DREMC director to lead TRH Health Plans

President Lacy Upchurch announced recently that the TRH Board of Directors has named Anthony Kimbrough as the next chief executive officer of TRH Health Plans. The board made its decision in a special-called meeting Nov. 21.

“I look forward to working with Anthony in his new role as CEO of TRH,” said Lacy Upchurch, board president. “Anthony has a dynamic personality and excellent people skills. In his responsibilities related to marketing and government relations, Anthony has proven himself as a dedicated and knowledgeable employee. He has been at the forefront of company development as TRH has expanded product offerings to assist other state Farm Bureaus. He has worked with current management through the many challenges, including the unknown possibilities related to the Affordable Care Act. Having that experience and the great working relationship with the current management team will enable Anthony to hit the ground running. We congratulate him on the recognition of his talent and commitment.”

Long-time CEO Lonnie Roberts, who announced his retirement to the board on Nov. 1, will step down at the end of December after a 25-year career at TRH, including the last 16 as CEO.

“The Board of Directors has made an excellent choice in Anthony,” said Roberts. “He has a high energy level, excellent communication skills and he understands what it means to be a part of a membership organization. He will do a great job leading the TRH team for years to come.”

Kimbrough, 49, has been in the Farm Bureau family since September 2000, when he became the first employee to share responsibilities for government relations work for both TRH and Farm Bureau Insurance. He was named vice president of government relations in that joint role in 2004 and then, in September 2007, moved to TRH as Vice President of Marketing and Government Relations.

“To say ‘I am blessed’ is quite an understatement,” said Kimbrough, an Arkansas native who moved to Tennessee in 1989. “I came to this organization a dozen years ago largely because I was attracted to its values and its people. That appreciation has only deepened during my time here. I thank the board for the trust it has placed in me, as well as Mr. Roberts and the many, many colleagues and co-workers in the TRH and Farm Bureau families who have made this opportunity possible.”

Kimbrough and his wife Michele live in Columbia and have two teenage daughters, McKayla and McKenzie. They are active members at First Baptist Church. He serves as a board member for Duck River Electric Membership Corporation.

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DREMC’s Allison to Head TRA

The Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) recently announced that the members of the TRA have elected Director James Allison to serve as chairman of the agency. In the capacity of chairman, he will have the responsibility of formulating the broad strategies, goals, objectives and long-range plans and policies of the TRA. Mr. Allison succeeds TRA Director Kenneth C. Hill who has served as chairman since October 2011.

On accepting the role as TRA chairman, Mr. Allison said, “I am honored to accept the role as chairman to continue the Tennessee Regulatory Authority’s commitment to protecting the public interest.” He resides in Shelbyville, Tennessee and was appointed to the TRA in 2012 by Governor Bill Haslam, Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and House Speaker Beth Harwell.

The TRA members also elected Director Herbert H. Hilliard to serve as vice chairman of the agency.

The mission of the TRA is to promote the public interest by balancing the interests of utility consumers and providers. For more information on the TRA, visit online at www.tn.gov/tra.

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Election Recap

Mike Knotts, director of government affairs

Last Tuesday, Tennessee reelected all nine of its Congressmen to another term and history was made in the state legislature. On the national stage, EPA regulations will come to the forefront of national political discussion following the Presidential election.

In a tight race, the country reelected President Barack Obama (D) to a second term over the challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R). The Congress will remain split. Democrats maintain majority control in the Senate holding 53 seats to the 47 seats held by Republicans. The House will remain under the control of Republicans who hold 240 seats whiledemocrats claim 190.

Tennessee will see no change in its Congressional delegation. The much talked about fourth district race went to the incumbent, Scott DesJarlais (R), with 56% of the vote over former Democratic State Senator, Eric Stewart. Senator Bob Corker (R) defended his seat comfortably as he earned 65% of the vote.

As our Congressional delegation returns to Washington, they face a fast-approaching fiscal cliff, which (if ignored) will result in the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and the much talked about automatic spending cuts. Beyond the fiscal cliff, our delegation will see a much more active EPA than it saw in President Obama’s first term.

