Rural Living TRI-COUNTY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Building a Resilient Grid Delivering on our promise to improve the quality of life for our members
January & February 2019 Vol. 22 • No. 3
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Rural Living TRI-COUNTY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Vol. XXII No. III January & February 2019
Board of Trustees
Gary Fulford
Bobby Dodd
Catherine Bethea
District 6
District 2
District 5
Vice President
President
Secretary - Treasurer
Junior Smith
Donnie Waldrep
George Webb
Albert Thomas
Johnny Edwards
Elmer Coker
District 1
District 7
District 3
District 8
District 4
District 9
TCEC Staff
Julius Hackett, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Brewer, Vice President of Engineering Stephanie Carroll, Vice President of Corporate Services Eileen Herndon, Executive Assistant Darrell Tuten, Vice President of Operations Wendell Williams, Vice President of Finance Tri-County Electric Cooperative Rural Living, the voice of your member-owned electric cooperative, is published bimonthly — more if necessary — at no subscription cost to the membership. The publication team is comprised of TCEC employees in partnership with Curtis Media. Postage is paid at Blountstown, Fla.
Publication Team
Julius Hackett, Chief Executive Officer Eileen Herndon, Executive Assistant Kaitlynn Culpepper, Community Relations Director
Publisher
Curtis Media Michael Curtis & Staff Tri-County Electric Cooperative 2862 West US 90 Madison, FL 32340 www.tcec.com 1-800-999-2285
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What is Grid Resiliency? Resiliency of the grid is one of the most popular concepts discussed in the electric industry today. Resiliency recently made headlines in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria, which caused extraordinary damage to Puerto Rico’s electric grid, resulting in the longest sustained outage in U.S. history. “Lack of resilience” became the go-to phrase to describe Puerto Rico’s grid. Here in Florida, what does grid resiliency mean for you? Resiliency is many things — it’s reliability in your electric service, it’s our ability to efficiently restore your power, it’s being able to meet the demands of new technology, and it’s how we serve you with various generation sources without skipping a beat. Ultimately, resilience is how we deliver on our promise to improve the quality of life for our members and consumers. When it comes to having a resilient electric grid, it begins with a system that is designed and built to withstand high winds, powerful storms, cybersecurity threats, and other disruptions that could result in outages. A resilient grid is also flexible and adaptable by allowing different types of generation — such as wind, solar, coal and hydro — to seamlessly work together to provide you with safe and reliable power. The way our systems react to advancements in technology — from demand response investments to serving the needs of electric vehicles — all factor into the resilience of our grid. Resiliency is a 24/7, 365-days-ayear task. Whether it’s the power lines, substations or generation facilities on our grid, it takes proactive maintenance and investment to keep them running smoothly. With thousands of consumers without power for months, the lack of resiliency in Puerto Rico’s power grid wasn’t solely caused by hurricane damage; it was the result of years of
Julius Hackett, CEO neglect in taking care of their system and in preparing for a worst-case scenario. 71005954001 In a similar way to how we maintain our vehicles with regular oil changes, inspections and tire rotations, a grid must also be properly maintained. Throughout the year, we regularly conduct pole and line inspections. Our goal is to find a problem before it becomes one. For example, if we find a weak pole that has damage from termites, we replace that pole. Doing so ensures that pole is as strong — or as resilient — as it can be. Living in our state, we know that significant power outages can occur, especially as we enter spring and summer storm season. Whether we’re at the mercy of thunderstorms or hurricanes, we have confidence in the resiliency of our system to recover from the situation with as little disruption as possible. In the dictionary, resilience is defined as “the ability to bounce back, recover quickly and go back into shape or position after being stretched.” When it comes to providing our member-owners with resilient service, this is what we work toward day in and day out!
On the Cover Left to right, top to bottom: Cody Holden, Journeyman; Darrell Tuten, VP of Operations; Bailey Stewart, Journeyman; Kyle Fox, Apprentice Lineman First Class; Josh Thomas, Journeyman; Seth Ragans, Apprentice Lineman; Scotty Henderson, Journeyman; and Dustin Fletcher, Apprentice Lineman First Class.
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Employees Recognized for Their Years of Service TCEC appreciates the longevity of its employees and annually presents service awards to celebrate employees reaching certain milestones in their careers at the co-op. In addition to recognizing the achievements of employees, it provides an opportunity for us to reminisce about the organization’s history. In November 2018, 11 employees representing 185 years of combined experience were recognized for their contributions and dedication to the cooperative and its members.
35 years
L to R: Rusty Smith, Safety Director; Paul Burnett, Lead Mechanic; and Terry Dobson, Lead Apparatus Technician
15 years
Amy Straka, Lead System Operator
Left to right, top to bottom: Tony Stephenson, Crew Leader; Darrell Tuten, VP of Operations; William Carter, Serviceman; Clint Nash, Crew Leader; Shane Roberts, Service Technician; Rusty Smith, Safety Director; Josh Williams, Lineman Trainee; and Jason Hughey, Apprentice Apparatus Tech.
