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Safe and Reliable Electricity John L. Sims, NEC CEO
May is generally recognized as National Electric Safety Month. It is also the month leading into the hot summer months. I would like to take a moment to discuss safety, summer preparations and highlight some of the great work the Co-op is doing for you. You may have seen safety as a key message several times a year. There is a reason for that: safety is a top priority for all employees at Nueces Electric Cooperative. Safety and safety education is an everyday event. Our line crews practice safety on every job; it is the first step in any work procedure. Our business office practices safety by reporting any hazards, properly utilizing cutting equipment, and are mindful when they lift boxes and use ladders.
frayed wires or damage, and never use them as permanent wiring. Always utilize a licensed electrician when you are unsure of how to complete an electrical project. A great example of this is if you need to replace your old thermostat with a programmable thermostat. If you don’t already have one, Nueces Electric encourages you to install one before the summer heat hits. Speaking of heat, you will notice on the next page there is some information to prepare you for the high summer electric bills we will all soon see. I can not stress enough the importance of getting your home, and your mind-set, ready for summer. Each year we face two challenges:
We ask that you are also mindful and utilize the messages and articles contained each month in this magazine.
#1: Members use more kWh which results in higher electric bills. Understandably it is no fun to receive a high bill of any kind. We take thousands of calls a year due to high bills, and we are very happy to take as much time as is needed to discuss usage and how members can track their usage to prevent high electric bill.
Always look up, down and around for electrical hazards. Pay attention to old appliances and replace them as needed. Inspect extension cords for
#2: During the four summer months (from June to September) we annually face several conservation days. You see, power generation plants
We work to not only ensure safety on the job, but to ensure your safety at the end of every power line and every time you visit the office.
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forecast how much electricity they need to produce on any given day and at any given time. It is not easy to start and stop a power plant. There are many days when the temperature is hotter than expected and the resources generated might not be enough to support all consumers. Therefore we place several calls, e-mails and notices to conserve energy between 3 - 7 p.m. Please help us when we make these calls. It’s never an easy choice to put out a call for help, but it’s very necessary and appreciated when members take action. An excellent piece of news is that due to efficient planning, proactive maintenance, and the utilization of quality materials, we have decreased our line loss from 10.7% in 2013 to 4.4% in 2015. This is a $5 million dollar savings for our co-op. Proper safety, energy conservation and efficient power line planning all add up to great savings for our members and really bring home the mission of NEC which is to improve members quality of life by providing reliable and cost effective electric service.
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Prevent High Usage Bill Shock
Prepare For Summer The Texas sweltering heat and humidity will be here before you know it. Along with high temperatures comes high usage electric which results in high electric bills. Some members can dodge higher usage winter bills by using gas heaters, but everyone has an electric AC; and the bills can be shocking when you realize how much you use it. Members tend to use more electricity at the beginning of summer when your body is not yet adjusted to the heat. NEC Retail encourages you to prepare your mind-set and your home to prevent a shockingly high usage summer electric bill. High usage = High $
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Wash clothes and dishes at night and let your dishes air dry. Stay clear of running large electronics between 2 p.m. - 8 p.m.
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Plan your meals. Grill outside or cook inside with a crockpot. When you use your oven or frying pans, it heats your home which increases your AC use.
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Drape your windows to block out heat and keep your paid AC inside. Use drapes, heavy blinds, or storm shutters.
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Install a programmable thermostat and keep it around 78°. It will allow you to set the temp when you are away from home and lower the temp shortly before you return.
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Use ceiling fans when at home to cool down. Remember, fans only cool your body temperature, not your house, so turn them off when you leave.
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Check your AC. Don’t wait until it goes out and you have to stand in line with everyone else. Get it checked and charged in advance.
Lower your water heater temperature. The ground water is already hot, no need to kick on a highusage appliance if you don’t have to. A good summer setting is around 110 to 120 degrees.
Don’t forget: It’s not easy to compare your home usage to a friend or a neighbor’s usage (a.k.a. bill). Every home is different and varies in comfort level, quality of insulation, windows, appliances, seals, and number of residents.
