Rural Electric Nebraskan - 05/16

May 2016

ONE FFA AMILY PO OWERED BY MANY. At Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, we believe affordable and reliable power, responsibly generated e and delivered, is the lifeblood of the rural West. The farms, ranches, small towns and resorts that our members serve are closely tied to the landscape and their power supply.

TRISTATE.COOP

Contents Volume 70, Number 5, May 2016

“The Rural Voice of Nebraska”

Staff

Editor Wayne Price

Editorial Assistant Tina Schweitzer Published by the

Visit us at www.nrea.org General Manager Troy Bredenkamp

President David Keener, Niobrara Electric Association, Inc. Vice President/Secretary Butch Gray, Cornhusker Public Power District

Features

Celebrate Electrical Safety Month

Electricity is likely to play a more prominent role in our lives as advances in technology make it the preferred energy source for more and more of the devices we use every day – from cars to tech gadgets, to heating and cooling. As our use of electricity grows, so too must our awareness of electrical safety.

Rural power more reliable than ever

Advertising in the Rural Electric Nebraskan does not imply endorsement for products by the Nebraska Rural Electric Association. Correspondence should be sent to Wayne Price, Editor, Rural Electric Nebraskan, Box 82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.

The Rural Electric Nebraskan is printed by Quad Graphics, 2300 Brown Ave., Waseca, MN 56093.

Form 3579 should be sent to the Rural Electric Nebraskan, Box 82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.

Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, Neb. POSTMASTER: send address changes to the Rural Electric Nebraskan, 1244 K Street, Box 82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.

Publication numbers are USPS 071-630 and ISSN 0193-4937.

Rates: $10 for one year; $15 for two years; $20 for three years, plus local and state tax.

May 2016

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Electricity has become so reliable that the numbers for a typical American home sound crazy. For most Nebraskans, the total amount of time without power because of an outage is less than two hours a year.

Vice President/Secretary Greg Weidner, Elkhorn Rural Public Power District

Published monthly by the Nebraska Rural Electric Association, 1244 K Street, Box 82048, Lincoln, Nebraska 68501, (402) 475-4988.

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Departments EDITOR’S PAGE

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SAFETY BRIEFS — Murphy

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CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS by Pat Keegan

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RECIPES

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MARKETPLACE/CLASSIFIEDS

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On the cover A Bald Eagle perches on a branch in Keith County, Nebraska. Photograph

by Scott Casper.

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Protecting raptors is a part of the plan EDITOR’S PAGE

iscoveries of large numbers of electrocuted raptors in the early 1970s prompted utilities and government agencies to start working to identify the causes of and develop solutions to this problem. Today, public power districts and electric cooperatives in Nebraska are developing detailed plans to help reduce raptor mortality.

These plans are called Avian Protection Plans (APP), which are voluntary documents that outline what a rural electric utility will do to mitigate contacts between birds and power lines. Public power districts and electric cooperatives analyze their distribution system for potential high risk areas and work to reduce potential problems during new construction, maintenance, and repair projects. This may include lowering or extending the cross arm on power poles or covering power lines with rubber bushings in order to alleviate bird contacts and electrocutions.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service— together with the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC), a utility organization—have issued guidelines intended to help utilities developing an Avian Protection Plan aimed at minimizing bird collisions with power lines. The Avian Protection Plan Guidelines, created in 2005, were suggested by APLIC as an alternative to more aggressive actions being considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The guidelines predominantly address ways to reduce avian electrocutions, problem nests, and collisions.

Three federal laws in the United States protect almost all native avian species and prohibit “taking,” or killing them. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects over 800 species of native, North American migratory birds. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act provides additional protection to both bald and golden eagles. The Endangered Species Act applies to species that are federally listed as threatened or endangered.

Rural electric utilities work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other state resource agencies to identify permits and procedures that may be required for nest management,

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by Wayne Price

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carcass salvage, or other bird management purposes.

An APP should provide the framework for a program to reduce bird mortalities, document utility actions, and improve service reliability. It may include the following elements: corporate policy, training, permit compliance, construction design standards, nest management, avian reporting system, risk assessment methodology, mortality reduction measures, avian enhancement options, quality control, public awareness, and key resources. The guidelines present a comprehensive overview of these elements.

Although each utility’s APP will be different, the overall goal of reducing avian mortality is the same. An APP should be a “living document” that is modified over time to improve its effectiveness.

What Nebraska does differently is to have rural electric utilities work closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nebraska Game and Park Commission in developing their APP. All plans receive approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. So far six NREA member-systems have had their APP approved, while another six are still pending. All rural electric utilities comply with voluntary reporting requirements, which has been the rule since the 1980s.

