December 2018 – Bill Insert

DECEMBER 2018 THE NEWS YOU NEED THIS MONTH

Give the gift of a lifetime Give the gift of a lifetime by nominating a family in need of an energy efficiency makeover.

Each year, Cobb EMC chooses one family to receive a home energy makeover package valued at over $20,000. To be eligible, homeowners must live in a primary residence that was built in or before 1995 and served by Cobb EMC. Entries must be submitted by January 18, 2019.

To learn more or nominate a neighbor, visit cobbemc.com/makeover.

4 TIPS FOR AN ENERGY SAVING CHRISTMAS 1. “LED” your Christmas lights shine efficiently Switch to LED Christmas lights. They use 90 percent less energy than incandescent Christmas lights and they last longer.

2. Limit your light Wait until it’s dark outside to turn on your Christmas lights.

3. Light up the grill Try grilling some of your main entrees, like turkey or ham.

Using the grill in lieu of the oven saves electricity and you won’t change the temperature of your home while cooking.

4. Turn down the thermostat when you have guests

“LEDs” save energy

If you’re hosting family and friends, turn down the thermostat.

Extra people in your house will generate heat at no cost.

Get more saving tips at cobbemc.com/save.

To see upcoming events and board meetings, go to cobbemc.com/events.

Clearing the way for reliable power Trees are one of the most common causes of power outages in our service area. Heavy winds, ice and snow can cause trees and limbs to fall on overhead lines, threatening blinks or power outages for an entire neighborhood.

To reduce tree-related outages, we routinely trim trees along our power lines. This trimming zone is referred to as our “right of way.”

Maintaining the right of way is necessary to avoid outages and safety hazards for our crews and the general public.

Trees and limbs can cause energized lines to fall to the ground, posing a safety hazard to anyone nearby.

We work hard to provide reliable and safe electric service, but we need your help. Follow the guidelines below to plant trees in the right place so they won’t interfere with power lines in the future.

Tree planting guidelines Mature trees 40 feet or taller should be planted 50 feet away

Mature trees less than 40 feet should be planted 30 feet away

Small trees and shrubs less than 25 feet should be planted 20 feet away

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY As your cooperative, it’s our duty to serve and invest in the communities where we live and work.

With your help, the Cobb EMC Community Foundation donated more than $4 million to local charities through Operation Round Up®.

In 2018, our employees volunteered over 1,400 hours.

It takes a village to better our communities, and we thank you for helping us serve.

To learn more about Cobb EMC’s commitment to our community, visit cobbemc.com/community.