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20 years
Tony Stephenson, Crew Leader
10 years
L to R: Catherine Bethea, District 5 Trustee; Kisha Tolar, Accounts Receivable/Payable Assistant; and Julius Hackett, CEO
5 Years
L to R: Jeff Brewer, Vice President of Engineering; Jason Hughey, Apprentice Apparatus Technician; and Kyle Fox, Apprentice Lineman First Class 3
TCEC Assists Neighbor Co-ops Following Hurricane Michael “Cooperation Among Cooperatives” and “Concern for Community” are two of the seven cooperative principals that Tri-County Electric Cooperative employees put to practice during October and November last year. On Oct. 10, Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida panhandle packing 150 mph winds and leaving a huge path of destruction in its wake. Although Tri-County Electric Cooperative was not completely spared of damage associated with the hurricane, with the help of an extra 56 co-op lineworkers from Florida Keys Electric Cooperative, Glades Electric Cooperative, Peace River Electric Cooperative, Sumter Electric Cooperative and Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, power was fully restored to our members two days following the storm. Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, West Florida Electric Cooperative and Talquin Electric Cooperative experienced severe damage as a result of the storm. So, when the call for help came from these Florida co-ops in the panhandle, TCEC employees were more than willing to volunteer to work in this major power restoration effort. “We were thankful to find ourselves in a position to provide assistance to our fellow co-ops,” said TCEC CEO Julius Hackett, who witnessed first-hand the extensive damage to the panhandle region. Management and employees quickly assembled and volunteered to help wherever they were needed. From Operations, Terry Dobson (Lead Apparatus Technician), Jason Hughey (Apprentice Apparatus Technician), William Carter (Serviceman), Tony Stephenson (Crew Leader), Scotty Henderson (Journeyman Lineman), Cody Holden (Journeyman Lineman), David Wesson 4
(Contractor Supervisor), Chad Mitchell (Apprentice Lineman), Tom Rucks (Field Service Representative) and Shane Roberts (Service Technician) worked alongside others to restore the power to more than 51,000 meters representing 99% of the members of Talquin Electric Cooperative. Darrell Tuten (Vice President of Operations) and Rusty Smith (Safety Director) went to West Florida Electric, which lost power to all but 189 meters following the storm. These men assisted with the operations and safety of the 1000+ crewmen following the tragic accident that claimed the lives of three linemen. Engineering employees Steve Walden (GIS Specialist), Antonio Richardson (System Engineer) and Kyle King (System Technician), together with Finance employee Michael Haynes (Warehouseman), traveled to Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, where they worked and slept on cots in a warehouse. There, they assisted with material handling and inventory. More than a dozen office personnel from the Finance and Corporate Services departments worked in teams assisting Talquin Electric Cooperative with the organization and delivery of meals to the linemen, completion of FEMA paperwork, and even did the laundry of the linemen working diligently to get the lights back on. Those teams consisted of Kisha Tolar (Accounts Receivable/Payable Assistant), Kaitlynn Culpepper (Community Relations Director), Carol Timmons (Accounts Receivable/Payable Supervisor), Eileen Herndon (Executive Assistant), Andrew Pinkard (Human Resources Assistant), Sharon Booth (Fiscal Assistant), Angela Eastabrooks (Member Service Specialist) and Member Service Representatives Tina Wells, Candi Gray, Sandy Wilson, Robbie Coker, Keith Ruff and Lavonne Browning. January & February 2019
“We are proud of all TCEC employees: our employees who volunteered to travel and help our fellow co-ops, as well as the employees who unselfishly agreed to stay behind so that the business of TCEC could continue without interruption,” says Hackett. “We are all empowered through our ability to work together, support each other, and contribute to helping others recover following the storm.”
