TCEC Newsletter November-December 2022

Rural Living

Board

Let’s Talk

The energy industry is undergoing rapid change, and technology is paving the way for innovation in the way energy is used, produced, stored and shared. Consumers are interested in more green energy alternatives while smart homes and apps make managing energy use and paying your electric bill more convenient than ever.

While the changing energy market has created more options for consumers, it has also resulted in more utility scams and misleading information surrounding solar installations in particular. That’s because of two factors.

Utility scams are common because of the vast number of utilities that exist, and consumers are understandably anxious with the threat of disruption to their electric, heating or water service. Second, new products and services in the energy industry provide an opening for scammers and pop-up companies to provide misleading information or shoddy products and services.

Avoid Phone Scams

A common phone scam typically begins with a phone number that appears to be from a valid utility company. The scammer will claim you have a past due account and threaten to disconnect service or take legal action. The scammer will typically demand that you use a prepaid debit card or money order, often within a very short, urgent time frame to pay the “past due” amount.

You can combat this scam by being aware of the status of your account. Never give your banking or personal information over the phone to someone you did not call. If you have a question or concern about your energy bill, call us directly at 850-973-2285 or 800-999-2285. Do not use the phone number given by the scammer.

Avoid Solar Scams

Another scam we see from time to time is connected to rooftop solar. Homeowners with rooftop solar may receive a sales call offering an accessory, upgrade or extended warranty to their solar array. The calls could be from crooks claiming to represent a solar company, promising to replace faulty or broken parts or improve efficiency. Again, if you are not expecting the call, don’t be fooled. These calls offering misleading information are likely a scam.

Call Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC) or the company that installed the solar array if you think there may be a problem. Other than occasional cleaning, rooftop solar (if installed correctly) is virtually maintenance-free.

Use Trusted Sources

If you’re considering solar for your home, make sure you are working with a reputable company. Because this is still an emerging industry with evolving technology, there has been a proliferation of pop-up companies in the market to make a quick buck. Representatives of rooftop solar companies may have more sales experience than knowledge of the energy industry, and their primary goal could be making a sale and moving on to the next prospect.

TCEC can offer a candid assessment to determine whether rooftop solar is right for you. After all, your electric co-op has a different “bottom line” that is not directly tied to the sale of a product or service. We take a more holistic, objective view of how to achieve energy and cost savings for our members, and that may or may not include rooftop solar.

In this ever-changing environment, it’s important to remember you have a trusted energy advisor – your local electric cooperative. We are a community-focused organization that works to efficiently deliver affordable, reliable and safe energy to our members.

Remember, we’re just one call or click away, so please reach out with any questions about your

or bills – we’re here to help.

Julius Hackett, CEO

Bobby

Johnny

Ann

Elmer Coker Retires from Board of Trustees

After fifteen years of service to the members of TCEC, Elmer Coker has retired from the Board of Trustees after serving the members of the cooperative living in District 9. The Board of Trustees recognized Mr. Coker during the December 2021 board meeting for his many years of loyal, dedicated and committed service to the members and employees of TCEC.

Bobby Dodd, President of the Board of Trustees said, “Mr. Coker is well-respected by all and made board decisions based on the best interest of the cooperative and its members. He has a servant’s heart and he enjoyed being part of something that was essential to the rural community. He will be missed.”

Mr. Coker served as TCEC Board Vice-President and represented the TCEC board on Florida Electric Cooperative Association board from 2019 to 2021. He completed training through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association earning his Credential Cooperative Director Certificate, Board Leadership Certificate and Director Gold Certificate during his time on the board.

Mr. Coker is a retired educator and football coach in Taylor, Wakulla, and Jefferson counties. Mr. Coker was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2020. He and his wife Pat have been married for more than sixty years and have three children.

“I enjoyed working with Mr. Coker for many years. His knowledge and warm personality will be missed by myself and the TCEC employees,” said Julius Hackett, CEO.

