Indiana

Snapping Shoals Electric Membership Cooperative, Covington, Georgia

Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, Hartford, Alabama

E L E C T R I C A L CO N T R AC TO R SKinco Powerline Construction,

Columbia, LouisianaMidwestern Electrical Contractors,

Indianapolis, IndianaPike Corporation, Mount

Airy, North CarolinaWil-Mar Utility Company, Gilmer, Texas

R I G H T O F WAYGeorgia Right of Way, Forsyth, Georgia

PRECO lineman Clay Taylor (far right) with a line crew from Indiana. More co-ops from Indiana responded than any other state.

191 poles replaced

66 transformers replaced

More than 1,200 wire splices used to repair lines

Nearly 11,000 hours of labor by PRECO employees

Estimated expenses related to Hurricane Irma’s impact on PRECO’s electric distribution system are not yet available, but the damage can be weighed by looking at the hours worked and a few of the materials most used.

Calculating the Toll of “Irma-Geddon”

718 total working days (16-hour days) by visiting co-ops and contractors, 4 electrical construction contractors and 1 right-of-way contractor


www.preco.coop N O V E M B E R 2017 25

Date Services Off Services Restored Percentage Restored

9/11 am 41,211 0 0.0%

9/11 pm 16,999 24,212 58.8%

9/12 12,216 28,954 70.3%

9/13 8,445 32,724 79.5%

9/14 7,508 33,661 81.8%

9/15 2,018 39,149 95.1%

9/16 1,335 39,832 96.8%

9/17 347 40,820 99.2%

9/18 241 40,928 99.4%*

Hurricane IrmaL O S S O F E L E C T R I C S E R V I C E : 1 0 0 P E R C E N T

PRECO’s efforts to restore power: 100 percentOn Sunday, September 10th, Hurricane Irma set her sights on the heart of Florida bringing torrential rains, flooding and winds of more than 100 miles per hour. By sunrise on Monday, every electric service in each of the 10 counties PRECO serves was without power. PRECO may have been down, but not out.“As soon as winds subsided enough to provide safety for our crews, we deployed every available employee to assess the damage to our system and begin making repairs,” shares Van Crawford, v.p. of operations. “By making these preliminary assessments, we learn the size and location of the damage we have sustained and where to concentrate our efforts to restore power to the most people in the least amount of time.” And, PRECO wasted no time in working to restore power.“After beginning Monday with zero electric services on, nearly 60 percent of our members had power by the end of the same day,” explains Crawford. “As the week continued, we added more and more services as out-of-state line crews arrived daily to lend us a hand. And, we didn’t stop until the job was done.”

* PRECO could not immediately restore the remaining 0.6 percent because the member’s home electrical system was so badly damaged it could not accept power until repairs were made.

P E R C E N T A G E O F S E R V I C E S R E S T O R E D

9/11am 9/11pm 9/12 9/13 9/14 9/15 9/16 9/17 9/18

100% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

80% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

60% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

40% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

20% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

0% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________


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