COURIER The Kilowatt
April 2021
HEA'S ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS GOING VIRTUAL
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he 71st Homer Electric Annual Meeting will look a little different, again, this year. HEA will host an online virtual annual meeting on May 6, 2021. The virtual annual meeting will be a mix of live streaming and recorded videos, including a tribute to HEA's seven decades of service. You will be able to view a recap of HEA's year in review from the comfort and safety of your home on your computer, cell phone or iPad device. If you plan on participating in the virtual annual meeting, please register on the HEA website on May 6 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Registration will continue until 6:00 p.m. at which time the virtual annual meeting will start. By registering to attend the virtual annual meeting, 67438003 you will be automatically entered in several energy credit attendance drawings. The HEA Board of Directors election continues as planned via the mailed ballots to the membership on April 5 and election results will be announced at the virtual annual meeting. Thank you for participating in your co-op by voting in the board of directors election.
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT IN THE DIRECTORS' ELECTION
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allots and candidate packets are being mailed to HEA members on April 5, 2021. Completed mail-in ballots must be received by the Election Teller no later than 5:00 pm on May 5, 2021 in order to be valid. Only members indicated on the address label can vote and the member must sign the envelope where indicated. Please use the provided envelope in your mailed ballot packet. Do not drop off your ballot at an HEA office. It must be mailed directly to the Election Teller in order to be validated. Eight candidates are on the ballot for the three open seats in HEA’s Board of Directors election. More information on each candidate is provided in your mailed ballot packet and on the HEA website at www.homerelectric.com. Please be proactive in your cooperative, make your vote count and mail in your ballot! There will not be an opportunity to vote at the virtual annual meeting. Election results will be announced at the virtual annual meeting on May 6. The following is a list of eligible Board of Director candidates: DISTRICT 1 (Kenai – Nikiski- parts of Soldotna area): Charles M. (Mike) Chenault of Kenai, Erik Hendrickson of Kenai, Wayne H. Ogle of Nikiski, and Joseph Ross of Nikiski will be on the ballot for District 1. DISTRICT 2 (Soldotna – Sterling – Kasilof): Ed Schmitt of Soldotna 65499003 and Robert K. Wall of Sterling will be running for the seat in District 2. DISTRICT 3 (Kasilof south to Kachemak Bay area): Incumbent Roy Champagne of Homer and Louie Flora of Homer will be running for the District 3 seat. Kilowatt Courier is a monthly online publication by Homer Electric Association, Inc.
THANK A LINEWORKER ON APRIL 12
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f you were asked to associate an image or a person with HEA, I bet you would picture a HIDDEN lineworker. One of the most visible employees of the co-op, lineworkers work tirelessly ACCOUNT NUMBERS to ensure our community receives uninterrupted power 24/7. Three randomly chosen italicized “Lineworker” is listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S. This is account numbers are hidden in the Kilowatt Courier. understandable as they perform detailed tasks near high-voltage power lines. Regardless If you find YOUR account number, call of the time of day, having to brave stormy weather and other challenging conditions, lineworkers must climb 40 feet in the air, often carrying heavy equipment to get the job done. 235-3338 and you'll receive a $50 credit which will be reflected on Being a lineworker is not a glamorous or easy profession. It takes years of specialized your next bill. Thanks for training, ongoing education, dedication, and equally important, a sense of service and reading! commitment. This dedication and sense of service to the community is truly what sets them apart. That’s why we set aside the second Monday in April to celebrate and recognize the men CURRENT and women who work around the clock to keep the lights on. RESIDENTIAL RATES While lineworkers may be the most visible employees at HEA, it’s important to note that there As of April 1, 2021 is a team of highly skilled professionals working behind the scenes. Engineers provide ongoing expertise and guidance on the operations side of the co-op. Member service representatives are All Residential Customers always standing by to take your calls and questions. Our information technology (IT) experts are Energy charge = 16.077 cents/kWh Customer charge = $20.00 continuously monitoring our system to help safeguard sensitive data. And these are just a few of System delivery charge = $24.12* the folks who work together to ensure we can deliver the service and reliability you expect and (*If usage is less than 150 kWh) deserve. Without them, our lineworkers wouldn’t be able to “bring the light” to our community. On April 12, and any time you see a lineworker, join the community in thanking them for their Cost of Power Adjustment (COPA) exceptional service. Rest assured you have a dedicated team of professionals working behind the 8.09 cents per kWh* scenes at the co-op whose commitment to service runs just as deep. (*Subject to change on a quarterly basis and upon RCA approval.)
ENROLLMENT OPEN FOR BUDGET BILLING PROGRAM
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f you’re like most people, you tend to use more electricity in the winter months than in the summer. Do you want to simplify your bill paying and even out your electric payments? To help avoid the high and low billing cycles due to seasonal fluctuations, Homer Electric offers a valuable program to help its members. Contact our member relations department to enroll in the Budget Billing Program. Homer Electric’s Budget Billing Program charges a set amount each month with a “true up” bill each spring. You will still pay for the actual amount of energy used, but the costs will be spread evenly over a 12-month period. It allows you to budget a more stable amount to cover your electric bill, especially if your bills are usually higher in the winter. This is also an ideal program for 39354001 seasonal members who use auto draft services to pay their electric bill. The enrollment period for this program is only open in March, April and May of each year. For more information and to enroll, please contact a member support representative.
See www.homerelectric.com for the latest residential and commercial rates.
BOARD of DIRECTORS & MANAGER Dan Chay, President (907) 283-9227 David B. Thomas, Vice President (907) 252-2954 Erin McKittrick, Sec./Treasurer (907) 290-6994 Ed Oberts, Deputy Secretary (907) 398-8039
RATE DECREASE FOR SECOND QUARTER 2021
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omer Electric Association members will likely see a rate decrease effective April 1, 2021. HEA has submitted a filing with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) that requests a change in the Cost of Power Adjustment (COPA) from $0.08432 per kilowatt-hour to $ $0.08098 kilowatt-hour. COPA reflects the cost of the fuel purchased by HEA to generate electricity and purchased power. It is adjusted on a quarterly basis. If approved, the new rate will mean an approximate decrease of $1.84 per month for the average HEA residential member using 550-kilowatt hours a month. Pending approval from the RCA, the rate change will be effective April 1, 2021.
Dave Carey, Director (907) 260-6413 Roy Champagne, Director (907) 299-8499 Jim Duffield, Director (907) 283-2203 Jim Levine, Director (907) 299-0323 Charles "C.O." Rudstrom, Director (907 ) 420-7124 Brad Janorschke, General Manager (907) 283-2312
MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE
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omer Electric finished the month of January 2021 with a total asset base of $269.4 million. Operating revenue to date was $9.4 million and total costs were $8.4 million, bringing net operating margins to $1.0 million through January 31, 2021. This chart is a breakdown of key financial indicators comparing January 2020 to January 2021. Year to Date Operating Revenue Cost of Purchased Power
January 31, 2021 $9.4 million $5.6 million
January 31, 2020 $9.8 million $5.3 million
Cost of Electric Service Operating Margins
$2.8 million
$2.7 million
$1.0 million
$1.8 million
Total Kilowatt Hours Sold Total Number of Meters
43.4 million
44.5 million
35,640
35,393
APRIL 2021 KILOWATT COURIER Homer Electric Association, Inc. 3977 Lake Street Homer, AK 99603 (907) 235-8551 (800) 478-8551 280 Airport Way Kenai, AK 99611 (907) 283-5831 www.homerelectric.com Homer Electric Association, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.