Today, the land features ponds that provide fishing and wildlife habitat, woodlands that provide shelter for many NOVEMBER 2020 species, land leased to neighboring farmers for pasture, soil and crop research and planted habitat for Monarchs and other pollinators. Responsible generation for today and tomorrow
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WFEC Renewables Operationsources Round Whether the challenge is managing generation Report Upair report or making investments to ensure land, and water are protected, Associated Electric takes its responsibilities seriously. Members wouldn’t have it any other way.
A supplement to the Oklahoma Living
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Smothered Pork Chops in Brown Gravy
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For more information about Associated Electric and its environmental efforts, visit www.aeci.org.
PUBLISHED FOR MEMBERS OF KIAMICHI ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
RESPONSIBLE GENERATION Taking care of the environment is a way of life for Associated Electric AECI POWER PLANT EMISSIONS, 1994 & 2019 by Mark Viguet
SULFUR DIOXIDE
Employees plant Monarch habitat
An old saying states that people who live and work in rural America are the original environmentalists. After all, communities so connected to the land, air and water for their well-being are naturally tuned to safeguard them today and for future generations. When it comes to power generation for memberconsumers, Associated Electric Cooperative reflects the values of the people who receive its electricity. Generating power responsibly is a key priority. POWER GENERATED THE RIGHT WAY
Balancing reliable and affordable electricity with environmental responsibility is a longstanding commitment Associated Electric makes to those receiving its electricity. By adding significant amounts of wind power to diversify generating sources, investing in environmental controls and staying up to date with regulations
and technologies, Associated continues to comply with environmental regulations at an affordable cost for members. This requires teamwork throughout the generation cooperative. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT DELIVERS RESULTS
“Making sure our power generation activities safeguard air, water and land is a big responsibility. Our track record shows Associated delivers meaningful results members can be proud of,” says Brent Ross, Associated’s managing director of environmental, health and safety. “It’s a team effort.” Ross and his staff keep up with complex federal and state regulatory changes, conduct safety and environmental training and continued on page 3 >>
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ceo’s report BRETT ORME
C HI E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E R
Kiamichi Electric Cooperative 944 SW Highway 2 PO Box 340 Wilburton, Oklahoma 74578 tele: (918) 465-2338 toll free: (800) 888-2731 FAX: (918) 465-2950 www.kiamichielectric.org email: support@kiamichielectric.org HOURS OF OPERATION Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm 24-HOUR OUTAGE HOTLINE (800) 888-2731 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Don Parr, President DISTRICT 5 Mark Ichord, Vice President DISTRICT 6
Over the years, you’ve probably heard or read about KEC’s concern for our community. This is one of the core principles that sets cooperatives apart from other types of utilities and businesses. We’ve always taken this mission and responsibility to heart. It’s who we are as a co-op. Over the past few months, like so many of you, we’ve risen to meet new challenges and strengthen the safety net for our community, particularly for those who are most vulnerable. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve made numerous adjustments to programs and operations to maintain business continuity while staying focused on the bigger mission of helping our consumermembers during this turbulent time. Now, with the holidays fast approaching, these recent events have made me pause
Monitoring the Line for Reliability
Electric co-ops use a variety of monitoring and automation technologies that improve power reliability, shorten outage times and reduce labor time for crews. Here are four technologies we use to improve reliability.
Ron Pelanconi, Treasurer DISTRICT 3 Russell Shaw DISTRICT 1 Amy Miller DISTRICT 2 David Ray DISTRICT 4
Power Sensors
Power sensors typically clamp on or connect to the power line and provide near real-time reporting on power, voltage, current and more – all of which helps to provide more reliable energy to consumer-members.
Larry Culwell DISTRICT 7 Brett Orme Executive Vice President-CEO Kiamichi Electric provides reliable and affordable electricity to members in Pushmataha, Leflore, Latimer, Atoka and Pittsburg Counties.
and think about the role we play in our community. While our purpose is to provide safe and reliable energy to you, the members we serve, we have a greater mission––to be a catalyst for good. You’re probably aware of our Operation Round-Up program, where we take donations from generous members like you who have “rounded up” the amount due on their electric bill to help support our communities and fund scholarships. Or our Youth Tour program, where we take our community’s brightest young people to Washington, D.C. for a week-long immersion to experience democracy in action. We also have a strong commitment to safety — not just for our employees, but for our community as well. We visit schools to teach children of all ages how to stay safe around electricity. We hold safety demonstrations at community meetings and other gatherings. KEC invests in the economic development of the community through an active role in our local Drones Chamber of Commerce. Drones may be used to inspect the You’ll also see our power lines we maintain. Drones can provide infrared evaluation to employees serving on local locate hot spots on power lines and vegetation assessment to boards, coaching youth locate trees and other vegetation that can cause outages. sports and volunteering at charitable events. Because when you work at a co-op, you understand how important a strong community is — after all, without you, the co-op wouldn’t exist. We know that our core job is to keep the lights Reclosers A recloser acts like a on; but our passion is our circuit breaker for power lines. When a problem community. Because we occurs, the recloser temporarily shuts off live and work here too, power. If the problem is temporary, the recloser and we want to make it a restores power. (This is why you sometimes see better place for all. the power blink.) If the problem persists, the Concern for recloser will shut off power until a crew can community is the heart make repairs. The recloser’s antenna and soul of who we are. provides wireless, And no matter what the real-time data back to the co-op. future brings, you can count on your electric co-op to care about you.
AMI
Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) provides real-time data to the co-op. In addition to meter reading, this data helps us detect faults and other potential problems on the electrical system, resulting in increased power reliability for consumer-members.
(Antenna)
audits, and monitor employee safety. They also handle reporting to state and federal agencies, permits, plus monitor and take samples of water, air and soil to ensure Associated continues to be a good steward of natural resources. SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
More than $1.1 billion has been invested by Associated to reduce air emissions since 1994, resulting in tremendous improvements in air quality. Emissions from Associated’s coal power plants have dropped 80 to 90 percent, depending on the specific emission being monitored. While the current results are impressive, compliance with new and changing land, air and water regulations is an ongoing priority. “We understand how important our environment is to everyone we serve, so making a difference with measurable results is what we strive for each day,” Ross said. WIND POWER DIVERSIFIES GENERATION SOURCES
Associated was the first utility provider in Missouri of large-scale wind power and remains a leader. Already receiving power from seven wind farms, an eighth wind farm later this year means Associated will have 1,240 megawatts of wind power delivered from 626 wind turbines across three states. Locking in long-term, fixed-cost wind power helps Associated diversify its generation sources for years to come. A LEGACY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE
innovative, successful reclamation that improved water quality and transformed 1,000 acres that previously served as a coal mine into productive pasture, wetlands and forest. Today, the land features ponds that provide fishing and wildlife habitat, woodlands that provide shelter for many species, land leased to neighboring farmers for pasture, soil and crop research and planted habitat for Monarchs and other pollinators. ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES COMPLY WITH NET METERING LAWS
While large utility-size solar installations have yet to make sense for Associated, about 30 megawatts of solar power is being produced by member-consumers connected to Associated’s member systems. Net metering laws mandate the process for local cooperatives to purchase any excess energy produced by the solar systems located at the homes and businesses of memberconsumers. RESPONSIBLE GENERATION FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW
Whether the challenge is managing generation sources or making investments to ensure land, air and water are protected, Associated Electric takes its responsibilities seriously. Members wouldn’t have it any other way. For more information about Associated Electric and its environmental efforts, visit www. aeci.org.
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Renewables Report 24% 24% Renewables Data collected from Western Farmers Electric Cooperative — KEC’s wholesale power provider — reflects generation during July 2020, which shows 24 percent of the power generated by WFEC came from renewable sources.
Associated Electric received the U.S. Department of Interior’s highest honor for its
“Making sure our power generation activities er generation activities safeguard air, water safeguard air, water and land is a big reand land is a big responsibility. Our track sponsibility. Our track recordshows shows Associatrecord Associateddelivers delivers meaningful ed meaningful results can be be resultsmembers members can proud proudof.” of.” “Making sure our pow-
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mentalto the e natue generaamber-connhe values es g power
Cow Branch Wind Farm helps diversify energy sources.
Cow Branch Wind Farm helps diversify energy sources. photos courtesy Associated Electric Cooperative
photos courtesy Associated Electric Cooperative
—— Brent Ross, Associated’s Brent Ross, Associated’s director of environmental, director of environmental, health and safety
health and safety
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operation round up
RECIPE
M O N T H LY U P D AT E Operation Round Up® is a voluntary bill roundup program that benefits local communities, organizations ,and needy families. Funding applications are available at Kiamichi Electric, local social services, or online at www.kiamichielectric.org.
Smothered Pork Chops in Brown Gravy INGREDIENTS
YEAR-TO-DATE COLLECTIONS 2020: $45,070.90 YEAR-TO-DATE DISBURSEMENTS: $26,915.78 TOTAL COLLECTED SINCE INCEPTION: $1,652,945.76
4 tbsp butter 1 onion, thinly sliced and quartered 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 cups beef broth 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS SINCE INCEPTION:
DIRECTIONS
$1,582,808.10
Energy Efficiency
Tip of the Month Keep cold air out to save energy. Seal air leaks around pipes and any gaps around chimneys and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Source: Energy.gov
Manage your KEC account from wherever you are with our free mobile app
1 ½ cups sliced baby bella mushrooms, or more to taste 4 center-cut pork chops ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste cooking spray
Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook onion and garlic in the butter, stirring occasionally, until is browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove onion and garlic and set aside. Stir flour slowly into butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until flour is deep brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in broth. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, and parsley. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and brown in the hot pan, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Add gravy mixture from the saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until tender and no longer pink in the centers, 30 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees Cook’s Notes: Make sure you use pork chops that are 3/4-inch thick. Image and Recipe from AllRecipes.com
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