2015 June Orange County REMC Newsletter

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

812-865-2229 888-337-5900 BILL PAYMENTS 855-865-2229 TOLL FREE

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

We’re earning your trust I recently read an article

by David Horsager again the other day and it struck me that I should share some of it with you, the Orange County REMC members. This particular article focused on trust, which I believe has a founMATTHEW C. dational role in how cooperDEATON atives do business. I want to share some of my thoughts in hopes you can understand your cooperative better and, in turn, trust us more.

In the short time I have been here, it appears Orange County REMC has done well earning member trust over the years, likely because of many factors, not the least of which is the tenure of our workforce. Having a familiar voice or face to talk to always helps. But I know that no matter how well we have performed our duties in the past, we must continue to bring safe, reliable and affordable electricity to you in the future.

My goal is to have Orange County REMC employees communicating with members and others in the community often to clarify our programs and to help everyone understand our business. We are committed to connecting with each and every member and providing consistent and competent information for the members to use to make decisions.

Whether it is answering questions on a

MEMBER SERVICES

•Free energy analysis •Budget billing •Automatic payments •Security lights •Home security systems •Medical emergency monitoring •Air evac life team •Water heater and HVAC incentives (requires an EM switch) •Online bill payment options •Interactive Voice Response system for payments and account inquiries via phone: 1-855-865-2229 •VISA, MasterCard and Discover accepted •Exede Internet - 855-797-7855 4

ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JUNE 2015 • ElectricConsumer.org

high bill, developing understanding of a time-of-use rate and its potential benefits to a member, or whether it is assisting in the design and installation of a complex distributed energy system, Orange County REMC should be a place members can count on to provide trustworthy information.

It is in the fine details of this work where I believe genuine relationships are established. It is in this continuous cycle of time, effort and diligence where character is established. Orange County REMC’s focus has been and will continue to be on our members and their understanding of what we can do for you. It is not only when the power goes out that we spring into action and work tirelessly to get your lights back on. The Orange County REMC team works each day to find solutions to your problems, more efficient ways for you to use electricity and have control over the amount you pay for it.

We invite you to join your REMC staff at the 78th annual meeting on Friday, June 5, and allow us to get to know you better and earn your trust. There will be activities for the kids, food and gifts for everyone, and a celebration for all the members to enjoy. I look forward to meeting those that we serve.

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

IVE Rate Schedule (for April, May and June of 2015)

Employee service anniversaries

Figures needed to calculate your monthly bill Rate Schedule for Standard Service Standard Service Consumer Charge Standard Service Energy Charge Wholesale Power Cost Tracker Total bill plus Indiana sales tax 7% Bridget Sneed 20 years

Rate Schedule for ETS Service ETS Consumer Charge ETS Off-Peak Energy

Stacy Slaten 16 years

Access your REMC account 24 hours a day!

Orange County REMC offers an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to allow members greater access to account information.

Orange County REMC prides itself on answering every phone call with a member service representative during business hours, but the IVR system gives members the ability to make a payment over the phone 24 hours a day. Members may call 855-865-2229 anytime day or night, giving them the option to interact with their account even when the office is closed.

The IVR also gives Orange County REMC more options to contact members about their accounts. The co-op can use the system to notify members of upcoming planned outages, the annual meeting, past-due balances and other important cooperative information.

Please be sure to take advantage of this newest option and remember, there is no additional cost for payments made through the IVR system.

A COOL DEAL ON HIGH-SPEED INTERNET

5.40 0.0691

Rate Schedule for Security Lighting Security Lighting- 100 W HPS Security Lighting- 40 W LED

9.82 9.82

Example for 1,200 kwh Standard Service Consumer Charge $26.00 1,200 kwh @ .1124 $134.88 Wholeslae Power Cost Tracker @ $0.0021098 $2.53 Total $163.41 Indiana sales tax $11.44 Total bill $174.85 Example for 1,200 kwh (regular) and 750 kwh (ETS) Standard Service Consumer Charge $26.00 ETS Consumer Charge $5.40 1,200 kwh @ .1124 $134.88 750 kwh @ .0691 $51.83 Wholesale Power Cost Tracker @ $0.0021098 $4.11 Total $222.22 Indiana sales tax $15.56 Total bill $237.77 Visa, MasterCard and Discover cards accepted

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Promotional price of $5 off for 24 months applies to the 10 GB service package through the first 24 months of service. After that, it reverts back to the regular monthly price of $49.99/month. If you choose a higher-level package, the price of that package will be discounted $5/month through the first 24 months of service.

