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Board of Directors:Richard E. Butler, Culdesac, Idaho President

Alan Lansing, Lenore, Idaho Vice-President

Kenneth Weiss, Asotin, Washington Secretary-Treasurer

M.M. Harris, Saint Maries, Idaho Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

Pamela Anderson, Potlatch, IdahoRobert Callison, Kendrick, IdahoThomas Hutchinson, Craigmont, Idaho

General ManagerK. David Hagen

Sta� Edwin Ausman Director of Purchasing and WarehousingLisa Hall Manager of Financial and Office ServicesDouglas Pfaff

Manager of EngineeringRobert Pierce

Manager of Member ServicesScott Seegmiller

Manager of Information SystemsCynthia Tarola Director of AccountingLisa Tuell

Director of Member ServicesStanley Vannoy

Manager of Operations

Business Hours:Monday - Thursday7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.Closed Friday

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D U C T L E S S H E A T P U M P

32 J U LY 2013

Board of DirectorsPresident Lori Anderson, Condon Vice President John Qualls, HeppnerSecretary/Treasurer Roy Carlson, Fossil

Gary Wilde, OlexRaymond Harrison, Condon Todd Lindsay, Heppner Mark Wunderlich, HeppnerDeacon Heideman, Ione

ManagerJerry Healy, Heppner

171 Linden WayP.O. Box 398

Heppner, OR 97836 (541) 676-9146

http://[email protected]

Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative’s main objective is to provide reliable electric service to its members at the lowest cost consistent with good business practice.

OR-2

32 J u Ly 2013

Celebrating IndependenceJuly is when we celebrate our nation’s independence.

In the midst of apple pies and hot dogs, fireworks shows and parades, think about the inde-pendent streak that inspired groups of farmers around America’s countryside to band together and improve their qual-ity of life.

Aside from President Franklin Roosevelt’s promise of federal aid in the form of low-interest loans and engineering exper-tise, rural Americans didn’t have much help in bringing electric-ity to their homes. They pulled themselves up by their prover-bial bootstraps and did it them-selves.

This independence not only tends to inspire cooperatives; it’s a guiding principle. The fourth cooperative principle, “autonomy and independence,” means that no mat-ter what contracts Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative might enter into, we will always remain an independent entity.

Each year, Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting becomes an inde-pendence celebration. You vote for candidates to serve on the board of trustees, and we discuss co-op business. We share a meal and have some fun.

Electric cooperatives form a vast network across the country, from coast to coast. Co-op lines are strung in 47 states, serving 42 million people—a different world from 1935, when much of America remained dark.

This Fourth of July, as we recognize the hard-fought war that created the United States, let’s give a tip of the hat to the co-op’s founders, who beat incredible odds to make life better for themselves and their neighbors. n

Board of DirectorsHoward Gonser, PresidentBarbara Nagle, Vice PresidentDan Williams, SecretaryClay Smith, TreasurerMilt Skov, Director

ManagerDwight D. Langer

Board MeetingsUsually the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the PUD offices, 2345 River Rd. The public is always welcome.

Our MissionTo provide reliable, competitively-priced energy and related services that benefit our customers, in the tradition of public power.

Our Core Values and BeliefsLocal citizens championed and fought to create our People’s Utility District. They believed—and we believe—in the public’s right to own and control its electric utility.

Today, our values are a legacy from our public power heritage, as well as guideposts for a changing future.

We believe in: Public ownership and local control. Integrity. Keeping power rates as low as possible.

Providing quality essential services. Quality customer service. Community involvement.

2345 River RoadThe Dalles, OR 97058(541) 296-2226 FAX 298-3320www.nwasco.com Dear Customers—Our Friends and Our Neighbors,

In our customer surveys and in our conversations with cus-tomers, you have made it clear that when it comes to electric service, you want economic value and reliability. These two elements are not only our focus; they are our mission and com-mitment to you.

At NWCPUD, affordability and reliability are two legs of a three-legged stool. The third leg is customer service. We strive to bring all of our customers the lowest cost, the most reliable electric service possible with the best, most courteous customer service. We want you to be treated like we want to be treated.

We have been following the stories of electric utilities fol-lowing Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast and the tornadoes in the Midwest. The human and physical destruction from these natural disasters is unbelievable and heart wrenching. While our hearts go out to the people and the families that have lost so much, NWCPUD is also learning from these disasters.

Over the years, when natural calamities have struck our community and electric system, you have been very gracious and complementary to our personnel who work long, trying hours to restore services in the aftermath of weather challenges. We had learned from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy and the Midwestern tornadoes that we want to be the best prepared we can be to assist our customers and community if we should be the victims of natural, man-made or terrorists disasters.

The PUD has engaged a consultant with local and national experience to assist us in developing a comprehensive disaster plan. Our initial focus, of course, will be in restoring service to all of our customers. We know that this is not done in isolation or without keeping the safety and well-being of others in mind. We want to have the materials, equipment and plans to best serve our community.

Rather than finding ourselves asking for help, we want the PUD to be in a position to reach out to other entities in the community during a disaster to offer our profes-sional, dedicated and courteous help. We are in this together!

Until next time, have a great day.

Dwight LangerGeneral Manager

OR-3

Manager’s Report

32 J U LY 2013

Board of Trustees President Ralph RiseDistrict 2, Elmer City

Vice President Albert PreugschatDistrict 8, Bridgeport

Secretary/Treasurer Monte JosephDistrict 5, Nespelem

Cindy CorpeDistrict 1, Coulee Dam

Martin OlbrichtDistrict 3, Belvedere

Dorothy PalmerDistrict 4, Nespelem

Patrick Morin Jr.District 6, Nespelem

Gilbert Desautel Jr.District 7, Disautel

Ricard TuplingDistrict 9, Okanogan

Board meetings are the fourth Tuesday of every month.

P.O. Box 31 • 1009 F St.Nespelem, WA 991558 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (M-F)Phone: (509) 634-4571Fax: (509) 634-8138 email: [email protected]: www.nvec.org

For after-hours emergencies, call 634-4571 to page an on-duty employee.

WA-5

32 J U LY 2013

Statement of Nondiscrimination Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. is the recipient of federal � nancial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The USDA prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability and, where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

People with disabilities who require alternative means of communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To � le a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, O� ce of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (relay voice users).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Dear CPI Members: July is when we celebrate our nation’s indepen-dence. In the midst of hot dogs, fireworks and parades, I can’t help but think about the inde-pendent streak that inspired groups of folks around America’s countryside to band together and improve their quality of life.

Aside from President Franklin Roosevelt’s promise of federal aid in the form of low-interest loans and engineering expertise, rural Americans didn’t have much help in bringing electricity to their homes. They pulled them-selves up by their proverbial bootstraps and did it themselves.

This independence not only tends to inspire cooperatives, it’s a guiding principle. The fourth cooperative principle, “Autonomy and Independence,” means that no matter what contracts CPI might enter into, we will always remain an independent entity.

Each September, CPI’s annual meeting becomes an independence celebration. You vote for candidates on the board of direc-tors, and we discuss co-op business. We share a meal and have some fun. Watch for more details on our September 14 annual meeting in next month’s Ruralite.

Electric cooperatives form a vast network across the country, from coast to coast. Co-op lines are strung in 47 states, serving 42 million people—a different world from 1935, when much of rural America remained in the dark.

This Fourth of July, we tip our hats to CPI’s founders, who beat incredible odds to make life better for themselves and their neighbors.

BPA Rate caseThe Bonneville Power Administration has been conducting a rate proceeding since the first of the year to set rates for power,

transmission, and ancillary and control-area services for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.

The rate case will set the rates that CPI and BPA’s other public utility customers pay for the power they provide you.

BPA will file the final rate proposal this month. It will be early fall before we complete our studies and can determine the effect of BPA’s new rates on CPI’s costs for the coming year.

Legislative Wrap-UpThis spring, nearly 60 Oregon electric co-op leaders traveled to the state Capitol to advocate on behalf of more than 200,000 members of Oregon’s electric co-ops to keep your electricity affordable and reliable.

From the outcome of the legislative session, our voices were heard.

We visited both Republicans and Democrats and discussed several proposals we watched closely. The legislature debated energy legisla-tion to encourage customer-owned renewable generation, such as solar or wind power. While electric co-ops work closely with consumers on net metering of renewable generation, we remain concerned new mandates could shift costs to low-income consumers.

Oregon electric cooperatives will continue to keep their eyes on the Capitol in support of keeping your electric rates affordable.

Roman GillenPresident/CEO

OR-6

President’s ReportMAiLing AddRess

P.O. Box 1180Philomath, OR 97370(541) 929-3124(800) 872-9036

LocAL offices

6990 West Hills Rd.Philomath, OR 97370

1900 W Oak StreetLebanon, OR 97355

Russ sapp CHaiRman

Thad springer ViCe PReSident

Terry Plagmann SeCRetaRy

Kevin christopheraSSiStant SeCRetaRy

Roman gillen PReSident/CeO

Tony Wilson tReaSuReR/CFO

www.cpi.coop

Celebrate the Fourth

32 J u ly 2013

OR-8

Prepaid Card Scam Targets Utility CustomersA scam circulating in our area involving pre-paid debit cards continues to target customers of Umatilla Electric and Hermiston Energy Services.

According to Erica Sandoval, Hermiston Police Department’s crime prevention officer, the perpetrator calls the potential victim to warn them they’re late on their utility bill and their service will be cut off if they don’t pay immedi-ately. The caller instructs the victim to purchase a money card and place a certain amount on the card.

The victim is then told to call back and provide the numbers from the money card in order to pay the bill. “Once the perpetrator has this info, they are untrace-able and have gotten away with your money,” Sandoval says.

Scammers like prepaid debit cards because they don’t have to show a photo ID to spend money on the cards.

In one recent case at Hermiston, the poten-tial victim had bought the card, placed more than $100 on it, but became suspicious and decided to contact her utility directly. “That’s exactly what we would recommend to anyone receiving this type of suspicious call,” Sandoval says. “She was advised that they don’t conduct business in that manner and the crime was averted.”

“Always go to your service or company and check with them to confirm,” Sandoval says. “Most legitimate businesses do not conduct business that way.”

UEC and HES customers have reported

being the target of similar fraudulent calls since last summer. Central Oregon Electric Cooperative at Redmond also reported similar calls this spring. The Better Business Bureau says this new utility bill scam is common throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Locally, a recent variation of this scam involved a caller falsely stating that the cus-tomer neglected to sign her check to the utility and needed to pay immediately with a debit card.

In brief, here’s what you should know:

• It’s a red flag if you are asked to pay by prepaid debit card.

• Watch out for high-pressure tactics, such a sudden threat to cut off your service unless you make an immediate payment. UEC and HES make multiple contacts about an overdue bill before giving customers a final written notice. That final notice allows for 72 hours to pay before cutting off service.

• End the call if you’re suspicious or uncertain, and then contact the power company number independently (UEC 567-6414 and HES 289-2000) to verify the status of your account.

Please pass this important information along to your family, friends and neighbors. Knowledge is the best way to fight back against this criminal activity in our community.

O� cesHermiston O� ce750 W. Elm St.567-6414

Boardman O� ce203 E. Boardman Ave.481-2220

Toll-Free1-800-452-2273

To Report An OutageCall 888-465-5701 any time day or night

DirectorsPresidentJe� Wenholz

Vice PresidentBryan Wolfe

Secretary-TreasurerBob MacPherson

RoseEtta Ansotegui Lee DockenJohn Otis Glenn Rohde

General ManagerSteve Eldrige

MissionUmatilla Electric Cooperative is a member-owned business that sells energy and other services to improve the quality of life in our communities.

umatillaelectric.com

32 J U LY 2013

Sincerely,M. Steven EldrigeUEC General Manager/CEO

105 E. 4th St.The Dalles, OR 97058Office phone: (541) 296-2740Toll-free phone: (800) 341-8580www.wascoelectric.com

Board of DirectorsRon Holmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PresidentMichael Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice PresidentJim McNamee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SecretaryH . Kelly McGreer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TreasurerGary Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorRobert Durham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorRobert “Bob” Hammel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorNeal Harth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorDeOra Patton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director

StaffJeff Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .General ManagerMarie Wilson . . . . Executive Admin . AssistantShannon Bessette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AccountantJim Bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . Engineering AssistantJim Green . . . . . . . . . .Engineering TechnicianTraci Brock . . . Marketing & Member ServicesLaura Correia . . . . . . . Customer Service Rep .Jennifer Lindsey . . . . Customer Service Rep .Casey McCleary . . . . . . . Operations ManagerAl Rose . . . . . . . . . . . The Dalles Line ForemanMichael North . . . . . . . . . The Dalles LinemanRobert Gridley . . . . . . . . . The Dalles LinemanWesley Woods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ServicemanBrewster Whitmire . . . . . . . . . . . .Field TechnicianDan Funkhouser . . . Grass Valley Line ForemanGerald Haeffelin . . . . . Maupin Line ForemanFrank Roeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maupin LinemanRay Kindley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Attorney

Mission Statement“Wasco Electric Cooperative Inc.will provide its members withcompetitively priced, reliable energyand related services.”

Office Hours:Monday - Thursday,7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

OR-9

32 J u Ly 2013

Legislative UpdateAs the 2013 Oregon Legislation comes to a close, I want to recap an important role cooperatives played in preventing several potentially costly net-metering bills from becoming law.

In my April manager’s message, I discussed our concern with the vari-ous net-metering bills being considered in the committees of both the Oregon House and Senate. Each of these bills had the potential to cost all of the coop-erative members a significant amount of money to solely benefit a single genera-tor or developer.

As these bills were considered in the committees, cooperative leaders from across the state came to Salem to tes-tify on behalf of their members. The message was clear: These bills will shift unwarranted costs to the entire mem-bership for the benefit of a single project or developer.

I am pleased to report our efforts paid off. With the combination of the work done by the cooperative leaders and the support we had from the rural legislators, none of these bills made it out of committee during this session.

As cooperatives, we will continue to stress the value of local control and

decision making as well as advocate for your rights to be protected from costly future legis-lation.

Cooperative Awards Community GrantsEach year, the cooperative supports the development of projects through-out its service area with its Economic/Community Development grant program.

This year, the cooperative’s grant committee awarded four grants totaling $7,500 to the following projects:• Dufur Little League for its field

renovation project.• The Town and Country Players

organization for the purchase of lighting and sound equipment.• Riverfest and the Maupin Chamber

of Commerce for the purchase of four event tents.• The City of Rufus Community

Center for the purchase of youth athletic equipment.

Jeff DavisGeneral Manager

Manager’s Message

Dear Member,

Safety around electricity is always good practice, but this time of year when every-one starts spending more time outdoors, it’s essential to revisit some of the dos and don’ts. All it takes for electricity to � nd its way to the ground is a good conductor. � at can be almost anything - even you.

A tall piece of machinery, a television antenna, a metal ladder, an irrigation pipe, a wooden pole or a human body part that touches both the wire and ground will complete the circuit and conduct electricity. It’s crucial you look before you li� , and call before you dig.

Never go near any downed line, whether you think it’s energized or not. Neverplace a ladder or antenna where it can fall into a power line. Carry equipmentlow enough to avoid coming near power lines. Never attach any signs or itemsto a power pole.

To prevent you or a loved one from becoming a victim of an electricalaccident, follow these other electrical safety tips:

Before digging into the ground, be sure to call “• 811” before you dig! � ey will mark underground utilities to make sure you don’t come in contact with power lines, gas lines or any other utilities. One wrong move can result in death or injury from electric shock or an explosion.

Don’t plant tall-growing trees under lines. If a tree has lines running through it, • don’t climb it or build anything in it. Stay away from downed power lines. If someone comes in contact with a live • outdoor power line, call Douglas Electric immediately so the power can be turned o� .

Never � y kites, model airplanes or metallic balloons near power lines or in • stormy weather. Avoid using metal or wire on kites. If your kite or balloon gets snagged on overhead lines, don’t try to untangle it. Always call us at 673-6616.

Best Regards,

Dave SabalaGeneral Manager

OR-10

OwnedBy ThoseWe ServeDouglas Electric Cooperative Inc.,Roseburg, OregonPhone (541) 673-6616 (800) 233-2733

O� cersPresident. . . . . . . Terry NelsonVice President . . Robert PoageSecretary. . . . . . . Shirley CairnsTreasurer . . . . . . . Dick McHa� eDirector . . . . . . . . Larry ShipleyDirector . . . . . . . . Evan BarnesDirector . . . . . . . . Carey Weatherly

ManagerDave Sabala(541) 637-0342

SuperintendentTodd Sherwood(541) 580-7205

O� ce ManagerPaul Leonard

Member ServicesTodd C. Munsey

Douglas FastnetTodd Way

Mission StatementThe mission of Douglas ElectricCooperative, a member-owned and operated cooperative, is to provide a� ordable, reliable electric and other compatible services that enhance the quality of life for its members, using pro-gressive marketing in conjunc-tion with sound � nancial and management principles.

Summertime Safety

32 J U LY 2013

P.O. Box 97Monument, OR 97864

(541) 934-2311Toll free (888) 203-7638

DIRECTORS President Paul WaltonVice President Dave Humphreys Sec./Treasurer Tom Campbell Dan CannonCheryl JenisonLaReta JonesAdam Temple

MANAGERTroy Cox

The board of directors meets the second Monday of each month.

Columbia Power Co-op

POWER OUTAGE NUMBERSCo-op office . . . . . . . . . 934-2311Randy Sweek . . . . . . . . 934-2743Gary Warner . . . . . . . . . 934-2961Troy Cox . . . . . . . . . . . . . 934-2155Brian Woodell . . . . . . . . 934-2260 Josh Hamilton . . . . . . . 934-2133Mike Osborne . . . . . . . . 934-2067Joe Ringering . . . . . . . . 934-2198

OR-11

32 J U LY 2013




This independence not only tends to inspire cooperatives; it’s a guiding principle. The fourth cooperative principle, “autonomy and independence,” means that no mat-ter what contracts Columbia Power Cooperative might enter into, we will always remain an independent entity.

Each year, Columbia Power Cooperative’s annual meeting becomes an indepen-dence celebration. You vote for candidates to serve on the board of trustees, and we discuss co-op business. We share a meal and have some fun.


This Fourth of July, as we recognize the hard-fought war that created the United States, let’s give a tip of the hat to the co-op’s founders, who beat incredible odds to make life better for themselves and their neighbors.

Job Safety Extra Important Around ElectricityIt’s outdoor activity season, and I am talking about more than such fun-in-the-sun pleasures as camping, fishing and boating. Construction work peaks in summer and, of course, farms and ranches move into full swing.

It is also the time to be particularly aware of overhead or bur-ied power lines when going about your business.

Everyone working on a farm, ranch, construction site or doing work around the home should know the location of the power lines on the property and keep tall equipment at least 20 feet away. That is a 360-degree rule, meaning keep a distance of 20 feet below and 20 feet to either side. Workers should not raise or move a power line under any circumstances. Always call 811 when digging in areas where power lines have been installed underground.

Many farm electrical accidents involving power line contact happen when load-ing or preparing to transport equipment to fields, or while performing maintenance or repairs on equipment near power lines. It is a good idea to have a spotter with a broader view because it can be difficult to estimate distance and a power line can be closer than it looks.

Some other tips are:• Do not raise the arms of planters, cultivators or truck beds when moving

vehicles. • Watch for radio antennas extending beyond the cab. They can add another

15 feet to the height of a tractor or truck.• Do not raise ladders, poles, rods or other equipment near or into power lines.

Nonmetallic materials—such as lumber, tree limbs and ropes—will conduct electricity depending on dampness and dust or dirt contamination.

• Stay away from storm-damage debris and limbs near or touching power lines or those lying near downed power lines.

The simplest way to summarize this advice is keep a safe distance away from power lines. Look up; know where they are. That’s the best way to make sure you and your family’s summer is a safe one.

I hope you and yours keep this information in mind as you work and play in Central Oregon’s splendid outdoors.

Sincerely,

Dave MarkhamPresident and CEO

OR-12

Central IssuesCentral Electric CooperativeDIRECTORS:

Chairman Tom Strand, TerrebonneVice Chairman Dan Steelhammer, BendSecretary/Treasurer Kip Light, Madras Beverly Clarno, RedmondDavid C. Clemens, SistersBoyd Keeton, TumaloShirley McCullough, Prineville Kelly McFarlane, Powell ButteKenneth H. Miltenberger, Alfalfa

Attorney Robert E. Maloney Jr.Lane Powell PC, Portland

STAFF:President Dave Markham

Chief Financial Officer Rawleigh White

Operations & Engineering Director Bob McConnell

Corporate Information Officer Lisa Cutter

Member Services Director Jeff Beaman

Bend District ManagerKaren Lewis

24-HOURPHONE NUMBERS:

Redmond .............(541) 548-2144Bend ......................(541) 389-1980Madras ..................(541) 475-3266Prineville ..............(541) 447-5321Sisters ....................(541) 549-5698

Board meets the third Thursday of each month at the CEC office, 2098 N. Highway 97, Redmond, OR.

www.cec.coop

Mission StatementThe aim of Central Electric Co-op is to make electric energy available to its members at the lowest cost consistent with sound economy and good management.

President’s Report

32 J u Ly 2013

OR-14 652 Rose Ave

P.O. Box 69Vernonia, OR 97064

(503) 429-3021 Toll free (800) 777-1276

www.westoregon.org

BOARd Of diRecTORsPresident Robert VanNatta (Dist. 2 – Mist, Apiary, Birkenfeld)

Vice President David Hess (Dist. 7 – Manning, Hagg Lake,Yamhill County)

Sec./Treasurer Marty Van Dyken(Dist. 3 – Vernonia, Keasey)

Brian Baker(Dist. 1 – Jewell, Elsie, Hamlet)

Dan Murphy(Dist. 4 – Vernonia)

Bob Paleck(Dist. 5 – Timber, Buxton)

Dixie London (Dist. 6 – Chapman, Scappoose)

GeneRAl MAnAGeRMarc Farmer

Contact the Board: [email protected]

The July Board Meeting has been moved to Tues July 23rdat 7 p.m.

West Oregon Electric Co-op

What’s insidePage 4-5,Capital Credits Explained

Page 25Vernonia Friendship Jamboree & Logging Show August 2 - 4

Page 28 & 29Wave Energy

32 J u LY 2013

WOEC & Oregon RPS StrategiesOregon utilities are by state law subject to the Oregon Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which stipulates that utilities, depending on size, must meet percentage require-ments of their power supply with renewable energy. For our size of utility, we must supply 5% of our power supply by 2025. This can be achieved by building an eligible facil-ity, buying power and “bundled” REC output from another eligible facility, (REC stands for Renewable Energy Certificates), buying “unbundled” REC’s separate from power, or making alternative compliance payments with options for these funds for an eligible facility in the future. WOEC has been looking at all of these options and has been developing a short and long term strategy.

Through our membership in PNGC, Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative, we own a 1.77% share of a methane power plant which qualifies as a renewable energy facility. WOEC gains monthly REC’s from the power output of this facility which we are banking to help meet our Oregon RPS requirements starting in 2025. We will continue to earn REC’s with this facility throughout the life of the plant. We are hop-ing to be able to expand the output of the plant in the future to increase the number of REC’s we earn. We are also considering the purchase of additional shares of the facility to increase the number of REC’s we earn.

Another strategy is the purchase of “unbundled” REC’s from another facility. To date we have purchased REC’s from Chelan PUD in Washington State, and included them in our bank. The Statute limits how much of the obligation can be met with “unbundled” REC’s, so we will not be using this as a long term strategy, but will be part of the mix to achieve our obligations.

Our long term strategy is to jointly purchase power and “bundled” REC’s from another eligible project or participate in the construction of an eligible facility along with the other members of PNGC. West Oregon cannot financially build its own generation due to our small size and the huge increase in debt and rates it would take to accomplish such a task. Even the largest utilities are dealing with the rate affects of constructing and buying power plants to meet the RPS requirements. In the June 15th Oregonian it was reported that Portland General Electric (PGE) plans to build three power plants in three years at a cost of $1.3 billion, plus more on transmission. To quote the article “To bankroll the expansion, PGE is issuing stock. It will add hun-dreds of millions in debt. And its 830,000 customers can expect rate hikes every year for the foreseeable future.” Our strategy is to participate jointly in renewable energy projects to the degree that we can financially that will allow us to meet our Oregon RPS requirements. By joining with others on a percentage basis we are not saddled with all of the costs of construction, operating, and maintaining a facility by ourselves that would do to us and our members what PGE and others are experiencing. This approach is more prudent and cost effective while still allowing us to participate in renewable energy projects, goals, and standards.

W. Marc Farmer, General Manager

Dear Member:

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D. C., with a delegation of Oregon co-op representatives. Our mission was to meet with our legislators on Capitol Hill and emphasise and discuss the benefits and value the Columbia River system provides for Lane Electric and co-op members across the Northwest. Our specific message was not only that the river-system is a major economic engine for jobs in the Northwest, but that it is an efficient, renewable, carbon-free and, low-cost power resource that benefits the citizens of our region.

The topic at the top of our list was a 50-year old agreement between the United States and Canada that determined how our two countries would share in the benefits of the Columbia River system - an agreement otherwise known as the Columbia River Treaty. So, why is this important to the Pacific Northwest and Lane Electric?

Fifty years ago, the Columbia River Treaty was written such that the United States and Canada would receive equal (50/50) power and flood control benefits from the flow of the Columbia River. Unfortunately, during the last half century the balance of benefits has tilted seriously. As it stands today the balance of benefits is 10 to 1; with the U.S. receiving one-tenth of what was intended in the original treaty. Today, through the Bonneville Power Administration, Northwest electricity users send an estimated $250 to $350 million to Canada annually. In return, $25 to $35 million are received south of the border with Canada.

As you might imagine treaties are very complicated and delicate. I, along with the delegation, made the point to our lawmakers that any future treaty must represent a balanced and equitable approach; as intended by the original treaty. Though discussions continue, this is an issue our region’s congressional delegation are focussed on. I would note that Congressman Peter DeFasio has taken a leadership role in these discussions.

I will keep you posted on further developments. In the meantime, Lane Electric will continue to do everything in its power to operate efficiently to keep your power bill affordable, and your electricity safe and reliable.

Down the line

787 Bailey Hill Road / P.O. Box 21410Eugene, Oregon 97402O� ce Phone: (541) 484-1151Website: www.laneelectric.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJeri Nelson, PresidentOakridge District

Chris Seubert, Vice-PresidentCentral District

Pat Dymock, SecretaryMcKenzie River District

Chuck Leighter, TreasurerCentral District

Loy Sparks, DirectorCentral District

Jim Hill, DirectorOakridge District

Ed Bangle, DirectorRow River District

MANAGEMENT STAFFTony ToncrayConstruction & Maintenance

Doug StockdaleEngineering Services

Debi WilsonO� ce & Sta� Services

Dave D’AvanzoMember & Regional A� airs

BOARD MEETINGS4th Monday of each month(Unless otherwise noted)Lane Electric's O� ce at 11 a.m.

Rick CrinklawGeneral Manager

32 J U LY 2013

MANAGEMENT STAFFTony ToncrayConstruction & Maintenance

Doug StockdaleEngineering Services

Debi WilsonO� ce & Sta� Services

Dave D’AvanzoMember & Regional A� airs

BOARD MEETINGS4th Monday of each month(Unless otherwise noted)Lane Electric's O� ce at 11 a.m.

OR-16

Storm Damage On USFS Road 15...

River Partners Cleah Hydro...

More On Prepay Program...

PowerLines...

Down the Line...

In this issue...Feature: Page #

4 & 5

8

25

28-29

32

A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

Why do they have power across the road, but we don’t?Dear Members,Occasionally, we get a phone call or letter from a member wanting to know why, during the last outage, their power was off but their neighbors didn’t lose power. This usually is a byproduct of the design of electrical system protective schemes.

Electrical distribution systems usually are protected by devices that open and close circuits. These can be as sophisticated as a microprocessor-controlled circuit breaker or as simple as an expendable fuse link.

Protective devices are placed to minimize the area affected by the outage. Each line out of a substation has its own circuit breaker. Lateral lines that tap off the main line are often on a fuse or other device. Every transformer has a fuse connected to it, in case the transformer should fail or a service is torn down. The main line is usually broken up into a few sections protected by these devices.

A member without power could be connected to a lateral tap line that has lost power, and the neighbor across the road who still has power could be on the main line. If a member has a problem at their residence, their transformer fuse may have blown, which would not affect their neighbors unless they are served by the same transformer.

Another protective scheme that causes customers to wonder is the use of re-closers. Many times, a short circuit is caused by a temporary problem such as a tree limb brushing a line in high winds or an animal climbing up in the lines. In that case, cir-cuit breakers open quickly to keep any affected fuses from blowing. After waiting a second or two, the circuit breaker automatically re-closes to test the line. If the prob-lem has cleared itself, the power stays on. If the problem is still present, the power is left on long enough to blow any fuses or operate any downstream devices to isolate the affected area. If the short circuit persists, the circuit breaker opens again. This pro-cess may repeat itself more than once. This is why the lights often go off and on dur-ing an outage. The lines could re-energize at any time, which is a reason to always stay away from any downed power lines.

Have a happy and safe summer!

Joe JarvisGeneral Manager

OR-17

Manager’s Report

General ManagerJoe Jarvis

Blachly-LaneElectric Cooperative90680 Highway 99Eugene, OR 97402(541)-688-8711(800)-446-8418www.blachlylane.coop

Mission Statement: Blachly-Lane’sprimary objective is to provide safe, cost-e� ective, reliable, and competitive electrical energy and service to its members.

Board of Directors:Ernie Jacksch, Vice Chairman(ph: 927-3466) District 1(Low Pass, Blachly, Deadwood andIndian Creek areas)

Bob Sikes, Director(ph: 935-7602) District 2(Fern Ridge and Elmira-rural areas)

Cheryl Haskell, Secretary/Treasure(ph: 998-3954) District 3(Junction City-rural and Hwy 99N)

Tom Irwin III, Director(ph: 998-6428) District 4(Hwy 36, Hall Road andNorth Poodle Creek Road)

Cliff Kelley, Chairman(ph: 935-5728) District [email protected](Warthen, Sheffler and Walton areas)

In this issue ...Page 4: Enlivening HistoryPage 8: Power Of CommunityPage 25: Voice BoxPage 28: Power Lines

Monthly board meetings on the fourth Monday at 5 p.m. Check the website monthly.

32 J U LY 2013

Board of Commissioners

Randy L. KnowlesPresidentDan G. GunkelVice PresidentRay A. MosbruckerSecretary

Jim SmithGeneral ManagerRon IhrigChief Operating OfficerGwyn Miller Human Resources ManagerShannon CrockerChief Financial Officer Holly DohrmanPower Manager

Ron SchultzChief EngineerJeff ThayerOperations ManagerSteve VanTuylInformation Technology ManagerMike DeMottCustomer Service Supervisor

www.klickitatpud.com

Goldendale Office1313 S. Columbus Ave.Goldendale, WA 98620(509) 773-5891(800) 548-8357

White Salmon Office110 NE Estes Ave. P.O. Box 187White Salmon, WA 98672(509) 493-2255(800) 548-8358

WA-18

32 J U LY 2013

Every other year, Klickitat PUD includes a customer survey with your Ruralite. Enclosed in this issue is the 2013 survey. Please take a few minutes to fill it out.

Klickitat PUD appreciates it when you tell us we are doing a good job, but we also value constructive criticism and feedback. A wise person once said, “The most important person to listen to is someone who takes the time to tell you what you are doing wrong.”

As a consumer-owned utility, we try hard to be responsive to our custom-ers and really listen to what you have to say. Some people may believe that, as a monopoly, we don’t need to listen to our customers. But KPUD’s slogan is “Owned By Those It Serves,” and we stand by those words every day.

Private power companies can afford to be somewhat indifferent to their custom-ers. However, Klickitat PUD is a public entity governed by a three-person board of local residents who are elected to their positions, and consequently have a big interest in making this county a better place to live.

I am proud of KPUD’s record of asking, listening and acting on our customers’ concerns. We try to meet with every community at least once each year. We continually try to update you on what is going on here at your PUD

and ask, “How are we doing and what could we be doing better?”

Well, here is your chance to tell us what you like and what you don’t. Many of the changes we have initiated here at KPUD originated from ideas from our consumer-owners.

One of the many things resulting from community input is Klickitat PUD’s drive toward energy independence.

We really do value your opinion. We plan to publish the results of the

customer survey and how it compares to previous years in an upcoming Ruralite issue. If we receive interesting questions or comments on the surveys, I will high-light them here in the manager’s section.

Don’t forget about those $100 utility credits that three lucky survey respon-dents will win. We may have to bring former Commissioner Harold Hill out of retirement, as it has always been Harold’s job to draw the names out of the hat.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Jim SmithGeneral Manager

Help us Improve Our Services by Completing Our Member Survey

Summer boating season is here—finally! It is time to get out and water ski, fish or just enjoy a nice leisurely boat ride in the afternoon sun. If you plan to take your boat out of the state, be careful before returning—the invasive quagga and zebra mussels are looking to hitchhike into our pristine Idaho and Montana waterways.

Two invasive species of mollusk have devastated water bodies in the Great Lakes region and now threaten Western states. The western migration of the quagga and zebra mussels, and their potential for mayhem, prompted Idaho State Representative and NLI Board Director Eric Anderson to sponsor legislation that requires all boats launched in Idaho to carry a sticker to help fund a mussel-prevention program.

The zebra and quagga mussels wreak havoc wherever they call home. These pests deplete the nutrients in water where they exist, upsetting the ecosystem. They can colonize on hulls of boats, recreational equipment and water intake infrastructure, affecting irrigation and hydroelectric power plant operation. Did I mention they reproduce like wildfire? Once they move in, they are pretty much perma-nent house guests.

How do you go about keeping these pesky creatures from moving in?

Clean. Drain. Dry. Clean any visible mud, plants or ani-

mals from your boat. Drain all water, including from the lower outboard unit, ballast, livewell, etc. Dry all areas of your boat and equipment.

Zebra and quagga mussels have not been found in Idaho waters to date. To protect our waterways, the state has set up a watercraft inspection station program focused on inspecting boats from affected states as they come across the state line.

Inspections are free, but the cost of an infestation of mussels is not. A 2009 Idaho Aquatic Nuisance Species taskforce estimated an infestation of the zebra and quagga mussels in Idaho waterways could potentially cost $94 million. Their estimate reflects direct and indirect impacts on infrastructure and facilities that use surface water.

Summer boating season is here, go ahead and enjoy the water—just don’t move a mussel. Clean. Drain. Dry.

—Annie TerraccianoGeneral Manager

ID-19

Clean. Drain. Dry.

The power of local service

Board of Directors by DistrictDist. No. 1—Eric Anderson, Priest Lake, ID(208) 443-1201Dist. No. 2—Judith Simonson, Noxon, MT(406) 847-2643Dist. No. 3—Steve Elgar, Sandpoint, ID(208) 265-0570Dist. No. 4—David Pemberton, Careywood, ID(208) 661-5911Dist. No. 5—Vacant(208) 263-5141Dist. No. 6—G.E. Butch Hagen, Bonners Ferry, ID(208) 819-3191 Dist. No. 7—Vern Hollett, Priest River, ID(208) 265-5249

www.nli.coopP.O. Box 269Sagle, ID 83860

For Outages: (866) NO-LITES(866) 665-4837 For regular business within the Sandpoint area: (208) 263-5141

Outside Sandpoint:(800) 326-9594

Board Vice PresidentSteve Elgar

Board Secretary/Treasurer Judith Simonson

General Manager Annie Terracciano

32 J u Ly 2013

Idaho County Light & PowerCooperativeP.O. Box 300Grangeville, Idaho 83530Phone: (208) 983-1610Tollfree: (877) 212-0424Fax: (208) 983-1432E-mail: [email protected]: www.iclp.coop

DirectorsPresident Ernie RobinsonWhite Bird

Vice President John SolbergKamiah

Secretary-Treasurer Cliff TackeGreencreek

Frank McIntireKamiah

Gerald FreiGrangeville

Kim DahlerKooskia

Jim PoxleitnerCottonwood

AttorneyGreg FitzMaurice

ManagerJake Eimers

ID-21

This is the fifth in a series on the history of Idaho County Light & Power Cooperative, which celebrates its 75th year in business this year.

Dear Members,On our journey through the cooperative’s history, we leave the 1950s with one more success. In March 1959, a bill passed that shifted our property tax base from a levy on the wire miles to a gross receipts tax.

The reason Idaho cooperatives wanted this change was due to our low density (under three consumers per mile) compared with investor-owned utilities, which had much higher densities and more revenue per mile of line. So the cooperatives successfully lobbied to pay a tax based on a fixed percentage of sales.

The next important event happened in 1964, when the United States and Canada signed the Columbia River Treaty. The treaty, is up for renewal this year, resulted in paying Canada to build several more dams to enhance the system of dams the U.S. built for flood control and power generation. The treaty provided Canada with power in return for its investment. But Canada didn’t need the power at the time, so it offered a portion back to Bonneville Power Administration’s customers, at less than the cost BPA was selling it. The Canadian Entitlement Exchange Agreement would provide Idaho County Light & Power a declining portion of low-cost power through the end of the century.

Through the 1960s, our co-op averaged only 17 new services a year. However, the region’s demand for power heated up to the point that plans for three nuclear power plants were discussed among BPA and its customers. An organization called Wash-ington Public Power Supply System agreed to take on the project. BPA guaranteed the project through agreements with its customers to buy the power. Your cooperative joined most BPA customers and signed the Net Billing Agreements in March 1970.

Pressure also grew in Congress to dump the Rural Electrification Administration. In response, the co-ops started their own cooperative bank to assist and potentially take over the job of funding themselves. The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation was formed. The board approved our first CFC loan in September 1970.

Sadly, at that meeting, the board was forced to appoint a temporary manager to replace Paul Smick, who died suddenly. Paul led the co-op for 24 years and was key in many important events for Idaho County Light & Power and for all Idaho coopera-tives. He left the co-op in good shape for the growth ahead through the 1970s. Grow-ing an average of 65 services a year, the co-op ended the decade with 2,230 services.

This reflected the staggering regionwide growth and was the reason the coopera-tive received a notice of insufficiency from BPA in June 1976, saying they would run out of power by 1983. BPA also advised us to develop a curtailment plan to deal with insufficiency. The third notice said we should sign the new offer from WPPSS, directly obligating us to fund two more nuclear plants, WNP No. 4 and WNP No. 5.

The stage was set for growth and prosperity. If you don’t already know the end of this tale, catch me next month. —Thanks for listening, Jake Eimers, Manager

A Time of Rapid Growth

32 JULY 2013

WA-22

Columbia REA115 East Main Street,P.O. Box 46Dayton, WA 99328Phone: (509) 382-2578Fax: (509) 382-2736

2929 East Melrose Street,Walla Walla, WA 99362Phone: (509) 526-4041Fax: (509) 526-3666Toll Free: (800) 642-1231

ColumbiaREA.coop

Board of DirectorsDennis Munden, PresidentVic Parks, Vice PresidentKatie Wooldridge, Sec/TreasurerMarc Armstrong, DirectorDon Meiners, DirectorTim Pettyjohn, DirectorBruce McCaw, DirectorBill Stonecipher, DirectorEric Johnson, Director

Board meetings are normally the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. and is held in the Dayton office.

Sta�

Chief Executive Officer, Les Teel

Executive Assistant/HR, Jennifer Aichele

Manager of Marketing & Member Services, Scott Peters

Manager of Engineering & Operations, Dave Reller

Manager of Financial Services,Jim Cooper

Manager of Communications & IT, Bob Greene

Manager of Safety and Regulatory Affairs, KC Dors

32 j u ly 2013 www.columbiarea.coop

Columbia REA

POUND OF COFFEE1936............................ 14.5¢2013............................ $7.43

INCREASE.................... 51X

ELECTRICITY1936............................ 5¢2013............................ 8¢

INCREASE..................... 1.6X

We know how you like your electricity…affordable. And for the past 75 years, we’ve helped to keep it that way. Learn more about the power of your co-op membership at TogetherWeSave.com.

BASED ON AVERAGE COST PER KILOWATT HOUR

HERE’S SOMETHING THAT WILLREALLY WAKE YOU UP.

16755 Finley Butte RoadP.O. Box 127

La Pine, OR 97739

[email protected]

(541) 536-2126 • (800) 722-7219

DepartmentsCustomer Service . . . . . . . Option 3Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . Option 4Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Option 5Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Option 6

After Hours Outage and Emergencies: (541) 536-2165or (800) 752-5935

OFFICE HOURS Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed holidays.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PresidentAlan Parks, Fort RockVice PresidentBud Kendall, La PineSecretary/TreasurerKen Wilson, Chemult Diana Cox, Christmas ValleyGordon DeArmond, Crescent Robert Reed, La PineVic Russell, Fall RiverRon Sommerfeldt, GilchristLeland Smith, Sunriver

Board meets the fourth Mondayof each month at the co-op office.

STAFF General Manager Dave SchneiderOperations/Engineering ManagerDave MunsonMarketing ManagerTeresa LackeyCFO/Accounting ManagerJami BartunekInformation Services ManagerShaun LamarAttorneyWilliam Sheridan Jr.

Manager’s Message

OR-23

Dear Member,We have a new mailing address for pay-ment processing: P.O. Box 24625, Seattle, WA 98124-0625. Two situations beyond our control made this change necessary.

1. The USPS recently closed Bend’s mail processing facility, which sorted and distributed all mail in Central Oregon. This closure was expected in February 2014 as an effort to consolidate opera-tions and save operating costs. According to the USPS, the processing center was closed early to “accelerate anticipated savings.”

Now, mail is sent to Portland for sort-ing and distribution. That means a pay-ment sent from a La Pine/Bend address to our Bend payment address has to travel to Portland and then back to Bend, adding one to three days in processing.

2. Bank of the Cascades no longer provides a lockbox service for process-ing members’ payments. In search of a new provider, we found Retail Lockbox in Seattle to be the most cost-effective option available.

An added bonus to saving thousands of dollars a year in processing charges is that payments sent from a La Pine/Bend address to our P.O. Box in Seattle travel directly to the processing center in Seattle. Payments will be posted to your account two to four days sooner than the current processing time.

We have many different payment options for you at no additional charge. These options are secure and provide the quickest processing time. If payment is received in full within 10 days of your billing date, a 1.5 percent prompt-pay-ment discount will be credited to your next month’s bill.

• Automatic credit card payment allows monthly electric bill payments to be automatically charged to a credit or debit card.

• Electronic funds transfer allows payments to be automatically withdrawn from a checking or savings account.

• Pay online with a credit or debit card. A 12-month history of kilowatt-hour use can be viewed.

• Payments by phone: (541) 536-2126, option 8. Pay with a credit or debit card 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system prompts for an account num-ber and provides instructions for paying.

• Paperless billing emails billing information and allows a choice of pay-ment options.

• In-person during office hours at the headquarters facility on Finley Butte Road in La Pine.

• A 24-hour payment station is installed at the entrance of the headquar-ters facility. The system prompts for an account number to make payments or view bills and payment history. Payments can be made by cash, credit or debit card.

• A 24-hour drive-up payment depository is located in the parking area at the headquarters facility.

• Drop boxes are inside Washington Federal Bank in Gilchrist, La Pine and Lakeview, and inside SELCO Credit Union in Christmas Valley. Payments can be made with cash, check or money order at these locations.

If you need assistance using any of these payment options, please feel free to call our Customer Service Department at (541) 536-2126, option 3.

Dave Schneider, General Manager

32 J U LY 2013

32 j u ly 2013

P.O. Box 1253521 Davis DriveOdell, OR 97044

(541) 354-1233www.hrec.coop

DirectorsPresident Butch GehrigVice President Patrick MooreSecretary Bernie Wells Treasurer Roger NelsonGary BloomOpal DeBoardDoug Mahurinjohn McGheeMike udelius

Managerjohn Gerstenberger

Serving rural Hood River County

since 1945

Hood RiverElectric

Cooperative OR-26

Dear Members,In recent weeks, the HREC distribution system experienced two widespread outages.

Service to the entirety of Odell and Parkdale was interrupted briefly on May 15. This outage was caused by an interruption in Pacific Power & Light transmission service to our Willard Johnson Substation in Odell.

Unfortunately, we were serving Parkdale area customers from Odell at the time. The Bonneville Power Administration Parkdale Substation was offline while the agency performed needed maintenance on lines in the vicinity. According to BPA operations staff, a breaker at the PP&L Tucker Substation opened due to a problem on the PP&L system. Fortunately, transmission service was restored after about five minutes.

All customers in the Parkdale area were inconvenienced again on May 30. A light-ning arrestor on a voltage regulator in the Parkdale Substation failed catastrophically, causing a BPA protective device to de-energize the substation transformer. Customer load was transferred to the Odell source while a new arrestor was procured and installed.

A significant portion of our operating budget and staff ’s time is spent on preventa-tive maintenance to reduce the risk of outages. Such activities include ongoing trim-ming or removal of vegetation near lines, and inspecting for line degradation or decay. It is our standard practice to proactively replace questionable items found during inspections or thorough review of records—such as degraded crossarms or older vin-tage underground cables—before they fail.

We also track outage records to see if any trends are developing so we can take cor-rective actions. For example, we noticed birds and squirrels caused many outages by making contact with high-voltage conductors while perched or standing on the top of transformers. We now install insulating covers on conductors connecting transformers to the high-voltage lines, which reduced the number of animal-caused outages.

Our goal is to provide uninterrupted service. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience the outages may have caused.

John Gerstenberger, Manager

Manager’s Message

Board of DirectorsPresident John Ugalde Sec./Treasurer Gary MillerFrank AlbisuJoe CroninRod HoaglandAlex Dufurrena Zach Sword

General ManagerRandy WhitakerOperations ManagerBrent BeverlyLine SuperintendentJason HillElectrical EngineerShane SweetOffice ManagerFred FlippenceAttorneySteve Finlayson

Harney Electric Cooperative

277 Lottery Lane Hines, OR 97738 (541) 573-2061

[email protected]

Orovada, Nevada (775) 272-3336

[email protected]

www.harneyelectric.org

OR-27

32 J U LY 2013




This independence not only tends to inspire cooperatives; it’s a guiding principle. The fourth cooperative principle, “autonomy and independence,” means that no matter what contracts Harney Electric Cooperative might enter into, we will always remain an independent entity.

Each year, Harney Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting becomes an independence celebration. You vote for candidates to serve on the board of trustees, and we discuss co-op business. We share a meal and have some fun.


This Fourth of July, as we recognize the hard-fought war that created the United States, let’s give a tip of the hat to the co-op’s founders, who beat incredible odds to make life better for themselves and their neighbors.

P.O. Box 384Challis, ID 83226 Phone: (208) 879-2283 Fax: (208) 879-2596After-hours emergency numbers: Propane: (208) 879-2201 Electric: (208) 879-4900

It’s been about one year since I last updated SREC members about the automated meter-reading system SREC began installing in 2010. I am happy to report the automatic meter reading system is fully operational and working well. � e sys-tem was installed on budget and did not result in any upward adjustment to retail power rates.

We are realizing the bene� ts of reduced power line losses, more accurate meter readings, more e� cient billing proce-dures, better timed cash � ows, reduced meter-reading costs, and better response to high bill complaints and power quality issues. We plan to realize even more bene� ts once procedures are put in place to fully use the system. For example, using real-time power informa-tion should reduce power outage restoration times.

One bene� t we were not able to realize is the ability to remotely connect and disconnect meters. � e devices we purchased for this purpose did not work to our satisfaction, so we returned them to the vendor. We will continue to evaluate other remote connecting devices. If we � nd a device we are satis� ed with, and if we can make the business case to deploy the devices, we may install these devices at a later date.

We are still � ne-tuning the automated meter-reading system to capture a higher meter-read rate. We have the number of meters that won’t read down to about 30. � at means our read rate is about 98.8 percent. Fine-tuning usually consists of power quality and signal strength testing, installing or relocating repeaters, installing � lters, rerouting meters to di� erent repeaters, and as a last resort transmitting meter read-ings by means other than power line carrier.

We believe we have been successful in facilitating the mission of the cooperative by deploying this technology. We are better able to deliver quality, reliable and safe electricity in a cost-e� ective manner. � e positive responses we received from our member-owners about the automated meter reading and billing system validates this belief.

—Ken Dizes, Manager

ID-28

Manager’s Report

Board of DirectorsPresident Bob BorenVice President Jeff BittonSec./Treasurer Norman WallisMichael MillerDoug ParkinsonEric TilmanChuck Wunch

Manager Ken DizesAttorney Dale Storer

Board meets the third Wednesday of each month

Email: [email protected]: www.srec.org

Automated Readers are a Success

Ken Dizes

32 J U LY 2013

What About Rates, You Ask?Before getting to the point on rates …

According to 2011 data from the Energy Information Administration—the most recent available—Idaho leads the nation with the lowest electricity rates, averaging 6.44 cents per kilowatt-hour, followed closely by Washington, which is ranked third-lowest with an average retail rate of 6.78 cents per kWh. Compare that to Kansas at an average rate of 8.89 cents per kWh, Colorado at 9.39 cents per kWh or California at 13.05 cents per kWh.

Of course, the 6.44 cents is an average of all retail rates in Idaho. Is it coinciden-tal that most of the residents in Idaho purchase power from utilities that have a large hydro resource base, and that Idaho leads the nation with the lowest retail electricity rates? Perhaps that honor can be attributed to the availability of hydroelectric genera-tion from the Columbia and Snake river systems to residents of Idaho.

Now, to the point on rates ...As you know, United Electric purchases power from the Bonneville Power

Administration. October 2011 began a new era in the manner in which we conduct business with BPA. The new contract allocates the energy produced from the Federal Columbia River Power System, establishes a new rate methodology and sets two-year rate periods. A two-year rate period means BPA establishes new rates every two years. We are embarking on a new two-year rate period October 2013.

BPA’s initial rate proposal projects an average power rate increase of 9.6 percent and an average transmission rate increase of 13 percent. Although a larger percentage increase, the impact of the transmission rate increase is much smaller than the power rate impact.

The power rate increase is driven primarily by necessary maintenance on the hydroelectric system and required improvements at the Columbia Generating Station nuclear plant. In addition to the hydro, BPA’s resource base includes generation from the only commercial nuclear facility in the Northwest. Another contributing factor is a decline in revenue BPA receives when it sells surplus electricity on the open electricity markets. Low natural gas prices have led to a negative impact on electricity markets.

What does this mean to the members of United Electric? The board of directors and management will perform a thorough review and evaluation of retail rates and the projected cost to provide service for the next two-year rate period. We expect to complete the process this fall. Upon completion of the analysis, we will have a better understanding of how BPA’s rate increase will affect the membership.

Cordially,Jo Elg, General Manager

ID-29

On the Wire at United Electric

UNITED ELECTRICCO-OP, INC.

UnitedElectricCo-op Inc.Directors President George TonerVice President Dean NielsenSec./Treas. Bruce Beck Gary JonesRonald Osterhout David PhillipsCordell SearleJohn R. West

General ManagerJo Elg

Director of Engineeringand OperationsDick Hagemann

Mailing address:1330 21st St.Heyburn, ID 83336

Phone: (208) 679-2222

Fax: (208) 679-3333

Email: [email protected]

Web address:www.unitedelectric.coop

After Hours: (208) 679-4444

32 J U LY 2013

Jo Elg

Board of DirectorsWill Stark, President Paul Kildal, Vice PresidentDan Stowe, SecretaryLon Rake, TreasurerMichael Johnson, DirectorJim Manning, DirectorJe� Saxe, DirectorFred Williams, Director

P.O. Box 45Glennallen, AK 99588www.cvea.org

Copper Basin District(907) 822-3211(907) 822-5586 (fax)Mile 187 Glenn Hwy.Valdez District(907) 835-4301(907) 835-4328 (fax)359 Fairbanks Dr.After hours outage line(866) 835-2832

Important Dates

JulyCVEA O� ces Closed: The CVEA o� ces will be closed, Thursday, July 4, 2013, for Independence DayCVEA Board Meeting: The July meeting of the Board of Directors is 2 p.m., Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Valdez

AugustCVEA Board Meeting: The August meeting of the Board of Directors is 2 p.m., Thursday, August 15, 2013, in Glennallen

32 J U LY 2013

Copper Valley ElectricAfter-Hours Outage Communications

CVEA recognizes that many members would like information during a� er-hours extended power outages so they can prepare their homes and families to be with-out power for lengthy periods of time. We’re here to help!

CVEA members can now get updates during extended outage situations that af-fect large numbers of people.

When Outage Updates Will Be Made Available:• If the outage is a System-wide or District outage that is expected to last more

than 1 hour• If the outage(s) are large feeder, small feeder, or isolated outages, a� ecting

more than 10 people, AND are expected to last more than 2 hours

Where To Get An Outage Update:• Members can visit CVEA’s Facebook page for outage updates during outages

if the outage meets the criteria noted above - get noti� cations by ‘liking’ the Copper Valley Electric Association Facebook page

• Members can call 1-866-835-2832; the a� er-hours voicemail greeting will be updated with current outage information if the outage meets the criteria noted above

AK-34

Dear Customers:Keeping our power lines and electric system safe and reliable is a critical priority for Tillamook PUD. We manage vegetation around our electric facilities to keep people safe and our system reliable.

Tillamook PUD has an integrated vegetation management strategy for controlling vegetation around electric facilities. This strategy involves choosing the appropriate management method based on vegetation type and density, the natural resources present at a particular site and landowner requests.

Clear-zone distances vary depending on the type of equipment involved, such as lines, poles and pad-mount transformers.

Tillamook PUD uses a number of different methods for clearing: manual (chainsaws), mechanical (bucket trucks, chippers and mowers) and herbicides.

A fully trained crew is on staff, and we use a trained contract crew throughout the year for our vegetation management program. Workers are trained to use heavy machinery and chainsaws.

For activities aimed at maintaining low-growing plants and dense brush, vegetation management practices traditionally include herbicide spraying, cutting and/or mowing. Workers are licensed and trained to apply herbicides and use application equipment.

Tillamook PUD works with landowners to determine appropriate vegetation man-agement practices best suited for the specific site. If you have specific concerns regard-ing our vegetation management practices, please contact Tillamook PUD operations staff to share those concerns with our experts.

Additional information may be found in the safety section of our website at www.tpud.org.

Sincerely,

Raymon D. Sieler

OR-35

Vegetation Management Critical to Reliability

Board of DirectorsDoug Olson, President Ed Jenkins, Vice PresidentKen Phillips, TreasurerHarry Hewitt, SecretaryBarbara Trout, Director

General Manager Raymon Sieler

Board meetings are in the PUD office at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday after the 11th of the month

Mission StatementTillamook People’s Utility District is dedicated to delivering the best value of electric services, while continuing our commitment to the customers and communities we serve.

CreedWe shall work together to:XX Provide exceptional customer service;

anticipate and strive to exceed our customers’ needs.

XX Provide high-quality and cost-effective services to our customers.

XX Assure a safe electrical system and working environment for our customers and employees.

XX Operate a financially stable business.XX Encourage cooperation and open

communication among the customers, board of directors, management and employees of Tillamook PUD.

XX Support all the communities we serve.XX Be environmentally responsible.

1115 Pacific Ave. • P.O. Box 433Tillamook, OR 97141Phone: (503) 842-2535 Toll free: (800) 422-2535www.tpud.org

Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

For EMERGENCY service afterbusiness hours, call (800) 842-2122

32 J u lY 2013

Your electric dryer could be one of the higher users of electricity in your home. It can consume up to about 5,000 watts on the high setting. For our calculation, we’ll assume it uses only 3,500 watts on “medium.”

Here’s the math:• 3,500 watts / 1,000 watts = 3.5 kilowatts • 3.5 kW X 1 hour = 3.5 kWh • One kWh costs about $0.185• $0.185 X 3.5 kW = $0.65 per load

For a single person doing two or three loads of laundry per week $0.65 per load isn’t significant. But if you’re a family with two or three teenagers, you have more bedding, bath towels, jeans, soccer uniforms, etc. A family this size could easily average one load of laundry per day. Over the course of a month, this could add nearly $20 to your electric bill.

How to SaveEnergyStar, the Environmental Protection Agency’s energy efficiency arm, offers these tips:

It’s easy to over dry your clothes if one setting is used for various fabric types. Try to dry loads made up of similar fabrics, so the entire load dries

just as the cycle ends. Many dryers come with energy-saving moisture or humidity sensors that shut off the heat when the clothes are dry. Energy Star estimates that a dryer operating an extra 15 minutes per load can cost you up to $34, every year.

The lint trap is an important energy saver. Dryers work by moving heated air through wet clothes, evaporating and then venting water vapor outside. If the dryer cannot provide enough heat, or move air sufficiently through the clothes, they will take longer to dry. One of the easiest things you can do to increase drying efficiency is to clean the lint trap before each and every load.

You have the power to use less. Visit gvea.com/save or check out the Energy Efficient Products tab on the www.energystar.gov website for more energy-saving tips.

Golden Valley Electric Association32 J U LY 2013

AK-37

“Owned By Those We Serve.”

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bill Nordmark, Chairman (District 7)Tom DeLong, Vice-Chairman (District 2)John Sloan, Secretary (District 6)Rick Schikora, Treasurer (District 3)Ronald Bergh (District 5)Aren Gunderson (District 1)Frank Eagle (District 4)

MAIN OFFICE

758 Illinois StreetPO Box 71249Fairbanks AK 99707-1249

Regular Business Phone(907) 452-1151Fax (907) 458-6365Member Services

DISTRICT OFFICES

Delta Junction1681 Richardson Hwy.PO Box 909Delta Junction AK 99737(907) 895-4500Fax (907) 895-5472

NenanaMile 303.5 Parks Hwy.PO Box 00130Nenana AK 99760(907) 832-5481Fax (907) 458-6387

Toll-Free Number1-800-770-GVEA (4832)

www.gvea.com

Clothes Dryer Savings

July 4–7High Sierra Music Festival. Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds, 204 Fairgrounds Road, Quincy.For more information, call (530) 283-6272 or email [email protected].

July 11 & 25American Cowboy Team Roping Association Bud Price Roping. Lassen County Fairgrounds, 195 Russell Ave., Susanville. 5:30 p.m. sign up, 6 p.m. roping. For more information, call (530) 251-8900.

July 17 Lassen County Fair Miss Lassen County Pageant. Lassen County Fairgrounds grandstands, 195 Russell Ave., Susanville. 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.lassencountyfair.org.

July 17–21 Lassen County Fair. For more information, call (530) 251-8900 or visit www.lassencountyfair.org.

July 20 Lassen County Fair Stock Car Races. Fairgrounds grandstands. 7 p.m.For more information, visit www.lassencountyfair.org.

July 20 & 21Graeagle Arts and Crafts Show. Graeagle Park, Highway 89. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.For more information, call (775) 825-3679.

Gold Discovery Days at Plumas Eureka State Park. Graeagle-Johnsville Road, Johnsville. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Historic demonstrations, food, free activities. Sunday pancake breakfast.For more information, call (530) 836-4135.

July 31 Community Supper – Portola. Father Burns Social Hall, South Pine Street and Taylor Avenue, Portola. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.For more information, call (530) 832-4441.

Plumas-Sierra REC

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Manager’s Message

Continues from page 32

but to remove hazard trees consistent with California regulations and prudent utility practice to protect our lines, our members, their property, homes and the public’s safety.

Annual MeetingThe deadline for nominations by petition to the board of director election for dis-tricts 2 and 5 is July 24. If you are inter-ested in running for the board, please contact me as soon as possible.

The August issue of Ruralite will have the 2013 annual report, meal reservation card, voting information and mail-in bal-lots. Please be sure to reserve your meal for the annual meeting on September 7, and don’t forget to cast your ballot for the board of directors election.

My Lost Sierra Video ContestAs I mentioned in past columns, Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications is part of the Rec & Tech group campaigning to bring new residents to our region.

Rec & Tech is sponsoring a video con-test to promote our region of the “Lost Sierra.” Rec & Tech is looking for videos that highlight the recreation paradise in Plumas, Sierra and Lassen counties.

Prizes range from $250 to $1,000. Rules and entry information can be found on the Rec & Tech website, www.recandtech.com, or by calling (530) 836-6811. If you would like to help pro-mote our region and improve our local economy, please join the Rec & Tech campaign and enter the video contest.

If you have any questions, or would like more information, please call me at (800) 555-2207 ext. 6076, or email me at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Bob MarshallGeneral Manager

July 5-7Mohawk Valley

Independence Day Celebration

July 5, Friday Street Dance at the Barn. 8989 Highway

89, Blairsden. 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Food, beverages, and a hot rod show and shine.

July 6, Saturday Old West Gun Battles (hourly). Graeagle

Park.Music in the Graeagle Park. 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.Pre-Fireworks food and refreshments.

Millpond. 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.Music At the Millpond. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Aerial Fireworks Display. Millpond at dusk,

about 9:30 p.m.

July 7, Sunday Patriot 16 Bicycle Ride. Howling Dog Bike

Shop, Graeagle. 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Pancake breakfast. Graeagle Firehall 8 a.m.

to 11 a.m.Old-Fashioned Day in the Park. 10 a.m. to

5 p.m. Blue Grass Music. Graeagle Park. 10:30 a.m.Parade. Downtown Graeagle. 1 p.m. to

2 p.m. Ophir Prison Band Concert (following

parade). Graeagle Park.

POWER CONTENT LABEL

ENERGY RESOURCESPSREC 2012

FUEL MIX(Actual)

2011 CA POWER MIX**(For Comparison)

Eligible Renewable 4.6% 14.1%- Biomass & waste 0.0% 2.1%

- Geothermal 4.1% 4.5%

- Small hydroelectric 0.5% 2.1%

- Solar 0.0% 0.4%

- Wind 0.0% 5.0%

Coal 0% 8.2%

Large Hydroelectric 29.7% 13.0%

Natural Gas 17% 35.6%

Nuclear 0% 15.3%

Other 0% 0%

Unspecified sources of power* 48.7% 13.8%

TOTAL 100% 100%*“Unspeci� ed sources of power” means electricity from transactions that are not traceable to speci� c generation sources.**Percentages are estimated annually by the California Energy Commission based on the electricity sold to California consumers during the previous year.

For speci� c information about this electricity product, contact PSREC at 800-555-2207. For general information about the Power Content Label, contact the California Energy Com-mission at 800-555-7794 or www.energy.ca.gov/consumer.

J U LY 2013 25

CA-39

Dear Members: Many of you are aware of the co-op’s right-of-way work on Chandler Road in Quincy. PSREC is required by state law to clear hazard trees and remove vegetation along our power lines. Doing this protects our electric system, our communi-ties and public safety. Due to the requirements of state law, our tree-trimming and removal project has upset some people along the road.

The cooperative’s status as an electric util-ity is subject to the California Public Resource Code, Section 4293, which requires us to remove hazard trees that pose a threat to the power line. Hazard trees are defined as dead and dying trees, diseased trees, trees with a lean towards the lines and trees with defects. This last category is causing complaints, as the trees are green and, to the untrained eye, don’t look like a problem.

We have received some suggestions that we leave the green trees, even when they have defects. Unfortunately, that would leave PSREC in non-compliance with the regulations, greatly expose the cooperative to liability and put pub-lic safety at risk.

When it comes down to a matter of judg-ment on how to interpret the law, the coop-erative has decided to hire a registered profes-sional forester to review each potential hazard tree, with direction from us to comply with the law—being neither too aggressive, nor lenient—in interpreting the law.

We have no motive other than to comply with the law and protect our communities. Each tree we remove is an extra expense for us.

The governing regulatory body in California in this area is the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal-Fire). They can overrule any tree marked for removal, and we have encouraged member-owners to get a second opinion in public meetings from Cal-Fire.

Due to the size of our electric system, expenses and manpower needs, we could not cut all of the hazard trees in a single year. Since 1995, PSREC has systematically treated and removed hazard trees in compliance with the Public Resource Code.

Our practice is to focus on a specific area each year, then move on, while continuing to maintain the remainder of the system. But when we first reach and evaluate an area, we need to remove all hazard trees. We cannot leave an identified hazard tree behind. This protects us legally and saves significant money.

We have been removing hazard trees that posed an imminent threat along Chandler Road for years, but were not removing them systematically, as we were doing so elsewhere on the system, until last year.

We have received requests from some coop-erative members to allow each area to decide how many trees need to be cut. Unfortunately, that puts the co-op outside the law. We need to treat each area of the cooperative the same—following the law and protecting public safety.

We are not doing this at the request of our insurance company, but if we deliberately ignore the law, we are not covered by insur-ance in case of a fire. The consequences to the cooperative, the public and the national forest could be devastating.

Have we done everything perfectly? No. We didn’t give enough notice this year about this year’s project. Your board of directors has directed staff to meet with the members earlier next year and give more notice. There are other things we can do better next year, and we will.

We understand the unhappiness, and we wish circumstances were different, but the cooperative truly believes we have no choice

Continues on page 25

Manager’s Message

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

PresidentChris Miller, Litchfield

[email protected]

Vice PresidentDave Roberti, Sierra Valley

[email protected]

Secretary/TreasurerOle Olsen, [email protected]

Dan Kenney, [email protected]

Ivan Randall, [email protected]

Bill Robinson, Doyle [email protected]

Tom Hammond, [email protected]

Manager Robert (Bob) Marshall

[email protected]

Our subsidiary,Plumas-Sierra

Telecommunications offers a variety of high-quality

Internet solutions.For more information,

please visitwww.plumassierratelecom.com or

call (800) 221-3474

For information about any of our products, please call

(800) 555-2207 or visit ourwebsite at www.psrec.coop

RU

RAL ELECTRIC CO-O

PPSREC

PLUMAS-SIERRA

32 J U LY 2013

NV-40

P.O. Box 1510001600 Great Basin Blvd.Ely, NV 89315

(775) 289.8981(800) [email protected]

Emergency ContactsEly O� ce(775) 289-8981

Eureka O� ce(775) 237-5693

Outside Ely / Eureka Area(800) 97-POWER

Board of DirectorsDistrict 1 – Ron MillerDistrict 2 – Bob SwetichDistrict 3 – Jerry MorrillDistrict 4 – Don PhillipsDistrict 5 – Rick HendrixDistrict 6 – Jerald AndersonDistrict 7 – Sandra GreenDistrict 8 – Wilma SanfordDistrict 9 – Frank Leon

Proudly serving more than 10,000 residents and businesses throughout Nevada and Utah.

Winter hours are November through April; Summer hours are May through October.

Summer hours: Ely office will be open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Eureka office is open 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

“Powering Your Future”

Independent Thinkers Founded Co-opsJuly is when we celebrate our nation’s independence. In the midst of apple pies and hot dogs, fireworks shows and parades, I can’t help but think about the independent streak that inspired groups of farmers around America’s countryside to band together and improve their quality of life.

Aside from President Franklin Roosevelt’s promise of federal aid in the form of low-interest loans and engineering expertise, rural Americans didn’t have much help in bringing electricity to their homes. They pulled themselves up by their proverbial bootstraps and did it themselves. Americans such as Clare K. Olsen, our first general manager, to whom Mt. Wheeler Power owes its existence because of his vision, integ-rity and persistent effort.

Independence not only tends to inspire cooperatives; it’s a guiding principle. The fourth cooperative principle, Autonomy and Independence, means that no matter what contracts Mt. Wheeler Power might enter into, we will always remain an inde-pendent entity.

Electric cooperatives form a vast network across the country, from coast to coast. Co-op lines are strung in 47 states, serving 42 million people—a different world from 1935, when much of America remained dark. This Fourth of July, as we recognize the hard-fought war that created the United States, I’ll also tip my hat to the Mt. Wheeler Power founders, who beat incredible odds to make life better for themselves and their neighbors.

Randy EwellGeneral Manager

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

—Thomas Edison

32 J U LY 2013

32 J U LY 2013

Reduce your energy usage with the V-Meter at: www.vea.coop

NV-42

800 East Highway 372P.O. Box 237

Pahrump, NV 89041

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 2 Peter Gazsy Shiela Rau

DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 4Rick Johnson John Maurer

DISTRICT 5 DISTRICT 6 Dave Lowe David Dawson

OFFICE PHONE(800) 742-3330 (within Nevada)or 775-727-5312, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Weekdays, except holidays

AFTER HOURS & EMERGENCYWe are here 24 hours a day, seven days a week for your emergency needs.775-727-5312Web site: www.vea.coopEmail: [email protected]

In Your Best Interest: Spreading the word about VEA

Until next month,

Thomas H. Husted, Chief Executive Officer

Several members have said to me that they have seen VEA ads outside of our service area and asked why we would need to do so. We did so with you – our members – in mind.

VEA works hard to control our rates because we know many of our members are struggling to make ends meet. Maintaining rate stability with no new population growth is a challenge; however, your board of directors and I are intent on turning over rocks to find opportunities to help our members.

For example, by joining the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), we were able to put a net benefit of $6 million per year back into your company. We also responded to federal requests for proposals for the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and Creech Air Force Base to reduce their costs and enable them to better focus on their core missions. I am proud to say that VEA was successful in winning these contracts in a fair and legal process, benefitting both you and two institutions integral to our national security.

In talking with our state policymakers in the past, some had no notion of what an electric cooperative is or does. A number of these policymakers are making deci-sions and attempting to pass laws that may impact all of our members without a clear understanding of our unique industry. Many of the state legislators outside of our ser-vice area actually believed that it would be beneficial to put Valley Electric under full regulation of the Public Utility Commission of Nevada when we know all that would do is drive up operating costs, and thereby drive up rates. It is our job to educate these political influencers about our business model and our member-friendly programs.

Parts of our service area have some of the best solar and geothermal resource potential in the U.S. Our rates are competitive, and the communities we serve are business-friendly. We want business and political leaders to know about this. As busi-nesses outside of our area become more aware of VEA, this will lead to economic development and expansion of business within our service territory. Expansion of our member base and load helps keep your rates down.

So next time someone asks you why your cooperative is advertising outside of its service territory, tell them it’s for the same reason that we undertake any initiative. It’s intended to help you, our members, now and in the future.

District Offices4005 23rd Street

Baker City, OR 97814523-3616

567 West PierceBurns, OR 97720

573-2666

400 Patterson Bridge Road P.O. Box 575

John Day, OR 97845 575-0161

2408 Cove Ave. P.O. Box 790

La Grande, OR 97850 963-3155

[email protected]

Report Outages at (866) 430-4265

Officers/Directors: President Greg Howard,Union CountyVice President George Galloway,Union CountySec./Treas. George “Austin” Bingaman, Union County

David Baum, Union CountyRobert Cargill, Harney CountyGary Miller, Grant CountyCharlene Chase, Baker County

Werner Buehler, General Manager

Ron Williams, Attorney

OR-48

Manager’s MessageLast year, Bonneville Power Administration—the federal entity that markets hydroelectric power from the federal dams—spent $644 million on fish and wildlife programs. That cost is passed on to members through the price OTEC pays for the power those dams generate. One-third of the cost of power from BPA goes to these fish and wildlife programs.

No other organization does more to support fish and wildlife programs on the Columbia and Snake rivers than BPA. In fact, it is the most extensive and expensive restoration program for any species in the country. Since the late 1970s, more than $13 billion has been spent to mitigate the effects of the dams on fish and wildlife. This decade alone has seen $1.8 billion spent on programs to enhance fish passage. These amounts do not take into account the annual investments for capital projects in the direct program, such as construction of fish hatcheries.

Despite this enormous investment, many people think more should be done. Some groups have called for the removal of all dams, while others propose additional untested and prohibitively expensive fish and wildlife enhancement programs. These calls come at a time when young salmon migrating to the ocean are surviving through the dam system at near-historic rates and adult salmon are returning in numbers not seen in decades.

At OTEC, we support programs rooted in sound science and demonstrable results, yet we are alarmed at the increase in spending and its effect on your power rates. We know clean, reliable and affordable hydroelectric power is essential for the Northwest.

To make our voice heard in this important discussion, we have partnered with Northwest RiverPartners (www.riverpartners.org), a regional group dedicated to pro-moting the economic and environmental benefits of the Columbia and Snake rivers while encouraging BPA and other groups to support fish and wildlife policies and programs based on sound science.

I encourage you to visit the group’s website and learn more about the importance of clean, affordable hydropower in the Northwest.

Here at OTEC, we will continue to do everything we can to keep your electric power affordable, clean and reliable. It is yet another cooperative difference and another way we look out for you.

Regards,Werner BuehlerGeneral Manager

32 J U LY 2013

Member-owned since 1921

Ohop MutualLight Co.

34014 Mountain Highway E.Eatonville, WA 98328

Phone: (253) 847-4363Night troubles: (253) 847-4363


Board of DirectorsPresident Louie MettlerVice President Jerry WalterSec./Treasurer Mel CoxDirector Frank Hoffman

General ManagerIsabella Deditch

Dear Members:

If you travel Mountain Highway, you probably have experienced delays as a result of construction performed by our Ohop crews and our contract crew from Asplundh. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. We are in the middle of a big project to upgrade our distribution system along SR 7, which will allow us to intertie the Mashel Substation and the Ohop Substation. This intertie not only will give us the ability to isolate areas affected by a power outage, but transfer customers between substations.

We are trying to accomplish one big system improvement project every year to upgrade our system and provide more reliability. This intertie project, called Mountain Highway Phase I, is a two-mile-long stretch. The permitting process was complicated because it is a state highway, and we had to comply with many rules and regulations from the Department of Transportation. We are fortunate that most of the work required is off the right of way.

Fifty-three poles need to be replaced because of required height and age. The con-ductor is copper, installed many years ago, and must be removed and replaced with 556 ACSR wire. This upgrade of wire allows us to carry more customers and electric load and remove the existing copper wire that is continuously being stolen.

Trees are also a problem because they are in the way. Many need to be cut and removed. I thank everybody on that stretch of highway who has given us the green light to remove them.

Without this upgrade, we are vulnerable if one of our substations goes down. That would place a large part of our system in the dark. With this upgrade—combined with the Phase II and Phase III upgrades—each of our intertied substations could carry the total load of our system. If one substation goes down, we can switch every-body over to the other substation to avoid long power outages.

That is what we at Ohop are trying to accomplish: to improve system reliability and have fewer and shorter power outages for our members, whenever and however it is possible.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this construction project. Please drive slowly through the construction zone. Have a enjoyable and safe summer.

—Isabella DeditchGeneral Manager

WA-49

Big Project Will Improve Reliability

32 J u Ly 2013

P.O. Box 142645710 SE North Bend WayNorth Bend, WA 98045-1426 Telephone: (425) 888-0623Toll-free: (800) 472-0208www.tannerelectric.coop

Board of DirectorsPresident Ed StephensonVice President Julie FrommTreasurer Susan Serrette-EganSecretary Mike HodgeRoger GuayJeff GilletteJim SingerPaul BayMark Dilger

An electric utility ownedby those we serve in:

North BendAmes LakeAnderson Island

Tanner Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer

WA-50

General ManagerSteve Walter

Chief Financial O� cerRob Carr

Operations ManagerRichard Kent

32 J U LY 2 0 1 3

With the goal to improve power reliability, we constantly make improvements to the system. Our long-time members all have seen the bene� t of these improvements in the past few years. With the amazing group of hard-working employees and a dedicated board, we have started another construction season to improve reliability even more.

Our tree trimming is � nished in Ames Lake for the year. Between our crews and our tree-trimming contractor, we were able to clear all of the overhead lines in a few months. We also have been trimming in North Bend with our crews and removing danger trees on Mt. Si and Edgewick Road. We plan to get back into North Bend next year and do a full system clearance.

As for capital improvements, we have already started trenching around the inter-section of Lake Josephine and Eckenstam-Johnson Road on Anderson Island. � is is another phase of the new three-phase line that, when completed, will tie in the two major lines and provide additional reliability to most of the members on the island.

In North Bend, we are still working with Puget Sound Energy to convert the remaining 60 PSE customers to Tanner this year. To do so, we will build a new line down North Bend Way. It also will provide redundancy for all of the members on the east side of North Bend. If approved, this project will start this summer and con-clude by late fall.

In Ames Lake, we are undertaking a major improvement to both the transmission line and the substation. � is work will take a full-day planned outage on Tuesday, July 9. � e outage will start at 9 a.m. and conclude by 5 p.m. Since the substation is only fed by this one transmission line, it requires us to take it out of service.

I know it can be an inconvenience for some members, but if we don’t make these upgrades we risk the chance that this issues could end up causing longer outages and cost member-owners more in the long run. We will replace two transmission poles that were damaged by storms, and make major upgrades in the substation feeding all of the Ames Lake area.

For news about additional work or updates to these projects, please go to our website at www.tannerelectric.coop and click on “Reliability & Outages” at the top of the page. � en click on “Construction Updates” to get to the work we are doing in all three areas. Also, if you have not all ready done so, please sign up for email updates so you are kept in the loop with any changes or progress updates.

—Steve Walter, General Manager

Working Hard to Improve Your Co-op

Tom JonesGCSECA CEO

Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association, Inc.2210 S. Priest Drive • Tempe, AZ 85252 • Phone: (602) 286-6925 • Fax: (602) 286-6932 • www.gcseca.coop

Board of directors: Jeff Larson, President; Joe Kay, Vice President; Frank Downs, Secretary; Carlos Tejeda, Treasurer; Joe Anderson; Harold Burdick; Joel Carlisle; William Cyr; Pat English; Johnnie Frie; Creden W. Huber; Jerry Kempton; Gene Robert Larson; Patrick Ledger; Richard Lunt; Chuck Moore; Barbara Stockwell; and Marsha Thompson. chief executive officer: Tom Jones.

David and Goliath: Fighting for the Energy FutureMy Perspective

The story of David and Goliath is told in 1 Samuel 17 of the Bible. It is the classic small-takes-on-big-and-wins scenario.

Another good read, particularly if you are involved in the electric cooperative business like I am, is “The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron.”

The Amazon.com book description calls the book, “Meticulously researched and character driven. ‘The Smartest Guys in the Room’ takes the reader deep into Enron’s past—and behind the closed doors of private meetings. Drawing on a wide range of unique sources, the book follows Enron’s rise from obscurity to the top of the business world to its disastrous demise.”

Fortune magazine senior writers Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind co-wrote the book which tells the story

of the company that came to towns large and small to hock their magical tonic for the world’s energy future. The Enron solution was much like the shams touted by snake-oil salesmen more than a century ago. In Enron’s wake are thousands of personal stories of heartache and tragedy caused by greedy market manipulators.

Luckily, Arizona escaped much of the insanity that fol-lowed the Enron crew and others like them. Yet we had ringside seats as we witnessed firsthand what Enron and others did to the California energy market nearly a dozen years ago.

If the fraud, market manip-ulation and skyrocketing pric-es weren’t enough, the 30-plus Stage 3 rolling blackouts our neighbors to the west suf-fered had to be the icing on the cake.

It is really simple. Enron and others wanted to make

big money. Promises were made and never fulfilled. Many people paid dearly. Fortunes were made and fortunes were lost.

In hindsight, there were many lessons learned during this dark period. Lessons, it turns out, that some today would like to forget or—even worse—ignore.

Unfortunately, we are once again hearing promises made about electric deregulation. The Arizona Corporation Commissioners are hearing from businesses promising to make deregulation a beautiful thing in Arizona.

When it was proposed in Arizona in the early part of the last decade, it was clear it wouldn’t have benefited co-op members. In fact, it would have raised electric bills for the majority of the state’s cooperative members.

That is why cooperatives fought against the effort before, and why we will want

to see proof of what has changed that makes deregula-tion a better deal now than it was then.

A lot of things change over time, and some would say everything changes. But I doubt enough has changed about electric deregulation in the last 10 years to make it a good deal for consumers.

Co-ops remember their promises to their members.

Cooperatives, in the world of Arizona energy providers, are small fish—small in numbers, size and by nearly any measure used for comparison.

So, in this fight to deregulate electric markets, we play the role of David—and we all know how that battle ended.

Tom Jones, CEO, GCSECA

32 J U LY 2013

AZ-55 Postmaster: Send address changes to Currents, 120 N. 44th St. Ste. 100, Phoenix, AZ 85034-1899

BOARD OF DIRECTORSRyall Stewart, PresidentBilly Adams, Vice PresidentJoel Carlisle, SecretaryHarold Burdick, TreasurerPaul ElmoreMichael MachadoBelinda Hepler

GENERAL MANAGERKevin Short

ANZA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.P.O. Box 391909 • Anza, CA 92539

Phone: (951) 763-4333 • Fax: (951) 763-5297 • [email protected] • www.anzaelectric.orgOur crew is on standby 24 hours a day. To report an outage or other service problem, please call (951) 763-4333.

The lazy, hazy, crazy days are here. Yes, summer’s back.

You can tell by the balmy days, the singing birds, the symphony of flowers blooming and the chorus of air condition-ers humming their happy little tunes.

Apologies to Nat King Cole, who in 1963 sang “You’ll wish that summer could always be here,” but he didn’t include the cost of staying cool in his list of reasons to be happy about the season.

Check out our website, or call our friendly member services team for some harmonious hints about keeping your cool, while saving some cold hard cash.

Summer is also annual meeting time. Our annual report is inside this issue of Currents. Please plan to attend our meeting July 27 at Hamilton High School. This past year has been extremely busy and challenging. We have a medley of interesting information and electrifying developments to share with

everyone. You will learn about the future of our energy supply, discover how to save money with our new interactive energy-efficiency displays, hear from informative guest speakers, enjoy breakfast with friends and neighbors, win a prize or two, and get great discounts from our Co-op Connections businesses that will be on hand to share their wares.

On a serious note, I want to mention how important I believe it is for everyone to attend our meetings and to be involved in the democratic process of cooperative membership. This is the cooperative difference: membership, not “consumer-ship.” As cooperative members, we all belong to and are involved in an organization designed to benefit us by keeping our electric energy affordable and reliable. Each member is so much more than just a consumer.

A significant part of membership involves the right—and, indeed, the responsibility—of participation.

So, set aside the date, and plan to attend. You don’t have to sing in the choir to enjoy the music!

Join Us for Your Annual MeetingEMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES

July/AugustCongratulations!

Don Downing ....................7 years Katherine MacIver ......... 25 years Julia Salinas ....................... 6 years Kevin Short ........................ 7 years

IMPORTANT DATES

Annual Meeting ............... July 27 Labor Day ........................... Sept. 2 (Co-op o� ce closed)

Kevin Short

Find Your Account Number, Win $25Could you use an extra $25 in your pocket? We have hidden an account number in this issue of Currents magazine. If you � nd your account number, please contact the cooperative o� ce to get your $25 account credit. Happy hunting!

Manager’s Message

Look for the Anza Electric Cooperative Annual Report InsidePlease join us Saturday, July 27, for Anza Electric’s 59th Annual Membership Meeting in the Hamilton High School gymnasium. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m.

$

32 J U LY 2013

AZ-56 Postmaster: Send address changes to Currents, 2210 S. Priest Dr., Tempe, AZ 850282-1109

Board of DirectorsChairmanCharlie Curtis, Kiana

Vice ChairmanWalter G. Sampson, Noorvik

SecretaryPhyllis Clough, Old Harbor

TreasurerHelena R. Jones, Ambler

Robert L. Beans Sr., Mountain Village

Peter Demoski, Nulato

Fred Sagoonick, Shaktoolik

Meera KohlerPresident & CEO

Alaska Village ElectricCooperative, Inc.4831 Eagle StreetAnchorage, AK 99503(907) 561-1818 (800) 478-1818

AlakanukAmblerAndreafskyAnvikBrevig MissionChevakEekEkwokElimEmmonakGambellGoodnews BayGraylingHoly CrossHooper BayHusliaKaltagKasiglukKianaKivalinaKobukKotlikKoyukLower KalskagMarshallMekoryukMintoMt. Village

New StuyahokNightmuteNoatakNoorvikNulatoNunapitchukOld HarborPilot StationPitkas PointQuinhagakRussian MissionSt. Mary’sSt. MichaelSavoongaScammon BaySelawikShagelukShaktoolikShishmarefShungnakStebbinsTellerTogiakToksook BayTununakUpper KalskagWales

Communities Served

Attendance at the Village Annual MeetingWe are asked every year whether family members can “sign in” for elderly or disabled family members, thereby qualifying them for the $20 credit for attending the Village Annual Meeting. The short answer is no. The bylaws say proxy voting is not allowed.

It should be noted that the attendance credit is intended to encourage members to attend the annual meeting and to participate in the business of their cooperative.

The longer answer is, maybe. If the individual wishing to sign someone else in is a resident of the same household, then the primary member can convert their member-ship to a joint membership, thereby allowing that person to sign in and receive the attendance credit on behalf of the other person.

There are a number of conditions, however.An individual cannot hold more than one membership. So if you are a member in

your own right, you cannot be a joint member in another membership. An individual who is the voting representative of a commercial account holder can

also hold an individual membership or be a party to a joint membership. They can sign in for their own membership as well as for the commercial membership. In that situa-tion, an attendance credit will be posted to both accounts—the personal as well as the commercial account.

Joint members are jointly and individually responsible for all aspects of the mem-bership, including payment of bills. A joint member, regardless of how recently they become a joint member, can be held accountable for debts owed to the cooperative by their co-member.

Another frequently asked question is whether we can increase the attendance credit and door prizes to attract more members to the meeting. We did that just a few years ago when we doubled the attendance credit to $20, increased the village cash prize pool to $250 from $75 and started sending a box of door prizes to all meetings.

We now spend $100,000 a year bringing delegates to Anchorage for the Annual Meeting and more than $50,000 a year on the Village Annual Meetings, which totals about $0.25 per kilowatt-hour sold. Village chairmen report there have been no prob-lems in attracting a quorum for their meetings, so the board does not believe the door prize policy needs to be amended.

We are a better cooperative because of your active participation in the organization that you own. I encourage you to attend your Village Annual Meeting and to talk to your delegates. They received a follow-up letter from us about each community’s com-ments and concerns, and I am sure they would be happy to share!

Until next time,

Meera KohlerPresident and CEO

AK-105

32 J U Ly 2013

65 S. Roop St. Susanville, CA 96130 Phone (530) 257-4174 Fax (530) 257-2558 www.lmud.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident H.W. “Bud” BowdenVice President Richard Vial Treasurer Fred NagelJay Dow Jr.Jess Urionaguena

STAFFGeneral ManagerWilliam H. “Bill” Stewart, CPA

Electrical Operations ManagerDavid Folce

Electric Superintendent Cort Cortez

Business Office ManagerKeri Richards

Accounting and Finance ManagerMary Anderson

Energy Services ManagerTheresa Phillips

IT Operations Technician Nick Dominguez

Executive AssistantKaren Rollings

In case of an outage: If your electricity is offfor more than a few minutes, call 257-4174. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. After-hours and weekend calls are answered by a local service and immediately forwarded to standby personnel.

The board meets at 5:30 p.m.the fourth Tuesday of each month.

CA-106

Text Alerts Keep You InformedLast year, Lassen Municipal Utility District introduced the Text Message Outage Alert System. The system is designed to alert customers of systemwide or major outages via text message.

When LMUD rolled out the system in December 2012, we expected to have 300 to 500 subscribers. Today, nearly 1,500 customers have signed up for the service.

Fortunately, we have not had to use the system since the major outage we experi-enced during last December’s snowstorms. Mild weather and upgrades to our electric system have kept outages to a minimum. However, with summer here and the loom-ing threat of wildfires, the system could be put to the test once again.

We all remember the situation we found ourselves in last August. The Chips Fire burned through the Feather River Canyon and destroyed the main transmission line that feeds LMUD’s electric system, leaving our customers in the dark for a combined total of 12 hours in two days.

Getting information to customers is vital, but without power and access to normal communication channels, letting you know what is going on is a challenge. Typically, when the power goes out, the LMUD phone lines are jammed with calls. If you can not get through you get a busy signal, which can lead to frustration. To help remedy call-center overload, LMUD is working on providing callers with an automated outage message. The message will provide details on the outage and, if available, the expected time of restoration. However, you still will be able to reach a real person if need be.

The best way to get up-to-date information in a timely manner is to sign up for the text-alert messages. It is free to sign up and only takes a few seconds. Anyone with a text-capable mobile phone can do it by texting the letters LMUD to the number 69302.

You will receive two text replies confirming your subscription. Please do not reply to the return messages. Replies are not seen by LMUD staff until much later. Keep in mind the text alerts are strictly a one-way form of communication. We can only send texts; we cannot receive or answer them.

In an unplanned outage, LMUD will make every attempt to update the website, which will soon be mobile-device accessible. LMUD’s outage information link on the right-hand side of the website is linked to our news page and is the best source for current, detailed information.

If you need assistance signing up for the text-alert service, please stop by our office at 65 S. Roop and we will be happy to help. Or call the office at 257-4174 and staff will walk you through the steps.

32 J U LY 2013

Lincoln County Power District No. 1HC 74, Box 101Pioche, NV 89043

Phone: (775) 962-5122Toll free: (888) 649-3814


DIRECTORS President John ChristianVice President Ed WrightLee MathewsBob RollinsMike FoglianiSecretary David Luttrell

GENERAL MANAGER David Luttrell

Board meets the second Monday of each month

MISSION STATEMENTTo construct, operate and maintain a system which will provide our customers with electric service in the most economical and efficient manner consistent with sound business practice.

NV-107

Let’s Talk About Our RatesIncreasing electric rates is not a topic anybody likes to discuss, including me, but it is time for us to start a conversation with our customers on this topic. We review our rates on an annual basis, coinciding with the end of our � scal year on May 31, with a process used by the Western Area Power Administration to set rates for Hoover Dam. Based on the results of the review, we determine if a rate change is needed. Most years, a rate change is not required.

� rough e� ective management and planning, we have adjusted our base rates only three times in more than 20 years. � ose prior adjustments occurred October 1, 2007, October 1, 2004, and May 1, 1993. Base rates include our energy, demand and customer charges, but do not include our purchased power adjustment clause, main-line rate adder or Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program fee, all of which are adjusted annually based on formulas in those rate schedules. Base rates are our main source of funds and are used to � nance general operating costs of the utility. � e adders listed above are used for direct pass-through costs in the case of the purchased power and conservation fee or to fund a speci� c reconstruction project, as in the case of the main-line rate adder.

For this � scal year, we posted an operating loss. Our operating loss and the need to adjust rates is driven largely by two factors: purchased power cost increases and decreased sales. Last year, our purchased power costs were about $1.75 million. � is year, they are more than $2 million. I am con� dent that, although purchased power costs continue to go up, we have some of the lowest-cost wholesale power available to any utility, given our allocation of Hoover Dam hydroelectric power and our ability to purchase supplemental power on the wholesale market. Our energy sales have re-mained relatively constant until recently. Unfortunately, with reduced water demands of southern Nevada, the large water well operated by the Southern Nevada Water Authority near Coyote Springs is shut down. � is one well accounted for 5 percent of our energy sales. � e lost revenue greatly a� ects our bottom line.

As a public power utility, we view rate establishment as an important responsibil-ity. Changes are made through a formal rate-development process. First is a fore-cast of power sales, then an analysis of revenue requirements—how much money we need to operate the utility. Next is a cost-of-service study—allocating costs to customer classi� cations based on use patterns. Next comes a rate design. Finally, we conduct a public process to explain the results and solicit comments. Based on com-ments we receive, we revise the � ndings as appropriate. By the time you read this we are well into the process. Public meetings soon will be scheduled to solicit feedback.

I encourage you not to wait for a meeting. As indicated above, it is time for a conver-sation with you. If you have questions or comments about our operating costs, level of service or reliability, call me. If you have thoughts on how we should design our rates—such as our purchased power adjustment clause, demand and energy charges, or rates designed to help promote energy conservation—call me. � e viewpoint of the people we serve is important to me, our board and every employee at the power district.

—David Luttrell, General Manager

32 J U LY 2013

Escambia River

We appreciate the many members who participated in the 74th annual meeting for our cooperative.

We know you all lead busy lives, and you made the choice to spend a good portion of your day with us.

This leads me to ask: What was your primary motivation for attending the meeting?

I hope it was more than the great door prizes, and I believe it was.

As a member of Escambia River Electric Cooperative, you know we were created to meet a need in our area. Our first members knew coop-eratives offered the power to change the community for the better. And today, as an EREC member, you still have the power to improve the quality

of life for our fam-ilies, friends and neighbors.

Think about the impact electricity made in rural areas some 75 years ago. For the first time, households had running water and lights. Farm pro-

duction increased dramatically . Men and women began to live longer not having to work dusk to dawn at backbreaking chores. These leaps brought new opportunities for families and our community.

A few of you may remem-ber our beginning from your younger days. You know the power of neighbors uniting with a common purpose.

But most of you don’t remember when this area rolled up its sleeves and worked together to get the lights on—back when life

was hard, before cooperation changed the landscape of our community.

Cooperatives aren’t like other businesses in our com-munity. We’re not focused on making a profit.

At our core, we exist to meet community needs. Working together, we still are building our communities, bringing dreams to reality and giving youth a better future.

Cooperatives offer the per-fect tool for tackling tasks too big for one person alone.

We’re here to power our communities and to empower you, our members, to improve the quality of your lives.

As a member, you know this is your cooperative. You know your voice is important, and that you have the power to make a difference in our community. Thank you for the time you invest in your coop-erative and our community.

Manager’s Message

Members acknowledge that $3.96, plus actual postage, is the cost to publish 12 issues a year of Florida Currents (USPS-8300). Published by Ruralite Services Inc., 2040 A St., Forest Grove, OR 97116—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—the magazine serves the communications needs of consumer-owned electric utilities in Florida. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Forest Grove, OR 97116 and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Please send address corrections to P.O. Box 558, Forest Grove, OR 97116.

HOW TO CONTACT FLORIDA CURRENTS

Have a problem receiving your edition of Florida Currents? Utility members should contact the local utility office listed on the back cover. Nonmembers should contact Ruralite Services, P.O. Box 558, Forest Grove, OR 97116-0558; (503) 357-2105; email [email protected].

Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $12 (US) per year; $25 (foreign) per year. Prepayment required. Allow 4 to 8 weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify which local edition you want to receive.

Extra copies: $2 each, pre-payment required. Supply is limited. Identify edition, month and year. Contact Ruralite Services.

Reprint permission: Direct all requests to Ruralite Services.

MANUSCRIPTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

Please do not send unsolicited materials. If interested in writing for Florida Currents, query first. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for writer’s guidelines. Address requests and queries to Ruralite Services.

DISPLAY ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Contact Russell Green or Brenda SomesRuralite Services Inc.P.O. Box 558Forest Grove, OR 97116-0558(503) 357-2105

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© 2013 Ruralite Services Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Side Roads 10In the Kitchen 16Florida Gardener 18

Travel Journal 19Festival Roundup 22Outdoor Pursuits 24

Inside

Your utility pages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32

Also In This Issue

July 2013Vol. 2, No. 9

An Emotional Journey 12Cheering, flag-waving crowds greet World War II veterans at every stop on Honor Flight trips to Washington, D.C.

Clay R. Campbell

Time Invested in YourCo-op is Time Well Spent

J U LY 2013 3

The immediate response to thedevastation inflicted by the May tornadosin Oklahoma reminded me not only of theresilience of Americans, but also of thesolidarity between electric cooperatives.

Only one day after the tornados, wereceived notice from the OklahomaAssociation of Electric Cooperatives that arelief fund had been established to assistthe people living in the affectedcooperative service territories.

I was impressed to see that in lessthan 48 hours, fellow cooperatives acrossthe country were working together andorganizing assistance for theircounterparts in Oklahoma.

In light of this recent disaster, Iwanted to take the opportunity to remindyou, our co-op members, that FKEC ispart of national cooperative network thatstands ready to respond in times of need.

As a member of the National RuralElectric Cooperative Association(NRECA), FKEC is one of nearly 900electric cooperatives serving 42 millionpeople in 47 states. On a more local scale,we are one of 17 Florida co-ops thatcomprise the Florida Electric CooperativeAssociation (FECA). Our involvement in

these organizations means that whileFKEC remains independent, we are alsopart of a much larger cooperative systemthat is focused on protecting our interestsand sending help if needed.

An important aspect of thisestablished relationship betweencooperatives is our “Mutual AidAgreements.” These agree ments ensurethat co-ops help each other when help isrequested. Over the years, FKEC has sentcrews and supplies out of the area to assistother utilities as well as receivedassistance from other cooperatives.

In 2004, FKEC crews responded tomultiple requests after HurricanesCharley, Frances, Ivan and Jeannedevastated Florida’s electric system. Morerecently, several of our linemen made thetrip north to help restore outages causedby Super Storm Sandy. In 2005, wereceived outside assistance to restorepower after Hurricane Wilma.

With the start of hurricane season,members should take comfort in knowingthat not only is FKEC ready to respondafter a storm, but our fellow cooperativesacross the country are standing by as well.

SCOTT NEWBERRYChief Executive Officer

FLORIDA KEYS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC.Member Owned Since 1940

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

James J. BoiliniDistrict 1, Key Largo • President

Gretchen HollandDistrict 1, Key Largo • Vice President

Michael H. PutoDistrict 4, Marathon • Secretary

H.B. BarrettDistrict 3, Islamorada • Treasurer

David C. RitzDistrict 1, Key Largo

Craig BelcherDistrict 2, Tavernier

Frank N. Hawkins, Jr.District 2, Tavernier

George D. HertelDistrict 3, Islamorada

Karl M. WagnerDistrict 4, Marathon

CONTACT US:(305) 852-2431 (800) 858-8845 toll freewww.FKEC.comMailing AddressP.O. Box 377, Tavernier, FL 33070

Members Should Know... FKEC’s Live PowerOutage Viewer allows you to trackthe status of a power outageonline at www.FKEC.com.

