co-op life winter 2016 (.pdf)

“Generation in the right place is helpful; generation in the wrong place is hurt-ful.” This is what we have been saying at VEC since 2012. With the rapid de-ployment of distributed generation over the past two years and the entry of large-scale solar to Vermont, this basic tenet is more important than ever.

The rule for generation is “use it or move it.” Either there needs to be ex-isting demand (ie “load”) close to the generation, or sufficient transmission capacity to move the power to places where there is load. This year, VELCO, Vermont’s transmission authority, did a study of the state of Vermont to deter-mine where generation could be sited and concluded that most of the VEC system outside of Grand Isle and Chit-tenden Counties does not have capacity

for additional generation without costly transmission upgrades.

Developers ran into these same con-straints with the Seneca Mountain wind project in 2013 in the town of Newark. They erected measurement towers to evaluate the potential for a 20-turbine wind development. One year later, the developers decided not to pursue the project due to the high cost of upgrad-ing the electrical system to get the power out of this sparsely populated area of the Northeast Kingdom.

Recently, a developer proposed five large-scale solar projects, which would consume at least 120 acres each; three of the proposed projects are in VEC’s service territory. These projects are being proposed under federal laws that were established at a time when no one fore-saw the distributed generation revolu-tion that is occurring today.

These large projects are a good exam-ple of how important location is when evaluating the impact of distributed generation to the grid. As the VELCO

study found, the northern section of VEC’s service territory is completely full in terms of the amount of genera-tion it can handle without major trans-mission upgrades. All of the Hydro Quebec power that Vermont uses has to flow through these wires, along with the Kingdom Community, Georgia, and Sheffield wind projects. Additional gen-eration in these areas would mean that other renewable generation would need to be scaled back during peak generation times, as there simply is not enough load to consume all the power. This is not an outcome many would want—hundreds of acres of land being used for solar pan-els with no corresponding increase in the amount of renewable power on the grid.

The great opportunity for Vermont is to put the generation where the load is. For VEC, this is in the western part of the VEC service territory from Chit-tenden County south. VEC has seen some significant benefits from strategi-cally located, smaller-scale renewable projects. These projects improve the ef-

ficiency of the grid by minimizing sys-tem losses (each wire has small losses that collectively add up to larger “system losses”). Over the past several years, VEC has experienced reductions in sys-tem losses. That improvement translates to a direct savings for members and has helped VEC minimize rate increases to an average of 1% annually, while other costs have increased over 3% on average. VEC has to buy less power to cover the losses, and we can attribute that at least partly to the rise of well-located distrib-uted generation.

Some would suggest that we should simply build more transmission, but that suggestion is problematic for a number of reasons.

First, it would reduce the average load factor and make our grid less efficient. Load factor is a measure of how much the grid is used. For VEC, our system is used half the time, for a 50% load factor. That means that extra capacity is avail-able half of the time, usually at night.

Volume 65 Number 4 Fall 2008

Vermont ElectricVolume 73 Number 1 Winter 2016

CEO Summary By Christine Hallquist, CEO

When Considering Distributed Generation, It’s Location, Location, Location!

Continued on page 6

Continued on page 6

As employees of an electric utility, the staff at Vermont Electric Cooperative – particularly those engaged in field op-erations – work in an environment that poses well-known risks to their health and safety. Safety training, everyday safe-ty precautions, and specialized equip-ment like utility-grade rubber gloves, therefore, come with the territory.

But what is needed to create a safe work environment is not only equip-ment or reminders to be careful, as im-portant as those are.

“Safety is a matter of reprioritizing people’s values,” explains VEC Safety Technician David Young. “There is so often a value placed in the speed of ac-complishing a job. But it’s even more important to have all your fingers when you’re done.”

John Varney, who is the Co-op’s Safety, Security, and Facilities Manager, dismisses any notion that he and Da-vid Young, whom he supervises, can ef-fectively promote safety by positioning themselves as “safety cops.”

“It defies the imagination,” he says, “that two of us can monitor the safety practices for an organization of 107 peo-ple, 24/7. To me, it’s a matter of working toward changing the way people think and behave 24 hours a day – translating

the things we all know about safety into people’s actual behavior.”

And this can be done, he insists. He cites the cultural change in the U.S. to-ward using seatbelts in cars – the gradual erosion of resistance to this change in so-ciety’s norms, to ac-ceptance, and finally expectation.

In other realms, though, people con-tinue doing things they know are risky, such as standing on the top surface of a step ladder when cleaning out the gutters lining the roofs of their homes and outbuildings – despite the warnings that are often boldly printed on those surfaces.

“It goes back to psychology,” says Varney. “You know you’re successful in changing how people think when they stop and make the extra effort to do what they know is right.”

The gutter-cleaning example is fit-ting, for the scope of Varney and Young’s work extends not just to their fellow em-ployees but to the Co-op’s entire mem-bership across the northern tier of Ver-mont. For the difference in the risks that

electricity poses to people who work for a utility and to the members the utility serves is re-ally just a matter of degree.

That’s because the modern world is practically an electricity enve-lope. We live in homes lighted by electricity, use ap-pliances and tools powered by elec-tricity, and travel on roads bordered by an electric in-frastructure (poles, wires, and equip-ment).

Even in rural places the electrical apparatus is rarely far away. Transmission lines – and in some places, distribution lines (the smaller

lines that carry power from home to home and farm to farm) – run across fields, through the woods, and over mountain ridges where VEC’s pioneers first installed them 60 to 75 years ago seeking the most direct and affordable route to get power to isolated Co-op members.

And where there are woods, there are chainsaws. Varney is notified of every known incident that poses real or po-tential danger related to VEC’s electrical infrastructure, and people cutting down trees only to have them fall on the power lines is one of the most common. Others include:

traffic accidents in which a vehicle •strikes a utility pole, sometimes with the added calamity of causing the power lines to fall onto the road or onto the car itself; vehicles – dump trucks, for example •– coming into contact with the over-head lines;people digging without first calling •811, the Dig Safe number in Ver-mont, and striking buried lines;objects like kites or extension ladders •touching or becoming entangled with the lines.

Safety – In A World That Runs On Electricity

Safety, Security, and Facilities Manager John Varney with

Lineworker Yvon Fortin at a worksite.

Vermont Electric Co-op - Winter 2016

Q: What is a planned outage?A planned outage is when VEC shuts

the power off for a certain section of its system.

Q: Why does VEC need to initiate planned outages?

VEC performs most maintenance functions with no impact to service, but occasionally we can’t avoid shutting down lines and substations. Some reasons for company-initiated outages include tree clearing, pole re-placements, substation maintenance, and maintenance by our suppliers to their systems. When certain types of work are being done, we have to shut the power off to ensure the safety of the crews performing this work.

Q: How long do planned outages usually last?

When we plan the work, we factor in our members’ tolerance for the outage, and we staff the job accordingly. For example, we try our best to minimize outages dur-ing extreme cold or hot temperatures. In those cases, we staff the job with as many crews as can safely perform the work to minimize how long the power is out.

Q. How many planned outages does VEC implement?

On average, VEC initiates two planned outages per day, depending on work ac-tivities.

Q: Will I always get notified about a planned outage?

How we notify mem-bers varies depending on the expected duration and size of the outage. For most planned out-ages, we either make a personal call or send an automated phone mes-sage to affected mem-bers. If the outage is expected to last more

than five min and will affect more than 250 members, we will send a postcard if time allows, and even inform local media outlets. Members can help make sure they receive notification by keep-ing their phone number and mailing address up to date.

Q: How do I get information about planned and unplanned outages?

For planned outages, VEC will notify you. For information about unplanned outages, you can visit our website at ver-montelectric.coop/outage. If your power goes out and you aren’t sure why, you can always call us at 1-800-832-2667. We also post information on our Facebook and Twitter pages when there is a large or lengthy outage.

Planned OutagesQ & A with VEC Chief Operating Officer Jeffery Wright

We Want You!Three Positions on VEC’s Board

of Directors Open in 2016Vermont Electric Cooperative will host its 78th Annual Meeting

of the Membership on May 21 at Smuggler’s Notch Resort. VEC’s annual meeting and election are great opportunities for members to exercise their voice. Since VEC is a cooperative, members elect local representatives to serve on the Board of Directors, which sets VEC policy.

VEC is seeking petitions from eligible candidates for three posi-tions on the Board of Directors that will open in May of 2016. Each position will be for a four-year term.

Below is a list of the seats that are up for election and the towns they represent:

District 7Alburgh, Grand Isle, Isle LaMotte, North Hero, South Hero

East Zone At-LargeAlbany, Averill, Averys Gore, Barton, Bloomfield, Brighton, Brown-

ington, Brunswick, Canaan, Charleston, Conventry, Craftsbury, Derby, Ferdinand, Glover, Greensboro, Guildhall, Holland, Irasburg, Jay, Lemington, Lewis, Lowell, Lyndon, Maidstone, Morgan, New-ark, Newport City, Newport Town, Norton, Sheffield, Sutton, Troy, Warners Grant, Warren Gore, Westfield, Westmore, and Wheelock

West Zone At-LargeAlburgh, Bakersfield, Belvidere, Berkshire, Bolton, Cambridge,

Eden, Enosburg, Essex, Fairfax, Fairfield, Fletcher, Franklin, Geor-gia, Grand Isle, Highgate, Hinesburg, Huntington, Hyde Park, Isle LaMotte, Jericho, Johnson, Milton, Montgomery, Morristown, North Hero, Richford, Richmond, Sheldon, Shelburne, South Hero, Starks-boro, Stowe, St. Albans Town, St. George, Swanton, Underhill, Wa-terville, Westford, and Williston.

In order to run for the Board, a candidate must be a VEC member, may not be employed by the Cooperative, and may not in any way be employed by or have financial interests in a business selling elec-tric energy or supplies to the Cooperative. Candidates must have a principal residence within VEC service territory and in the district or zone in which they are running for election.

VEC is seeking candidates who have the ability and time to ful-fill the responsibilities of the Board, which include participating in monthly board meetings and committee activities. The Board gen-erally meets in the afternoon on the last Tuesday of each month at VEC's main office in Johnson. Directors receive a stipend and mileage reimbursement for attending meetings and have training op-portunities to learn more about energy issues and the cooperative model.

Please contact the administrative office at 802-730-1172 to re-quest application materials.

Completed applications, including a petition signed by VEC mem-bers, are due by 4:30 p.m. on April 5. The election will take place from April 26 through May 20 by mail and online and in person at VEC's annual meeting on Saturday, May 21.

Manage Your VEC Account with

By Jeffery Wright,Chief Operating Officer

Crews work to clear overgrowth from an electric line, the type of work that might require a planned outage.

Vermont Electric Co-op Winter 2016 -

VEC to hold 78th Annual Meeting of the Membership

When: Saturday, May 21, 2016 @ 10:00 a.m.

