2016 February Orange County REMC Newsletter

NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATI www.myremc.coop CONTACT US OFFICE

812-865-2229 TOLL FREE 888-337-5900 BILL PAYMENTS 855-865-2229 CONTACT US BY EMAIL

orangecoremc@myremc.coop GENERAL MANAGER/CEO

Matthew C. Deaton OFFICE HOURS

7 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday-Friday STREET ADDRESS

7133 N. State Road 337 Orleans, IN 47452 MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 208, Orleans, IN 47452 EMERGENCY POWER OUTAGES

To report service interruptions, call: 812-865-2229 or 888-337-5900, day or night. Please have the phone number associated with your account ready when reporting outages. Please limit after hours calls to emergencies and outage situations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Eugene Roberts, DISTRICT 1 Randy Roberts, DISTRICT 2 Danny Easterday, DISTRICT 3 Rodney Hager, DISTRICT 4 Ben Lindsey, DISTRICT 5 Brian Hawkins, DISTRICT 6 George Key, DISTRICT 7 REMC KEY STAFF

Marty Frank, OPERATIONS MANAGER Marcy Bennett, OFFICE MANAGER Larry Pinnick, MATERIALS MANAGER Michael Roberts, STAKING ENGINEER Misty Tincher, ACCOUNTANT Billy Chastain, STAKING ENGINEER AIDE Mark Belcher, MARKETING/MEMBER SERVICES

Get to know your co-op network The power behind the power Every day, Orange County REMC is hard at work to make sure all of our members have the electric power they need at the best possible price. And behind the scenes, we are working with a network of cooperatives to MATTHEW C. make that happen.

DEATON Orange County REMC, along with 17 other cooperatives, make up Hoosier Energy, which creates the power.

We helped to create this second tier co-op so that we have more control over power supply and pricing.

Being an electric co-op is an infrastructure and capital intensive business, so when we need to borrow capital, we turn to either the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) or CoBank. Both of these organizations are cooperatives. CFC is owned by electric co-ops throughout the country, and CoBank is owned by electric and agricultural co-ops nationwide.

As you know, every month we generate an electric bill that we send to you either electronically or through regular mail. We utilize Daffron, our enterprise business management software, to ensure we utilize the latest technology, helping lower your energy costs and send timely, accurate bills to you.

No business can operate without several different types of insurance, such

Contact REMC to get your FREE energy analysis

The complete analysis includes: k Walk through of home for data analysis k Inferred camera to spot problem areas k Blower door testing on total electric homes k Members will receive a final report of results

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ELECTRIC CONSUMER • FEBRUARY 2016 • ElectricConsumer.org

as general liability, auto and workers’ compensation. So once again, along with other electric cooperatives across the country, we are members of Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange. This allows us to maintain reliable coverage at an affordable price.

As eluded to earlier, it takes a whole lot of “stuff” to operate an electric co-op, such as poles, wires, transformers and many other items that you may not see.

This is why we partnered with other co-ops to create United Utility Supply.

The power of this co-op allows us to have quick access to all the materials we need at the best price.

Orange County REMC is a member of Touchstone Energy, a nationwide alliance of 750 local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. Our participation allows us access to a wealth of informational materials. It also allows us to benchmark our performance in comparison with other co-ops so that we can learn from others as we constantly strive to serve you better.

So, while you are a member of one electric co-op, you are really connected to many other co-ops. And being connected to this cooperative network ensures your needs are met in the most efficient and cooperative way possible.

MATTHEW C. DEATON is the general manager/ CEO of Orange County REMC.

IVE Rate Schedule (for January, February and March of 2016) Rate Schedule for Standard Service Standard Service Consumer Charge Standard Service Energy Charge Wholesale Power Cost Tracker Total bill x Indiana sales tax 7%

2016 Director Election Timeline Incumbents whose terms expire: District 2 – Randy Roberts District 4 – Rodney Hager District 7 – George Key

k Posting of incumbent list by Feb. 19 (Names published in the March issue of the Electric Consumer) k Petitions of nominations due by April 20 k Nominations by the board (absent incumbents seeking re-elections or petitioners) by April 20 k Full slate of candidates posted and mailed by May 13 k All candidate biographies published in the May or June issue of the Electric Consumer k Election at annual meeting on June 3

Touchstone Energy Home promises energy savings for Campbellsburg couple

$26.00 $0.1124 $0.0028465

Example for 1,200 kWh Standard Service Standard Service Consumer Charge $26.00 1,200 kWh @ $0.1124 $134.88 Wholesale Power Cost Tracker @ $0.0028465 $3.42 Total $164.30 Indiana sales tax $11.50 Total bill $175.80

Rate Schedule for Time of Use Service Time of Use Consumer Charge $30.90 Energy Charge On-Peak $0.1671 (On-Peak: 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday-Friday, EST)

Energy Charge Off-Peak Wholesale Power Cost Tracker Total bill x Indiana sales tax 7%

$0.0691 $0.0028465

Example for Time of Use, 300 kWh On-Peak and 900 kWh Off-Peak Time of Use Consumer Charge $30.90 Energy Charge On-Peak 300 kWh @ $0.1671 $50.13 Energy Charge Off-Peak 900 kWh @ $0.0691 $62.19 Wholesale Power Cost Tracker @ $0.0028465 $3.42 Total $146.64 Indiana sales tax $10.26 Total bill $156.90

Rate Schedule for Security Lighting Security Lighting: 100 W HPS $9.82 Security Lighting: 40 W LED $9.82

Visa, MasterCard and Discover cards accepted

Mike and Kim Wallace of Campbellsburg heard about the energy-saving benefits of the Touchstone Energy® Home Program through their builder, Craig Jones of Big J Design and Construction.

Construction began on their home in July 2015 and was completed in October. The home features 3,322 square feet of conditioned space and will save them approximately $490 a year in heating and cooling costs, compared to a conventionally built home. To learn more about the Touchstone Energy Home Program, visit itehome.com. …

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Orange County REMC News

Avoid a bad decision when your water heater breaks If you want to save money on your energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas — and other emissions — to help the environment, a good step would be to have a replacement plan for your water heater when it fails. And a key part of that plan is to get advice from us here at Orange County REMC. That helpful tip comes from an expert MARK who’s just published research showing that BELCHER the increased use of electric appliances would improve energy efficiency at home and for the nation.

Keith Dennis is the senior principal of end-use solutions and standards at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). His article, published in the November issue of The Electricity Journal, shows that for decades we’ve been using assumptions and measurements for energy efficiency that are no longer accurate.

It explains that electric water heaters are a much better choice than natural gas — both for environmental impact and home energy savings. And that’s important. Water heating accounts for approximately 15 percent of your home’s energy use.

The problem is replacing a water heater is often a panic

decision. Water heaters seem to break at the worst time, and you’re more likely to be thinking about the guests coming to visit the next day than the best energy-efficient decision. But we want to help you be more proactive in making that purchasing decision.

Orange County REMC has a new incentive program that makes it easier to buy the most efficient water heater. If you purchase your water heater through Orange County REMC, we’ll finance it (through a partnership with Personal Finance Company) for six months same as cash*.

Members who purchase a water heater before June 1 and allow us to install an energy management switch will also receive a $50 bill credit. We want to help you make an informed decision, rather than a decision in the middle of a crisis.

The bottom line: Before purchasing a new water heater for your home, talk to the energy experts at Orange County REMC. Call 812-865-2229 or toll-free 888-337-5900 for more information and to get specific pricing information on the different types and sizes of water heaters we have available.

MARK BELCHER is the marketing/member services manager for Orange County REMC.

Mike’s Derby Shop Location: 1359 E County Road 400 N. Orleans Telephone: 812-865-2974 Mike’s Derby Shop has been building race cars, motors for race cars and street rods for 11 years. Mike Tuell specializes in welding and fabrication. He is pictured above with his daughter Hannah, son Cooper and wife Angelia.

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Do you have an idea for an individual, group or business to be featured in our Community Corner? Send an email to Stacy Slaten at sslaten@myremc.coop.

Be prepared for

WINTER STORMS

When winter temperatures drop and storms hit, it can be challenging to stay safe and warm. Winter storm severity varies depending on where you live, but nearly all Americans are affected by extreme winter storms at some point.

Orange County REMC cares about your safety, and we want you to be prepared.

Heavy snow and ice can lead to downed power lines, leaving co-op members without power. During extremely low temperatures, this can be dangerous. During a power outage, our crews will continue to work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power, but there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself. k Stay warm: Plan to use a safe alternate heating source, such as a fireplace or wood-burning stove during a power outage. These are great options to keep you and your loved ones warm, but exercise caution when using, and never leave the heating source unattended. If you are using gasoline-, propane- or natural gas-burning devices to stay warm, never use them indoors. Remember that fuel- and wood-burning sources of heat should always be properly ventilated. Always read the manufacturer’s directions before using. k Stay fed: The CDC recommends having several days’ supply of food that does not need to be cooked handy.

Crackers, cereal, canned goods and bread are good options.

Five gallons of water per person should also be available in the event of an extended power outage. k Stay safe: When an outage occurs, it usually means power lines are down. It is best not to travel during winter storms, but if you must, bring a survival kit along, and do not travel alone. If you encounter downed lines, always assume they are live. Stay as far away from the downed lines as possible, and report the situation to our dispatchers by calling 812-865-2229 or toll free 888-337-5900 if possible.

Winter weather can be unpredictable and dangerous, and planning ahead can often be the difference between life and death. Orange County REMC is ready for what Mother Nature has in store, and we want you to be ready, too.

Gary Cheatham Orange County REMC Journeyman Lineman Gary Cheatham has been employed by the co-op for 35 years. He attends Liberty Baptist Church in Mitchell. Gary and his wife, Sharon, are pictured above with their family. His son, Brian, is married to Amanda, and they have three boys, Blake, Cole and Lane. Gary’s daughter, Karen, has one daughter, Abby Lechner.

Chris Wesner Orange County REMC Journeyman Lineman Chris Wesner has been employed by the co-op for 24 years. He and his wife, Donna, attend Mt. Tabor Christian Church. They are pictured above with their three daughters, Arien, Kristen and Kaitlyn.

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