2016 09 bre mm

SEPTEMBER 2016

matters Photo by Todd Bush

MEMBERSHIP

A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM BLUE RIDGE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION

Did you know. . .

your cooperative has staff available to answer questions about its vegetation management procedures and programs?

Converting rights of way to wildlife habitats Enhancing the natural beauty of western North Carolina while ensuring reliable electricity for members is behind a Blue Ridge Electric offer: funding to help convert rights of way (ROW) to wildlife habitats.

Up to $500 is available to members who have cooperative ROW on their property in wooded or other qualifying areas. The funds are to help offset costs the member would incur to remove trees and plant certain types of grass, low-growing shrubs and vegetation to attract wildlife such as rabbits, turkeys, birds and deer.

Members qualify for funds

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only if they contact Blue Ridge Electric’s vegetation management staff in advance and receive approval from the cooperative prior to the start of the project.

Programs like this not only benefit the environment and improve appearance, they also help ensure reliable electricity for members and give linemen a safe pathway when working on power lines.

For more information, visit BlueRidgeEMC.com, click on the Powerful Solutions tab and look for the “Environment” heading.

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the

perspective July storm: most devastating in seven years

As this newsletter goes to press, we have just wrapped up our response to the most destructive storm in our area, winter or summer, in seven years. First, I want to thank the 25,000 members who were impacted by outages that began Friday night, July 8, with some continuing through Monday evening, July 11.

and estimating restoration times were often impossible until we cut our way through trees to reach mangled wires and system damage.

Another challenging factor was limited assistance during the first day. The storm affected much of the state, so additional line crews normally available to us in I know it’s extremely difficult a crisis were dealing with to experience an outage of any outages at their own utilities. length. Your patience, kindThat’s why I want to espeness and encouraging words cially recognize and thank meant a lot to our linemen the 105 men from other who worked very long hours in very dangerous conditions cooperatives and contractors to restore power as quickly who worked diligently to help and as safely as possible. us recover. At final count, we experienced 92 broken poles, The extended outage was very 2,000 wire breaks, and lost unusual for Blue Ridge Elec59 transformers. Our estitric and so was this storm. mated cost for this storm is What was first thought to be $1 million (we have adequate a tornado was later reported reserves to cover this cost, so On July 8, Blue Ridge Electric’s service territory as straight line winds apit won’t impact our rates). experienced hurricane force winds, rain, lightning proaching 80 miles per hour. and hail. Over the course of approximately This powerful thunderstorm I am very grateful to our Blue 15 minutes, members watched as trees caused extreme damage in Ridge line technicians who were uprooted, poles snapped and power lines Watauga County and siggive their best for our memdowned leaving some 25,000 people in the dark. nificantly impacted Ashe, bers every day of the year!

Photo by James Bledsoe, meter technician Caldwell, Alleghany, Avery Storm work brings out their and Wilkes counties. best, and I can assure you it takes a special individual Linemen battled hundreds of fallen trees and debris to be a lineman. I also want to thank each and every to reach downed power lines and broken poles across employee who played a role in the restoration efforts. It our system. Repairs were extensive and often in very takes a team to restore power and deliver the very best remote, mountainside terrain where power poles had to service to our members every day, every season and be replaced by hand in some cases. Accessing damage through whatever Mother Nature sends our way!

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MEMBERSHIP matters

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Photo by Todd Bush

From Blue Ridge CEO Doug Johnson

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Photo by Todd Bush

e

For the best service . . .

Please contact us any time you change your telephone number, e-mail or mailing address. This helps us provide you with the best member service experience, especially during outages or when you need us. It also ensures timely delivery of important items such as your capital credits refund!

Renewable energy charge increasing The NC REPS charge on your bill will increase beginning on September bills.

This charge is for the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard law passed by the 2007 North Carolina General Assembly. It requires all utilities to generate and distribute more electricity from renewable resources and to encourage energy efficiency by their consumers.

While Blue Ridge Electric is dedicated to meeting the law in the most cost efficient manner possible, NC REPS requires meeting increasing stanMEMBERSHIP matters

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dards for renewable energy and energy efficiency, which in turn increases costs.

This year, members will see the following monthly charges starting on September bills: the residential fee will move from 75 cents to $1.08; the commercial fee will move from $3.31 to $4.72; and the industrial fee will move from: $22.01 to $32.28.

Expenses to comply with REPS will fluctuate annually according to renewable and energy efficiency projects by wholesale power providers. Increases this year are coming

primarily from our wholesale power provider’s 10 new swine and poultry renewable energy projects, which are required under NC REPS to be part of the renewable energy resource mix. Costs also reflect solar projects by our wholesale power supplier.

Your cooperative is coordinating efforts for cleaner energy from our wholesale power supplier and six percent of our electricity is now supplied from renewable resources.

That percentage is growing over time. As we work to positively impact North Carolina’s environment and energy future, our goal is to implement effective ideas while providing members with the best value.

Do you have money waiting?

To help our members and former members receive refunds due to them from the cooperative’s capital credits retirements, all unclaimed capital credits are listed on our website. To check the list, visit BlueRidgeEMC.com and click the “Residential” tab. Look for “Member Benefits” and click the link for “Unclaimed Capital Credits”.

Unclaimed capital credits are for those whose capital credits checks were returned to us as “undeliverable” by the post office. This is one important reason to contact us any time your address changes.

If you are on the list, please contact us, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proof of identity is necessary to receive the refunds.

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For faster service . . .

Self-help service options Thousands of members are using our self-help service options to make payments, manage their accounts and more! No more waiting in line or on hold!

Consider these easy options for your convenience: •

Photo by Todd Bush

Call us day or night to use selfhelp telephone options. You can make a payment, extend a due date, or check account balance.

ÂMake doing business easy and convenient.Â

- Blue Ridge Electric member

•

Payment kiosks at each district office accept cash, checks, credit or debit cards 24/7. Kiosks are also located at Harris Teeter on Shadowline Drive in Boone, as well as Scotchman Convenience Store at the intersection of US Hwy. 321 and Mount Herman Road in Hudson.)

•

Online account information and payments available at BlueRidgeEMC.com under “My Account.”

•

“Chat” online with us Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bank Draft and Budget Billing options are as easy as it gets! Sign up to have your bill securely drafted from a checking, savings or credit card account.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Doug Johnson

EDITOR

Check out Touchstone Energy’s

Renée R. Whitener

Kids Energy Zone

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Susan Simmons

DISTRICT OFFICES Caldwell Watauga Ashe Alleghany Wilkes PowerLine®

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

Toll Free

(800) 451-5474

(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.

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

Visit us on the web: BlueRidgeEMC.com +

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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It’s never too early to teach children about safety around electricity and responsible energy use. Blue Ridge Electric coordinates with local schools to conduct interactive safety exhibits for all 4th graders. Your cooperative also participates in community safety fairs to reach young people with critical safety lessons.

But if you’ve missed these opportunities, interactive safety lessons are always at your fingertips! Blue Ridge Electric offers the Touchstone Energy Kids Zone at BlueRidgeEMC.com > Community > Resources.

This is a fun, educational place targeted for children, grades K-5, to learn about electrical safety, ways to save energy every day and how to help their families create a more energy-efficient home. Touchstone Energy Kids Zone offers games, activities and lessons for classroom and at home. Visit the Touchstone Energy Kids Energy zone today!

MEMBERSHIP matters

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