Where: Smuggler’s Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT

Why: It’s an opportunity for you to exercise your voice as a member-owner of this cooperative! Join us to hear about today’s energy issues and share your thoughts with VEC’s directors and staff. Keep an eye out for your official Notice of Annual Meeting, which will be mailed in April. Hope to see you there! SAVE

THE

DAT

E SAVE THE DATE

VEC to hold 78th Annual Meeting of the Membership

When: Saturday, May 21, 2016 @ 10:00 a.m.

Where: Smuggler’s Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT

Why: It’s an opportunity for you to exercise your voice as a member-owner of this cooperative! Join us to hear about today’s energy issues and share your thoughts with VEC’s directors and staff. Keep an eye out for your official Notice of Annual Meeting, which will be mailed in April. Hope to see you there! SA

VE T

HE D

ATE SAVE THE DATE

VEC is lucky to have dedicated employees who spend years and, in many cas-es, decades contributing their work and talent to the Co-op and our members.

In October, VEC recognized 25 employees for dedicated years of service at an All-Employee Meeting. VEC employees are recognized at five year milestones, and three of the employees recently recognized have worked at VEC for over 30 years! We are thankful to have such talented and hardworking people to help us fulfill our mission in accordance with the seven cooperative principles.

A hearty thank you and congratulations to the following VEC employees:

VEC Staff Years of Service

5 YEARSMATT ANDERSON LIZ BLANEY-BROWNRYAN FORKEYISAAC GILLENCHRIS INGALLSGEORGE JACOBSCRAIG JEWETT CAROLINE MASHIADYLAN MORRILL

10 YEARS SARA PACKERSCOTT ROCKWOODRICH RYDER

15 YEARS LAURIE DESAUTELSCHRISTINE HALLQUISTMIKE HEMONDBRIAN RICARDMARGARET VIENS

20 YEARSMARK BENNETT

25 YEARS YVON FORTINSCOTT GILLESPIEMARK HINTONSTEVE ROSSIGNOL

30 YEARS STEVE COULTER DEB MACHIA CHRIS SHELTRA

Thank You!

Newport Operations Supervisor Chris Lawson and CEO Christine Hallquist present Lineworkers Mark Hinton and Yvon Fortin with awards for 25 years of service.

Chief Financial Officer Mike Bursell presents Controller Caroline Mashia with an award for 5 years of service.

Johnson Crew Leader Rich Hughes presents Lineworker Dylan Morrill with an award for 5 years of service.

Richford Operations Supervisor Mike Hemond presents Lineworker George Jacobs with an award for 5 years of service.

PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICEHERBICIDE USE NOTIFICATION

Vermont utilities maintain electric line rights-of-way with several methods, including the selective use of herbicides on trees and brush. They also encourage low-growing shrubs and trees which will crowd tall-growing species and, thus, minimize the use of herbicides. The application of herbicides may start as early as April 1. Requests to utilities for notice by mail, however, must be made by February 15.

The Public Service Board requires Vermont utilities to carry out vegetation management techniques which allow maintenance of electrical systems in a cost-efficient manner.

The types of herbicide treatment used to maintain vegetation on utility rights-of-way include the following applications:stump, injection, basal, soil, and foliar. These are the commonly used methods; your local utility may use other methods.Landowners have the right to request that a utility apply herbicide treatment on cut stumps only or that a utility refrain from applying herbicide. In the latter case, the landowner has to pay the utility an administrative fee. only electric utility rights-of-way that have tall-growing tree species with the potential of threatening the electric utility system are treated.

Utilities advertise by radio and newspaper prior to herbicide applications on all lines. Utilities typically treat rights of way once every four-to-six years, depending on the utility’s specific vegetation management cycle. Please check with your utility regarding the vegetation management cycle of a particular line.

Some utilities identify their poles with metal letters and numbers, e.g., V.E.C. (Vermont Electric Co-operative), or V.E.L.C.o. (Vermont Electric Power Company). These markings are not found on every utility pole. However, by checking of several poles on a line, you should be able to find a marked pole and determine which utility owns it.

Persons owning or occupying land within 1,000 feet of a utility right-of-way may request in writing that the utility notify them individually by mail anytime but at least 30 days prior to treatment of the line with herbicides. The landowner or resident is responsible for contacting the utility, in writing, to request placement on the mailing list. The utility should be provided with sufficient information as to the exact location of the residence and land. It is the duty of each landowner or resident to make the utility aware of the location of any potentially affected water supply, and any environmentally sensitive areas where herbicide application ought to be avoided.

CONTACT YOUR ELECTRIC UTILITY WITH QUESTIONS OR SUBMIT THE COUPON PROVIDED

If you have further questions or concerns contact:

Agency of Agriculture Consumer Affairs & Public InformationJames Leland Dept. of Public Service116 State St., Montpelier, VT 05602 112 State St., Montpelier, VT 056201-802-828-2431 1-800-622-4496 or 1-802-828- 2332

LANDOWNER REQUEST TO BE ADDED TO HERBICIDE TREATMENT NOTIFICATION MAILING LIST

Name Town/City of Affected Property

Street Address Telephone Number (Home)

Town (Work)

State Zip Code o.K. to use Work Number: Yes No

Electric Account Number Best Time to Call

Property of Concern: Year Round Residence Summer Residence Commercial Property

Water Supply Land other

Line and Pole Identification: Utility Initials Numbers

We need all of this information in order to determine if you qualify for personal notification. If information is unobtainable, please state why. Use an extra sheet of paper if you need more space. RETURN TO YOUR LOCAL UTILITY VELCo15














Town (Work)




















Town (Work)




















Town (Work)







We know that some members are concerned that we have reached our net metering cap for 2016. Net meter-ing is the program that allows members to install solar, wind, or other sources of renewable energy on their prop-erties, connect to the electric grid, and sell excess power back to their utility. The net metering program closed at the end of November and will stay closed until January 1, 2017 when the new rules for net metering will come into effect.

