More Power

Four County EMC’s Mitchell Keel Retiring

Keel dedicated 27 years of service to electric co-ops

Keel (right) at a Poletop Rescue competition for NC electric cooperatives

Four County Electric Membership Corporation’s CEO Mitch Keel will retire effective June 30, following a 27-year career serving electric cooperatives.

“Working here at Four County EMC has been the highlight of my career,” Keel said. “We have a great board of directors to work with and very capable employees. They want to move the co-op forward, and that makes a big difference.”

A native of Eastern North Carolina, Keel joined Four County EMC in Burgaw as CEO in 2004. During his time with the co-op, he has focused on innovation and deploying new technology as a means of better serving members and the communities they call home.

Under Keel’s leadership, Four County EMC deployed an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) project, allowing two-way communication between the co-op and its meters. More than 200 miles of fiber optic cable, connecting substations and co-op offices, also improved communication between co-op systems and allowed for faster response times during outages.

Four County EMC and its members weathered several storms during Keel’s tenure, including devastating effects from Hurricane Florence in 2018. Nearly 90 percent of the co-op’s members lost power following Florence, and widespread flooding slowed restoration efforts. Building on that experience, the co-op recently enhanced a storm response process that includes partnerships with five strategic locations throughout its service territory – camps and community centers where visiting line crews can rest and recuperate during restoration efforts.

“With the unpredictability of Mother Nature, it’s crucial that we continuously improve our emergency plans to ensure that power is restored to our members as quickly and safely as possible,” Keel said of the initiative.

Keel has served North Carolina’s electric cooperatives on several statewide boards and committees throughout his career, including as president, vice president and secretary- treasurer of the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation Board of Directors.

Prior to joining Four County EMC, Keel was general manager of Lewis County Rural Electric Cooperative in Missouri for 10 years. He also managed electric utility systems for the cities of Kinston and Ayden, and was an electrical engineer for the Greenville Utilities Commission. He is a U.S. Army Veteran and was an honor graduate of the U.S. Army’s electrical engineering school. Keel also studied electrical engineering at NC State and earned his business degree from Mt. Olive College.

In retirement, Keel and his wife, Cindy, look forward to spending time with their three children and nine grandchildren.

“While we will miss his commitment and leadership, we are in a better position due to his many contributions,” said Four County EMC Board President Franklin Williams. “He has paved the way for the cooperative’s future.”

Keel at a Four County EMC annual meeting

Don Gatton Named Incoming CEO for Four County EMC

Don Gatton, who currently serves as Vice President of Human Resources for Four County EMC, has been named incoming CEO through a unanimous vote by the co-op’s board of directors. Gatton will assume the role July 6 following CEO Mitch Keel’s retirement. Gatton has served the co-op for a combined 13 years, both as director of Safety, Training and Loss Control and in his current role. From 2016 through 2018, Gatton served as Job Training & Safety Specialist with North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Olive College and a Master of Business Administration from the Florida Institute of Technology.

NC State: Hurricane Season Could Be Above Average

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season could see 15 to 18 named storms forming in the Atlantic basin, according to researchers at NC State University. The Atlantic basin includes the entire Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

That number would put the season above average, even given a recent redefining of what “average” means. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced its current measure for average, based on the 30-year period between 1991 and 2020, is 14 named storms, with three major hurricanes. The previous measure for average, between the years 1981–2010, was 12 named storms.

Of the predicted storms this season, seven to nine may become hurricanes, with two to three possibly being major storms.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Visit ncstormcenter.coop for tips on how to prepare.

Pee Dee Electric CEO Elected to National Board

Donnie Spivey, CEO and executive vice-president of Wadesboro-based Pee Dee Electric, was recently elected to represent North Carolina on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Board of Directors. NRECA works on behalf of more than 900 local electric co-ops across the country.

“I am honored to have been selected to represent the electric cooperatives of North Carolina,” Spivey said. “I look forward to serving as a voice for North Carolina on the national level, as well as gaining perspective that I can bring back and apply here at home.”

Spivey began his career at Pee Dee Electric in 1985 as a staff assistant, and was promoted to District Manager in 1993. In 1999, he was promoted to CEO and executive vice-president. He is a past president of the NCEMC board of directors and currently serves as chair of the Power Supply Committee. In addition, he is a member of the boards of directors of NCAEC and ACES Power Marketing. Spivey also serves as secretary of the Board of Directors of Sandhills Utility Services, Inc., which owns, maintains and operates the electric distribution system on Fort Bragg Army Base.

