nec retail member connections newsletter

8
www.necretail.com 20 Texas Co-op Power NUECES EC June 2014 www.necretail.com 1.855.NEC.RD4U Member ConNECtions John L. Sims, NEC CEO It’s About What We Do Who We Are You set up your electric service account with Nueces Electric Coop- erative and you think to yourself, “That’s done. Now I just have to pay my monthly bill.” But the truth is we’re more than just a utility provider that you pay each month for electricity. We have more to offer – and we want you, our members, to know about these ben- efits. There are more than 900 electric coop- eratives in the U.S. that serve 42 million members. Nueces Electric Cooperative, your local electric cooperative, serves 32,503 members with lines stretching across 3,351 of miles. So what makes being a member of an electric coopera- tive unique? We’re all in this together. You are a member of Nueces Electric Cooperative – not a customer. And that means you have a voice when it comes to the way we do business. This month, members in Districts 1, 2, and 4 are invited to pick up a petition to become candidates for the NEC Board of Direc- tors. The petitions are at our headquar- ters in Calallen and more information is contained in the next few pages of this magazine issue. If being a director is a little bigger commitment that you want to give us, each October you have the option to vote for your board of directors – fellow members just like you who govern and guide the Cooperative’s direction to help us meet our members’ needs. These directors play a key role in making important decisions for our co-op, which is why members’ voices must be heard. We’re local. It’s likely that you know an employee of Nueces Electric Cooperative. Our employees – your friends and neighbors – share the same concerns for our com- munity that you do. Each year, Nueces Electric Cooperative participates in Relay for Life events, livestock shows, school safety and efficiency program, Youth Tour, scholarships, and our mem- bers round up their electric bills each month to allow us to give over $120,000 each year back to community charitable organizations. To learn more about how we work to strengthen our community, visit www.necretail.com or like NEC on Facebook. We’re not-for-profit. Nueces Electric Cooperative, doesn’t offer profits to investors—we return money over and above operating costs to you, our members, based on electric- ity consumption. Annually, electric co-ops nationwide return millions of dollars to members through this capital credits process. Last year, Nueces Elec- tric Cooperative members received $7.6 million from NEC in the form of capital credits and/or NEC Retail Merry Christ- mas credits. We’re here for you. At Nueces Electric Cooperative, our mission is to provide you with safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. We care about our members’ quality of life, which is why our employees are continuously finding innovative ways to improve our service and communica- tions with you. Through new service centers, convenient payment options, electronic services, social media real- time communications, and new technol- ogy we meet our commitment to better serve our members and improve our efficiency and cost of services. These are just a few facts about electric coopera- tives that make us unique. For more information about Nueces Electric Cooperative and the services we offer, visit us on the web at www.necretail. com or like NEC on Facebook. NEC is: Non-Profit Local In it together Here For You!

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Page 1: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

www.necretail.com20 Texas Co-op Power NUECES EC June 2014

www.necretail.com 1.855.NEC.RD4UMember ConNECtions

John L. Sims, NEC CEO

It’s About What We Do Who We Are

You set up your electric service account with Nueces Electric Coop-erative and you think to yourself, “That’s done. Now I just have to pay my monthly bill.” But the truth is we’re more than just a utility provider that you pay each month for electricity. We have more to offer – and we want you, our members, to know about these ben-efits.

There are more than 900 electric coop-eratives in the U.S. that serve 42 million members. Nueces Electric Cooperative, your local electric cooperative, serves 32,503 members with lines stretching across 3,351 of miles. So what makes being a member of an electric coopera-tive unique?

We’re all in this together. You are a member of Nueces Electric Cooperative – not a customer. And that means you have a voice when it comes to the way we do business. This month, members in Districts 1, 2, and 4 are invited to pick up a petition to become candidates for the NEC Board of Direc-tors. The petitions are at our headquar-ters in Calallen and more information is contained in the next few pages of this magazine issue. If being a director is a little bigger commitment that you want to give us, each October you have the option to vote for your board of directors – fellow members just like you who govern and guide the Cooperative’s

direction to help us meet our members’ needs. These directors play a key role in making important decisions for our co-op, which is why members’ voices must be heard.

We’re local. It’s likely that you know an employee of Nueces Electric Cooperative. Our employees – your friends and neighbors

– share the same concerns for our com-munity that you do. Each year, Nueces Electric Cooperative participates in Relay for Life events, livestock shows, school safety and efficiency program, Youth Tour, scholarships, and our mem-bers round up their electric bills each month to allow us to give over $120,000 each year back to community charitable organizations. To learn more about how we work to strengthen our community, visit www.necretail.com or like NEC on Facebook.

We’re not-for-profit. Nueces Electric Cooperative, doesn’t offer profits to investors—we return money over and above operating costs to you, our members, based on electric-ity consumption. Annually, electric co-ops nationwide return millions of dollars to members through this capital credits process. Last year, Nueces Elec-tric Cooperative members received $7.6 million from NEC in the form of capital credits and/or NEC Retail Merry Christ-mas credits.

We’re here for you. At Nueces Electric Cooperative, our mission is to provide you with safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. We care about our members’ quality of life, which is why our employees are continuously finding innovative ways to improve our service and communica-tions with you. Through new service centers, convenient payment options, electronic services, social media real-time communications, and new technol-ogy we meet our commitment to better serve our members and improve our efficiency and cost of services. These are just a few facts about electric coopera-tives that make us unique. For more information about Nueces Electric Cooperative and the services we offer, visit us on the web at www.necretail.com or like NEC on Facebook.

NEC is:

N o n - P r o f i t

L o c a l

I n i t t o g e t h e r

H e r e F o r Y o u !

Page 2: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

www.necretail.com June 2014 Texas Co-op Power 21

www.necretail.com 1.855.NEC.RD4U

www.necretail.com20 Texas Co-op Power NUECES EC June 2014

www.necretail.com 1.855.NEC.RD4U Nominations Open June 23rdfor NEC Director PositionsBeginning Monday, June 23, 2014, any NEC member who wants to be a candidate for co-op director for districts 1, 2, and 4 can sign-out a petition and instructions at the NEC office in Calallen at 14353 Cooperative Ave, (intersection of CR52 and CR69) . The deadline for the return of these petitions is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 25, 2014.

If you are unsure of your district number, contact the NEC bill-ing department by calling 1.800.NEC.WATT. or by e-mailing [email protected]

The process requires a petition to be submitted by any person wanting to be a candidate for cooperative director. The bylaws of NEC provide for staggered three-year terms for each director. A petition for nomination must contain 15 signatures of NEC mem-bers who have service within the district the nominee would repre-sent. All petition signatures will be verified.

Petitions will be signed out from, and returned directly to, the Co-op’s Administrative Assistant who will contact you once signatures are verified as valid NEC members living in your district.

If more than two qualifying petitions are received for a district, a primary election will be held in each district during the month of August to narrow the candidates to two.

NOTE: NEC Retail members on power lines maintained by AEP, Oncor, CenterPoint, TNMP are in District 10.

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Sandia

Ben Bolt

Calallen

Robstown

Driscoll

Riverside

San Diego

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Main Office

Orange Grove

Corpus Christi

Orange Grove SC

Ben Bolt Office

Corpus Christi

Alice

Robstown

Portland

Kingsville

Taft

Mathis

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Sinton

Petronila

Benavides

OdemGregory

San Diego

Driscoll

San PatricioOrange Grove

Lake City

Pernitas Point

Lakeside

Agua Dulce

DuvalNueces

Jim Wells

San Patricio

Kleberg

Live OakMcMullen

0 5 102.5Miles¯

LegendDistrictsDistrict

01

02

04

Districts up for Vote

Director Election ProcessNEC prides itself on its director elections. The election process reflects one of the Seven Cooperative Principles - democratic member control: one member, one vote. Nueces Electric Coop-erative is member-owned and is governed by a ten (10) person, member-elected board of directors. These directors represent the ten member directorate districts of the cooperative. A por-tion of the co-op directorships stand for election each year.

Nominating ProcessAny NEC member in a district up for election may seek to become a candidate.

If more than two candidates petition for a directorship, a pri-mary election will be held in the district to select two candidates who will appear on the election ballot. At the annual member-ship meeting to be held October 9, 2014, all members of NEC may vote to elect the new directors in the districts up for elec-tion. All members will receive a ballot by mail or attached to the Texas Coop Power Magazine. If members cannot attend the meeting, they may cast their vote by mailing in the ballot.

It is up to you, the members, to elect the directors best qualified to run your cooperative. There is no term limit for an NEC direc-tor but he/she must complete the nomination process every three years and be re-elected by the members.

Director ResponsibilitiesDirectors are tasked with the development of governance poli-cies and monitoring the financial health of the cooperative. In addition, they are charged with keeping up-to-date on industry trends, legislative actions, and other pertinent issues affecting cooperatives as well as representing the membership at coop-erative related functions.

