H T WATTS
New Electric Rates Effective This Month
You have likely noticed that beginning with the January Hot Watts newsletter, the cover story each month in 2025 has been information regarding an increase in electric rates at Cookson Hills Electric. Over the past several months, Cookson Hills Electric has made efforts to inform our members of the upcoming rate increase. The new rates will begin in April and be reflected on the May electric bill. The new rate structure table has been included in this month’s newsletter for your review. We remain committed to working hard to control costs, which has
helped us avoid implementing a rate increase since 2014, but due to some factors outside of our control, this rate increase is necessary to support the rising operational costs. We want to reassure you that we will continue our mission to provide safe, affordable, and reliable electricity for our members, and are grateful for the opportunity to serve our nearly 15,000 CHEC member/owners. If you have any questions, please call us at 800-328-2368 and we will be happy to visit with you.
Headquarters Office
PO Box 539 • 1002 E. Main
Stigler, OK 74462 • 800-328-2368
Branch Office
PO Box 587 • 1800 KOA/Power Drive
Sallisaw, OK 74955 • 918-775-2211
Pay-by-Phone: 1-888-678-1937 www.cooksonhills.com
Alternate Emergency Only: 918-552-0016
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Joe Ogle, President
John Dillard, Vice President
Ronnie Pevehouse, Sec/Treasurer
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Tim Jones District 1
Dan Callahan, Trustee District 2
Dart Drummonds, Trustee District 4
Mike Rose, Trustee District 5
STAFF
Juli Orme, General Manager
Marty Huff, Director of Safety & Loss Control/ROW Coordinator
Ellen Mattison, Manager of Accounting Services
Kristie Cash, Manager of Office Services
Jeremy Stubblefield, Chief Technology Officer
Brad Martin, Director of Member/Public Relations and Economic Development
Dallin Shaw, Director of Engineering
Kellan Lujan, Manager of Subsidiary Accounting
Austin Poindexter, Director of Operations
Russell V. Barber, General Counsel
Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. welcomes members to submit photos, and articles which will be subject to editing. Cookson Hills reserves the right to publish or modify any article. Companies and individuals featured in the Hot Watts newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or view of Cookson Hills.
Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
If you find your account number hidden in this issue of the Hot Watts, you’ll receive a $25 credit on your electric bill.
April 14 is National Lineman Appreciation Day
The month of April is special in many ways. The arrival of beautiful flowers, green grass, and warmer weather are all welcome after a long, cold winter. However, we celebrate another special occasion each April as well. 90502
Lineman Appreciation Day is a time we celebrate our selfless team of guys who help keep the lights on. They go out day or night, rain or shine, to help ensure our valued members have electricity. Their commitment is truly remarkable. In fact, as we write this article, we are experiencing wind gusts reaching 60 mph and our guys are out there right now working to restore power. The strong winds have resulted in at least three broken poles so far today, but that doesn’t stop the work of a lineman.
They aren’t much for recognition and fanfare; they go about their business with a quiet sense of pride in serving our members. If you don’t believe they avoid the limelight at all costs, try and convince them to get their photo taken…it isn’t easy! Please join us in thanking our well-deserving group of linemen on April 14, as we celebrate their hard work and sacrifice. Thank you to all the guys who make it happen!
Talent Galore!
Every year, Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative sponsors the Oklahoma Youth Tour Scholarship program, and we are always impressed by the talented junior students attending schools in our service territory.
This year was no exception! These exceptional students submitted essays about the world of cooperative electricity. From these submissions, a group of top 10 finalists was selected and invited to participate in the second half of the scholarship program, which includes interviews conducted by representatives from other cooperatives across the state.
Each of the top 10 finalists will be awarded a scholarship, and four of these students will also receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., this summer. We are incredibly proud of these students and grateful to the school representatives who partnered with us to provide this incredible opportunity. Congratulations to all the students!
YOUTH TOUR
From Left: Seth Nance, Muldrow; London Rye, Muldrow; Declan Herriman, Vian; Alli LaPerle, Muldrow; Sage Myers, Kinta; Dixie Cooper, Muldrow; Jackson Blaylock, McCurtain; Halli Russell, Vian; Isabella Breese, Central
Not pictured; Rhilee Jones, Webbers Falls
Restoring Power Safely and Efficiently
We do our best to avoid them, but there’s no way around it: power outages occasionally happen.
For most CHEC members, outages are rare and only last a few hours. But when major storms, like thunderstorms, snow and ice, or tornadoes impact our area, extended outages are unavoidable.
So when the power goes out, how do CHEC crews know where to start working? How do you know if your outage has been reported? We’ve got answers to these questions and more, and it all starts with a safe, efficient plan for power restoration.
When the lights go out and it’s safe for our crews to begin the restoration process, they start by repairing power lines and equipment that will restore power to the greatest number of people in the shortest time possible.
This process typically begins with repairs to the larger main distribution lines that service a great number of homes and businesses. After those repairs are made, crews work on tap lines, which deliver power to transformers, either mounted on utility poles (for aboveground service) or placed on pads (for underground service). Finally, individual service lines that run between the transformer and the home are repaired.
We can’t control the weather, but we can prepare
for it. CHEC keeps a supply of extra utility poles, transformers and other equipment on hand so we can quickly get to work in the event of an outage. When widespread outages occur, multiple crews will be out in the field simultaneously working to repair damage at multiple locations. We also coordinate with nearby coops to bring in additional crews when necessary.
If you experience a power outage, don’t assume a neighbor reported it. It’s best to report the outage yourself, and we make it easy to do. The quickest way to report an outage is through the SmartHub mobile app or by calling 800-328-2368.
If you have a medical condition that requires electrical equipment, please let us know, and always have a backup plan in place. This plan could include a portable generator, extra medical supplies or moving to an alternate location until power is restored. If you plan to use a generator for backup power, read all safety information and instructions before use.
Mother Nature can be unpredictable, but as a member of CHEC, you can feel confident knowing we’re standing by, ready to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
The Steps to Restoring Power
When a major outage occurs, our crews restore service to the greatest number of people in the shortest time possible – until everyone has power.
1. High-Voltage Transmission Lines
These lines carry large amounts of electricity. They rarely fail but must be repaired first.
2. Distribution Substations
Crews inspect substations, which can serve hundreds or thousands of people.
3. Main Distribution Lines
Main lines serve essential facilities like hospitals and larger communities.
4. Individual Homes and Businesses
After main line repairs are complete, we repair lines that serve individual homes and businesses.