In 2013, Spivey was appointed by Governor Pat McCrory to serve on the NC Rural Electrification Authority Board of Directors and currently serves as Chairman of that Board. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Wingate University.

Spivey’s two-year term will begin with the adjournment of the NRECA Board of Directors’ 2022 annual meeting, currently scheduled for March 6, 2022, at which time Roanoke Electric Cooperative President and CEO Curtis Wynn will step down from his current role on the national board (see “Reflections on Two Years of National Service,” April 2021, page 6).

Donnie Spivey

Has it Been 75 Years Already?

Carolina Farmer first hit mailboxes this month in 1946 A lot happened back in June 1946. The Blue Angels made its first performance in the sunny Florida skies. The BBC began broadcasting for the first time since the start of World War II. And

Carolina Farmer—the precursor to Carolina Country magazine—was first mailed out to members of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. In 1969 we debuted our new name (see “A Look Back at 50 Years of Carolina Country,” January 2019, page 8). Through it all, we’ve taken pleasure in sharing stories about the people and places that make North Carolina home. We’re looking forward to what the next 75 years will bring.

Building a Brighter Future Nimble and Reliable: Natural Gas Plants

Most may be familiar with natural gas as an option, where available, for heating homes and lighting stovetops and fireplaces. But North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are using the resource for a much bigger job: generating power while helping to ensure reliability across the power grid.

The North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC), which supplies power to 25 NC electric co-ops, owns two natural gas plants. The Anson and Hamlet plants, located in Anson and Richmond counties, respectively, use combustion turbines — large jet engines similar to what you’d find on a plane — to quickly ramp up power when it’s needed.

Plant facts ■ Both plants came online in 2007. ■ Each plant has six units; the Hamlet Plant’s sixth unit was added in 2014. ■ Combined, the plants provide a capacity of 672 megawatts. ■ The plants use a 1:1 mixture of demineralized water and natural gas for fuel, a mixture that helps reduce emissions. ■ Each plant stores a total 900,000 gallons of water onsite in two above-ground tanks. ■ The plants are heavily automated, and can be run with few employees or even started remotely from on offsite control center. A reliable resource ■ The plants are used as “peaking” units, providing power during times of high demand.

■ Natural gas generation can also be used to supplement renewable sources of power when not available, such as solar on a cloudy day. ■ Backup batteries provide power to control the turbines should the plants themselves lose power.

The Anson Plant

Main parts of a natural gas plant

(Anson Plant shown)

Combustion turbine units

Fuel tanks

Water tanks Switchyard

Control building

Thermal Valley

Aerotow hang gliding with Sara Sardano and pilot Craig Pearson at Thermal Valley Hang Gliding

Sometimes you just need to raise your sights for a different perspective. There are plenty of ways to take to the wide open skies above our state — from hot-air ballooning and paragliding to hang gliding where the Wright Brothers launched aviation. Whether in the mountains, Piedmont or along the coast, North Carolina has plenty of options to get a view from above.

Dancing with the wind

Aerotow hang gliding and paragliding

In the mountains, thermals — rising, heated air — serve as your passage for flight. At Thermal Valley Hang Gliding (thermalvalley.net or 828-292-7473), situated between Morganton and Lenoir, the pilot for the tandem hang-gliding experience knows exactly where those thermal columns push up, leading to an exciting flight.

Owners Craig and Laura Pearson want to share their joy of free flight with the public, and hope some participants catch the flying bug and return for advanced training to become solo pilots. After a 15-minute ground school session on flight expectations, then helmet and safety glasses fittings, the passenger on this tandem ride slips into a body hammock nestled under the glider’s canopy and above the pilot. The tandem hang glider is towed into the air behind a light aircraft. At about 1,500 feet, the tow rope is released, freeing the glider to swerve and move up and down with the wind and thermals as fuel.

The 360-degree scenery of the mountains and foothills stretches to a view of the downtown Charlotte skyline on clear days. The quiet is punctured by just the wind and fun chit-chat with the pilot (and a few loud “woo-hoos”). Passengers also learn basic controls of the glider. The flight can range up to a mile high and lasts on average 10–35 minutes, before descending and landing on the runway like an airplane.