NREA Government Relations Director Kristen Gottschalk works with membersystems to develop an APP and helps foster the relationship between utilities and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Gottschalk, a trained biologist, created a model plan that member-systems can use and provides comprehensive training programs on avian protection for them, which is often a required aspect of the APP. “The goal is to have all of our membersystems with approved plans on file with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” she said.

“Utilities that adopt avian protection plans not only decrease bird mortality and power outages, but they also help demonstrate that the industry is willing and able to protect avian populations.”

Other states are now looking to Nebraska as a model for their own APP programs.

Rural Electric Nebraskan

Gottschalk and Earl Riley, operations manager and safety director at Wheat Belt Public Power District in Sidney, Neb., spoke to a group of utility and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees in Illinois last year on the subject.

Nebraska has taken a scientific approach with regulators in developing its APP. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission created avian risk maps, which identify areas throughout the state where bird habitats exist. Rural electric utilities can overlay these maps with their own system maps to target possible high risk areas and then conduct onsite evaluations to determine areas of opportunity.

Collisions and contacts with power lines aren’t the only human-related sources of mortality that impact birds. Things like window and motor vehicle collisions, illegal shooting, predation by domestic and feral cats,

and collisions with communication towers, and wind generation facilities. Estimates of avian mortality due to these causes run in the millions annually, far greater than the estimated number of birds killed by electrocution.

Habitat destruction is reported to cause greater reductions in bird and other wildlife populations than any other factor, and is still the most serious long-term threat.

Both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and rural electric utilities seek to reduce bird collisions with power lines that result in outages and bird deaths. The challenge lies in how best to achieve this goal. Various products are available—flappers clamped on the line, coiled PVC wires, spiral vibration dampers, but utility experience has been mixed.

Dawson Public Power District, headquartered in Lexington, Neb., became involved with a project in

2007 to combat bird collisions with power lines along the Platte River.

More than 450 bird flight diverters were hung from the lines at Rowe Sanctuary.

Since they glow in the dark the devices are commonly referred to as “fireflies”. In addition to their luminous qualities they also spin in the wind and make a noise much like the sound of playing cards on bicycle spokes which allow birds to notice them and avoid the lines.

In 2010 all the devices that had broken were replaced with a nonspinning type. The devices were supplied by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Dawson PPD paid for a helicopter company to complete the replacement project.

A video on what the Nebraska Rural Electric Association and its 34 member-systems are doing to protect raptors and other avian species can be seen at www.workingfornebraska.org.

Some interesting facts about ceiling fans eiling fans have been helping Americans beat the heat for more than 100 years. Philip Diehl, a contemporary of Thomas Edison, is credited with being the inventor of the electrically powered ceiling fan in 1882. Diehl used the electric motor he engineered for the Singer sewing machine, added two paddle-blades and the rest is history. The fans caught on fast, and Diehl didn’t stop there. He improved his design by adding a light kit. By World War I, most ceiling fans were revving up with four paddle-blades rather than two.

An important reminder about ceiling fans is they do not provide refrigerated cooling like an air conditioner.

Instead, they simply move air in proximity to the fan. This movement of air from the electromechanical device is called convective cooling. The movement of air is no different than folding a piece of paper and fanning your face. A few months ago, Mother Nature was dishing out lots of convective cooling. You may recall the weathermen cautioning us about frigid wind-chill factors. Whether produced by wind, ceiling fans or a piece of paper, air moving across our skin will evaporate the moisture produced by our bodies, which makes us feel cooler.

Research shows that more than 75 percent of all homes

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in the U.S. have ceiling fans. When used correctly, they can help lower summer cooling costs and make the air near the fan feel cooler than it actually is. Using ceiling fans in conjunction with your air conditioner creates a wind-chill effect inside your home.

The energy saving idea is to run your ceiling fan at the speed of your liking and simply raise the set point of the thermostat 3 to 5 degrees. Do keep in mind, your comfort is a personal choice, so the recommended fan speed and thermostat settings are not set in stone.

A frequent question asked about ceiling fans is: “Which direction should the paddle-blades spin during the summer months?” The answer is that your fan needs to spin counterclockwise in order to push the airflow downward. The opposite, or clockwise, applies for the winter. However, some people do not enjoy air movement from a ceiling fan during the heating season.

There is a downside to using ceiling fans. They can rack up unnecessary kilowatt-hours when no one is around to enjoy the breeze. Many homeowners have the idea they are somehow helping to cool the interior even while they are away from the home. Left on and unattended, ceiling fans are just spinning up your electric bill.

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Electricity will play a more prominent role in our lives as advances in technology make it the preferred energy source for the devices we use every day.

by Justin LaBerge

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hen you think of electrical safety, what types of hazards come to mind? For many, the answer is likely to include an overloaded rat’s nest of extension cords and power strips like Clark Griswold uses to light up his home in the classic holiday comedy Christmas Vacation.