Service not available in all areas. Minimum 24-month commitment term. Actual speeds will vary. Use of Exede service is subject to data transmission limits measured on a monthly basis. For complete details and the Data Allowance Policy, visit www.localexede.com. Exede is a service mark of ViaSat, Inc.

*FCC, 2013 Measuring Broadband America

NRTC-15214 ORAGE COUNTY PRINT AD.indd 1

4/9/15 4:32 PM

ElectricConsumer.org • JUNE 2015 • ELECTRIC CONSUMER 5

KEEPING CURRENT • O R A N G E CO U N T Y R E M C

Utility pole inspections in progress

T

o help maintain high quality and reliable service while delivering electricity to our members, Orange County REMC conducts several annual preventative maintenance programs. One such measure is utility pole inspection.

As a borrower of Rural Utilities Services funds, REMC is required to inspect all distribution system poles on no less than a 10-year cycle.

“As a company that delivers a vital product to our members 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we believe it is imperative we keep our equipment in proper operating conditions,” said REMC Operations Manager Marty Frank. “That is why we elect to conduct pole inspection on a shorter seven-year cycle.”

To complete the task, REMC contracts with American Energy Services out of Richmond, Michigan, to perform inspections and maintenance on our poles. These inspections not only keep our equipment in good working order, but also alert us to potential safety hazards. In addition to inspecting and testing poles for deterioration or damage, American Energy Services personnel install yellow guards on down guys and attach tags to poles identifying them as belonging to

Orange County REMC. The inspectors also repair broken ground wires and report any other signs of potential problems. All of these activities add to the safety, reliability and quality of service provided by REMC. Pole testing is scheduled for May and June with approximately 3,200 poles scheduled for inspection this year. These poles are on lines served by the Abydel Substation.

This includes the Southwest portion of our service territory in Orange County. As an added service to our members, American Energy Services personnel inspect not only REMC-owned poles but also member-owned service poles.

Following the pole inspections, REMC crews will replace all defective REMC poles, and we notify members if a service pole they own represents a hazard to them or their property. For your safety, American Energy Services vehicles will display a magnetic door logo indicating they represent Orange County REMC. All REMC members are reminded to drive carefully when passing through work areas, as there will be utility vehicles and personnel along roadways while we go about the task of inspecting and replacing utility poles. …

PHOTO BY VICKI GROSS

Orange County REMC in your community

Above: Former Orange County REMC CEO Dan Arnold, far right, presents a 1940s Kelly brush ax to the Orleans Fire Department. The ax was refurbished by Simon Springler of Orleans. Shown with Arnold are Assistant Fire Chief Norman Cundiff, left, and Orleans Town Council President Mike Fields.

The three are pictured with the restored 1926 Peter Pirsch fire engine in front of the Orange County REMC building. For the time being, the ax will be housed in the display case of historic items at the Orleans Town Hall.

Left: REMC Lineman Robert White shows nearly 260 fourth grade students the electrifying results of a mylar balloon contacting a power line. The hotline demonstration was held at the Barnyard Carnival, on April 9 at the 4-H fairgrounds.

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ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JUNE 2015 • ElectricConsumer.org

Orange County REMC News

Making the digital switch Upgrade your lights from ‘analog’ to ‘digital’ with LED bulbs Just as you upgraded your TV/cable and phone from an analog system to digital for better sound and picture quality, the lighting industry has been modernizing its MARK BELCHER options and products in order to offer consumers greater energy efficiency. For the past several years, traditional incandescent bulbs have been phased out in favor of halogen and compact fluorescent lights (CFL) that offer greater efficiency.

Even more recent innovations in technology have focused on Light Emitting Diode (LED) light sources, which are essentially digital light.

Longevity and efficiency in one Known for their longevity and efficiency, LED lights have an estimated operational life span of up to 50,000 hours. So if you were to use an LED fixture for eight hours per day, it would take approximately 17 years before it would need to be replaced.

LED lights are different from fluorescent and incandescent light sources. LEDs do not contain a gas or filament of any kind, instead, the entire LED is made up of a semi-

conductor, which is solid in nature, making LEDs more durable than either CFL or incandescent bulbs.

LED lights are small, packed electronic chip devices where two conductive materials are placed together on a chip (a diode). Electricity passes through the diode, releasing energy in the form of light. Unlike fluorescent lights that require a few minutes to warm up before reaching their full level of brightness, LEDs achieve full illumination immediately.

The cost of ‘analog’ lights vs. ‘digital’ lights If you are still hanging on to your incandescent or “analog” era lighting, your lightbulb is operating at only 20 percent energy efficiency. Eighty percent of the electricity from the “analog” bulb is lost as heat.