As a member-owned, nonprofit utility, VEC makes every effort to be responsive to the concerns of members. Over the past few years, we have consistently heard that members are concerned about electric rates and the cost of service, and also that they want to see more renew-able energy utilized to meet our energy needs. We do not believe these are conflicting goals. Both goals can be achieved if we consider the needs of all of our members and make thoughtful policy choices with a long-term

perspective. Here are answers to some of the questions we’ve been

hearing.

Why did VEC hit the cap so soon?The solar net metering rate of $.19 or $.20 per kilo-

watt hour, coupled with federal tax credits caused a huge increase in the number of applications, many of which are large commercial projects. About 70% of our 2014-2016 reserved capacity for net metering is taken up by these larger solar projects, which generally are not co-located with homes or businesses. If the net metering program were limited to smaller projects, we would not have hit the cap so soon.

Why is there a cap at all? The cap was put in place by the state legislature to

limit the financial exposure that the net metering pro-


Status of VEC’s Net Metering Program

NOTICEVEC’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is

currently being reviewed by the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB). The IRP pro-cess is intended to meet the public's need for energy services, after safety concerns are addressed, at the lowest present value life cycle cost, including environmental and economic costs, through a strategy com-bining investments and expenditures on energy supply, transmission and distribu-tion capacity, transmission and distribu-tion efficiency, and comprehensive energy efficiency programs (30 V.S.A. §218c). The cost and benefit factors to be considered include both direct monetary costs and benefits and indirect impacts such as en-vironmental and other societal effects. VEC’s 2016 IRP is available on our website, www.vermontelectric.coop.

VEC members wishing to comment on the IRP or to request that the PSB hold a hearing may submit comments at [email protected] or at 112 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620 by March 15, 2016.

gram creates. Vermont utilities are required to pay either $.20 or $.19 per kilowatt-hour (which increases every time we have a rate increase), depending on the size of the project. These rates are above our retail rates and far above the wholesale rates we pay for other power sources, including renewable ones. We are required to pay this rate even as solar installation costs have dropped in re-cent years. We could do away with the net metering cap if the net metering rate were more in line with the market rate.

Why can’t you just pay the retail rate instead of the higher net metering rate?

We are legally required to pay $.19 or $.20 per kilo-watt-hour for solar net metering projects that come on-line through 2016. We don’t have the option to pay less.

What does this mean for members that want to install solar?

Members interested in installing solar who are not on the current net metering list must wait until January 1, 2017 to submit a net metering application to the Public Service Board. Anyone who wants to install an off-grid system would not have to go through the net metering program. The federal tax credits for solar installations will likely be extended beyond 2016 and will still be available to those who install in 2017 and beyond.

In conclusion, VEC’s job as a non-profit, member-owned utility is to deliver reliable, cost-effective power to members. We welcome renewable generation in the right location and at the right price. In fact, we are working with solar developers to build several megawatts of solar in locations that will benefit the grid at a price that makes sense. We hope the net metering rules being developed for 2017 will create a sustainable program that supports increased distributed generation at a cost-effective rate.

In Vermont, we need to work together to create the renewable electric grid of the future, which will require innovation, investment, and a tough look at the real-world challenges that stand in the way of reducing car-bon-based power sources. This project will require con-siderable investment of money and collaboration among all stakeholders, including developers, legislators, regula-tors, utilities, and anyone who uses electricity. Spending too much on net metering now (and for ten years because those rates are locked in) drains long-term resources that will be critical to this endeavor. We must use our resourc-es strategically and work together to get it right.


Top 10 Tips from

Cut Energy Costs & Stay Warm This Winter

Take control of the thermostat. Lower the heat as everybody leaves for 1. the day and before going to bed. Or use a programmable thermostat; it will turn the heat down for you, and it will have the house warm for you according to your schedule. It costs more to keep a house constantly warm than to heat it up as needed.Drafty windows? If you have functional windows, it makes more financial 2. sense to improve them than to replace them with new energy-efficient windows. Caulk any gaps and cracks around window frames. Be sure that windows can shut fully. Put up interior window plastic, available in kits at hardware stores. Install low emissivity (low-e) storm windows. For drafty doors, use weather stripping and door sweeps.Keep your heating system in shape. Oil-fired systems need annual main-3. tenance. Gas systems and heat pumps typically need a checkup every two years. And a new filter will go a long way toward maintaining the efficiency of your furnace and decreasing your energy bills.Let the heat reach you. Dust or vacuum radiators, baseboard heaters, 4. air return vents, and heat duct openings regularly and make sure that furniture, carpets, and drapes aren’t between you and the flow of heat.Shut dampers when you’re not using the fireplace. An open fireplace 5. damper pulls warm air from the house, even when there is no fire. Shut dampers after ashes have gone cold.Keep cold out and warmth in. A typical house has many places where 6. air can move between living spaces and the attic, and between the base-ment and outdoors. The result is colder rooms and higher heating bills. The solution is to seal gaps and to then make sure you’ve got the right amount of properly installed insulation. Call Efficiency Vermont to find a qualified contractor near you or visit www.efficiencyvermont.com/insulation.Stop paying for escaping heat. Seal the seams and joints of your furnace 7. ducts to stop costly heat leaks. Insulate ducts that go through unheated spaces like attics or garages. Efficiency Vermont can help you find a quali-fied contractor near you.Light up those dark winter nights for less. Replace your incandescent 8. light bulbs with ENERGY STAR® LEDs (light-emitting diodes) or EN-ERGY STAR CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) and use up to 75% less energy for lighting.Look for the ENERGY STAR label. If you’re planning to purchase a new 9. heating system, appliances, or home electronics, look for the ENERGY STAR label to find the most energy-efficient models on the market.Have questions? Contact Efficiency Vermont’s Customer Support team 10. with any questions about your energy use and to get help taking control of your energy bills. Call 888-921-5990 toll-free, or send an email to [email protected].

