Member Guidebook

Welcome.

7 COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES

Cooperatives follow these principles, which guide us to operate differently from other electric utilities.

Voluntary and Open Membership

Membership in a co-op is open to anyone who can reasonably use its services and is willing to accept the responsibilities of membership.

Democratic Member Control

Co-ops are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who set policies and make decisions. Board members are elected from the membership and are accountable to members. Each member has one vote.

Members’ Economic Participation

Members contribute equitably to the capital of the coop. Co-ops provide services at cost and are not-for-profit organizations. Members benefit in proportion to their transactions with the co-op in the form of capital credits.

Autonomy and Independence

Co-ops are autonomous organizations controlled by their members. If we enter into agreements with other organizations, we do so on terms that ensure democratic control and our unique identity.

Education, Training, and Information

We educate and train members, board members, and employees so they can contribute to the co-op.

Cooperation Among Cooperatives

By working together through local, national, regional, and international structures, co-ops improve services, bolster local economies, and respond to social and community needs.

Concern for Community

Co-ops work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies supported by members.

Welcome to

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Our member-owned, not-for-profit electric co-op powers over 11,800 homes and businesses. We're led by our members and are committed to improving the quality of life in our community. Our employees live in your community and work to provide reliable and affordable electric service.

RELIABLE ELECTRIC SERVICE

Our outage time is 108 minutes per member each year. That's significantly lower than outages experienced by customers of investorowned utilities and municipals, who are without power an average of 160 minutes each year.

AVERAGE OUTAGE

TIME PER MEMBER: 108 MINUTES

EXCELLENT SATISFACTION

Our satisfaction score is 88 out of 100. That means satisfaction with the co-op is higher than well-known businesses like Apple and Coca-Cola.

With SmartHub, you can:

> Pay your bill

> Report power outages

> View your electric use

> Sign up for paperless billing

> Enroll in Auto Pay

> Sign up for e-mail and text alerts

Download our free SmartHub app to securely pay your bill, report power outages, analyze your electric use, and more.

Take control of your energy use with SmartHub's Usage Explorer SmartHub’s Usage Explorer shows your electric use on a monthly, daily, and hourly basis. With the Usage Explorer, you can access your home’s energy use history, monitor how changes in temperature impact your energy use, and troubleshoot malfunctioning items using more energy than normal.

See how one member monitors their daily energy consumption with the Usage Explorer on the next page.

Save energy & money with SmartHub’s Usage Explorer

Here's how one member monitors their energy use with SmartHub's Usage Explorer.

1. We went on a short vacation

We put the lights on timers and turned our HVAC system down so it would cycle less. It made a difference, but the fridge, water heater, and electronics still used energy.

2. Our kids were home for the weekend

It’s amazing how much energy we used, but we did a lot of cooking, took plenty of showers and baths, and did several loads of laundry. Ovens, hot water heaters, and dryers are appliances that use a lot of energy.

3. It was hot outside, but we kept the thermostat up

If we had turned the thermostat down, our electric use would have been even higher. The greater the difference between the temperature outside and our thermostat inside, the harder our system has to work to keep the house cool.

4. There was a problem with our HVAC system

It wasn’t very hot outside, but our energy use was high. We found out our air conditioning system wasn’t working properly, which caused our electric use to be higher than normal. Luckily I signed up for Usage Alerts through SmartHub, so I caught the problem and got it fixed before receiving a high electric bill.

Learn about Usage Alerts at butlerrural.coop > My Account > Power Usage Alerts.

Understanding YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

1

Account number, service address, service period, date bill was generated, meter number, meter readings, kilowatt-hours used, and amount due.

2 3 4 5 6

Prior balance and payment, charges, credits, amount due, and additional charges like dusk to dawn light fees.

12 month record of electric use, which can help identify trends in your energy use.

The chart compares the energy profile of your current bill to the previous bill and the same month from the prior year. It features days of service, kilowatt-hours used, average daily use, cost per day, and high and low temperatures for the corresponding months to show the influence of outdoor temperatures on your electric use.

Important alerts like disconnect notices.

Account number and amount due.

Convenient PAYMENT OPTIONS

ONLINE

Pay your bill through SmartHub or click on Pay Now on our website, butlerrural.coop.

