JA N UA RY
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2021
SECONEWS HAPPY NEW YEAR! find benefit in this day and age. In addition, SECO SECO Energy’s Board of provides employees with high-quality, low-cost Trustees has approved the medical, dental and vision coverage. It’s a great 2021 SECO Scholarship place to work, and we are an essential employer Program. $36,000 is up that offers a healthy balance of work and personal for grabs to be split among life with a generous paid time off program, student 943500 12 high school seniors loan reimbursement and more. interested in pursuing When you talk to your kids and grandkids about a career in the energy industry and living in a who they want to be when they grow up and if they want to raise their own families home served by SECO. If your here locally, SECO Energy and the high school senior could use SECO AND OTHER electric industry is a great place $3,000 for tuition or books and to plant local career roots. Our might want a paid internship on ENERGY COMPANIES SECO Scholarship Program is a holiday or summer breaks, now recruiting tool that introduces us ARE LOOKING TO is the time to apply. to local students pursuing a career HIRE A WORKFORCE in the growing energy industry. The energy industry is a We hope to attract local students growing field in Florida and WITH THE TECHNICAL who want to engage with SECO across the nation. SECO and SKILLS AND TRAINING for internship opportunities or as other energy companies are a possible future employer. looking to hire a workforce with
REQUIRED IN THIS
the technical skills and training COMPETITIVE FIELD. To be eligible to apply, the required in this competitive student must be a high school senior field. According to the 2020 U.S. who is graduating in May/June 2021. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), Florida currently has 124,954 traditional energy workers The student must live in a home served by SECO statewide – with a number of them gearing up toward Energy, plan to pursue a career in the energy industry retirement in the coming years. Of these energy and attend an accredited Florida college, university workers, 54,283 are in electric power generation, or vocational/technical school and be enrolled 18,802 are in fuels, and 51,869 are in transmission, full-time by the end of 2021. Qualifying degrees or certifications are in technology, engineering, math distribution and energy storage. or business. Growth in electric vehicles, renewables, energy storage and the need for increased cyber-physical security drives the need for skilled workers. Notfor-profit electric cooperatives prioritize community support, environmental stewardship, corporate citizenship and sustainability. SECO Energy offers competitive wages but we also offer a pension plan and healthy 401k match – which is a hard-to-
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE • Old Farmer’s Almanac • Solar Spotlight • Toys For Tots • Florida Fauna & Flora Hurricane Handbook JANUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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Applications are available online beginning January 4, 2021. You can also pick up a paper application at one of our five Member Service Centers. The application must be completed and returned to SECO by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2021. If you have questions about SECO Energy’s 2021 Scholarship program, email communications@ secoenergy.com. I wish our applicants the best and look forward to reading about their career plans and accomplishments.
Sincerely, Jim Duncan Chief Executive Officer
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Don’t forget to look for the last six digits of your account number in this month’s SECO News. You can email us at customerservice@secoenergy.com or call if your number appears. Six winners will be drawn at random from all submissions. Winners receive a $25 gift card.
ADVICE FROM THE
WINTER AND SPRING 2021 WEATHER ACCORDING TO THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC, WINTER AND SPRING IN FLORIDA WILL BE GORGEOUS! Expect normal precipitation and an average temperature of 58 – only 2 degrees below average in January. The average temperature is forecast at 4 degrees above average at 65 in February, with below-average rainfall expected. March is forecast to be warm with an average temperature of 69, which is 2 degrees above average, and rainfall is forecast to be slightly below average.
JANUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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KEEP IT CLEAR
WE WORK HERE SECO Energy Services Specialists are auditing equipment to ensure a safe, clear work zone for our employees and contractors. Plants, fences, shrubbery, lawn ornaments and other obstructions placed too close to SECO’s equipment are hazardous and must be removed.
BEFORE
AFTER
SECO personnel and contractors perform outage restoration and maintenance on energized equipment using an eight-foot hot stick. Often, multiple personnel work on the equipment as a team; therefore, a clear work zone is necessary to complete their work safely. Safety is our top priority. We want our employees to return home to their families safely at the end of their shift. Keep the area surrounding electric equipment clear. This equipment includes padmount transformers, flush-mounted and small pedestal secondary enclosures, meters and poles.
