AUGUST 2022
THE MESSENGER A Publication for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members
Safety first: Give driving full attention August is Back to School Safety Month. Young drivers and school buses will be back on the road, and distracted driving will be as dangerous as ever. The reality is that using a phone while driving creates enormous potential for injuries and fatalities. Distractions take a motorist’s attention off driving, which can make a driver miss critical events, objects and cues, potentially leading to a crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one of every 10 fatal crashes in the U.S. involves distracted driving, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths annually. Distracted driving is considered any activity that diverts our attention, including texting or talking on the phone, and adjusting the navigation or entertainment system. Texting is by far one of the most dangerous distractions. Sending or reading one text takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with eyes closed. In addition to refraining from texting while driving, we can help keep the roads safe by moving over for emergency vehicles and utility crews conducting work near the roadside. Let’s work together to keep everyone safe on the roads. Remember: that text can wait, and waiting just might save a life.
Youth Tour returns to D.C.
NAEC's delegates visit George Washington's Mount Vernon on the 2022 Youth Tour. Pictured, from left, are Daniel Haley, Lexie Audeoud, Annaliese Mikay Lengenfelder, Noah Stevenson and Peyton Love. The application for juniors to apply for the all-expenses-paid 2023 Youth Tour will be available at naeci.com/youth-tour by Feb. 1.
LIHEAP helps qualifying members The federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides help for qualifying members with their energy costs during the summer and winter. LIHEAP is administered by community action agencies. In NAEC’s service area, those are Ozark Opportunities and Northcentral Arkansas Development Council. Summer assistance became available in late July. We encourage members needing assistance to reach out to 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. (Please see sidebars below for the websites and phone numbers.) 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. 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.
Northcentral Arkansas Development Council
Ozark Opportunities
nadcinc.org
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Fulton County - 870-895-3628 Izard County - 870-368-4329 Sharp County - 870-994-7353 Stone County - 870-269-4381
ozarkopp.org Baxter County - 870-425-5118 Marion County - 870-449-6250
Four factors affect home's electricity usage Hot summer days impact the amount of electricity you use each month and can increase your bill. If your electric bill is higher than usual, here are four factors that may impact it: 1. Consumption. The primary factor that impacts your monthly bill is the amount of energy used. The more energy your home uses, the higher your electric bill will be. Keep in mind that heating and cooling systems typically account for more than 50 percent of your home’s energy. 2. Weather. Changes in outdoor temperatures impact your bill. As temperatures rise in the summer, your home’s energy usage increases. The greater the difference between the outdoor temperature and your desired indoor temperature means your cooling system is using more energy to reach the desired indoor temperature. Try bumping up the thermostat a couple of degrees and using fans to help the unit run less. 3. Fuel Costs. The power cost adjustment on your statement is how NAEC adjusts for the increase or decrease in the cost of generating and distributing electricity to members.
These costs change rapidly. Rather than changing the co-op’s base kWh rate every month, we use this line to pass on either additional costs or savings to members. It is shown on bills as the line item “POWER COST ADJ TO/RTO RIDER.” NAEC does not make money on the adjustment. The Arkansas Public Service Commission mandates the adjustment only be used to recover fuel costs billed by NAEC’s wholesale power provider Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation. Each month, the power cost adjustment factor provided by AECC is multiplied by kilowatt hours each member used in the current month. Members will have a credit or debit depending on the cost of energy during a particular billing cycle. 4. Billing Cycles. Billing cycles can vary depending on the dates billed. More days in a billing cycle may make your bill seem higher than normal. NAEC billing specialists and energy auditors can help you understand your usage and statement as well as discuss energy audits, recommend energy-saving tips and suggest billing or payment methods that may help. Email info@naeci.com or call 870-895-3221 for assistance.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH
HAPPY LABOR DAY! — Our offices will be closed Sept. 5. In case of an outage, please use the NAEC app, form on the Outage Viewer at naeci.com or 870-895-3221 to report to the dispatcher on duty.
An easy way to save energy is to seal air leaks and holes where plumbing pipes run through walls in your home. You also can check wall-mounted cabinets for plumbing holes or air gaps in the back. Fill any holes or gaps with spray foam. Wear protective gloves and use a damp rag for cleanup. — energy.gov
DAILY HIGHS & LOWS — JUNE 2022 Average Daily High: 89.17° compared to 86.67° in 2021
TEMPERATURE
Average Daily Low: 63.89° compared to 65.62° in 2021 Total Rainfall Amount: 0.17” compared to 3.14” in 2021 Warmest Day: June 21, 99.5° at 5 p.m. June 25, 99.5° at 3 p.m.
DAYS
CONTACT NAEC
RIGHT-OF-WAY
870-895-3221 info@naeci.com naeci.com
Scheduled ROW work is complete for 2022.
IMAGES: CHANCE ALLMON; CHANCE ALLMON; VOLODYMYR/ADOBE STOCK
ON THE FRONT Arkansas delegates snap a photo in front of the U.S. Capitol on the 2022 Youth Tour. Check out more photos from the trip at facebook.com/ARKElectricYouthTour.
Coolest Day: June 4, 50.7° at 4 a.m.