AUTO PAY

Reduce the stress of missing a payment or receiving a late charge by having your payment automatically removed from your checking or savings account on the due date.

Follow these steps to enroll in Auto Pay:

1. Log in to SmartHub.

2. Click on Billing & Payments then Auto Pay Program.

3. On the right side of the page, select Sign Up For Auto Pay then Bank Account.

4. Follow the instructions and continue paying your bill until your statement reads Automatic Payment – DO NOT PAY!

MAIL

Mail your payments to P.O. Box 179, Hamilton, Ohio 45012.

PHONE

Pay through SecurePay by calling 844-834-4460 or call our office at 513-867-4400 during normal business hours to speak with member services representatives at our office.

FIRST FINANCIAL BANK

Pay your bill at any First Financial Bank location.

OFFICE

Stop by our office to make a payment or place your payment in the drop box.

OUR RATES

As a member of a not-for-profit electric co-op, you receive electricity at cost. We set and maintain rates at the lowest possible point to cover the cost of doing business. Our rates are reasonable, competitive, and stable. Here's an explanation for each rate on your bill.

Distribution Base Charge

Each member pays $40 for the base charge each month, regardless of the amount of electricity they use. All members need reliable energy, so this cost is shared across members to build and maintain our system.

Distribution Energy Charge

This covers upkeep of our electric lines, poles, meters, and substations and is influenced by the co-op's operating costs.

Generation and Transmission Charge

This is the cost of power from Buckeye Power, our generation and transmission co-op. It covers coal, environmental enhancements at generation facilities, fuel for trains, trucks, and barges to bring coal to the plant, and sending power over transmission lines to our distribution system.

SCHEDULE AN ENERGY AUDIT AND SAVE!

Our trained, professional employees can visit your home to find ways to make your home more efficient. You will learn cost-effective ways to improve the comfort and efficiency of your home for only $150.

Call us at 513-867-4400 to schedule yours today!

Your bills can be consistent even when the weather isn't

Your electric bill goes up and down depending on how much electricity you use. During the hottest days of summer and the coldest days in winter, bills are higher because of air conditioning and heating system use. Our budget billing option helps avoid these extreme swings by making your bill more predictable all year long.

SMOOTH OUT THE SPIKES

Budget billing levels your annual electric costs. We’ll calculate the amount based on your electric use over the past 11 months plus your current month’s electric use.

Sail through the seasons knowing what to expect while keeping your home comfortable during weather extremes. Sign up for budget billing at butlerrural.coop > My Account > Billing Information > Billing Options or call us at 513-867-4400.

There’s a $165 difference between this member’s highest bill in December and their lowest in October. Luckily they’re enrolled in budget billing, so their payments only varied by $40, at the most, over this six month period.

SAVE TIME + MONEY WITH PAPERLESS BILLING

With paperless billing, you'll receive your monthly bills on the day they're calculated by e-mail.

Paperless billing is...

SIMPLE. Bills are easy to manage and you can pay from anywhere.

CONVENIENT. Paperless billing saves time and fits into your lifestyle.

AFFORDABLE. No need to buy stamps or worry about late fees.

ECO-FRIENDLY. Use less paper and reduce your environmental footprint.

RELIABLE. Never forget or lose track of a bill again.

SECURE. Safely manage statements and payments online through SmartHub. Paperless billing is more secure than dropping a check in the mail.

Enrolling is quick and easy — follow these steps:

1. Log into SmartHub.

2. Click on My Profile then My Information.

3. Select Update My Paperless Settings

4. Move the Paperless status on the right side of the page to ON.

Due date

Payments are due on the 20th of the month. If the 20th falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date is moved to the next business day.

Power outage

No matter the time or the day, our lineworkers respond to outages immediately to restore power as quickly as they can.

REPORT IT

Report outages using one of these methods:

> Through SmartHub

> Text "OUT" to 855-940-3867

> Call 855-940-3867 to use our Self-Serve phone number Self-Serve is a feature that allows you to quickly report power outages directly to our outage management system without experiencing busy signals. Save time and save your phone number as a contact in SmartHub before using Self-Serve. Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Download the free SmartHub app in the App Store or Google Play

2. Sign in to your SmartHub account

3. Select Notifications > Manage Contacts > Add Phone Contact

It will take up to 48 hours for a new phone number to be recognized by our outage management system. Members with multiple Butler Rural Electric Cooperative accounts must enter their account number each time they use Self-Serve.

