The Transformer by Canoochee EMC 2024 April

Shaping Our Energy Future With Canoochee EMC: Innovation for a Sustainable Tomorrow

The energy landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements and the urgent need for sustainable solutions. Canoochee EMC, your local electric membership cooperative, is at the forefront of this transformation, committed to ensuring a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future for our members.

Embracing Innovation for Stronger Service

Canoochee EMC harnesses cutting-edge technologies to improve your experience by using:

• Advanced Grid Monitoring: Drones, sensors and satellite imagery help us proactively identify and address

INNOVATING FOR THE

FUTURE

e energy industry is changing, but electric co-ops are known for adapting to their local members’ needs. As we plan for changes and challenges ahead, innovative solutions are essential.

Here are a few ways we’re innovating for the future:

potential issues before they become outages, minimizing disruption.

• Smart Metering: Real-time data from smart meters allows for swift outage response and efficient power management, even during unpredictable weather events.

• Proactive Weather Preparation: Advanced analytics combined with weather data enable us to take preventive measures to safeguard our system and minimize service interruptions.

Continued on page 20B

Use of Advanced Technologies

Drones aid in power line inspection and maintenance.

Smart meters provide real-time data and help pinpoint service issues.

Preparing for Increased Energy Use

e demand for electricity is increasing as more technologies are electri ed.

Co-ops are exploring innovative solutions like battery storage to meet demand.

Energy Solutions for Member s

Co-ops provide innovative e ciency ser vices like appliance rebates and exible billing options to help members manage their energy use.

Strength in Number s

By working with and learning from other co-ops, we are uniquely positioned to improve service for our local communities.

Innovation for a Sustainable Tomorrow,

Continued from page 20A

Preparing for the Electrified Future

The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) is reshaping transportation, and Canoochee EMC is ready with:

NRECA voting members (“Members”) have the right to use, distribute, reproduce, publish, and publicly display in any media whatsoever (“Use”) any graphic contained in the Straight Talk library (“Graphics”) for the purpose of promoting their business Members are permitted to modify Graphics for the purpose of incorporating their respective names and logos within a Graphic. Members are also permitted to resize or alter the layout of a Graphic to fit the dimensional needs of a particular publication; however, Members shall neither crop nor edit the Graphics as to substantially change or modify the original design.

• EV Support: We offer guidance on making informed decisions about EVs, including charging options and home capacity needs.

you to manage your energy use effectively with:

• Free Energy Assessments: Identify ways to save money and improve efficiency through our free home or business energy evaluations.

Collaboration for a Brighter Future

Members are not permitted to Use only portions of a Graphic. Members also may not sub-license, sell, lease, or rent Graphics to third parties. Members must include any attribution or source language if any is contained in the original file

• Infrastructure Investment: We proactively plan and invest in infrastructure upgrades to meet future EV charging demands, while also maintaining reliable power supply.

If you have a questions pertaining to this Policy, please contact Abby Berry at abby.berry@nreca.coop or 571-319-6231.

• Sustainable Solutions: We explore innovative technologies like large-scale batteries and community solar projects to address growing electricity demands responsibly.

Empowering You Through Efficiency

Canoochee EMC values your satisfaction and empowers

As a member-owned cooperative, Canoochee EMC benefits from a nationwide network of 900 electric co-ops. We share knowledge, collaborate on innovative solutions and leverage collective expertise to provide you with the best possible service.

Together, we are shaping a sustainable energy future for generations to come. Trust Canoochee EMC to be your reliable and innovative partner in this journey!

Warm Weather Brings Out Scammers

YYour electric membership co-op will never send anyone to your house to ask if you need work done. And when someone does come for a legitimate reason, you’ll see a uniform, a truck with the cooperative’s logo on it and valid identification.

Springtime is scam season. Don’t be surprised if you get telephone calls, uninvited visitors looking for work and loads of door hangers offering landscaping, roofing, painting and home-repair services.

AVOID UTILITY SCAMS

Scammers will threaten you with everything from shutting off power to your home to legal action. Don't fall victim to these types of scams.

Your best bet: Say no to all of them. If you need work done around your house, visit the website of the state agency responsible for licensing contractors, or join a contractor referral network that recommends only contractors who are licensed, insured, bonded and experienced. A few other tips:

• Be wary of contractors with out-of-state license plates or detachable, magnetic company signs on their trucks. These could be “travelers,” who follow warm weather from state to state and hire themselves out as home improvement contractors. They’re almost always unlicensed in your state, and if you discover a problem with their work later, they’ll be long gone.

• Our employees will never show up at your door to demand payment.

• Never give personal information to an unknown caller or visitor Our representatives have access to the details they need to ser vice your account.

• Do not pay in cash and do not pay upfront. Instead, work out a payment schedule that allows you to pay in increments as work is completed.

• Get bids from three reputable companies before you start. If you get one offer that’s much lower than the other two, something is probably amiss.

• Demands for immediate payment by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, gift cards or cash reload cards should immediately raise red flags.