Others might think of the farmer who has a little “run in” with a utility pole or live wire while operating heavy machinery in the field.

Or perhaps you think of the careless do-it-yourselfer digging trenches without calling 811 or forgetting to look overhead when using a ladder to clean out the gutters.

Those are all good answers, and Nebraska’s public power districts and electric cooperatives have plenty of experience dealing with these kinds of hazards.

It can be tempting to look at these extreme examples and think that’s where the safety conversation begins and ends, but there are safety considerations for every device powered by electricity.

Electricity is likely to play a more prominent role in our lives as advances in technology make it the preferred energy source for more and more of the devices we use every day – from cars to tech gadgets, to heating and

Rural Electric Nebraskan

cooling. As our use of electricity grows, so too must our awareness of electrical safety.

Smartphones and gadgets When most people think of counterfeiting, they probably think of money or perhaps knockoff designer handbags. But it’s a big business that impacts most segments of the American economy.

In 2014, consumer electronics ranked second on a list of the most common types of counterfeit goods seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Computers and accessories ranked eighth on that list.

In 2010, nearly 500,000 smartphone batteries were recalled after they were discovered to be counterfeit.

These knockoffs aren’t just illegal and of inferior quality. They’re often dangerous. Counterfeiters have no vested interest in your safety or the integrity of the brand they’re impersonating. These products haven’t been tested by consumer protection groups and are unlikely to comply with safety regulations.

How can you tell if your product is legit?

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) has this advice:

• Use established vendors who purchase their goods from legitimate and genuine distributors manufacturers.

• Read the packaging and labels carefully. Text should be free of grammatical errors and should not contain conflicting information.

• Packaging should contain the name and contact information of the manufacturer.

• Avoid unknown brands and products that do not display any brand affiliation.

• Do your research. Organizations such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), CSA Group and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) provide information about product recalls, including those related to counterfeiting, on their websites.

In addition to counterfeits, consumers should be wary of deeply discounted off-brand chargers and other accessories. While there are many legitimate third-party manufacturers that make safe and reliable accessories that cost less than original equipment manufacturers, there are also manufacturers that produce poorly made products that sell for low prices and pose a high danger of shock, overheating or fire.

Whether it’s counterfeit or just poorly manufactured, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Electric vehicles Electric vehicles have made remarkable strides in reliability, performance and affordability in recent years.

Their price is still

out of reach for most consumers, but like many new technologies, prices are likely to fall and quality is likely to rise as the market matures.

When that happens, drivers will be in for a win-win of better torque and performance and lower emissions than vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.

Electric vehicles must be recharged, and those charging systems have certain electrical requirements. If you’re considering making the switch to an electric vehicle, you should start by ensuring your home’s electrical system is up to the task.

Your local rural electric utility can help guide you through that process, but the assessment should include an evaluation of the lines and meter that connect your home to the electric utility’s distribution system, the panel that feeds the circuits in your home, and the wiring that delivers electricity to your outlets and appliances.

Assuming everything is up to snuff, the charging system should be installed by a licensed electrician.

Once it’s installed and your shiny new car is parked in the driveway, ESFI offers the following safety tips: • Carefully read the Owner’s Manual for your charging station upon installation.

• Never use an extension cord to charge the vehicle. Use of extension cords can increase risk of electric shock and other hazards.

• Inspect for damaged cords and plugs, which could result in shock and fire hazards.

• Charging equipment should not be installed in an area with heavy foot traffic, or near any materials that are flammable or explosive.

• Outdoor charging equipment is weatherproof, but should be protected from damage.

Solar panels The solar power industry has seen explosive growth in recent years, and America’s public power districts and More on Page 8

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Electric safety month From page 7 electric cooperatives have been active participants in that growth. In fact, three of the top four solar utilities in America are electric cooperatives.

There are many factors that will determine if installing rooftop solar on your home or business makes sense. Your local electric utility can help you with that assessment and

explain all applicable incentives, rates, policies and state regulations related to the installation of rooftop solar.

A growing number of rural electric utilities are building community solar gardens that allow members to purchase locally generated solar energy without installing it on their homes. This can be an attractive option for members who live on lots that are not ideally situated to collect solar energy, members who don’t want to deal with the maintenance of their own system, members who live

in apartments or condos, and members who would like to support solar energy but don’t have the financial resources to invest in a large-scale installation on their home.

If, after carefully assessing your options, you determine that a rooftop solar installation is the right choice for you, ESFI has the following safety recommendations: • Before adding an active solar system to your home, have your home electrical system evaluated by a licensed, qualified professional to

What is a Tamper Resistant Receptacle? amper Resistant Receptacles (TRRs) resemble regular receptacles but they’re so much more.

