SVEC Newsletter June 2016

Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative Lighting the way since 1937

www.svec-coop.com

We’re here to serve

(8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. • Monday - Friday, Lobby Hours)

Business Office: 800-447-4509 (Drive-thru 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Monday - Friday)

Power Outage Reporting

Suwannee Valley

currents June 2016

(24 hours a day)

800-752-0025 SERVING RURAL AND URBAN SUWANNEE VALLEY OWNED BY THOSE WE SERVE 11340 100th Street • Live Oak, FL 32060

CEO’S COR NER

A team effort Michael S. McWaters Executive V.P./CEO

I often remind our members of the set of cooperative principles that drive SVEC. I want our members to understand that they are more than customers to us; they’re partners.

One central principle that we operate under is outreach to our community. At SVEC we take our responsibility to this region very seriously, and I think that’s an important distinction between your electric cooperative and a lot of other places you may do business with.

Our greatest agents of change in this community are our employees. SVEC is blessed with employees who are not only dedicated to their job of providing reliable, affordable electricity, but also are dedicated to volunteering and helping their neighbors. It’s the time they spend off the clock coaching youth sports or working in their church communities that helps make this a better place to live and work.

Our employees live out this mission daily, and there is perhaps no better example than the way they stepped up during this year’s campaign to raise money for the United Way of Suwannee Valley. As a group they raised more than $5,000 to help those most in need in our community, and we couldn’t be more proud of their generosity.

You can read more about that campaign and where the money will go in this month’s newsletter, where you can also find out who this year’s SVEC scholarship recipients are. It’s just another way we invest in our community and its people. Together with our membership, we’re excited to continue building a brighter future for the Suwannee Valley. 

SVEC employees, CoBank raise more than $10,000 for local United Way At Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative meaning our employee campaigns have we have always known our cooperative is raised more than $25 per employee.

“The United Way does so much in our blessed with employees who really take to heart the importance of serving others. But, community and for so many different peothey reminded us of their generosity once ple,” said Ragan, a lineman at SVEC. “It’s just again this year by raising $5,630 to donate a privilege for us at SVEC and myself to be to the United Way of Suwannee Valley, associated with an organization that’s willwhich promotes health and human services ing to help so many people in their time of need.” initiatives throughout the region.

With the help of CoBank’s Sharing SucOur cooperative has been a longtime partner of the local United Way, but this cess Matching Grant Program, SVEC was year’s employee contributions went above able to nearly double the $5,630 contribution made by and beyond, our employees representing with a matcha 93 percent increase over ing $5,000 last year’s grant. campaign.

In total, SVEC “Cooperaand CoBank tives are a part were able to of the commudonate more nities we serve, than $10,000 to which is why the United Way it’s so imporof Suwannee tant at SVEC Valley, which that we do throughout its From left: Bruce Spradley, Vicky Talmadge and Craig Ragan are recognized everything we first 48 years for United Way contributions. can to support of service has the Suwannee operated out of Valley region,” says Executive VP and CEO donated space not meant to be used as an Michael McWaters. “The United Way works office. The CoBank grant will go toward payeach day to help those in need in our com- ing off the debt on a building purchased last munity, and we’re proud to be able to con- year that will serve as the new permanent tribute to those efforts.” location for the United Way offices.

SVEC even had a few employees recog“United Way of Suwannee Valley is nized at the United Way of Suwannee Val- extremely fortunate to enjoy the positive ley’s Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet. relationship it has with Suwannee Valley Vicky Talmadge, Craig Ragan and Bruce Electric Cooperative,” stated Rita Dopp, Spradley were awarded for being Challeng- United Way of Suwannee Valley executive er Club Members, individuals who donate director. “SVEC is an active participant in more than $500 each year. SVEC was also the well-being of our local community, and recognized as a Sapphire organization, we are always grateful for their support.” 

SVEC awards $5,000 in scho

h Bill Hart it w w a h S a l Michae igh School H e t t e y a f a L

At Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, we are fortunate to be able not only to serve our members every day, but also to enrich our community as a whole.

We once again had the chance to do that this year for some of the brightest young men and women in the region by awarding a total of $5,000 in scholarships to each high school in SVEC’s service area.

SVEC’s scholarship program was established by the board of trustees in 2015 as part of the cooperative’s mission to give back to the communities we serve. This year, a total of 10 scholarships were awarded to students: Bailey Fletcher and Shayla Patterson from Branford High School,

Brittney Lee and Kaleb Thomas from Columbia High School, Regina Carson and Catherine Moffses from Hamilton High School, Danielle Murray and Michaela Shaw from Lafayette High School, and Constance Monroe and Kaitlyn Rogers from Suwannee High School.

Students who applied for SVEC’s scholarship program had to be dependents of cooperative members and were screened by guidance counsellors at each school.

A committee of retired teachers then selected winners based on their anonymous applications.

“SVEC is part of the community, and this is just one way that we can give back,” says Hugh Hunter,

Constance Mon roe wit Suwannee High h De Smith School h De Smith it w rs e g o R n Kaitly h School Suwannee Hig

fses therine Mof ool a C d n a n o Regina Cars ms - Hamilton High Sch da with Mike A

Brittney Lee wit h Tim S Columbia High S teichen chool

olarships to local students chairman of SVEC’s board of trustees. “We recognize the importance of education, and maybe one of those students we award a scholarship to will even be able to come back and work for SVEC one day as an accountant or an engineer.”

These scholarships are just another way that SVEC lives out its cooperative mission in the Suwannee Valley. We aren’t just an electric company, and you aren’t just customers. We are partners in bringing electricity to areas that the big power companies don’t consider worth the investment, and we are partners in making sure our communities have the brightest future possible.

Investing in our young people

is one of the best ways we can do that. They’re the ones who will lead our cities, our churches and even this cooperative in the future, so it is crucial that we provide them with every opportunity possible.

“We want to reward the hard work and dedication of young people in our community,” says Michael S. McWaters, executive vice president and CEO at SVEC. “These students have earned their scholarships without question, and we’re proud to be able to help them as they take the next step in their lives toward becoming active members of our community.” 

Kaleb Thomas w ith Tim Columbia High S Steichen chool

al h Tyler Putn it w r e h c t e l Bailey F h School ig H d r o f n a r B

Tyler Putnal h it w y a rr u M Daniel e School Lafayette High

Shayla Patterson with Tyler Pu tnal Branford High School

At SVEC, we work hard to keep the lights on at all times. But when our members do lose power, we want to make sure they always have an easy and convenient way to let us know they’re experiencing an outage. There are currently three ways for members to let us know they have lost power: Phone - Members can call 800-752-0025 to report an outage. To make the reporting process quick and easy, be sure to call using the primary phone number listed on your account.

1

2

Online - At svec-coop.com, you can view and report outages instantly with SmartHub. You can also find additional information like a live outage map to track how the restoration process is going.

App - If you have downloaded the SmartHub app, open it and tap on “Service Status.” Here, you can see if SVEC is already aware of the problem. If not, choose “My power is out,” type any information about the outage in the comments box, and submit.

When reporting an outage, make sure

3

?

what are they doing

Ever been stuck in a dark house wondering why your neighbors have power but you don’t? When storms cause large-

account information, such as your current address, is up-to-date. SVEC’s system uses this information to better pinpoint problems and help us restore power to everyone more quickly. 

MORE TO COME SVEC is always looking for convenient ways for members to report an outage, and in the next few months, we will be rolling out the ability to report an outage simply by sending a text.

STEP 1 Transmission lines - High-voltage transmission towers carry power to thousands of people and rarely sustain heavy damage. But when they do, they’re the first to get repaired.

STEP 2 Substations - Distribution substations disperse electricity from transmission lines to hundreds of members. Fixing a damaged substation can return power to entire neighborhoods.

STEP 3 Main lines - Main distribution lines are the wires you might see running alongside the road. Repairing these lines can restore power to large groups that are still in the dark.

scale outages, SVEC starts by solving the problems that will get the lights back on for the most people and then works its way down to those impacting just a few.

STAY COOL THIS SUMMER WITHOUT SWEATING YOUR ELECTRIC BILL Our members know to expect sweltering temperatures when the summer hits, but a higher electric bill at the end of the month sometimes comes as a surprise. When the temperature soars, many people turn the air conditioning up to stay cool, but there are other ways to keep the heat at bay without sweating energy costs.

Taking simple steps like closing the blinds on a sunny day or setting your thermostat a few degrees higher can have a big impact on your monthly bill. Keep these energy-saving tips in mind to stay comfortable during the summer without overheating your wallet. 

STEP 4 Tap lines - Occassionally, the service lines between your home and the nearest transformer can sustain damage. A tap line problem can interrupt your service while a neighbor still has power, but it cannot be isolated until electricity has been restored at all other levels.

During the hottest periods of the day, keep blinds, shades and curtains closed to keep sunlight from further heating your home.

Use an outdoor grill or microwave whenever possible instead of the oven. Stoves and ovens can raise the temperature in a kitchen as much as 10 degrees.

Dress in thin, loose-fitting clothing around the house to stay comfortable without having to run the air conditioning.

74º

Ceiling fans should run counterclockwise during hot months, forcing air to move straight down. Moving the air around even a little bit can help a room feel three to four degrees cooler.

Set the thermostat at the highest comfortable setting.

The less difference between the temperature in your home and outside, the lower your cooling costs will be.

Try to limit chores that produce heat and moisture — like cooking, cleaning, ironing and laundry — to the cooler hours in the early morning and evening.