Reuters (11/7) reports that analysts expect President Obama’s second term will bring tougher regulations for the energy industry. A separate Reuters (11/7, Gardner) article also suggests Obama’s stance on oil and gas regulation is likely to get tougher during his second term.

During Tuesday night’s victory speech, Obama spoke of the need to ensure children live in a country that, “isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet”. These anticipated changes in energy policy means the work of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association will be more important than ever.

At the state level, history was made Tuesday night. For the first time, Republicans will have a supermajority in the State House and State Senate. The only incumbent to lose in the general election was Jim Gotto (R—Hermitage) who lost his seat to Democrat Darren Jernigan. This district is not served by any TECA member electric power systems.

New members winning contested races include: Timothy Hill (R—Blountville), Micah Van Huss(R—Sulphur Springs), Gloria Johnson (D—Knoxville), Andrew Farmer (R—Sevierville), Kent Calfee (R—Oak Ridge), Dawn White (R—Murfreesboro), William Lamberth (R—Gallatin), Courtney Rogers (R—Goodlettsville), Bo Mitchell (D—Nashville), Jason Powell (D—Nashville), Darren Jernigan (D—Hermitage), Barry Doss (R—Lawrenceburg), Mary Littleton (R—Dickson), Debra Moody (R—Covington), and Billy Spivey (R—Lewisburg).

New Senate members include: Frank Nicely (R—District 8), Todd Gardenhire (R—District 10), Janice Bowling (R—District 16), Ferrell Haile (R—District 18), Steve Dickerson (R—District 20), Mark Green (R—District 22), John Stevens (R—District 24) and Joey Hensley (R—District 28).

TECA worked over the past year to become acquainted with the newest members of the General Assembly prior to election day. These relationships will be helpful in long-term policy work, as will the continued friendships TECA has with manylegislative leaders. TECA will continue to monitor and influence legislative matters effecting electric cooperatives.

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STEMC crew faces challenges, rewards in New York following Hurricane Sandy

Crew, weary from setting light poles by hand, proud to be helping so many in need.

BROWNSVILLE – New Yorkers may not understand the word “y’all”, but they do understand that Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation crews are there to help. Nine lineworkers from the Brownsville, Tenn., based cooperative are in Bethpage, New York, assisting Long Island Power Authority restore electric service following Hurricane Sandy.

STEMC crews work outside Bethpage, New York

The workers departed Jackson on Sunday, Oct. 28, to assist restoration efforts in Virginia. On Wednesday, Oct. 31, the crew completed their work there, and a call for assistance came in from New York. “About five minutes later the crew was on their way,” says Mullins. “The hardest part of the trip was crossing over into Long Island. The tunnels that lead to the island were flooded by the storm, so they had to travel further north and cross over on the George Washington Bridge, through the Bronx and into Queens.”

The workers were housed in FEMA trailers with no heat or water for the first two days, and later they were moved to a gymnasium. Now that power is beginning to be restored, the crews are staying in a motel.

The Southwest Tennessee Electric crew is working with a crew from Colorado to repair major three-phase distribution lines. A tree-trimming crew removes trees and the line crews follow repairing or replacing poles and splicing wire. “Because of the underground utilities in the area, all digging must be done by hand,” says Mullins. “Have you ever dug a seven-foot deep hole with posthole diggers?”

STEMC crews repair lines damaged by Hurricane Sandy

The crew is seeing the challenges faced by residents in the area. With no electricity, most gas stations cannot pump gas from underground tanks. Over the weekend the crew drove into an area to work, and people immediately began to line up at a station to purchase gas, even though there was no electricity. The crew worked all day to restore service to the town, and by that time more than 400 people were in line for gas. A police officer asked if the power would be restored that day or if he should disperse the crowd. STEMC crews assured him that the power would be restored, and it was. The station owner later told them that the 14,000 gallons of gas he had was gone by the next morning. The Southwest Tennessee Electric crew had to wait more than two hours to refuel their vehicles.

“Our men say that the idea of ‘northern rudeness’ is a myth so far as they are concerned,” says Mullins. “People blow their horns and wave, shout ‘thank you’ and constantly bring food and drinks to the crew while they are working.”

On Sunday the crew restored power to 27,000 people in Glen Cove, New York. As of Monday, Long Island Power Association still has almost 300,000 customers without power. The Southwest Tennessee Electric crew expects to be there through the end of the week.

Assistance provided by Southwest Tennessee Electric is arranged through mutual-aid agreements in place between utilities. Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned, not-for-profit distribution cooperative serving 50,000 homes, businesses and institutions with power in nine West Tennessee counties. The cooperative, headquartered in Brownsville, has offices in Jackson, Covington, Henderson and Munford.

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Hurricane Assistance

Tennessee electric cooperatives send volunteers to restore power in Virginia, Maryland

NASHVILLE – As the massive Hurricane Sandy bears down on the Atlantic Seaboard, 60 lineworkers from Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are prepared to assist with power restoration once the storm subsides.

“Seven Tennessee cooperatives are sending volunteer lineworkers and equipment to assist cooperatives in Virginia and Maryland,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We expect this storm to cause extensive power outages, and our crews are staged in the area to respond quickly once it is safe to do so.”

Emergency work plans were put into place on Friday, Oct. 26, and crews from Tennessee headed for Virginia and Maryland beginning early on Saturday, Oct. 27. This cooperation is enabled through mutual aid agreements between electric cooperatives.

Assisting Northern Neck Electric Cooperative in Warsaw, Va.:

  • four lineworkers from Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Somerville

Assisting Rappahannock Electric Cooperative in Fredericksburg, Va.:

  • five lineworkers from Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Shelbyville
  • four from Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, Madisonville
  • 12 from Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, New Tazewell

Assisting Choptank Electric Cooperative in Denton, Md.:

  • eight lineworkers from Fayetteville Public Utilities, Fayetteville

Assisting A&N Electric Cooperative in Tasley, Va.:

  • 10 lineworkers from Appalachian Electric Cooperative, New Market

Assisting Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative in New Castle, Va.:

  • nine lineworkers from Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Brownsville

Assisting Community Electric Cooperative in Windsor, Va.:

  • eight lineworkers from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, South Pittsburg

Tennessee’s Mountain Electric Cooperative, Mountain City, is expecting more than 10 inches of snow to fall in its service area as a result of the hurricane.  MEC abandoned plans to assist in Virginia and are now prepared to respond in the event of snow-related outages.

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade association representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million members they serve.

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Contact:
Trent Scott | [email protected] | 731.608.1519

Updates will be provided as additional details become available.

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TECA likes NICE

The 2012 National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Conference was held July 28- August 1 on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. The theme for this year’s conference was “The View is NICE at the Top.”

Tennessee 4-H was represented at this event by Lynsey Jones and Holly Nehls, both are Senior 4-H members from Knox County. These students were awarded the trip as runners-up in the Level II leadership and citizenship competition at Tennessee 4-H Congress in Nashville last April.

FFA was represented by Cheyenne Hanloh, Daniel Deas, Spencer Sanders, and Station Camp High School Agriculture Teacher – Brad Kirkham. These students were selected because of their achievements in the State FFA Star Agribusiness and State Proficiency Competition which was held in Gatlinburg last April as well.

The NICE Conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants gained an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative or STUCO and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities.

The youth and adults attending the NICE conference also toured the McCormick Farm & Workshop in Raphine, VA. Cyrus McCormick, founder of the McCormick Harvest Machine Company which became part of International Harvester Company is credited as the “inventor” of the mechanical reaper. The group also visited the Natural Bridge and the Natural Bridge Caverns all located in Virginia.