Aerotow hang gliding is “a way families can share a memorable experience and walk away with a positive feeling for hang gliding,” Laura says. And feel the freedom of flight.

Thermals also fuel the fun north of Wilkesboro at the Sky Retreat’s Blue Ridge Paragliding Center (theskyretreat.com or 704-907-6963). Owners Dima and Merin Sazinas have traveled all over the world as professional ballroom dancers and paragliders, but, thanks to Google Earth, found a home overlooking the Blue Ridge valley where their passion for paragliding (and dancing) could be shared.

Located at 3,300 feet, an engine isn’t needed for flight here, just patience (or “para-waiting,” as Dima quips). For a “butter smooth” safe

VisitNC.com

Powered paragliding at Kitty Hawk, Outer Banks tandem flight, a steady south to southwest wind is ideal. But that isn’t a daily occurrence. With the ever-changing weather conditions, Dima and his crew fly just shy of 100 tandem flights a year. He provides a two-week window to interested flyers, then a two-day notice once conditions look good for flight. When conditions are right, the tandem paragliding experience is worth the wait.

Once in the air, Dima and his tandem partner lift to about 3,800 to 4,300 feet. To go higher, he says, will give you a view of just the treetops. At this elevation, gliders go sightseeing at the nearby Cascades waterfall and to the Dark Sky Observatory in Ronda, as well as gain a bird’s eye view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.

When talking to Dima about paragliding and the freedom it provides, you notice why he has a passion for it. Dima smiles and explains that with every maneuver, the air is your partner, you are “dancing with the wind.”

A view of the Piedmont

Hot air ballooning

For a quiet, leisurely float above the verdant landscape in Iredell County, check out Big Oh! Balloons in Cleveland (bigohballoons.com or 704-872-7761). For the past 40 years, Big Oh! owners Charles Page and Kristie Darling have been taking folks on hot-air balloon rides to cross an item off their bucket list, celebrate birthdays, become engaged or even get married.

“People have so many fantasies about hot-air ballooning, and many different reasons for wanting to soar,” says Kristie. “Our rides feature smaller baskets — where passengers stand with the pilot during the flight — so the rides can accommodate two to three people for the one-hour journey.”

The couple can also coordinate rides for larger groups.

“Statesville and Iredell County are home to balloon manufacturer FireFly Balloons; we have about a dozen balloon pilots that partner with each other. We’ve had as many

VisitNC.com Sky Retreat

Ballooning over Candler

“During flight you’ll feel like you’re suspended in space, gently supported by a cloud…”

Paragliding near Wilkesboro

Kitty Hawk Kites

Hang gliding with Kitty Hawk Kites, Outer Banks

as 21 balloons launch at one time for group rides.”

Even if you’re not into taking flight, visit Statesville for the 47th Annual Carolina BalloonFest from Friday, October 15, through Sunday, October 17. That’s when the county celebrates the colorful sport with dozens of hot-air balloonists offering tethered and free-floating rides, plus arts and crafts and entertainment. The event raises funds for charity.

Sailing over the dunes

Hang gliding and parasailing

Coastal North Carolina’s fame as the birthplace of aviation carries on through the Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School, with multiple locations on the Outer Banks. Offering hang gliding along the same sandy dunes where Wilbur and Orville Wright took their first flight, the school replicates the experience in modern terms.

“We’re not just offering rides, we’re offering full-fledged hang-gliding instruction,” says Wolf Gaidis, flight park manager and lead instructor at the Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School at Jockey’s Ridge. “Everyone does ground school for the first 25 or 30 minutes, then we take them out to the dunes for a couple hours and several attempts at flying a hang glider.”

Harnessed-in students fly solo, launching their hang gliders with the wind in their faces, running along the dunes.

“During flight you’ll feel like you’re suspended in space, gently supported by a cloud — a wow experience — before gently landing on the sand,” Wolf says.

Parasailing is also available, providing a peaceful, bird’s-eye view while being towed by a boat below. For longer rides at higher altitudes, Kitty Hawk Kites has inland sites for tandem hang gliding, where a student and instructor fly together.

“The gliders are pulled up by an ultralight via a tow rope and when they reach an altitude of around 2,000 feet the instructor releases the glider from tow for a 10- to 15-minute ride back to the ground,” Wolf says. “It feels just like flying in your dreams … an unforgettable, dynamic experience.”

