Light Post March 2020

MARCH 2020

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Employee Spotlight: Dennis Dolan

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Operation Round Up report

A supplement to the Oklahoma Living

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Lig ght Post

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Banana Walnut Bread recipe

PUBLISHED FOR MEMBERS OF KIAMICHI ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

EIA forecasts rise in renewable energy generation nationwide

From the U.S. Energy Information Administration

In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), released on Jan. 14, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that generation from natural gas-fired power plants in the electric power sector will grow by 1.3% in 2020. This growth rate would be the slowest growth rate in natural gas generation since 2017. EIA forecasts that generation from nonhydropower renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, will grow by 15% in 2020—the fastest rate in four years. Forecast generation from coal-fired power plants declines by 13% in 2020.

During the past decade, the electric power sector has been retiring coal-fired generation plants while adding more natural gas generating capacity. In 2019, EIA estimates that 12.7 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired capacity in the United States was retired, equivalent to 5% of the total existing coal-fired capacity at the beginning of the year. An additional 5.8 GW of U.S. coal capacity is scheduled to retire in 2020, contributing to a forecast 13% decline in coal-fired generation this year. In contrast, EIA estimates that the electric power sector has added or plans to add 11.4 GW of capacity at natural gas combined-cycle power plants in 2019 and 2020.

Generating capacity fueled by renewable energy sources, especially solar and wind, has increased steadily in recent years.

EIA expects the U.S. electric power sector will add 19.3 GW of new utility-scale solar capacity in 2019 and 2020, a 65% increase from 2018 capacity levels. EIA expects a 32% increase of new wind

capacity—or nearly 30 GW—to be installed in 2019 and 2020.

Much of this new renewables capacity comes online at the end of the year, which affects generation trends in the following year.

Forecast generation mix varies in each of the 11 STEO electricity supply regions. EIA forecasts that coal generation in the mid-Atlantic will decline by 37 billion kilowatthours (kWh) in 2020. Some of this decline is offset by more generation from midAtlantic natural gas-fired power plants; EIA expects generation from these plants to grow by 23 billion kWh. IMPACT IN OKLAHOMA

KEC’s wholesale power provider, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC), announced in July plans to add solar and battery storage projects to the Skeleton Creek Wind Farm, currently under construction by NextEra Energy Resources in Garfield, Alfalfa and Major counties near Enid. It will be the first combined project of its kind in Oklahoma and the largest of its kind in the nation. The solar project will add 250 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity and the four-hour battery storage project will add 200 MW. The wind farm, which was announced earlier in 2019, will produce 250 MW. Together, the projects will produce enough electricity to power more than 177,000 homes a year, which adds to WFEC’s already impressive renewable efforts.

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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 ER

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 Ron Pelanconi, Treasurer DISTRICT 3 Russell Shaw DISTRICT 1 Amy Miller DISTRICT 2 David Ray DISTRICT 4 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.

At Kiamichi Electric Cooperative we these instances, we can provide advance are constantly striving to improve our notification to affected members through operational efficiency so we can provide the automated phone messages, text messages most reliable electric service possible for our or email, if we have your updated consumer-members (that’s you!). contact information and communication We rely on data for nearly every aspect of preferences. our operations, which is why we need your Keeping the co-op updated with your help. By making sure we have your most information also helps us when there’s accurate and complete contact information, a question about energy use or billing. we can continue to provide the high level Emails and text messages are also used to of service that you expect and deserve. notify registered members of any changes Accurate information in co-op event enables us to details. In addition, improve customer discrepancies on your service and enhance account can be taken Up-to-date contact information communications care of promptly if we can potentially speed up the for reporting and have accurate account repairing outages. information. power restoration process It also allows co-op Many of you have during an outage...” members to receive been members of the information about co-op for years, and other important it’s likely that your programs, events and account information activities. hasn’t been updated for some time. We Up-to-date contact information can recognize that many members now use a potentially speed up the power restoration cell phone as their primary phone service, process during an outage. For example, the and we might not have that number in our phone number you provide is linked to your system. service address to our outage management I want to emphasize that in providing system. This means when you call to report your contact information to the co-op, an outage, our system recognizes your phone we will never share this information with number and matches it with your account any third parties. We use it only to send location. Accurate information helps our important information to you. Please take a outage management system predict the moment to confirm or update your contact location and possible cause of an outage, information by logging into your account making it easier for our crews to correct the at www.kiamichielectric.org. By doing so, problem. you will be helping us improve service and While we always do our best to maintain efficiency so we can better serve you and all service, we occasionally plan outages to members of the co-op. update, repair or replace equipment. In

APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 6 VISIT WWW.KIAMICHIELECTRIC.ORG

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This year marks Manager of Operations Dennis Dolan’s 20th year at Kiamichi Electric, but his career in electric cooperatives began much earlier in Arkansas.

Raised in Pocola, Dennis remembers his grandpa’s positive outlook on life and his favorite statement: “So far, so good.” Dennis has applied this statement to his own outlook on life and his career.

While attending Pocola High School, Dennis worked as the school janitor. His positive attitude and work ethic caught the attention of Superintendent Eddie Colemen. Eddie recommended Dennis for a lineman program being offered by Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVEC). The opportunity led to the beginning of a long, successful career.

After graduating from Pocola in 1985, Dennis continued to work at AVEC for several years, where he earned his Journeyman Lineman status. He then went on to work at our neighboring electric co-op, Cookson Hills Electric, and in July 2000 found a home at KEC. Dennis was initially tasked with maintenance and served KEC and the members of northern Lefore County for over 18 years before accepting the position of manager of operations.

Like his grandpa, Dennis attends church at The Church of God of Prophecy in Spiro where he serves as deacon. He has three sons: Clint, Caleb and Sam. When not serving KEC and his church family, Dennis enjoys hunting, fishing and being outdoors.

Throughout his career, Dennis has demonstrated a love for KEC members and employees. As Dennis’s grandpa would say, it has been “so far so good” for Dennis and KEC.

SCHOLARSHIP SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION APPLICATION Use your smartphone’s camera to scan this code for more info on the ORU Scholarship!

SPRING EFFICIENCY QUIZ

Spring is just around the corner! Take this quiz to learn how you can help save energy around your home. Hint: Check your work in the answer key below.

1. Sealing air leaks around __________ saves energy and keeps your home comfortable.

A) doors B) windows C) both A and B

2. Unplug devices and electronics that consume energy even when they’re not in use, like ______.

A) refrigerators B) cell phone chargers C) dishwashers 3. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when you leave the room to save energy.

A) True B) False 4. LED bulbs typically use __________ less energy than incandescent light bulbs.

A) 25% B) 50% C) 75% 5. Planting __________ around your home can block unwanted heat from the sun.

A) flowers B) shade trees C) vegetables

Answer Key: 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. B

Dennis Dolan’s career spans co-ops in two states

4 | the Light Post RECIPES

operation round up

Banana Walnut Bread

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 2020: $6,460.44 YEAR-TO-DATE DISBURSEMENTS: $3,415.78 TOTAL COLLECTED SINCE INCEPTION: $1,614,335.30 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS SINCE INCEPTION:

$1,559,308.10

INGREDIENTS • 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt • 2 large eggs, at room temperature • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room

temperature, plus more for preparing the pan • 1 cup sugar • 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup) • 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

DIRECTIONS • Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside.

Lightly brush a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. • In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don’t worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

Energy Efficiency

Tip of the Month Placing hot food in the refrigerator makes the appliance work harder than necessary, using more energy. Allow food to cool down before you place it in the fridge.

Source: Energy.gov

• With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day.

Recipe from Good Housekeeping

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