March 2020 – Connections Member Newsletter

Georgia Georgiatodrabfab Georgia Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle

GEMC

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Keeping rates low at Cobb EMC page B Come to our Recycle Day event page C

MAGAZINE

MARCH 2020

Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle

GEMC

®

MAGAZINE

Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle

SPRING CLEAN YOUR HVAC UNIT & SAVE $50 PAGE E

GEMC

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MAGAZINE

CONNECTIONS MARCH 2020 | THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COBB ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION

Upcoming events

Local students attend Career Day

Recycle Day

Cobb EMC hosted more than 60 students for the cooperative’s 29th annual Career Day event.

Cobb EMC will host a Recycle Day April 25. Bring your old phones, computer equipment, cameras, metal items and small appliances for proper disposal.

Find a list of accepted items, directions and event details at cobbemc.com/recycle.

Director Nominations Nomination petitions for director elections must be submitted by May 22 (Sec. 3.07). Terms for directors of districts 1, 6 and 7 will be expiring at the Annual Meeting.

More information: cobbemc.com/annualmeeting

Fifth-graders from eight local schools observed a variety of careers at the company and learned how power is distributed to Cobb EMC’s member-consumers.

Prior to the event, students gained job search skills by filling out applications for the Career Day job postings that most interested them. While on the job, students experienced networking sessions with employees and gained insight into various career opportunities, including security and infrastructure administrator, power control manager and member care representative.

Career Day students completed questionnaires to learn about their mentors.

After spending a few hours working, students attended a luncheon. This year’s program included a guest speaker, Miss Georgia Victoria Hill, who spoke about achieving goals.

small change

BIG DIFFERENCE

The Cobb EMC Community Foundation has awarded more than $4.9 million to local charities and nonprofits.

Thank you to generous members who round up their bills each month.

Visit cobbemc.com/foundation for a full list of recipients or to learn how to request funding.

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Cobb EMC partners with schools across its service area to help educate the next generation.

The production team took video throughout the event to document Career Day.

THE PROOF IS IN THE POWER

$1.3 MILLION BACK TO MEMBERS

In January, Cobb EMC announced a Wholesale Power Adjustment (WPA) credit, which brought $1.3 million in savings to the electric cooperative’s members. Cobb EMC increases or decreases the WPA as necessary to follow changes in wholesale electric generation and transmission costs.

The Cobb EMC Board of Directors elected to give an aggregate total of more than $10 million back to consumers, like you, over the last 12 months. These decisions add up to meaningful savings for consumers.

According to the Georgia Public Service Commission, Cobb EMC members’ monthly bills are $24 lower than the average electric bill in Georgia, and are the lowest rates in metro Atlanta.

Additionally, Cobb EMC was recently ranked the sixth-largest EMC in the nation among more than 900 electric cooperatives. This ranking is even more impressive when you consider it was achieved while keeping costs low and maintaining reliable electricity – ranked third in the nation – for more than 200,000 consumers.

With this most recent bill credit, the average Cobb EMC household (which used 1,000 kWh each month) saved $5 on their bill.

TOP 3

in the nation for reliability

TOP 5

in the state for LOW RATES

#1

in the nation for restoring outages quickly LEADERSHIP

DOWNLOAD The Cobb EMC app

Get our free app to manage your account from the palm of your hand.

• Check the outage map • Pay your bill • View your energy use • Report outages

Peter Heintzelman President and CEO cobbemc.com/aboutus

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tripper Sharp, Chairman Eric Broadwell, Vice Chairman Rudy Underwood, Secretary-Treasurer Kelly Bodner Bryan Boyd Edward Crowell David McClellan Malcolm Swanson David Tennant

CONTACT US Cobb EMC

Phone: 770-429-2100 Pay by phone: 1-855-730-8714 Web: cobbemc.com

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RECYCLE DAY 04.25.20

Recycle Day is back! Cobb EMC’s free recycling event Bring your old phones, computer equipment, cameras, metal items and small appliances for proper disposal. TVs ($20) and monitors ($10) will require a cash-only fee. We’ll also offer free on-site shredding for secure document destruction. Documents are limited to five medium-sized boxes (20 x 20 x 20 inches).

