June Newsletter 2024

Carroll EMC Hosts Electric Vehicle Safety Training for First Responders

In response to the growing presence of electric vehicles (EVs) on our roads, Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) is proud to announce the launch of a pioneering training initiative aimed at equipping first responders with the necessary skills and knowledge to safely manage incidents involving EVs. For two days in mid-April, the cooperative hosted more than 70 local first responders from Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding and Polk counties for a half-day training session to prepare them to respond to incidents involving electric vehicles and the unique challenges they present.

Taught by Jack Voltz, a 30-plus-year fireman veteran, attendees learned about components of an EV, including battery systems, charging infrastructure and safety protocols. They learned effective strategies for managing EV fires, including proper extinguishing agents and techniques. Voltz also shared the history of electric vehicles and debunked myths surrounding them. Additionally, attendees experienced a firsthand look at the inner workings of several different electric vehicles, including a Ford Lightning, Tesla, Chevrolet Bolt and Mustang Mach-E.

“With the increasing prevalence of electric vehicle options, Carroll EMC wants to stay ahead of the curve,” says Matt Young, Manager of Safety, Training and Loss Control at Carroll EMC. “One of the guiding principles of a cooperative is education, training and information. Carroll EMC takes that to heart, and we are committed to empowering first responders with the knowledge they need to safeguard our communities. We have invested in this training to take proactive steps to enhance public safety around electric vehicles.”

Plant Vogtle Unit 4 Reaches Commercial Operation

Carroll EMC now receives safe, reliable, emission-free nuclear energy from Plant Vogtle Unit 4, the final unit to come on-line at the nuclear expansion project near Waynesboro. Unit 4 began commercial operation on April 29, 2024, following Unit 3, which went into service in July 2023. These new units will now help power Carroll EMC members with reliable, clean energy for the next 60 to 80 years.

“Carroll EMC strives to meet our Members’ existing and expanding electricity needs with a diverse portfolio of safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible energy. Nuclear power represents a vital part of our energy mix as an essential source of aroundthe-clock, clean electricity,” says Tim Martin, President and CEO at Carroll EMC. “With Unit 4 on-line and operating safely, I am proud that Carroll EMC homes and businesses will be powered by reliable, emission-free nuclear energy for generations to come.”

Nuclear power is considered one of the most reliable energy sources. Now in service, Unit 4 can generate emission-free electricity at full power 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Did you know ceiling fans can help you save energy? Ceiling fans create a windchill effect on your skin to make you feel a few degrees cooler. Raise the thermostat a few degrees and turn on fans to reduce air conditioning costs.

Set fan blades to rotate counterclockwise during summer months and clockwise during winter months. Remember, ceiling fans cool people but don’t actually lower the indoor temperature. Turn them off when you leave the room.

Source: energy.gov

3 Ways to Seal in Comfort

In addition to increased comfort, weatherizing your home is an excellent way to save energy and lower your cooling and heating costs. Here are three ways you can seal in comfort and savings:

Caulk

Apply caulk around cracks and openings between stationary components like door frames and window frames.

Weatherstripping

Install weatherstripping around components that move, such as doors and operable windows.

Insulate

Adding insulation is an effective weatherization strategy, especially for older homes. Consider additional insulation in areas like an unfinished attic, exterior walls and floors above uninsulated spaces.

Crossbeam Is on the Move

Af te r two busy years, Crossbeam int ernet se rvice is available to more than 7,000 Carroll EMC Member s.

As promised, we continue to expand our fiber net work to reach more unde rser ve d Member s. New fiber routes are currently being construc te d that, when complete, will bring high-speed internet to an additional 8,000 Carroll EMC Member s in pa rts of Haralson, Carroll, Polk and Paulding counti es.

We’r e moving as fast as we can. Registerin g on our we bsite will ensure that you are contac te d when service becomes available where you live

Six Students Awarded Lineman School Scholarship

For six future linemen, the cost of training will be no hurdle to jump. Bailey Frederick, Grayson Gulledge, Trevor Hansford, Chase O’Neal, Tucker Philpot and Clayton Rose were each awarded the Lineman School Scholarship from Carroll EMC worth $5,000 to use at their school of choice.

In a time when formal education is no longer deemed the only path to success, students are increasingly encouraged to pursue a trade. Because of this, Carroll EMC’s Lineman School Scholarship has become a highly sought-after award and has sponsored more than 40 individuals since its inception in 2017.

“We’re always going to need lineworkers because we have to have power,” says Taylor Key, Community Relations Supervisor and Scholarship Coordinator at Carroll EMC. “They’re the backbone of our society, and as generations of workers age out, we need younger men and women to replace them.”

To qualify for the scholarship, interested applicants must live in a home served by Carroll EMC or be an employee, employee’s child or employee’s grandchild. They must also be a graduating senior in good standing or have earned a high school diploma or GED and be drug-free with a safe driving record. If these requirements are met, individuals can submit an online application with two

letters of recommendation and an essay outlining why they want to pursue this career path.

“It was on February 13, 2014, I knew I wanted to become a lineman,” says Philpot, one of this year’s scholarship recipients.

“A winter storm had come through, and our power was out. I was playing in the snow when a crew from Baldwin EMC pulled up to restore power. When they were finished, I asked if I could take a picture with them because they were heroes in my eyes.”

“That has resonated in the back of my mind for many years and played a role in my decision to become a lineman,” Philpot adds.

In addition to completing an online application, each qualified applicant must sit down for a panel interview with the scholarship committee. If selected as a recipient, they receive scholarship funds and are paired with a lineman mentor as they go through training. Five of this year’s scholarship recipients plan to enroll at West Georgia Technical College and one at North Georgia Technical College.

Interested applicants for next year’s scholarship cycle can contact Taylor Key at (770) 830-5736 or taylor.key@carrollemc.com with questions or for more information.

Bailey Frederick

Clayton Rose

Tucker Philpot

Chase O'Neal

Trevor Hansford

Grayson Gulledge

155 N Highway 113 Carrollton, GA 30117

member.services@carrollemc.com

carrollemc.com (770) 832-3552

PRESIDENT/CEO

Tim Martin

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Eddie Gore, Chairman

Max Goldin, Vice Chairman

Ronnie Jordan, Secretary/Treasurer

Donnie Brannon

Don DeFoor

Alvin Ginn

Emmett Harrod

Lynn Joyner

Nan Philpot

EDITOR

Kelly Jimenez WRITER

Brittany Shadix

OFFICE HOURS

Carrollton

Monday through Friday

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Buchanan

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Franklin

Monday and Tuesday

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

24-HOUR OUTAGE LINE

To report a power outage, call (770) 832-3552, option 1.

Remember: If you have multiple accounts, you will need to enter your account number for that location.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

What Are Capital Credits?

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, Carroll EMC returns excess operating revenue back to its Members in the form of capital credits. As you’ve heard before, Carroll EMC is owned by the Members it serves. Once you become a Member of the cooperative and pay the $15 membership fee, you also become part owner. Capital credits represent each Member-owner’s share of Carroll EMC’s margins or operating revenue remaining after operating expenses. This is what sets us apart from investor-owned utilities.

The Board of Directors announces the retirement of funds from a specific set of years, and the amount a Member receives is calculated based on their use of electricity for those years. Eligible Members will receive their check after the Board of Directors have finalized financial conditions. Members receive their capital credits as a check in the mail, which can be cashed, deposited or applied as a credit to their electric account.

What Are Unclaimed Capital Credits?

Unclaimed capital credits are simply those checks that have not been claimed by Members. The cooperative shares a list of Members whose checks were issued but were returned undeliverable or have otherwise been unclaimed.

Carroll EMC is trying to locate former Members whose 2018 capital credits checks were issued but returned as undeliverable or have otherwise been unclaimed. Be sure to check the lists online at carrollemc.com/capitalcredits to see if you are eligible to receive a patronage capital allocation. To claim a refund, contact us at (770) 832-3552.

The last possible date to claim these funds is October 4, 2024.

Summer rates, which run June through September, are now in effect.

Offices Closed for Independence Day

Carroll EMC offices will close Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

Please use the PaySite kiosks, mobile app, textto-pay, website or automated phone payment system to make a payment during this time. Carroll EMC has personnel on standby 24/7, year-round. Even on holidays, Carroll EMC is prepared for storms and outages.

Carroll EMC will host a blood drive Tuesday, July 9, in the Robert D. Tisinger Community Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations for donation time slots are highly encouraged. Please sign up online at redcross.org.

Carroll EMC