Director CompensationDirectors may receive a fee, which may include insurance ben-efits, for each day during which they attend meetings or other-wise perform duties on behalf of the Cooperative.

Membership Access:Article I, Section 8, “Membership List,” of the Cooperative’s Bylaws. Upon authorization, Petitioners may be granted access to a copy of a map of the district in which your residence lies and to view a list of the Cooperative members in your district for up to one (1) hour for the purpose of recording, in writing, the names, addresses, and account numbers of up to fifty (50) members from that list.

A full copy of the By-Laws can be found at www.nueceselectric.org -> About-> Transparency and Your Cooperative

Director and Election FAQ’s

Page 3: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

www.necretail.com22 Texas Co-op Power June 2014

www.necretail.com 1.855.NEC.RD4U

Solar Electric Safety Training

Page 4: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

www.necretail.com June 2014 Texas Co-op Power 23

www.necretail.com 1.855.NEC.RD4U

2004 EM Training Conference Agenda MARCH 7-10 WACO - 2013_Hu... http://puc.texas.gov/industry/electric/forms/hbi/2013_Hurricane_Bill_Ins...

1 of 1 4/12/2013 3:12 PM

2004 EM Training Conference Agenda MARCH 7-10 WACO - 2013_Hu... http://puc.texas.gov/industry/electric/forms/hbi/2013_Hurricane_Bill_Ins...

1 of 1 4/12/2013 3:12 PM

What does “Photovoltaic” mean and what is considered Photovoltaic? Photovoltaics (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current elec-tricity. (Solar Panels)

Why did NEC decide to provide this training to fire fight-ers (FF)?South Texan’s have solar panels on their homes and busi-nesses. This poses dangers to NEC line crews and first responders when they are called to work on a home/busi-ness that has solar panels connected to generate electricity in addition to our lines. If the line crew or first responders are not aware of them, or if they are not connected properly and marked properly, this can be a lethal situation.

Firefighters are also exposed to these dangers when called to battle flames at a home or business with solar panels. Addi-tionally, the homes/businesses around a home/business with solar panels can also be in more danger. The utility produced and transmitted electricity to a home can be cut off, but the solar panels can still be producing power and this is very dangerous to firemen. Firefighters and builders have had few opportunities to get this type of training and it is very important to their safety that they understand how to navigate solar panels during emergencies.

Who is this training being offered to, who do we expect to attend, and why do they need this training?

All Texas firemen and women, paid and volunteer at no cost,

home builders, and anyone else who has a vested interest in PV safety. Firefighters will receive CEU for attending. After speaking with the Commissioner of Fire Protection Safety NEC was told this is very needed. NEC prepared and sent a survey to these fire chiefs and from the responses received there is a HIGH need for this type of training in our area. Solar is just catching on in South Texas and the community may need some help understanding the dangers. There are training courses, like this one, available in Texas, however the classes cost over $200 per person. NEC is offer-ing the course at no cost.

Who is giving the training?NEC is bringing in a professional from San Jose California who is has a degrees in both fire science and solar technol-ogy. On the days he is not fighting fires with San Jose FD, he trains all of the U.S. He has written articles for power maga-zines and is considered an expert in this field.

What is included in the training (what does it cover)? All of the basic training needed for PV fire safety. Attendees will receive a certificate for CEU.

Is there a cost for this training to attendees? No, NEC is covering 100% of the cost for this training as a community service.

Does the Co-op recommend installing Photovoltaic devices? If so what is the benefit and cost? No, this is not a recommendation to purchase PV. This is a community service to educate our community partners.

Solar Electric Safety Training FAQ’s

Page 5: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

www.necretail.com24 Texas Co-op Power June 2014

www.necretail.com 1.855.NEC.RD4U

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2014 Scholarship WinnersAwards will Total $12,000 for the 2014 Recipients

Nueces Electric Cooperative (NEC) would like to congratulate six outstanding youth who will each receive a scholarship from the NEC Ramiro De La Paz Memorial Scholarship Fund.

$4,000 Recipients are:Alexis Wahlen of Calallen High SchoolRyan Sikes of Orange Grove High School

Alternates Receiving $1,000 are:Caroline Alsop of Riviera - Kaufer High SchoolJake Leber of Banquette High SchoolRachel Johnson of Riviera - Kaufer High SchoolAaron Clark of Flour Bluff High School

Alexis Wahlen is a 2014 graduate of Calallen High School in Corpus Christi, TX. She is the daughter of Malynn & Michael Wahlen. Alexis plans to attend Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi and major in nursing and plans to be a physician’s assistant.

Ryan Sikes is a 2014 graduate of Orange Grove High School. He is the son of Randy and Donna Sikes. Ryan has not selected his university but plans to major in religion or theology.

In 2004, the Education Scholarship was renamed the Ramiro De La Paz Memorial Scholarship to honor a beloved NEC board member from Ricardo. The entries significantly grow each year and the Co-op is honored to support members education.

Congratulations to all of these talented students! Your NEC family wishes you much success as you begin your college studies and we look forward to seeing you succeed and meet your goals. Keep us posted!

Page 6: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

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On Friday, April 25, 2014 Nueces Electric Cooperative invited members of the co-op to join them for a tree give-away in celebration of Arbor Day. The second annual event proved to be extremely popular and will continue to grow each year. In 2013 the co-op gave away 300 trees, this year the number of trees given away increased and expanded to include multiple service centers located in Calallen, Rob-stown, Ricardo, Orange Grove, and Ben Bolt. The program was received extremely well by members and over 1,000 members participated.

Trees are big business at Nueces Electric Cooperative. Each year the co-op spends an estimated $500,000 on trimming trees and clearing brush from around power lines. Nation-wide, limbs falling on or getting blown into power lines are the number one reason for power outages.

But at the same time a well planted tree could save a home-owner big bucks on their electric bill. Deciduous trees (trees that lose all of their leaves each fall) save energy in summer by shading houses, paved areas, and air conditioners. Small deciduous trees and shrubs, and especially those with low, dense branches, also can serve as effective wind barriers.

To make an impact on your electric bill, plant shade trees so they will shade east-facing walls and windows from 7 to 11 a.m. and west-facing surfaces from 3 to 7 p.m. during June, July, and August. Air conditioners should also be shaded. Prune branches to allow at least several feet of air flow around the air conditioning equipment. Shrubs should not be planted near the air conditioner or they will reduce air flow and efficiency.

When planting trees, or any kind of work that requires dig-ging in the ground, always call 8-1-1 first to find out what may be laying underneath the dirt. Water, gas, and electric lines are often unmarked and can be buried as shallow as three feet from the surface. Digging without calling can dis-rupt service to an entire neighborhood, harm you and those around you and potentially result in fines and repair costs. Calling 8-1-1 before digging gets your underground utility lines marked for free.

NEC recommends you plant any tree at least 20 feet away from power lines. As the tree grows, so will it’s canopy, and it could become tangled in your power lines. When selecting your trees, choose the right tree for the right place in your yard. Consider where you are planting the tree and how tall it is expected to grow. Power lines are only 20 feet off the ground and most varieties of trees have a maturity growth of 35 to 65 feet. If your tree grows into power lines, it could not only cause an outage during a storm, children who climb the tree could be electrocuted.

Trimming trees could be considered a fine art by some, and a hassle for others. But the rules stay the same around power lines. Trim your trees so they are at least ten feet away from a power line. If the tree has already grown into the lines, call your power line company to safely trim your trees for you.

Nueces Electric Cooperative encourages you to plant trees to save energy, just be mindful of the location where you are planting and always be safe around electricity. For more information visit www.safeelectricity.org (search “trees”) or www.energy.gov (search “landscaping”).

NEC Members Plant 1,000 Trees in South Texas

Page 7: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

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NEW WAYS TO CON T

NEW WEBSITEPay your bill, look up service areas or get details co-op offers and perks on your desktop or mobile device.

EASIER ENROLLMENTWe’ve improved our online enrollment so new members can start enjoying all the benefits of the a co-op even faster.

MEMBER REFERRAL PROGRAMGet a $60 credit off your electric bill each time you get a new member to sign up.

Page 8: NEC Retail Member ConNECTions Newsletter

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EARN $60It pays to be a member of an electric cooperative. Get a $60 credit on your next electric bill for every person you get to sign up for NEC Retail. There’s no limit to how many referrals you can get! Find completed rules at necretail.com

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SO MANY REASONS TO SWITCH:• Get your electricity AT COST for home or for business• No hidden fees or rate surcharges• NEC Retail is a not-for-profit retail electric provider• NEC Retail is member-owned, much like a credit union• NEC Retail gives back to its members• NEC Retail consistently has the fewest customer complaints

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