What’s Inside Local business provides color and comfort for any occasion Page 8
Driven member makes dream come true Page 11
The
Cherries are the star of this Valentine’s Day treat Page 15
Current
A Publication of Cotton Electric Cooperative Inc.
“The Current - Informing Our Members Since 1957” VOLUME 67
February 9, 2024
NUMBER 6
Members provide feedback through annual survey We are the stewards of your cooperative, a responsibility we carry out with you in mind. Our goal is to improve your quality of life. We do that by delivering electricity to homes and businesses at the most affordable rates, and by sharing ways members can save energy and manage their bills. Each year, we check in with the membership more formally, conducting a random survey to see if we are meeting our goal and if we need to make any adjustments. Results from our most recent survey indicate our efforts have not gone unnoticed, but we understand there is always room for improvement. We appreciate everyone who participated in the survey and provided supportive comments along with areas in which we can communicate more effectively. Cotton Electric received an American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) score of 85 out of a maximum score of 100.* Our Cooperative Attitude and Performance Score (CAPS) rating is 89. Cotton Electric’s ACSI score of 85 is also much higher than all publicly measured municipal energy utilities and investor-owned energy utilities. In 2023, investor-owned energy utilities held steady at 72, with municipal energy utilities remaining at 71, per the industry ratings in the 2023 ACSI Utility Sector Report. One of the key drivers of the survey results were questions related to electric service and rates. The mission for Cotton Electric employees is to safely provide you, our member-owners, with reliable and affordable power, day and night. Your co-op is here to help members by providing information on how to be prepared for extreme weather and ways members can save on their bills throughout the year. For more information on how your home can run more efficiently, visit www.cottonelectric.com/ energy-efficiency. That section lists information about home energy efficiency evaluations, our “Hey, Heath” video series, what to consider before signing a solar contract, and much more. Another helpful resource our website provides is our Outage Center found at www.cottonelectric. com/outagecenter. Members can view current outages, know what to do before and during an outage, and learn about our outage texting system, TextPower. To report an outage, members can call 580-8753351 or 800-522-3520, report through SmartHub or text “OUT” to 580-875-3351. Hear from your co-op’s CEO, Jennifer Meason, about how Cotton Electric is continuing to research and work toward preventing service quality issues on Page 2.
Power Cost Adjustment Calculated The power cost adjustment now being applied to bills mailed after Feb. 1, 2024, is $0.00126 per kWh.
On a member’s average bill of 1,300 kilowatt hours (kWh), this will amount to a charge of $1.63 on the February bill.
Members were also curious about what makes Cotton Electric and other electric cooperatives unique from municipal and investor-owned energy utilities. Members may hear about the “cooperative difference” and the “cooperative culture”, but they’re more formally known as the Cooperative Principles. Each of the seven principles provide a guideline for how a cooperative can provide excellent member service and improve the quality of life in our local communities. Thanks to our members who participate in Operation Round Up (ORU), this program is one of the ways your cooperative follows the seventh Cooperative Principle: Concern for Community. When members voluntarily round up their bill to the nearest dollar, those funds are pooled and administered by the Cotton Electric Charitable Foundation (CECF). For more information about ORU and CECF, visit www.cottonelectric.com/operation-roundup. Your cooperative is also committed to providing opportunities for local youth. Each year, Cotton Electric opens essay contests for students in eighth grade for the chance to attend Energy Camp and for high school juniors to explore Washington, D.C., during Youth Tour. For more information about
January 2024 Temperature Extremes Day High Low Avg. 16 26 3 15 17 48 9 29 18 56 20 38 19 31 14 23 20 33 13 23 21 37 25 31 22 35 30 33 23 44 35 40 24 47 40 44 25 52 42 47 26 48 43 46 27 53 30 42 28 64 26 45 29 71 29 50 30 72 35 54 Source: srh.noaa.gov/oun/ 31 72 33 53 Average Daily High: 48 Average Daily Low: 24
Day High Low 1 42 23 2 50 23 3 55 27 4 54 26 5 48 39 6 53 29 7 58 23 8 55 32 9 47 24 10 65 21 11 67 25 12 45 20 13 27 8 14 14 4 15 22 5
Avg. 33 37 41 40 44 41 41 44 36 43 46 33 18 9 14
Did You Know? Cotton Electric Cooperative offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 19 for Presidents’ Day. Emergency calls will be answered at 580-8753351 or 800-522-3520.
our youth programs, visit www.cottonelectric.com/ youth-programs. Cotton Electric also provides presentations to local schools and community groups about energy efficiency, electrical safety, cooperative careers and more. To schedule a presentation, contact the Marketing Department at 580-875-3351. At Cotton Electric Cooperative, your satisfaction is our number one goal. It’s why we were formed many years ago to fulfill a uniquely local purpose. We’ve come a long way since then, and your needs continue to evolve. However, a few things will remain the same at Cotton Electric Cooperative: providing excellent service, serving our local communities and working hard to keep the lights on for you, our valued members. We are here to serve you. Please visit www.cottonelectric.com or call 580-875-3351 for questions or more information we can provide. *Results based on data provided by Cotton Electric Cooperative, collected between Oct. 2 and Nov. 7, 2023. ACSI® did not regulate the survey administration or sample size. ACSI is a registered trademark of the American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC.
Contact Us
Do you have a story idea for The Current or do you need to place an ad? If so, let us know. We can be reached at 580-875-3351 or by email at TheCurrent@ cottonelectric.com. You can also drop us The next issue of The a line at Cotton ElecCurrent should arrive tric Current, 226 N. in mailboxes March 8, Broadway, Walters, OK 2024. 73572.
Mission Statement Our mission is to safely deliver reliable and affordable power, provide excellent member service, and improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.