Efficiency Vermont was created by the Vermont Legislature and the Vermont Public Service Board to help all Vermonters reduce energy costs, strengthen the economy, and protect Vermont's environment. For more information, contact Efficiency Vermont at 888-921-5990 or visit www.efficiencyvermont.com.

VEC wants members to be vigilant about phone scams that threaten people with electricity disconnection if they do not pay immediately. The caller will pretend that they represent their electric utility and give the person a number to call to make their payment. When they call that number, they might even hear a recording claiming to be the electric utility.

To avoid being scammed, VEC members should call only the legitimate VEC phone numbers 1-800-832-2667 or 1-802-635-2331. If you have any concern about whether a call is legitimate, tell the caller you will call them back at the legitimate utility phone number. Do not provide payment or any other personal information and hang up immediately.

If you believe you have received an illegitimate payment call, contact the Vermont Attorney General’s Office Consumer Assistance Program at 1-800-649-2424 (in-state) or 802-656-3183 (for out-of-state callers) or by visiting www.uvm.edu/consumer.

Members - Be Alert to Phone Scams

Last fall, VEC announced a new incen-tive program to assist maple sugaring op-erations to move to a future of lower pro-duction costs and lower carbon emissions. With over 400 maple sugar producers in its service territory, VEC is committed to identifying and assisting members that can benefit from fuel-switching and emissions-reduction opportunities through new tech-nology and customized solutions.

“The carbon reduction and cost savings potential in the maple sugar industry are truly staggering,” according to Jeff Wright, VEC’s Chief Operating Officer. “There is tremendous opportunity to help our members in one of Vermont’s finest tra-ditional industries save money and reduce the amount of carbon going into the envi-ronment. We are launching the first step in this new program through a partnership with Dominion Grimm who manufac-tures the ECOVAP product, and we hope to expand the pilot project in the future to other products and services.”

The EcoVap is an electric maple sugar evaporator that has total recovery of steam energy with no smoke or steam stack. It has very low energy consumption per gal-lon of syrup with 22 times less consump-tion of energy than an oil-fired evaporator. An EcoVap in operation at Maple Sugar Mountain in Belvidere VT has used just over one kilowatt-hour of electricity to boil each gallon of sap. The carbon offset from an equivalent propane or oil evaporator is roughly 30 tons of C02 emissions, which is equivalent to about 80,000 highway miles driven or taking 7 cars off the road.

Maple Sugar Mountain owned by Da-vid Mann, Roger Mann Jr., and Bill Baker,

bought the first EcoVap in the United States. It was installed and began operating during the 2015 maple sugar season. “We were very pleased with the high quality of syrup produced by the electric evaporator, as well as the low cost to operate the unit,” stated David Mann.

Through this new program, maple sug-ar producers will be eligible for incentives from VEC when they purchase new elec-tric EcoVap technology to run or expand their sugaring operation. During the ini-tial pilot project, VEC will cover the cost of the transformer upgrade that would be required to switch to the EcoVap technol-ogy.

In early 2015, the Vermont Legislature passed legislation that requires Vermont utilities to implement Energy Transforma-tion Projects so that utility customers and members would be encouraged to switch to fuels that produce less carbon. VEC is developing an energy transformation pro-gram to meet this requirement that is con-sistent with the needs of members in the more rural parts of the state.

Chuck Ross, Vermont’s Agriculture Secretary appreciates this focus and strat-egy. “Maple is Vermont’s signature product – we lead the nation in annual syrup pro-duction, and high quality maple products are a hallmark of the Vermont brand. Effi-ciency innovations and our proud tradition of best-in-class maple are why Vermont continues to be a leader in this industry.”

VEC welcomes all maple sugaring op-erations in our service territory to contact us about the EcoVap at 1-800-832-2667 or [email protected]

VEC Launches New Program to Reduce Carbon and Costs in

Maple Sugaring Operations

Youth Members - Want to Learn More About Energy?Why does energy matter? Do you know where energy comes from? How has energy use changed over time? The United States Department of Ener-gy has a new video series out that highlights each of the 7 Essential Principles of Energy, available on YouTube. You can start with “Energy Everywhere- An Introduction to Energy Literacy.” Maybe you want to explore the topic of Energy for an upcoming school project? Contact us if you have questions about your local electric utility.

If you work at a school, you can contact us to schedule a school presen-tation. Call 1-800-832-2667 or email [email protected] for more information.

Safety Technician David Young shows students a piece of glass that formed when a live wire conducted high voltage into the ground.


Paperless Billing: A Win-Win for Co-op Members!

Safety continued from pg 1

Varney is also notified when there has been a house fire (“Our concern being the possibility of an electrical cause,” he says), and when someone – frequently a VEC lineman or another member of the Co-op’s operations staff – spots a hazardous “service connection.” These are the electric wires that carry power from the meter – which might be on the utility pole, the wall of the house, or a post somewhere be-tween the two – into people’s homes or buildings. The Cooperative’s property usually extends to the meter, so those connections (beyond the meter) are the responsibility of the homeowner. Nevertheless, VEC is concerned about the threat they can pose to Co-op members.

