CHEC Hot Watts April 2021

Published monthly by Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc.

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APRIL 2021

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WATTS WATTS INSIDE >> page 2

Learn if a solar system is right for you >> page 3

Fiber construction beginning >> page 4

Help us celebrate Lineworker Appreciation Day April 12

bit.ly/CHEConFB (case-sensitive)

CHEC lobbies reopening following pandemic Welcome back! We are pleased to announce our lobbies at both the Stigler and Sallisaw locations reopened on March 1 after four months of being closed to help protect our staff and members.

With health and safety remaining a top priority, we are implementing the following safety measures upon entering the building: • Limit of four people in the lobby at once • Visitors utilize complimentary

hand sanitizer upon entering • Maintain six feet of distance from others Members who may not feel comfortable entering the lobby at this time may make payments at our drive-thru, kiosks, mail, via secure payment phone or online. Our lobby hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you!

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. 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

Can I save money by installing a solar energy system?

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Joe Ogle, President Rocky Woods, Sr., Vice President Ronnie Pevehouse, Sec/Treasurer Dan Callahan, Trustee John Dillard, Trustee Dart Drummonds, Trustee Mike Rose, Trustee

District 6 District 1 District 7 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5

STAFF Juli Orme, General Manager Chris Morris, Chief Financial Officer Jason Fontaine, Director of Engineering Mark Blaylock, Director of Operations — Stigler Marty Huff, Director of Operations — Sallisaw Ellen Mattison, Manager of Accounting Services Kristie Cash, Manager of Office Services

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.

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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.

2 | April 2021

>> Part 1 of 2 This question is being asked more and more as members look for ways to reduce energy costs.

The answer is maybe, depending on many factors, and how fast you want to see a return on your investment. [1629304] Start with energy efficiency Before installing a solar energy system, consider reducing your energy use by making your home more energy efficient. Many energy efficiency measures have a faster return on investment, and the initial investment is less than that of a renewable energy system. Contact your local electric cooperative for energy efficiency rebates as well.

Is solar energy right for me?

If you have made your home as energy efficient as possible and now want to install a solar energy system, contact your electric cooperative in the initial planning stages. Conduct thorough research on all aspects of any system before making the investment. Determine what your goal of the system is.

For example, do you want to install

solar energy because you believe it is the right thing to do? Or are you looking to save money? If you want to save money, carefully examine all the financial considerations first.

Consider this: If you want to ensure you have power even if your cooperative has an outage, a battery system is required. This is an added expense and will take about 30 percent of the solar system’s power to keep the batteries charged.

Keep safety in mind Most solar systems are connected to the grid. Because of the two-way flow of electricity, excess energy the system collects during the day flows into your cooperative’s lines. Improper connection and maintenance may endanger people and the reliability of the grid.

There are also safety considerations for rooftop solar you should discuss with your local fire department prior to installation, such as the layout of panels.

Check back next month for financial considerations in relation to a solar system.

Ervin Cable Construction to begin installing fiber on CHEC electric poles Big news from Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative!

The make-ready process for our fiber broadband network continues throughout our service territory — this means fiber installation will soon commence.

Beginning in early April you can expect to see Ervin Cable Construction (ECC) crews on your land and in your area to install fiber in a two-part process.

Here’s what this process looks like: First, for members with overhead power lines, crews will first hang a strand onto the electric poles which the fiber is attached to. Then they use a machine to “lash” the fiber cable to the strand permanently.

Then, for members who have underground power

lines, a contractor will pull the fiber through the conduit that was previously installed in the ground adjacent to the power line.

While we are still in the early stages of the project, and several steps remain to be performed before members are fully connected, the addition of fiber to our system brings members one step closer to the reality of fiber-to-the-home.

We appreciate your patience as work continues, and we look forward to sharing our progress throughout this exciting project. Stay updated at www. cooksonhills.com.

Digital meters to help members better control energy use CHEC has contracted with Anixter Utility Power Solutions to upgrade our electric metering system.

Anixter has over 80 years of experience in the metering industry, and will begin changing out older AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) meters on the system, with new AMI meters.

AMI meters, also known as Smart meters, are updated, digital versions of the traditional electric meter commonly used in the past. AMI meters not only measure how much electricity is used, but also at what times during the day.

Smart meters are also more accurate than the older meters and are designed to transmit pricing and energy information from the utility company to the consumer (two-way communication).

The work is expected to continue through 2022. www.cooksonhills.com | 3

Thank a Lineworker on April 12

By Anne Prince

If you were asked to associate an image or a person with CHEC, I bet you would picture a lineworker.

One of the most visible employees of the co-op, lineworkers work tirelessly to ensure our community receives uninterrupted power 24/7.

“Lineworker” is listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S. This is understandable as they perform detailed tasks near high-voltage power lines. Regardless of the time of day, having to brave stormy weather and other challenging conditions, lineworkers must climb 40 feet in the air, often carrying heaving equipment to get the job done.

While lineworkers may be the most visible employees at CHEC, it’s important to note that there is a team of highly skilled professionals working behind the scenes. Engineers provide ongoing expertise and guidance on the operations side of the co-op. Member service representatives are always standing by to take

your calls and questions. Our information technology (IT) experts are continuously monitoring our system to help safeguard sensitive data. And these are just a few of the folks who work together to ensure we can deliver the service and reliability you expect and deserve. Without them, our lineworkers wouldn’t be able to “bring the light” to our community.

Our dedicated and beloved lineworkers are proud to represent CHEC, and they deserve all the appreciation and accolades that come their way on Lineworker Appreciation Day. On April 12, and any time you see a lineworker, I hope you’ll join me in thanking them for their exceptional service. I also hope you’ll remember that you have a dedicated team of professionals working behind the scenes at the co-op whose commitment to service runs just as deep.

Anne Prince writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56% of the nation’s landscape.

Thank you to CHEC’s dedicated lineworkers Mark Blaylock Marty Huff Curtis Eppler Tandy Sloan David Bumpers Reuben Kemp Matt Davis 4 | April 2021

Kevin Harvell Calvin Boren Scotty Holcomb Jason Blalock Nick Worsham Jeremy Baker Jesse Ruark

Blu Cloud Steven Dodson Mike Sizemore Cody Gray Kent Altstatt Chaston Oldham John Henry Parsons

Wayne Bray Austin Poindexter Cody Crase Jake Simpson Huck Wixom Kevin Hendrix Allen Hare