In fact, they provide a permanent solution to childhood shock caused by tampering with electrical outlets. TRRs feature built in safety shutters that block foreign objects from being inserted into the receptacle.

• TRRs required by the National Electrical Code since 2008 • Internal shutters block foreign objects from being inserted into the outlet.

Shutters will remain closed if an object is inserted into one side of the receptacle. The shutters open only when a two-bladed or grounded plug is inserted.

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Do TRRs require special instructions to use?

Tamper resistant receptacles work like normal outlets.

When you plug into a TRR for the first time, you may be able to feel the internal shutter system engaging. If excessive force is needed to insert a plug into a TRR, there’s a chance that the plug, not the receptacle, is

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Rural Electric Nebraskan

ensure it can support this new technology.

• Always hire a professional to install and repair solar panels at your home or workplace. Specific licenses and qualifications must be obtained before attempting to install solar equipment.

• Building, electrical, and plumbing codes also apply to solar power installations. Ensure your installer requests the appropriate permits and follows all applicable codes.

• Solar power systems present

unique safety challenges for fire fighters. In the event of a fire, inform all officials of the use of solar panels as well as identify the type used.

This will help them mitigate the risks.

As you can see, electricity is playing a more prominent role in our lives, which is why the lesson of

electrical safety is so important.

Justin LaBerge writes on cooperative issues for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumerowned, not-for-profit public power districts and electric cooperatives.

damaged.

If a plug’s blade is bent or splayed, carefully straighten out the blades. This allows each prong to contact the shutters simultaneously and therefore engage them as designed.

If a plug is damaged and has a sharp edge or uneven blade tip, the plug will need to be replaced.

Inserting damaged plugs into any receptacle may cause additional damage.

Never use a plug with cracks or creases on the blades in any receptacle.

Did you know?

• The average American home is 41 years old. Home upgraded before the 2008 NEC may not have TRR protection • In a 10 year study, 24,000 children (7 a day) were treated in emergency rooms for receptaclerelated injuries • TRRs cost as little as $0.50 more than a standard outlet • Hairpins, keys, and fingers are the top three items inserted into outlets by a child • The shutter system in TRRs allows only plugs to be inserted while preventing access to foreign objects Source: ESFI.org

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Energy savings beyond belief

molecular structure … to release tapped power.” never-before Changing the laws of science is no something like this: The device being easy task. If the inventors truly can

by Brian Sloboda sold will control alternating current, do this, the product will surely be power factor and reduce the cost of sold at every store in the nation, and electric bills. It will condition your they will become very wealthy. They quick search of the Internet power and make appliances last won’t be mailing out flyers or reveals many great ways to longer. The device uses no power and operating from a poorly designed save energy around your has no moving parts. It will make the website. home. Simple things, such as adding motors in your home run better. The 2. Was the product tested by an insulation or using energy efficient sales material often claims that the independent group like a national light bulbs, are simple and relatively utility doesn’t want you to know lab or university? If the performance inexpensive ways to save small about the device. That last part is of the product was not tested and amounts of energy. The same search actually true – because it is a rip off. certified by a lab or other entity not will also reveal “amazing” products Variations of the product have been connected to the company selling it, that claim to cut up to a then be skeptical. Call third of your energy bill the third party group – without you changing and talk to them. anything about your Sometimes scammers lie energy use habits. about the tests.

Claims like this sound 3. Is it too good to be too good to be true, and true?

In today’s there is good reason for economic times, saving that. These claims money is top of mind. We almost always turn out want something to be to be exaggerations or true so that we can save downright lies. money, improve our lives An energy efficiency and feed our families. scam is generally easy But wanting something for a person who works to work doesn’t mean it at a public power will. district or an electric coSometimes energy op to spot and identify. scammers contact However, it isn’t so easy consumers directly, for most people. Scams either by calling or generally center around stopping by and misstatements of claiming they represent science or confusion the local rural electric over utility programs. utility.

Never give A popular scam is a anyone personal or little box that promises financial information to save you energy. The who claims to be an box is a device that employee of the utility There are many types of energy scams out supposedly saves without confirming their there – phone calls, online ads, products that energy without the identity. If they call, ask make outrageous claims. Don’t be a victim! consumer making any for a call back number, changes to behavior, then verify their identity turning anything off or adjusting the sold to both residential and with your public power district or thermostat. The people who sell commercial customers. electric co-op. If they stop by, ask the these boxes often claim outrageous There are several questions that person for a valid employee ID. energy savings—sometimes as much you should ask a salesman (or The key is to be skeptical and ask as 30 percent or more. They often use yourself!) when reading an ad for the questions. Asking tough questions terms, such as power conditioning, next magical cure-all: and being skeptical will not offend capacitors and power factor, all of 1. Does it violate the laws of honest people. Remember, if it which are legitimate industry terms. science? Some products claim that sounds too good to be true, it The sales pitch usually goes they are capable of “changing the probably is.

