Inland Power is my cooperative!
LightReading inlandpower.com
Capital credit checks arriving this month!
December 2021
inside... Energy Energy efficient holidays
Your Cooperative Season of giving
Safety Space heater safety tips Outage Center Powering up after an outage
W
e know you work hard for your money - so we work hard to keep your electric rates among the lowest in the country and to provide you with great service. One of the many benefits of belonging to a nonprofit electric cooperative like Inland Power is that you are an owner. Every time you purchase power, you build equity or ownership in your energy cooperative. The amount of equity you earn is determined by net margins – the amount of revenue collected in excess of expenses for each year. These net margins are returned to you in the form of capital credits. Once allocated, your capital credits are held by the cooperative as a resource to replace aging infrastructure, increase
capacity, maintain reliability and to operate your cooperative. This system helps keep your electric rates low and your service reliable. The amount of capital credits you are allocated each year is based on how much electricity you used during the previous year. In time, you will be paid all your allocated capital credits. The cooperative’s board of trustees votes to retire capital credits when finances allow, often on an annual basis. Capital credits are returned in two forms. Allocations from 1996 to 2017 (vintage years) will continued to be paid in check form each December. Current year allocations were paid as a bill credit in November.
Inland Power is pleased to announce that for the 42nd year we will be refunding cash back to our members. The board of trustees of Inland Power approved refunding $2.5 million in capital credits. This refund includes 2020 discounted payouts, discounted estate payouts and vintage year retirements. For any questions regarding capital credits, please contact your member services department at (509) 789-4277 or capitalcredits@inlandpower.com. We love having you as a member and look forward to serving you in the years to come. We wish you a safe, healthy and joyous holiday season.
OUR
mission
IS OUR
members.
– M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T
Powering up after an outage When the power goes out, we expect it to be restored within a few hours. But when a major storm or natural disaster causes widespread damage, extended outages may result. Your Inland team works long, hard hours to restore service safely to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible. Here’s how we get to work when you find yourself in the dark.
1. High-Voltage Transmission Lines: Transmission towers and cables supply power to transmission substations (and thousands of members), and they rarely fail. But when damaged, these facilities must be repaired before other parts of the system can operate.
2. Distribution Substation: A substation can serve hundreds or thousands of members. When a major outage occurs, our line crews inspect substations to determine if problems stem from transmission lines feeding into the substation, the substation itself or if problems exist further down the line.
3. Main Distribution Lines: If the problem cannot be isolated at a distribution substation, distribution lines are checked. These lines carry power to large groups of members in our local communities.
4. Tap Lines: If local outages persist, supply lines (also known as tap lines) are inspected. These lines deliver power to transformers, either mounted on poles or placed on pads for underground service, outside businesses, schools and homes.
5. Service Lines: If your home remains without power, the service line between a transformer and your residence may need to be repaired. If you experience an outage, we will likely be notified by our AMI system, but please give us a call so we can promptly resolve the issue.
Graphic courtesy NRECA
Plan ahead and stock up on a variety of non-perishable food items and disposable goods like napkins, paper plates and cutlery in the event that a storm knocks power out to your home. • • • • • • • • • • • •
BEANS CANNED FRUIT CANNED TUNA CANNED VEGETABLES CEREAL DRIED FRUITS DRIED MEATS/JERKY GRAHAM CRACKERS PASTA RICE SPAM OATMEAL
Don’t be a Clark Griswold
Space heater safety Give your space heater some space
A
s the weather turns colder, many of us are reminded that our primary heating systems don’t heat all the rooms in our homes quite evenly. Electric space heaters are a simple and popular way to supplement central heating or warm up an otherwise unheated room. Modern space heaters are also built to be much safer than units of old with open heating elements. Even so, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates portable electric heaters are involved in about 1,100 home fires and 50 deaths per year.
