January Highline Notes 2021

HIGHLINE notes January 2021

We are excited about Abbiamo Pasta Company’s investment in its community and industry. The pasta producer’s ongoing expansion will create jobs and enhance prosperity and quality of life for North Dakotans! Recently, CCEC line crews installed a new 1500 kVA transformer to ensure the facility receives the power it requires as it nearly triples its footprint.

CCEC Board of Directors reduces member bills by $1.5 million

How to read your bill, page 4 Electric cooperatives prepared for ND legislative session, page 8

Read more on page 2.

Co-op Youth Tour, page 9

CassCountyElectric.com

January 2021 | Highline Notes 1

editorial A reflection on 2020

Marshal Albright, Cass County Electric Cooperative president & CEO

The COVID-19 pandemic took center stage in 2020 as the most significant challenge our world has seen this century. The impacts COVID-19 has on our members and local businesses are disheartening. Cass County Electric Cooperative has adapted our business operations to provide reliable electric service while protecting our employees and members.

With vaccines now available and more treatments for those infected, we see promise in our future for life to return to normal.

Until society is more comfortable to attend events, eat out, and travel, we need to do whatever we can to support our local businesses to help them through these difficult times.

I want to thank our employees for their commitment to serve our members during the pandemic.

I would also like to recognize and thank area health care workers for their dedication to caring for and

treating those impacted by the pandemic.

identify outages before they happen.

Despite our challenges with COVID-19, 2020 was a stable year for the cooperative. We continued to see above-normal housing growth spurred by strong demand and low-interest rates.

Commercial account growth continues to be stable. With Amazon’s announcement to build a 1.3 million-square-foot fulfillment center and other businesses expanding, the cooperative will continue to see moderate load growth into the future.

Affordability is always a focus for the cooperative and even more important this past year, with many businesses and members struggling financially.

As a member-owned cooperative, we strive to keep our costs low and rates stable. In 2020, the cooperative paid out more than $2 million in capital credits and reduced the December electric bills, saving our members more than $1.5 million. In 2019, the cost to operate the cooperative (excluding wholesale power) was 2.23 cents per kWh. Cooperatives of similar size were at 3.51 cents per kWh. By operating the business more efficiently and carefully managing the finances, cooperative members saved more than $16,478,000 in 2019 compared to similar-size cooperatives. We expect similar results for 2020. Wholesale power costs remained stable and represented about 75% of your electric bill.

Reliability continues to be a primary focus for the cooperative.

In 2019, Cass County Electric was named number one in the country for providing reliable power compared to cooperatives similar in size. On average, members were without power for 57 minutes, compared to 211 minutes for similar-sized cooperatives. Providing reliable service does not happen by chance; it requires investments in maintenance, technology, and committed employees. We use specialized equipment and supervisory control and data acquisition technology (SCADA) — or, in simpler terms, remote operation and monitoring— in all our substations to restore outages safer and faster. To identify problems before an outage occurs, we use drones to get a bird’s-eye view of our overhead devices and a program called predictive outage analytics, using millisecond data and analysis of waveform abnormalities to

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As we look forward to 2021, we anticipate a path to normalcy with several COVID-19 vaccines now available and better treatments to care for those infected. The day will soon come when we can safely go to events, socialize, and visit family and friends.

The cooperative will continue to grow and focus on serving our members with reliable and affordable electricity. Be safe and stay healthy!

l

Highline Notes

Content in every issue

9 10 11

tech

save

community

12 13 14 15

recipes

Board meeting highlights November 2020

The Cass County Electric Board of Directors met virtually on Nov. 24, 2020, and discussed the following topics: • Approved the November 2020 consent agenda of the regular board meeting, consisting of minutes of the previous meeting, monthly department reports, spill prevention control and countermeasure plan, director expense report, and the October Purchased Power Adjustment (PPA).

• President/CEO Marshal Albright gave the President’s Report, noting brief updates on proposed retail rate adjustments, Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC, presentations given on behalf of the Valley Prosperity Partnership, the Basin Electric Annual Meeting, and reviewed the proposed 2021 Annual Meeting voting options.

• Received presentations from Eide Bailly representatives for the 2020 financial audit and the 2021 information technology cybersecurity scope of work.

• Received updates on Minnkota Power Cooperative and NDAREC’s activities.

• Accepted the October 2020 financial report and received a preview of the 2021 operating budget.

• Selected voting delegates for the NRECA, CFC, Federated, and NDAREC annual meetings.

• Selected Director Triebold to serve on the NDAREC board of directors for 2021, with Director Seymour as the alternate.

• Moved to approve: - An investment of $500,000 to the Member Capital Securities with NRUCFC. - The November 2020 capital credit estate payments.

- The 2021 information technology cyber security scope of work and the Letter of Engagement for the 2020 financial audit.

- Revisions to several policies.

- Revisions to the Cass County Electric Foundation (Operation Round Up) bylaws.

- The November and December board meetings be held virtually.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021.

safety

photo

ads

Help keep transformers clear of snow

Volume 79, Number 1

Communications Team: Sara Hand Jocelyn Hovland

Printer: Forum Communications Printing Board of Directors: Douglas Anderson Sid Berg Kalvin Hoff, Treasurer Terry Kraft Wendy Loucks Glenn Mitzel, Secretary Thomas J. Seymour Marcy Svenningsen, Chair Jeff Triebold, Vice Chair Executive Staff: Marshal Albright, President/ CEO Jodi Bullinger, VP of Engineering & Operations Paul Matthys, VP of Member & Energy Services Chad Sapa, VP of Corporate Services & CFO Tim Sanden, VP of Information Technology & CIO

With winter in full swing, we encourage you to be aware of where your “big green box” or pad-mounted transformer is. In the event of a power outage, our line crew needs to locate the transformer as quickly as possible. Having the transformer readily available allows our crews to speed up the process of safely restoring your power.

We operate and manage nearly 14,000pad-mount transformers, which step down high voltage to lower voltage that is safe to use. A single transformer can be vital to providing electricity to several homes and businesses, so be mindful when moving snow. If you notice damaged equipment, please contact us at 701-356-4400.

CassCountyElectric.com

Highline Notes (USPS 244-740) is published monthly by Cass County Electric Cooperative Inc., 3312 42nd St. S., Suite 200, Fargo, ND 58104. Periodicals postage paid at Fargo, North Dakota 58104, and at additional mailing offices.

Subscription Rate: 28¢/month.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Highline Notes 3312 42nd St. S., Suite 200 Fargo, ND 58104 © Copyright Cass County Electric Cooperative 2021. All rights reserved.

Questions: 701-356-4400 800-248-3292 info@kwh.com Call before you dig: 800-795-0555 or 811 Information about the cooperative, articles of incorporation, bylaws and more can be found at CassCountyElectric.com.

January 2021 | Highline Notes 3

- How to read your bill If you’re like most people, you probably don’t give a second thought to your bill’s itemized charges, merely glancing at the total figure, paying it, and getting on with your life. But even if you did take the time to study the invoice, would you understand what each section means?

There are plenty of benefits to taking a closer look at your energy bill. You can learn how much electricity you use each month, view the breakdown of charges, and compare the prior month’s energy use to recognize patterns. Getting familiar with your bill is especially useful if you’re looking to conserve energy and lower your bill. To find out more about your bill and how to decipher it, we broke down the main sections you’ll want to look at next month.

Statement Date: The information found in the upper right corner is relevant to understanding your bill because we bill in roughly 30-day increments for electricity already consumed.

Account Number: Your account number can be found on the top right corner of your bill and is your key to billing and member support. This number is vital when signing up for an online account or downloading the Cass County Electric mobile app. The mobile app provides numerous account management benefits and indepth consumption analytics.

Important Messages: This section will contain important information regarding your bill, along with useful tips from Cass County Electric.

Service Information: Your location, address, and rate class (RC) are located here. This is the location where you will find the dates of service being billed, along with your meter reading(s). kWh Usage History: This charge makes up the bulk of your bill.

You can use this chart to view prior months’ energy usage and track fluctuations – such as usage increases during the winter and

summer. These comparisons over the past year include the number of days in the billing period, average costs, temperatures, and kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Details of Charges: Basic Charge: This is a fixed monthly connection charge that helps recover the cooperative’s fixed costs of serving a member.

Energy Charges: These charges represent the cost of the electricity you used in the last billing cycle. They include both a kWh charge and purchased power adjustment. kWh Charge: The cost of power you used plus the costs to deliver power, measured in kilowatt-hours. To calculate energy charges, multiply your rate (unit cost) by your usage (quantity).

Purchased Power Adjustment: This charge accounts for the variable cost in wholesale power.

Other Charges and Credits: This area includes all additional charges and credits. Here is where you will see your monthly donation to the Operation Round Up program. The average

4 Highline Notes | January 2021

CassCountyElectric.com

yearly per-member contribution averages less than $6 a year.

Also included in this section are franchise fee charges. Several cities have imposed franchise fees on the cooperative that are passed through to the member, collected by the cooperative, and dispersed directly to those cities. Franchise fees can be a way to help the town offset future property tax or special assessment increases.

Other miscellaneous charges or credits found in this section may include renewable energy credits from Prairie Sun Community Solar, demand waiver, connect and disconnect fees, deposits, credits for going paperless or signing up for autopay, and more.

Remittance Slip: Paying by mail? Be sure to include the bottom portion of your bill with the appropriate side facing out.

Current contact information is the key to receiving automated outage information and essential account alerts. Download the Cass County Electric mobile app to manage your account settings, billing preferences, report outages, set usage thresholds and alerts, and more.

CassCountyElectric.com

January 2021 | Highline Notes 5

Electric cooperatives prepared for ND legislative session

COVID-19 response, budget issues to be addressed As the 2021 North Dakota legislative session begins, there is no question that lawmakers will be focused on dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing a projected revenue shortfall.

Following the November election, Republicans increased their supermajority power in the legislature to 40-7 in the Senate and 80-14 in the House. Energy issues will also be a key focus during the session, and Cass County Electric Cooperative will be advocating for an all-of-theabove strategy that embraces the state’s abundant energy resources.

Political engagement is embedded in the history of electric cooperatives. It has often been said that electric cooperatives were born in politics and if they die, they will die in politics. Over the years, Cass County Electric Cooperative has partnered with other electric cooperatives around the state to develop an effective grassroots political outreach program to ensure member voices are heard on important energy issues.

Here are three priorities that Cass County Electric Cooperative will be pursuing during the 2021 legislative session.

Support the continued success of the lignite industry Although the pandemic has created challenges in the nearterm, the continued success of the lignite industry is vitally important to North Dakota because of its high-paying jobs, business activity and tax revenue.

Besides the economic benefits, Cass County Electric Cooperative also receives affordable, reliable and increasingly clean electricity from lignite plants in the state.

As the lignite industry faces the potential closure of the Coal Creek Station, the largest power plant in North Dakota, electric cooperatives will advocate for areas of state support, including policy changes and mechanisms to help control rising insurance costs.

Advance carbon capture research and development Electric cooperatives will seek the state’s continued support for the commercialization of carbon capture technology, along with future research and

6 Highline Notes | January 2021

CassCountyElectric.com

development. North Dakota is uniquely positioned to be a world leader in the deployment of this technology. Minnkota Power Cooperative, Cass County Electric Cooperative’s wholesale power provider, is currently pursuing Project Tundra – an effort to install carbon capture technology at the coal-based Milton R. Young Station about 40 miles northwest of Bismarck. If the project moves forward, it will be the largest carbon capture system on a power plant in the world.

Improve electric vehicle charging opportunities Electric vehicle fast charging infrastructure has expanded significantly across the state thanks in large part to Volkswagen emissions settlement funds. Electric cooperatives will pursue policy changes that help businesses install charging stations and appropriately bill customers for the associated electricity usage. Currently, state law is unclear as it relates to the resale of electricity from gas stations and other businesses that may be interested in installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

COOPERATIVE

YOUTH TOUR 2021

Jeremiah Moore

Brynn Nyland

More than 1,500 high school students nationwide participate in the annual Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. The Youth Tour consists of a fast-paced, intense week of learning about history and government, visiting with the congressional delegation, becoming more knowledgeable about the cooperative business model, and touring museums, national monuments, and memorials. Considering the global pandemic, the 2020 Youth Tour was canceled, and the North Dakota delegation is not attending in 2021, so CCEC provided a scholarship instead. Let’s meet the essay winners.

My name is Jeremiah Moore, and I’m a junior at Shanley High School.

I compete in Student Congress, Debate, and Speech year-round.

This has led me to develop a strong passion for public speaking and rhetoric as a whole. When I was on the March for Life, I discovered a new job opportunity while meeting with the staff of Representative Armstrong. This job would include writing speeches for the representative to deliver in Congress.

I knew immediately that this was the job for me, and I had to learn more. And what better way to do so than by meeting Representative Armstrong himself? That’s exactly

what I thought when I found out about the Youth Tour essay contest.

There was just one problem: I had less than a day to do so. I quickly compiled my thoughts and put every fiber of patriotism in me into the best essay I could write and get the opportunity I had been waiting for.

My name is Brynn Nyland, and I’m a junior at Davies High School. I’ve lived in Fargo my whole life with my parents, two brothers, and a dog. I’ve been part of the Davies gymnastics team for the past three years. Other than gymnastics, I enjoy biking and rollerblading outside with my family and friends. I like to spend my time listening to music or watching TV/ movies.

started right away! I am mostly looking forward to making new friends and seeing the historic buildings during Youth Tour.

Although I am not able to go on the Youth Tour trip, I hope to visit again and learn even more than I have before. When I’m not writing essays and speeches, I enjoy playing video games on a competitive level, hanging out with my friends, or working on fictional writing.

One of my favorite topics in school is history. I enjoy learning about how the building/site came to be and what exactly happened there in the past. I would have loved to experience Youth Tour to see the historic buildings and meet new I applied to Youth Tour because of people especially from different my mom. One random day she came areas of the United States, other up to me and asked if I wanted to than North Dakota! I am incredibly apply because it was such a huge thankful for Cass County Electric and opportunity. Both my mom and I the opportunity. knew I had the potential, so I got CassCountyElectric.com

January 2021 | Highline Notes 7

2021 director elections If you are a Cass County Electric Cooperative member and are interested in becoming a director, contact Karen Egeberg at 701-356-4405 for a 2021 director election petition packet. In compliance with bylaw requirements, a petition, biographical information and such other information as the board or credentialing committee may require to establish and verify the qualifications of the proposed director to serve must be delivered to the cooperative office no less than 90 days (Jan. 20, 2021) prior to the date of the Annual Member Meeting of Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at which an election will be held for the following districts:

District 2 Douglas Anderson (I) Arthur

District 3 Sidney Berg (I)

Colfax

District 5(1) Wendy Loucks (I) Fargo Following the cooperative bylaws, the board of directors voted to appoint current at-large director, Marcy Svenningsen, to fill the unexpired term, through 2022, in District 1 that opened with director Froelich’s resignation. This appointment created a vacancy in the at-large director position. The board appointed Terry Kraft, board candidate in the 2020 director election, to fill the unexpired at-large term, through 2023, until the 2021 Annual Meeting.

District 1 Marcy Svenningsen (I) Valley City

District At-Large Terry Kraft (I) West Fargo Directors are elected by ballot for a three-year term and must be a bona fide resident of the director district in which they are seeking directorship.

District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 (3 Directors) District 6

* Director 9 is an at-large position The names of all candidates who submit the required information in the time and manner specified in Article III. Section 3.6 of the bylaws will be submitted to a credentialing committee consisting of between three and eight members, as determined by the Board of Directors. The credentialing committee may require candidates to provide and verify additional information deemed relevant by the credentialing committee. CCEC bylaws and articles of incorporation can be found at CassCountyElectric.com; a written copy is also available upon request.

- Unclaimed capital credits In March 2020, Cass County Electric Cooperative directors approved a general retirement of $2 million in capital credits to members who purchased electricity prior to 1999. Check our website for the names of friends and family. If you recognize a someone, please let the individual know that they can contact Cass County Electric Cooperative at 800-248-3292 or info@kwh.com to claim their capital credit check.

CassCountyElectric.com/capital-credits 8 Highline Notes | January 2021

CassCountyElectric.com

tech

You can trust our technology reviews to help you find the best product ideas for your smart home needs.

A smarter way to plug-in

Ready to brighten up your old outlets with smart plugs?

These advanced features can save you time and money and add convenience. Advanced features to look for include:

come with a built-in USB it appear as if someone is at outlet for convenient charging home. of smartphones and other mobile devices.

Dimming Dim plugged-in lights from Scenes your smartphone or voice Program multiple smart plugs assistant. Some models can Power monitoring and devices as a single unit. automatically adjust lamp Through an app, you can For example, you can dim light based on the amount of monitor the energy use of lights or turn things on or off sunlight in a room. plugged-in devices in real-time based on the weather, time of and get reports on energy day, or certain situations.

Compatibility is also usage and cost over a period of important. Make sure your time, such as day or month.

Away mode new smart plugs work with This feature turns plugged-in your voice assistant or smart USB charging port devices, such as lights and TV, home hub.

Some smart plug models on and off at random to make

CassCountyElectric.com

January 2021 | Highline Notes 9

Power plays in the home office As more people work from a home office during the COVID-19 pandemic, they may also see increased home energy bills. Cass County Electric Cooperative offers some suggestions to maximize the energy efficiency of your electronic devices:

1| 2| 3| 4| 5|

Use power strips

No matter what electronics you use, those glowing lights at night prove that power is still being consumed, even while everyone is sleeping. And those electronics all draw small amounts of power, even when not in use. There is a convenient and low-cost solution. A power strip makes it easy to turn them all off with one click.

Unplug

When a laptop or smartphone is fully charged, unplug it. Powering down your computer completely every night uses 50% less energy than sleep mode.

Print it twice

Print double-sided pages. Much more energy is used in the manufacturing and distributing of paper than the actual printing at your office.

Use the right light

Energy-efficient lighting uses one-quarter to one-third of the power of regular light bulbs.

Energy-saving lights generate less heat and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

On or off?

Ensure power management features are enabled so your computer monitor will automatically go into sleep mode after a period of inactivity. A computer idling in sleep mode uses less than half the energy of an active computer. Most of you already have your monitor set to enter a low-power sleep mode when the computer is not used. However, many times the computer itself is not set to enter this same low-power mode. Spending a large portion of time in low-power mode not only saves energy but helps equipment run cooler and last longer.

Note that screen savers are not energy savers. It is a common misperception that screen savers reduce energy use. Use automatic switching to sleep mode or simply turn it off.

10 Highline Notes | January 2021 CassCountyElectric.com

give back Operation Round Up Cass County Electric Cooperative Foundation

Interested in joining the Operation Round Up team as a director? The seven-member board of directors meets quarterly and determines the distribution of funds based on available funds, assistance required, and severity of needs. Please contact Jessica Mack at 701-356-4401 for additional information.

December 2020

Cass County Electric

Applications reviewed Organization 10 Individual 2 Emergency 1 Applications approved Organization 10 $54,400 Individual 2 $6,500 Emergency 1 $1,000 Applications denied 0 Applications tabled 0

Cooperative members that round up their bills, and employees that round down their paychecks, have raised over $3.25 million for local nonprofit organizations.

These funds benefit members within Cass County Electric

2020 Year-to-Date Summary Per member average contribution $5.27 Average member participation 82.0% Total income $203,347

Cooperative’s service area. If your organization is interested in applying for funds, please visit CassCountyElectric.com/oru.

(Income includes contributions, interest earned, and donations/memorials.)

Applications approved

63

2020 Recipients Abuse Resource Network Abused Persons Outreach Center, Inc. American Red Cross - Dakotas Region Barnes County Soil Conservation District Bio Girls, Inc. Bridges Arts Council Buffalo Day Care Cass Clay Community Land Trust Cass County Historical SocietyBonanzaville Child Evangelism Fellowship of Fargo-Moorhead Colfax Fire & Rescue Community of Care-Arthur Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch Down Home Education Found for the Valley City Public Schools Essentia Health Regional

Foundation Farm Rescue First Lutheran Sewing Ladies Great Plains Food Bank Handi-Wheels Transportation Harwood Fire and Rescue HEART Living at Home/Block Nurse Program HeartSprings HERO Hope, Inc. Hospice of the Red River Valley Jeremiah Program Junior Achievement Litchville Fire Department Lutheran Church of the Cross Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota Mapleton Volunteer Fire Department Marketplace of Ideas/Marketplace for Kids, Inc. CassCountyElectric.com

ND Association for the Disabled New Life Center North Dakota Autism Center Prairie Public Broadcasting Presentation Partners in Housing Quilts of Valor Foundation Rebuilding Together Red River Human Services Foundation Ronald McDonald House Salvation Army Scottish Rite Language Center ShareHouse, Inc. Southeastern ND Community Action Agency (SENDCAA) Twist of Fate United Way of Cass-Clay Verona Community Center Village Family Service Center YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties YWCA Cass Clay

January 2021 | Highline Notes 11

What can you get for $1?