Varney shakes his head when recalling some of the connections he’s seen.“New ones aren’t much of an issue,” he says. “But the stuff that’s been out there

for a long time, where weather has caused deterioration or where they weren’t well constructed in the first place, present some dangerous situations that people are often completely unaware of. So we actively look for those things and try to work with the members to make them safe.”

Even more concerning are the “contact situations” – people purposefully doing things that pose enormous risks.

“They’ll put ribbon on a downed power line to draw attention to it,” says Varney, “or they’ll put cones around it. We get a lot of trees on the lines, especially in April. Sometimes people will ‘do us a favor’ as they see it, and try to cut them off the lines themselves. Maybe they’ll luck out. But there’s the possibility of lethal danger.”

At least these incidents provide a “teachable moment.” It would be impossible for Varney to respond to every inci-dent reported to him, but for those he judges most serious he makes it a priority to visit the member and review what happened – and what could have happened.

A plan and a purposeEvery year, starting in the summer, VEC’s leadership

staff begins working on a Strategic Plan for the following year. It’s a wide-ranging document that covers nearly every aspect of the Co-op’s enterprise. Safety – for the staff and for the membership – is one of six Core Com-petencies covered in this planning effort.

“Our goal is to improve the overall public’s knowledge of the hazards associated with electricity – which includes VEC’s power lines but also the electric wires inter-nal to their homes,” says Varney. The Co-op adopts strategies for pursuing these goals and track their success.

For the public, of course, education is paramount, so VEC visits school classes and finds other ways to engage groups. Consistent with this is the “Safety Moment” scheduled into the VEC Annual Meeting each spring. Over the past three years, Varney has taken time at the beginning of the meeting to discuss:

how drivers should approach work zones for utility projects, road construction, •or other interruptions to traffic flow (“That’s a big issue,” he emphasizes. “Statisti-cally there’s a significant number of accidents in work zones”);the danger of cutting trees around power lines (“Wood conducts electricity. We •encourage people to give us a call if they think there’s a tree that needs to come down; often we’ll go cut it for them”);and what people should do if they hit a utility pole with their cars (Rule of thumb: •stay in your vehicle, even if the lines are touching the car; if the car catches fire or

for any other reason you must escape, “bunny hop” out of the car, then do the same as you move away from the acci-dent; this reduces the chance that your feet will encounter different amounts of voltage in the ground, which is where the greatest danger of electrocution lies).

VEC’s Strategic Plan also includes specific measures to improve safety practices by employees.

“I strongly believe that the most effective safety program is driven and managed by the employees themselves,” says Varney. “Part of our strategy is to continue the effort to have more employees involved in our internal safety effort. We set goals and measure our progress every year.”

In this respect, he says, Young is one of VEC’s best as-sets, partly because as a union member he has an effective “peer-to-peer” relationship with the staff. “It takes the right person to do that successfully,” says Varney, “and David is the right person. He’s a very talented personality.”

A big project the Co-op has tackled concerns the Vol-untary Protection Program (VPP), in which a workplace such as Vermont Electric partners with VOSHA – Ver-mont’s affiliate with the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration – to qualify for VPP certification. It’s been a long-range effort for the Co-op, and Varney

feels it’s almost within reach. When it happens, it will attest to VEC having made worker safety the priority it

should be. And – like the public’s adoption of seatbelts – it will prove that by pulling together the staff has made leaps and bounds toward (as John Varney said) “chang-ing the way people think and behave, 24 hours a day.” Where safety is concerned, nothing less will do.

VEC’s paperless billing service through SmartHub is a painless way to save paper, money, and time. For every member who signs up for paperless billing service, the Co-op saves about $7 a year. With 5,500 members participating, that adds up to about $40,000 in an-nual savings. If every VEC member participated, we could save more than $200,000 and 12,000 pounds of paper a year.

That’s a lot of savings.The other thing paperless billing

saves is time—your time. When you receive a bill by email, you can log on to your account, using either your com-puter or mobile device, and pay it im-mediately or make a note to pay it later.

You can also save bank account informa-tion so that you don’t have to enter it every time. Simply select your payment method, enter the amount you’d like to pay, and click the “Make Payment” but-ton to confirm. No stamps, checks, or envelopes required.

You can sign up for paperless billing today through SmartHub. If you don’t already have an account, it’s easy to set one up. In SmartHub, go to “My Profile -> My Information -> Up-date My Printed Bill Settings” and set your “Printed Bill Status” to “off.”

You can also email [email protected] or call 1-800-832-2667 to sign up for paperless billing.

CEO Summary from pg 1

Like any piece of capital equipment, if you can use it more without having to pay more, the unit cost goes down. If you use it less or invest large sums in upgrades, the unit cost goes up. Solar in Vermont has a 15% capacity factor, meaning that solar panels produce 15% of what they would if the sun shone 24 hours a day year-round at full output (no clouds, peak sun). Building dedicated transmission lines for large solar projects would reduce the average load factor and make our grid less efficient.

Second, it costs a lot of money to build transmission, and it has to be paid for somehow. Often it is necessary to recover increased transmission costs in rates, and we know that keeping rates stable is a top priority for members.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, it may not be prudent to invest in trans-mission now, when utility-scale storage is likely to be cost-effective in five years and consumer storage sometime after that. As storage is adopted, it will cause transmission to be idle more of the time, potentially making costly transmission investments less useful. We need to be thinking about the future and reserving resources for the technologies that will help us transition most effectively to a more renewable electric grid.

For the past several years, VEC sur-veys have consistently told us that our members are equally concerned about climate change and not increasing rates.

That means that we need to look for ways to construct renewables at the lowest possible cost and use the grid efficiently. Solar projects that are strategically sized and located to serve load can help achieve both those goals. We are prioritizing so-lar sites that are close to load centers, and, if those load centers peak during summer afternoons, even better, because that is

when the sun is brightest. Over the past 15 years, VEC has been

an innovative leader in the use of technol-ogy. We were the first in Vermont to use GPS coordinates on our field assets (poles, wires, substations), the first to use smart meters, the first to automate our outage system, and the first to fully automate the distribution grid. We recognize that in-

novation is critical to ensure that our grid operates well. VEC is fully prepared and enthusiastic to transition to a distributed grid that optimizes storage, renewables, and traditional generation sources. We will continue to develop our expertise in how to accomplish these goals in the most efficient, cost-effective, and reliable way possible for our members.

A felled tree on a line shows what can go wrong when taking down trees close to power lines.


provides a dedicated fund that VEC can use for wellness programming. Last fall, the VEC wellness program created an employee Well-

ness Challenge to raise money for two local charities—Make a Wish Vermont and the Lamoille Area Cancer Network. These charities were nominated and voted on by VEC employees. Through healthy lifestyle choices like exercising, drinking enough water, and eating healthy food, VEC employees raised $200 for each organization.

Blood DriveEvery Spring and Fall, VEC works with the American Red Cross

and Johnson State College to organize a blood drive. Each drive brings in about 100 donations for the ARC’s local blood bank, pro-viding life-saving supplies for area medical providers. If you live in the Johnson area, keep an eye out for the date for the next blood drive in March.

One of the Seven Cooperative Principles is Concern for Community. As a cooperative, VEC strives to be a good member of the Vermont communities that we serve. Below are some recent examples of VEC and VEC employees’ involvement with local communities.

VEC Community FundThe VEC Community Fund was established in the fall of 2014 by the VEC Board of Directors

as a way for members to voluntarily donate small amounts to community projects and programs. Members can choose to round up their bill each month to the nearest dollar or donate their patron-age capital return.

To date, the Community Fund has donated $1,600 to local organizations, including Capstone Community Action, the Boy Scouts, the Mephremagog Watershed Association, and the Birds of Vermont Museum. Local organizations can apply for small grants through the Community Fund,

which are available on a quarterly basis. For more information about how to donate or ap-

ply for a Community Fund grant, visit www.vermont-electric.coop/community-programs or call 1-800-832-2667.

United Way Firewood Event

Each year, the United Way of Lamoille County part-ners with the State of Vermont to provide free firewood for those who qualify for the program. Getting the wood ready for local folks to use requires about 125 volunteers. On the National Day of Service, September 11, 2015 VEC employees signed up to help split and stack.

School PresentationsConnecting with our littlest members is fun for ev-

eryone! VEC offers school presentations that are geared to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. We talk about the Co-op, where electricity comes from, and electrical safety. We also bring tools that our line work-ers use every day to service the electric grid. If you’re interested in scheduling a school presentation, you can email [email protected] or call 1-800-832-2667.

Turkey DriveEvery year, VEC employees donate turkeys, food, and

money to help local families have a happy Thanksgiv-ing. This year VEC employees donated 63 turkeys, 105 pounds of other food, and $160 in cash to the Johnson Food Shelf, Lamoille Community Food Share, North-east Kingdom Community Action, and Franklin/Grand Isle Community Action. Thanks to VEC employees for their generosity!

Adopt a Family Gift DriveIn the spirit of the holidays, VEC employees partici-

pate in the Adopt a Family program. This last Decem-ber, employees raised $1,575 to purchase gifts for four local families who needed a little help to make their sea-son bright.

Wellness Challenge FundraiserEmployee wellness is one of several areas that VEC’s safe-

ty program focuses on. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

Community Focus

United Way firewood project before, during, and after.

Transmission and Tariff Rate Planner Katie Orost picks up turkeys from

Sterling Market in Johnson with the help of Store Manager Ray Williams.

General Counsel Vickie Brown donates blood at the biannual blood

drive at Johnson State College.

The days are short and nights are cold and whether we like it or not, winter is here. Snow and ice storms are an inevitable part of winter in Vermont and can lead to downed power lines and outages. As we prepare our homes and cars, it’s also important to plan for the possibility of a power outage should you find yourself in the dark after a severe winter event.

Most of your storm preparation can before a winter storm warning is even an-nounced. Put together an outage kit with these common, durable items and store it in an easily accessible location:

battery-powered flashlights; •portable radio; •battery-powered alarm clock; •extra batteries; •dry and warm clothing; •sleeping bags and/or warm blankets; •bottled water; •foods that can be consumed with little to no preparation; and•a phone that does not require electricity.•If a member of your household depends on electricity for life support, be sure to

notify VEC at 1-800-832-2667. Also make sure you have portable oxygen tanks on

hand, a backup power source, and a temporary relocation plan.Once the lights go out, follow these steps. First, check to see if your neighbor’s

lights are on. If they are, the problem could be in your home. Locate your fuse box or breaker panel to be sure that all fuses are intact and that the breakers are in the on position. If everything looks good, try turning on and off both the main power switch on the fuse box and the main breaker switch on the breaker box. If you still don’t have power, call VEC at 1-800-832-2667 or use the SmartHub phone app to report the outage.

