October 2015
As a member of a not-for-profit electric cooperative, you build ownership in SECO Energy through your energy purchases. There is no stock to be bought or sold; our members ownership is defined through the annual process of allocating each member’s share of the co-op’s margins from the prior year. These allocated margins are referred to as capital credits and are a tangible benefit of electric co-op membership. Capital credits are the accumulation of all prior year’s revenue after the co-op’s expenses have been paid. These credits are allocated on a pro rata basis to each SECO Energy member’s record and represent a portion of their patronage with the cooperative in the prior fiscal year. SECO Energy, through sound financial stewardship, has been able to return (retire) capital credits to members consistently for the last 19 years. Last year’s retirement of $4.2 million was a record amount and brought the total of capital credits paid back to the members to over $32 million since 1995. Capital credits are typically retired in November with Board of Trustee approval as long as the financial stability of the cooperative remains intact. SECO Energy’s solid fiscal management has been the key to being able to consistently return capital credits to the members for over the past two decades. I encourage you to keep an eye on your November bill if you are an active member of the cooperative. There you’ll see a line item bill credit representing your portion of the retirement. Otherwise, you may get a check in the mail. I also encourage you to take a look at this month’s bill, as SECO has once again decreased the bill for the third time this year through the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) – called “Hot Bucks.” Read more about the most recent bill reduction on the inside pages. Best regards, Jim Duncan, CEO
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“ Capital credits are the accumulation of all prior year’s revenue after the co -op’s expenses have been paid. These credits are allocated on a pro rata basis to each SECO Energy member’s record and represent a portion of their patronage with the cooperative in the prior fiscal year.”
High Five for 5th Hot Bucks Reduction Five times in the past two years SECO Energy has dropped the cost of electricity – which means lower bills for our members. The decrease will appear in your Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) – one of the line item components on your bill representing positive reductions in our cost of power. Reducing the PCA rate thus allows for a higher credit on your bill. The latest reduction equates to a whopping 9% decrease over the past 24 months. As of October 1st, our residential cost is $116.20 based on 1,000 kilowatt hours used.
$116.20
$117.20
Oct 2014 Ju O June 2015 Aug 2015 Oct 2015
Based d on 1,000 kWh k h
466700
Jan 2014
$118.20
$120.70
$130 $128 $126 $124 $122 $120 $118 $116 $114 $112
$127.75
Bill Decrease
This latest decrease shows that SECO Energy members pay one of the lowest residential rates (based on 1,000 kilowatt hours) in the state. This electric bill reduction comes on the heels of a recent J.D. Power study that ranks SECO Energy highest in customer satisfaction among midsize utilities in the south. We’re honored to be your energy partner, and we credit our Board of Trustees, management and most important, every SECO employee who has earned your trust with the delivery of reliable energy and outstanding member/customer service. 097009 Keeping rates affordable is a high priority for SECO Energy and for our power-producing partner, Seminole Electric Cooperative. Together, we work hard to control our expenses and to pass along savings to our member/owners. SECO Energy, your not-for-profit electric cooperative, operates solely for the benefit of our members and that means you! We can help you conserve and be more efficient - not only for the sake of lowering your electric bill, but also to begin preparing for the ill-advised EPA Clean Power Plan that calls for a massive reduction in emissions for our state that can only be accomplished by eliminating coal plants and raising the price of power dramatically. Read about how to voice your concerns through www.action.coop.
Generator Tips 1.
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If you own and operate a portable generator during storm season, remember to operate it outside in a well-ventilated area. Generators emit carbon monoxide emissions, which are an invisible killer that you can’t see, smell or taste. Do not connect the generator directly to your main electrical panel in the home as this could cause injury/death to neighbors or SECO Energy crews. 783002
EPA Clean Power Plan – Voice Your Opinion Speak out in one voice about protecting affordable, reliable energy at the Cooperative Action Network www.action.coop. Use the “Take Action” tab, and the automated system automatically identifies your representatives by your local home address and generates a specific email to each about the consequences of the proposed Clean Power Plan. It takes two minutes but speaks volumes. Join the grassroots effort today!