96 hours of television on an LED TV - that’s a lot of football.

food Holiday appetizers

Email recipes to ccec@kwh.com or mail to: Cass County Electric; Highline Notes, 4100 32nd Ave. S., Fargo, ND 58104

Air fryer blooming onion Ingredients

1 large Vidalia onion peeled 2 eggs ½ cup milk 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

Cut off the top ½-inch of the onion, leaving the root end of the onion intact. Place the now flat, stem end of the onion down on a cutting board with the root end facing up. Make 16 slices around the onion, starting with your knife tip ½-inch away from the root so that you never slice through the root. Begin by making slices at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock around the onion. Then make three slices down the onion in between each of the original four slices. Turn the onion over, gently separate the onion petals, and remove the loose pieces of onion in the center.

Combine the eggs and milk in a bowl. In a second bowl, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne

pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Preheat the air fryer to 350ºF. Place the onion cut side up into a third empty bowl. Sprinkle the flour mixture all over the onion to cover it and get in between the onion petals. Turn the onion over to shake off the excess flour carefully and then transfer the onion to the empty flour bowl, again cut side up. Pour the egg mixture all over the onion to cover all the flour. Let it soak for a minute in the mix. Carefully remove the onion, tipping it upside down to drain off any excess egg, and transfer it to the empty egg bowl, again cut side up.

Finally, sprinkle the flour mixture over the onion a second time, making sure the onion is well coated, and all the petals have the seasoned flour mixture on them. Carefully turn the onion over, shake off any excess flour, and transfer it to a plate or baking sheet. Spray the onion generously with vegetable oil.

Transfer the onion, cut side up to the air fryer basket, and air-fry for 25 minutes. The onion petals will open more fully as it cooks, so spray with more vegetable oil at least twice during cooking. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.

Seven-layer dip Ingredients

1 pound plum tomatoes 1 green onion 1 clove garlic 1/2 jalapeño chile 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 small onion 1/2 teaspoon no-salt-added chili powder 1 can no-salt-added pinto beans 1 ripe avocado 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 1 cup fresh corn kernels 1 large red pepper 4 ounces reduced-fat sour cream 1 1/2 ounces low-fat cheddar cheese Salt & pepper

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in an 8-inch skillet. Heat oil on medium, add onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until golden, stirring. Add chili powder; cook 1 minute.

Remove from heat; add beans and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mash until almost smooth.

With a fork, mash avocado, cilantro, remaining lime juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until almost smooth in a bowl. In 1 1/2-quart straight-sided bowl, spread bean mixture in even layer. Top with corn and pepper. Spread sour cream and then the salsa over vegetables. Dollop avocado mixture over salsa; spread into even layer. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Serve with baked tortilla chips.

12 Highline Notes | January 2021 CassCountyElectric.com

s

d

32% of home fires are caused by space heaters

safety

Time to ditch your old space heater?

If you can’t remember when you purchased your space heater, it might be time to replace it. Just like the flip phones of yesteryear have progressed into today’s modern cellphones, portable space heaters have come a long way, too. Most of today’s models have built-in safety features, such as non-exposed coils and sensors that detect overheating or touch, as well as an automatic shut-off feature in case it gets tipped over.

fires, right behind cooking.

Regardless of whether your space heater is fresh out of the box or several years old, it should be used safely, since most home heating fire deaths (86%) involve using one, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

In fact, heating equipment is the second-leading cause of U.S. home

Make sure to follow these additional space heater safety tips: 1. Read all instructions and only use as recommended.

2. Do not leave a space heater unattended.

3. Plug it directly into an outlet; most power strips and extension cords are not equipped to handle

Along with using a unit that is in good working order, be sure to keep clothing, papers, rugs and other flammable items at least 3 feet away from a space heater. More than half of the heating-related home fires start when items are too close to the heat source, according to the NFPA, including upholstered furniture, clothing, a mattress or bedding.

CassCountyElectric.com

the energy spikes caused by a space heater cycling on and off.

4. Unplug any other item from the outlet you are using; also try to use a dedicated circuit to avoid overload.

5. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

6. Turn them off before you leave the room or go to sleep.

7. Do not use a heater in disrepair or with a frayed cord or damaged plug.

8. Place them on flat, level surfaces and never place on furniture, counters or carpet, which can overheat.

9. Only use space heaters with the certification label of a nationally recognized testing lab.

10. Make sure the heater has an automatic shutoff, so it shuts off if it tips over.

January 2021 | Highline Notes 13

photo ND through your eyes

We look forward to publishing member photos that encompass anything North Dakota. Upload your image to CassCountyElectric.com/photo to have your image considered for the magazine.

