Published monthly by Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc.
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MARCH 2021
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WATTS WATTS INSIDE >> page 2
Rockey Oldham joins CHEC >> page 3
FCC grant helps boost Cookson Hills Connect launch >> page 4
Contractor crews helping prep system for FTTH
This month’s bill to reflect last month’s record cold snap How could we forget those 10-14 days of record cold temperatures, snow and freezing drizzle last month? It was a stretch we would probably like to forget, and unfortunately this month’s electric bill will be a reminder of it. “Whether natural gas or electricity powers your home’s heater, you will likely experience an increased bill this month,” said General Manager Juli Orme. “In addition to an extended stretch of frigid temperatures, schools were closed and activities were canceled or postponed. This means we all probably spent more time at home than usual last month.” The U.S. Department of Energy notes that heating and cooling accounts for 50 percent or more of a home’s annual energy costs. If you used electric heating of any kind —
Monitor your energy use with SmartHub! bit.ly/CHEConFB (case-sensitive)
central, resistance, space heaters, etc., your bill will be impacted. “Our members have access via the SmartHub portal or mobile app to monitor their electricity use on a daily basis so they’re not surprised by a high bill,” Orme said. “Registered SmartHub users can access it simply by tapping the ‘Usage’ button once logged in.” Not currently a SmartHub user? Visit qrco.de/CHECapp or scan the QR code below with your smartphone’s camera to download it or visit www.cooksonhills.com and register today. As always, if you have any questions regarding your bill, electricity use or payment arrangements, give our friendly member services team a call at 1-800-328-2368.
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KSO N COO HILLS E LE PER ATIV CTRIC E
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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
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.
bit.ly/CHEConFB (case-sensitive)
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.
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Rockey Oldham joins CHEC as Manager of Broadband Services Rockey Oldham joined the CHEC team to help lead Cookson Hills Connect, the fiber-to-the-home subsidiary that will benefit 100% of CHEC members by the time the build-out is complete. “I am extremely excited for the opportunity to be involved in something that will be so beneficial to our members,” he said. “I have been involved in the fiber business for 18 years, and I have witnessed the multitude of benefits fiber has provided for so many.” He’s excited to witness how the lifechanging technology will beneft the rural citizens that make up a large portion of CHEC’s members. “My goal at Cookson Hills Connect is to exceed member expectations by providing fast, affordable and reliable service to families and businesses right here in rural Oklahoma.” Welcome to CHEC, Rockey!
Take control and save! CHEC’s members have access to a unique suite of efficiency rebates CHEC has been offering rebates to our members since 2010. The rebate program entitled “Take Control and Save” is administered through Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. — our wholesale power provider. Rebates are available for air conditioners, water heaters, heat pumps, programmable thermostats and more. Members are required to complete an application, include a copy of the original dated sales receipt, and a completed rebate form submitted within 90 days
of purchase that includes the product name and model number. Incomplete applications will be denied. Remember, your product must meet all qualifications stated on the rebate application to qualify for the CHEC rebate. Rebates will be in the form of a credit to your electric account after verification for most rebates. Applications can be found at www.cooksonshills.com or by visiting one of our district offices. Contact Brad Martin, at 1-800328-2368 with any questions.
Preparing for launch CHEC awarded over $4 million through FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to deliver gigabit-capable broadband service Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative (CHEC) has secured more than $4 million through the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase I auction to launch and deploy gigabit speed-capable broadband service within its rural Oklahoma communities. [270204] CHEC recently announced its broadband subsidiary, Cookson Hills Connect, and its intent to launch a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network to serve 100% of the 14,250 homes and businesses in its eight-county service territory. The RDOF funding will boost its build plans, helping enable Cookson Hills Connect to launch and deploy the gigabit-speed network to its members within just a few years, allowing them to realize the economic, educational and community benefits of reliable, affordable high-speed internet service. The deployment will encompass 2,500 miles offering access to FTTH broadband throughout its entire territory. Cookson Hills Connect’s 100% fiber network will deliver world-class service to subscribers, including ultra-fast speeds for both downloading and uploading. This symmetrical speed and the power of fiber allows multiple users and
devices at the same time without any loss of service quality. This is a necessity in the midst of the continued pandemic where the needs for reliable broadband — remote learning, working from home and virtual doctor visits — are so illuminated. “The power of broadband to transform lives has become word of mouth across the nation and it’s catching fire. People are looking to America’s cooperatives to once again fulfill our mission of making lives better for rural Americans, this time through broadband,” said CHEC General Manager Juli Orme. “The RDOF award will help us
deliver on that and we are looking forward to putting those funds to use for our members.” Cookson Hills Electric was a member of the Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium (RECC), a bidding entity of over 90 cooperatives coordinated and led by rural fiber-optic network design and construction management leader Conexon to secure RDOF funds. Overall, Conexon’s RECC was awarded over $1.1 billion, enabling electric cooperatives across 22 states to deliver worldclass FTTH service to over two million rural Americans.
The Cookson Hills board of directors and staff convene their first Cookson Hills Connect meeting.
www.cooksonhills.com | 3
Don’t miss out on the CHEC scholarship opportunity for those pursuing post-secondary education! Applications due by March 5 Visit www.cooksonhills.com for more info
Osmose helping prep CHEC system for FTTH We wanted to make our members aware of the ongoing pole loading analysis being performed by Osmose Utility Services. You may be familiar with Osmose, as Cookson Hills Electric has contracted with Osmose in the past to do pole inspections on our system. The current service being conducted is called a pole loading analysis, and this process gets us one step closer to making fiber-to- the-home (FTTH) a reality. The analysis is done to ensure the current system infrastructure is sufficient to support the fiber being added to our existing poles, and to highlight any potential areas which may need added or modified structures. Osmose performs this analysis by using a combination of new technology including LiDAR
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and image recognition equipment. This technology allows workers to take digital images of the existing equipment as opposed to manually measuring the system components. You may see an Osmose vehicle with a roof mounted camera system, or even see workers walking along the distribution line with a backpack style camera similar to the image below. To help our members identify contract crews, vehicles will have an Osmose logo on the door of the vehicle as well as a magnetic placard with the CHEC logo. Crews will also carry a letter identifying them as working on behalf of CHEC. Questions regarding the project can be directed to Jason Fontaine, Director of Engineering, at 800328-2368.