J U L Y 2 0 1 3 W W W . F K E C . C O M

FKEC NEWS

Unless otherwise noted, “FKEC NEWS”writing, design & photography by:

Nikki Dunn • [email protected] by: Rebecca Callahan Newman

FKEC: Part of aStrong NationalCo-op Network

4 JULY 2013

FKEC-July-2013-FINAL_Layout 1 6/12/13 3:40 PM Page 2

Offices

Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday

26733 U.S. Hwy. 27 East/P.O. Box 519Moore Haven, FL 33471(800) 226-4024 or (863) 946-6200Fax: (863) 946-2150

214 SR 70 WestLake Placid, FL 33852(800) 226-4025 or (863) 531-5000

111 SW Park St.Okeechobee, FL 34974(800) 226-4023 or (863) 467-5111

POwer interruPtiOn numberMoore Haven ............................. (800) 226-4024

Phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. Please have your location or account number handy when you call.

bOard Of trusteesJohn “Jack” Coxe, President, District 8 Lake Josephine, (863) 655-3056James “Jim” Aul, Vice President, District 7 Lorida, (863) 441-0441 Russell Henderson, Sec./Treas., District 3 Ortona and Palmdale, (863) 946-0865Donnie Lundy, Trustee, District 1 Moore Haven, (863) 946-0402Barney Goodman, Trustee, District 2 Hendry County, (863) 983-7324Shannon Hall, Trustee, District 4 Lakeport and Brighton, (863) 946-3242Ladd Bass, Trustee, District 5 Venus and Hicoria, (863) 441-2227Lee Henderson, Trustee, District 6 Highlands Park, (863) 633-9281Irene Lofton, Trustee, District 9 Okeechobee, (863) 467-1219

The next meeting of the Board will be at 9 a.m. July 23 at the Moore Haven headquarters office. Any changes to this schedule will be posted in the lobby of all three district offices.

executive staffCEO Jeff Brewington CFO Jennifer ManningDir. of Business Development Paul McGeheeDir. of Employee Services Yvonne BradleyDir. of Information Technologies Bradley HillDir. of Member Services Margaret EllerbeeDir. of Operations Tracy Vaughn

FL-153

Improving GEC to Serve You Better

CEO’s Message

As a part of our continuous improvement plan, we have several activities underway I want to bring to your attention.

First, we are in the process of installing a new telephone system. One of the improved features of this system is expedited outage reporting, which you will be able to do straight from your own telephone keypad.

To work its best, up-to-date records on your membership account are required. With many of us dropping our landlines and converting to only cell phones, we often forget to update our profiles. If you have dropped your landline, please contact one of our member service representatives and update your profile with Glades Electric Cooperative so we are fully equipped to provide our best service to you.

While you are at it, providing your email for our files also will help us improve our service to you. This new telephone system will allow you to do more yourself when you call in, but don’t worry—we will continue to have our telephone lines manned by GEC employees 24-7. Check our website and Facebook page for progress on this project.

Speaking of Facebook, more of you are visiting and using our page. We hope you appreciate the information it provides. We are using it to report outage and restoration information. Soon, you will be able to follow our right-of-way maintenance program and our system restoration plan activities on our page, too. Be sure to let us know what you think about it.

Yet another improvement is the addition of new product offerings in our outdoor light program. Members now have available to them a 1,000-watt power flood and two LED light options never before offered in 106 and 285 watts. Contact member services for more information.

We also are investigating implementation of an automated metering information system. An AMI system will open the door to many new options and services for your convenience, including prepaid metering, which can eliminate burdensome deposits. This project is something to look forward to in the 2014-2015 timeframe.

Again, we will keep you posted through our website, Facebook and this magazine.

Jeff Brewington

32 J U LY 2013

Renewables: The European ModelLast month, I wrote about my high school buddy, Jimbo Bryant, and his questions about renewable energy.

My negative comments probably touched a nerve with those who believe renewables can solve the world’s energy problems, including global warming.

When I offer my opinion on renewables, I am usually challenged on why we don’t adopt the European model that has successfully integrated renewable energy into society.

So how is the European renewable model working?

The 27 European Union countries are required to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050 (compared to 1990). Achieving those goals requires substituting renew-able energy for fossil energy.

The transition will be nei-ther easy nor painless.

The European Commission that developed the stan-dards acknowledges the dif-ficulty and said, “There is a trade-off between climate change policy and economic competitiveness.”

The United Kingdom’s Energy Intensive Users Group estimates the U.K. renewable energy subsidy system cost 10,000 manufacturing jobs between 2009 and 2010.

Energy costs for U.K. chemical manufacturers are projected to increase 141 percent by 2020 because of

renewable mandates. The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change estimates a planned offshore wind project will cost $8,972 for each of the country’s households. The same energy could be pro-vided by conventional sources for 5 percent of that cost.

The commission further warns that 43 percent of British households will fall below what it terms “the energy poverty line,” with fuel bills taking up more than 10 percent of household income by 2020 due to the increased cost of renewables.

Spain often is cited as the model for renewable power. The Spanish govern-ment heavily subsidizes its

renewables program from income tax revenues. They still pay more for energy; they just pay through income tax instead of electric bills.

A study by the former Zaperto government found renewable energy subsidies had caused Spanish industrial elec-tricity costs to rise 17 percent above the European average. It further noted the subsidies had increased by a factor of five since 2004. Those subsidies cost 3.45 percent of all income tax revenues and have severely damaged Spain’s economy and industrial competitiveness.

Denmark is another often-mentioned renewable energy model with its large and grow-ing wind industry. Denmark has developed excellent wind resources, yet has the high-est energy prices in Europe. It has raised its internal carbon reduction levels to 40 percent by 2020 and plans to phase out fossil fuels by 2050.

Italy uses a renewable cost floor to set a minimum price for renewable energy, with subsidies to make up cost dif-ferences. The floor cost for wind energy is three times the market cost for electricity. A study by Italy’s Instituto Bruno Leoni found the subsidy capi-tal required to create Italy’s green jobs would have created 6.9 times more jobs if invested in traditional industry.

Germany uses a feed-in tariff system that requires utili-ties to buy renewable power

at a fixed price that covers developers’ costs plus a profit. Through that model, Germany has developed half the world’s solar power. The reason for this growth is not the effi-ciency of the resource, but the renewable energy subsidies.

Germany has Europe’s strongest economy. Will higher energy costs under the renewable energy feed-in tariffs erode their global com-petitiveness? Fritz Vahrenholt, head of the Department of Renewable Energy at RWE Innogy and a former hero of the German environmen-tal movement says, “We’re destroying the foundations of our prosperity. The cost of renewable energy is putting our automotive, steel, copper and chemical sectors at risk.”

Of course, renewable sup-porters insist that more com-mitment to and investment in renewable energy resources will make them cost-effective.

We have subsidized wind power since the early 1990s and solar for almost that long. They still are not competitive.

Aggressive renewable pro-grams seem to have only harmed European economies.

I would rather invest in cheaper energy resources that provide good-paying jobs and improve our economy than subsidized renewable energy programs that make some people feel better, but destroy others’ well-being. Some things just don’t work.

Gulf Coast

CommentaryBy Gary SmithPresident and CEO PowerSouth Energy

Lauded as successful, aggressive programs seem to have harmed European economies

8 J U LY 2013

Offices722 West Highway 22P. O. Box 220Wewahitchka, FL 32465(850) 639-2216 or (800) 333-9392 9434 Highway 77 P. O. Box 8370Southport, FL 32409(850) 265-3631 or (800) 568-3667

6243 East Highway 98Panama City, FL 32404Phone: (850) 481-1188

www.gcec.com

ceO/General ManaGerMichael E. White

TrusTeesPresident Kinneth DanielsVice President Gary Cox Secretary Eddie JonesTreasurer Robert ByrdDoug BirminghamJimmy BlackRupert BrownWaylon GrahamBetty Moore

Trustees normally meet the third Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. CST. The board meets at the Wewahitchka office in even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October and December) and the Southport office in odd-numbered months (January, March, May, July, September and November).

The mission of GCEC is to continually evaluate and implement technologies and seek solutions that fulfill a diversified memberships’ changing expectations for cost-effective, dependable utility services through a dedicated and responsive workforce.

FL-154

GCEC President’s Message

Celebrating IndependenceJuly is when we celebrate our nation’s independence. In the midst of apple pies and hot dogs, fireworks shows and parades, think about the independent streak that inspired groups of farmers around America’s countryside to band together and improve their quality of life.

Aside from President Franklin Roosevelt’s promise of federal aid in the form of low-interest loans and engineering expertise, rural Americans didn’t have much help in bringing electricity to their homes. They pulled themselves up by their proverbial bootstraps and did it themselves.

This independence not only tends to inspire cooperatives; it’s a guiding principle. The fourth cooperative principle, “autonomy and indepen-dence,” means that no matter what contracts Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative might enter into, we will always remain an independent entity.

Each year, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting becomes an independence celebra-tion. You vote for candidates to serve on the board of trustees, and we discuss co-op business. We share a meal and have some fun.


This Fourth of July, as we recognize the hard-fought war that created the United States, let’s give a tip of the hat to GCEC founders, who beat incred-ible odds to make life better for themselves and their neighbors. n

Kinneth Daniels

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative offices will be closed Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

Have a safe and happy holiday celebration!

32 J u Ly 2013

Celebrating Co-op Independence

uly is the time we celebrate our nation’s independence. In the midst of apple pies and hot dogs, fireworks shows and parades, I can’t help but think about the independent streak that inspired groups of farmers

around America’s countryside to band together and improve their quality of life.

Aside from President Franklin Roosevelt’s promise of federal aid in the form of low-interest loans and engineering expertise, rural Americans didn’t have much help in bringing electricity to their homes. During the ‘30s and ‘40s, municipal and investor-owned utilities refused to serve rural areas due to the cost of constructing lines over great distances. In order to get central service electricity, local citizens had to form their own cooperative: Peace River Valley Electric Membership Cooperative. Later on, our name was shortend to its current Peace River Electric Cooperative.

So, at a time when citizens were not offered electric service, they pulled themselves up by their proverbial bootstraps and did it themselves. This type of independence is what inspires all electric cooperatives and is reflected in one of our guiding principles. The Fourth Cooperative Principle, “ A u t o n o m y A n d I n d e p e n d e n C e , ”

means that no matter what contracts Peace River Electric Cooperative might enter into, we will always remain an independent entity. In other words, PRECO, owned by the members we serve, is not controlled by stockholders or any other body. We exist to serve our members.

This is why, each year, PRECO’s annual meeting becomes an independence celebration. Your board of directors — elected at district meetings the month before — are formally seated, we discuss co-op business, we share a meal and have some fun.

Electric cooperatives form a vast network across the country, from coast to coast. Co-op lines are strung in 47 states, serving 42 million people — a different world from 1935, when much of America remained dark. This Fourth of July, as we recognize the hard-fought war that created the United States, I’ll also tip my hat to the courageous folks — our co-op founders — who beat incredible odds to make life better for themselves and their neighbors.

to report power outAge CAll:1-877-282-3656

CorporAte HeAdquArters 210 Metheny Road Wauchula, Florida 33873 Hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., M-F Telephone: 1-800-282-3824FAX: 863-773-3737

BrAdenton offICe15105 59th Ave. EastBradenton, Florida 34211 Hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., M-FTelephone: 1-800-282-3824

IndIAn lAke estAtes17363 County Road 630Lake Wales, Florida 33898For your convenience, a payment drop box is located at the front gate. Payments will be posted on the next business day.

BoArd of dIreCtorsleonard CrawleyP R E s i d E n T

Bruce Vickersv i C E P R E s i d E n T

John martins E C R E TA Ry/ T R E A s u R E R

Hollis Albritton, Jr.A s s T. s E C R E TA Ry/ T R E A s u R E R

maruice Hendersond i R E C T o R

george w. millerd i R E C T o R

A. Byron newberryd i R E C T o R

samuel rawls d i R E C T o R

Harold schatschneiderd i R E C T o R

BoArd meetIng AttendAnCeAny PRECO member may attend a Board Meeting. Due to building security requirements and for us to facilitate attendance, members wishing to attend a Board Meeting should contact the Cooperative in a timely manner for logistical information regarding the meeting.

upComIng BoArd meetIng dAtes July 23, 2013 August 27, 2013 September 25, 2013

32 J u ly 2013

Randy shawGeneral Manager & CEOPEACE RivER ElECtRiC COOPERAtivE

I n 1 9 4 0 :

J A n u A r y Local citizens met to discuss organization of a rural electric co-op

f e B r u A r y PRECo was officially formed, board of directors elected, attorney hired, engineering firm retained, application submitted to Rural Electrification Administration (REA)

o C t o B e r first Manager hired, first REA loan approved for $96,000

d e C e m B e r office space rented in Wauchula

13-0098_PREC_JULY_Ruralite_final.indd 12 6/7/13 9:56 AM

Power of CommunityA Grassroots Program of Oregon Electric Cooperatives

8 J U LY 2013

Canada, H2O CanadaColumbia River Treaty is important consideration to your electric bill’s bottom lineElectric co-op leaders are committed to serving your needs and looking after your interests. Part of this job is to keep an eye on the issues in Washington, D.C.

A group of Oregon electric co-op lead-ers recently visited Capitol Hill to dis-cuss key federal issues before the U.S. Congress. Electric co-op leaders reminded their congressional leaders that the federal hydropower system is the economic driver for jobs in the Northwest, and that this efficient and renewable resource provides low-cost power with no carbon emissions.

They also discussed the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada, which helps guide the oper-ations of the Columbia River Basin for flood control and power needs.

The United States is negotiating with the Canadian government about the future of the treaty.

Why should you care? This treaty obligates the United States to send an estimated $250 million to $350 million annually in power benefits to Canada. These costs are borne by consumers who receive power from the Bonneville Power Administration, including your co-op.

As with any treaty, it is a complicated issue. Electric co-op leaders told Oregon lawmakers that any future treaty should have a more balanced approach and not affect power rates. This is one issue all of Congress should agree on.

We will keep you posted on devel-opments. In the meantime, we will do everything in our power to keep your power bill affordable, and your electricity safe and reliable.

Provided by the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association for its Power of Community members. The Peace Arch is at the United States-Canada border in Blaine, Washington.

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