Priority No. 3:
Reliability Trace McCuan, CEO
It’s a simple premise: when you flip the switch at home, the lights should come on. And at NEC we work hard to ensure you have electricity every hour of every day. It’s what we do; we’re here for you, our member-owners. Even as we maintain our distribution system to provide you with reliable electricity or forecast power for retail, we face continual threats. But being a professional organization, we are well prepared for them all. At NEC we have to prepare for all scenarios because we are a different sort of utility. The standard Co-op way is to maintain power lines and provide power to members all in one package. Because NEC is the only deregulated electric Co-op in Texas, we have to not only plan for the eight counties we maintain power lines for, but we also have to prepare for electrical issues throughout the state of Texas which occur on power lines not owned by NEC (such as AEP, CenterPoint, Oncor, and Texas New Mexico Power). Power Line Maintenance One of the ways we establish reliability on our power line system is through a rigorous maintenance program . The Co-op invests a significant budget each year to inspect and replace weathered or fractured power poles. Additionally, we invest in trimming trees from the hundreds of miles line which serve our members. You see, when you only average approximately 13.5 members per mile of power line, you have to ensure that each mile of line is strong enough withstand high winds, heavy rain, dusty drought conditions, and other destructive elements. The Co-op has a 5-year continuous maintenance plan to ensure our power lines can stand the test of time.
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Occasionally you will receive a call from the Co-op informing you of a planned outage. Occasionally, the equipment we use to bring power to your home might need major repairs or updates. When this happens, as a way to keep our crews and you safe, we plan an interruption to electric service. Behind every good plan is a strong engineering team. We are fortunate to have a well-established engineering department, as well as a strong IT team who is able to accommodate the industries rapidly changing advancement of technology. Purchase Forecast Our preparation for reliability begins months before you flip the switch. A power purchase forecast is exactly what it sounds like – an estimate or prediction of how much electricity will be needed in the future. We all depend on power to meet our daily needs, but the amount we use varies from season to season, day to day and even hour by hour. This is why NEC’s power supplier, STEC, plans far in advance to make sure there is enough power available to meet electricity demands. As demand fluctuates with the retail market, NEC must do our best to estimate how much we will need to buy, while being careful to not buy more than we need. It’s a careful balancing act that we must maintain to ensure all members receive power both reliable and at an affordable price. Working For You At NEC, we can’t predict the future, but we can be prepared for what it holds. We work hard every day to make reliability a priority, because you are our main priority and letting you down is not an option.
www.nueceselectric.org
www.nueceselectric.org 1.800.NEC.WATT
Although a bit harder to remember, unique passwords for every online account help thwart cybercriminals.
Keep Your Information Safe Online Keeping your personal information
secure online might seem like a difficult task, thanks in part to nearly constant news of breaches, bugs and hacks. Luckily, there are steps you can take to boost your online security and decrease the likelihood that a malicious hacker will steal your private data. Be skeptical. Bring the same skepticism you’d bring in the brick-and-mortar world to your experiences online. You wouldn’t provide your credit card number, Social Security number
or mother’s maiden name to a stranger on the street. Don’t do it online. Only provide it to trusted sources on secure websites. Look for “https” or a padlock symbol in the address bar. If you receive an email purporting to be from a known entity, like your bank or credit card company, asking you to click through to log in to your account, don’t. Instead, go directly to the site by typing the URL into the address bar. You also can call the number on your credit card or contact the company through its official website to inquire about the email. Use a credit card with consumer protections to shop online instead of your
debit card, which could give thieves direct access to your checking or savings accounts. Try to use only one card for all your online purchases to further reduce the risk of exposure.
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Don’t overshare. Social media can be a fun way to share the events of our lives, but some things that people post publicly on social media can compromise safety online and offline. Your birthdate is key information to accessing many accounts. If you want to share your birthday online, consider not sharing the year. Your mother’s maiden name, your favorite pet, the street on which you grew up and even your favorite sports teams can be used to answer challenge questions to access various accounts. Share this information with friends only, if possible, or pick nonfactual responses to use consistently in response to security challenge questions. For example: “Favorite pet? Abraham Lincoln.” Consider not using your full legal name
on public social media accounts. Arm yourself. It is more difficult to keep your information secure online if your computer, tablet, smartphone, browser or home network are vulnerable. Make sure your operating system and browsers run with the latest updates and security patches. Secure your wireless network—and all devices—with strong passcodes that use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Some security experts suggest creating a sentence with personal meaning from which you can
create an acronym. Change your passwords at least every six months. When using public wireless networks, use only those that are secure. If you must
use an unsecured network, do not conduct financial transactions. Use security software on your computers and run regular scans.
