NOVEMBER 2022
THE MESSENGER A Publication for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members
Clear right-of-way vital for reliable service Power lines and trees can be a dangerous combo 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 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 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."
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 and other structures. • Considering placement of fences and gates within the easement, as NAEC personnel and contractors will need access to the lines and equipment for maintenance and outage-restoration purposes.
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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THANK YOU, VETERANS. On Nov. 11 and all days, let us honor those who served.
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Save electricity with simple tips this Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is about making delicious food and spending quality time with loved ones, but it also can be a time of higher energy usage that leads to a higher electric bill. With a few adjustments, you can save energy and help to lower your electric bill with these tips: • Maximize your oven’s heat by keeping the door closed. Use the oven light rather than opening the door, which can lower the temperature by several degrees in just a few seconds. • Turn the oven off a few minutes before the timer goes off. The oven will stay hot enough to finish cooking your dish. • Use glass and ceramic dishes, which retain heat better than metal dishes and allow you to reduce your oven temperature as much as 25 degrees. • Keep pots and pans covered on the stove to prevent heat loss.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING — NAEC’s offices will be closed Nov. 24-25. Personnel will be on call in the event of an outage. Report an outage on the NAEC app, Outage Viewer at naeci.com or by calling 870-895-3221.
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Microwaves, slow cookers, air fryers and other small appliances use less energy than ovens and stoves. • Make sure leftovers completely cool before putting them in the refrigerator. Hot items can affect the refrigerator’s temperature, causing it to work harder to keep cool. • Using a dishwasher is more efficient than washing by hand. • Lower your water heater use by scraping off plates into the garbage rather than sink. • Change out incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. • Keep lights off in unused rooms. NAEC energy advisers’ first recommendation would need to be completed before guests arrive. It is to have a licensed professional inspect your heat pump annually. Another key is to keep the system to the heat setting – not emergency or auxiliary. Call 870-895-3221 or email info@naeci.com for more information.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH NAEC energy advisers’ top energy efficiency recommendation is to have a licensed professional inspect your heat pump at least annually. That will ensure it’s running efficiently. Other key steps are to replace the air filter regularly and set the system to the heat setting – not emergency heat or auxiliary. More ways to cut energy costs are available at energy.gov.
DAILY HIGHS & LOWS — SEPTEMBER 2022 Average Daily High: 83.36° compared to 85.24° in 2021
TEMPERATURE
Average Daily Low: 57.43° compared to 59.46° in 2021 Total Rainfall Amount: 0.83” compared to 3.67” in 2021 Warmest Day: Sept. 21, 97.7° at 3 p.m. Coolest Day: Sept. 29, 38.3° at 6 a.m.
DAYS
CONTACT NAEC 870-895-3221 info@naeci.com naeci.com
RIGHT-OF-WAY Osmose employees are inspecting poles in Viola and Henderson areas through December.
IMAGES: TORI MOSS; NRECA, REDPIXEL/ADOBE STOCK, KITCH BAIN/ADOBE STOCK, TORI MOSS
ON THE FRONT Line technician Michael Wehmeyer replaces equipment that will better protect the transformer and lines from damages and outages due to animals in the Monkey Run area.