CHEC Hot Watts March 2024

H T WATTS

Are electric meters safe?

In recent years, health officials have conducted studies concerning the health and safety of electric meters. One of the topics is how much radiation exposure occurs from electric meters.

“Safety and health remain a top priority for Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative,” said CHEC General Manager Juli Orme. “Our goal each day is to help ensure the well-being of our members, the public and our employees. The newer meters use the same basic technology that we’ve been using for the last 22 years and have undergone testing to ensure these products are safe for use.”

Dallin Shaw, P.E., and Director of Engineering for Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, has studied the latest research data related to the newer electric meters. “We carefully consider all of the products and technologies we use on our system. We want to ensure the safety of our members and the public.

The FCC dictates the maximum acceptable level of power density exposure from electronic devices, and electronic meters are far below that limit. Electronic meters are very safe. In fact, the level of power density exposure from everyday household items like microwaves and cell phones is hundreds of times higher than the exposure from standing next to an electronic meter. Many concerns with electronic metering arise from the use of radio frequency signals (RF) to transmit meter readings. Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative does not use RF. We use powerline carrier technology to transmit meter readings, which means readings are sent directly using the electric power line,” said Shaw.

Cookson Hills remains committed to the safe and reliable distribution of electricity. If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 800-328-2368.

Pay-by-Phone: 1-888-678-1937 www.cooksonhills.com

Alternate Emergency Only: 918-552-0016

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Joe

Dan

John

Dart

Mike

STAFF

Juli Orme, General Manager

Mark Blaylock, Director of Operations — Stigler

Marty Huff, Director of Operations — Sallisaw

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

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.

CHEC Foundation scholarship applications due April 8

The Board of Directors of the Cookson Hills Electric Foundation offers five $1,000 scholarships each year. The scholarships are awarded to high school students eligible for graduation and whose parents or guardians reside in the counties served by Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative. Other criteria include:

• A grade point average of 2.5 or better

• Good character

• Good citizenship

• Financial need

• An ambition to obtain further education

The college or technical school of choice must be a state-accredited school offering an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. 2828300

Scholarship money will be awarded in two installments if the following criteria are met:

1. 2.5 GPA or better during the first semester.

2. Students have a minimum of 12 academic hours per semester. Please return the application (found at www.cooksonhills.com) along with two letters of recommendation by April 8, 2024, to Scholarship Committee, Cookson Hills Electric Foundation, Attn: Ann Jones, PO Box 539, Stigler, OK 74462.

New feature adds convenience to paying electric bill

Have you ever called our office to make a payment over the phone and heard us say, “Sorry, we aren’t able to take your payment over the phone. Please hang up and call our secure pay-by-phone system to complete your payment.”? We know…that can be frustrating. We are happy to announce that frustration is over. Our team can now transfer callers directly to the payment menu without the extra hanging up and calling back. You can dial the new secure payment number directly at 844-960-2916 to make a payment, or you can call us, and we will be happy to transfer you so you can complete a payment transaction. We encourage you to update your phone contact number to 844-960-2916 to reflect the new number for the pay-by-phone line. We hope this new feature makes things a little more convenient and improves your experience with CHEC. Please visit https://www.cooksonhills.com/bill-payment-options for additional information and other ways to pay your electric bill.

Electric meter replacements

Many Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative members will receive new electric meters in the coming months as part of an ongoing CHEC project. CHEC has contracted with Anixter Utility Power Solutions to continue upgrades to our electric metering system. Anixter has over 80 years of experience in the metering industry and will begin replacing older AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) meters on the system with new AMI meters. AMI meters are updated digital versions of the traditional electrical meters commonly used in the past. AMI meters have several benefits to members and the electric cooperative. AMI systems can help members monitor usage by providing timely readings that measure how much electricity is used and show usage during specific times throughout the day. They can also help detect system issues before they lead to potential problems. AMI meters also help reduce expenses associated with driving to each meter and physically reading and logging the data. Members receiving a new meter will experience a very brief power outage during the meter replacement process. Please call 800-328-2368 with any questions.

CHEC attends Muldrow Public Schools Career Expo

Representatives from Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative and Cookson Hills Connect recently participated in the Career Expo hosted by Muldrow Public Schools. The school hosted representatives from multiple companies and organizations to share details related to various careers. The students had the opportunity to try on some of the personal protective equipment used by linemen and ask questions about working at CHEC.

Marty Huff, Director of Operations – Sallisaw, speaks to students about the many career opportunities within Cookson Hills.