north arkansas electric cooperative
Scholarship applications due April 13
NEXT changing billing software NEXT, Powered by NAEC will switch software providers this month to Innovative Systems, a company with decades of experience in the telecommunications industry. Subscribers will notice a new bill design in April as well as a new, easier-to-navigate portal at mynextfiber.com in early March. The new portal will be accessed the same way: By visiting mynextfiber.com and clicking “Pay Your Bill” in the top right. Those who have a user ID and password for the old NEXT portal will receive an email in early March with a link to the new portal and a temporary password. Subscribers who never used the old portal will be able to create login credentials on the new portal once they receive their April statement with a new account number.
Subscribers with recurring payments Unfortunately, the software transition will stop all but one form of recurring payment. NEXT subscribers who previously set up automatic bank draft through a NEXT representative that drafts on or about the 10th business day of each month do not have to do anything. The draft will continue until NEXT is told to stop. All other scheduled NEXT payments will stop processing after March 4. This includes subscribers who set up a recurring payment using their debit or credit card and those who set up a recurring payment through the portal for their bank account. The new portal will allow subscribers to set up recurring payments. Subscribers also can call NEXT at 870-895-3221 to have a customer service representative set up the recurring payment over the phone after March 7. The new system will allow payments to be scheduled on the fifth, 10th or 14th of the month. NEXT apologizes for this inconvenience and understand if subscribers have questions. Please email info@naeci.com for assistance.
PROGRAM UPDATE — NAEC no longer offers members the ability to lease or buy Marathon® water heaters. Current leases will continue at this time. 22
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NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
The North Arkansas Electric Cooperative memberfunded Operation Round Up® program awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to local graduating high school seniors each year. In 2021, 20 students each were awarded a $1,000 scholarship. NAEC is accepting applications for the 2022-2023 scholarship program. The application is available at naeci.com or through high school counselors’ offices. Applicants must mail or deliver the typed application to NAEC by April 13. They must include a high school transcript and three letters of recommendation. To be eligible for the scholarship, high school seniors must graduate at the end of the 2022 school year, and their parents or legal guardians must be NAEC members. Applicants also must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale through the first semester of senior year. The scholarship must be used to attend an accredited institute of higher learning on a full-time basis. For more information, please contact Tori Moss at tmoss@naeci.com or 870895-6210.
Clear right-of-way vital to reliable service Maintaining the right-of-way through tree-trimming and removal is not only NAEC’s responsibility, but it also is required of the co-op by the Arkansas Public Service Commission and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In addition to considering the mature height of trees before planting, members can help NAEC maintain the right-of-way and keep their electricity service reliable by: • Calling NAEC at 870-895-3221 if a dead tree is in danger of falling on NAEC’s lines or if branches are touching the lines. • Keeping the area on either side of NAEC’s lines or equipment clear of vehicles, deer stands, buildings or other structures. • Considering the placement of fences and gates within the easement, as NAEC will need access to the lines and equipment for maintenance and outage-restoration purposes. For more information on NAEC's vegetation management efforts, email info@naeci.com.
PLANTTrees TREES SAFELY Plant SafelyAlways call 811 to locate buried lines. Before you dig, call 811 to locate buried utility lines.
NO TREE ZONE
MEDIUM TREE ZONE
LARGE TREE ZONE
Avoid planting shrubs or trees within 30 feet of the power lines. Any vegetation taller than 10 feet will be trimmed or removed.
Plant medium trees (under 40 feet when mature) at least 30 feet away from power lines.
Plant large trees (over 40 feet when mature) at least 50 feet away from lines.
Keep objects at least 10 feet away from transformer doors and 4 feet away from sides. 4 ft.
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Power lines and trees can be a dangerous combination if they come into contact. Trees touching — or worse, falling into — power lines cause outages or blinks and also create safety hazards for line personnel and members of the public. That's why North Arkansas Electric Cooperative considers regular maintenance of its right-of-way — the land below, above and on either side of the power lines — to be vital in providing members with reliable electric service. NAEC personnel and contractors work to maintain a minimum clearance of 15 feet on either side of our power lines, including service drops to member’s homes and businesses. "In addition to increasing our right-of-way easement to 60 feet in past years, we have made a concerted effort to remove as many trees and vegetation from under our lines as possible," said James Woody, vice president of operations. "For reliability and safety purposes, we ask members not to plant trees and shrubs near our lines."
north arkansas electric cooperative
Explore monuments and museums! Visit with U.S. senators and representatives! Meet students from across the country!
2019 Youth Tour
APPLY NOW — North Arkansas Electric Cooperative is accepting applications for the 2022 Youth Tour. Up to five high school juniors will be selected to attend the all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., June 17-23. Juniors can download the application at naeci.com/youth-tour. NAEC must receive completed applications by March 18. Call 870-895-6210 with any questions. 22 26 MARCH 2022
NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE