CO-OP NEWS

www.seiremc.com

CONTACT US 812-689-4111 800-737-4111 Fax: 812-689-6987

EMAIL contact_us@seiremc.com

OFFICE HOURS 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday

STREET ADDRESS 712 S. Buckeye St. Osgood, IN 47037

MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 196 Osgood, IN 47037

SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS To report a power outage: 800-737-4111 or SmartHub

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike Thieman (District 6), President Melissa Menchhofer (District 5), Vice President Jesse McClure (District 4), Secretary Vince Moster (District 1), Treasurer Brad Bentle (District 2) David Smith (District 3) Darrell Smith (District 7) Bonnie Boggs (District 8) Casey Menchhofer (District 9)

A fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) product with speeds from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Residential pricing starts at $64.95 plus tax.

OUR MISSION

To safely provide reliable electricity and diversified services to the members and communities we serve.

RATE REALIGNMENT

How will it impact you?

by Keith Mathews

Over the last few years, we’ve all noticed increases in the prices we pay for goods and services. Southeastern Indiana REMC is not immune from price increases on the things essential to operate your cooperative. Our power supplier, Hoosier Energy, is having a rate realignment, which will result in an increase in power costs for Southeastern Indiana REMC.

An increase in your facility charge will go into effect for electric use beginning April 1. The overall rate increase for an average residential member is expected to be in the 2%4% range.

The monthly facility charge helps finance the necessities required to provide electricity to each service location — whether any electricity is used or not.

The facility charge helps pay for: • Wire, poles, meters and other equipment needed to build and maintain the electric distribution system.

• Labor to build, maintain and repair the distribution system; to clear and maintain the 3,200 miles of right-of-way, and other day-to-day business functions. • Costs incurred for property taxes, insurance, interest, etc.

Even if we do not sell a single kilowatt-hour (kWh), we still have the expense of maintaining the electric facilities and operating the cooperative.

Your board of directors closely monitors our costs and has made the decision to approve the rate increase, based on the recommendation of the rate consultant. Before making this tough decision, an updated cost of service study was completed.

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, we design our rates to reflect the costs of providing electric service to you, our members. This increase to member-owners reflects our actual cost of doing business. While electricity is still a great value compared to other commodities, we strive to keep electricity safe, reliable and affordable for our member-owners. We hope that you will understand the need for this increase, and we thank you for being our valued member.

Keith Mathews is general manager of Southeastern Indiana REMC.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

• The parents or legal guardians of the applicant must be a cooperative member. • Applicant must be a 2023 graduating senior and planning to pursue secondary education. • Full or part-time employees of the cooperative; or a spouse, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, grandchild, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew of an employee or board director of the cooperative are ineligible to apply.

SOUTHEASTERN INDIANA REMC SCHOLARSHIPS

2023

Are you or do you know a graduating 2023 high school senior pursuing post-secondary education? SEIREMC awards three $500 scholarships to students who are eligible to apply.

Visit www.seiremc.com/ scholarships for more information and to fill out the application.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit www.seiremc.com/scholarships to fill out the application and learn more. Submit your application by MARCH 1.

APPLY TODAY!

4-H PROGRAM

For all 4-H participants who are served by Southeastern Indiana REMC, the REMC will reimburse the 4-H enrollment fees (up to $20 per participant). Learn more and complete the online form for reimbursement at www.seiremc.com/4h.

22 kW generator price increase coming

ORDER NOW TO LOCK IN THE CURRENT PRICE

Like many things over the past couple of years, the cost of Generac generators and supplies have increased, and we need to adjust our price accordingly. Starting Feb. 1, we will implement a price increase for a 22 kW total home back-up generator.

The price for a 22 kW total home back-up generator (including installation and maintenance) will change from $6,900 to $7,400. This increase affects all orders placed after Feb. 1.

We will continue to offer a one-year financing option to ease the financial burden of the purchase.

For more details about the program,

VISIT THE GENERATOR PROGRAM PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE OR CALL 800-737-4111.