CONNECTIONS JANUARY 2020 | THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COBB ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION
Upcoming events Office closing Cobb EMC will be closed Jan. 1 in observance of New Year’s Day and Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Cobb EMC hosts reading event for 15,000 students
Employees are always on call for emergencies. To report an outage by phone, call 770-429-2100. You can also report an outage online at cobbemc.com/outage or with the free Cobb EMC app.
Open board meeting The Cobb EMC Board of Directors will host an open board meeting on Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. in the Cobb EMC board room. To RSVP, visit cobbemc.com/boardmeeting or call 678-355-3225.
HVAC Tuneup Rebate The HVAC Tuneup Rebate begins March 1. To get a reminder email, go to cobbemc.com/enewsletter.
small change
BIG DIFFERENCE
The Cobb EMC Community Foundation has awarded more than $4.8 million to local charities and nonprofits. Thank you to generous members who round up their bills to make this possible. Visit cobbemc.com/foundation for a full list of recipients or to learn how to request funding.
Authors and illustrators celebrate a successful Literacy Week.
Cobb EMC and Gas South recently hosted Literacy Week, a weeklong celebration of reading, illustration and writing at 35 schools in metro Atlanta. Throughout the week, more than 15,000 students were visited by nine children’s book authors, including the New York Times bestselling author/ illustrator Brian Lies, who shared his 2019 Caldecott Honor Book, “The Rough Patch,” throughout the weeklong celebration. Local author Angelique Monet also impressed students with her augmented reality book, “The Bravest Worrier,” which comes to life with a free mobile app developed by the author’s husband. “Literacy Week offers students a chance to expand their creativity through writing and illustration and encourages them to build lifelong
reading habits,” says Mark Justice, director of education and community relations at Cobb EMC. “We’re dedicated to the communities we serve, and we’re proud to work with Gas South and our local schools to provide these kinds of interactive learning opportunities.” “It’s amazing to see the effect Literacy Week has on children in our local communities,” says Carley Stephens, community affairs program manager at Gas South. “They look up to the local authors and really engage with them to make the stories come to life. The students are able to engage in ways they haven’t been able to in the past, which helps them learn in a whole new way. We’re proud to partner with Cobb EMC every year to make this happen.”
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THE PROOF IS IN THE POWER
TOP 3
in the nation for reliability
TOP 5
in the state for LOW RATES
#1
in the NATION for RESTORING OUTAGES QUICKLY LEADERSHIP 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 Phone: 770-429-2100 Pay by phone: 1-855-730-8714 Web: cobbemc.com
Cobb EMC breaks records for reliability, low rates and customer satisfaction Focus on superior member experience leads to achievements in innovation Cobb EMC’s customer satisfaction scores are at a record high, attributed largely to providing a superior member experience and reliable electricity at the lowest possible price. “Cobb EMC is capping off a banner year and redefining what it means to be an energy expert,” says Peter Heintzelman, president and CEO of Cobb EMC. “We’re regularly asked to speak across the U.S. as a nationally recognized industry expert, and this thought leadership, combined with our recent innovations, will propel our company to realize even greater success next year.” The metro Atlanta utility has made a series of improvements over the past decade to positively impact consumers. They reduced outages by more than 25 percent, ranking the company in the top three in the nation for reliability, according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). “Cobb EMC’s national reliability ranking is even more impressive when you consider it was achieved while keeping costs low,” says Tripper Sharp, chairman of Cobb EMC’s Board of Directors. “The board of directors has lowered consumers’ bills seven times in three years, and when power costs came in lower than expected in 2018, we gave back $4.5 million to members. 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 utility bill in Georgia.
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When power costs came in lower than expected, we passed back a holiday credit on December electric bills. The WPA credit brought our members a total of $5 million in savings. Additionally, Cobb EMC now ranks the fourth most affordable EMC in Georgia and the fifth most affordable of the 94 electric utilities in the state. In 2018, Cobb EMC became the first EMC in the nation to offer free overnight charging for electric vehicles (EVs) through the innovative NiteFlex rate. In addition to being a leader in EV adoption, the cooperative has also worked to support sustainability efforts that make financial sense for all members. “We’re committed to affordable, renewable energy and to attracting innovative research projects and bringing grant money to our community,” says Heintzelman. “We’ve increased our solar offerings by 360% since 2016 at no additional cost to members, and this year, Solar Inventions won a research project grant to test the performance advantage of solar panels on our campus. Cobb EMC will receive all of the solar output of this project at no cost – which benefits Cobb EMC’s members and is an internationally prestigious coup for our community.” Cobb EMC has always worked to be a responsible corporate citizen in the communities it serves. More than $4.8 million has been donated to neighborhood nonprofits through the Cobb EMC Community Foundation, and the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Gas South, gives back 5% of profits to help children in need.
Download the Cobb EMC app today Life is busy. The Cobb EMC app is easy. Manage your electric account wherever you go – pay your bill, track energy use, report outages – all from the palm of your hand. The app is free and secure. Search Cobb EMC in your app store!
We’re proud to power your lives
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your guide to saving energy
how to save energy in the winter Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. An open damper allows heated air to escape out of the chimney.
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Open curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home.
Use a smart thermostat to set back your temperature when you’re asleep or away. Turning it back 10-15 degrees for eight hours can save you around 10% a year on heating and cooling bills. cobbemc.com/save25
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Avoid cold air drafts. Use heavy curtains, and caulk or weatherstrip air leaks around doors and windows.
how to save energy in the spring
Landscape to save. Trees, shrubs, and ground cover plants can help cool the air around your home by shading the ground and pavement.
Maintain your HVAC system. Schedule a tuneup to make sure your system is running efficiently. cobbemc.com/tuneup
Instead of adjusting the thermostat, use the ceiling fan to cool rooms on a warm day. Be sure to turn off the fan when you aren’t in the room.
While spring cleaning and replacing old appliances, look for the ENERGY STAR label which indicates products that exceed the federal minimum standards for efficiency and quality.
how to save energy all year long Use LED lightbulbs. One ENERGY STAR certified LED lightbulb uses up to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs and can save you more than $80 in electricity costs over its lifetime.
Complete a home energy audit to assess your home energy use and evaluate what measures you can take to save money. cobbemc.com/save
Consider an electric rate plan that could bring you savings based on your energy consumption, like Smart Choice or NiteFlex. We have different rate plans that fit your lifestyle and energy needs. cobbemc.com/rates
Install a smart power strip so you can avoid using energy when your appliances are off. A smart power strip can detect when a device is in standby mode.
Source: energy.gov
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We have rate plans for your lifestyle Whether you prefer a predictable bill, a rate that rewards your energy-saver lifestyle, or you drive an electric vehicle, Cobb EMC has rate plan options for you. When it comes to electricity, you want it your way: smarter savings and reliable power that works harder for you and your money. Match the way you live with the right rate plan for you. Cobb_EMC_Member_Newsletter_Ad_8.5x5.5_BLEEDS.pdf
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Visit cobbemc.com/meetyourmatch to meet your perfect rate match today.
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
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CALL 855.802.2766 use promo code 450
Looking for a contractor for home improvements? Check out Cobb EMC’s approved contractor network. These local contractors are qualified, insured and ready to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Find a contractor for every need: HVAC Duct Cleaning Electric Contractors Electric Vehicle Charger Installation • Energy Audits • • • •
• • • • • •
General Geothermal Insulation Plumbing Solar Windows, Doors and Roofing
We’re proud to power your lives
cobbemc.com/contractors
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Meet the winners of our 2019 Youth Leadership Program
KATHRYN CLAXTON
Four local students earned spots on the 2019 Washington Youth Tour – an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., with students from across the country.
Cobb EMC’s Washington Youth Tour delegates in front of the White House: from left, Khushi Mehta, Swati Murugappan, Nicholas Byrd, Alexander Blankinship.
Through Cobb EMC’s Youth Leadership Program, Alexander Blankinship, of River Ridge High School; Nicholas Byrd, of North Cobb Christian School; Swati Murugappan, of Pope High School; and Khushi Mehta, of Campbell High School, qualified to spend seven days touring the nation’s capital and meeting with elected officials on the 2019 Washington Youth Tour.
Blankinship, a senior at River Ridge High School, also secured a fully paid summer internship from Cobb EMC. During the internship in the education and community relations department, Blankinship was assigned tasks and projects to help build professional, leadership and networking skills. “The Cobb EMC internship was filled with incredible experiences,” said Blankinship. “I got to help host an event to build meals for MUST Ministries, I practiced speaking at a community service meeting and assisted with member-facing events.”
Powering our future leaders Cobb EMC is awarding up to $74,000 in scholarships to local students.
Cobb EMC Community Foundation Scholarship // $5,000 Fourteen scholarships are available to students accepted to a college, university, vocational or technical school. Apply by Friday, Feb. 28 at cobbemc.com/cfscholarship.
Walter Harrison Scholarship // $1,000 Cobb EMC and Georgia EMC will award up to three scholarships to students who excel in academics and demonstrate a financial need. Apply by Monday, Feb. 3 at cobbemc.com/scholarships. To see all scholarship opportunities, visit cobbemc.com/scholarships.
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