W
hether you’ve already decked your halls or you’re just getting started, there’s still time to incorporate energy savings into your holiday décor planning. If you haven’t strung your twinkle lights, be sure to use LED light strands. LEDs consume far less energy than incandescent lights and they can last 40 holiday seasons. They’re also safer because they’re made with epoxy lenses, not glass, making them more resistant to breaking––and they’re cool to the touch, so no burnt fingers! If you missed Santa’s memo about energysaving LEDs and your holiday lights are already up, you can still save on lighting costs. All you need is a programmable light timer. Most models cost between $10 to $25 and can be purchased through online retailers like Amazon or at big box stores like Lowe’s or Wal-Mart. With a light timer, you can easily program when you want your holiday lights turned on and off, which will save you time, money and energy. If you’re using a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use.
Home Depot, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30––and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season.
Happy Holidays!!!
If Clark Griswold’s décor style in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many holiday tree farms, and even retailers like Lowe’s and VISIT INLANDPOWER.COM FOR MORE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS
To keep your family and home safe while using space heaters this winter, start by making sure the heater itself is safe. Use one that displays the seal of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as “UL.” This ensures the heater is protected against ignition when tipped over. Only use heaters intended for indoor use – never run outdoor heaters, BBQs, or other outdoor appliances inside! When setting up your heater, follow the three-foot rule and keep it at least three feet away from anything that can burn. Also, don’t leave the heater unattended (some heaters have timers to help with this). Finally, take steps to avoid the risk of an electrical fire. Don’t use other appliances on the same circuit as your space heater (a typical home circuit can handle a 1,500w heater and not much more), and plug your heater directly into a wall outlet (not an extension cord or surge protector). Follow these tips to keep your family safe and all the rooms in your home nice and cozy all winter long!
getin touch
10110 W Hallett Rd. Spokane, WA 99224 MAIN OFFICE
(509) 747-7151 TOLL FREE
(800) 747-7151 BILLING QUESTIONS
(509) 789-4277 PAYMENT SERVICES
(855) 386-9903 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND REBATES
(509) 789-1801 EMAIL
inlandpower@inlandpower.com SOCIAL
@inlandpower @inlandpowerlight
‘Tis the season for giving A s we put a bow on 2021, we can look back and see the strength, growth and perseverance we have all achieved.
This year may not have been the triumphant and COVID-free year we all hoped for, yet we continue to push forward to regain our lives. We have accomplished a lot since March 2020 and it’s time to celebrate. However, as the holiday season draws nearer, we also must remember those less fortunate than us. It was another year of loss and uncertainty. Some people continue to struggle to get their lives and finances back on track, while others are still grappling with health issues for themselves or loved one. As we prepare to buy special gifts for those we love in our lives, let us not forget to give to those who might go without this holiday season. There are many ways to give back to those in our communities. From donating clothes and belongings to assistance groups, to charitable giving to your local community action organization, it is very important—now more than ever—to help those who have fallen on hard times. The Inland Power Community Foundation is a great way to give back this year. The foundation offers energy assistance to those struggling to pay their energy bills. These dollars go exclusively to help fellow Inland Power members. There are various ways to give to the
foundation. You can round your monthly energy bill up to the nearest dollar, give a one-time donation or you can give a monthly donation of an amount of your choosing. To learn more about how to give, email communityfoundation@inlandpower.com or call (509) 789-4277. If you are unable to give monetarily, there are other ways to contribute. Volunteerism is the gift that keeps on giving. While it is difficult to quantify the impact volunteers have, they make a tremendous difference in our communities and make our corner of the world a better place. Many organizations depend on volunteers to fulfill their mission. Volunteers fill in gaps and spread joy and compassion through their efforts. Even assisting with the smallest tasks can make a big impact in the lives of people, animals or an organization in need. Often a big commitment or special skills are not needed, just someone who cares. Giving the gift of compassion, time and talent to an organization or cause that you care about is both helpful and fulfilling. Not only will you enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you are helping a good cause, you will likely make new friends, expand your social network, strengthen existing skills or learn a new one. At the end of the day, the gift of volunteerism is a gift that will continue giving all year long. So, this holiday season, consider starting a new tradition––give the gift of time.