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inside... SAFETY May is National Safety month
A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter could save your life
G
round fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) can save your life.
According to the National Electrical Code, a “ground fault” is a conducting connection (whether intentional or accidental) between any electric conductor and any conducting material that is grounded or that may become grounded. Electricity always tries to find a path to the ground. In a ground fault, electricity has found that path to ground, but it is a path the electricity was never intended to be on, such as through a person’s body. A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) can help prevent electrocution. If a person’s body starts to receive a shock, the GFCI senses this and cuts off the power before they are injured. The GFCI will “sense” the difference in the amount of electricity flowing into the circuit to that flowing out, even in amounts of current as small as four or five milliamps. The GFCI reacts quickly (less than onetenth of a second) to trip or shut off the circuit. GFCIs are generally installed where electrical circuits may accidentally come into contact with water. They are most often found in kitchens, bath and laundry rooms, or even outdoors or in the garage where electric power tools might be used. Types of GFCIs? There are three types of GFCIs. The most often used “receptacle-type” GFCI, similar
to a common wall outlet, is the type with which most consumers are familiar. Additionally, circuit breaker GFCIs are often used as replacements for standard circuit breakers and provide GFCI protection to all receptacles on that individual circuit. Temporary or portable GFCIs are frequently used in construction and in outdoor settings with electric tools, mowers, trimmers and similar devices. They should not be used as a permanent alternative to a regular GFCI. GFCI testing Many consumers don’t check their GFCIs to verify they are working. GFCIs are electronic devices that can be damaged or wear out. The electrical receptacle in a GFCI may continue to function, even if the GFCI circuit no longer works. If this is the case, have a qualified electrician replace it as soon as possible. GFCIs should be tested monthly to ensure they are in working condition. Whether you have a receptacle or circuit breaker GFCI, pushing the TEST button should turn off the power to the circuit. For the receptacletype GFCI, pushing the TEST button should cause the RESET button to pop up. (Remember to push the RESET button to re-establish power and protection.) For the circuit breaker-type GFCI, pushing the TEST button should cause the handle to move to the tripped position. (Remember to reset the handle to re-establish power and protection.)
SAFETY Stay safe with GFCIs
Congratulations to your newly elected board of trustees!
ENERGY SERVICES Tips to safely conserve energy in apartment living
District 4 Trustee David Shill
District 7 Trustee Brian Slaybaugh
At Large Position B Trustee Randy Suess
Inland Power & Light’s 2020 annual meeting W
hen tragedy strikes, Inland Power always responds with a can-do attitude. The word ‘quit’ is not in our vocabulary. When COVID-19 threatened to derail our 2020 annual meeting, we pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps and carried on. Things looked different this year with the meeting being moved to Inland’s headquarters due to the closure of Northern Quest Resort and Casino, and there were far fewer members in attendance–however your dedicated board and staff pressed forward to conduct the business meeting and elect this year’s board of trustees. Our online
and mail-in ballots ensured a quorum for the board of trustees election. This year, we received 1,467 electronic votes and 2,560 mail-in ballots. There were 11 members who cast their ballots in person. Thanks to technology, Inland was able to video the candidate’s speeches and include them online for voters to view before casting their ballots. Our congratulations to David Shill from district four, Brian Slaybaugh representing district seven and At Large Position B trustee Randy Suess who were all three reelected to serve another three-year term.
In addition to board elections, Inland Power’s board treasurer Dick Ziehnert provided the 2019 financial report. “The overall financial health of your cooperative is excellent,” Ziehnert said. “After setting aside the BPA Prepayment transaction, total assets are $191 million dollars, long-term debt is $63 million and net margins were $6.5 million. Your cooperative was also able to return $2.5 million in capital credits to the membership in 2019.” To view this year’s annual meeting, visit inlandpower.com/about/annual-meeting and click the video link.
“OUR mission
IS OUR
members.”
Inland Power is my cooperative!
– M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T
BENEFITS OF TREE TRIMMING Clearing trees and overgrown vegetation is vital to provide safe, reliable power to our members. Tree trimming efforts will increase during the Spring and Summer season. We clear certain areas in our service territory, known as rights of way, to: • Keep power lines clear of tree limbs • Restore power outages more quickly • Keep crews and members of our community safe • Reduce unexpected costs for repairs
Vegetation management improves service reliability for you – our members! For more information regarding tree trimming contact Inland Power’s right of way maintenance coordinator at (509) 789-4287.