Event details When: April 25, 2020, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: 1000 EMC Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060 Find a list of accepted items, directions and full event details at cobbemc.com/recycle.

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GO PAPERLESS Sign up for paperless billing and manage your electric account online or from the Cobb EMC app.

Did we mention it’s free?

You can also pay your bill, monitor energy use and – best of all – you can say goodbye to envelopes and costly stamps!

CHOOSE AUTO PAY Mark “paying the electric bill” off your to-do list when you enroll in Auto Pay. You won’t get stuck with late fees and your bill will be paid on time. It’s worry-free, so you can spend more time thinking about what matters most. cobbemc.com/account

5 EASY TIPS 3

SELECT EVEN BILL Organize your household expenses and create a budget for less stress.

We can help you with your power bill line item when you choose Even Bill. You’ll pay the same bill amount each month for one full year – meaning no high bill spikes in the summer! cobbemc.com/evenbill

TO CUT THE CLUTTER

GET A LOW FIXED RATE Save money on your natural gas bill with a discount on Gas South’s great low fixed rates. Fixed rates will save you money because they’re lower than variable rates and don’t fluctuate with the market month to month.

RECYCLE STUFF Get rid of piled up boxes filled with old documents or dead electronics taking up space in your garage or storage room.

Dispose of unwanted items in a secure, eco-friendly manner at our recycling event. Learn more at cobbemc.com/recycle.

It’s time to organize your bills and trash those old papers and electronics!

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cobbemc.com/gassouth

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Cobb EMC's wholly-owned subsidiary, Gas South, can save you money on your natural gas. Sign up today to enjoy these member benefits: • A permanent discount on Gas South’s low rates • Zero deposit (instantly saving you up to $150) • Waived connection fee (another savings of $60) • Additional savings in bill credits when you enroll online at GasSouth.com/cobb Plus, you'll know your choice is making a difference, because, along with Cobb EMC, Gas South is committed to strengthening our community. That’s why we give back 5% of our profits to help children in need.

Experience the Gas South difference.

Sign up and start saving today.

VISIT

GasSouth.com/cobb

CALL 855.802.2766 use promo code 450

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WHAT IS YOUR HVAC TELLING YOU?

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Home heating and cooling account for some of the largest energy expenses in a home.

Maintaining your HVAC system can lower energy costs and extend the life of your unit.

That’s why it’s important to pay attention to how your HVAC unit is behaving, so you can know if it’s operating at peak performance.

LOUD NOISES A growling, hissing or noisy furnace might indicate that repairs are needed.

INCONSISTENT TEMPERATURES You’re setting the temperature, but the house doesn’t feel comfortable. This could be a sign that your unit isn’t functioning properly and could need service.

POOR AIRFLOW If you notice more dust than normal in the home, or the air quality seems different, you could be experiencing clogged filters. Clean air filters keep dirt and dust from building up on the system, which allows for better air flow.

SPIKED ENERGY BILLS When your unit is running at max efficiency, you’ll see reduced energy costs. On the flip side, increasing energy bills could be due to an inefficient HVAC system.

It might be time for a tuneup if you’re experiencing any of these warning signs in your home. During an HVAC tuneup, a technician will check equipment and parts, and clean dirt or debris buildup if necessary.

A yearly tuneup is an easy way to increase the efficiency of your heating and cooling system – and keep your home comfortable all year long.

SAVE WITH A REBATE Get a $50 discount on your next HVAC tuneup when you use one of our participating contractors. The Cobb EMC HVAC Tuneup program begins March 1 and will remain available while supplies last.

Request your $50 savings voucher at cobbemc.com/tuneup.

SAVE ON AN HVAC TUNEUP

$50

This is not a valid coupon. To request an HVAC tuneup rebate voucher and participate in the tuneup program, go to cobbemc.com/tuneup.

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Smarter energy for our communities Cobb EMC focuses on continual improvements that benefit our members and our future. We are advancing our smart grid with cutting-edge technologies and powering our communities with renewable energy options, like solar. But we don’t stop there.

We invest in our neighborhoods by supporting local schools, and we’ve given more than $4.5 million to nonprofits through the Cobb EMC Community Foundation.