Suwannee Valley Currents November 2017

Suwannee Valley

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currents November 2017

Three Years Safe

SVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

11340 100th Street • Live Oak, FL 32060

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@SVEC_COOP_FL

CEO’S COR NER

Safe and sound Michael S. McWaters Executive V.P./CEO

Thanksgiving is a time when we’re able to take a moment to think about how grateful we are for the things that are really important in our lives: close friends, loving family and a strong community.

At Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, we are also thankful for the privilege to serve our members. Whether they are sitting behind a computer in the office or repairing power lines on the side of the road, everyone at the cooperative works hard every day to make sure their neighbors have reliable and affordable electric service.

But above all else, we are thankful for the safety of our employees. Our top priority is to make sure each SVEC employee works safely so they can go home at night in the same condition they left in the morning. That isn’t always easy. Some hazards of working in the electric industry are unavoidable, and require diligence and constant focus on safe practices.

That’s why I want to take a moment to congratulate everyone at SVEC for reaching an amazing safety milestone of three years, or 522,510 work hours, without a lost-time injury. It shows the dedication and pride in their work that everyone at this cooperative has.

You can read more about that accomplishment and the challenges employees faced along the way in this newsletter. You can also learn more about SVEC’s approach to vegetation management and why it’s so important that we keep the areas around power lines clear.

Finally, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to our members on behalf of all of us at SVEC. At SVEC this is truly a time to be thankful, an opportunity to appreciate our team and the members who make up the cooperative. I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! 

Our electrical safety demonstrations are available to schools, senior organizations, first responders and other civic groups.

For three years in a row — 522,510 work hours — Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative workers did not have a losttime injury. They set the mark on Oct. 15.

The milestone is a testament to the professionalism and commitment of not only the crews who often face difficult challenges in the most trying weather conditions possible, but also every team member who supports the cooperative’s mission. Such an outstanding accomplishment would not have been possible without the hard work and diligence of dispatchers, warehouse employees, auto shop technicians and office staff alike.

“Going three years without a serious injury is quite an achievement considering the hazards that go along with our work and the types of tasks our employees perform every day,” says Mark Mosley, training and safety loss control director. “Our employees know they are responsible for their own safety, as well as the safety of their co-workers and the public.”

The success is even more impressive when considering the projects crews completed during the three-year run, as well as the day-to-day responsibilities

of providing power to the cooperative’s membership.

SVEC constructed a new substation to enhance reliability across the region. The cooperative also repaired the system and restored power to thousands of members after Hurricanes Hermine and Irma.

The everyday maintenance of an electric system comprised of 14 substations, more than 4,000 miles of power lines, and about 80,000 poles also comes with challenges. And maintaining safety is a priority not only of the crews in the field, but also of the cooperative as a whole.

SVEC employees are supplied with the latest protective equipment and receive frequent training on best safety practices, which can mean the difference between life and death when working on energized lines that carry up to 25,000 volts.

“The well-being of our employees is a top priority, and we want to make sure they all go home safe to their families every day,” Chief Executive Officer Michael McWaters says. “Safety is also important from a business point of view because injuries reduce productivity and increase insurance rates and workers’ compensation costs. 

A cut above

How SVEC crews cut a path to reliable service

One of the defining features of the Suwannee Valley is the natural beauty that exists throughout the region. The city of Live Oak is even named for the distinctive trees so common in the area.

Like many of our members, those oaks have deep roots. They’ve given their sturdy wood to ships from as far back as the decades after the American Revolution and continue to provide food and shelter to local wildlife today.

But while these trees are beautiful, they’re also one of the primary causes of electric outages on the Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative system. About 80 percent of all outages are caused by limbs and branches coming in contact with, or falling on, power lines.

“They’re the major cause of our

outages, which is why we try to keep a lot of clear space around cooperative equipment,” says Leslie Laffoon, SVEC’s right-of-way supervisor. “It helps cut down on the time our members are without power.”

Right-of-way refers to the stretch of land underneath and within 15 feet of power lines. As an electric utility, SVEC has the right and responsibility to keep that area well-maintained and clear of any growth that could interfere with the electric system.

Not only is having an effective right-of-way program important to providing reliable electric service, but it also helps keep cooperative members safe. SVEC power lines can carry up to 25,000 volts of electricity.

A tree touching a line can become energized, which is extremely dangerous — even deadly.

RIGHT TREE, RIGHT PLACE

That’s why SVEC works hard to clear right-of-ways, ensuring that members’ families are safe and reducing the likelihood of dead branches causing an outage when winds and rain pick up.

“The major storms, you can’t do much about, but our goal is to reduce the day-to-day outages that might occur by maintaining that right-of-way,” says Laffoon.

TRAILBLAZING

With about 4,000 miles of line to cover, SVEC does not have the manpower to control tree growth across the entire system by itself. That’s why the cooperative partners with contractors like Bryant Tree Service to trim along each section of line on a cycle of every three to four years.

“We’ve taken a pretty aggressive approach,” Laffoon says. “It’s really helping, and we’re getting better and better every year. As we continue our trimming plan, we’re confident that we’ll see an even greater reduction in the number of outages each member experiences.”

