Svecnov2016

Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative Lighting the way since 1937

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Suwannee Valley

currents November 2016

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800-752-0025 SERVING THE SUWANNEE VALLEY OWNED BY THOSE WE SERVE

SVEC receives Large Business of the Year Award from chamber of commerce

11340 100th Street • Live Oak, FL 32060

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CEO’S COR NER

Giving thanks Michael S. McWaters Executive V.P./CEO

It may not cool off in Florida quite as much as it does in other parts of the country this time of year, but you can still tell when it’s time for the holidays.

Many people these days jump straight ahead to Christmas as soon as all the Halloween candy has been given out, but I’ve always savored Thanksgiving. It gives us the opportunity to gather with family and to reflect on all the good in our lives. I think most people would agree we could use a little more of those things day to day.

One of the things I’m most thankful for this year is SVEC and our members. Being part of this organization is an honor, and it’s a blessing each day to be able to serve the people of the Suwannee Valley.

One way we’ll be doing that soon is through a new program called Cooperative Solar. We know many of our members have expressed interest in solar power but may not be able to afford their own system or don’t live in a place where one can be installed.

Cooperative Solar is an inexpensive option that doesn’t require a long-term commitment, and you can learn more about it in this newsletter. We think it will be the perfect fit for our members and are looking forward to offering it early next year.

You can also learn more about our core values and one of the ways SVEC has been recognized for our Continued on Page 4, see MANAGER

Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative was honored with the Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce’s Large Business of the Year Award at last month’s annual awards dinner hosted at the National Guard Armory in Live Oak. The award recognizes SVEC’s frequent investments in community service, our community's youth and economic growth, all of which are part of the cooperative’s efforts to support our members.

“We are truly grateful to the chamber for this award,” says SVEC Executive Vice President and CEO Michael McWaters. “It belongs to all of our employees, who are our biggest asset and whose dedication to our members and the community is demonstrated every day.”

COMMUNITY SERVICE Over the last year, SVEC has been able to sponsor many community events and contribute to a variety of nonprofit organizations that help improve the lives of Suwan-

nee Valley residents.

Cooperative employees raised $5,630 for United Way of Suwannee Valley this spring, earning a $5,000 matching grant from CoBank. This past year, SVEC also hosted six LifeSouth blood drives, provided generators for community events, hung Christmas decorations for the city of Live Oak and conducted numerous safety demonstrations at elementary schools across the region.

Many SVEC employees are also personally involved with community service and volunteer activities including our CEO, who serves on the boards of United Way of Suwannee Valley and Shands Live Oak Regional Medical Center. Other employees serve on the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches HR/Finance Committee and are involved in Altrusa, the Live Oak Rotary Club, the United Way Reading Pals program and many other organizations and churches.

Continued on Page 4, see AWARD

COOPERATIVE SOLAR

A simple way to purchase solar power

William "Bill" Hart, SVEC Trustee and Seminole Electric Cooperative Board President with Lisa Johnson, CEO and general manager of Seminole Electric Cooperative.

Solar power has become a popular subject in Florida over the last few years. Whether it’s new legislation or a growing desire to explore renewable sources of electricity, members across the Suwannee Valley have expressed an interest in solar as an option for their homes. Florida is the Sunshine State after all. Why shouldn’t we harness that plentiful resource?

We agree, and that’s why we’re excited to be partnering with Seminole Electric Cooperative, our wholesale power provider, to launch a new program we call Cooperative Solar. Starting early next year, we look forward to being able to give our members a new way to obtain solar power — no expensive equipment or long-term commitment necessary.

get the largest portion.

SVEC has been allocated 72 kilowatts of the solar farm’s output, divided into 144 blocks of 0.5 kilowatts each. Members who want to work solar into their power mix can purchase up to two blocks. Each block will cost $15 per month, and when it comes time to calculate your bill, the power generated by your solar blocks will be credited to your balance.

Members on SVEC's standard residential rate can now reserve blocks on a first come, first served basis. Once all 144 blocks have been sold, a waiting list will be established.

WHAT IS COOPERATIVE SOLAR?

For all the benefits of solar, there are lots of hurdles to overcome in order for individual households to install their own systems. It can be a big financial investment, and once it’s been made, there’s no easy way to go back if you aren’t satisfied with the results.

One of the best things about Cooperative Solar is that there is no longterm commitment. Members can sign up when they want to without paying a lot of money up front. If, after a few months or a few years, you decide solar power isn’t for you, it’s easy to leave the program.

Cooperative Solar also opens the door for people who might be interested in solar but don’t live in the right conditions for it.