FOLLOW US FOR OUTAGE UPDATES

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for outage updates. Do not report outages through social media or by e-mail as they are not monitored 24/7.

TEXT “OUT” TO 855-940-3867 to report power outages

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

BUTLER RURAL

Keeping you informed

E-MAIL AND TEXT NOTIFICATIONS

Follow these steps to sign up for notifications like payment confirmations, power outage updates, and more.

Add phone and e-mail contacts

In SmartHub, select Notifications > Manage Contacts

Customize the notices you receive In SmartHub, select Notifications > Manage Notifications

OTHER NOTICES

We send e-mails and letters before work like tree and vegetation management and pole replacement occurs in your area.

We send surveys after the work is complete. We appreciate members sharing their opinions with us. Feedback helps make decisions to improve the cooperative. Your thoughts and opinions matter to us.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING MAGAZINE

You will receive this magazine by mail each month. The 12 pages in the center of our magazine are written and designed locally by a co-op employee. These pages contain news and information important to our members. The rest of the magazine contains recipes, gardening tips, and news about the energy industry. Ohio Cooperative Living is created and published by Ohio's Electric Cooperatives, the service organization owned by the electric co-ops in our state.

WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY

YOUTH PROGRAMS

We invest $18,500 in education each year through college scholarships for members' children and send high school students on an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. They join students from across the country and spend a week meeting with Congressional representatives and learning about electric co-ops. Applications for these programs are available at butlerrural.coop > Community > Youth Programs in November.

GIVING BACK

We donate $1,000 to local food pantries each year while members and employees gather food, personal care items, and clothes for those in need. Employees deliver Christmas gifts to residents and staff at Woodland Country Manor, a nursing facility that's a commercial member.

OUR MEMBERS DO, TOO!

Members and employees donate to local non-profit organizations through Butler Rural Community Connection to benefit fire departments, emergency management services, and schools in the counties we serve. Over $1.2 million has been given to these organizations to improve our community.

Butler County children with disabilities learn to walk.

Another grant was used to fund a local summer camp focused on STEM projects for elementary students.

A Community Connection grant was used to purchase an infant treadmill to help

Helping you save

REBATES

We offer rebates to help you live a more efficient and comfortable lifestyle.

Geothermal rebates

Members purchasing or replacing a geothermal system can apply for a rebate and receive a $.02 per kilowatt-hour credit for electric use between 1001 to 2501 kilowatt-hours from September through May.

Air source/dual fuel heat pump rebates

We offer rebates for new or replacement air source/dual fuel heat pump systems. Members with dual fuel receive a $.02 per kilowatthour credit for heat pump use from September through May.

LOANS

The co-op finances loans up to $25,000 at a low interest rate for members making home efficiency improvements.

Geothermal loans

Includes labor, duct work, excavation, pipe, and materials.

Air-source heat pump and central air conditioning loans

Covers ENERGY STAR® rated heat pumps and locations that do not have air conditioning.

Energy efficiency loans

Covers insulation, weather stripping, caulking, storm and thermal windows and doors, and clock or electronic thermostats.

Electric improvement loans

Includes upgrading services, meter pole changes, rewiring projects, power quality equipment, backup generators, and correcting unsafe electric conditions.

ELECTRICIAN SERVICES

Our licensed and insured electricians can help with your electric repairs.

WATER HEATERS THAT SPAN GENERATIONS

THE LAST WATER HEATER YOU’LL EVER NEED TO BUY

THE LAST WATER HEATER YOU'LL EVER NEED Its award-winning construction makes the Rheem® Marathon® water heater the most durable electric water heater ever made. Its industry-best warranty makes it a smart purchase you can count on for years to come.

Its award-winning construction makes the Rheem® Marathon® water heater the most durable electric water heater ever made. And its industry-best warranty makes it a smart purchase you can count on for years to come.

THE COOPERATIVE SELLS AND LEASES RHEEM ® MARATHON ® WATER HEATERS.

We sell and lease 50, 85, and 105 gallon Rheem Marathon electric water heaters that our electricians can service and install.

P urc hase Opt ion

Purchase

Members can purchase water heaters at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s office at 3888 Stillwell Beckett Road in Oxford. All prices are subject to change, so please contact our office to get the current price and to ensure we have the model you need in stock.

The cooperative offers rebates to members

Lease Option

Only $12.50 per month*

Benefits of the lease

Members building a new home or replacing a fossil fuel water heater can receive rebates after purchasing a water heater from the co-op. Visit butlerrural.coop > Save Energy & Money > Programs > Water Heaters or call us at 513-867-4400 for current prices.

• All service performed free of charge

• Trusted installation and service from Butler Rural Electric Cooperative employees

• No up-front cost, no tank to buy, no installation charge

• Convenient and easy– payment applied to the electric bill each month

Lease

(1) replacing an existing fossil fuel water heater for the first time or (2) building a new home. Our electricians are available to install and service the water heaters.

50 gallon

• Choice of 50, 85 or 100 gallon model–same monthly cost no matter the tank size

Enjoy the convenience of leasing a water heater for only $12.50 per month plus tax.

• Buyout options available after the first year

Member Price: $894 plus applicable taxes

Rebate Price: $544 plus applicable taxes*

Leasing a water heater is...

85 gallon (Grid-enabled)

Member Price: $1,217 plus applicable taxes

Rebate Price: $667 plus applicable taxes*

100 gallon (Grid-enabled)

AFFORDABLE. All service is performed for free with no up front costs.

Member Price: $1,364 plus applicable taxes

Rebate Price: $714 plus applicable taxes*

*Taxes are paid on the full retail price. Rebate is given to members who install a radio-controlled switch on their water heater. Rebate is subject to change at any time without notice.

For more information, visit www.butlerrural.coop/content/water-heaters

CONVENIENT. The low monthly payment is applied to your monthly electric bill.

*Privately owned, single family dwellings: The tank is warranted not to leak: “for as long as you own your home.” If the home is sold, the warranty converts to 10 years from the date of manufacture. Parts are warranted for 6 years from the date of manufacture.

EASY. Our trusted electricians install and service water heaters.

CUSTOMIZED. Choose between a 50, 85, or 100 gallon model — the monthly cost is the same regardless of tank size.

Keeping your lights on with tree & vegetation management

Over 37% of outages are caused by trees growing too close to power lines. Keeping lines clear of limbs reduces power interruptions and helps lineworkers restore outages quickly.

TREE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

A right-of-way is the strip of land underneath and around power lines we have the right and responsibility to maintain so we can deliver reliable power. Our tree management team cuts down trees and trims vegetation in the right-of-way using chainsaws, bucket trucks, tree climbers, brush chippers, and mowers.

WHAT WE'LL DO

Our tree management contractor inspects the same area in our territory once every four years. They look for trees growing under power lines, leaning trees that could pull down lines, and trees that could grow into lines.

Contractors use trimming techniques shown below, which are approved by the National Arborist Association. These methods encourage tree growth away from power lines and assist the long-term growth and health of trees. While trees may appear unbalanced after trimming, the appearance will soften over time. Crews assess each tree and trim them based on the best fit for the tree and electric reliability.

PRUNING

SIDE PRUNING

PRUNING

Our contractors use pruning methods approved by the National Arborist Association to encourage growth away from power lines and to assist the long-term growth and health of trees. Contractors may also cut down trees in the right of way with your approval.

GO ELECTRIC!

Electricity is becoming cleaner and more renewable every day. Whether you're interested in electric vehicles or thinking about renewable energy for your home, going electric can lower costs, help the environment, and improve the quality of life in our community.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Did you know owning an electric vehicle can save you over $800 in annual maintenance?

Thinking about solar? Give us a call! We can look at your energy use history to help size your system and evaluate savings. Visit butlerrural.coop > Electric Service > Renewable Energy to view solar energy FAQs, questions to ask solar contractors, and more.

SERVICE TERRITORY

We provide electricity to members in Butler, Hamilton, Preble, and Montgomery counties. Our service territory is divided into nine districts, which are below.

DISTRICT 1

Israel and Oxford townships

DISTRICT 2

Milford Township

DISTRICT 3

Somers Township

DISTRICT 4

German and Gratis townships

DISTRICT 5

Madison and Wayne townships

DISTRICT 6

Reily Township

DISTRICT 7

Hanover and St. Clair townships

DISTRICT 8

Harrison and Morgan townships

DISTRICT 9

Colerain, Crosby, Fairfield, and Ross townships

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative operates under a Code of Regulations, which is available at butlerrural.coop > About Us > Cooperative Information > Code of Regulations.