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Rural Electric Nebraskan

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We’ve all had nights when we just can’t lie down in bed and sleep, whether it’s from heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – it could be a variety of reasons. Those are the nights we’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in, one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises feet and legs to precisely the desired level, supports the head and shoulders properly, operates easily even in the dead of night, and sends a hopeful sleeper right off to dreamland.

Sit up, lie down — and anywhere in between!

By Paul Wesslund

Rural Power more reliable than ever Good ole reliable electricity is becoming even more reliable as high-tech innovation reduces the frequency of power outages.

our electricity is on almost all the time. You knew that. But you might not know how much of the time it’s on. And that the amount of time it’s on has been getting better every year.

Electricity has become so reliable that the numbers for a typical American home sound crazy. For most people, the total amount of time without power (an outage) is less than two hours a year—that means their electricity is on 99.977169 percent of the time.

“You can’t have 100 percent reliability all the time on something as large as an electric distribution system,” says Tony Thomas, principal engineer at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. And although U.S. electric service on-time is just a decimal point from perfect, Thomas says, “Reliability has been getting much better.”

To understand the improvements in electric utility reliability, you need to be introduced to what Thomas says are known as “the three sisters:” the acronyms SAIDI, CAIDI and SAIFI. Those stand for different ways to measure how power outages affect consumers. Here’s what they mean: SAIDI shows how long an average customer goes without power during a year. It stands for System Average Interruption Duration Index. It’s calculated by dividing all of a utility’s power interruptions by the number of customers that utility serves. Analysts caution against citing a national average SAIDI

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Electric reliability From page 12 because of the huge differences in utilities across the country and how data is collected. But a report from the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) puts the typical customer as being without power 115 minutes a year.

SAIDI numbers do not include extremely long or very short outages, since they could drastically skew the results among utilities and make the numbers less useful. Extremely long outages, like those caused by a major storm, can sometimes last more than a day. The short outages that are not included in SAIDI are, for example, cases like a utility circuit breaker quickly opening and closing.

SAIFI shows how often the power goes out for each customer. It stands for System Average Interruption Frequency Index. It’s calculated by dividing the number of customer interruptions by the number of customers.

CAIDI shows the average time it takes to restore power after an outage. It stands for Customer Average Interruption Duration Index. It’s calculated by dividing SAIDI by SAIFI. All three of those reliability measures have been improving in the past few years, according to IEEE reports. The amount of time a utility customer was without electricity for the year (SAIDI) declined about 20 percent in the most recent four years of figures, from 143 minutes in 2011, to 115 minutes in 2014.

The number of outages per typical consumer in a year (SAIFI) went down from 1.16 to 1.07. And how long each of those outages lasted (CAIDI) declined from 117 minutes in 2011 to 104 minutes in 2014.

Thomas credits advances in utility technology for those improvements.

More and more mechanical electric meters are being replaced with automated smart meters that do

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more than just measure the bulk use of electricity coming to the meter at your house. They can also monitor whether electricity is delivered to your house at all, as well as the voltage quality of that electricity.

“With automated meters, utilities can know a consumer is out of power before the consumer knows it,” Thomas says.

Another step toward utilities spotting and solving outages faster is the more widespread adoption of high-tech monitoring systems. These SCADA systems (it stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) are typically set up as several computer monitors in a

control room, each showing a different view of the utility’s service area, including weather maps and detailed schematics of each power line, substation and home or business served.

“Prices have dropped for SCADA systems, just like for all software in the last few years,” Thomas says.

“Utility technology has gotten a lot better in the last 10 years.”

Thomas credits public power districts and electric cooperatives with making special use of technology to overcome the barriers of long distances between consumermembers. Outages and other routine changes in power flow can be more quickly and easily addressed remotely, without having to make a long drive to a home or substation.

“Rural electric utilities have done an amazing job of adopting technology and putting it to use,” Thomas says. “And all this technology just translates into better operation of the electric system.”

Paul Wesslund writes on cooperative issues for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumerowned, not-for-profit public power districts and electric cooperatives.

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Nebraska Eye Doctor Helps Visually Impaired To See Advanced Technology Allows Many To See Better or Drive Again

Grandchildren as viewed by a person with Macular Degeneration

Same scene of Grandchildren as viewed iewed through telescope glasses.

