On the House

F • JANUARY 2022 • TIDELAND TOPICS • CAROLINA COUNTRY

Message to members

You asked. We answer.

by PAUL SPRUILL

GENERAL MANAGER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

While rare, Tideland must occasionally conduct large-scale planned outages. When the duration of a planned outage is long enough, and impacts enough members, we try to conduct the outage overnight. In fact, we did just that in the early morning hours of November 18 when we took a Washington substation outage to move members to a newly rebuilt circuit.

Several members asked why we conduct these outages after dark. The primary reason is that electric system load (demand) is typically low in the wee hours of the morning as long as outdoor temperatures are mild. This underutilization of electricity facilitates prompt power restoration once the planned outage concludes without the risk of overloading individual transformers.

Overnight planned outages are also less disruptive of memberowned businesses, the vast majority of which do not have third shift operations. Our hope is that most Tideland members will in fact sleep through the outage and then wake up on time to start a new day thanks to backup alarm clocks.

Thanks to good planning, communication and teamwork, these outages generally conclude in less time than allocated. We allowed a 4-hour window for the November 18 outage, but it concluded in two. No one was happier about that than our crews.

RIVER CITY CONSTRUCTION CREWS INSTALL CAISSONS AND DUCTILE POLES ALONG BROAD CREEK ROAD IN WASHINGTON. JIM CHRISMAN PHOTOS

Andy Midyette Retires

On Friday, November 12, line superintendent Andy Midyette turned off the lights as he departed his Engelhard office for the last time. Flipping that switch back on and any other switch on Tideland’s system will now be someone else’s job and Andy won’t miss that part.

“It’s stressful,” Andy said. “This is a 24/7 business, 365 days a year. Even when you’re not ‘on call’ you know the call can come at any time. Fortunately, I shared all those calls with a great team. I honestly couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with from top to bottom.” And it’s a 32-year story that almost didn’t have a beginning.

Born and raised in Engelhard, Andy worked for NAPA Auto Parts nearly a decade. At age 30, he decided he didn’t want to spend another year stuck indoors. but he also wasn’t drawn to the county’s two most popular outdoor jobs: farming and fishing. So Andy moved to Virginia to explore other interests. Before he left he applied for a warehouseman position at Tideland. Four months later, the late Waverly Bond called to see if he was still interested in the job. The rest is history. Andy climbed the ranks ultimately serving in every operational role in the Engelhard district.

Andy reported for duty at the co-op in September 1989, the same month Hurriane Hugo hit. Fourteen Septembers later, Andy would live and work through his most memorable storm: Hurricane Isabel. “I never worried in the aftermath of a big storm because you know you won’t be working it alone,” Andy said. “Help is on the way and lots of it.”

What does the next chapter look like for Andy? He’s building a new home, just purchased an electric assist bicycle, and, with no more co-op phone calls to answer, he’s even eyeing a trip to Europe. The future is bright.

spaceHeater

Continued from Page B • If the breaker trips, don’t ignore the warning. The circuit could be damaged or undersized for space heater use. • Position the space heater away from the electrical outlet to prevent hot air from blowing back on the outlet, which will further compromise outlet wiring. • If you see burn marks on the outlet discontinue use of the outlet and call an electrician. • Never leave a space heater underattended. microgridProjectContinued from Page E discuss the unique challenges presented by Lithium-Ion battery packs. Phase II of the project is set to begin this spring with installation of a microgrid controller that will expand the project’s capabilities to include utlization of the facility’s existing backup diesel generators. www.tidelandemc.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

J. Douglas Brinson, President Clifton Paul, Vice President Mark Carawan, Secretary David Ipock, Treasurer Rudy Austin, Garry Jordan, Dawson Pugh, Paul Sasnett, Wayne Sawyer & Charles Slade

GENERAL MANAGER & CEO

Paul Spruill

EDITOR

Heidi Jernigan Smith

Member Service

252.943.3046 800.637.1079

24 Hour Outage Reporting & Automated Services

252.944.2400 800.882.1001

Tideland EMC is an equal opportunity provider & employer

Holiday

Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps

Closing

Our offices will be closed DecemHoliday ber 31. Our 24-hour call center Closing will be fully staffed for outage reporting and account manageOur offices will be closed ment. December 24 and 25 as well as January 1. Our 24-hour call center will 2 22 be fully staffed for outage reporting and account management. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Winter Reminder Remove window air conditioning units so windows can be properly closed.

Winter Energy Efficiency Crossword

Did you know there are several ways you can fight the winter chill and save energy at home? Complete the crossword puzzle below to learn how to save energy during winter months.

1 Down: Open curtains and blinds during the day to allow in to warm your home.

2 Across: If you have a at home, ask an adult to close the flue when a fire is not burning.

3 Down: Unplug phone and tablet when they’re not in use.

4 Across: Instead of turning up the thermostat, wear additional layers of to stay warm.

5 Down: Always turn off when you leave a room.

6 Across: Ask an adult to check the for your home’s heating system. This should be replaced regularly.

1.

2. 3.

4. 5.

6.

air filter6 Across: 5 Down: lights

clothing 3 Down: chargers 4 Across:

Fueling School Days

Egg-cellent fare will get kids cracking

Affordable and easy to prepare, eggs are a key ingredient for successful days in the classroom. They keep kids full and energized to conquer school days.

As one of the only foods that naturally have vitamin D, eggs offer a nutrient critical for building strong bones. Eggs also help the body absorb nutrients like vitamin E and carotenoids that are found in plant foods, making them a perfect partner for veggies. Additionally, they’re one of the best sources of choline, critical for brain health and development at every age and stage.

What’s more, between learning and down time, many kids spend a lot of hours in front of electronic screens. The lutein and zeaxanthin found in egg yolks can help protect their eyes from harmful blue light.

These recipes are easy to prepare ahead of time. To find additional egg recipes, search #ProteinPrepSchool on social media or visit incredibleegg.org.

— FamilyFeatures.com

Veggie and Cheese Frittata Fingers

Nonstick cooking spray 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup red bell pepper, diced ½ cup yellow onion, diced ½ cup zucchini, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped 12 large eggs 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, then sauté bell pepper, onion and zucchini until tender. Add garlic and spinach; cook until wilted.

In bowl, beat eggs then add sautéed vegetables, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish.

Bake 25–30 minutes until fully set. Allow to cool.

Cut into seven strips, then cut down the middle to create 14 pieces.

Refrigerate leftovers in airtight container up to 4 days.

To freeze, place cooled frittata fingers in freezer bag and lay flat until frozen. When ready to eat, microwave 60–90 seconds, or until warmed.

Yield: 4 servings Broccoli and Cheddar Quinoa Bites

Nonstick cooking spray 10 large eggs 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup cooked quinoa* 1 cup tomatoes, quartered ½ cup finely chopped broccoli florets ½ cup finely chopped cauliflower florets 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil or coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, crack eggs. Whisk until well combined. Stir in cheese, cooked quinoa, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and basil, if desired, until well combined.

Use a ¼-cup measuring cup to divide mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake 16–18 minutes until eggs are set. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Refrigerate leftovers up to three days or freeze up to one month.

Yield: 6 servings

*Note: Quinoa, pronounced “keen-wah,” is a good source of protein, minerals and vitamins. It’s usually found near the rice in grocery stores. It is soft and a bit fluffy when cooked.

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