Wherever possible, contract crews clear the space above, below and around power lines “ground

to sky,” meaning no vegetation growing up under the lines and no branches overhanging the lines.

While it isn’t always possible to achieve the goal, leaving as few branches as possible helps prevent falling limbs from interrupting electric service.

As contract crews handle the cyclical clearing, SVEC crews take care of day-to-day calls from members. Those calls can include dead or dangerous trees that appear at risk for falling on an electric line.

An SVEC crew will cut the tree down only if it is endangering cooperative equipment. If a tree could fall and damage personal property, the cooperative will recommend a tree service handle the job.

“If someone tells us they see a tree that’s about to tear down a line, we go in and cut it,” says Laffoon.

“We have more than 4,000 miles of line, so we can’t see everything. It helps to have people call in what they see.”

CLEARING THE WAY

While right-of-way crews are a vital part of keeping the lights on, they are not linemen with the equipment

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Tall trees like: oaks, pines, pecan trees

needed to restore power. Rather, when members see them clearing debris around a broken pole after a major storm, they should think of the right-of-way crew as setting the stage for the people who will complete repairs.

“Sometimes you’ll have a monster tree that a right-of-way crew has to remove before the linemen can even get to work,” says Laffoon.

“That could take a couple of hours to clean up while the linemen are getting somebody else’s lights on.”

In addition to clearing large debris, right-of-way crews are also careful to mow a work area and remove any smaller roots and branches that could slow down work for line crews or even lead to injury.

“We try to keep a clean work environment for them,” Laffoon says. “It can be aggravating or even dangerous to have a broken pole and be tripping over fallen trees to get in there and start working.”

It’s a challenging job, and one that isn’t always met with enthusiasm from members unhappy to see their trees or plants trimmed away from electric lines. But Laffoon tries

Tall Trees

to help members understand that a tree growing near cooperative equipment might pose a risk not only to their own electric service, but also to hundreds of their neighbors.

“If someone is on a little tap line by themselves and they don’t want us to cut a tree, that won’t affect anyone but them,” he says. “But if they’re on a main line and a branch falls on it, hundreds of people might lose power because they wouldn’t let us trim it.”

Ultimately, a proactive right-ofway program is one of the most important parts of providing reliable electric service to all of SVEC’s members.

Members should keep safety in mind and never try to trim a tree in the right-of-way zone on their own.

If you would like help trimming or removing trees near a power line, please contact SVEC. Or, if you see a tree in contact with a power line, stay away and notify the cooperative by calling 800-447-4509. 

Mature height of 60’ or less

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Keep right-of-way in mind when …

Planting trees — When you’re planting a tree, remember that SVEC works to clear its right-of-ways every three to four years. To ensure your tree doesn’t have to be trimmed back, plant the right tree in the right place (see diagram below).

Building fences — If there’s an electric pole on your property, keep in mind that cooperative employees may need to access it during an outage. Fences, or other obstructions can lead to longer wait times for power to be restored if they make it difficult to reach cooperative equipment.

60’ clearance between lines and tree

Medium Trees

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Mature height of 30’ or less n

30’ clearance between lines and tree

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Small Trees Mature height of 20’ or less 20’ clearance between lines and tree

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Medium trees like: holly, little gem and star magnolia, dogwood, Ligustrum

Small trees like: junipers, fruit trees, crape myrtle, azalea, Viburnum

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Clear Zone 15’

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Clear Zone 15’

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Sign up for SmartHub and win a Kindle Fire!

SVEC’s SmartHub app gives you a convenient way to pay your bill, monitor your electricity use, and report an outage from your smartphone or other mobile device. Sign up for SmartHub from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 and automatically be entered in a drawing for an Amazon Kindle Fire.

SVEC offers a variety of convenient no-fee ways to pay your bill ...

Congratulations to Kelly Bower for winning the Kindle Fire in our previous drawing.

Get SmartHub on your Apple or Android device!

online

For Apple devices

— Pay your bill using the SmartHub account self-service portal at svecsmarthub.com

Smarthub mobile app — Use your smartphone

For Android devices

or other mobile device to view and pay your bill anytime, anywhere. You can also monitor your electricity use, report service issues and more.

automatic payments — Sign up for bank draft or recurring credit card payments. Funds are automatically withdrawn from the account you choose on a designated day before your due date. Bank draft and recurring credit card payments can be set up using SmartHub. kiosk — Use the kiosk in the foyer of SVEC’s office. You will need your account number or you can scan your bill. Our kiosk is open 24/7, and payments post within minutes.

phone — Call our interactive payment system

Light out? We need to know.

at 800-447-4509, menu option #1. You will need your account number or the phone number we have on file for your account.

To report a malfunctioning area or street light, touch “Contact Us” on the SmartHub home screen, then touch “AREA LIGHT OUT” and use the comments area to request a repair. Or, call 800-447-4509. Members who report a malfunctioning outdoor light will be contacted by an SVEC member service representative by the end of the next business day.

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Unclaimed capital credits Do you have unclaimed capital credits? Search our list of members with unclaimed capital credits at svec-coop.com/unclaimed-credits.

SVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.