Preble Butler Hamilton

Montgomery

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

We're led by our members. Members serve on our board of trustees and choose who's on the board by voting for candidates each spring. Board members meet each month with our attorney, general manager, and management staff and work together to make important decisions like setting policies and rates. They represent all members, not only the members in the township or district they live in.

Thomas L. McQuiston

Mike Tilton

Jim Meador

David Evans

Robert Hoelle

Jay T. Hasbrook

Robert Spaeth

Ronald Kolb

James O'Brien

DAVID EVANS President

District 1

d.evans@butlerrural.coop

513-523-8967

ROBERT HOELLE

Vice President

District 5

b.hoelle@butlerrural.coop

513-726-5356

JIM MEADOR Secretary and Treasurer

District 2

j.meador@butlerrural.coop

513-280-2003

THOMAS L. MCQUISTON

District 3

t.mcquiston@butlerrural.coop

513-796-2983

JAY T. HASBROOK

District 4

j.hasbrook@butlerrural.coop

937-307-5347

RONALD KOLB

District 6

r.kolb@butlerrural.coop

513-757-4223

MIKE TILTON

District 7

m.tilton@butlerrural.coop

513-266-4099

ROBERT SPAETH

District 8

b.spaeth@butlerrural.coop

513-738-2495

JAMES O'BRIEN

District 9

j.obrien@butlerrural.coop

513-376-5639

Board members want to hear from you. Feel free to give them feedback or ask them questions. They're your voice for the co-op.

EVERY MEMBER GETS A PIECE OF THE PIE

You're more than a consumer — you're an owner of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. Capital credits represent this ownership and are one of the most unique and rewarding benefits you enjoy as a member.

Unlike investor-owned utilities that maximize profits to pay shareholders, your not-for-profit co-op provides electricity at cost. At the end of the year, we return portions of our excess funds to members after all expenses have been covered.

The capital credits amount you receive is based on your length of membership and the amount you paid for electric service.

HOW CAPITAL CREDITS WORK

The money to cover our operating expenses comes from members paying their bills.

At the end of the year, we subtract our operating expenses from the money collected. The money left is called margins.

Each year, margins are deposited into your capital credits account based on the amount you paid for electric service.

Our board of trustees evaluates the co-op's financial stability to determine if we can retire capital credits.

When we retire capital credits, we withdraw margins from your capital credits account and send them to you as a check or credit on your bill.

Safety

If you're planning to dig on your property, contact Ohio Utilities Protection Service, or OUPS, first. Forty-eight hours before digging, call 811 or visit oups.org and representatives from local utilities will locate and mark underground lines.

When a utility marks a location, colored flags and paint are used to identify the type of underground service. Here are the standard colors and the utilities they represent:

Red Electric

Yellow Gas, oil, gaseous materials

Orange Phone, cable

Blue Potable water

Purple Reclaimed water

Green Sewers

Pink Temporary survey markings

White Proposed excavation

LOAD MANAGEMENT + PEAK ALERTS

Electric is typically in high demand during hot summer afternoons when we're running air conditioners, using ovens to cook dinner, and running washers and dryers for laundry. Electricity cost is highest when demand is greatest, so these spikes in demand can increase electric costs for the co-op and members.

Load management programs like water heater radio-controlled switches and Cool Returns air conditioner switches were created to decrease the use of electricity during these times. Reducing the demand for electricity created by electric water heaters and airconditioning systems helps decrease the use of electricity to help the co-op control costs and keeps rates low for all members.

Peak alerts

Peak alerts are notifications asking members to reduce their electric use to help keep costs down. If you have a radio-controlled switch on your water heater or a Cool Returns switch on your central airconditioning system, it will be activated during peak times. Visit butlerrural.coop > Save Energy & Money > Peak Alerts & Load Management Switches to learn more about the program.

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BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

BUTLER RURAL

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC

Our mission

To be a dynamic, progressive organization guided by cooperative principles and to provide energy and other value-added services to its members. The cooperative will participate in its communities, providing leadership and support to improve the quality of life for all of its citizens.

Updated June 2023