north arkansas electric cooperative edition
Auto bank draft: NAEC’s easiest way to pay monthly bill
22
SEPTEMBER 2020
NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Always call 811 before digging so that buried utilities may be marked. The free service can prevent injury or death and save costly repairs or fines.
Identify buried lines by calling 811 Before building a fence, planting a tree or beginning other projects that require digging, remember to dial 811 first. Underground utilities, such as buried electric, gas and water lines, can be a shovel thrust away from turning a project into a disaster. Stay safe by dialing 811 to find out where utility lines run on your property. Your call will be routed to a local “one-call” center. Tell the operator where you’re planning to dig and what type of work you will be doing, and affected utilities will be notified. In a few days, a locator will arrive to designate the approximate location of any underground lines, pipes and cables. These areas will be marked with flags or paint, so you’ll know what’s below. Then the safe digging can begin. Although many people are aware of “Call Before You Dig” services, the majority don’t take advantage of the service. A national survey showed that only 50 percent of homeowners called to have their lines marked before starting digging projects, according to the Common Ground Alliance. Even simple tasks like installing a mailbox post can damage utility lines, disrupt service to an area, harm diggers and potentially result in fines and repair costs. Never assume the location or depth of lines. There’s no need: the 811 service is free, prevents the inconvenience of having utilities interrupted and can help you avoid serious injury.
IMAGES: FREEIMAGES.COM/RONNYSATZKE; TORI MOSS
Automatic bank draft is the most convenient payment method NAEC offers, especially while lobbies remain closed to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. Enrolling in this free service ensures the bill is paid on time each month. It also eliminates the cost of a stamp or time spent in the drivethrough lane. Automatic bank draft is an electronic transfer from your checking or savings account to NAEC’s each month. If you enroll, you can continue to receive an itemized statement of the bill either by mail, email or both each month. On or about the 10th of every month, the amount of the bill is deducted from your account. To enroll in automatic bank draft, please call 870-895-3221. A member service representative is available to assist you from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. You also can sign up for bank draft by logging into your account on the Member Account Portal at www.naeci.com. If you’ve never accessed your account online, you can get started by visiting www.naeci.com and clicking on the “Account Login” button in the top right. Then, click on the “New User” link on the log-in screen to create a user ID and password. The portal will ask you for information NAEC has on file, such as your email, to confirm your identity.
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Several NAEC employees helped rebuild Southland Substation. They included, from left: Jason Strong, Chance Bailey, Aaron Knight, Vanis Davidson, Jason Perryman, Shannon Beard, Jay Jones, Shawn Hardin and Benton Hardin.
Rebuilt Southland Substation serving Mtn. Home area North Arkansas Electric Cooperative’s rebuilt Southland Substation is now online and serving more than 1,150 Mountain Home members. The substation is on Pebblecreek Drive off of the Sheid-Hopper Bypass. The original structure was destroyed by fire following a lightning strike in June 2019. “We are happy to announce the new substation’s completion,” CEO Mel Coleman said. “We truly appreciate the patience shown by members this past year as construction required occasional planned outages for the safety of our employees and contractors.” A temporary substation was constructed by NAEC with equipment from Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation immediately after the fire. It operated
while the site was cleared and a new substation built. “NAEC employees built a temporary substation from scratch in 16 hours,” Coleman said. “That is a testament not only to their skill but also to their dedication to those we serve.” The transformer and remaining equipment from the temporary substation will be removed from the site in the coming weeks. “Southland originally was built in 1984, and the new substation employs more advanced technology,” Vice President of Engineering Jason Strong said. “Employees now can operate its feeders and breakers from our 24/7 dispatch center and have access to additional data, which will facilitate faster outage restoration.”
HAPPY LABOR DAY — NAEC’s offices will be closed in observance of Labor Day on Sept. 7. Crews will be on call in the event of an outage. Report an outage at any time by using the NAEC app or by calling 870-895-3221. More co-op news on page 26 NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
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north arkansas electric cooperative edition
Qualifying members can receive help paying electric bills through LIHEAP The federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides help for qualifying members with their energy costs during the summer and winter months. LIHEAP is administered by community action agencies. In NAEC’s service area, those are Ozark Opportunities and Northcentral Arkansas Development Council. Summer assistance now is available, and we encourage members needing assistance to contact the agency serving their county for more information. Ozark Opportunities serves residents in Baxter and Marion counties. Northcentral Arkansas Development Council serves residents in Fulton, Izard, Sharp and Stone counties. The amount of help available varies based on a member’s income, number of people in the household and other factors. NAEC tries to work with members who are experiencing hardships. As a reminder, the co-op will not disconnect anyone for nonpayment with the governor’s state of emergency declaration in place. Members with questions or concerns about their account may reach a member service representative by emailing info@naeci.com or calling 870-895-3221 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The suspension is not a bill waiver. We encourage members to pay at least some if able. This will keep you from having such a large balance when disconnection procedures resume.
Northcentral Arkansas Development Council
www.nadcinc.org Fulton County 870-895-3628 Izard County 870-368-4329 Sharp County 870-994-7353 Stone County 870-269-4381 Ozark Opportunities
www.ozarkopp.org Baxter County 870-425-5118 Marion County 870-449-6250
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SEPTEMBER 2020
NORTH ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE