THE MESSENGER
A Publication for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members
NAEC restores power after May tornadoes, straight-line winds
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NAEC) finished restoring power May 31 to those who could accept service after tornadoes and straight-line winds passed through May 25. Members without power topped 25,000 initially but decreased to 15,000 within hours once outside transmission service was restored to substations in the Salem and Mountain Home districts.
Storms broke 350 of the co-op's distribution poles and 10 transmission structures. The cooperative principle of “cooperation among cooperatives” was on display as more than 100 line personnel from Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri electric co-ops responded to NAEC's request for assistance. NAEC also had the help of its existing right-of-way contractors.
“Our co-op hasn't seen such a devastating weather event since the ice storm of 2009," CEO Mel Coleman said. "I'm proud of the work our employees and those helping us did to get our members back on as quickly and safely as possible. We also thank our members for their patience and understanding.”
NAEC is working with state and federal officials on disaster assistance. Estimated damages include $4,160,000 in Baxter County, $283,000 in Sharp County and $153,750 in Fulton County.
Many members shared their appreciation for NAEC employees' restoration efforts via social media, email and cards.
“Thanks to your great repairmen, we now have electricity again,” Lois Williams said on social media. “NAEC rocks! Stay safe!”
NAEC appreciates the following co-ops for sending line personnel to assist with outage restoration efforts: Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.; Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative; Ashley-Chicot Electric Cooperative; C & L Electric Cooperative; DEMCO; Farmers Electric Cooperative; First Electric Cooperative; Osage Valley Electric Cooperative; Petit Jean Electric Cooperative; Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative; South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association; Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative; White River Valley Electric Cooperative; and Woodruff Electric Cooperative.
NAEC extends thanks to the people and organizations that helped support outage restoration efforts. They include, but are not limited to: Arkansas State Police; Arkansas Department of Transportation; The Back Forty in Mountain Home; Baxter County Judge Kevin Litty; Baxter County Road Department and Sheriff’s Office; Casey’s in Mountain Home; Cottonwood Inn in Salem; Days Inn in Mountain Home; Exxon Gas-N-Go in Salem; Fat Boyz Smash House in Mountain Home; Fred’s Fish House in Batesville; Fulton County Judge Kenneth Crow; Fulton County Road Department and Sheriff’s Office; Holy Smokes BBQ in Mountain Home; Jason Nazarenko of Cotter; Jimmy John’s in Mountain Home; Lake Norfork Inn in Henderson; Letty’s Mexican Restaurant in Gassville; Matt Foster Excavation; McDonald’s in Ash Flat and Mountain Home; Mountain Home Do-nuts; Mountain Home Mayor Hillrey Adams; Nima’s Pizza & More in Gassville; Ole Mill Tavern in Mountain Home; Pizza Hut in Ash Flat; Riggs Tree Service; Road Hawgz BBQ in Ash Flat; Salem First Baptist Church; Salem Valero Mart; Sharp County Judge Mark Counts; Sharp County Road Department and Sheriff’s Office; Sonic Drive-In in Mountain Home; Spring River Lodge in Hardy; Subway in Mountain Home and Ash Flat; Town & Country Supermarket in Mountain Home and Salem; and Vincent Excavating.
NAEC line personnel, from left, Anthony Romine, Briar King and Billy Smart replace a broken pole in Briarcliff on May 31.
TIPS FOR INTEGRATING SMART HOME TECH
1. Define goals. Determine the areas in your home you want to make smart, like lighting, security and entertainment systems.
2. Choose compatible devices. A smart hub can make integration easier with a central device to control multiple smart technologies.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USA! — Our offices will be closed July 4 in observance of Independence Day. A dispatcher will be on duty, and personnel will be on call in the event of an outage. Please report an outage using one of these methods:
• NAEC mobile app
• Outage Viewer at naeci.com
• (870) 895-3221
• Automated system at (844) 335-4461
Facebook doesn’t reach a dispatcher.
If you’re new to smart home technologies, keep the following tips in mind as you explore home automation options.
3. Check Wi-Fi strength. Smart home technologies require a stable internet connection to function properly, so consider factors like router placement and signal strength.
4. Prioritize security. Set strong, unique passwords for your Wi-Fi network, set devices to update automatically and limit personal data collection.
EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH
Electricity used to operate major appliances accounts for a significant portion of a home’s energy use. Here’s an easy way to lighten the load on your clothes dryer. Before you dry a load of damp clothing, toss in a clean, dry towel. The towel will absorb excess water, shortening the drying time. If your dryer does not include an autosense feature to determine drying time, remember to reduce the timer to about half of what you normally would. Remove the towel about 15 minutes after the cycle begins.
DAILY HIGHS & LOWS — MAY 2024
Warmest Day: May 19, 87.6°
Coolest Day: May 11, 49.6°