2016 07 bre mm

JULY 2016

matters MEMBERSHIP

A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM BLUE RIDGE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION

now offers

Smart REBATES! Making life better!

You can get money back from Blue Ridge Electric’s Powerful Solutions Smart REBATE program when you purchase one of the following qualifying EnergyStar appliances or home projects!

Appliances

ENERGY STAR® Refrigerator (min. 15 cu. ft.) $ 25

ENERGY STAR® Freezer (min. 10 cu. ft.) $ 25

High Efficiency Heat Pump (16 SEER or greater)* $150

Geothermal Heat Pump (19 SEER or greater)* $250 Weatherization

Air Sealing*

Duct Sealing or replacement Insulation*

Building an ENERGY STAR® home*

up to $100 up to $100 up to $100 up to $500

*Indicates items for which you may also be eligible for a federal EnergyStar® tax credit in addition to the Blue Ridge Electric rebate.

Rebate forms and complete details are available at BlueRidgeEMC.com under the Powerful Solutions/SmartRebates tab.

Energy efficiency improvements can lower your monthly energy bill, providing cost savings for years to come.

Why not consider making an energy efficiency purchase now and maximize the savings with our Powerful Solutions Smart REBATE offer!

Powerful Solutions is a growing Blue Ridge Electric member benefit initiative of programs and services to help members save money through energy efficiency and offers access to innovative programs such as renewable energy. Making life better is the purpose behind Powerful Solutions!

BlueRidge_0716.indd 17

6/8/16 4:04 PM

the

O

We thin FRE help

perspective

Ene that usag mem lifes just fact best

From Blue Ridge CEO Doug Johnson

Keeping bills low:

Temporary rate reduction extends through December I’m very excited to announce that for the third consecutive year, members will see no rate increase from Blue Ridge Electric in 2016. In fact, a rate reduction has been in effect since December 2015 and will continue through December of this year!

This temporary reduction equals a 15 percent rate decrease. That means around an $18 savings on each monthly bill of the average residential member using 1,000 kWh. All totaled, members could save up to $18 million during the 13 months the temporary rate reduction is in effect.

Three key factors are helping us lower members’ bills. First, the temporary rate reduction has been a result of historically low prices for natural gas that is used to produce electricity by our wholesale power supplier, Duke Energy Carolinas. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, Blue Ridge Electric is happy to pass along these savings to the members we serve.

In fact, our wholesale power agreement with Duke Energy is providing the best overall value in the marketplace. Since wholesale power represents 60 percent of your cooperative’s Page 18

BlueRidge_0716.indd 18

expenses, managing this expense is the most significant way we can help keep your electric bills lower.

Secondly, your cooperative’s two subsidiaries provide income and efficiency benefits that are used to help avoid rate increases to members. The net benefit in 2015 was $3.7 million from our two subsidiaries: Blue Ridge Energies, which provides consumer and business propane, heating fuels, and gas products; and RidgeLink, which works with other businesses like hospitals, schools, cellular and Internet providers to improve broadband connectivity in our area and beyond.

Thirdly, through our internal WorkSmart program, employees have implemented ideas worth $19 million in sustainable avoided costs, primarily from efficiency opportunities and use of new technologies.

Giving members the best value while providing the most reliable electricity is a driving goal behind a cooperative. At Blue Ridge Electric, we’re doing everything possible to keep your bills low and provide great value to you, our members of Blue Ridge Electric!

Usa and Elec and Trac alon

Making life better!

Making life better for our members is why we exist.

It’s also the driving force behind our Powerful Solutions initiative: programs to help members become more energy efficient, improve the comfort of their home, and save on monthly energy costs. More programs are coming! Look for updates in this issue of your member newsletter and at www.BlueRidgeEMC.com.

MEMBERSHIP matters

6/8/16 4:04 PM

M

Online tools show members how to save money We can all agree that a lower energy bill is a good thing! That’s why it’s important to know about the FREE tools available on BlueRidgeEMC.com that can help lower your electric bill.

Energy Advisor is a powerful, customized online tool that helps members understand their home’s energy usage and take control of their energy costs. It guides members toward a plan that will fit their household’s lifestyle and energy reduction goals. Members can adjust profile settings as their household size or other factors change so that Energy Advisor can offer the best resources for available energy savings.