Not only are obstructions a safety hazard to employees and contractors, they create longer restoration times. During an outage, if crews cannot access equipment safely or must perform landscaping tasks before restoration can begin, you and your neighbors will be out of service for an extended time. Remove obstructions before auditors arrive in your neighborhood. Read our clearance requirements and view clearance diagrams online at SECOEnergy.com > Safety > Keep It Clear. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
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JANUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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SECO Energy employees ended 2020 in a flurry of giving with our annual Marine Toys for Tots drive. Employees donated hundreds of bicycles, tricycles and other toys for the event. 2020 was a challenging year for some local families who relied on Toys for Tots to put presents under the Christmas tree. SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program chipped in $5,000 to Toys for Tots organizations as donation matches in Citrus, Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties. Marine Toys for Tots is a toprated charity. 96% of funds collected are used to supply children’s gifts. Since 1947, the program has collected over 584 million toys and delivered hope and gifts to 265 million children. Members also dropped off toys at our five Member Service Center locations. Thank you, members, for supporting SECO Energy’s employee-led toy drive and our Pennies from Heaven program. Your spare change can change lives in our local communities. Enroll in our Pennies from Heaven program to round up your monthly bill to the nearest dollar. The pennies donated support member bill payment assistance and local, worthy causes. Enroll online at SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > Pennies from Heaven. SmartHub users can enroll on the desktop or app version, click Billing & Payment Pennies from Heaven.
Edwin Acosta from Clermont is the December winner of a SECO Energy branded JuiceBox Pro 40 EV Level 2 charger. We’re giving one charger away each month while supplies last. To enter, text “EV” to (352) 320-4500 for a link to enter. Or click on the EV Charger Giveaway homepage banner. Learn more about the benefits of electric vehicle ownership on our EV website pages. You’ll find an EV savings calculator, information about CO2 reduction, an EV and PHEV model finder and a nationwide charger-finder map. Visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Electric Vehicles page for more details. Watch SECO News for next month’s charger winner. JANUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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JANUARY 2021 SECO NEWS
Brighten your day with this month’s word search. Read the January 2021 SECO News articles and find the key words. Happy New Year!
Blitchton
SECO
Board
Scholarship
Clear
Solar
Energy
Smart
Industry
Star
Location
Thermostat
Orange
Toys
Panels
Trustees
Restoration
Weather
Safety
Zone
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JANUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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SOLAR SPOTLIGHT Is Solar Right for You? Members often ask SECO Energy for assistance in determining if an investment in a solar system is the right choice for their home and family. Investing in a solar photovoltaic system can help you reduce your use of utility-supplied power. But is solar energy costeffective for you? First, consider the initial cost of the investment. Reducing your utility-supplied power will reduce your SECO bill, but it won’t eliminate it. Unless you go completely off the grid, your home will consume utility power when the sun isn’t shining – at night, on cloudy days and cold mornings before the sun comes up. Compare the purchase price, finance charges and utility-supplied power costs to your SECO usage and costs without a solar system. Location, location, location – will your roof support a solar system? Are there trees blocking the panels from the sun? Also consider the
orientation of the solar system. Panels facing south are the best, followed by east- and west-facing panels. SECO does not recommend north-facing panels because of production loss. Next, consider the solar system size that will meet your needs. Before purchasing a solar system, you should review your historical kilowatt hour (kWh) usage. Compare the number of kWhs consumed by your home over the last 24 months to the amount of kWhs the system can produce. Remember that a salesperson’s production calculations are based on perfect conditions – panels facing due south, on a day with full sun, no clouds and no shade. Here’s a mathematical breakdown of purchase price and production capability of a 5 kW system with panels facing south: Purchase price: $15,000 ($3.00 per watt, which is an average price in Central Florida) Production loss: 15% DC to AC conversion brings the system production capability to 4.25 kW Monthly kWh production: 620 kWh (average) Yearly kWh production: 7,440 kWh (average)
Finally, do your research before signing a contract and contact SECO’s trained Energy Specialists to help you run the numbers. Upon request, our team will conduct a solar assessment at your home or business. The Specialist will review your historical usage data and use a Solar Pathfinder tool to determine if your home is conducive to solar. SECO partners with members who choose to invest in solar. We won’t try to dissuade you; we will present you with facts and data that you can use to make a wise choice. Learn more about solar power online at SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Is Solar Right For You? Read our solar FAQs, learn about the interconnection process, view a sample bill and complete the Solar Estimator for a quick kWh use and solar capacity comparison. Contact SECO Energy’s solar group at solar@ secoenergy.com or visit our Contact page online.