The trip was sponsored by the Tennessee Council of Cooperatives (TCC). Mr. Todd Blocker, Director of Member Relations at TECA and a member of the TCC Board of Directors accompanied the students on the trip. Youth from Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and South Dakota also attended the conference.

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Co-ops depart for Louisiana following Isaac

NASHVILLE – More than 40 electric cooperative lineworkers from Tennessee are heading to Louisiana to restore power to those affected by Hurricane Isaac. Crews departed early Thursday morning.

“Seven electric cooperatives in Tennessee are sending personnel and equipment to Louisiana to assist electric cooperatives impacted by the storm,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Louisiana has seen high wind, heavy rain and widespread power outages.”

Electric cooperative organizations across the southeast began developing response plans on Monday and details have been adjusted as the exact path of the storm and the extent of the damage became more certain. This cooperation is enabled through mutual aid agreements between electric cooperatives.

Crews will be assisting Dixie Electric Membership Corporation in Greenwell Springs, La., approximately 10 miles east of Baton Rouge.

Assisting in the recovery will be:

  • four lineworkers from Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Somerville
  • nine from Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Clarksville
  • seven from Fayetteville Public Utilities, Fayetteville
  • six from Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, Madisonville
  • eight from Plateau Electric Cooperative, Oneida
  • six from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, South Pittsburg
  • six from Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Brownsville

“One day we will be in need,” says Callis, “and when that tornado or ice storm arrives, we know that this assistance will be repaid. Cooperation is one of the founding principles of electric cooperatives.”

Additional news coverage

  • Channel 2 (Nashville, Thurs., Aug. 30, 6:00 a.m.)
  • Channel 5 (Nashville, Wed., Aug. 29, 10:00 p.m.)
  • Channel 5 (Nashville, Thurs., Aug. 30, 6:00 a.m.)
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DREMC solar farm launched

(Shelbyville, TN) Duck River Electric Membership Cooperative became the first electric cooperative in the seven state TVA service territory offering members access to green power through the newly constructed 25.92kW solar farm. Ribbon cutting festivities were held Wednesday, August 15th at 1:00pm. Representatives from DREMC’s Board of Directors, DREMC management staff, local school officials, students, elected officials and TVA representatives attended the event.

The DREMC Solar Farm Limited Partnership is located at 1411 Madison Street in Shelbyville, TN. Duck River Electric is the fourth largest electric cooperative in the state providing power to approximately 71,000 homes and businesses in all or portions of Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, Warren and Williamson counties.

The new DREMC Solar Farm Limited Partnership allows its members to invest in solar energy without the cost of installing or maintaining their own system. “Many people don’t want to incur the cost of home solar installation or their location isn’t ideal for solar because of their home design or an abundance of shade trees in the yard,” said Jim Allison, President and Chief Executive Officer of DREMC. “This allows our members to participate in solar energy sustainability efforts at a fraction of the cost of installing their own system.”

DREMC members can invest for as little as $600 for one unit of limited partnership interest. They will see an energy credit on their monthly bill for the duration of their ownership of the unit(s) of interest in the DREMC Solar Farm. Member investors will receive premium pricing offered by TVA in their Generation Partners Program that will help offset their original investment. DREMC will also provide its members with financing for up to a year.

“The partnership with TVA gives our members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the solar industry,” said Allison.  “We’re proud to offer our members the chance to support efforts in making green energy more widely available and have located this installation in proximity to elementary, middle and high schools so that it can be used as a teaching tool as well.”

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation is a member owned electric distribution cooperative founded in 1936 that currently serves nearly 71,000 members with its headquarters in Shelbyville, TN. Additional information can be found at www.dremc.com.

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Gibson EMC’s Rodamaker Recognized with National Honor

Gibson Electric Membership Corporation President and CEO Dan Rodamaker recently received the Touchstone Energy Brand Champion Award in recognition of living the “power of human connections.”  Rodamaker was the only co-op leader in Tennessee and one of only six co-op leaders in the nation to receive this award.