While the power is out, the most important thing is to stay safe. Always stay clear of downed power lines, debris resting on a power line, and any water close to a downed power line. Turn off or unplug appliances such as DVD players, TVs, mi-crowaves, stereos, and laundry machines. This will help reduce initial demand for electricity when the power comes back on, which, if too great, can overload the sys-tem and cause the power to go off again. It also helps protect your equipment from possible voltage fluctuation. You may want to leave one or two lights on so you’ll know when the power is restored. While heating sources such as a wood stove, fire-place, or propane space heater can be used with normal caution, you should never use a gas-powered oven for heating or a gas or charcoal grill inside the home.

Now when winter storms take your power out, you’ll know what to do to stay safe and warm while we work hard to get your lights back on.

Be Prepared – How to Stay Safe and Warm This Winter

PRSRT-STDU.S. Postage

PAIDBurlington, VTPermit No. 21

Vermont Electric Cooperative Inc.42 Wescom Rd.Johnson VT 05656

District 1 John Miller 802-372-8375PO Box 21, North Hero, VT 05474

District 2 Daniel Carswell 802-933-4628PO Box 802, Enosburg Fall, VT 05450

District 3 Daniel Parsons 802-848-3328320 Hardwood Hill Rd, Richford, VT 05476

District 4 Priscilla Matten 802-274-8374424 Lower Village Rd, Lowell, VT 05847

District 5 Bertrand Lague 802-873-3374369 Herrick Rd, Derby Line, VT 05830

District 6 Dorothy Allard 802-827-97791331 Waterville Mtn. Rd, Bakersfield, VT 05441

District 7 Mark Woodward 802-635-7166110 Woodward Road, Johnson, VT 05656

District 8 Susan Deuso 802-635-2985PO Box 24, Eden Mills, VT 05653

District 9 Michelle DaVia 802-893-387971 North Road. Westford, VT 054948

District 10 Howard Leighton 802-899-3185PO BOX 161, Underhill Center, VT 05490

District 11 Richard Palmer 802-482-3079PO Box 386, Hinesburg, VT 05461

District 12 John Ward 802-334-6022145 Mt. Vernon St, Newport, VT 05855

District 13 Tom Bailey 802-766-2647PO Box 114, Derby, VT 05829

Vermont Electric CooperativeBoard of Directors

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VEC is part of the alliance working to advanceand support the principles of cooperatives

in Vermont.www.vermontcooperatives.coop

Co-op Lifeis published quarterly by

Vermont Electric Cooperative42 Wescom Road, Johnson, VT 05656

1-802-635-2331 or Toll Free: 1-800-VEC-COOPwww.vermontelectric.coop

Editorial Committee: Dorothy Allard Susan DeusoKathryn Kantorski Howard Leighton Mark Woodward

Inside Co-op LifeSummer 2008

First Item............................................................................................... page 1Second Item ........................................................................................... page 1Third Item.............................................................................................. page 2

Vermont Electric Cooperative Inc.42 Wescom Rd.Johnson, VT 05656

Inside Winter 2016 Co-op Life

Vermont Electric CooperativeBoard of Directors

District 1 Don Worth 802-723-6532 P.O. Box 450, Island Pond, VT 05846 [email protected] District 2 John Ward 802-334-6022 145 Mt. Vernon St, Newport, VT 05855 [email protected]

District 3 Carol Maroni 802-586-7758 2426 Collinsville Rd, Craftsbury, VT 05826 [email protected]

District 4 Mark Woodward 802-635-7166 110 Woodward Rd, Johnson, VT 05656 [email protected]

District 5 Michelle DaVia 802-922-2537 71 North Rd, Westford, VT 05494 [email protected]

District 6 Molly Lambert 802-868-4989 74 Nokis Rd, Swanton, VT 05488 [email protected]

District 7 Jack Miller 802-355-2396 P.O. Box 21, North Hero, VT 05474 [email protected]

Eastern Zone Tom Bailey 802-766-2647Directors at large P.O. Box 114, Derby, VT 05829 [email protected]

George Lague 802-766-2456 308 Boulder Drive, Derby, VT 05829 [email protected]

Western Zone Rich Westman 802-644-2297 Directors at large 2439 Iron Gate Road, Cambridge, VT 05444 [email protected] Dan Carswell 802-933-4628 P.O. Box 802, Enosburg Falls, VT 05450 [email protected]

Ken Hoeppner 802-644-5771 1685 VT Route 108N, Jeffersonville, VT 05464 [email protected]

Co-oP LIFE is published quarterly by Vermont Electric Cooperative42 Wescom Road, Johnson, VT 05656 • 802-635-2331 • Toll Free: 1-800-VEC-COOP

www.vermontelectric.coopCo-op Life Committee: Molly Lambert, Carol Maroni, Rich Westman,

Mark Woodward, Don Worth

CEO Summary .............................................................................. pg. 1

Safety -- In a World That Runs on Electricity ..................... pg. 1

Planned Outages: Q & A with COO Jeffery Wright .............pg. 2

We Want You -- Board of Directors Openings ....................pg. 2

VEC Staff Years of Service ........................................................ pg. 3

Status of VEC's Net Metering Program ................................pg. 4

Efficiency Vermont Tips ............................................................ pg. 5

Reduce Carbon & Costs in Maple Sugaring Operations ..... pg. 5

Members: Be Alert to Phone Scams ........................................ pg. 5

Youth Members: Want to Learn More about Energy? ...... pg. 5

Paperless Billing ..........................................................................pg. 6

Community Focus ........................................................................ pg. 7

Be Prepared: How to Stay Safe & Warm this Winter ........pg. 7

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co-op life winter 2016 (.pdf)

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