Usage Tracker replaced MyUsage.com in late January and provides a more customized tool for Blue Ridge Electric members along with the ability to send daily and high usage alerts via text, email or phone. Usage Tracker offers, at a glance, daily energy usage postings along with high and low usage and temperature readings

Your allocation is one of the first steps in the annual capital credits process. A refund back to members will follow next May if a capital credits retirement is approved next year by your Board of Directors.

at m.

rs

This information is especially valuable to our FlexPay “pay-as-you-use” members, but is also helpful to any member wanting to better understand and manage their electric consumption to lower costs.

Members can sign up for both of these convenient, easy-to-use services at BlueRidgeEMC.com under “My Account.” (Usage Tracker can be found under the “Account Information” tab at the top of the page or you may click “Launch Energy Advisor” for detailed reports that will help pinpoint money saving opportunities.)

Who hasn’t at times wanted their own personal energy advisor who can tell them — quickly and simply — exactly what to do to reduce their bill? Now, members can have their own personal “energy advisor” or “usage tracker” . . . online, anytime, 24/7!

Explanation of capital credits allocation on your bill

ur t.

ive: ers ent, heir hly ams ates

to help show how outside temperatures can impact heating and cooling costs.

Each member’s fiscal year 2015 capital credits allocation of the cooperative’s total margins is listed on their July bill. Members are not receiving a refund at this time; the allocation is simply one of the first steps in the annual capital credits process. A refund back to members would follow next May should a capital credits retirement be approved next year by your cooperative’s Board of Directors.

Allocations are based on the amount of electricity purchased the previous year. This amount is added to each member’s total, on-going capital credits account balance.

MEMBERSHIP matters

BlueRidge_0716.indd 19

Be aware that capital credits are not held as funds or set aside in an

account. Instead, capital credits are first used for expenses such as building and maintaining power lines, poles, and substations: everything needed to keep electricity flowing reliably to members. In later years, these funds are “retired” over time and given back to members in the form of a capital credits refund which has occurred annually since the cooperative’s inception.

Capital credits are a benefit of belonging to a cooperative. This not-for-profit business model is used by thousands of cooperatives to balance debt and equity to help keep member rates low. It also ensures money comes back to the local consumers using the cooperative’s services.

Page 19

6/8/16 4:04 PM

Loans for energy efficiency improvements Blue Ridge Electric is making it easier for members interested in energy efficiency improvements to improve home comfort and lower energy bills.

Through the cooperative’s Powerful Solutions Energy SAVER Loan, members may borrow up to $7,500 and repay it in installments on their monthly electric bill for up to seven years at a market interest rate. These funds may be used for home projects such as insulation, air and duct sealing, basement/crawl space sealing, or upgrading a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Under the loan program, Blue Ridge Electric staff will work with the member and local energy efficiency auditors and contractors to identify upgrades that will provide maximum energy savings. Interested members are encouraged to take a brief prequalification survey and find more about the loan program at blueridgeemc.com/energy-saver-loan-program.

Blue Ridge Electric is also working with community action organizations to help lower income qualified members make weatherization and heating improvements to their homes at no cost.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Doug Johnson

Blue Ridge Electric modeled its Energy Saver Loan program on successful, long term loan programs that have been offered by other North Carolina cooperatives.

See the Powerful Solutions tab at BlueRidgeEMC.com to learn more.

EDITOR Renée R. Whitener

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Susan Simmons

DISTRICT OFFICES

An Appalachian Summer Festival

Caldwell Watauga Ashe Alleghany Wilkes PowerLine®

(828) 754-9071 (828) 264-8894 (336) 846-7138 (336) 372-4646 (800) 451-5474 (800) 448-2383

The Avett Brothers

Toll Free

(800) 451-5474

Holmes Convocation Center, Appalachian State University Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

(PowerLine® is an automated account information and outage reporting system.)

(for members outside of the service area.)

To report an outage at any time, call Powerline at (800) 448-2383.

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday Night deposit available.

Visit us on the web: BlueRidgeEMC.com +

featuring

Thursday, September 8 at 8 p.m.

Adult tickets with Blue Ridge Electric member discount - $50 (regularly $55) Children’s tickets - $35 (17 and under) *All tickets must be purchased through ASU. Find a direct link to your discounted tickets at: BlueRidgeEMC.com > Community > An Appalachian Summer Concert Sponsored by: Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Page 20

BlueRidge_0716.indd 20

MEMBERSHIP matters

6/8/16 4:04 PM