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DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
Engineering
The individual departments at TriCounty Electric Cooperative work in concert with one another to provide excellent service to our members. One such department is our engineering team who, daily, contributes to the collective success of TCEC. Five years ago, Vice President of Engineering, Jeff Brewer, joined the TCEC team. He has over 22 years of experience in engineering and information technology. Jeff provides leadership and direction 6
to our engineering team, which includes system control, safety, staking, system technology, and mapping. The department is in place to assure a modern design of the electric distribution facilities to meet the highest standards of capacity and condition. They work to apply the most efficient utilization of construction and operation methods, techniques and equipment. Crucial decisions are made around the engineering design table, January & February 2019
including new substations or line locations. While most of the analysis of the system looks out one to three years, the team also analyzes the system out as far as 20 years to try and determine the future needs of our members and to ensure continued reliability. One of the longest standing members of the engineering team, Steve Walden, started with the co-op as a Draftsman over 23 years ago. Back then, he recorded the location of poles and wire by drawing them on paper maps. These maps were copied and distributed to the linemen for use in the field. Now, as a GIS Specialist, he uses a computer to record the location of all the poles and wire from GPS points gathered in the field. These maps are then made available to the linemen via computer or iPad. His attention to detail is impeccable as the work he does is essential for the safety of the linemen and allows them to quickly locate facilities when an outage occurs. Kyle King, System Technician, has grown up at TCEC. From high school to marriage, and now he’s the proud father of twins. Eleven years ago, Kyle was working as a part-time dispatcher. These days, he stays busy designing and managing the system that remotely controls the electronic devices in the field. Known as the SCADA system, these devices serve to isolate power outages and restore power to the meter through electronic commands sent from the system control center. He also works closely with Steve by integrating system data into our mapping system so linemen can make real-time decisions in the field. He also insures our smart metering system is operating to peak performance. January & February 2019
Antonio Richardson was born and raised in Jacksonville, Fla., but over the last four years he has made Madison his home. As TCEC System Engineer, his role is to analyze our system to determine the power needs of each member and to ensure they are provided with stable voltage. He contributes to the team’s success in any way that he can and invests in his community through mentoring high school students and other community service activities. Collectively, this team works as a unit to design new lines for new members, analyze the system, and create projects for existing members and plan for future growth. While crunching numbers and analyzing and designing systems is core to the professional nature of their jobs, enjoying time with family and friends is what they all love to do in their spare time. Our engineering team’s ultimate goal is to make sure that the power is flowing safely and reliably.
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Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. Board Meeting Summary for Aug. 13, 2018
Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. Board Meeting Summary for Sept. 10, 2018
With all trustees, key cooperative personnel, guests and the attorney present, the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. was held on Monday, August 13, 2018 in the Tri-County Electric headquarters office building located in Madison, FL. Reports to the Board included those of the: Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SECI) Board Meeting; Florida Electric Cooperative Association Summer Leadership Conference; Finance Committee, Policy Committee, Building and Land Committee and CEO. Action taken by the Board included the following: approval of the Aug. 13, 2018, Board Agenda and the Jul. 8, 2018 Board Meeting Minutes; Consent Agenda Items as written and recommended by the CEO which included the WPCA for August 2018 as established by resolution; RUS Form 7 for June 2018; the list of new members for July 10 – 22, 2018; the Safety and Accident Report for June 2018 along with the System Outage Report. Miscellaneous items discussed included the District Meetings for District 1, 2 and 4; plans for the 78th Annual Meeting, and the Cross City to Steinhatchee and Scanlon transmission lines.
With all trustees, key cooperative personnel, guests and the attorney present, the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. was held on Monday, September 10, 2018 in the TriCounty Electric headquarters office building located in Madison, FL. Reports to the Board included those of the: Finance Committee, Policy Committee, Building and Land Committee and CEO. Action taken by the Board included the following: approval of the Sep. 10, 2018, Board Agenda and the Aug. 13, 2018 Board Meeting Minutes; Consent Agenda Items as written and recommended by the CEO which included the WPCA for September 2018 as established by resolution; RUS Form 7 for July 2018; the list of new members for July 23 – Aug. 19, 2018, and Aug. 20 – Sep. 10, 2018; the Safety and Accident Report for July 2018 along with the System Outage Report. Other action taken by the Board included approval of employee benefits with NRECA as presented; authorization for the electric receivable accounts, which appear to be uncollectible, for the appropriate accounting designation. Final plans for the 2018 Annual Meeting were discussed and a Certificate of Mailing of Official Notice of Annual Meeting was presented for the Secretary’s signature. Miscellaneous items discussed included an opportunity for Florida electric cooperatives to participate in a NRECA International project in the Central America region in the time frame of 2020 - 2021; and a review of the processes and procedures of other Florida electric cooperatives when assigning board members to the board of its Statewide and G&T association boards.
Gary Fulford Catherine Bethea President Secretary-Treasurer
BOARD MEETINGS The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of Tri‑County Electric Cooperative, Inc. will be held the second Monday in each month at 3:00 p.m. in the central office building of the Cooperative located at 2862 West U.S. 90, approximately two miles west of the city of Madison.