TCEC Appoints New Board Member John Cruce

Taylor County resident John W. Cruce has been appointed to the Board of Trustees for TCEC to fill the term for District 9, a position formerly held by Elmer Coker. Due to the retirement of Mr. Coker, the Board of Trustees determined that appropriate time should be taken to fill the unexpired position and appoint a qualified candidate. During the September 2022 Board of Trustees meeting, the board unanimously accepted the recommendation of the three-member selection committee to appoint Mr. Cruce to fill the vacant District 9 seat. His term of service began on September 17, 2022. The District 9 position will be on the ballot for the 2023 District Meeting held next July.

Mr. Cruce is a graduate of the University of Florida and has previous board experience from his service on the boards of Aucilla Christian Academy and Citizens State Bank. A businessman, he is currently developing a citrus grove and packing house in Madison County, and owned and managed a family timber and logging business for 40 years in Taylor County. Mr. Cruce says, “We are fortunate to have a strong, well-managed electric cooperative that contributes greatly to our way of life in rural North Florida.”

“We are pleased to welcome John to the board,” said Bobby Dodd, President of the Board of Trustees. “He’s a well-known face in the community and we are excited to have him join us and look forward to his insight on how we can make our cooperative even better for all members.”

Board Meetings

The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. will be held the second Monday of each month at 3:00 p.m. in the central office building of the Cooperative located at 2862 West US 90, approximately two miles west of the City of Madison.

Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian made landfall in southern Florida on September 28th as a category 4 hurricane. In its wake 2,541,720 power outages were reported across the state.

TCEC’s service territory was spared the impact of one of the largest hurricanes to hit Florida to date.

Our fellow electric cooperative, Glades Electric Cooperative, was not as fortunate. Glades serves more than 17,000 accounts over 2,600 miles of line in portions of Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties – and is headquartered in Moore Haven, Florida. The following morning 13,515 meters throughout the Glades service territory were without power.

A crew of TCEC linemen were dispatched to assist in their restoration efforts. Cody Holden, Josh Thomas, Bryce Ward (not pictured), Chad Mitchell, Trey Johnson, and Trey Killingsworth set out on the 6-hour drive with a bucket truck, service bucket, digger derrick and other tools and materials to begin work as soon as possible.

Our crew spent 6 days working through significant damage, long days, and heavy repairs to assist Glades. They did not hesitate to answer the call, knowing the long road ahead for the cooperative and its members. They worked tirelessly alongside hundreds of other personnel to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. This is the electric cooperative way, cooperation among cooperatives, serving members and returning home safely to their families.

Want to

deadline has been extended to October 2024.

Your cooperatives’ first in-person Annual Meeting since 2019. TCEC Annual Meeting, Welcome Home!

What a joy it was to see many TCEC members in person at the 82nd TCEC Annual Meeting, held on Saturday September 17th at Madison County High School. We continuously work to meet members where they are and connect them with the cooperative, our employees, and more. For the 2022 Annual Meeting, drive-thru registration was held followed with an in-person business meeting that was also streamed online for members to tune in virtually.

With the help of all TCEC employees, 835 members registered and cast their vote on proposed by-law changes. Each member who registered using their Quick Registration Card received a $25 bill credit and a grill set. Our future members received a kid’s bag filled with goodies and information on how to play it safe around electricity. All registered members were entered into the door prize drawing for 50 prizes including a 2013 Ford F-150 fleet vehicle. Members who attended the optional in-person meeting were able to meet with representatives from Seminole Electric Cooperative and Connexon Connect prior to the meeting beginning at 11AM.

TCEC Board

Members were in attendance for the business meeting that included a message from the Board President, Mr. Bobby Dodd; TCEC’s CEO Mr. Julius Hackett; and a financial report provided by board Secretary/Treasurer Mrs. Catherine Bethea. The business meeting was conducted by cooperative attorney, Mr. Dylan Rivers of the Ausley McMullen firm who announced that the proposed amendments to the cooperative’s bylaws were approved following the counting of members ballots cast during registration.

Visit www.tcec.com/annual-meeting to view the recorded business meeting and door prize drawing.

Annual Meeting Photos by Rebecca Vann Photography

Welcome New Employees!

