photos by ginnefine jalloh and matthew robertson · price , reliability ... la to senator richard...

18 Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative

KEEPINGCURRENT

Virginia Legislators Hear Good NOVEC News Before Heading to Richmond By Priscilla Knight

N OVEC President and CEO Stan Feuerberg told Virginia legisla-tors on Dec. 9, 2014, that the Co-op has delivered exceptionalservice for its customer-owners in recent years, in terms ofprice, reliability, environmental stewardship, and community

service. Feuerberg provided the information at an end-of-year meeting inPrince William County with state senators, delegates, legislative aides,NOVEC board members, and employee-officers.

Feuerberg reported that the Co-op kept the lights on for its 157,000metered customers 99.99 percent of the time in 2014. This score putNOVEC on track for being the most reliable electric utility among the region’s seven electric utilities for the 16th consecutive year.

Regarding power prices, Feuerberg said customer-owners are payingless for electricity than they were in 2009 when the Co-op assumedpower-supply responsibility, even though two polar vortices in 2014caused power costs to soar.

To help the environment, Feuerberg explained how NOVEC’s biomasspower plant in Halifax County, Va., and electricity from the Prince WilliamCounty Landfill’s trash-to-fuel station are providing clean, renewable energy to Co-op customers.

The president and CEO noted how NOVEC is committed to corpo-rate citizenship. He cited Operation Round Up®, the college scholarshipprogram, Youth Tour, and NOVEC HELPS as examples.

On the technology front, Feuerberg explained how the Co-op’s smart-grid investments are making power service more reliable while saving energy and costs. He noted how NOVEC’s fiber-optic network connecting substations and the System Operations Center is making communications faster, easier, and less costly. He stated, “We are the onlyco-op in Virginia that owns a fiber-optic network. The ADSS fiber we useto build our network is the best technology available.”

Feuerberg said customers apparently approve of what NOVEC is doing because the J.D. Power and Associates’ 2014 Electric Utility Residential

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Customer Satisfaction StudySM ranked NOVEC fifth in customer satisfaction among midsize electric utilities in the South region and sixth overall among the 138 largest U.S. electric utilities surveyed, includinginvestor-owned and municipal utilities. He said NOVEC’s scores reflectedthe Co-op’s commitment to reliability, price, energy conservation, renewable energy, and community service.

NOVEC thanks the following legislators and legislative aides who attended the meeting — despite sleet and ice in some portions ofNOVEC’s service area.

LegislatorsSenator George BarkerSenator Charles ColganSenator Dave MarsdenDelegate David BulovaDelegate Charniele HerringDelegate Dave LaRockDelegate Scott LingamfelterDelegate Jackson MillerDelegate David Ramadan

Legislative AidesBrooke Embree, LA to Delegate Jackson MillerDale Hendon, LA to Senator Richard StuartVickie Hull, LA to Delegate Tim HugoGerald Parshall, LA to Senator Jennifer Wexton

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Wade House, NOVEC board chairman(left), and Manley Garber, board director(right), discuss legislative issues withSen. Charles Colgan (center).

Jim Moxley, NOVEC senior vice president(left), and Bob Bisson, vice president, discuss pole attachments with Del. David Ramadan (center).

19February 2015

After a highly contested proceeding in Richmond in November 2013,the Virginia State Corporation Commission set in November 2014 a rate that Comcast Corporation must pay NOVEC for attaching

approximately 15,000 communications devices to NOVEC’s utility poles.

Acting pursuant to a new state law, the SCC turned back Comcast’s request to sharply reduce the amount it pays for attachments to the Co-op’s poles. NOVEC argued that, had the SCC granted Comcast a lowerpole-attachment rate, NOVEC’s members would have been forced to subsidize Comcast’s communications business. NOVEC requested a rate of $26.43 per attachment — an amount the Co-op said would allow it to provide pole-attachment services to Comcast without subsidy. Comcasturged the SCC to approve a rate of less than $8 per attachment.

In its Oct. 24, 2014, Final Order, the SCC adopted a rate of $20.60,which it said would fully compensate NOVEC for fiber-optic and coaxialcable attachments by the cable television giant. Importantly, Comcast didnot seek reconsideration from the SCC, nor did Comcast appeal the SCC’sdecision to the Supreme Court of Virginia.

In reaction, NOVEC President and CEO Stan Feuerberg said, “We in-vested a tremendous amount of internal resources into this proceeding andthe commission’s Final Order was proof positive that our efforts paid off. Weasked to be fully compensated for providing space on our pole infrastructureto Comcast, and the rate determined by the hearing examiner, and affirmedby the commissioners, achieved most of what we were seeking.”

The commission said the Co-op met the burden of proof in demon-strating that its pole-attachment rates were just and reasonable. It upheld ahearing examiner’s June 2014 finding in the case and rejected Comcast’sargument that the rates would impair its ability to deliver high-speed Internet to rural areas.

“We accept the hearing examiner’s finding that the rate approved hereinis just and reasonable and will have little impact on Comcast’s ability or incentive to extend broadband service to areas currently without suchservice, and that customer density appears to be the overriding factor inbroadband expansion,” the SCC said in its Oct. 24 order.

The SCC emphasized that the case and its findings applied only toNOVEC and Comcast. The Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association ofElectric Cooperatives, which participated in the case as an intervener, supported that position.

Comcast initially maintained the pole-attachment rate should be $6.35per attachment, which it later revised to $7.16. While NOVEC asked foran all-inclusive rate of $26.43 per attachment, the hearing examiner andthe SCC set the rate at $20.60, but will allow NOVEC to bill Comcast forcertain items in addition to the determined rate.

Comcast sought to apply the pole-attachment rate for investor-ownedutilities, set by the Federal Communications Commission, to NOVEC.Congress has exempted electric cooperatives from pole-attachment rateregulation since 1978, though some states have passed laws or imple-mented regulations that enable them to regulate pole attachments.The SCC said a modified version of the FCC formula developed by commission staff that used data specific to NOVEC should be the basisfor determining pole-attachment rates in the dispute. NOVEC has about52,000 poles.

The SCC directed NOVEC and Comcast to resume negotiations on a comprehensive pole-attachment agreement in accordance with its findings. It also set a penalty for future unauthorized attachments at the equivalent of five years of the annual pole-attachment rate.

NOVEC customers benefitfrom Virginia SCC ruling on pole attachmentsBy Howard Spinner, NOVEC manager, regulatory affairs

Co-op members will not have to compensate for a significant pole-attachment rate change.

This equipment wasimproperly attached to aNOVEC utility pole bya telecommunicationscompany.


Help FamiliesStay Warm This WinterJoin Operation Round Up®By Donna Snellings

N OVEC customers can help less fortunate families heattheir homes this winter by joining Operation Round Up.When customers join ORU, they authorize the Coopera-

tive to round up their monthly electric bills to the next dollar. Forinstance, if a customer’s bill is $69.74, NOVEC will “round up” theamount to $70 and the extra 26 cents will go into the ORU fund.Customers who participate donate an average of $6 a year.

NOVEC allocates the ORU donations among six local social-serviceorganizations. These organizations distribute the funds to people whoqualify for heating-bill assistance.

During the winter of 2013-2014, ORU provided a record $56,000 to more than 400 needy families. NOVEC customers havecontributed more than $739,000 since the program’s inception in1997. Because NOVEC absorbs all administration costs, 100 percentof all donations go into the fund.

Currently, fewer than 5 percent of NOVEC’s customers participate in ORU. The Co-op and the ORU Board encourage morecustomers to help local families heat their homes this winter by participating.

“Small acts of kindness will make ORU robust once again,” saysORU volunteer board member and NOVEC customer Jane Beyer.“Please consider signing up for ORU.”

Kelly Lindquist, interim deputy director for ACTS, one of the sixsocial-service organizations that receive funds, thanks Co-op customers who have contributed to ORU. She quotes Samuel Smiles,who wrote: “The duty of helping one’s self in the highest sense

involves the helping of one’s neighbors.” Lindquist adds, “NOVEC’s ORU allows our community to do just that. While assisting our neighbors withneeds when times are tough, we are, in turn, helping ourselves and improv-ing our community. On behalf of the nearly 1,000 clients served through theEmergency Assistance Program each month, ACTS is grateful to NOVEC forthis funding made available during the winter months, and thanks to the participants of ORU in helping our neighbors heat their homes.”

To join ORU visit www.novec.com/oru, call 703-335-0500, or 1-888-335-0500, or email [email protected].

21February 2015

Paper BillsGet SmartBy John Roy

Have you ever received a bill that surprised you? Maybe it washigher than you expected it to be? Electricity bills are tied veryclosely to the weather. Following months of extreme cold or

extreme heat, customers often see their bills go up.

In order to help customers better understand the impact that weatherhas on their bills, NOVEC partnered with Apogee Interactive in 2009 to provide the HomeEnergySuite of online tools. The energy-saving calculators included in the online suite are used by hundreds of customers every month and help show them exactly where their energydollars are going.

Customers who pay their bills online through NOVEC.com have easy,one-click access to this analysis. Customers who receive a paper bill inthe mail each month will now have the same access thanks to a collabo-ration with Apogee and Datamatx, which prints customers’ bills. “Wewanted to be able to provide the same experience our online customerswere receiving to all of our customers,” says Vice President of Public Relations Mike Curtis.

Starting this year, residential customers who have received servicefrom NOVEC for at least a year will see a quick response (QR) code ontheir printed bills. When scanned with a smartphone, the QR code willquickly take customers to a detailed analysis of their bill, as well as recommendations for saving energy and money.

“This is the first time we’ve been able to offer our online products tocustomers without needing to use a computer,” says Jon Scott, businessdevelopment manager, at Apogee. “We’re really excited to work withNOVEC and its bill printer, Datamatx, to make this happen.”

“We’ve always believed that rendering accurate bills and deliveringthem to customers on time is one of the most fundamental componentsof our business,” says Curtis. “The QR code will enable us to provide

customers with additional information to help them understand thenumbers on their bill each month. They will be able to see how theweather conditions affected their bill and how simple actions, such aschanging thermostat settings, can make a big difference.”

Customers can also improve the accuracy of the printed analysis byentering details about their home through the online BillingInsights calculator. Simply visit www.novec.com/billinginsights, enter your account number, select a question, and complete the home profile.

NOVEC’s new EZ-Pay option makes bill paying easy!By John Roy

As your customer-owned cooperative, NOVEC works to make billpaying as quick and easy as possible. With that in mind, we’ve replacedthe Speedpay payment option with a new system called EZ-Pay. LikeSpeedpay, the new system allows customers to make one-time paymentsusing a credit card, debit card, checking, or savings account. EZ-Pay isfast and easy to use, and there is no need to register an account.

Online or on your mobile deviceSelect the EZ-Pay option and enter your account information.•Enter the amount and your payment information.•

That’s it! You will receive an email confirmation of your payment.

By PhoneCall NOVEC at 703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500.•

Select option 2 to pay your bill and then press 2 for EZ-Pay.•Follow the prompts to enter your account number and zip code.•Follow the prompts to enter the amount and payment information.•

EZ-Pay is available in both English and Spanish and will accept eitherATM/Debit (STAR, NYCE, PULSE, ACCEL, MasterCard or Visa) or creditcards (Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or Diners Club). Payments receivedbefore 2 p.m. will be credited the next business day.

As with Speedpay, a fee of $2.45 per transaction will be charged byKUBRA — NOVEC’s bill-paying processer — for use of this service.There is a $2,000 maximum per transaction. Payments in amountsgreater than $2,000 will require multiple transactions, and the $2.45 feewill apply to each transaction.

Scan the QR code with yoursmartphone to reveal an energyanalysis to help you save energy.


T he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a CleanPower Plan in June 2014 that called for states to reduce carbondioxide emissions 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, with

2020 as the initial compliance deadline. EPA said more CO² in the atmosphere has caused climate change, ice-melting, warmer oceans, andcostly health problems.

To meet EPA’s target, power companies would be forced to shut downmany coal-burning power plants — which provide less expensive, reliable power, but emit lots of CO² — and replace them with new, renewable-energy and natural gas plants, which emit no or much lessCO². Consumers would have to continue paying for stranded coal plantsfor decades while also paying for their replacements.

EPA allowed Americans to submit comments on the proposal untilDec. 1, 2014. Millions did. Environmental groups approved the planoverall. Many electric utilities, regulatory organizations, and states didnot. Their concerns included: anticipated higher power costs for con-sumers, unreliability of service, and a short timetable for implementingthe proposed changes.

Speaking for electric cooperatives on Dec. 1, 2014, National RuralElectric Cooperative Association CEO Jo Ann Emerson said the plan “reflects a significant misunderstanding of the electric utility industry.”She said the increased costs of shutting down coal power plants andbuilding new generating facilities would hurt the poorest Americans. Shenoted “serious reliability issues” that will occur if wind and solar energycannot supply enough electricity.

Oglethorpe Power Corporation, which supplies power to more than 4million co-op members in Georgia, said, “This proposed plan is a

complex disaster that will place a high cost burden on millions of Georgia residents for years to come while producing minimal positiveimpact on the environment.” Furthermore, Oglethorpe said the amountof renewable energy and increased energy efficiency required to meet theplan’s goals are “unrealistic and unachievable.”

Montana Electric Cooperatives Association said “The EPA’s proposal ... ignores affordability, ignores power reliability and would establish an entirely new national energy policy without fully under-standing the ramifications.”

A manager at Arizona’s Salt River Project, one of the nation’s largestpublic power utilities, noted that EPA’s plan divides the states, withoutunderstanding that many utilities rely on power from multiple states.Regarding the short timeline for switching from coal to natural gas, the manager said, “You can’t simply flip a switch in 2020 and make thathappen.”

Power companies in states that have already reduced carbon emissions substantially said EPA is “unfairly targeting” them with mandates to further reduce emissions. Virginia Attorney General MarkHerring, while calling for CO² reductions, said: “Virginia should receivemore credit for recent investments that ratepayers have made in zero-carbon nuclear generation. The significant disparity between the creditgiven to nuclear and the credit given to solar and wind generation, bothzero-carbon generation, should be addressed.”

Oglethorpe agreed because of nuclear power units under construc-tion in Georgia, but not yet in service: “Despite the billions of dollars invested ... the EPA plan effectively gives zero credit for these unitstoward meeting the future compliance requirements under the proposed

Energy Groups, Companies, and Regulators React to EPA’s Clean Power Plan By Priscilla Knight

23February 2015

regulation. This is inequitable and seriously misguided.”Regarding EPA’s legal authority, Herring said the agency should

ensure that “the final Rule is well within the powers afforded by theClean Air Act,” and make sure it has “solid legal authority to implementregulations on existing facilities that are more stringent than regulationson new sources.”

States without sufficient natural-gas pipelines would need a new,costly natural-gas infrastructure. Seminole Electric Cooperative saidFlorida would have to shut down 90 percent of its coal plants, build newgas pipelines and plants, and become a “captive of the natural gas market,” which has historically had the most price volatility of anypower-generation fuel. Gas plants would be necessary for providing reliable backup electricity for unreliable wind and solar energy. Newtransmission lines would also be necessary for delivering electricity fromnew plants to consumers. Since building new gas pipelines and transmission lines are almost always controversial, the utilities said the“dash to gas” would cause opposition and price increases.

Virginia State Corporation Commission CommentsVirginia’s State Corporation Commission told EPA the new rule “is

likely to raise substantially both the electric rates and bills Virginianspay” mainly because Virginia must retire many coal plants to reduce CO²emissions by 37 percent to meet EPA’s goal.

“These retirements are of grave concern,” the SCC said, “because thepower plants involved are used today to ensure reliable service to Virginia customers, have years of useful life remaining, and cannot be replaced overnight or without regard for impacts on the electric system.”The SCC said the plan “places at risk several billions of dollars of recentinvestments in existing coal-fired facilities. … Much of this investmenthas been constructed to comply with EPA consent degrees on which theink is hardly dry. The federal government has, in essence, required Virginia residents and businesses to build a house, take out an expensivemortgage on it, and then directed that the house be torn down. The expensive mortgage must still be paid off.” The Commission went on to say the plan raises “alarming regional reliability concerns.”

NERC ConcernsThe North American Electric Reliability Corporation, overseen by the

U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Canadian governmentauthorities, said EPA’s proposed timeline “does not provide enough timeto develop sufficient resources to ensure continued reliable operation of the grid by 2020.” NERC warned that the attempt to do so wouldincrease the potential for “wide-scale, uncontrolled outages.” The organization explained that power companies would have to build thenecessary infrastructure within two years even though it takes three tofive years to plan and complete gas pipelines, and sometimes a decade to complete major transmission projects.

NERC noted the severe strain on electric power and natural-gas supplies during the January 2014 polar vortex. The PJM grid, which supplies power to NOVEC customers, had to call for immediate energy-use reductions to avoid rolling blackouts.

NERC said the plan’s projections of new wind and solar generationexceed the U.S. Energy Information Administration's forecast substan-tially, and EPA “appears to overestimate” how much energy efficiencywill contribute to climate goals.

After reviewing submitted comments, EPA intends to finalize its planby June 1, 2015.

What NOVEC Is DoingNOVEC concurs with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who said in his

October 2014 energy blueprint that the Commonwealth should follow

an “all of the above” strategy. McAuliffe said this approach would in-clude renewable and traditional energy sources, and efforts to use energymore efficiently.

To help the environment, NOVEC is distributing to Co-op customersrenewable energy produced by: its biomass plant in South Boston, Va.,trash-to-fuel generators at the Prince William County Landfill, solar-energy panels at the Fauquier County Livestock Exchange, and hydropower stations operated by the Southeastern Power Administration.

Learn more in NOVEC’s 2014 annual report atwww.novec.com/about_novec and at www.novec.com/save.

References:“Potential Reliability im pacts of EPA’s Proposed Clean power Plan,” NERC,

November 2014Randazzo, Ryan, SRP: Impossible to meet EPA coal edict on time The Republic,

Oct. 17, 2014

Halifax County Biomass Plant -South Boston, Va.

Halifax County Biomass PlantControl Room - South Boston, Va.


NOVEC HELPS, Hands Engaged in Local Public Service, thanksCooperative members for hundreds of toys they donated to the Toysfor Tots Cruise-In Drive last November and December. Jim Chesley,vice chairman of the Co-op’s board of directors, organized the drivewith local car clubs, HELPS, and the United States Marine Corps.

Chesley said, “The Marines were very grateful for all of the toys,and I’m sure children in our area were too!”

Mark your calendars now for the HELPS golf tournament

HELPS will hold its third annual golf tournament fundraiser atStonewall Golf Club at Lake Manassas in Gainesville on Thursday,May 14, 2015. Mark your calendars now for a fun day on the links!Contact Ginger Hamlin, [email protected], or call 703-335-0500or toll-free 1-888-335-0500 if you would like to co-sponsor the tournament or would like more information.

2014 at a GlanceIn 2014, HELPS raised money from two major fundraisers and donated

almost $20,000 to 56 non-profit 501(c )(3) organizations. Eighty employ-ees, family members and friends gave 635 personal volunteer hours.

About HELPSNOVEC HELPS, Hands Engaged in Local Public Service, is a non-

profit, 501(c)(3) organization of NOVEC employees who volunteer theirtime to do community service. The HELPS board of directors votes onprojects and events to support, whether with financial donations or withfeet on the ground. Learn more at www.novechelps.org.Follow HELPS on www.facebook.com.

NOVEC HELPS is all about Community Service By Priscilla Knight

I n October 2014, a waste-disposal truck in Manassas caught on fireafter its driver collected trash from a commercial dumpster. With roaring sirens, fire fighters soon surrounded the blazing heap of trash

dumped by the truck driver onto the parking lot. They put out the fire, butthe event reminded everyone in three commercial buildings not to put anything flammable in the trash — including ashes.

NOVEC reminds homeowners who enjoy a cozy fire in wood-burningfireplaces to dispose of ashes safely.

Safe Fireplace Ash RemovalMake sure ashes and embers are completely cold before removing•them. The “Local Living” section of The Washington Post recommends dumping wet coffee grounds on ashes to moisten them and keep themfrom flying away while being scooped into a metal, fireproof container, preferably with a metal lid. Wet the ashes in the container and let them sit for at least seven days on a non-flammable surface, such as concrete or bricks, away from the•house or anything flammable. After seven days, spread ashes in the garden and wet them again. NEVER put hot or even cool ashes in with regular trash. Fire and rescue says fires starting from ashes combusting in trash trucks happen •too often.For a thorough fireplace cleaning, hire a professional chimney sweep.•

For more safety tips, visit www.novec.com/safety or check with your local fire department.

Remove Fireplace Ashes SafelyBy Priscilla Knight

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25February 2015

NOVEC Board of DirectorsChairman:

Wade C. HouseDistrict 5

Prince William County,south of Rt. 29 to Rt. 234

J. Manley GarberDistrict 7

Prince William County,Dale City, northern Montclair

Secretary:Michael Ragan

District 6southern Prince William County,

City of Manassas Park

At-Large Director:William Zilliott

Vice Chairman:James Chesley

District 3Fairfax County,

Centreville/Clifton

Cynthia GilbrideDistrict 1

Fairfax County, north ofCentreville and Loudoun County,

South Riding

Harry HarrisDistrict 2

Loudoun County,except South Riding

Treasurer:Ann Wheeler

District 4northwestern Prince WilliamCounty, Sudley/Bull Run Mt.

Stan C. FeuerbergPresident and CEO

Keeping Current Local Pages Graphic Designer — Ginnefine JallohEditor — Priscilla Knight

P.O. Box 2710Manassas, VA 20108-0875703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500 www.novec.comNOVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Skip AlbriteDistrict 8

Fauquier and Stafford counties,southern Montclair

Your PCA Credit Means Savings

For 2015, customers will receive a PCA credit of ($0.00107) per kilowatt-hour. As a member-owned cooperative, NOVEC is committed to controlling costs and purchasing electricity at thelowest prices available. And, as a regulated cooperative, NOVEC is not allowed to make a profiton the wholesale power the Cooperative purchases or generates for its customers. Therefore,when NOVEC makes a profit, it returns it to customers as a power-cost-adjustment (PCA) crediton their monthly bills. Because of the outstanding job done by NOVEC’s power-supply team andthe Co-op’s commitment to cost control, the PCA has been a credit for the past three years.

NOVEC reduced rates for residential customer-owners by 4.5 percent in its last rate case. Thereduction became effective in October 2010. That rate is still sufficient to meet the Cooperative’srevenue requirements.

Bottom line: you are paying less for electricity than you were in 2009 when NOVEC took control of its power supply.

Holiday Office ClosurePresidents Day — Monday, Feb. 16

The operations center is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even on holidays.To report outages or an emergency, call 703-335-0500 or toll-free 1-888-335-0500.


KEEPINGCURRENT

Mark Your Calendar Now forNOVEC’s 2015 Annual MeetingScheduled for Sept. 16By Donna Snellings

T he official member invitation and ballot packet will arrive in themail by early September, but mark your calendars now to attendNOVEC’s 2015 annual meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at

Battlefield High School in Haymarket. Registration will begin at 6 p.m.— in time for a complimentary dinner and the opportunity to visitvarious NOVEC displays. The meeting will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.

Board of Directors ElectionCo-op membership affords many privileges, including the

opportunity to vote for candidates offering to serve on the NOVECBoard of Directors. At the 2015 annual meeting, members will electdirectors for the District 2 (Loudoun County, except South Riding) andAt-Large positions. Harry Harris, who currently represents District 2,and William Zilliot, the At-Large incumbent, are up for re-election.Other Co-op members seeking to serve as directors must submit theirnominations to NOVEC no later than Wednesday, July 8.

Making a NominationAs detailed in the NOVEC Bylaws, “Nominations for directors shall

be made by any 15 or more members in writing over their signatures,said written nomination petitions to be delivered to the office of thepresident/CEO not less than 70 days prior to the next annual meeting.No additional nominations shall be made from the floor at the meetingof members.”

Online Proxy-Assignment OptionMembers who cannot attend the annual meeting may assign a proxy

vote either by mailing in a signed proxy card or by making anassignment online. Save a stamp by visiting www.novec.com, clicking onthe E-Proxy option, and following instructions. You will need theinformation on your annual meeting registration card, which will bemailed to each customer in late August or early September.

Displays, Updates and Door PrizesIn addition to electing directors, the annual meeting will give

members the opportunity to visit displays that explain how theCooperative functions — from understanding how a meter works tounderstanding right-of-way guidelines. Members will learn about thebilling process and other happenings at the Cooperative.

President/CEO Stan Feuerberg will give an update on the state of thebusiness, and Co-op members will have an opportunity to go home withvaluable door prizes.

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015

Time: 6 p.m. for dinner, 7:30 p.m. for business meeting

Location: Battlefield High School, 15000 Graduation Drive,Haymarket, VA 20169

19July 2015

O n a hot July day in Philadelphia, the Second ContinentalCongress boldly declared that America’s 13 Englishcolonies would break away from Great Britain. Virginia’s

Thomas Jefferson wrote the document for King George III to read,with input from fellow Virginian Richard Henry Lee, Massachusetts’John Adams, and Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin. The newnation’s 56 founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independenceon July 4, 1776, and the Liberty Bell tolled.

In his exuberance, John Adams wrote these words aboutIndependence Day to his wife, Abigail:

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeedingGenerations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to becommemorated as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts ofDevotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized withPomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells,Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continentto the other from this Time forward forever more.

Adams correctly foretold July 4th celebrations for generations— with “shows” instead of “shews.” And through remarkablecooperation between the colonies, along with tragic loss andsacrifice, the nascent nation essentially became independentwhen British Gen. Charles Cornwallis surrendered to Gen.George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781.

Independence through CooperationLike their founding fathers, farmers with an independent

streak banded together in the late 1930s and early 1940s to formelectric cooperatives. They wanted the better life that electricityprovided. Aside from some low-interest loans and engineeringexpertise from President Franklin Roosevelt’s federal government,these hardy Americans built their own power systems by workingcooperatively. They no longer had to wait for investor-ownedutilities to decide whether or not they would provide service torural regions.

Declaring Energy Independence Although most Americans had electric service by the 1970s,

the United States had become highly dependent on foreign oil.The cry for energy independence sounded loudly when MiddleEast oil producers cut off exports in 1973 and caused gas-stationand economic havoc. Since then, every U.S. president has calledfor energy independence.

Today, we are much closer to that goal. According to the U.S.Energy Information Administration, we are exporting much morenatural gas and importing much less foreign oil as domestic

production soars. We’re using more energy from renewablesources, and we’re using energy more efficiently.

Individual Americans and co-ops are helping too. Like theminutemen during the Revolutionary War, Americans aremobilizing as they hear the cry for energy independence. Insteadof Paul Revere riding his horse through the night yelling, “TheRegulars [British] are coming!” NOVEC “yells” to Co-opmembers, “Very hot weather is coming; conserve energy!” Insteadof muskets, Americans are grabbing caulking guns, insulationspray-foam cans, and programmable thermostats. Instead ofriding horseback, today’s Sons of Liberty are driving hybrid andelectric cars. Instead of fortifying their homes for battle with theredcoats, they are fortifying their homes with reddish batts ofinsulation. And, instead of crossing the Delaware’s cold waterwith Gen. Washington, they are washing their clothes in waterthat’s cold.

With all Americans responding to the energy LibertyBell, we can all have a modern Yorktown moment anddeclare energy independence. NOVEC is guidingmembers by providing energy-saving tips and tools atwww.novec.com/save.

This July 4th, enjoy the “Pomp and Parade, with Shews,Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations!”

On the Road toAmerican Energy IndependenceBy Priscilla Knight


F ast! That’s Northern Virginia. Fast also describes the nation’s“granddaddy” of all swim leagues — Northern VirginiaSwimming League. As one of the oldest and largest swim

leagues in the country, the 59-year-old NVSL gives more than 17,000youngsters and teens from 102 community swim teams the chance towin individual, relay, and team competitions every summer.

Eleven teams founded the league in 1956 “to develop in thechildren participating in our program a love for the sport, advancedaquatic skills, teamwork, and the principles of good sportsmanship.”

“The NVSL has achieved its mission in so many ways for themultitude of children who have participated in the last six decades,”said Dawn O’Brien, referee/officials coordinator for Centreville’s SullyStation II Piranhas and NOVEC member. “Kids have learned therewards of hard work, team spirit, and sportsmanship. The NVSLgives our youth such a love for the sport that many compete incollege. One swimmer from our team even made it to the 2012Olympic Trials!”

At least seven NVSL swimmers have gone to the Olympics,including Melissa Belote, who won three gold medals in 1972, EdMoses, who won gold and silver medals in the 2000 games, and KateZiegler, who swam in the 2012 Olympics.

The unbeatable Four Amigos hold NVSL’s oldest record

In 1963, before Belote, Moses, and Ziegler made a big splash,competitive swimming in Virginia was mostly seasonal. Thatsummer, with John F. Kennedy living in the White House, The BeachBoys’ singing “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” and women wearing snap-on bathingcaps over bouffant hair, four 11- and 12-year-old boys set a record inthe 100-yard medley relay. Roger Russell, Roger Williams, JimmyDickson, and Steve Mason, the so-called Four Amigos on the ViennaWoods Swim Team, swam the race in just 58.4 seconds. Little didthey know their record would still stand in 2015 — long enough toshow their grandchildren.

“Swimmers set new swim records every summer in the NVSL,”said Bill Cooke, NVSL president. “To hold onto a record for fivedecades when many of our swimmers today train year-round andcompete in slick racing suits is just amazing! Those boys set aremarkably high standard.”

The NVSL set high standards for the boys, too. According toRussell, an engineer and NOVEC member, “The NVSL gave me astructure and a work ethic. We had to be at practice on time, at 7a.m. I’ve been a morning person ever since.” Russell credits theircoaches for inspiring them and making team members toe the line.

Williams, a California businessman, said, “The NVSL taught mediscipline, tenacity, and teamwork.”

Dickson, a lawyer in Bridgewater, Virginia, said swimming in theNVSL, with three tough practices a day, changed his life. “If I hadn’tswum I might have become a juvenile delinquent. I was off the chartshyper, way before they even knew about those things. Swimmingwore me out and calmed me down — still does.”

Relay RedoAt the 50th reunion of the Vienna Woods team in 2012, Dickson,

Williams, and Mason rekindled memories. They made a pact to findRussell and race again in 2014 — enough time for them to get inshape. They found Russell in Centreville. He said, “I was shocked tolearn that our record still stood!”

Last September the Four Amigos met again for the first time since1967 at Fairfax County’s Oak Marr Recreation Center. When SteveMason with snow-white hair and beard pulled off his shirt andrevealed a red wrestling singlet, the children squealed with joy atseeing Santa Claus. The NOVEC member from Haymarket doesseasonal work as St. Nick and shares Christmas cookies at theCo-op’s annual meetings. With his Santa appearance, race watchersmay have wondered if Rudolph and eight tiny reindeer would pullthe freestyler through the water.

Instead of Rudolph, Roger appeared. “When Roger Williams, 63,strolled onto the pool deck … it was clear they had a shot,” wroteWashington Post writer Petula Dvorak, who watched the race. Shesaid of the blond, 6-foot-4 California transplant, who played waterpolo in college, trained with 7-gold-medal Olympic swimmer MarkSpitz, and still wins master’s swim events: “He looks like a boomerKen doll.”

After a warm up, the sexagenarians followed tradition by pouringwater from their Vienna Woods pool into Oak Marr’s pool to “give usan edge.” They formed a circle and yelled their 1960s good-luckcheer. But, unlike 1960s swimmers who swam like fish, they donnedmodern goggles.

Russell jumped into the pool. With friends and family cheering,Russell curled his body and at “Go!” he torpedoed off the wall intothe backstroke. Next, Williams dove into the water and came up

NOVEC MembersTry to Break 52-Year-OldSwim Record on July 11 and 15

By Priscilla Knight

Photo co

urtesy of Rog

er Russell

Swimmers (from left) Roger Russell, Roger Williams,Jimmy Dickson, and Steve Mason set a NVSL relayrecord in 1963. The record still stands.

21July 2015

swimming the breaststroke. Just after he thrust his hands into thewall, Dickson swam the butterfly leg without taking a single breath.Then, in his red suit emblazoned with the team’s 1963 race stats onhis thighs and “HO-HO-HO” on his rear, Santa Mason flew off thedeck with a racing dive that amazed his teenage grandchildren. Thecrowd roared as he slammed into the wall.

“Did we do it?” the Amigos asked.

Williams’ older brother, Richard, who timed, said, “One 10.” Alltimers agreed the time was one minute and 10 seconds.

The Amigos missed their record by 12 seconds, but when Masonwas asked if he was upset about not breaking the old record, hecheerfully exclaimed, “I challenge any team from 50 years ago to getall their original swimmers together and re-create their race and beatour time. We set a new record for 63- and 64-year-old men!”

Williams said about the race, “If nothing else, it shows ourgrandkids the importance of having fun and keeping in shape.”

The grandswimmers will race again on July 11, 2015, just after the9 a.m. regular NVSL swim meet at Vienna Woods. They will take onthe current 11-12 boys to see if 52 years and a few pounds have madea difference. They will also swim at 4 p.m. at the start of the NVSLRelay Carnival on Wednesday, July 15, at the Hunt Valley Swim Club,7100 Sydenstricker Rd., Springfield, Virginia.

NOVEC salutes the Four Amigos for their long-lasting NVSLrecord and their determination to stay in shape. Like NOVEC, they’reall about energy.

Watch Fairfax County’s September 2014race video ...called “The Reunion: 51 Years in the Making,” atwww.youtube.com/watch?v=9N9HTYns2WY.

The Four Amigos re-enact their 1963 good-luck cheer.

Photo co

urtesy of D

on Swee

ney, P

arkt

akes

mag

azine

Photo co

urtesy of D

on Swee

ney, P

arkt

akes

mag

azine

Russell, Williams, Dickson, and Mason display in 2014 thefirst-place ribbons they won for their medley relay in 1963.


NOVEC HELPS ‘Sinks the Putt’ for CommunityGroups at Third Annual Golf Tournament By Priscilla Knight

Ninety golfers and dozens of sponsors helped to raise more than$22,000 net for charitable and community groups at NOVEC HELPS’third annual golf tournament at Stonewall Golf Club in Gainesville,Virginia, on May 14, 2015. HELPS will donate the money to the501(c)(3) health, charitable, youth, and community organizations itsupports.

“The sunny, 70-degree day was absolutely perfect for golf,” said HELPSExecutive Director Donna Snellings. “I want to thank all of our playersand sponsors for making it such a success. And I want to give specialthanks to Ginger Hamlin for chairing the tournament committee,NOVEC senior engineer Hank Zarandi for encouraging golfers to play,and all of our many volunteers who made the event possible.”

Snellings also thanked the Stonewall Golf Club for its support andassistance.

Winners

First-Place Team: Don Goddard, David Bianco, John D’Alexander, andScott Darnell

Second-Place Team: Ken Greenfield, Steve Elkins, Lee Shifflett, and

Eric Paris

Third-Place Team: Kevin Kelly, Chuck Rector, Neil McMichael, and

William White

Men’s Closest to the Pin: Bob Tate

Women’s Closest to the Pin: Laurie Quinn

Men’s Longest Drive: Lee Shifflett

Women’s Longest Drive: Laurie Quinn

Putting Contest: Dale Ring

SponsorsBanquet SponsorsNOVEC and Hendrix

Beverage SponsorABB, Dewberry, and EDF Trading NorthAmerica

Double Gold SponsorsMilestone Communications

Gold SponsorsApple Federal Credit Union, Cintas,Deporter, Dominick & Associates,Dominion Products and Services, Inc.,Eaton’s Cooper Power Systems & HDSupply, Morgan Stanley, National RuralTelecommunications Cooperative, PowerServices, Inc., The Okonite Company,and Uticom Systems Inc.-Utility SalesAssociates

Silver SponsorsChapman Company, Lee ElectricalConstruction, Inc., National RuralUtilities Cooperative Finance Corp.,National Transformer Sales & GeneralCable, NOVEC Energy Solutions, andRappahannock Electric Cooperative

Bronze SponsorsBurndy LLC.

Hole SponsorsBennett, Atkinson & Associates, P.C.,Bradley Electro Sales Corp., Ensales, Inc.,Ermco Transformers, Graybar, LeksonAssociates Inc., Leo ConstructionCompany, Prysmian Group, Stone Center,and Yorkshire Restaurant

Goodie Bag SponsorEast to West Embroidery and Design,Gainesville Garage, and Shanahan &Associates

Prize SponsorsStonewall Golf Club, WMAL radio, 1757Golf Club, Generals Ridge Golf Course,Billy Casper Golf, Prince William GolfCourse, Gauntlet Golf Course, NorthernVirginia Regional Park Authority,Golfsmith, and Chick-Fil-A

Photos

cou

rtesy of N

OVEC Public Relations

23July 2015

Recent EventsMarch for Babies, Manassas

NOVEC HELPS’ March for Babies team raised more than $29,000 for itswalk through Old Town Manassas on April 26. The March of Dimes will usethe money to help prevent premature births and birth defects. HELPSextends special thanks to NOVEC Board Director Manley Garber and to Patand Bob Holland for raising much of the team’s money.

2015 VEX Robotics World TournamentHELPS helped the Triangle Elementary Robotics Team compete against 90

other teams from all over the world in the 2015 VEX Robotics WorldTournament in Louisville, Kentucky, in April. The team won the AmazeAward — runner-up to the overall World Champion Award in theelementary division. The award is given to a team with a well-built robot, athought-out strategy, interview quality, and overall high performance.Congratulations!

Project Mend-a-House Spring Spruce UpOn Saturday, April 11, HELPS member John Nguyen joined other

volunteers to spruce up the yards and homes of the elderly and people withhandicaps.

About HELPSNOVEC HELPS, Hands Engaged in Local Public Service, is a

non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization of NOVEC employees who volunteertheir time to do community service. The HELPS board of directors voteson projects and events to support, whether with financial donations orwith feet on the ground.Learn more at www.novechelps.org.Follow HELPS on www.facebook.com.

The 1st-place team

The 2nd-place team

The 3rd-place team

Photo co

urtesy of H

ELPS


Turn off lamps and lights, but for security, set a few to come on atnight with timers. Halogen, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) orlight-emitting diode (LED) bulbs save more energy thanincandescent bulbs and they last much longer. A lamppost sensorwill turn bulbs on at dusk and shut them off at dawn.Easy-to-install solar-powered garden lights will do the same. Forextra protection, install motion-detector floodlights to startle awould-be burglar.

Reset the air conditioner to a temperature just sufficient to controlhumidity and protect pets and plants. For each degree set higher,you’ll save 2-3 percent on home cooling. If you turn off your A/C,keep in mind that the hotter your house becomes, the more energyyour refrigerator and freezer will use to keep food cold.

Adjust the refrigerator temperature from 40 degrees to 42. Foodwill stay cold when no one is opening the door.

Adjust the water heater. Turn a gas water heater dial to “vacation.”Turn an electric water heater way down. Leave yourself a note toturn the unit back to a normal setting when you return home.

Unplug sensitive appliances and devices. Powerful summerthunderstorms can damage them. Unplug the microwave oven,computers, printers, televisions, DVD players, and other electronicdevices. Make it easy by plugging nearby devices into a power stripand turning off one switch.

Close window treatments to block hot solar rays. If you don’t havetreatments, cover windows with white sheets and thumbtacks.White shades and blinds, and white-lined curtains reflect the mostrays.

Extra Home Security Measures Plug a radio into a timer to play on and off throughout the day. Suspend newspaper deliveries and ask the post office to hold yourmail. Or ask a neighbor to collect delivered items for you.

Hire someone to mow your lawn.Give a trusted neighbor your contact information and a house keyin case there is a home emergency.

Ask the police to check on your home. Do not let burglars know you’re not at home by posting vacationphotos and updates on social media.

NOVEC wishes you and your home an energy-smart, secure vacation.

For more energy-saving ideas, visitwww.novec.com/save.

Vacation Checklist: Keeping Your Home Secure and Energy-EfficientBy Priscilla Knight

Before going on vacation, whether for a long weekend or several months, prepare your home beforehand to keep it secureand energy-efficient.

25July 2015

NOVEC Board of DirectorsChairman:

Wade C. HouseDistrict 5

Prince William County,south of Rt. 29 to Rt. 234



South Riding







Centreville/Clifton









P.O. Box 2710Manassas, VA 20108-0875703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500 www.novec.comNOVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.



Holiday Office ClosureIndependence Day — Friday, July 3


NOVEC Helps Fourth-Graders Appreciatethe Environment on Arbor Day

In recognition of Arbor Day, NOVEC purchased 250 tree saplings for thefourth-grade students at Manassas Park Elementary School.

Donna Snellings, NOVEC public and government relations liaison, stated, “Inkeeping with NOVEC’s commitment to the environment and education ofstudents, we are pleased to participate in this Arbor Day program every year.”

Karen Hunter, a fourth-grade teacher at Manassas Park Elementary School,commented, “The students are always excited when they receive the trees toplant as part of Arbor Day. We appreciate the commitment from NOVEC.”

KEEPINGCURRENT

Energy VampiresStill ‘Haunt’ Homes,but Their Bites Don’tHurt as MuchBy Priscilla Knight

O n a dark and stormy Halloween night,trick-or-treaters hid their candy and crawledinto bed as their parents turned off

jack-o’-lantern lights, televisions, and computers. Soon,without a sound or a creaking stair, energy vampires wentto work sapping electricity from the family’s appliancesand devices, even though they were turned off. Tiny redlights glowing in the dark provided the only clues thatthe house was “electronically haunted.”

Modern electronics consume electricity when turnedoff because consumers in the 1950s and ’60s didn’t wantto wait for big TV tubes to warm up before Red Skelton,The Beverly Hillbillies, and Walter Cronkite filled theirscreens. Manufacturers figured out how to produce TVs,and then other home appliances, that could “standby”ready to snap on at the flip of a switch. Today, little lightson radios, coffee makers, microwave ovens, toasters, DVDplayers, digital video recorders, set-top boxes, computersand printers let consumers know they are paying forelectricity that isn’t being used. Because modernelectronics sap electricity — especially at night whenmany are off — they became known as “energy vampires”or “energy phantoms.”

Home appliances, both working and on standby,accounted for about 20 percent of residential energyconsumption prior to 2010. But with a little engineeringeye of newt, toe of frog, scale of dragon, and federalgovernment requirements, manufacturers have madeappliances much more energy efficient. Today, accordingto a May 7, 2015, news release from the ConsumerElectronics Association, home appliances account for just12 percent of residential electricity use. CEA® says theannual amount of electricity consumed by televisions inthe U.S. has dropped 23 percent from 2010. Electricity fora single TV on average costs roughly $20 for an entireyear and a set-top box costs less than $16.

“The small amount of electricity used by somealways-on, inactive devices in order to stay connected

actually helps save larger amounts of energyconsumption,” says Douglas Johnson, a CEA vicepresident. “This technology enables current and futuredemand response, home energy-management systems,and benefits such as instant notification and constantmonitoring.

“We’ve collaborated with the ENERGY STAR programfor more than two decades, and our recent and broaderefforts to improve the energy efficiency of set-top boxessaved consumers $168 million in just the first year of anovel voluntary agreement. CE devices are becomingmore efficient all the time — evolving at thelightning-fast speed of innovation.”

Bob James, a NOVEC energy specialist, agrees thattoday’s consumers do not have to be as concerned aboutvanquishing vampires and foiling phantoms in electronicsbecause they use less electricity and provide manybenefits.

“Think how much time and effort it would take to runa household without a refrigerator, vacuum cleaner,dishwasher, clothes washer, and microwave oven,” Jamessays. “Our great-grandparents had to wind clocks everyweek. All we have to do is look at our coffee makers toget the time. And let’s not forget the health and safetybenefits provided by baby monitors, smoke andcarbon-monoxide detectors, security systems, andmedical devices. All in all, with energy-efficiencyimprovements made by manufacturers, it’s not so badhaving electronics ready to go when we need them.However, for consumers who want to reduce their electricbills, we recommend plugging multiple devices intopower strips and turning off the strips whenelectronics are not in use.”

To learn more about ways tosave energy and energy dollars, goto www.novec.com/save.

Illustration by Priscilla Knight18

19October 2015

Dryers Earn ENERGY STAR CertificationBy Blair Cirulli

However, the program had yet to certify clothes dryers, one of themost popular household appliances in the United States. That situationchanged when 45 models of clothes dryers received the EPA’s ENERGYSTAR certification and became available for purchase earlier this year.

According to the news release from the EPA announcing thecertifications, each of the ENERGY STAR dryers is at least 20 percentmore efficient than standard dryers and can save Americans billions ofdollars on energy bills.

“Dryers are one of the most common household appliances and thebiggest energy users,” says U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.“EPA’s ENERGY STAR-certified clothes dryers offer Americans anopportunity to save energy and do their part to combat climate change.”

Currently, clothes dryers are in 80 percent of American homes andconsume more energy while running than almost all other householdappliances. Unlike dryers, clothes washers started earning the seal ofapproval in 1997 and have continued to improve their energy efficiency,which has resulted in a 70 percent drop in energy use since the early1990s.

Finally, certain energy-efficient dryers have broken through andearned the right to be called ENERGY STAR certified. These dryers areavailable from multiple manufacturers, in varying load capacities, and ingas- or electric-powered models. Clothes dryers featuring a new advancedheat-pump technology also earned the certification from ENERGY STAR.

Heat-pump dryers recapture the air used by the dryer, and then pumpthe air back into the drum. The technology allows the dryer to re-usemost of the heat and results in dryers that are 40 percent more efficientthan conventional dryers.

The price tag on these new dryers could cause some initial stickershock; however, the long-term savings will lessen the blow to yourwallet.

The EPA estimates Americans could save $1.5 billion a year on utilitybills if all residential clothes dryers sold in the U.S. were ENERGY STARcertified.

In addition to the money savings, the switch to energy-efficient dryerscould prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricityuse of more than 1.3 million homes in America.

To earn the ENERGY STAR label, the dryers were rigorously testedand certified by an EPA-recognized third party.

To learn more about ENERGY STAR-certified dryers andother products, visit energystar.gov.

To learn more about saving energy and energy dollars,go to www.novec.com/save.

For more than 20 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY

STAR program has helped businesses and individuals save on their energy

bills while also becoming more environmentally friendly. The little blue label

is one of the world’s most recognized symbols and has become synonymous

with energy efficiency. To date, ENERGY STAR has helped people around the

world save more than $300 billion on utility bills.

Photo courtesy of M

aytag®

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock, 10th

District, is shown the Northern

Virginia Electric Cooperative

operations center by Larry Shaffer,

vice president of electric system

operations, Aug. 19 in Manassas.

Photo by Blair Cirulli


Is That an Injured Bird in the Yard?By Ben Kelly

In 2015, a Manassas Park Middle School club of students who volunteerin the local community took on a new project. The Joe 15 Team Club adoptedthe Wildlife Rescue League to learn about wildlife in our area. Students ran adrive at the school to collect materials for animal rehabilitators, and raised$215 through candy sales and a “quarters for critters” initiative.

Ben Kelly, a 9th-grader and Joe 15 Team Club member, wrote thefollowing article to help raise awareness about the Wildlife Rescue Leagueand the services it provides.

For information about the Joe 15 Team Club, go to www.thejoe15team.org.

It’s a familiar story. The kids come running in the house, “Mommy,Mommy! There’s a hurt bird in the yard! Come save it!” You runoutside to see it. But you have no idea what to do. Should you helpit? Leave it alone?

Fortunately, there is a resource you can turn to for advice: the WildlifeRescue League. In this situation, its counselors would advise you to lookfor injury. If the bird appears energetic and hops away when you areclose, leave it alone. If it fell out of its nest, gently pick it up and put itback in the nest if you can. It is a myth that the mother will abandon it ifyou handle it — birds cannot smell you. If there are obvious signs ofinjury, contact the Wildlife Rescue League Hotline at 703-440-0800. Thecounselors will give you instruction on what to do and will help find alocal rehabilitator.

The Wildlife Rescue League is a non-profit, volunteer organization inNorthern Virginia focusing on rehabilitating injured animals and sendingthem back out into the wild. It has a network of rehabilitators locatedthroughout the Northern Virginia area prepared to take and care forinjured wildlife until they can be released back into their habitat. Itworks with animal shelters, humane societies, wildlife groups, naturecenters, and veterinary hospitals to provide the care necessary to animalsthat are in need. All you have to do is call the hotline at 703-440-0800 ifyou need help.

There are plenty of resources on its website, www.wildliferescueleague.org, to help if you come across injured wildlife. On the homepage, there is a link to resources listing rehabilitators and otheranimal-help-focused organizations in the area, as well as around thecountry.

The Animal Help Tips link has tips and interesting facts aboutanimals that are commonly found in the wild in our area. For example, ittells you how to know if a rabbit can be on its own, and what rabbitnests look like. If you find a turtle on the road, and you want to move itto safety, be sure to move it in the direction it was headed. Turtles havean amazing sense of direction and will just try to keep going the waythey were headed. The Wildlife Rescue League is always looking for extrahelp and volunteers to transport injured wildlife, cover the hotline, andwrite or draw for its newsletter. It is also looking for rehabilitators orcaregivers. There is more information on these positions and anapplication on the volunteer tab of the website. Don’t forget, if you comeacross injured wildlife and aren’t sure what to do, call the Wildlife RescueLeague at 703-440-0800!

The Joe 15 Team Club ofManassas Park MiddleSchool presents:

Jane Copeland, Wildlife RescueLeague board member, with acheck for $215 and a variety ofmaterials to help animalrehabilitators. From left to right:Karen Kelly (club sponsor),Mattiah Pamie-George, YolandaShupan, Karson Webb, JosselineCalderon, Cynthia Gomez,Carmen Alvarado, Jane Copeland,Jenifer Alvarado, Ben Kelly, KristyLuk, Ryan Wence, Logan Kurtz,Marissa Stone, Helen Lin, SusanWebb (club sponsor).

21October 2015

N OVEC customers can help less fortunate families heattheir homes this winter by joining Operation RoundUp®. When customers join ORU, they authorize the

Cooperative to round up their monthly electric bills to the nextdollar. If a customer’s bill is $69.74, NOVEC will “round up” theamount to $70 and the extra 26 cents will go into the ORU fund.Customers who participate donate an average of $6 each year.

NOVEC sends the ORU donations to six local social-serviceorganizations, and these organizations distribute the funds tohelp customers pay their heating bills.

In the winter of 2014/2015, the Northern Virginia regionexperienced some of the coldest weather that has ever hit thearea and ORU provided $48,000 to more than 400 needyfamilies. NOVEC customers have contributed more than$783,000 since the program’s inception in 1997.

Because NOVEC absorbs all administration costs, 100 percentof all donations goes into the fund.

“Small acts of kindness will make ORU robust once again,”says ORU volunteer council member and NOVEC customer JaneBeyer. “Please consider signing up. While assisting our neighborswith needs when times are tough, we are in turn helpingourselves and improving our community.”

ACTS is one of the agencies receiving the funds from ORU.Julie Moessner, ACTS client support service director, says, “Weare grateful to NOVEC for the funding made available during thewinter months, and we thank the participants of ORU forhelping our neighbors heat their homes.”

To join ORU visit www.novec.com/oru1, call703-335-0500, or 1-888-335-0500, or [email protected].

Help Families Stay Warm This WinterJoin Operation Round Up®

By Donna Snellings

Sunset HillsVineyardTruly Turning Sunshine into WineBy Blair Cirulli

S ituated among the rolling hills on the outskirts ofPurcellville, Virginia, is an old working farm with views ofthe Blue Ridge and Short Hill Mountain ranges. The

centerpiece of this historic location is a large barn that dates back to the1870s, which was renovated by Amish craftsmen and is now the maintasting room for Sunset Hills Vineyard.

As soon as you enter this barn, you are transported back in timereminiscent of a trip through Northern Virginia and American history.Aromas of cherry, chestnut, maple, and hickory wood immediately hitthe nose.

“That’s all original wood,” says Mike Canney, Sunset Hills Vineyardowner. “It was all hand-restored by six Amish brothers from Lancaster,Pennsylvania, who worked with my wife and me for a year, helping usto reuse what was already here.”

This theme of restoring, recycling, and renewing is evidentthroughout the entire vineyard. It all starts with what Canney calls their“smart barn.”

“This barn has been here through so much in the last 150 years,” hesays. “So we wanted to keep the original historic look while updatingcertain aspects. We want to connect the old with the new.”

Radiant-floor heating allows the barn to have heat in the winterwithout unsightly heating units taking away from the original look andunique ambiance. Air-conditioning ducts and vents are strategicallyplaced out of sight and covered by wood from the original barn toensure guests remain cool during the hot and humid summers.

While visitors appreciate these upgrades to the barn, it’s what is onthe barn’s roof that keeps the vineyard’s whole operation running.

“We have 84 solar panels on the main barn and an additional 161 onthe south-facing roofs of four other buildings,” Canney says.

In total, Sunset Hills has 245 solar panels, which have made thevineyard the largest producer of solar energy in Loudoun County todate. Some days, its solar system produces more power than is needed.So, Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative installed a net meter thatallows Sunset Hills to push power back to the grid.

Clare Bargerstock, manager of system metering at NOVEC, says oncea customer-owner gets “their system installed, we deal with the

requirements they need to meet so that we can interconnect them to thegrid.”

Once customers are connected through net metering, they receivecredit for any power sent back to the grid.

“On sunny days, we are pushing power back to NOVEC and thiseffectively becomes ‘green power,’ ” Canney says. “Over the course ofmonths, typically November to April, we have a net-credit and we areproducing more than we use. However, as soon as warmer weatherarrives, or once we begin making our wine and use our large machines,we do not produce enough power and we have to receive power fromNOVEC.”

Canney says he often watches the net meter as weather conditions ortheir electricity use change.

“The net meter has indicators that show when we are pushing powerout and when we are receiving power,” he says. “If cloud-cover rolls in,you will see the indicators immediately move to show we are receivingpower from NOVEC. Then if those clouds go away or the airconditioner kicks off, then the indicators will move again to show weare pushing power back. It’s a seamless process of showing what ishappening with our power.”

Sunset Hills Vineyard’s installation of solar panels is a sign that thewinery is here to stay.

“Solar is not for everyone, but it works for us,” Canney says. “It’s ourway of doing our small part to help the environment.”

However, he also says the vineyard still needs NOVEC.

“In a way, NOVEC is an infinite battery for us because we producetoo much power during certain times of the year and not enough duringother times,” he says. “NOVEC is always there, always on. Solar energyworks great when the sun is shining, but not at night or when it’scloudy.”

The combination of NOVEC’s net-metering equipment and thevineyard’s commitment to use all the solar energy its system creates,allows Sunset Hills Vineyard to stand behind its slogan and truly turnsunshine into wine.

Background Photo by Mike Canney

Photos by Blair Cirulli

With nearly 250 solar panels covering five south-facing roofs, Sunset HillsVineyard produces more than enough energy to run the multi-acre winery onmany days. But when air-conditioning season arrives, and when wine-makingbegins, it needs power from NOVEC.

Thirteen different varieties of grapes planted across 220 acres throughout Northern Virginiamake up the Sunset Hills Vineyard wine selection. They include Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc,Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.

23


Please Use Your ‘Hands to Help’Join NOVEC HELPS in a Texas Hold’em Fundraiser

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 7; at 7 p.m.Registration begins at 6 p.m.

WHERE: PWC Police Association Hall14288 Independent Hill Dr.Manassas, VA 20112

CONTACT: Bernie Cleveland at [email protected] 703-577-2171orChristine Kelly at [email protected]

BUY IN: $50 – Prizes for Top 10

Door Prizes/50-50 Raffle

Register by Oct. 26 — Maximum 100 Entrants

25October 2015

NOVEC Board of Directors

Chairman: Wade C. House

District 5Prince William County,

south of Rt. 29 to Rt. 234



South Riding







Centreville/Clifton









P.O. Box 2710Manassas, VA 20108-0875703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500 www.novec.com

NOVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.



Holiday Office ClosureVeterans Day — Wednesday, Nov. 11


#22Spotlight on Excellence Entry Form

NRECA Voting Member Classification * Distribution Cooperative: more than 90,001 meters

Category * 4. Best External News Publication

Entry Title * Keeping Current

I wish to receive Judges' comments onthis entry

No

Contact's Name * Priscilla Knight

Cooperative * Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative

Mailing Address PO Box 2710 Manassas, VA 20108 United States

Contact's Email * [email protected]

Contact's Phone Number * (703) 392-1580

Name of entrant as it should appear onthe award (if given)

Priscilla Knight

mailto:[email protected]

Is this the first time you've entered theSpotlight competition?

No

Entrant's Email [email protected]

Names of others (freelancers ororganizations) involved in the project, ifapplicable

Ginnefine Jalloh

Describe your/the co-op's role in theproject *

As the editor of the "Keeping Current" section of Cooperative Livingmagazine, I select topics, write articles, and edit articles written by co-workers. I sometimes edit and customize Straight Talk articles. For myOctober story on energy vampires, I illustrated the article.

Describe others’ role in the project(Reference outside sources of material,including templates; pre-existing Webtools and apps; information from outsidegroups, such as Straight Talk orTouchstone Energy; stock photos andmusic, etc.) *

Ginnefine Jalloh, our graphic designer, does the layout. She usesphotos our P.R. team members take as well as stock photos and somethat are submitted.

Circulation or Number of People Reached * 160,000 as of August 2015

Number of Attendees *

Project’s Budget * $662,500 for publication and mailing

Target Audience(s) * Co-op members, elected officials

Project's Objective * We work to inform our members about: NOVEC in general (annualmeetings and elections for the board of directors); electrical safety;energy conservation; legislative issues; doing business with NOVEC;community service and involvement; and members and events ofinterest.

Restrictions/Limitations * We have only eight pages in each issue of Cooperative Livingmagazine.

Describe why you chose this type of socialmedia and how you used it *

Provide a brief summary that states thepurpose of the event, how the programwas implemented, and results and howthey were measured *

Provide a brief summary that states thepurpose, how the program wasimplemented, and results and how theywere measured using the RACEframework. Each component has its ownword limit noted below.

Research *

Action *

mailto:[email protected]

photos by ginnefine jalloh and matthew robertson · price , reliability ... la to senator richard...

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