While it is true that LEDs generally cost more to purchase than fluorescent and incandescent lights, they are much less expensive to operate over time, and you can purchase LEDs from Orange County REMC at a super-discounted rate, through our online store. And don’t forget, since LEDs are much more energy efficient, the replacement and maintenance requirements are dramatically lower.

Congratulations to these local students who each recieved a $750 Operation Round Up® Scholarship.

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Orleans High School Burton Gerkin, son of Jim and Jodi Gerkin of Orleans, has been accepted at Purdue, Rose-Hulman and Trine University. He plans to major in mechanical engineering.

Paoli Jr. /Sr. High School Olivia Strother, daughter of William and Catherine Strother of Paoli, has been accepted at Indiana State University where she will major in speech pathology.

Ashley Johnson, daughter of Bryan and Suzanne Johnson of Orleans, has been accepted at University of Indianapolis where she will major in exercise science/pre-physical therapy

Katherine Hamilton, daughter of Gregory and Renee Hamilton of Paoli, has been accepted at University of Southern Indiana where she will major in pre-medicine.

West Washington Jr./Sr. High School Chelsea Thompson, daughter of Gene and Teresa Thompson of Campbellsburg, has been accepted at University of Southern Indiana where she will major in nursing.

Bedford North Lawrence High School LeAnn Backherms, daughter of Michael and Susan Backherms of Mitchell, has been accepted at Ivy Tech where she will major in business/marketing.

ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JUNE 2015 • ElectricConsumer.org

Save up to $10 per bulb!

Making the digital upgrade Are you ready to make the switch? Visit our online store at www.myremc.com and click on the “Team Up Lighting Rebates” link to enter the store and place your order. If you order at least six bulbs, you will receive free shipping, and save up to $10 off per bulb. With these discounts, you can purchase six bulbs for about the same price you would pay for one or two LED bulbs in a big box store. Make the digital switch, save on your purchase, and save energy and money over the life of your bulbs!

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

Thank you to the following vendors for hosting booths at the 2015 Orange County REMC Annual Meeting: IU Health, Paoli • SICIL • Adaptive Nursing • LIFE Resource Center • Southern Hills Counseling • AgrAbility • Hoosier Uplands • Olcott Center • Medco • Jubilee Community Health • Orange County Health Dept.

WIC • Williams Brothers, Paoli • SICHC • Purdue Extension

WHERE YOUR DOLLAR CAME FROM

REVIEW OF 2014 Financial Highlights

Commercial and Industrial 10%

Condensed Statement of Operation December 31 Revenue

Operating Expenses

2014

2013

Operating Revenue

15,576,121

15,403,536

Purchased Power Operations Expense Maintenance Expense Depreciation Expense Taxes Interest Expense Other Deductions

9,882,928 2,530,329 1,014,508 1,150,332 216,594 457,612 51,163

9,502,450 2,320,963 943,659 1,112,346 214,488 577,396 7,581

15,303,466

14,678,883

Operating Margins

272,655

724,653

Interest Income Miscellaneous Capital Credits

25,698 -7,505 489,565

28,164 5,872 485,847

Net Margins

780,413

1,244,536

Utility Plant Work in Progress Accumulated Depreciation Net Plant Investments/Other Assets Total Current Assets Deferred Charges Total Assets

35,931,970 429,778 -7,983,429 28,378,319 5,774,582 2,467,415 545,021 37,165,337

35,225,304 300,122 -8,023,217 27,502,209 5,635,527 2,830,200 614,543 36,582,479

Equities Long Term Debt Current Liabilities Non-current Liabilities Deferred Credits Total Equity & Liabilities

16,779,985 16,865,413 3,519,939 0 0 37,165,337

15,999,772 16,818,024 3,764,683 0 0 36,582,479

Total Operating Expenses

Other Income and Deductions

Other 1%

Residential and Farm 89%

WHERE YOUR DOLLAR WENT Interest and Other 3%

Taxes 1%

Depreciation 8%

Purchased Power 65%

Operations and Maintenance 23%

Condensed Balance Sheet

Assets

Equities & Liabilities

General Statistics KWH Purchased KWH Sold and Used Line Loss Average Number of Consumers Miles of Line Average Consumers per Mile

0.1198

0.1235

2009

2010

2014

2013 120,682,267 113,679,420 5.97% 7,783 1,093 7.12

0.1337

0.1339

2011

2012

2013

2014

1081

1041

1114

1100

2011

2012

2013

2014

35.5

36.4

2013

2014

1158 1085

2009

123,332,585 114,894,064 6.84% 7,808 1,095 7.13

0.1339

0.1292

2010

29.9

31.2

2009

2010

32.7

2011

34.3

2012

ElectricConsumer.org • JUNE 2015 • ELECTRIC CONSUMER 29