Washington EMC Newsletter 14AFebruary 2016

Community Owned • Community Built • Community Builder

The Official Member Newsletter of Washington EMC February 2016

Serving members in Baldwin, Emanuel, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson, Laurens, Warren, Washington and Wilkinson counties.

TheThe

ect, which will produce about 52 MWof power, is expected to go into servicein 2016.“Washington EMC is pleased to

participate in this large solar project,which will help produce enough energyfor about 3,000 EMC householdsstatewide,” says Washington EMCPresident/CEO Wendy Sellers.“Solar production is a rapidly devel-

oping source of renewable energy inGeorgia, and our participation in thisproject allows our members moreaccess to this important new supply ofpower,” Sellers adds.

ashington EMC is one of 27electric cooperatives inGeorgia that will receive elec-

tricity from a new 20-megawatt(MW) solar generating facility dedi-cated recently in Jeff Davis County insoutheast Georgia near Hazlehurst.The ground-based solar facility is sit-uated on a 135-acre tract and includesabout 87,000 solar panels. This makesit one of the largest solar generatingfacilities in Georgia.The Hazlehurst solar facility was

developed by Silicon Ranch Corp. inpartnership with Green Power EMC,

a renewable energy provider owned by38 Georgia electric membership cor-porations (EMCs). The full output ofthe facility is being sold under a 25-year contract to Green Power EMCand will be distributed to EMCs par-ticipating in the project.The solar facility is expected to pro-

duce more than 43,000 megawatt-hoursof clean, renewable energy annually—enough to offset 30,000 metric tons ofgreenhouse gas emissions.Silicon Ranch and Green Power

EMC plan to construct a second solarfacility in Jeff Davis County. That proj-

Flipping the switch to sun powerNew 20-megawatt solar generating facility dedicated

Wendy Sellers, president/CEO, Washington EMC, and chair, Green Power EMC, third right from center, andother key representatives join Jeff Pratt, president, Green Power EMC, left center, and Matt Kisber, presidentand CEO, Silicon Ranch Corp., right center, as they flip the switch on the newly energized 20-megawatt solargenerating facility near Hazlehurst.

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Wendy Sellers,President/CEO

quick trip to buy groceries oreven eating out reminds ushow the prices for most goods

and services have changed. AlthoughWashington EMC works hard to keepyour cost for electricity as low as possi-ble, virtually everything associated withproviding our members with electricityhas gone up in cost.Because of rises in the cost of pro-

viding service, Washington EMC mem-bers will see a slight change in their ratesstarting March 1, 2016. It is importantto note that while many other con-sumer goods have increased regularlyduring this period, this is the firstchange to Washington EMC residentialand general service rates since June 1,2010.The Residential Service Rate 01

Summer Rate is going from $0.116 to$0.117 per kilowatt-hour (kwh) for usemore than 800 kwh per month. This isa change of $0.001 per kwh.The average residential member uses

1,115 kwh monthly. The change willamount to approximately 32 cents permonth for the average residential mem-ber during the Summer Rate period.

Making sure ratesreflect the cost of service

Rates to change slightlybeginning March 1, 2016

The Residential Base Charge willalso go from $19.50 to $21.50 permonth, a change of $2 per month.The base charge is a fixed amount to

cover the cost of the meter, reading themeter, billing, collecting and otherrelated costs of doing business.The General Service 02 (Non-

demand) Rate will go from $0.111 to$0.114, a change of $0.003 per kwh forthe first 800 kwh used. This rate will gofrom $0.100 to $0.102 per kwh for usemore than 800 kwh, a change of $.002per kwh. The General Service BaseCharge will go from $19.50 to $21.50per month, a change of $2 per month.The rate schedules for residential

and general service appear on the facingpage. Rate schedules have beenapproved for all classes of service. Theyare also available on our website atwww.washingtonemc.com.We are aware that members are

experiencing higher costs for othergoods as well. We are sensitive to thatfact and will continue every effort tokeep operating costs as low as possibleat all levels of operation within yourcooperative.

Washington EMC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WashingtonEMC

Washington EMC Newsletter GEORGIA MAGAZINE14B

258 N. Harris St. • P.O. Box 598Sandersville, GA 31082

e-mail: wemc@washingtonemc.comweb site: www.washingtonemc.com

Wendy Sellers, President/CEO

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mildred W. Jackson,Chair, TennilleJoe Taylor,

Vice Chair, SpartaMike McDonald,

Secretary-Treasurer, WarrentonMike Beckworth, HarrisonBilly Helton,WarthenJeff Lacksen, Sparta

Ken Vickers, Wrightsville

OFFICE HOURS:8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monday through FridayLocal (478) 552-2577

Long Distance (800) 552-2577

24-Hour Call CenterTo report a power interruption

please call:Local (478) 552-2577

Long Distance (800) 552-2577

Branch Locations at500 E. Hancock St.