• Don’t fall for these two lines: “I just finished a job at your neighbor’s house, and I’ll give you a good price if you hire me today, because I’m already in the neighborhood,” or “I have leftover materials from a job I just did and I’ll sell/install them here for a deep discount because I don’t need them.”

• If you think you’ve been contacted by a scammer falsely representing the co-op, please let us know as soon as possible.

Hiring contractors can be expensive. Don’t waste your money on one who’s not licensed and legitimate.

Scholarship Opportunities

CCanoochee EMC (CEMC) will be offering scholarships to those eligible inside CEMC’s coverage area. The scholarships are a direct result of members’ donations through our Operation Round Up (ORU) program. ORU money will cover all of the scholarship award amounts and will not cost members anything, besides their initial donations through Operation Round Up.

The $4,000 Mary Shuptrine Tootle Scholarship was first awarded in 2015. Mrs. Tootle was Canoochee EMC’s first hired employee, serving many different roles within the EMC. Upon her passing, Canoochee EMC was proud to announce a scholarship in her honor. The top candidate of the CEMC Foundation Scholarship receives this award.

The Mary Shuptrine Tootle Scholarship, worth $4,000, is named in memory of Canoochee EMC’s first hired employee.

This year, Canoochee EMC will also be awarding a minimum of 10 $3,000 CEMC Foundation scholarships to deserving students.

Scholarship recipients will be selected by non-CEMC employees in order to ensure integrity and fair judging.

Applications

Applications will be available on the Canoochee EMC website at www.canoocheeemc.com and should be submitted through our website. The applications will include questions that deal with an applicant’s economic background, as well as academia.

The application must also contain an academic transcript, SAT or ACT scores, letters of recommendation, proof of enrollment or intended enrollment at a post-secondary school and a short autobiography.

Eligibility

Scholarships will be open to any high school senior who lives in a home served by Canoochee EMC and is planning to attend a two- or four-year accredited university, college

or technical school in Georgia.

All Canoochee EMC members, including children and those who primarily reside within a home on Canoochee EMC’s system that attend a high school, may apply.

The recipient shall be either a member or their primary residence must be within a CEMC member’s household. CEMC employees and board members, as well as their families, are also included.

The scholarships will be based on academic ability and financial need. Therefore, the application will include questions regarding economic background in order to verify need.

Submission Deadline

Monday, April 15

Date Issued

Notification of the awards will be presented in May.

Amounts

Mary Shuptrine Tootle Scholarship: $4,000

CEMC Foundation Scholarships: $3,000 each

CA NOO CHEE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION OPERATION

Canoochee EMC Announces Rate Adjustments for 2024

Understanding the Need for Adjustment

Rising costs have impacted all aspects of daily life over the past few years. While Canoochee EMC has strived to avoid passing these increases onto its members, continued rises in power costs, equipment and supplies have necessitated a rate adjustment for 2024.

The Canoochee EMC Board of Directors understands the impact of this decision, as they are also members of the EMC, and share the potential hardship with their families and friends. This difficult decision was not taken lightly.

Rate Changes

Effective March 1, 2024, the following adjustments will be implemented:

• Base Rate: Increased from $16 to $20 a month.

• Cost per kilowatt hour (kwh): Increased from $0.103 to $0.110 per kwh.

These changes will result in an average monthly increase of approxi-

mately $10, or $120 a year, for most Canoochee EMC members.

Supporting Our Members

The Board of Directors acknowledges the potential hardship this adjustment may cause and encourages members to explore energy-saving measures. Additionally, members with existing deposits may find benefit in converting to prepay accounts to utilize their deposits toward future energy use.

Canoochee EMC remains committed to delivering reliable and costeffective electricity to its members, while also navigating the challenges presented by a fluctuating cost environment.

Canoochee EMC Receives High Marks for Customer Satisfaction

Canoochee EMC completed its annual OR quarterly OR monthly member-wide customer satisfaction survey, which more than 300 members were asked to participate.

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

Member responses were sent to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a company that measures customer satisfaction across multiple industries throughout the United States.

For 2023, Canoochee EMC received an ACSI score of 84 out of a maximum score of 1001. Canoochee EMC’s score is higher than all publicly measured investor-owned utility scores and places Canoochee EMC 12 points higher than the average investor-owned utility score//cooperative utility score// municipal utility score of 72, as well as 13 points higher than the municipal utilities score of 71, according to industry ratings in the 2023 ACSI Utility Sector Report.

For more information, please visit www.theacsi.org.

1Results are based on data provided by Canoochee EMC, which was collected between Dec. 1-31, 2023. ACSI did not regulate the survey administration or sample size. ACSI is a registered trademark of the American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC.

A well-designed landscape can add beauty to your home, and reduce home heating and cooling costs.

Plant deciduous trees with high, spreading crowns to the south of your home to block sunlight in the summer and reduce the need for air conditioning. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter, allowing sunlight to warm your home. Plant evergreen trees and shrubs with low crowns to block winter winds. Dense evergreen trees and shrubs planted to the north and northwest are the most common type of windbreak and can help lower energy used for home heating.

Source: www.energy.gov