Source: www.pvwatts.nrel.gov
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SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT BLITCHTON SUBSTATION CONVERSION
SECO Energy is your not-for-profit electric cooperative committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable service. Recently, members served by our Blitchton substation in northwest Marion and parts of Levy County were notified of an upcoming system improvement project to increase the substation’s voltage from 7,200 to 14,400. Unfortunately, both Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, and Tropical Storm Eta in November 2020, derailed the project’s schedule. The project is rescheduled for January 2021. If you are a member who is affected by the substation upgrade, you will have received a letter via USPS and electronic notification via email, text or voice. If you’ve lost the letter or are unsure if your home or business is affected, visit SECOEnergy.com > Contact Us and select the Blitchton Project Map. Search for your address to identify your outage date/timeframe. The upgrade will improve members’ service reliability in the area. Members, we appreciate your patience and cooperation as we complete the Blitchton substation upgrade system improvement project. JANUARY 2021 | SECO NEWS
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ORANGE BLOSSOM
ENERGYEFFICIENCY EXTRA RESOLVE TO SAVE WITH ENERGY STAR
Happy New Year! Make a New Year’s resolution to reduce your energy usage and save on your electric bill. Look for the ENERGY STAR label when buying or upgrading your home’s appliances, water heater, HVAC system, electronics and more. An ENERGY STAR-rated product’s initial purchase price may be higher, but its lower lifetime costs offset the upfront costs.
I
n 1909, the Florida State legislature chose the orange blossom as the state flower. Orange
blossoms are the fragrant flowers that grace the millions of orange trees that are synonymous with Florida. Orange blossoms are found in perfume, French and Mediterranean cuisine, wedding bouquets and orange blossom honey. The citrus industry is Florida’s second-largest industry after tourism. Florida bottles as much as 90% of the nation’s orange juice. The industry is facing a possibly insurmountable challenge. Almost 90% of Florida’s orange groves are infected with the Huanglongbing (HLB) bacterium. This bacterium attacks orange tree roots and prevents the fruit from ripening. A small insect called a citrus psyllid spreads the bacterium from grove to grove. Some of Florida’s juice making factories are closing their doors, fruit packing operations are downsizing and fruit picking jobs are drying up. But there is hope. Recently both the amount of fruit produced and sales have increased. The Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred is creating solutions to combat HLB. Measures include enhanced root grafts and select fertilizer schedules.
The bright yellow and black ENERGY STAR label compares the product ’s estimated yearly electricity use in kWh to other models. Also, look for the estimated annual operating expense in U.S. dollars based on the national electricity cost. These numbers will help you determine the operating cost over the average lifespan of the product.
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ENERGY STAR-rated products are among the most efficient available. Look for doors, skylights, windows, roofing materials, insulation, light bulbs and more products with the ENERGY STAR label. Are you interested in seeing the math associated with your energy usage? Calculate the monthly or yearly cost of the common appliances and devices in your home with our online Energy Estimator. Submit your email address to receive no-cost and low-cost energysavings suggestions via email. Visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Energy Estimator.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus brought orange trees to the new world. Ponce de Leon’s explorers planted the first FLORIDA ORANGE TREES near St. Augustine in the mid-1500s. Sources: www.VisitFlorida.com and www.WashingtonPost.com
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BOARD BIOS MEET THE TRUSTEES JOSEPH KUSIAK DISTRICT 7 TRUSTEE _____
District 7 Trustee Joseph Kusiak lives in Dunnellon and has been a SECO Energy member since 2002. Trustee Kusiak currently serves as one of SECO Energy’s representatives on the FECA (Florida Electric Cooperative Association) Board.
JERRY HATFIELD
GERALD ANDERSON
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
SECRETARY/TREASURER
District 4 Trustee Member since 1999 Resides in Ocala
District 9 Trustee Member since 1970 Resides in Umatilla
District 3 Trustee Member since 2013 Resides in The Villages
SCOTT BOYATT
JOYCE ANDERSON
RAY VICK
District 1 Trustee Member since 2004 Resides in Clermont
District 2 Trustee Member since 2017 Resides in Sumterville
District 5 Trustee Member since 1974 Resides in Inverness
MIKE MUFFETT
JOSEPH KUSIAK
WILLIAM JAMES
District 6 Trustee Member since 1984 Resides in Summerfield
District 7 Trustee Member since 2002 Resides in Dunnellon
District 8 Trustee Member since 2002 Resides in Leesburg
RICHARD DENNISON
The Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, January 25, at 2:30 p.m. in the Corporate Offices at 330 South US HWY 301 in Sumterville. A Trustees’ meeting will also be held on Monday, February 22, 2021.
24/7 Job Hotline: secoenergyjobs.com Report an Outage: stormcenter.secoenergy.com
8 SECO Energy.com JANUARY 2021 | SECO SECO Energy is anNEWS equal opportunity provider and employer.