Renee Gannon is the senior associate editor for Carolina Country. Pamela A. Keene is a freelance journalist who writes for magazines and newspapers across the Southeast and nationally.

Tubin ’ the Tar

Go with the flow on NC’s lazy rivers

By Tara Verna

Tara’s daughters, Isabella (background) and Rosalina, tubing the Tar River in 2017.

Margarita Galvan

Most of the tubing crew (left to right): the Verna’s: Lino, Isabella, Tara, Rosa and Leo. And their cousins, the Galvan’s: Sandro (blue shirt) and Marco.

Birding chirping … turtles sunning themselves … feet dangling from a bright orange tube into water the color of sweet tea … kids laughing and splashing … a cold sip of a drink … the silvery flip of a speckled perch … jeez it’s hot! ... bouncing off the tube for a quick cool, dip … clambering awkwardly back on … gazing up into a canopy of kaleidoscopic greenery … oh, look! A heron! Ah, the magic of tubing a lazy river in North Carolina!

Something for everyone

I’ve been tubing down the Tar River in northeastern North Carolina a few times. Each trip has been a welcome respite from stress, the pandemic, daily life — in other words, magic. You’d have to work hard to be unhappy on a lazy river, as it offers something for just about everyone. My kids found joy in splashing and dunking one another; beaching their tubes on large rocks along the way for a picnic; leaping from said rocks or half-submerged trees to cool off. I loved watching their antics, feeling the pull of the gentle current and the water flowing over my feet — closing my eyes to drink in the sun and feeling goosebumps while passing under the shade of a towering oak. My sisterin-law took a continuous stream of photos with her phone, tempting fate by holding it over the river, straining to get that “perfect” selfie or action shot. My husband kept the cooler tube close, indulging in snacks and drinks and sun with a little too much abandon, until his skin was approaching lobster-done.

Although our trip lasted about three hours and only covered 1.5 miles, the Tar River is actually 215 miles long and averages 3–6 feet deep. It winds its way southeast, from Roxboro through places like Louisburg, Rocky Mount, Tarboro and Greenville.

In the past, it was used as a major route for tar-laden barges as they headed to the sea, hence its “tar” moniker. Today, it’s home to an amazing number of species that rely on this river ecosystem, including bald eagles, osprey, beavers, deer and more.

Loafers Glory Rafting & Tubing

Getting ready to float down the Toe River

Miles of adventure

The Tar River is one of more than 40,000 miles of rivers and streams in North Carolina, so there is certainly plenty to choose from. You can go it alone or rent your equipment from a company like Tar River Life (tarriverlife.com). Most of these companies offer tubing as well as kayaking or canoeing. A few allow children as young as 3, but most encourage ages 5 and up. They’ll typically have you park your car at the end point and bus your group to the start. After you finish, you’ll have a short walk back to your car.

You’ll find something unique about all of them. The Tar River trip offers a high bank at the end and if the water is deep enough, my kids love running and cannon-balling into the river. I love the stone, graffiti-covered wall at the end where we take our “after” shot, imagining we look like a rock band rather than simply drippy, tired and sunburned — but happy.

After coping with the stresses of a pandemic for more than a year, it might be just what the doctor ordered to capture a little vitamin D and downtime on a lazy river. Megan Greer, general manager of Tar River Life, finds her own version of healing in the river.

“As a staff, we tend to take the river for granted,” she says. “But after this past year, it has rekindled our passion to see people enjoy it so much — we feel so much gratitude.”

Tara Verna is the creative director for Carolina Country.

Plan your trip

With thousands of miles of river to explore across the state, there’s likely a lazy float waiting to be had not far from you. Here are a few outfitters to help get you on the water — call ahead to confirm availability.

