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Cold weather is coming Tips to manage winter bills Higher bills can result from heating as well as increased use of lighting since more time is spent indoors as the days get shorter. To manage your winter electric bills, Blue Ridge Energy offers these following tips: Be energy efficient. Simple steps help! Set your thermostats to the lowest comfortable level. Open curtains on sunny days to let in natural heat; close them at night. Only run full loads in dishwashers. Use cold water for washing clothes. Limit shower times to reduce hot water usage. Turn off unnecessary lights. Try FlexPay. You control your payment schedule and amounts with FlexPay! Pay for your usage by phone, kiosk or online. No late fees or deposits, but you must maintain a positive account balance to keep electricity flowing. Use Budget Billing. Equalize your payments for 11 months. In the 12th month, your account is “evened up” with a final payment billed or credit applied. Help in paying your bill: •
Be sure to contact your local social services agency for special assistance options, including Operation Round Up® or state and federal crisis assistance programs.
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You can also call Blue Ridge Energy to set up a payment arrangement plan.
Free to members: Usage Tracker! This daily electricity tracker alerts you to high electricity usage, which can help you avoid a high bill! Go to BlueRidgeEnergy.com > My Account > Usage Tracker or click “Usage Details” on the Blue Ridge mobile app to monitor your daily usage.
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THE
Perspective How member s benefit f rom our subsidiaries
From Blue Ridge CEO Doug Johnson
When your cooperative first diversified in 1998 by adding a propane and fuels subsidiary, which we operate under the shared market name of Blue Ridge Energy, it was to benefit members and keep your bills as low as possible. That was also the goal when we added a second subsidiary in 2009: RidgeLink, which leases high-capacity fiber to broadband and wireless service providers.
used for crisis heating assistance and community grants to improve health care, education, elder services, youth services and more.
Our subsidiaries are benefitting members and the customers they serve in several important ways.
Our Propane and Fuels subsidiary also leases space to provide showrooms in each of the cooperative’s district offices where you can visit to receive expert advice and purchase products such as fireplaces and gas logs, space heaters, water heaters, outdoor fire tables, patio heaters, grills, outdoor furniture and more!
In addition to providing local jobs to strengthen the economy in our service area, profits earned by the subsidiaries are used to keep your electric bills as low as possible. This is especially helpful during this period of rising costs – if we didn’t have the subsidiaries, we would have to pass along more costs to members and rates would be higher. In 2021, our subsidiary companies produced a combined net benefit of $4 million to the cooperative. The subsidiaries have produced a benefit for many years and it continues to grow. Of importance for members to know is this helps keep member rates stable and as low as possible! Our subsidiaries also benefit local communities through their contributions. Last year, Propane and Fuels and RidgeLink donated $50,000 to the Members Foundation to be
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Propane and Fuels also benefits communities by donating to local breast cancer related organizations. Since 2013, over $109,000 has been donated through our Pink Truck program “Fueling the Fight” against breast cancer.
As members, it’s important for you to know about your subsidiary companies. We hope you join us in our excitement to pursue continued growth in order to increase subsidiary benefits to you and all members by helping keep rates as low as possible and contributing to the local quality of life in our communities.
Visit your local Blue Ridge Energy showroom today! Talk to one of our energy experts about the home and hearth products available for your home’s comfort and beauty.
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Outdoor lighting: security and beauty
Ridge hnson
Outdoor lighting available from Blue Ridge Energy can enhance the safety, curb appeal, and landscaping of your home! Select from a variety of lighting styles, including LED options. Outdoor security lights can be added to your monthly electric bill. For more information, visitblueridgeenergy.com/outdoor-lighting.
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 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). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http:// www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form.To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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Your input matters! Blue Ridge Energy conducts regular surveys to gauge member satisfaction with the cooperative’s service. If you are selected to be surveyed, we strongly encourage you to take time to let us know how we’re doing and if we can improve service to you in any way. As one part of our survey methods, Blue Ridge Energy partners with Cooperative Insights and Data Decisions Group to send an email survey to a sampling of members each month. So, watch for an email from CooperativeSurveys@ddgvips.com. Through this partnership, cooperatives across the country compare satisfaction scores and learn from each other on opportunities to improve service to members. Over the years, Blue Ridge Energy has consistently ranked among the top in the nation for providing the best member service. We want to continue providing that excellent service as your needs change with the times. Your survey response will help us do that!
Because these are sent by email, it’s important that we have your most current email address on file. See this month’s Carolina Country cover wrap for a contest currently underway. Simply give us your email address or confirm that the email address on file is correct before Monday, Dec. 5. Then, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $250 gift card! You can provide or update your email address using the postage-paid card in this edition of Carolina Country. Or, you can update your information using these handy methods: •
Under “My Account” on BlueRidgeEnergy.com
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Online at BlueRidgeEnergy.com/email update
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On the mobile app
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By calling us at 1-800-451-5474.
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At your local district office
Visit us on the web: BlueRidgeEnergy.com CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Doug Johnson EDITOR Renée R. Whitener PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Jacob Puckett
Membership MAT TERS
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DISTRICT OFFICES Caldwell Watauga Ashe Alleghany PowerLine*
TOLL FREE (828) 754-9071 (828) 264-8894 (336) 846-7138 (336) 372-4646 (800) 448-2383
(800) 451-5474
OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday Kiosks available
(PowerLine* is an automated account information and outage reporting system)
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