Gary Fulford Catherine Bethea President Secretary-Treasurer
Trustee Edwards Earns CCD Certification During the November 12, 2018 Board of Trustees meeting, Trustee Johnny Edwards (District 8) was recognized for earning his National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (NRECA) Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) certificate. The CCD program includes a series of courses focusing on basic governance knowledge and the essential skills required of cooperative trustees. The program is specifically designed to help trustees like Mr. Edwards, at every stage of his service, understanding his role and responsibility, keeping up to date on key issues and trends in the industry. Through the CCD program Mr. Edwards has obtained vital information to help him fulfill his fiduciary duty as an elected official serving on behalf of the members of TCEC. The Credential Cooperative Director is the first of three professional development certificates available for cooperative trustees. 12205001 Congratulations, Mr. Edwards! 8
Board President Gary Fulford presents Trustee Johnny Edwards with his NRECA Credential Cooperative Director Certificate. January & February 2019
Campfire Hobo Stew Recipe Cold weather and campfires with the family go hand in hand. Hobo Stew is a one pot meal cooked over a campfire. Maybe it’s the campfire magic, but everything cooked over a campfire seems to taste better. Ingredients 1 lb. stew meat, cubed 2 c. carrots, diced 2 c. celery, chopped 1-1/2 lb. cubed potatoes 1 med. onion, chopped 8 oz. button mushrooms, cut in thirds 4 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 4 pats butter 2 tsp. herb seasoning 4 tsp. water Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. If you’re taking this to eat while camping, do all your chopping before you leave (vegetables should be about a third of the size of the meat cubes for optimal cooking) and store the veggies and meats in individual containers in a cooler. Be sure to keep the potatoes in water (to keep them from browning). Marinate the meat
in Worcestershire sauce. 2. When ready to eat, divide the aluminum foil into four footlong strips. Divide the veggies and meat into each foil pack. Each layer should be salted lightly. 3. Top each pile of food in the foil pack with a pat of butter, ½ teaspoon of herb seasoning, a little pepper and a little water, if desired. 4. Bring the longer edges of the foil together in the middle to form a tent over the food and fold them together three or four times, creasing it well each time. Scrunch the ends in well to ensure there is no leakage. 5. Place the foil packet over heat on a
campfire grate. Cook for 15 minutes to 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your food chunks. 6. Serve right in the foil pack (when cooled) or transfer to a bowl or plate. Recipe Source: She Knows Chef Mom
March Board Meeting Change The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of Tri‑County Electric Cooperative scheduled for March 11, 2019, has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 7, 2019, at 3:00 p.m., in the boardroom at the Cooperative’s headquarters office building located at 2862 W US 90, approximately two miles west of the city of Madison.
To Report Electrical Problems or Outages Please Call:
850-973-2285 or 1-800-999-2285 24-HOUR SERVICE THANK YOU
January & February 2019
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Is your hot water tank warm to the touch? Consider insulating it to save 7 to 16 percent annually on water heating costs. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Source: energy.gov 9
This Publication’s Inspirational Moment “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I was up, you are still with me.” Psalm 139:17 & 18 (NLT)
Holiday Schedule Reminder All Tri-County Electric offices will be closed Jan. 21, 2019, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. Cooperative personnel are available 24 hours a day at 1-800999-2285. Crews will be on standby. To manage your TCEC account, visit www. tcec.com or download the TCEC mobile app.
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January & February 2019
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. is the recipient of federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs), shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of this organization’s programs or activities. The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance efforts is H. Julius Hackett, CEO. Any individual, or specific class of individuals, who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination may obtain further information about the statutes and regulations listed above from and/or file a written complaint with this organization; or the USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible.
GET SMART ABOUT ENERGY SAVINGS “Smart” devices and appliances save time and offer convenience – but not all save energy. The guide below shows how several trendy smart home technologies stack up when it comes to energy savings.
Smart Energy Savers • Thermostats
• Pool pumps
• Washing machines and dryers
• Air conditioners
• Dishwashers
• Light bulbs and fixtures
• EV charging stations
• Power strips
Just Smart • Virtual assistants (like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple HomeKit)
• Smart alarms • Smart video security cameras
• Smart locks
Find Your Hidden Account Number & Get a $150 Bill Credit! Hidden somewhere in this issue of Tri-County Rural Living are two member account numbers. Look carefully, one might be yours. If you find your account number exactly as it appears on your bill for electric service, we’ll credit your bill up to the amount of $150!* You have until Feb. 28, 2019, to claim your credit by calling TCEC representative Carol Timmons at Ext. 203, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You must contact TCEC before the deadline to collect your prize. Congratulations to last issue’s winners: Lyndsey Jackson, Shady Grove, FL Sonja Moseley, Wacissa, FL * Total credit on bill will not exceed $150. This one-time credit is valid only on the current balance. Any balance remaining after the $150 applied credit is the member’s responsibility.
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Don’t be left OUTSIDE in the DARK! To report an inoperative or malfunctioning outdoor light on Tri-County Electric Cooperative lines, call 850.973.2285 or toll free at 1.800.999.2285. When reporting the problem, please have the following: 1. Your contact information; name, address, phone & account number. 2. Specific street address where the outdoor light is located or the six digit pole number. If there is more than one light in the area please identify which light. 3. A detailed description of the type of problem you are experiencing with your outdoor light.
Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. 2862 West US 90 Madison, FL 32340
