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SECONEWS Florida is quickly emerging as a leader in electric vehicle (EV) sales. In early March, the Florida House passed Senate Bill 7018 that paves the way for the Florida Department of Transportation to work with the Florida Public Service Commission, Office of Energy and others to develop plans to expand EV infrastructure across the state. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center at energy.gov, Florida has the third-highest number of EVs in the United States.
find an overview of EV models, ownership savings benefits, EV facts and information on how electric vehicles can help you reduce your carbon footprint. Use the savings calculator to compute the amount of money you would save on gasoline by purchasing an EV. Input the number of miles you drive in a year and the savings calculator will provide you with the amount you can save versus charging your vehicle and filling up with gas.
SHIFT YOUR EV INTEREST INTO HIGH GEAR – ENTER TO WIN A JUICEBOX EV CHARGER...
891504 Earlier this year we surveyed about 100,000 SECO members to gauge interest in electric vehicles. The results were interesting. Five percent of SECO members already own an EV. Thirty-four percent indicate an interest in purchasing an EV in the future. Of those with interest, forty percent have not yet decided on a brand or model. Surprisingly, forty-two percent of those who aren’t even interested in owning an EV believe SECO should promote and support the use of electric vehicles in our service area. In response, we have developed a new electric vehicle section for our website at SECOEnergy. com > Energy Solutions > Electric Vehicles. You’ll
You’ll also find information about charging your EV. For efficiency and quick charging, consider installing a Level 2 fast charger to charge your EV four to six times faster than a Level 1 charger. If you’re on the go, locate a charger across the country using the charger finder. We’ve also added information about IRS tax credits for EV purchase and the purchase of a Level 2 fast charger.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE • Pennies From Heaven • 298 Megawatts of Solar... • Win A JuiceBox EV Charger • Move Over - It’s The Law • Special Needs Registry MAY 2020 | SECO NEWS
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PENNIES FROM HEAVEN
PENNIES FROM HEAVEN SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program helps change the lives of your fellow members – one penny at a time. Enroll today to round up your monthly bill to the nearest dollar and donate those pennies to the Angel Fund. The extra pennies are used to provide financial assistance in our local communities.
377406 The funds can be used for local worthy causes or to help your fellow members with payment assistance. The funds are administered through local agencies that partner with Florida 211. Reach out via phone or text if you need assistance.
Employees, even those who are not members, donate funds to the program through internal fundraising efforts to provide support for our service area and members. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have received many new Pennies from Heaven enrollments. Members, we thank you for your generosity and willingness to help your fellow cooperative neighbors. If you would like to donate your extra pennies, visit SECOEnergy.com > Your-Co-op > Pennies from Heaven to enroll.
Our CEO Jim Duncan supports the Pennies from Heaven program and so do our employees.
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2 9 8 M E G AWAT T S
OF SOLAR COMING ONLINE! SECO Energy’s wholesale power provider Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. has contracted with Florida Renewable Partners (FRP) for 298 megawatts of solar generation to add to their fuel portfolio. FRP will construct four new photovoltaic (PV) solar sites that will provide solar power to Seminole’s nine member distribution electric cooperatives through purchased power agreements. These facilities are expected to be online in 2023 to serve SECO’s and other cooperatives’ members. MAY 2020 | SECO NEWS
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Interested in an EV and Level 2 charging? Enter to win a SECO Energy branded 50-amp JuiceBox Pro 40 Electric Vehicle Charger. This 9.6kW charger is UL listed with a 24-foot cable, a 5-year manufacturer warranty, builtin Wi-Fi and is 110-240VAC. We’ll choose one random winner each month starting June 15 while supplies last.
& Events or click the homepage banner. Installation not included. Winner must agree to terms and conditions. Shift your EV interest into high gear – enter to win a JuiceBox EV charger and visit our website to learn if an electric vehicle is the right choice for you and your family.
575013 You have three ways to enter to win. Scan the QR code and click the link to enter. Text “EV” to (352) 320-4500, you’ll receive a link to enter. Or visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Electric Vehicles choose Offers
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Sincerely,
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Jim Duncan Chief Executive Officer
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ONLINE
Change lanes when you see flashing lights, or you may pay a hefty fine. Florida’s Move Over Law requires drivers to move over a lane when emergency, law enforcement, sanitation, utility service vehicles and tow trucks and wreckers are stopped on the shoulder. If you can’t move over safely, slow down to a speed that is at least 20 miles per hour under the posted speed limit. Slow down and move over safely to protect defenseless workers and drivers stopped on the side of the road. Break the law and you’ll pay a fine, fees and incur points on your driving record.
Don’t forget to look for the last six digits of your account number in this month’s SECO News. You can email us at customerservice@secoenergy.com or call if your number appears. Six winners will be drawn at random from all submissions. Winners receive a $25 gift card.
MAY 2020 | SECO NEWS
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EASTERN SPOTTED AND STRIPED SKUNKS
Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1. Prepare today – as we have seen locally and nationally with the COVID-19 pandemic, supplies sell out quickly. Don’t be left unprepared.
fauna & flora
E
astern spotted skunks and striped skunks are found in all areas of Florida except for the
Keys. These common Florida skunks are the size of a housecat. They have black and white fur, small heads, short legs, bushy tails and most notably an ability to spray an oily, unpleasant-smelling musk (up
If you or a loved one who lives in your home has special needs, add your name to the Florida Special Needs Registry. The Registry was created to allow residents with special needs to receive assistance and valuable information about evacuation and shelter options. It also helps first responders and local emergency management officials determine shelter needs and disaster response. Providing this information could help save your life.
to 15 feet) that is hard to ignore.
509102 Female skunks give birth in the spring to a litter of four to seven kits. Around six weeks old, the kits learn to forage for food with their mother and remain with her
To register, visit FloridaDisaster.org and select your county. You will receive periodic emails to verify that your information and needs are current.
for several months. They learn defensive strategies, the most effective being the aforementioned oily, musky spray that deters predators. The skunk’s chief predator is the great horned owl although loss of habitat has drastically reduced the skunk population in recent years. Skunks are omnivores - their diet includes both animals and plants. They are usually active at night and are known to knock over trash cans and forage for food scraps.
Before storm season arrives, verify your contacts are up to date in StormCenter to receive outage communications. You can choose to receive an email, text or voice message or all three. Visit SECOEnergy. com > StormCenter > Manage Notifications. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” us on Twitter for updates on current outages, press releases and more.
FUN FAUNA FACT: Like Pepé Le Pew there’s
a lot to love about skunks (except the smell). The striped skunks’ diet is heavy on insects – about 70% – great for pest control.
The Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, May 18, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. in the Corporate Offices at 330 South US HWY 301 in Sumterville. A Trustees’ meeting will also be held on Monday, June 22, 2020.
Richard Dennison
District 8
Jerry Hatfield
Ray Vick
Vice President District 9
District 5
Gerald Anderson Secretary-Treasurer District 3
Scott Boyatt District 1
24/7 Job Hotline: Report an Outage: secoenergyjobs.com stormcenter.secoenergy.com
Bill James
President District 4
Joyce Anderson
4 SECO Energy.com MAY 2020 | SECO SECO EnergyNEWS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
District 2
Michael Muffett District 6
Joseph Kusiak District 7