For many patients with macular degeneration or other eye diseases, the loss of vision can signal the end of independence and the joy of life. Nebraska optometrist, Robert Stamm, prescribes miniature telescope glasses to help people who have reduced vision see better.

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15

If you feel a shock, swim away from the dock SAFETY BRIEFS

utdated wiring and a lack of proper safety equipment on boats and docks can cause situations where electricity “leaks” into the water. It’s a particularly dangerous hazard because it’s impossible to tell by sight if the water is energized. According to the Electric Shock Drowning Prevention Association, between 10 and 15 milliamps, which is just 1/50 the wattage of a 60 watt light bulb, can cause drowning. They also report that most ESD deaths have occurred in public and private marinas and docks.

Safe Electricity wants to help keep the fun in water recreation activities and is sharing the message, “If you feel a shock, swim away from the dock,” to educate people on how to stay safe from a hidden hazard called electric shock drowning (ESD).

Safe Electricity recommends that individuals do not swim around docks with electrical equipment or boats plugged into shore power. If you are in the water and feel electric current, shout to let others know, try to stay upright, tuck your legs up to make yourself smaller and swim away from anything that could be energized. Do

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not head to boat or dock ladders to get out.

If you see someone who you suspect is getting shocked, do not immediately jump in to save them. Throw them a float, turn off the shore power connection at the meter base, and/or unplug shore power cords. Try to eliminate the source of electricity as quickly as possible; then call for help.

Safe Electricity, along with the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers/National Electrical Contractors Association, recommends adhering to these steps in order to enhance water recreation safety and accident prevention: • All electrical installations and

maintenance should be performed by a professional electrical contractor familiar with marine codes and standards and inspected at least once a year.

• Docks should have GFCI breakers on the circuits feeding electricity to the dock.

• The metal frame of docks should be bonded to connect all metal parts to the alternating current (AC) safety ground at the power source.

• Neighboring docks can also present a shock hazard. Make your neighbors aware of the need for safety inspections and maintenance.

Marinas should comply with NFPA and NEC codes.

• Have your boat’s electrical system checked at least once a year. Boats should also be checked when something is added to or removed from their systems.

• Boats with AC systems should have isolation transformers or equipment leakage circuit interrupter (ELCI) protection, comply with ABYC standards, and be serviced by an ABYC Certified® Technician.

For more electrical safety information, visit SafeElectricity.org.

Rural Electric Nebraskan

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With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind.

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your fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection. Then you’ll see the screen – it’s now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen.

The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until now, the very people who could benefit most from E-mail and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it. Now, thanks to the WOW Computer, countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day. Isn’t it time

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CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS

Improve comfort and save energy by sealing air leaks

by Pat Keegan : I recently moved into a new Q home, and it feels drafty. I added weatherstripping to the doors and windows, but it doesn’t seem to have solved the problem. Are there additional steps I can take to increase comfort? : Sealing air leaks is one of the A easiest and most cost-effective improvements you can make in your home. Weatherstripping doors and windows is a great first step and one that will likely pay for itself within a year. However, there are less obvious sources of air leakage that can cause significant discomfort in your home.

The average home leaks about half of its air every hour through various cracks and gaps. These air leak openings add up to a two-foot-square hole in the average home—that’s like having a window open all day, every day! Sealing your home can help keep heated and cooled air indoors, making your home more comfortable and reducing your energy bill.

While drafty windows and doors are obvious sources of air leakage, there are other places where air could be escaping and where moisture, pollen, dust and pests could be seeping in. For example, holes drilled into your walls, ceiling and attic for plumbing pipes and electrical lines can be a major source of air leakage. Outlet covers and recessed lights can also have small gaps where conditioned air can escape. Other sources could be leaks in air ducts in unheated spaces, fireplace chimneys and attic access hatches.

To find air leaks, you can start with a visual inspection, checking for gaps and cracks where air could escape.

Walk around your home’s exterior and

18

closely examine where different building materials meet, such as around the foundation perimeter, around outdoor water faucets and where the siding and the chimney meet. Indoors, examine common sources of air leakage, including electrical and water service entrances, baseboards, door and window frames and attic hatches.

power district or electric co-op to see if they offer home energy audits.

Once you have found the air leaks, the next step is to seal them up. The materials you need will depend on what gap is being sealed. Your rural electric utility’s energy advisor, an energy auditor or your local hardware store can help guide you to the right products: • Doors and windows with gaps at the frame need weatherstripping.

• Small gaps, such as around outlets or between the baseboard and the floor, can be filled with caulk, a flexible material dispensed with a caulking gun.

Caulk is used to seal small gaps and cracks where air can escape.

Though a visual inspection can often identify the most obvious areas for improvement, a blower door test can give you the most thorough accounting of air leaks in your home.

A blower door test is commonly performed during an energy audit.

During this test, a powerful fan is mounted in the frame of an exterior door, pulling air outside of the house and lowering the air pressure inside.

Then, the higher pressure air from outside of the house comes in through any unsealed openings, which the energy auditor locates, often using a smoke pen. Check with your public

• Large gaps and holes, such as around pipes, may need foam insulation, foil insulation, sheeting or a combination of materials.

You may have heard that your home needs some amount of air leakage to stay properly ventilated— and this is true. A home that is too “tight” can have issues with too much interior moisture, as well as carbon monoxide risks if combustion appliances don’t have adequate ventilation. It is especially important that you not plug up vents that bring in outside air to a gas or propane furnace or stove.

Rural Electric Nebraskan

Smart appliances offer convenience, but have a ways to go t seems like everything is “smart” these days; cars, the grid, watches, houses, phones and…appliances. When you hear the term “smart appliance,” you might picture the Jetsons – with their fully automated home – in your mind.

Dinner was cooked, laundry done and dishes washed by a smart machine.

In reality, smart appliances utilize modern communications technology to make functions faster, cheaper and more energy efficient.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show features more smart appliances every year. Refrigerators, stoves and ovens, freezers, washers and dryers, garage door openers, dishwashers, water heaters – the wave is coming.

Even though today’s smart appliances can give many of us sticker shock, experts predict these new technologies will deliver major benefits in energy efficiency, convenience and maintenance. So what makes today’s smart appliances stand out from others?

From the smart screen on your dazzling new refrigerator, you can check the weather while grabbing your orange juice. You can even browse the Internet for recipes – all on the conveniently placed touchscreen.

Remotely monitor your oven to turn it on and adjust temperatures.

Running late from work and need to get the kids somewhere? Stop for a frozen pizza on the way home, and preheat the oven so you can pop it in upon arrival. That’s pretty neat. And of course, the panic moment while winging off on vacation of, “Did I leave the oven on” will be a thing of the past.

Got a load of clothes in the washer you forgot to start? Log in and start the cycle from the golf course. Or show off your smarts by taking advantage of your rural electric utility’s lower cost off-peak rates and scheduling it to run during off-peak hours.

I

May 2016

How about this one? Wifi-connected appliances with clocks will reset themselves for Daylight Saving Time!

One less digital device to tinker with twice a year.

Eventually, smart appliances will likely become extremely useful to the average homeowner. A refrigerator that reads the bar codes of what you put in and tracks consumption could recommend a shopping list if it noticed something getting low or out of date. No more cracking open the milk to sniff for freshness.

Maintenance is an area of huge potential. Let’s say one of your smart appliances is feeling sickly. One day it may call the manufacturer and get

a diagnosis. You won’t have to wait at home for a technician who may or may not find the problem – or have the right parts. With your permission, the tech can show up to your home with everything needed to make the repair. How convenient that will be!

Finally, from an energy efficiency and load management point of view, smart appliances present an opportunity to manage energy load more discretely in the quest to give rural electric utility consumers the highest possible quality of service at the lowest possible price. Sure, the Jetsons’ flying car is a long way off – but not their appliances.

Stay on top of how much time is left for the wash or dry cycle. The GE Laundry app makes it easy to see when the load is done, conveniently from your smartphone.

19

Down Home Recipes

Quick-fix dinners that are good for you usy weeknights call for quick family meals, but with the right ingredients fast food can actually be good for you, too.

A meal that includes dairy is right in line with the recently released 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend three servings of dairy foods every day. That’s because dairy foods such as cheese, milk and yogurt provide a unique package of nine essential nutrients: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin.

Individuals and families that want an extra reminder about the importance of integrating three servings of dairy into their daily diet can take the Dairy 3 for Me pledge as motivation. There are many delicious and creative ways to get your three servings of dairy every day, such as using plain Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise in your favorite recipes or substituting syrup on pancakes and waffles with flavored yogurt.

For more deliciously quick dinner recipes, and to take the Dairy 3 for Me pledge, visit MidwestDairy.com.

B

Beef Burrito with Pepper Jack Cheese and Black Beans 1/2 2 1 2

6

1

1

2 Hot & Sweet Grilled Cheese

20

pound ground beef sirloin teaspoons minced garlic cup chunky salsa, divided cups cooked brown or white rice whole wheat flour tortillas (9 inches) can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed, divided can (11 ounces) corn kernels, drained, divided cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided sliced green onion, including green tops

Spread 1/3 cup rice in center of tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Scatter about 2 tablespoons of beans and 11/2 tablespoons corn over rice.

Spread 1/3 cup beef mixture and 1/4 cup cheese over corn. Top with 2 teaspoons salsa and a few pieces of green onion.