MOUNTAINS

Deep Creek Smoky Mountain Tubing, Bryson City bit.ly/deepcreektubing | 828-488-6055 French Broad River Zen Tubing, Asheville zentubing.com | 855-936-8823 Green River Silver Creek Tubing, Saluda silvercreektubing.com | 828-894-2331 New River High Mountain Expeditions, Boone bit.ly/hme-tubing | 828-202-1981 Oconaluftee River Smoky Mountain Tube & Raft, Cherokee cherokeetubeandraft.com | 828-497-4545 Toe River Loafers Glory Rafting & Tubing, Bakersville bit.ly/toerivertubing | 828-688-9290 Tuckasegee River Dillsboro River Company, Sylva bit.ly/tuckasegeetubing | 828-507-2428 Yadkin River North Carolina River Riders, Ronda northcarolinariverriders.com | 336-244-6220

PIEDMONT

Dan River Dan River Adventures, Stoneville bit.ly/danrivertubing | 336-548-0080 Tar River Tar River Life, Bunn tarriverlife.com | 919-496-9237 Tubing rapids on the Tuckasegee River

Tubing tips

Leave your keys in your car, or attach a spare in your wheel well with a magnetic clip.

Make a day of it by arriving late morning. Bring your own rope to tie off of a bank for lunch.

Take your time and be “lazy.”

Rent a cooler tube. You’ll supply the cooler and munchies. But you can attach it to your tube and have a ready supply of drinks (no glass) and sandwiches along the way.

Rent a dry pouch for your phone.

Wear sunscreen and sunglasses.

Keep a set of dry clothes in your car.

Cousin Sandro leaps off the Tar River’s banks, at the end of our journey.

carolinacountry.com/extras Watch videos from rivers around the state to get a feel for what tubing has to offer.

Bad to the Bone

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Silver Sees 8-Year High

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The American Eagle Silver Dollar is the most widely secured silver bullion coin on the planet. Also known as the U.S. Silver Eagle, this legal-tender Silver Dollar contains one Troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver backed by a U.S. government guarantee. And if you’ve been watching the markets, you know that in the last year, silver is up, up, UP...

Silver Up 80% In Last Year

Take a look at this chart. Since the spring of 2020, silver has gone up more than 80%! And as recently as February 2021, silver has set a new eight-year high. This skyrocketing value has taken the precious metals world by storm. But what caused such a drastic increase in silver’s value, and what does it mean for you?

$28 $27 $26 $25 $24 $23 $22 $21 $20 $19 $18 $17 $16 $15

FEB 2020MAR 2020APR 2020MAY 2020JUNE 2020JULY 2020AUG 2020SEPT 2020OCT 2020$14 NOV 2020DEC 2020JAN 2021FEB 2021 Silver Trend Chart: Price per ounce based on monthly averages.

Uncertainty Drives Demand

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, the stock market crashed, then set new records; cryptocurrencies became all the rage; and the U.S. national debt reached an all-time high.

To pay back that debt, some experts are warning that the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policies may increase inflation—meaning your hard-earned dollars not go as far as they do right now. And in times of uncertainty, people often turn to precious metals to weather the storm.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Mint has also been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to struggle with producing enough pure, U.S. silver to satisfy demand. They’ve even had to strike multiple “Emergency Production” runs to keep up!

What This Means for You

Silver values are up, and silver is in high demand. In addition, many experts believe that the price of silver could continue to increase in the next 12 to 24 months. And while no one can accurately predict the future, there are two questions you should be asking yourself right now: 1) Do I own enough physical silver? 2) Which silver coins are right for me?

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JUNE 2021

Three ways to save on energy

Audit your attic and crawl space or basement

The top and bottom levels of your home can be the biggest sources of cooling and heating loss. Performing an audit and prioritizing improvement projects is a great way to make your home more energy efficient. è Attic Insulation: Make sure your attic hatch is insulated, weather stripped and closes tightly. In the attic, determine if pipes and ductwork are sealed, and close any gaps with an expanded foam caulk or similar permanent sealant. Check to see if there is a vapor barrier under the attic insulation, such as tarpaper or a plastic sheet. If not, consider painting the interior ceilings with vapor barrier paint. This will reduce the amount of water vapor that can pass through the ceiling, preventing structural damage and improving the effectiveness of the insulation. Make sure that attic vents aren’t blocked by insulation, and that the entire attic floor is covered with insulation with an R-value of 38.

è Crawl Space or Basement: If yours is unconditioned and open, you should have insulation under the living area flooring with a recommended R-value of 25. If your sub-space is enclosed with heating and cooling appliances and ductwork, you should probably insulate the sub-space perimeter rather than the living room floor. The insulation at the top of the foundation wall and first floor perimeter should have an R-value of 19 or greater.

If the basement is intentionally conditioned, the foundation walls should also be insulated to at least

R-19. Your water heater, hot water pipes and furnace ducts should all be insulated.

Use SmartHub to monitor your usage

SmartHub is a free app linked to your account that you can use to view your account status in real time, pay your bill, and manage your account. You can also use it to view, in a layout of your choosing, your energy consumption by hour, day, week, and month. Tracking your energy usage reinforces what activities and appliances use the most electricity, and looking at the current status of your account on a regular basis can help to avoid unexpectedly high bills. You’ll also receive high energy use email notifications. SmartHub is available at bemc.org or by downloading the app, and if you’d like assistance setting it up, please call (800) 842-5871 and we’ll be happy to help.

Take action, build habits

è Shoot the breeze Caulk and weather strip around drafty windows and doors

è Check it out Get your HVAC system checked annually è Turn it down Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees è Fill ‘em up Only wash full loads of dishes and clothes

è Keep it cool Turn off your dishwasher’s heat dry cycle, and air-dry clothes when possible.

Carbon, demand management, and your cooperative

If you’re wondering how potential carbon legislation and the pursuit of green energy might be affecting future power bills, I have some good news. On the facing page is an article about A Brighter Future, an initiative by NC Electric Cooperatives to achieve sustainability goals while maintaining reliability and affordability. Relevant to the conversation is our current generation mix, which is 55% nuclear and already reduces our exposure to potential carbon legislation. NC Electric Cooperatives, with BEMC in a leadership role, are taking proactive measures to make the voice of our local members heard in conversations at the state and federal level. Developing new ways to handle increasing demand is one area of focus.

Effective management of peak demand helps to avoid or delay building new capacity, which is a carbon issue. Nuclear, coal, and combined cycle natural gas plants typically handle base and intermediate loads. Peak loads are generally handled by combustion turbine natural gas plants, which are expensive to operate, might only be used several days per year and are less efficient than base and intermediate generation sources. In development are ways to manage peaks with batteries that generate and store energy overnight and dispatch it during peak. Demand response programs will remain increasingly important to lowering peaks, containing costs and reducing the need to build new generating facilities.

As our service territory continues to grow at 3% or more, we must work together, taking advantage of demand response technology and collective action to lower peaks. If you can shift your usage from peak to off-peak

times, signing up for the Time-of-Use rate option is a significant contribution to the overall effort. Allowing us to control your thermostat during peaks through the Ecobee thermostat program makes an important difference every month with relatively little Corey Thurlow inconvenience. Chief Operating And reducing Officer your energy consumption during a Beat the Peak alert is a way any member can make a big impact during this key block of time. Responding to Beat the Peak alerts also helps us reduce our wholesale power bill each month, so it’s important to take action every month when you see the alert, not just during extreme weather. We’ll be rolling out more programs in the near future, including a water heater option and additional thermostat programs. Behind the meter demand response technology is increasingly effective at lowering peaks, with minimal inconvenience for the members that participate. If you haven’t already, please consider joining those who help us all save money and delay building new capacity. And we’ll continue to work with statewide on your behalf, because you deserve A Brighter Future.

ember atters

This section of the newsletter is written by a BEMC employee or member of the executive team about a timely topic that affects you as a member of BEMC.

A Brighter Future with reliable, affordable, sustainable energy

BEMC and North Carolina Electric Cooperatives are can be dispatched quickly when needed. In addition, we are working together to provide A Brighter Future with increasingly integrating renewables into our already diverse powerful new services to our members. Because array of power sources as new technology, such as battery reliable and affordable electricity is so important to our storage, makes renewable energy a more accessible option. members and our economy, we’re embarking on new ways BEMC and North Carolina Electric Cooperatives are to preserve reliability and affordability while working testing and evaluating new energy solutions towards significant sustainability and innovative technologies that, goals. This means delivering reliable, with member participation, will affordable, low-carbon electricity over help reduce power costs and a grid that is more efficient, resilient make our sustainability goals and secure. We’re using new and a reality. They will also give existing resources to achieve members options to better our goals of a 50% reduction in understand and control their carbon emissions from 2005 energy use. The cooperative levels by 2030, and net-zero network is coordinating carbon emissions by 2050. We’ve thousands of resources— spent the last decade reducing our including solar, microgrids, dependence on carbon-intensive batteries, EV chargers, and smart power generation, and as a result, thermostats and water heaters in our existing energy mix is 55% members’ homes—to dispatch carbon-free. Our Diverse Energy Mix generation when it is needed and

Our early investment in trim electricity use during times of emissions-free nuclear energy peak demand. allowed our members and communities to benefit from the New technologies are allowing our members to play an lowest carbon electricity in the Southeast. To meet our goals, important role in shaping the future of the electric grid, and we will continue to prioritize nuclear as a key part of our making power more reliable, affordable and sustainable. And energy future, supplemented by natural gas generation, which that means A Brighter Future for everyone.