NATURE’S reflections Florida’s Fl id ’ B Barn Owl O l Highly skilled and beneficial rodent predator The Barn owl (Tyto alba pratincola) is a medium-sized owl with a four-foot wing span and a body length of fourteen to twenty inches. It has small, dark eyes set in a white heart-shaped face with no ear tufts. Its legs are long and feathered. The upper parts of the body are rusty-brown with white or tan spotting underneath. It is found on every continent except Antarctica. It is well suited to Florida’s warm climate and mild winters. Although rarely seen, barn owls are common in Florida. The species is entirely nocturnal. In fact, the bird conceals itself so well during the day and is so silent at night most people are unaware of its presence. Locating prey by sound alone, it spends more time actively hunting than any other owl covering about a hundred acres of territory. This owl doesn’t hoot in the traditional sense, but uses a variety of calls from shrill screeches to high rattling hisses. It feeds almost exclusively on mice, rats and squirrels, along with a few birds and frogs. The birds’ favored nesting sites are man-made structures, such as barns, sheds, abandoned buildings, and nest boxes. In return, the birds help farmers control local rodent populations without use of pesticides. In 1994, a nesting box program began in south Florida’s Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). The purpose was to attract barn owls and help control rodent populations. As a result, the owls gained nesting habitat, rodent populations decreased, the environment is exposed to less chemicals, and millions of dollars are saved by this sustainable form of rodent control. Barn owls are monogamous. In Florida, nesting takes place throughout the year, and a pair may produce two broods per year. A clutch of five to seven buff-white, eggs requires four to five weeks incubation period. During this time the female depends entirely on her mate for food. Once hatched, a single family of two adults and six young can consume more than one thousand rodents during a typical three-month nesting period. At five weeks of age, chicks eat the equivalent of twice their weight each day. At two months when the fledglings leave the nest, they may weigh more than their parents. Column & photo by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com
member expressions
SECO TRUSTEES Ray F. Vick
Please convey our special thank you to Mr. Gus Kornegay [Energy Services Specialist]. He helped us beyond the call of duty. It was our 56th wedding anniversary and he made it a special day. It is so nice to know that there are caring people like Mr. Kornegay in this world today. Mr. & Mrs. Roland C. Wood Ocala, FL
My Co-op Connections Deals
President • District 5
Jerry D. Hatfield Vice President • District 9
Robin R. Henion Secretary-Treasurer • District 7
Scott D. Boyatt District 1
Dillard B. Boyatt District 2
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Richard J. Belles 230011
LEGOLAND®
Buy 1 Ticket, Get 1 Free
LEGOLAND® Florida Resort is the largest LEGOLAND Park in the world. Its 150-acre interactive theme park is geared specifically toward families with youngsters ages 2 through 12. Enjoy over 50 family rides, “hands-on” attractions, and shows that provide education, adventure and fun. You’ll find restaurants, shops and a breathtaking botanical garden, plus the LEGOLAND Water Park. Use the online Co-op Connections Card offer for buy one, get one free tickets to the LEGOLAND Florida Resort. Buy one adult ticket and get a free general admission ticket. Find the online offer at www.connections.coop. Click on My Co-op Deals and use the Advanced Search Box in the top right corner to search the word “LEGOLAND.” 520302 For a local listing of other participating businesses and for the national deals, visit www.connections.coop. If you are a local business owner interested in participating in the program, call (352) 793-3801 and ask to speak to Eneida Robaina. Email message to customerservice@secoenergy.com to receive a new card or print one online at SECOEnergy.com Click on p and create an account or sign in to print a personalized card. Mobile Co-op Connections Card applications are available for both Android and Apple devices.
District 3
Richard Dennison District 4
Earl Muffett District 6
Bill James District 8
Jim Duncan CEO
SECO’s Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, October 19th at 2:30 p.m. in the Corporate Offices located at 330 South US Highway 301 in Sumterville. A Trustees’ meeting will also be held on November 16, 2015. SECO 24/7 Job Hotline www.secoenergyjobs.com 855-483-2673 SECO Outage Hotline www.secostormcenter.com 800-732-6141