Ryshard Miller

Ryshard recently joined the cooperative team as a Tree Trimmer. After working several years with Bryant Tree Service he brings a lot of knowledge and experience. Ryshard loves the challenge that tree trimming and right-of-way maintenance brings. He prides himself on quality work even in the toughest elements, clearing the way for electric service to our members. Ryshard has dreamed of being a part of TCEC since he was a little boy, growing up in Greenville. When he is not working he enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, and playing softball. He and his girlfriend Amanda, share two daughters Neaveh and Imman.

Caleb Glavich

The General Laborer position at TCEC comes with many different responsibilities, including grounds maintenance, assisting crews, warehouse support and more. Caleb started at the cooperative in August and went right to work. He enjoys getting to help all across the cooperative. He looks forward to building a career at TCEC. Caleb graduated from Madison County High school and attended Big Bend Technical College while working on his family’s ranch. Caleb likes to hunt and fish in his free time.

Zack Bell

Zack, Lineman Trainee, has several years of linework experience under his belt as well as his Electrical Lineman Certification. His experience over the years has focused mainly on the telecommunication space which will be an asset as TCEC launches the fiber to the home broadband project. Zack aspired to work at TCEC to be closer to his hometown of Monticello, while learning and growing in his field. He enjoys the on-the-job training offered in his role. Zack is engaged to be married in January to Alexis Glass, they share a son SJ (2 ½). He is also a Marine Core Reservist committed to training one weekend a month for preparation to serve his country if so called upon.

Brenda Phipps

The new friendly face at our Greenville office is Brenda Phipps. As Brenda began interacting with members, and getting more comfortable with her duties and responsibilities she says she knew this was where she wanted to be and this job was more than a job but her home. She appreciates how her teammates are so patient and willing to help her through the learning process. Brenda has 5 grown kids and 6 grandchildren. She lives in Monticello and enjoys fishing, swimming, and a good movie.

Congratulations!

Member Service Representative Lavonne Browning retired in July from TCEC after 11 years of service. Lavonne was the familiar face in our Steinhatchee office but also worked in our other district offices assisting members with payments, new service, and more. Her years of hard work and dedication to the cooperative will be missed. All of us wish her the best in her retirement.

Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment

Understanding the Power Cost Adjustment

TCEC is a not-for-profit electric utility. We’re committed to delivering reliable, cost-effective power to our consumer-members.

TCEC purchases electricity each month from our power supplier, Seminole Electric Cooperative, at a wholesale cost to meet the needs of our members. The cost of wholesale power is a significant expense of providing electric service to the homes and businesses we locally serve.

What is the WPCA?

You may have noticed the Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment (WPCA) line item on your monthly bill. The WPCA provides a monthly adjustment dependent on any differences in the base cost of wholesale power.

If the kilowatt-hour cost to TCEC is lower than the base cost of power, the WPCA is applied as a credit on your bill. If the kilowatt-hour cost is higher than the base cost of power, the WPCA is applied as a charge. Having the WPCA benefits members by covering monthly power cost fluctuations without having to continually restructure electricity rates.

What impacts the WPCA?

The WPCA changes based on the cost of wholesale power, which fluctuates for a variety of reasons. During hot summer months when the demand for electricity is much higher, power may need to be purchased from more expensive sources at market price, which includes additional generation costs. Increased costs for fuels like natural gas also impact the price of wholesale power. Due to the recent extreme heat and increased demand for electricity, coupled with rising prices for natural gas and other fuels, TCEC raised the WPCA from $7.00 per 1,000 kWh used to $28.00 per 1,000 kWh used as of October 1, 2022. This is a direct pass through of the cost associated with reliably serving the electricity you need.

What is TCEC doing to help?

We know times are tough as the cost of gasoline, groceries and other essential needs are rising. TCEC is doing everything possible to keep internal costs down, but we can’t control rising fuel costs that are impacting the country.

TCEC uses a diverse mix of fuel sources for electricity, which helps reduce costs. Last year, TCEC’s electricity was generated from coal, natural gas, solar, hydro, and wind. This balanced fuel mix helps reduce dramatic fluctuations in generation costs.

We also offer a variety of programs and services to help members save on their energy bills and manage their account. Reach out to a Member Service Representative for payment assistance. We’re here to help. Contact us if you have questions about your bill or ways to pay.