“There are a lot of folks interested in going green who might not have the right situation for solar energy,” says Hart. “Maybe they live in a multi-family building, are renters, live on a shady lot and don’t want to cut down trees, or just don’t have the large upfront capital to invest in their own solar unit.

Cooperative Solar gives those people an option.”

According to Solar Power Authority, the average cost of installing a 5-kilowatt solar panel system for your home can be as much as $35,000. Even with incentives and rebates, a system that generates enough electricity to offset your monthly electric bill can take decades to pay for itself.

This program offers an inexpensive entry point into solar and saves members the financial cost and time it takes to maintain a system, as well as ensuring it meets all the requirements of being connected to the grid.

SVEC is excited to be able to offer our members this opportunity to try solar power in a way that is safe, affordable and reliable. Residential members can reserve their blocks of cooperative solar power now at sveccoop.com/cooperative-solar.html. 

A couple of years ago, Seminole began getting interest from member cooperatives like SVEC in a solar option that could be offered through the cooperative. While many of our members might have an interest in solar power, not everyone has the money or conditions around their home to install a system of their own.

“We felt like it was really important for the electric cooperative, as a trusted partner in the community, to be available to provide these folks with a solution,” says Ryan Hart, manager of corporate communications and energy policy for Seminole. “We think we can do it in a way that’s responsible and provides them with an affordable, safe, reliable source of solar energy.”

Cooperative Solar is designed to complement the mix of renewable energy sources SVEC already draws on with advances in technology that have made solar energy more cost-effective than it was in the past.

The construction of the first Cooperative Solar facility is scheduled to be completed next month and should be up and running by the end of March 2017. SVEC members who want to invest in solar will be able to buy a portion of the energy generated at the new facility each month.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Located in Hardee County, Florida, the new solar facility sits on 29 acres of land and will be able to produce a total output of 2.2 megawatts, which will be divided up between Seminole’s nine member cooperatives.

Seminole will operate and maintain the solar farm, and the nine cooperatives, including SVEC, will distribute that power to our members. Each cooperative will get a portion of the electricity generated at the solar farm each month based on their size, so the cooperatives with the largest membership

Want to learn more or sign up for Cooperative Solar?

Visit our webpage: svec-coop.com/cooperative-solar.html

SOLAR MADE SIMPLE

MANAGER, continued from front

involvement in the community.

Being part of a cooperative family is truly something special, and I know it will be among the many things I give thanks for this month. I hope all of you will take a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are as well. 

SMORE SMORE

Safety Safety Member Experience Member Experience Outreach to to Community Outreach Community Reliability Reliability Economic Viability Economic Viability

As a cooperative, SVEC is dedicated to providing the best electric service to our members, not to making money for shareholders outside of our community. While pursuing that mission, our actions are guided by five core values: Safety, Positive Member Experience, Outreach to Community, Reliability and Economic Viability.

In the next five newsletters, we’ll be taking a look at ways SVEC fulfills each of these values.

AWARD, continued from front

YOUTH SUPPORT Each year, SVEC awards 10 college/vocational school scholarships to graduating high school seniors, sponsors eight juniors to participate in a tour of Florida’s state capital, and sponsors two juniors from area high schools to participate in the Rural Electric Youth Tour of the U.S. capital.

These tours give students the opportunity to meet senators and representatives from their area, learn about the legislative process and understand their roles as members of our nation’s democracy.

ECONOMIC GROWTH A strong cooperative requires a strong community, which is why SVEC works with the chambers of commerce and economic development organizations in our four counties to help existing businesses grow and to attract new industry to the area. This year, SVEC even applied for and was awarded a $300,000 Rural Economic Development Loan Grant to go toward building a library in Dowling Park. 

Safety Making sure our employees are safe on the job is always the first priority for SVEC. That’s why we are constantly investing in the newest safety equipment and ensuring that our linemen are up-to-date on the latest best practices to protect them on the job.

As a result, SVEC has reached an all-time-high of more than 760 days without a lost time injury. By continuing to put the safety of our employees first, we hope to take that mark even higher in the months and years to come.

Electric power has transformed our lives, but it is a force that needs to be respected. We also make a point of educating our members, and particularly young students, about the importance of being careful around electricity. Electrical safety presentations are available for groups by contacting communications@svec-coop.com.

Learn more about your usage with SmartHub Want to know exactly how much electricity you use at any time? SmartHub lets you track your electricity usage online. Sign up for SmartHub today at svec-coop.com/smarthub.html.

Purchase the amount of electricity you want, when you want it. Sign up for MyChoice Prepaid Billing today at svec-coop.com/mychoice.html or call 386-362-2226.

MYCHOICE Prepaid Billing