Fold in two opposite edges of tortilla 1 inch each and roll up. Place, seam side down, on microwave-safe dish.

Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Place burritos in microwave and heat 1 minute, or until heated through.

Serve with remaining salsa.

In medium nonstick skillet, brown ground beef and garlic over medium heat, breaking beef mixture into smaller chunks with spoon. Drain fat and stir in 1/2 cup salsa; set aside.

Rural Electric Nebraskan

Reader Submitted Recipes

Hot and Sweet Grilled Cheese Peach Jalapeno Jam: 3 tablespoons peach preserves 1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)

Grilled Cheese: 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened 4 slices 12-grain bread, divided 2 slices white cheddar cheese, divided 2 slices pepper jack cheese, divided 2 slices smoked Gouda cheese, divided 1/2 small avocado, thinly sliced, divided

To make peach jalapeno jam: in small saucepan over medium heat, combine peach preserves and jalapeno. Stir mixture constantly until preserves are melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make sandwiches; heat large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Butter one side each of 2 slices of bread.

Turn buttered slices over, buttered side down and spread peach jalapeno jam over second side of each bread slice. On top of jam side of each bread slice, layer 1 slice cheddar cheese, 1 slice pepper jack cheese, half the slices of avocado and 1 slice of Gouda. Spread jam on remaining slices of bread and place jam side on cheese. Spread remainder of butter on bread on top of sandwiches.

Place sandwiches buttered side down in pan. Partially cover with lid, allowing steam to escape, and cook for 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until bread is toasted and browned. Flip sandwiches over with spatula. Partially cover with lid and cook for additional 1 1/2-2 minutes, watching carefully for bread to brown and cheese to melt. Remove lid and check for doneness. Remove sandwiches from heat and cut in half. Serve warm.

May 2016

3 1 1 1 1 1/2

Three Envelope Roast

lb. chuck roast envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix envelope dry brown gravy mix envelope dry ranch salad dressing mix cups water

In small bowl put water and all three mixes of dry envelopes. Mix until thoroughly blended. Brown roast, put in crockpot. Pour liquid mix over roast. Increase amount of water if necessary to cover the roast. Cook on high about 5 hours and then low for 3 – 4 hours.

Sandy Psoto, North Loup, Nebraska

Amish Macaroni Salad

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 1 onion finely chopped 3 stalks celery chopped 3 hard cooked eggs chopped 1 cup diced cheddar cheese 1 small green pepper finely diced 1 small carrot shredded

2 2 1 1/2 2-3 1/2 2-3

tablespoons dill relish tablespoons sweet relish cup mayonnaise tablespoons white vinegar cup sugar or more to taste tablespoons prepared mustard 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp celery seed

Cook macaroni till al dente, rinse and cool. Prepare other ingredients and add to macaroni. Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and celery seed and pour over salad. If dressing is too thick may thin with small amount of evaporated milk. Chill salad at least 2 hours.

Lana Gosch, Amherst, Nebraska

$175,000 Cake

Bottom Layer: 1 German chocolate cake mix 1 egg 1 stick butter, softened

Middle Layer: 1 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Top Layer: 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened 2 eggs 1 lb. confectioner’s sugar

Combine cake mix, egg and butter. Press mixture into 9” X 13” pan.

Sprinkle with chips and nuts for middle layer. For top layer, cream together cream cheese, eggs and confectioner’s sugar. Pour over chips and nuts.

Bake 350 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes. Cool 2 hours.

Colleen Brookhouser, Brunswick, Nebraska

21

MARKETPLACE/CLASSIFIEDS

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Rural Electric Nebraskan

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IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Jitterbug is owned by GreatCall, Inc. Your invoices will come from GreatCall. Plans and Services require purchase of a Jitterbug phone and a one-time setup fee of $35. Monthly fees do not include government taxes or assessment surcharges and are subject to change. Coverage is not available everywhere. 5Star or 9-1-1 calls can only be made when cellular service is available. We will refund the full price of the Jitterbug phone and the activation fee (or setup fee) if it is returned within 30 days of purchase in like-new condition. We will also refund your first monthly service charge if you have less than 30 minutes of usage. If you have more than 30 minutes of usage, a per minute charge of 35 cents will be deducted from your refund for each minute over 30 minutes. You will be charged a $10 restocking fee. The shipping charges are not refundable. There are no additional fees to call GreatCall’s U.S.-based customer service. However, for calls to a GreatCall Operator in which a service is completed, you will be charged 99 cents per call, and minutes will be deducted from your monthly rate plan balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Operator. Jitterbug and GreatCall are registered trademarks of GreatCall, Inc. ©2016 GreatCall, Inc. ©2016 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

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