NEC Retail May 2015 Texas Co-op Power
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Final Call: Community Solar Array Survey Survey closes Monday, May 11, 2015
Nueces Electric Cooperative (NEC) is dedicated to providing members with more opportunities to participate in renewable energy. To be considered, the NEC Board of Directors requires such a project to meet three requirements for NEC members: it must save members money on their monthly electric bills, it must be voluntary, and the members who don’t choose to participate cannot subsidize the program. In a previous solar survey in June 2014, our members’ responses to the survey showed us that while many members are interested, some require more information to make their decisions. Through careful consideration, NEC has identified a possible option for those members who are interested in voluntarily participating in a solar program. We are nearing the end of discussions with a community solar array company. With firmer facts and a greatly reduced cost to enter the program, NEC would like to once again obtain your feedback as we attempt to find a safe and cost efficient way for members to become part of the renewable energy movement. The results of this survey will help the NEC Board
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decide if the Co-op will move forward on this project. FACTS & BENEFITS: • Community solar offers interested NEC members the opportunity to benefit from, and own, local solar power, without having to install a system on your roof or property. • Members would own a panel(s) on an array in another location and eliminate the worry of home installation, maintenance, and having to buy a bigger system than the member can afford (members can participate and be a solar panel owner for about $300). • Community solar allows members who choose to participate to benefit from the economies of scale, resulting in lower solar panel pricing. • Members who choose to buy into the fully maintained solar facility simply receive a credit on their monthly NEC Retail electric bills for the power produced by panels that they purchase. Watch a video called: What is Community Solar? on YouTube, or our website, to learn more about Community Solar Arrays.
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Take the survey by clicking on the link located at www.necretail.com under Latest News or fill it out and mail it to the address at the bottom of this page. 1.
Even if you are not interested in participating, do you feel this is a positive program for NEC to offer to members?
Yes
2.
Which of the following best describes your position regarding solar energy opportunities? A. I have no interest in solar, and I am glad NEC assures me any solar program offered will be a voluntary pro gram and I won’t subsidize it as a non-participant. B. I have researched my options and am serious about purchasing a system to put on my home. C. I have thought about it but haven’t researched options. D. I would like to have solar power at home but I don’t own a home, or I don’t have the space, or I don’t want to maintain it, or I researched it and my roof is not suitable for solar panels due to orientation, shading, homeown- er’s covenants, or other restrictions. E. Other _______________________________________
No
Undecided
3. After evaluating the benefits and estimated cost to invest in this potential community solar array program, do you believe this might be a good opportunity for you? Yes No 4. If you answered yes to question 3, given the cost of about $300 per community solar panel with no separate operational or maintenance expenses required, would you be interested in purchasing a panel(s) if each panel would pay for itself in electric bill savings in approximately 15 years, after which all electric bill savings would be “money in your pocket?”
Yes Yes, if I could finance the initial panel purchase price for low monthly payments. No I need more information to decide (please provide additional comments at the end of this survey)
5. As a member, you will be able to purchase more than one panel. At this time we do not expect a limit to be placed on the number of panels a member may purchase. If you answered “yes” to question 4, how many panels do you think you would consider purchasing? (This is not a commitment to purchase) 6.
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Please Share Your Comments:
7. It is not our intent to continue to contact members who are not interested in solar options. If you would like to receive future news and updates on this project, please leave your name, e-mail and contact phone number below and you will be placed on our notification list. Name: _________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________ E-Mail: _________________________________________ www.necretail.com
NEC Account #: ____________________________ Mail Survey to: NEC Retail Attn: Solar Survey 14353 Cooperative Ave Robstown, TX 78380 NEC Retail May 2015 Texas Co-op Power
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2015 Winners Announced!
NEC Y uth Youth Leadership Tour The Trip of a lifetime to Washington D.C.
It was an exciting year for our Youth Tour contest as we had a record-break number of entries with 25 essays being submitted! We call this trip our best hidden secret, but I guess the word is out now! It was extremely exciting to read so many very wellwritten and though tout essays on the chosen topic: What is your one favorite use of electricity. But in the end our Community Involvement Committee blindly judged each essay and used measurable ratings to determine each essays score. We took the top four and here they are!
