MEMBER HANCOCK-WOOD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE S A F ETY … · C. 3 feet Answers: 1) A. 2) B. 3) C. 4)...
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FEBRUARY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 15 HANCOCK-WOOD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE MEMBER CONNECTIONS IN THIS ISSUE Info about the 2016 rebuild update Save money through our 2016 rebates Kids – take a fun quiz about electrical safety 1399 Business Park Drive South, P. O. Box 190, North Baltimore, OH 45872 • www.hwe.coop • [email protected] • 800-445-4840 JOIN US AT THE LEGISLATIVE MEETING Hancock-Wood is one of 750 Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives nationwide. On March 9, all Members are invited to strengthen our voice and hear Rep. Bob Latta speak at our annual Legislative Meeting and breakfast at the co-op headquarters. Members will enjoy a catered breakfast, have a chance to win significant prizes and, most importantly, gain knowledge about the issues that could increase their electric bills. We will address what it means to be a Member of ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action and how it helps Members of HWE. ACRE allows our interests to be represented in Congress; works to stop legislation that has a negative impact on electrical co-ops, and promotes legislation that has a beneficial impact on our Membership. It can be extremely difficult for one electric co-op to fight an issue that affects their Members; however, when a large group of more than 900 not-for-profit rural electric co-ops join together – there is a stronger presence. For example, in November the Senate passed resolutions to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan. This is one step to help keep our Members rates stable as the EPA threatens to impose impossible standards for coal power plants. Learn more about these issues by attending the meeting on March 9. HWE - a powerful value for 77 years. George Walton, Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative President and CEO Hear Rep. Bob Latta speak at our ACRE meeting on March 9. Call 800-445-4840 to make your reservation today! 2016 ANNUAL MEETING IS JUNE 11 It’s that time of year again; Hancock- Wood is gearing up for the 2016 Annual Meeting/Member Appreciation Day, on June 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hancock County Fairgrounds. The Annual Meeting is a special time for co-op Members to gather, share experiences, hear from co-op leadership and, perhaps most importantly, vote on issues, when necessary. We encourage you to attend and exercise some of the many rights you have as a Member of an electric cooperative. We know the food, games and prizes are the fun parts of the meeting, but there is so much more to the event. Did you know the Annual Meeting is an occasion to discuss and learn more about the issues affecting our community? Issues like the Clean Power Plan and other government regulations that can impact Member electricity rates. This is an opportunity to learn more about the topics that affect you and to talk about what we as a co-op community can do to address our most pressing issues. The format will be similar to the 2015 event, with a short business meeting to start the day and local musician Connor Rose will perform. Be ready for lots of fun, food and prizes for everyone! Make sure to check back in the March edition for more details about the event! For information about other Member benefits, visit hwe.coop/membership-benefits.
Transcript of MEMBER HANCOCK-WOOD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE S A F ETY … · C. 3 feet Answers: 1) A. 2) B. 3) C. 4)...
FEBRUARY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 15
HANCOCK-WOOD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
MEMBER CONNECTIONS
IN T
HIS
ISSU
E Info about the 2016 rebuild update
Save money through our 2016 rebates
SAFETY1) It is safe to run extension cords under carpet or rugs in your home.A. FalseB. True
2) How often should smoke alarms in your home be tested?
A. Once a year B. Once a month C. Once every three months
3) How far should items be kept away from space heaters?
A. At least 1 foot B. At least 5 feet C. At least 3 feet
4) Overloaded outlets can overheat and cause a fire.
A. TrueB. False
5) When using an electrical appliance or playing with an electrical toy outside, what is the minimum distance you should keep between yourself and any wet surface or swimming pool?A. 10 feet B. 5 feet C. 3 feet
Answers: 1) A. 2) B. 3) C. 4) A. 5) A.
Electricity is great! We use it to light our homes, watch TV with our families and enjoy many other activities. But electricity can be dangerous if we aren’t careful when using it. Test your electrical safety knowledge by answering the questions below.
How many did you get right? Check the answer key below!
Kids – take a fun quiz about electrical safety
1399 Business Park Drive South, P. O. Box 190, North Baltimore, OH 45872 • www.hwe.coop • [email protected] • 800-445-4840
JOIN US AT THE LEGISLATIVE MEETING
Hancock-Wood is one of 750 Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives nationwide.
On March 9, all Members are invited to strengthen our voice and hear Rep.Bob Latta speak at our annual Legislative Meeting and breakfast at the
co-op headquarters. Members will enjoy a catered breakfast, have a chance to win significant prizes and, most importantly, gain knowledge about the issues that could increase their electric bills. We will address what it means to be a Member of ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action and how it helps Members of HWE. ACRE allows our interests to be represented in Congress; works to stop legislation that has a negative impact on electrical co-ops, and promotes legislation that has a beneficial impact on our Membership. It can be extremely difficult for one electric co-op to fight an issue that affects their Members; however, when a large group of more than 900 not-for-profit rural electric co-ops join together – there is a stronger presence. For example, in November the Senate passed resolutions to block the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan. This is one step to help keep
our Members rates stable as the EPA threatens to
impose impossible standards for
coal power plants. Learn
more about these issues by attending the meeting on March 9.
HWE - a powerful value for 77 years.
George Walton, Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative President and CEO
Hear Rep. Bob Latta speak at our ACRE meeting on March 9. Call 800-445-4840 to make your reservation today!
2016 ANNUAL MEETING IS JUNE 11It’s that time of year again; Hancock-Wood is gearing up for the 2016 Annual Meeting/Member Appreciation Day, on June 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the
Hancock County Fairgrounds.
The Annual Meeting is a special time for co-op Members to gather, share experiences, hear from co-op leadership and, perhaps most importantly, vote on issues, when necessary.
We encourage you to attend and exercise some of the many rights you have as a Member of an electric cooperative. We know the food, games and prizes are the fun parts of the meeting, but there is so much more to the event.
Did you know the Annual Meeting is an occasion to discuss and learn more about the issues affecting our community? Issues like the Clean Power Plan and other government regulations that can impact Member electricity rates. This is an opportunity to learn more about the topics that affect you and to talk about what we as a co-op community can do to address our most pressing issues.
The format will be similar to the 2015 event, with a short business meeting to start the day and local musician Connor Rose will perform. Be ready for lots of fun, food and prizes for everyone! Make sure to check back in the March edition for more details about the event!
For information about other Member benefits, visit hwe.coop/membership-benefits.
16 COUNTRY LIVING • FEBRUARY 2016
MEMBER CONNECTIONS
We want our Members to save as much on energy costs as possible. One way of doing so is by making energy-saving rebate programs available to you. This is the updated list of the rebates we offer. The following list is available to all residential Hancock-Wood
Electric Members:
• Air Conditioning Rebate, $100• Clothes Washer Rebate, $75• Geothermal Rebate, up to $900• Heat Pump Rebate, up to $700• LED Lighting Rebate, up to $50• Refrigerator Rebate, $100• Television Rebate, up to $100• Water Heater Rebate, $250• Water Heat Blanket Insulation Rebate, $10• Weatherization for DIY Installation, up to $500• Weatherization Rebate for Professional Installation, up to $800 A rebate up to $5,000 is available to our commercial and industrial Members for lighting wattage reduction. For complete program details, and to print the corresponding rebate forms, please see our website, hwe.coop/save-energy/rebates, or stop by the office to pick up a form. If you have a question about any rebate we offer or a suggestion of a program you would like to see in the future, please contact me, and I will be happy to discuss it with you. You can reach me directly at 419-257-5025 or [email protected]. Bruce Warnecke is a certified commercial energy auditor with an applied business degree from Lima Technical College and universal EPA refrigerant certification. He is a Trane Service One graduate and is an HVAC specialist with more than 21 years of experience.
SAVE ENERGY, MONEY WITH BRUCE
Bruce Warnecke
In our December issue of Member Connections, many kids wrote to Santa to tell him about their
energy savings all year long for a chance to win an iPad Mini. HWE received many great letters, but one was chosen through a drawing as the winner of our contest. Lucas Fenstermaker, 10, of Forest was the lucky winner. Thank you to all the kids that participated in this contest. Keep up the good work and be on the look out for more contests!
SANTA LETTER iPAD WINNER ANNOUNCED
Did you know you have a chance to win $300 off your next energy bill?
Visit Hancock-Wood’s website to sign up for e-mail alerts, news and more to enter
to win a quarterly drawing for $300 off your next electric bill. Click on Members
Connect to complete the form.
DO YOU WANT TO SAVE $300?SAVE THE DATE
LEGISLATIVE MEETING
MARCH 9, 2016All Members invited. Call 800-445-4840 to RSVP.
In December, the Senate approved S.J. Res. 23 and S.J. Res. 24 – resolutions identical to H.J. Res. 71 and H.J. Res. 72 introduced by
Subcommittee on Energy and Power Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), aimed at keeping electricity affordable and reliable for ratepayers around the country. The Obama administration is seeking to change the way electricity is generated, consumed and distributed throughout the United States through two final rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency that place unprecedented regulations on both new and existing fossil-fuel fired power plants. To date, 27 states have filed challenges to the rule on existing plants and 23 states are challenging the rule for new plants. These resolutions are about keeping electricity prices affordable, protecting jobs, and maintaining grid reliability. For more information visit action.coop.
KEEPING ELECTRIC RATES STABLE
FEBRUARY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 17
HANCOCK-WOOD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Chair Tom Kagy, Vice Chair William Kale,Secretary/Treasurer Tom Dierksheide, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Marlene Barker, and trustees David Corbin, James Demler, John Edie, Edward Ingold, Knut Lahrs and Timothy Phillips.
HWE SUBSTATION REBUILD IN 2016
Part of the Hancock-Wood 2016 rebuild plan includes rebuilding the Fostoria substation. This is an investment in co-op equipment that
is needed to update our system with state-of-the art technology to reduce outages and enable our line crews to work efficiently.
The project will include a complete tear down and rebuild of the substation that was built in 1966. The transformer and the high-voltage structure were designed to the applicable standards of the time. The equipment is not Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) – compatible. The new substation design will be similar to West Findlay and Blanchard substations and will allow crews to access voltage regulators and reclosers without the need to de-energize the substation – resulting in fewer outages. The control building and new system equipment will be tied into the SCADA system to enable remote control monitoring and quicker response time during power interruptions.
For more information about the 2016 rebuild program, check back in the March edition.
At HWE, we not only provide our Members with reliable electric service, we also work very hard to keep the lights on and restore service when outages occur. Since nearly
all power outages are unexpected, many Members rely on fuel-powered portable generator as an immediate and alternate source of power until the main electricity supply is back. Home emergency generators are most commonly gasoline powered and must be handled properly. Portable generators usually range in size, horsepower and power capability.
Make the proper connectionConnecting the generator to the main electrical supply for your house requires the services of a qualified and licensed electrician. Installation costs often range from $600 to $1,000, and it is always a good idea to notify HWE before making the investment. In compliance with state and local electrical codes, you must install a double-pole, double-throw transfer switch to prevent the generator from back-feeding into Hancock-Wood’s system, thus eliminating electrical risk for crews or Members, which can be deadly.
Save your life and othersWhen using your portable electric generator, always use a three-wire extension cord that contains a three-blade grounding plug and a three-slot receptacle that will accept your unit’s plug. Worn down, damaged, undersized or ungrounded extension cords can cause electrocution. For more safety tips visit our website, hwe.coop/safety.
LET’S LOOK AT GENERATOR SAFETY
HWE IS UPDATING METERSHancock-Wood is deploying new digital meters to improve the efficiency and reliability of our electric system by decreasing outage
times. The Turtle power-line carrier system automated reader currently in place is obsolete technology and soon will no longer be supported.
We thank you for your patience while we make these system upgrades that will enhance your service reliability. For all the facts and more information, please visit hwe.coop/residential/digital-meters.
CALLING ALL ARTISTS – WIN BIG!HWE invites our artistic Members to submit artwork to be featured on the T-shirt giveaways at this year’s Annual Meeting. If your submission is selected, you will be eligible to win a significant prize. The image should symbolize the proud history HWE has of providing safe, reliable and economical electricity within the communities it serves. See our website or FB page for all rules and details about the contest. The deadline to submit is March 15, 2016.
Last year’s shirt design.
18 COUNTRY LIVING • FEBRUARY 2016
HANCOCK-WOOD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVEKID CONNECTIONS
SAFETY1) It is safe to run extension cords under carpet or rugs in your home.A. FalseB. True
2) How often should smoke alarms in your home be tested?
A. Once a year B. Once a month C. Once every three months
3) How far should items be kept away from space heaters?
A. At least 1 foot B. At least 5 feet C. At least 3 feet
4) Overloaded outlets can overheat and cause a fire.
A. TrueB. False
5) When using an electrical appliance or playing with an electrical toy outside, what is the minimum distance you should keep between yourself and any wet surface or swimming pool?A. 10 feet B. 5 feet C. 3 feet
Answers: 1) A. 2) B. 3) C. 4) A. 5) A.
Electricity is great! We use it to light our homes, watch TV with our families and enjoy many other activities. But electricity can be dangerous if we aren’t careful when using it. Test your electrical safety knowledge by answering the questions below.
How many did you get right? Check the answer key below!