“I’m honored to receive this award, but I’m more proud of what it represents,” Rodamaker said.  “Gibson EMC, our leadership and our employees work conscientiously every day to provide our members with the highest level of service excellence,” he said.  “This is our ongoing commitment to our members and to the communities we serve.”

As part of its efforts toward service excellence, Gibson EMC surveys member-owners and benchmarks its survey results against those of other electric energy providers.  The rating from Gibson EMC’s last survey was a 91 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a system used nationally to rate performance and customer satisfaction among energy providers.  This was nine points higher than the average of 82 for other Touchstone Energy Cooperatives for the same period and 16 points ahead of the national utility industry average.

“Naturally we’re honored by our member-owners’ ratings and by Touchstone Energy’s recognition of our utility,” said Rodamaker, “but it only strengthens our commitment to serve our members and our communities even better going forward.”

Touchstone Energy is a national alliance of local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service to customers large and small.  More than 700 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives in 46 states are delivering energy and energy solutions to more than 27 million customers every day.  Touchstone Energy Cooperatives serve members with integrity, accountability, innovation and a longstanding commitment to communities.

Gibson EMC, a Touchstone Energy Member since 2006, is a local, not-for-profit, member-owned and member-controlled electric cooperative. Gibson EMC serves about 35,000 member-owners in Gibson, Crockett, Dyer, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, and Obion counties.  Its corporate customer service center is in Trenton and its satellite customer service centers are in Alamo, Medina, Tiptonville and Troy.

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Allison named TRA Director

Jim Allison, president and CEO of Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, has been named as a director for the Tennessee Regulatory Authority by Gov. Bill Haslam.

“TECA staff has been supportive of Jim’s selection, and we’re extremely pleased to learn of his appointment as a TRA director,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Jim is a well-respected leader, and brings extensive utility industry experience to the TRA.”

A media release from Gov. Bill Haslam’s office is attached.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, July 31, 2012

NEW TENNESSEE REGULATORY AUTHORITY TAKES FORM
Executive director, two directors appointed to reconfigured TRA

NASHVILLE – The newly reconfigured Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) has its first full-time executive director and two new part-time directors after Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s reforms were passed during this year’s legislative session.

Haslam worked with Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) and House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) on the joint appointments of business executive Earl Taylor as executive director and utility industry veteran James Allison as a director.

The governor also appointed Herbert Hilliard, executive vice president and chief government relations officer of First Horizon National Corporation, as a TRA director.

“It is our job to make state government as accountable and responsive as possible to Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “These appointees bring years of experience and expertise to the TRA. I am grateful for their willingness to serve our citizens and appreciate the lieutenant governor and house speaker for their efforts in this selection process.

Passed during this year’s legislative session and signed into law by Haslam, HB 2385/SB 2247 changed the membership of the TRA from four full-time members to five part-time members and established the executive director position, the first of which was to be jointly appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and house speaker.

The TRA sets utility rates and service standards of privately-owned telephone, natural gas, electric and water utilities.

Taylor practiced law in Johnson City for ten years and has an executive background as part owner of the CBS affiliate in Knoxville and as a business developer in Knoxville, the Tri-Cities area, Florida and Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a J.D. from the University of Memphis. Taylor serves as a Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority commissioner, Knoxville Fellows Program mentor and as a Young Life of Knoxville committee member.

Allison has utilities experience in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, and is also regarded as one of the top instant replay officials in college football after having been an on-field official in the Southeastern Conference for more than 12 years.

Hilliard has spent 42 years at First Horizon and is currently the board chair for the National Civil Rights Museum, a board member of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee and a commissioner for the Memphis/Shelby County Airport Authority.

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Chelsea Rose joins TECA staff

NASHVILLE – Chelsea Rose is joining the staff of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association as Government Affairs Assistant. In this position, Rose will track legislation and communicate with law makers at the state and federal levels for the association that represents electric cooperative consumers across the state.