Rosalia Garcia Junior Agua Dulce High School
Paloma Villarreal Sophomore Richard King High School
Amanda Chesser Junior Karnes High School
Hayden Kneizel Sophomore Calallen High School
In addition to these four NEC delegates, Nueces Electric Cooperative was contacted by Wharton Electric and Jackson Electric who offered two additional spots to NEC Retail members. Congratulations to Leann Weaver from St. Joseph’s High School in Victoria who will go on the trip thanks to Wharton Electric. Kylie Hicks from Ganado High School will also go on the trip thanks to Jackson Electric! These extra trips have not ever been a part of our trip, and we don’t expect them to be next year, but we were very please that two extra NEC members were able to go on this trip of a lifetime. If you have a child who will be a Sophomore or Junior next year, be on the lookout for the call for entries beginning this fall for the 2016 trip.
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Programs Ramiro De La Paz Memorial Scholarship Fund
$4,000 Winners
It just keeps growing every year!
We set the entry requirement a little high this year, but it didn’t phase our pool of highly talented youth as we still received close to 100 scholarship applications. This year we expanded the program to include two additional $1,000 awards. And good news! We are expanding it again next year to include even a few more! All applicants must show proof of exemplary grades and test scores, as well as community and school involvement. It is a tough task to judge these applications. We just have so many youth who truly deserve this award. We would like to send a special thank you to Texas A&M Kingsville, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, and to Del Mar College for providing representatives to judge these applications. If you have a child who will be a high school senior next year, be on the look-out for the scholarship application process to begin in the fall. Congratulations to all of our 2015 recipients!
Victoria Wahlen Calallen High School
Hattie Powell Mary Carroll High School
$1,000 Winners Deblina Bhattacharya Calallen High School Isabela Bumanlag Science Academy (Mercedes) Ryan Flemming Orange Grove High School Caitlyn Hornsby Incarnate Word Academy (Corpus Christi) Sophia Salinas Robert Vela High School. (Edinburg) Rachel Sowell Memorial High School (Houston)
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Tackle Home Projects Safely DO-IT-YOURSELF PROJECTS OFFER a great way to save money and learn new skills.
But before you tackle that home improvement project you saw online or on cable TV, practice safety measures to avoid injury while getting great results.
Score Points with Safety Equipment Just like a helmet and pads are required on a football field, safety items are essential for DIY tasks. Read and follow the directions for every power tool you use. Wearing safety glasses, ear protection and gloves, as well as tying back loose hair and securing loose clothing, are all important steps toward keeping you safe. If you rent a tool, ask the store for safety tips.
Play & Win! If Your Account Number is:
37 351-001
Look Up, Dow and All Around For outside projects, first check the area where you will be working. Identify potential hazards and take time to avoid or correct any problems. Don’t forget to look up for power lines, and avoid using long poles or ladders within 10 feet of overhead wires. Will your project involve any digging? Postpone for a day and call 811 before you dig, even if you think you know where underground lines may be. The 811 service will mark all underground lines in your area—for free—before you start work. To prepare for an inside project, make sure you know the location of outlets, electrical wiring, wall studs and other electrical and structural elements before you fire up a saw or swing a sledgehammer.
YOU WIN $25 off your electric bill! Call, NEC Retail before the 20th!
Avoid the Blitz Water and electricity don’t mix, so avoid running cords through wet areas. Inspect cords for fraying or damage before use, and be sure outlets can handle any extra load from power tools. Overloading outlets can lead to more than a shock: Fire hazards could result from demanding too much from an electrical system.
Be Honest with Yourself If a job seems like it might be too much to handle, leave it to a professional. Take into consideration heavy lifting, expensive tools that will only be used once, and whether you really have the time or skills required. That way, you won’t be tempted to skip safety measures. Having a good game plan for DIY projects can help get you to the goal line safely.
It’s All About YOU You might have noticed that from time to time, Nueces Electric Cooperative has run feature articles on members or member-owned businesses. We would like to make this a monthly feature. If you are an interesting person, or if you have a company you would like to tell the members of NEC about, let us know! For details and to pitch your story, visit the “Why NEC” tab at www.NECRetail.com.
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