Your Electric Co-op

General Manager

Lance Adkins

Clovis Office

3701 Thornton Clovis, NM 88102 575-762-4466

Ft. Sumner Office

618 East Sumner Ft. Sumner, NM 88119 575-355-2291

Santa Rosa Office

1169 Historic Route 66 Santa Rosa, NM 88435 575-472-3971

Toll-Free

800-445-8541

Website

www.fecnm.org

Office Hours

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (M-F)

“Owned By Those We Serve” Board of Trustees President

Michael B. West Fort Sumner, District 3

Vice President

George Dodge, Jr. Santa Rosa, District 4

Secretary-Treasurer

Donnie Bidegain San Jon/Logan, District 7

Vacant

Tucumcari-Ragland, District 5

Ernest Riley

Melrose, District 2

Justin Barnes

Clovis, District 1

John Pat Woods

Broadview/Grady, District 6

Board Meeting

The Board of Trustees meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Clovis Cooperative boardroom.

Ask The Energy Guys Q. Hey Energy Guys, what’s the difference between Net Zero and Off Grid?

Azero-energy home, also known as a net zero home, is a home with zero net energy consumption, meaning the total amount of energy used by the building on an ANNUAL BASIS is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site. They do, at times, consume non-renewable energy and produce greenhouse gases, but at other times reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas production elsewhere by the same amount. Most zero net energy homes get half or more of their energy from the grid, and return the same amount at other times. Again, on an annual basis.

Off-the-grid is a system and lifestyle designed to help people function without the support of remote infrastructure, such as an electrical grid. Off-grid electrification is an approach to access electricity used in countries and areas with little access to electricity, due to scattered or distant population. The term off-the-grid (OTG) can refer to living in a self-sufficient manner without

reliance on one or more public utilities. People who adopt this lifestyle are called off-gridders. OTG homes are autonomous; they do not rely on municipal water supply, sewer, natural gas, electrical power grid, or similar utility services. A true OTG house is able to operate completely independently of all traditional public utility services. OTG homes are often much smaller than most homes and at times have no electricity, since they have no connection to power lines and the electric grid. Hope that helps!

Standby Generator Safety

During power outages, many members use backup generators for their emergency electrical needs. If installed properly, use of generators to power your home, farm, or business poses little danger. But, if installed incorrectly, your generator system could threaten the lives of family, friends, and electric utility line crews trying to restore service.

There are specific ways to properly install generators in your business or home. Farmers’ Electric Cooperative (FEC) strongly suggests you have a qualified professional electrician assist you.

To safely operate a standby generator, make sure it has a transfer safety switch to isolate the load from the normal utility source. Without this safety switch, there is a good chance electricity

can travel back through the lines causing “back feed.” Back feed creates a dangerous hazard for anyone near the power lines, particularly the utility crews working to restore power. The transfer safety switch, also known as a "double-throw switch," should be installed near the service entrance panel or breaker box in your home or business by a licensed, professional electrician.

If you would like a copy of Connecting Your Standby Generator Safely, a brochure published by the National Food and Energy Council, call FEC today and a copy will be sent to you at no charge. FEC’s toll-free number is 800-445-8541.

Farmers’ Electric Cooperative Game Plan for Protecting Your Sensitive Equipment

Now that was some storm last night, the power was off until the wee hours of the morning! As you go about your daily chores, you discover the telephone answering machine and the DVR are no longer working. In a panic, you begin checking other appliances… Sound familiar? Have you ever stopped to think about all the “things” you use on daily basis that operate electronically? TVs, the DVR, washers and dryers, ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, the air conditioner; you name it, its electronically controlled.