Amy Lindemann, Fargo

Cass County Electric Cooperative Mission: To serve our members’ energy needs with affordable and reliable electricity.

Cass County Electric Cooperative Values: Safety, Integrity, Innovation, Accountability, and Community 14 Highline Notes | January 2021 CassCountyElectric.com

o

ads

All ads must be 40 words or fewer and will be abbreviated following our guidelines. No real estate or commercial ads will be accepted. Ads are published for members at no charge as space permits on a first-received, first-printed basis. Ads are due by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Members may submit only one ad per issue. Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any ad. Email ads to: ccec@kwh.com.

For sale: 50-piece Franciscan dinnerware set, desert rose, includes platter, gravy boat, bowl, glasses, etc. $200. Pics avail. 701-212-8275 Uplander dog house, insulated, aluminum ex. 26” D, 19” H, 42” L, $ 250. 2 Ruff Tuff dog kennels – 1 lg, 31” x 17 “x 25” H, $150. 1 intermediate 2 door 28” x 17” 22” H, $130. 1 Wire dog kennel, collapsible – 2 door, 29” x 18” X 21” H, $40. 701-446-6670 2001 F150 ext cab 4x4 elec. lock & windows, 156k mi., runs great Tonneau cover $5,400/OBO. XL collapsible dog kennel w/divider & plastic pan $40/OBO. New in box chain link dog kennel w/pitched roof & insulated blanket 5’ x 10’ x 7’ H, $325/OBO. 701-967-8963 Pro-Form Cross Walk 365e treadmill, exc. cond. Corner computer desk w/3 drawers, a double-wide 2 drawer file cabinet. 701-238-3337 Used Ariens GT17, hydrostatic, PTO front, rear & center, comes w/48” snowblower, 48” tiller & 48” mower w/ vacuum bagger, new tires, runs good, $3,500 complete. 701-238-6157 Lift chair, $350. 701-219-5743 GO GO Elite traveler plus has new batteries & charger, $700 firm. Pics & delivery avail. 701-793-1165 Polar fleece mittens, all sizes, new, children’s sweatshirts, all color scarfs, homemade purses. 701-277-1788

& rafters, Landmark shingles, pine paneling siding, 47”W x 71”H door opening, pics avail, $1,750. 749-2619 Pair of Pirelli 205-60-15 studless snow tires, $70. 3000 PSI Karcher pressure washer, $425. New Pella arch-top window, new $1,900, sell $700. 701793-9081

Gallon of gas

1937... 12¢/gallon 2020... $2.11/gallon Increase... 18x

Electricity

1937... 5¢/kwh 2020... 11¢/kwh Increase... 2x

Plastic window well cover, Home Depot Model 5338UNV, 53” x 38”, $40.

701-566-1487 1 like new tire, 235/70R16, mt. only on 16” rim, $60. 701-361-5040 Wanted: Motor quit on my favorite vacuum cleaner, a Silver King — no longer available. Looking for someone who knows how to rebuild the motor. 701490-3161 My house burned down, no insurance, reasonably priced. 2 dressers, 2 end tables/nightstands, desk w/drawers, bed frames, twin box springs, treadmill, fabric scraps for quilting, cat climbing tree. 701-5415036 Advertising brochures for old tractors, trucks, cars, and machinery. 701-3713135 2016 or newer SUV type vehicle, low mi., good cond., USAF son is returning to ND in mid February after a 3 year tour of duty in England.

Needs transportation. 701-235-7189 Gator 6x4 or 4x4. 701-793-9081

Newly constructed 8’x8’ wood storage shed with 16” on center studs

Decades of value

CassCountyElectric.com

Affordable, reliable electricity is something you can count on as a cooperative member. While the cost of everyday items has skyrocketed, the cost of electricity has remained a powerful value.

January 2021 | Highline Notes 15

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800-248-3292 | CassCountyElectric.com 4100 32nd Ave. S., Fargo, ND 58104

New features!

Cass County Electric mobile app Customize your alerts and communication methods and set energy use thresholds to help eliminate surprises! Take charge and control your energy usage on your computer, tablet, or phone.

Your energy. Your time. Your way.

16 Highline Notes | January 2021 CassCountyElectric.com