Milledgeville, GA 31061

12860 Broad St.Sparta, GA 31087

100 W. College St.Wrightsville, GA 31096

Convenient bill pay options include:

Night Depository available after hours

On line bill pay at www.washingtonemc.com

Washington EMC Mobile App its Free,

simply look for WEMC in the App Store

or the Android Market

Pay-by-Phone by calling(478) 552-2577 or (800) 552-2577

APPLIANCE SALES & SERVICE CENTER319 N. Smith St. • Sandersville, GA 31082Open Monday through Friday

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Washington EMCAn electric membership corporation

®

AA

Current March 1, 2016 Amount of Rate Rate Change

Winter (October - April) Base Charge $ 19.50 $ 21.50 $ 2

First 800 kwh $ 0.0970 $ 0.0970 $ 0 Over 800 kwh $ 0.0850 $ 0.0850 $ 0

Summer (May - September)

Base Charge $ 19.50 $ 21.50 $ 2

First 800 kwh $ 0.0970 $ 0.0970 $ 0 Over 800 kwh $ 0.1160 $ 0.1170 $ 0.001

Residential Rate 01 Comparison

Washington EMC rate comparisonsEffective March 1, 2016

For bonus online GEORGIA Magazine content, visit www.georgiamagazine.org

Washington EMC NewsletterFebruary 2016 14C

Rate schedules for all classes of service are available on the Washington EMC website at www.washingtonemc.com.

General Service 02—Non-demand Comparison

Current March 1, 2016 Amount of Rate Rate Change

Base Charge $ 19.50 $ 21.50 $ 2

First 800 kwh (all months) $ 0.1110 $ 0.1140 $ 0.0030 Over 800 kwh (all months) $ 0.1000 $ 0.1020 $ 0.0020

ENERGY STAR® products help save energy. Buy them now at Washington EMC.

Washington EMC Newsletter GEORGIA MAGAZINE14D

Planting seeds for the futureFoundation grant supports community learning project

he Washington Electric Foun-dation recently presented a$5,000 grant to the Hancock

County Schools Gardening Project.The money will be used for a garden-ing project at Hancock Central Mid-dle and High School and will create aschool garden at M.E. Lewis Sr. Ele-mentary School.The grant will be used to purchase

equipment and supplies for an annualplant sale for the middle/high schooland create a garden with irrigation atM.E. Lewis Sr. Elementary School.But the gardening project is muchmore. It is a creative, agriculturallyfocused initiative for students tolearn to plant, maintain, harvest andsell their produce after school, as wellas during summer school.This program supports the cre-

ation of community learning centersthat provide academic enrichmentopportunities for children duringnonschool hours. The program helpsstudents meet state and local stan-dards in core academic subjects, suchas reading and math; offers studentsa broad array of enrichment activitiesthat can complement their regularacademic programs; and provides lit-eracy and other educational servicesto the families of participating chil-dren.“The vision for this project

includes establishing a garden at M.E.Lewis Sr. Elementary School and con-tinuing the gardening project at themiddle/high school with a spring2016 plant sale that is expected tobecome an annual event,” says LillieWebb, facilitator for the project. “We

will continue to build partnershipswith local and regional gardeners,farmers and others interested in agri-culture.”It is part of the plan to develop a

local agricultural council and to seekto establish internship, apprentice-ship and entrepreneurship opportuni-ties for the students.The Washington Electric Founda-

tion is funded through the voluntaryOperation Round Up® contributionsof participating members of Washing-ton EMC. The cooperative provideselectricity and related services tomore than 15,300 metered accountsin 10 east-central Georgia counties,including Hancock, Washington,Johnson, Baldwin, Warren, Glass-cock, Jefferson, Emanuel, Laurensand Wilkinson.

Bill D

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Della Smith, Washington Electric Foundation chair, front row on right, presents a Washington Electric Foun-dation check for $5,000 to Lillie Webb, project facilitator for the Hancock County Schools Gardening Project,during a kickoff reception for the project. Also present are, from left, Terry Nelson, principal, Hancock CentralHigh School; Miranda Wilson, federal programs director; Norman Hart, principal, M.E. Lewis Sr. ElementarySchool; and Charles Culver, interim superintendent, Hancock County Schools.

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