Encrypt your computer, your tablet and even your phone to keep digital docu-
ments safe, Alternatively, keep important documents like medical records and tax returns on an external hard drive that isn’t connected to the Internet; plug into it only when you must access those documents. Keep information safe offline, too.
Securely shred bills, financial statements, prescription labels, health information, receipts and similar documents that you do not need or want to keep. The personal information in these paper documents could compromise your identity both online and offline. Reduce, reuse, recycle—and redact!
Before donating old electronics to charity or taking them to your local e-recycler, delete all the data that’s saved on them. Instructions and apps exist to walk you through wiping your electronics clean of all traces of you. It’s an important part of keeping your personal information and online identity out of the hands of strangers.
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Watt Does It Mean? Glossary of electrical terms
The language of electricity is just as complicated as the process that creates it. This glossary of electrical terms could be enlightening. (Pay special attention to the “translation” for each term.)
Ampere Definition: A measure of how much electricity moves through a conductor; an indicator of the size of circuit breakers and fuses. Abbreviation: A or amp Translation: An ampere is akin to the amount of water flowing through a hose in a certain amount of time. Example: Amperes equal watts divided by volts: A 1,000-W heater at 120 V draws 8.33 A.
Energy Definition: The ability to do work. Translation: One kilowatt-hour is the amount of energy trans-
ferred in one hour at the rate of 1 kilowatt. Energy measures the quantity of work done. Example: When you pay for the number of kilowatt-hours on your electric bill, you’re buying the amount of energy transferred by electrical transmission into your home over a certain period.
Joule
ate 168 MW.
Volt Definition: A unit of electric force that measures the “pressure” of electricity. Abbreviation: V Translation: The electromotive force that moves electrons.
Watt Definition: The standard unit of electrical power that is equal to the work done at the rate of 1 joule per second. Abbreviation: W Translation: People convert energy—measured in barrels of oil, tons of coal and cubic feet of natural gas, for example—into power, tabulated in watts. Example: Operating a 60-W lightbulb requires power, measured in watts. After an hour, you can measure the amount of energy that was consumed in joules or kilowatt-hours.
Work Definition: The act of exerting force over a distance.
Now that you know more about electricity and how it works, check your knowledge with this pop quiz on how much it takes to power appliances that provide convenience and comfort:
Definition: A unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of 1 amp passes through a resistance of 1 ohm for one second. Abbreviation: J Translation: One joule is equal to the work it takes to make a watt of power for one second.
Kilowatt-hour Definition: A unit of work or energy equal to the amount produced by 1 kilowatt in one hour. Abbreviation: kWh Translation: Kilowatt-hours (energy) = kilowatts (power) x hours (time) Example: A 100-W lightbulb burning for 10 hours uses 1 kWh.
Power Definition: The rate at which work is done or energy emitted or transferred. Translation: A unit of power is 1 joule per second (1 watt). Power measures how long energy must be applied to get work done. Example: The capacity of a power plant is described in megawatts; for example, Antelope Station, the natural gas-fired plant near Abernathy owned by Golden Spread EC, can gener-
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Outdoor Safety Tips To Share With Kids When the weather is nice, many children enjoy going outdoors to fly kites, climb trees and play with their friends. Although playing outdoors is fun and healthy, there are electrical hazards that children need to be aware of to stay safe. Safe Electricity offers a variety of tips to share with children before they head outdoors. Stay away from pad-mounted transformers, the green metal boxes that contain the above ground portion of an underground electrical installation. These cabinets carry high voltages and are safe when locked, but they can be deadly if someone reaches inside. If you see one in your neighborhood that is open, call authorities and your cooperative immediately. Never enter an electrical substation for any reason. If a ball or other toy crosses the fence surrounding a substation, call your cooperative for help. Substations hold deadly amounts of electricity and should only be entered by professionals. Always be aware of overhead power lines. Do not fly kites or model planes near power lines or electrical substations. A kite string can conduct electricity from an overhead line directly to the person on the ground. Be careful when using metallic balloons for a party. Metallic-coated balloons conduct electricity, so never tie one to a child’s wrist or waist. If the balloon comes into contact with electricity, the child could receive a fatal shock. Ensure that your children are protected from the electrical service connection to your home. Keep ladders or long poles stowed and away from youngsters who might be tempted to use them to reach the wires connected to your house. Also be aware of these lines around pools. Pool skimmers can be long enough to reach service connection lines. Under no circumstance should anyone climb trees near power lines. If branches are touching the wires, the tree could be energized. Even branches not touching power lines could become energized if a child’s weight is added. Finally, storm fronts can move rapidly, and lightning can strike 10 miles in advance of a storm. Remember the rule of thumb from the National Weather Service: “When thunder roars, go indoors.” Make sure kids know that it is not safe to be outside during a storm. —SafeElectricity.org
Tamper-resistant receptacles have a safety feature to keep objects and tiny fingers out.
Tamper-Resistant Receptacle A permanent safety solution
Lost Mo untain St ud io | Shu tt erstoc k.com
Remind children to avoid overhead power lines when playing outdoors.
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Nearly seven children a day in America are shocked or burned when they slide keys, pins, paper clips and other small objects into electrical outlets in their homes, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International. Up to a dozen of these kids die monthly from the resulting injuries. That means every room in your house that has an electrical outlet—and that’s probably every single room—presents a danger to children who might be tempted to play with outlets. It costs about $2 per outlet to replace a home’s old receptacles with updated, tamper-resistant versions. These new outlets are designed with a built-in shutter system that prevents objects besides electrical plugs from entering the slots. The shutter won’t open as little fingers poke them with small objects, but plugs can open it and fit into the slots because they apply equal pressure simultaneously to both sides of the shutter. Tamper-resistant receptacles are safer than removable outlet caps because they are built in, and children are unable to detach them. The National Electrical Code requires new homes to be built with tamper-resistant receptacles, but it’s up to the owners of older homes to upgrade their outlets.
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The People Behind the Power April 11 is National Lineman Appreciation Day this year, so it is appropriate that
we take a moment to recognize the people who often work in brutal weather conditions to ensure that we all have safe and reliable power. Linemen work with thousands of volts of electricity high atop power lines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to maintain the energy infrastructure and keep electricity flowing. Nueces Electric Cooperative linemen work in dangerous, highly visible settings, but there are many behind the scenes who also labor tirelessly to help keep the lights on. These folks do so with little or no public recognition.
The Power Behind Your Power A “powerful” cooperative figure is Trace McCuan, CEO. Similar to the head coach of a team, he ensures that all the players (employees) know their roles and perform them at a highly proficient level, and recruits and retains talent—an especially challenging task in today’s competitive hiring environment. He also implements measures decided upon by the board of directors and members to guide the co-op’s direction.
Promoting a Culture of Safety The operations and engineering departments ensure that the co-op’s overall system is well-maintained. This team plans ahead for future needs and continually monitors existing equipment and resources. The metering team works hard to ensure meters are read timely and accurately, after all, this is the basis of all electric bills. An equally important area of focus is safety. Working with electricity is an inherently dangerous task, and helping foster a culture of safety for all co-op workers is a major priority.
Calling for Energy Efficiency NEC’s customer service representatives answer calls and questions about billing and energy use. They work with members to 24
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identify high-use periods and discuss ways to save on monthly bills. The Member Care team ensures that members’ needs are addressed appropriately and satisfactorily.
Delivering Timely Savings The accounting department is responsible for the financial well-being of your co-op and keeps careful track of all financial transactions. They also do financial forecasting and budgeting to make sure the co-op has the resources it needs to maintain the highquality service our members deserve.
It’s All About People The Compliance department is responsible for all personnel associated with our co-op. They handle recruiting, hiring, retiring, benefits and initial orientations, as well as training , communications, and programs or all employees and members. Continual learning and training for co-op employees and the members we serve is crucial to maintaining a high level of engagement which helps keep the co-op operating at an optimal level.
Staying in Sync The cooperative’s employees and departments work closely together to serve you because you, the member, are at the heart of everything we do. As a cooperative, Concern for Community is one of the Seven Cooperative Principles that sets us apart from other businesses. From sponsoring a local food drive or other charity to supporting new jobs and industry through economic development efforts, NEC stands as a driving force in our community. The electricity we provide powers our communities. It takes every person in the co-op working together to deliver on this promise. NEC and more than 900 other electric cooperatives across the country provide safe, reliable and technologically advanced service to 40 million Americans while maintaining a unique consumerfocused approach to business.
Texas Co-op Power Nueces electric cooperative
National Lineman Appreciation Day is April 11. Thank your co-op linemen for bringing power to the people.
www.nueceselectric.org
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Check out the NEW TIME!
As part of your spring cleaning, hire a professional to conduct annual maintenance on your AC unit.
Enjoy Springtime With Energy Savings Spring has sprung! Put mild springtime temperatures to work for your
energy bill with these easy suggestions:
Hire a heating and air-conditioning professional to check out your airconditioning system and window AC units. Annual spring maintenance can keep your AC running smoothly. Ask the pro to change or clean the filters while there. Open the windows. As soon as it’s warm enough to feel comfortable indoors without heat, turn it off and invite inside the warm outdoor air. Natural breezes will freshen a stuffy house that’s been closed up all winter. Keeping the heat and AC turned off for as long as possible can save you a bundle on energy. Let in the sunshine. Throw open the drapes or blinds during the day to let bright, warm sun rays into your rooms on mild days. When summer heat arrives, close those drapes during the day to keep the sun from overheating your house. If you have a programmable thermostat, use it. Set it to automatically adjust the temperature so you’re not cooling an empty house. Switch the direction of ceiling fans. During spring and summer, fan blades should rotate counterclockwise, pushing cooler air down into the room. Using ceiling fans will allow you to increase your thermostat’s temperature setting by up to 4 degrees without sacrificing comfort. Have a cookout. Prepare dinner on your outdoor grill on nice evenings rather than using the stove or oven. Appliances that create heat tend to heat up the whole house. Run the dishwasher and clothes dryer after dark. No need to add heat to your home’s air during the day when it’s warm outdoors. Caulk and weatherstrip windows and doors. You read about this every spring because you should do it every spring. Caulking doesn’t last forever. Dress for the weather. Shed the sweaters and socks when it’s warm outside so you can delay the start of air-conditioning season inside. Turn down the water heater. If you snuck it up a couple of degrees during the winter to make your showers extra steamy, it’s time to lower it to 120 degrees. Not only is that hot enough, it’s also a safer temperature than anything higher, especially if kids or older family members are showering in your home. www.nueceselectric.org
Arbor Day Tree Giveaway Save The Date! Friday, April 29th Time: 3 - 6 p.m.
Pick up your free seedling tree at any NEC location: • Calallen • Ben Bolt • Ricardo • Orange Grove • Robstown Full details and locations can be found at www.nueceselectric.org Nueces Electric cooperative
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Employee Spotlight:
Vicky Garcia & Albert Peña This month’s employee spotlight highlights two long-time NEC employees who have both made significant impacts to the Co-op for years. Albert Peña Journey Lineman Calallen Office Albert Peña is being recognized for his outstanding leadership and team building. For several years, Albert has been involved with running and training Nueces Electric’s new groundsman apprentices. He does so in a safe and efficient manner. As a former Line Superintendent, Albert takes care to train and watch over his crew as they overcome a variety of situations they encounter while working in the field. Thank you Albert for all of your hard work and dedication to the Co-op! Vicky Garcia Member Care Representative If you have visited the Ricardo or Ben Bolt office, you might be familiar with Vicky’s friendly smile and excellent customer service. However, Vicky has recently been promoted to Member Care Assistant Supervisor and has been relocated to the Calallen office. Vicky communicates well with members and is always ready to help. Recently, Vicky stepped up to the plate and went above and beyond to help train a neighboring Co-op’s Member Care Representatives. Thank you Vicky for being an excellent example of leadership in the Co-op. 26
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Welcome Jason Sims
Journey Lineman - Calallen Office Jason is a veteran in the Co-op world with ten years of experience on an electric line crew. Jason comes to NEC from Rural Eclectic Co-op in Lindsay, Oklahoma. He knows exactly how long it has been as his first week on the job entailed assisting fellow coastal coops with restoration efforts from hurricane Katrina. Jason is looking forward to meeting new people and simply enjoying the Coastal Bend.
Jose Leyva
Groundman Apprentice - Ben Bolt Service Center Originally from Bakersfield, CA, Jose comes to the co-op via a contractor position we was working on in Missouri where he was also a Lineman Apprentice. Jose is married and has two adorable little girls who he loves to spend any spare time with. He hopes to excel in the apprentice program and have along and lasting career at NEC.
Calendar Dates: April 29, 2016 ............Arbor Day June 15, 2016 ............ Director Election Packet Pick-up for Districts: 6 (Agua Dulce Area), 7 (Orange Grove Area), 8 (San Diego Area), 10 (NEC Retail). August 1, 2016 ...........Nueces Electric Charities Grants Deadline October 13, 2016 ...... Annual Meeting RMB Fairgrounds
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Payment Options: Pay Online www.nueceselectric.org Access your account 24 hours a day from any computer to view usage, make payments or manage your account. Just click on “Pay Your Bill”, on the left side of our Homepage and it will take you to the SmartHub account portal.
Pay With Your Smart Device Download the SmartHub app to your iPhone or Andriod device. View usage, weather impacts, make payments and manage your account any time of the day.
Auto Draft: Sign up to have your bank account or credit card drafted for your monthly bill. You can signup via your SmartHub online account.
Equal Payment Plan Through this payment program, a member’s usage is averaged for the year and the member makes equal payments each month. See more information and sign up online under the Member Services ->Payment Options menu tab, or call the office.
Pay by Phone: 800-NEC-WATT (800-632-9288)
Pay in Person: Pay your bill at any one of our Customer Service centers located in Calallen, Ben Bolt, Ricardo or Orange Grove.
Pay by Mail: P.O. Box 659821, San Antonio, TX 78265
Pay at the Payment Kiosk Quick, easy, and accessible 24 hours a day, the Kiosk is located at the Calallen office. Payments post immediately to your account.
Payment Services Pay using any Fidelity Express Pay Stations or for an additional $1.50 service charge. Search online to find a payment station near you.
www.nueceselectric.org
Find us on the web at: www.nueceselectric.org Call us at: 361-387-2581 or 1-800-632-9288 Your Elected Board of Directors: Brian Menking: District 8, President Bill Hartman, District 7, Vice-President David Rosse, District 3, Secretary Treasurer Tommy Ermis, District 6, Asst Secretary-Treasure Johnny Alvarado, District 9 Gladys Lippincott, District 10 (Retail) Donald Herrmann, District 4 Maxine Stewart, District 5 Gregg Truesdale, District 2 Rumaldo Z. Juarez, District 1
Main Office / Mailing Address: 14353 Cooperative Ave Corpus Christi, TX 78380 M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Ben Bolt Service Center: 5646 S. Hwy 281 Alice, TX M-F 8 - 12/ 12:30 - 4 Ricardo Service Center: 123 CR 1026, Ricardo, TX M-W-F 8 - 12 / 12:30 - 4 Orange Grove Service Center: 5302 W. FM 624 T-Th 9 - 12 / 1 - 4 (FM 624 & Hwy 281)
Use the NEC Outage Viewer to view outages 24-hours a day with any device. The Outage Viewer is located on the homepage our website.
NEC Power Providers
PLEASE NOTE: The (CRs) listed below have completed the process to qualify to serve NEC area members. This provider list is subject to change. For the most up-to-date list of providers, please monitor our website nueceselectric.org or you can obtain a list from any NEC office.
AP GAS & ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL APOLLO POWER & LIGHT COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL BLUESTAR ENERGY COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY CHAMPION ENERGY SERVICES COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL CONSTELLATION ENERGY COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY CORAL POWER SOLUTIONS LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL DYNEGY COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ENERGY TRANSFER LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ENERTRADE ELECTRIC LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL GDF SUEZ COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL HINO ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL MPOWER /MP2 COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY NEC RETAIL Co-op Electricity RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL & INDUST TENASKA LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ENCOA (TERM) COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY SMARTCOM ENERGY SERVICES COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY STARTEX POWER LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL SOURCE POWER & GAS COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL
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