Oklahoma Electric Co-op News June 2020

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A reminder of revised policies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Standard Residential Rate could be the right rate for you

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EC's board of trustees in February approved an alternative to the time-of-use rate, which has been the only residential rate for the better part of the last decade. Members who have tested the new Standard Residential Rate have discovered long-term savings by deciding to switch, and you could too. "Several years ago when we rolled out our time-of-use rate, it put the opportunity to save money in the members' hands by making small adjustments to the time of day they used electricity rather than the amount they used," said CEO Patrick Grace. "What we have found, however, tells us members simply want a rate they can understand and one that makes their bills reasonable." Created as an option for members who would rather not program appliances or modify electricity use — especially during the hot summer months — the Standard Residential Rate features one year-round price per kilowatt hour and a discount for kilowatt hours used in excess of 1,000 during the winter months. "Our data shows us that about 7,500 member accounts could save over $200 over the course of the year just by switching rates," said Grace. "Others could save less or more. Try out our website's rate calculator to use your account's data from the last 12 months to determine the best rate for you." It's important to remember that most members who switch to the Standard Residential Rate will not see savings right away, but could over the course of a year. For example, summer bills could be lower when compared to last summer's, but winter bills could be higher. "We try to avoid comparing one year to another because there are so many factors when considering an electric bill," said Grace. "Weather plays a huge part in determining energy savings (and increases), as does a change in the household or their routine, natural gas prices, the cost of meeting energy regulations and more." Interested in learning more or seeing which rate is right for you? Visit www.okcoop.org/rates for more information and a comparison of rates.

See if the Standard Residential Rate would be a good fit for you For those who prefer simplicity and convenience

Use your smartphone's camera to scan the bar code or visit www.okcoop.org/rates to see which rate is best for you or to switch rates!

OEC HAS PLEDGED TO: • Ensure that your electric service continues to be reliable. • Maintain excellent service to our members while keeping everyone safe by closing our lobbies. Rest assured, you can still make payments via the SmartHub mobile app, online at www.okcoop.org or at one of the dozens of PaySite kiosks located throughout our service area, as well as the payment drop-off in our drive-thru lane at 242 24th Avenue NW in Norman. • Make custom payment arrangements by phone or on SmartHub. • Temporarily suspend late fees and disconnects for non-payment for anyone directly affected by the virus. OEC FIBER HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY PROCEDURES: • Good Hygiene Practices- All employees will practice good hygiene/hand washing/covering mouth with tissue when coughing/sneezing or the use their arm rather than hands as a continued practice. All employees will be cognizant of and avoid touching eyes, mouth, nose, face. We send regular communications to subscriber-facing employees to follow the recommended CDC precautions and provide hand sanitizer throughout our facilities. • Appointment Call Ahead- All OEC Fiber scheduled appointments will receive a call ahead before visits are made. OEC Fiber representatives will ask basic health and safety questions to screen the potential location for dangers concerning coronavirus contamination. • Recommended 8′ (Eight Feet) Working Radius- All employees and members are asked to maintain an eight-foot working radius during business interactions. • Use of Member’s/Subscriber’s Personal Property- All OEC employees will limit touching member/subscriber’s personal property and request that the member/ subscriber handle their own property. • Unsafe Work Environment Declaration- At any time, OEC members/subscribers and employees have the right to claim an unsafe work environment and request a rescheduled appointment.

www.okcoop.org

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