2030 TARGET

2050 TARGET 50% NET-ZERO

Reduction in carbon emissions from 2005 Carbon emissions

Warm Homes, Warm Hearts

Providing year-round utility assistance

If you’re in a position to help your neighbors during these challenging times, consider making a donation to the Warm Homes, Warm Hearts yearround utility assistance program. BEMC will match your donation, doubling the impact of your generosity.

The funds are administered by Brunswick Family Assistance and the Columbus County Department of Aging, who distribute the funds to those in need across our service area.

Donations can be made by mail to Warm Homes, Warm Hearts, PO Box 826, Shallotte, NC 28459. Please do not enclose the donation with your electric bill payment.

BEMC can make it easier to pay for energy efficiency projects

The Weatherization Loan Program, administered by the Rural Consumer Services Corporation (RCSC), can provide low-interest funding for your DIY project or one that requires a licensed professional. Members can apply for a loan up to $6,000 for residential projects and up to $10,000 for commercial projects. Terms can be as long as 60 months, and payments are included with your monthly electric bill.

Eligible projects include but are not limited to new heat pumps with a minimum 15 SEER rating, new electric or solar water heaters, ENERGY STAR replacement windows and doors, insulation of all types, and duct repair or replacement.

If you own your home served by the cooperative, receive a monthly electric bill and have two years of service with a good payment history, the loan process is simple. è Choose a contractor (must be licensed for heat pump installation) è Obtain cost estimates

è Complete an application at any BEMC office or at bemc.org/weatherization-loans

You will be notified of the status of your application within 24 hours. Call (800) 842-5871 with any questions.

A.

Over 2 carats of Verdant Peridot in precious .925 sterling silver ONLY $39

Save $260!

“Known as ‘the Evening Emerald’ because its sparkling green hue looks brilliant any time of day.”

— The American Gem Society (AGS)

Jewelry shown is not exact size

Ooh and Ahh Without the Ouch

Spoil her (and your wallet) with sparkling Verdant Peridot for just $39

Going over the top on jewelry doesn’t have to mean going overboard on the cost. We’re in the business of oohs and ahhs without the ouch, which is why we can bring you an e ervescent verdant peridot ring for a price that simply can’t be beat.

Its vivid and unique color makes verdant peridot unlike any other green gemstone. If you are looking to mark a milestone or make any occasion special, the Verdant Peridot Ring is all you need. is elegant ring features 2 1/3 carats of captivating verdant peridot in three perfectly-faceted cushion cut gemstones. And, the .925 sterling silver setting is coated in rhodium–– the world’s most expensive precious metal–– ensuring added durability and superior shine. You could easily spend $400 on a sterling silver ring set with peridot stones. But, with Stauer in your corner, the sky’s the limit for a ording the extraordinary. Priced at just $39, you can treat her to the Verdant Peridot Ring set in .925 sterling silver and save your money and your love life all at the same time.

C. B.

“Found in lava, meteorites, and deep in the earth’s mantle, yellow-green peridot is the extreme gem”

— Gemological Institute of America’s Gem Encyclopedia

Satisfaction PRAISE FOR STAUER PERIDOT JEWELRY guaranteed or “...absolutely beautiful. The picture your money back. does not do it justice. It is a real

Indulge in the stunner.” – S. C., Berkeley, CA

Verdant Peridot

Ring for 30 days. If you aren’t perfectly happy, send it back for a full refund of the item price. Limited Reserves. Don’t let this gorgeous ring slip through your ngers. Call today!

Verdant Peridot Collection

A. Ring (2 ¹⁄2 ctw) $299† ..................... $39 + S&P Save $260

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† Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer ®

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. TPR198-03, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

Rating of A+

• 2 ¹⁄3 ctw Verdant Peridot• White zircon accents• Rhodium-finished .925 sterling silver setting • Whole sizes 5-10 Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary. ®