Your Co-op Connection | Getting to know who works for you
V
er Don Nelson has been with Inland Power since 2012. Prior to joining Inland, he served in the navy and then worked as an electrician for 12 years. Ver Don was introduced to the utility industry when he wired Inland Power’s current headquarters at Four Lakes. “I enjoy helping members with their power quality and new metering projects,” Ver Don said. “I also like the diversity of working in the meter shop and the challenges I get to work through and solve.”
Save energy safely when living in a rental
T
oday, whether you rent or own, almost everyone is searching for ways to reduce their energy costs. Although the landlord or management company is ultimately responsible for a building’s energy efficiency and safety, there are many simple safety and energy conservation measures that anyone can take. Apartment Safety Power for electronics is a growing part of many people’s energy bill. Computers, televisions and chargers for phones and portable devices can really add up. Consider plugging all your equipment into a power strip, which when switched off, will eliminate any standby energy draw from these devices. This also has the added benefit of protecting your equipment from possible power surges. For computers, keep them in “sleep” mode when not in use or turn them off completely. Contrary to popular beliefs, turning a computer on and off is not harmful. Depending on how you use these electronics, they could increase your energy bill significantly. Using LED lighting technologies may reduce lighting energy use in homes by 50 to 75 percent if homes are still using standard incandescent bulbs. They only use about one-quarter of the electricity compared to standard incandescent bulbs. During daylight hours, take advantage of natural light instead of artificial light. You will feel better and you will save money too. You can also save money by installing timers to reduce the amount of time your lights are on. Energy conservation can be simple and affordable:
• Set refrigerator temperature to 36 to 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Turn off water while shaving and brushing teeth.
• Do not preheat your oven except for baking.
• Cover pots/pans when cooking. • In the summer, open windows and use a fan for air circulation instead of air conditioning.
• In the winter, turn down the thermostat 10 degrees at night and keep curtains open on the sunny side of your apartment during the day.
• Maximize day lighting. Apartment Energy Efficiency You are ultimately responsible for your own safety. Inland Power wants you to know and follow electricity safety measures. Never use extension cords as permanent wiring. They should only be used with portable appliances and plugged directly into an approved receptacle, power tap or multi-plug adapter. Remember that all extension cords need to be in good condition without splices, deterioration or damage. Use three-pronged extension cords and outlets for appliances with three-pronged plugs. Older wiring in apartments and homes may not be able to handle the increased electrical demand of modern day appliances and electronics. If use of an appliance frequently causes power to trip off, or if its power cord or the outlet feels hot, the appliance should be disconnected immediately. Make sure that this condition is reported to your landlord as soon as possible so that it may be properly repaired. For more information on energy savings, contact your energy services team at conservation@inlandpower.com.
• Set freezer to zero to five degrees F.
Health safety is important too. During this unprecedented time of health uncertainty, this month’s safety column focuses on our health and safety as a community, state, country and world. Our lives have been turned upside down amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Unrest, fear and panic have seemed to overtake us as we try to navigate through this pandemic. At Inland Power, our commitment to providing you superior service at competitive rates has not changed. While things are operating differently with the majority of our office staff working from home, we still are here to answer your questions and assist with your concerns. Aside from our service responsibilities, we at Inland Power are committed to helping our members in any way we can during this difficult time. While social distancing is certainly inconvenient and difficult, it is imperative that we follow the recommendations and directions from health and governmental officials. We are all in this together and if we all comply with these guidelines, we can hopefully move toward a less restricted lifestyle. The great part about fighting against this virus is that the methods are basic and simple. Washing your hands often for at least 20 seconds each time is the number one way to fight against this illness. When washing your hands, be sure to scrub the entire surface from your wrists to your finger tips. You should also scrub underneath your fingernails. Additionally, while it can be difficult, avoid touching your face. When your fingers come in contact with your mouth, nose or eyes, it provides easy access for the virus to enter your body. We hope that you and your family are remaining safe and healthy during this pandemic. For more information regarding the latest safety tips, head to the CDC’s website at cdc.gov. As always, contact our member services department with any questions regarding your account at (509) 789-4277.
Outside of work, Ver Don enjoys participating in bass fishing tournaments throughout Washington and Idaho as well as bow hunting.
Ver Don Nelson - Substation Maintenance & Metering Technician
May is National Safety month
VISIT INLANDPOWER.COM FOR MORE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS