DECEMBER 2023
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LIGHT POST Published for members of Kiamichi Electric Cooperative
Five Ways to Safeguard Your Home this Winter By Abby Berry
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As the temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, there’s a natural inclination to create a warm and cozy haven at home. Unfortunately, as we see increased use of heating equipment, candles and electrical items, the number of home fires tends to increase during winter months. Here are five ways you can safeguard your home for the winter season. 1. Ensure carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working properly. If your detectors are battery-operated, replace the batteries annually. Test the detectors once a month and give them a good dusting to ensure the sensors are clear of dirt and debris. 2. Inspect electrical cords. We depend on more cords during winter, whether for holiday lighting, extension cords or portable heaters. Before using any corded items, double check to make sure cords aren’t frayed or cracked. If you use portable space heaters, remember to keep them at least 3 feet away from flammable items. Use models that include an auto shut-off feature and overheat protection. Space heaters can take a toll on your energy bills. Use them efficiently (to heat smaller spaces) and safely. Never plug a space heater into a power strip. Speaking of power strips…
Reliable power for today — and tomorrow
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3. Avoid overloading electrical outlets and power strips. When overloaded with electrical items, outlets and power strips can overheat and catch fire. If you use power strips for multiple devices, make sure the strip can handle the electrical load. For a safer bet, look for power strips that include surge protection. 4. Clean the fireplace to improve safety and efficiency. There’s nothing better than a warm fire on a chilly night, but it’s important to maintain your fireplace for safety. As wood burns, a sticky substance known as creosote builds up in the chimney. When creosote buildup becomes too thick, a chimney fire can ignite. The chimney should be cleaned at least once a year to reduce fire risks. Regular cleaning also improves air flow and limits the amount of carbon monoxide that seeps indoors. 5. Practice safety in the kitchen. As we spend more time in the kitchen during the holiday season, be mindful of potential fire hazards. Never leave food that’s cooking on the stovetop unattended. Clean and remove spilled foods from cooking surfaces and be mindful of where you place flammable items like dish towels. KEC wants you and your family to stay safe during the winter season. Visit www. SafeElectricity.org for additional safety tips.
KEC Foundation donates Coats for Kids
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Renewables Report
Reliable Power for Today — and Tomorrow 944 SW Highway 2 PO Box 340 Wilburton, Oklahoma 74578 (918) 465-2338 | (800) 888-2731
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ron Pelanconi, President DISTRICT 3
Russell Shaw, Vice President DISTRICT 1
Amy Miller, Treasurer DISTRICT 2
David Ray DISTRICT 4
Don Parr
DISTRICT 5
Mark Ichord DISTRICT 6
Larry Culwell DISTRICT 7
KEC SENIOR STAFF Brett Orme
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT — CEO
Linda Baldwin
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Crystal Butler
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Dennis Dolan
MANAGER OF OPERATIONS
Andy Eakle
MANAGER OF ENGINEERING
Sharla Ivy
MANAGER OF PROCUREMENT
Michelle Warmuth
MANAGER OF MEMBER & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Heather Ziverk
MANAGER OF MEMBER SERVICES
w w w. k i a m i c h i e l e c t r i c . o rg
Brett Orme General Manager
Ringing in a new year sparks a sense of renewed hope and optimism about the future. For me, it’s a time to reflect on where we are and where we’re going. At the heart of this reflection, I think about ways we can better serve you, the members of the cooperative. Your team at Kiamichi Electric Cooperative is always looking ahead, exploring ways to innovate and utilize new technologies to improve our services. As our nation increasingly relies on electricity to power the economy, keeping the lights on has never been more important. We’re committed to powering — and empowering — our community at a cost local families and businesses can afford. So how are we working to ensure reliable and affordable power while adapting to a changing energy landscape and our community’s evolving needs? One critical component of reliable power is the mix of energy resources used to generate the electricity that keeps the lights on across southeastern Oklahoma. You may not realize it, but KEC doesn’t generate electricity. Rather, we purchase it from our energy provider, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, and from there, we distribute it to homes and businesses throughout our community. Our current energy resource mix is made up of natural gas, coal, wind, hydropower and solar. We depend on a diverse energy mix to ensure reliable power that’s available to our members whenever they need it.
In addition to managing a reliable energy mix, KEC is using technology to enhance our local grid, limit service disruptions and improve outage response times. Advanced metering technology, also known as AMI, enables two-way communication between the co-op and consumers. In the event of a power outage, AMI helps pinpoint the exact location of the outage and can even analyze damaged or tampered meters. AMI helps KEC save money with real-time data, and ultimately improves power reliability for our entire community. Proactive tree trimming is another way we limit service disruptions. Scheduled trimming keeps power lines clear from overgrown limbs that are likely to fall. As technology advancements become more accessible, we anticipate using advanced mapping software to better maintain the environment while providing more reliable service. One of the best methods for improving our services to you is monitoring trends and leading practices from other electric co-ops Oklahoma and across the country. Learning from other co-ops is one of the many benefits of the cooperative business model because for us, it’s about cooperation, not competition. As we turn our focus to 2024, we will continue working to provide the reliable, affordable electricity you expect and deserve — for today and tomorrow.
Keeping Kids Warm KEC Foundation continues providing winter coats to local children For 12 years, you have helped provide much needed winter coats for children in need across our service area. Through the Operation Round Up’s® (ORU) Coats for Kids program, the KEC Foundation donates more than 300 coats each year. “We ask each of the schools in our service territory for the sizes and gender of 10 kids who are in need of winter coats,” said Danny Choat, KEC Foundation president. “We are very grateful to the members who round up their electric bills each month to help provide this service.” ORU is made possible thanks to the
thousands of members who choose to round up their bills each month. The KEC Foundation, a board of five volunteers, strives to help individuals, families and community organizations address needs that cannot be met through other resources. Applications — individual and organizational — can be found online at www. kiamichielectric.org or by calling 918-4652338. Contact Michelle Warmuth at mwarmuth@ kiamichielectric.org or 918-465-2338 if you have questions about ORU or the application process.
Make payments and report outages using our free mobile app
operation round up 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. YEAR-TO-DATE COLLECTIONS: TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS SINCE INCEPTION: TOTAL COLLECTED SINCE INCEPTION:
$50,150.58 $1,820,172.94 $1,888,327.98
Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole INGREDIENTS
• 2 (16 ounce) packages frozen cut green beans • 2 (10.75 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup • 2/3 cup milk • ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions, divided
DIRECTIONS
Combine green beans, condensed soup, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and 1/2 of the can of French-fried onions in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours. Top casserole with remaining French-fried onions to serve. Recipe from AllRecipes.com
Renewables Report
Data collected from Western Farmers Electric Cooperative — KEC’s wholesale power provider — reflects generation during September 2023, which shows 23 percent of the power generated by WFEC potentially come from renewable sources.