Today’s home appliances are filled with transistors and microprocessors that are wonders of modern technology, unfortunately, they are also highly susceptible to fluctuations in electrical voltage. Protecting your equipment from voltage fluctuations represents a tremendous value when compared to the cost of repair or replacement. There are many forms of “power quality” issues that can result in damaged electronics. The source of those issues come from four primary power disturbances: voltage fluctuations, transients, electronic noise, and power outages. 1. Voltage Fluctuations: Dimming lights or “shrinking” computer or TV displays are the most common visual indications of voltage problems. These voltage problems can be caused by overloaded electric circuits, or the starting of large electric motors. If this condition is continuous, it can cause errors in data storage and retrieval as well as permanent damage to equipment. 2. Transients: Transients are very brief voltage “spikes” above the normal voltage level carried on the power lines. Most transients (70 to 90 percent by some estimates) originate inside the home or business and are generally caused by electric motors coming on and going off. Lightning is also a very damaging cause of spikes. These spikes can cause computer programs to stop running or erase data stored in memory or, in the case of lightning, cause a total equipment “melt down.” 3. Noise: Electrical noise can be created by radio transmissions, fluorescent lighting, LED lighting, and light dimming devices. Electrical noise can cause unexplained “glitches” in computer programs. Transients and noise are the most common source of power disturbances that affect computers and other electronic circuit performance. 4. Power Outages: Power outages are the total interruption of the power supply to your home or business. They may be caused by overloaded circuits within the home or may be widespread, involving the Cooperative’s distribution system, (i.e. bird contact, lightning strike, vehicle/utility pole collision). A power outage may cause the complete and total loss of any information in a computer’s memory, and total loss of any information in a computer’s memory, and whatever precipitated the outage may also damage other sensitive electronic equipment.

To minimize problems from voltage fluctuations, transients, noise, and power outages, you should want to invest in a surge arrestor, (surge suppressor), and/or power conditioner. It was once said by a winning football coach, “the best offense is a good defense.” This is also true when it comes to protecting sensitive electronic equipment. Don’t wait until you experience problems to begin searching for solutions. Other suggestions include: There are currently ✔ Appliance attachment plugs that wobble devices available which or pull out of the wall outlet easily should are designed to be used be replaced. on only one appliance ✔ Never remove the grounding pin from or computer (point 3-prong plugs. of use). Others are ✔ Consider a home wiring check-up. Have a designed to be installed qualified licensed electrician check for loose on your home’s electric connections and overloaded circuits. service entrance, ✔ Have a qualified licensed electrician verify providing protection for that the home’s electrical system is propall equipment supplied erly grounded. from that power source. ✔ Make certain that any surge arrestor/sup

The best form of pressor you purchase has been tested by protection is at the UL and carries a UL14449 listing. service entrance and ✔ If you ever notice your lights dimming or on each separate brightening at your home or business, go appliance. For those directly to your service panel and flip your who are very depenmain breaker switch. Once you have deterdent on power quality mined the voltage thereat has passed, you in regards to your can turn your power back on. computer, APC makes a unit, (Line R 600), that regulates the voltage on an “as needed” basis. It also becomes a universal power source, (UPS), when there is a power outage. This back-up power generally last up to 15 minutes and will allow you the time to save any program that had been running at the time of the interruption. This neat little gadget can be purchased for around $50.

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Steal away a day on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. It’s a breathtaking journey that zig zags through steep mountain canyons, the high desert, and lush meadows. The train departs from Antonito, Colorado or Chama, New Mexico and returns to the origination point after a hearty lunch in Osier. Feel the rails underneath. Hear the bright steam whistle. And leave all those worries behind.

book now at cumbrestoltec.com 1-888-286-2737

America’s most historic scenic railroad

Enchantment_Rush_7.25x4.75.indd 1

ELECTRICITY REMAINS A GOOD VALUE

The cost of powering your home rises slowly when compared to other common expenses. Looking at price increases over the last five years, it’s easy to see electricity remains a good value! Average Annual Price Increase 2014-2019

Percent

4.0 3.7%

3.5 3.0 2.5

3.0%

2.6%

2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0 Rent Medical Care Education

0.4%

Electricity

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index

5/25/20 9:57 AM

enchantment Gift Subscriptions 1 Year: $12 or 2 Years: $18 Mail payment (payable to NMRECA) and details to: enchantment 614 Don Gaspar Ave. • Santa Fe, NM 87505

How to contact enchantment Phone 505-982-4671 Email enchantment@nmelectric.coop Facebook facebook.com/enchantmentnmreca Mail 614 Don Gaspar Avenue Santa Fe, NM 87505 Community Events events@nmelectric.coop Display Ads enchantmentads@nmelectric.coop Book Chat Inquiries enchantment@nmelectric.coop