Rose has previous experience with Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s office. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in agriculture communications from Tennessee Technological University and is pursuing a master’s degree through the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Rose lives in Lancaster with her husband, John Rose. They own and operate a farm, which is in both DeKalb and Smith Counties and produces Hereford cattle, tobacco and hay. She has been active in Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) as the state president and as a national vice president. She is a member of the Tennessee FFA Alumni Association, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation.

“We are excited to have someone with Chelsea’s skills and rural background join our team,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for TECA. “She will be an asset to TECA and the electric cooperatives of Tennessee.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade group representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million consumers they serve.

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National utility scam strikes Tennessee

NASHVILLE – A widespread scam that claims to pay utility bills has made its way to Tennessee. Two of Tennessee’s rural electric cooperatives reported incidents involving the scam on Monday, July 9. Tennessee’s rural electric cooperatives are warning members to be aware of a bill-paying scam that asks them to disclose Social Security and bank routing numbers.

Scammers claim electric consumers can have their utility bills paid under a federal government program. No such program exists.

The solicitations have been made door-to-door, online and by phone. Members are asked for personal information and then given fake bank account numbers to use for making a payment on their utility bill.

Members are urged to alert police if they’re contacted about the scam.

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Tennessee co-ops send volunteers to Virginia

NASHVILLE – Working jointly with other statewide electric cooperative organizations, Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are sending crews to Virginia to help restore electric service to those affected by severe storms on Friday and Saturday, June 29 and 30.

“Six Tennessee cooperatives are sending volunteer lineworkers and equipment to assist cooperatives in Virginia,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “With record-setting heat in the area, it is critical that power be restored as soon as possible. Like residents in the affected areas, our lineworkers face some very long and very hot days ahead of them.”

Emergency work plans were put into place on Saturday morning, June 30, and crews from Tennessee headed for Virginia later that day. This cooperation is enabled through mutual aid agreements between electric cooperatives.

Assisting Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative in Mount Crawford, Va.:

  • five lineworkers from Mountain Electric Cooperative, Mountain City
  • four from Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, Madisonville
  • five from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, South Pittsburg

Assisting Central Virginia Electric Cooperative in Arrington, Va.:

  • 10 lineworkers from Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, New Tazewell
  • six from Plateau Electric Cooperative, Oneida

Assisting BARC Electric Cooperative in Millboro, Va.:

  • 10 lineworkers from Appalachian Electric Cooperative, New Market

Some Tennessee cooperatives received damage from the same storm system that impacted Virginia. Holston Electric Cooperative, Mountain Electric Cooperative, Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative and Volunteer Energy Cooperative service areas received wind-related storm damage over the weekend.

Holston Electric Cooperative and Powell Valley Electric Cooperative also had outages caused by a fire at TVA’s John Sevier generation plant. All service was restored on Friday evening. The John Sevier plant remains off-line, and TVA is requesting that northwest Tennessee residents conserve energy when possible until the plant resumes production and the high temperatures subside.

“We put our own members first. We only provide assistance to out-of-state co-ops after our own needs are met,” says Callis. “Sending crews and equipment to other states does represent a risk, but our cooperatives are always eager to help when possible.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade group representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million members they serve.

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Best of Tennessee

It’s time for you to have your say in determining the best of all that Tennessee has to offer. We invite — and urge — you to help name the winners of the 2012 Best of Tennessee Readers’ Choice Awards. This year’s “Best of Tennessee” contest divides each category into the three regions of the state.

Vote in as many or as few categories as you feel knowledgeable, but keep in mind that only ballots with 15 or more categories with at least one vote will be eligible for a drawing for entertaining Tennessee-themed prizes.

You can vote for a “Best of” up to three times in any given category. As an example, if you have a favorite state park in each region of the state — West, Middle and East — then you can vote for one in each.

Please be as specific as possible. For example, for Favorite Hiking Trail, specify the name of the trail such as the Fiery Gizzard Trail in the South Cumberland Recreation Area. Please include the town where businesses or parks are located. Generic answers will not be counted. To celebrate the uniqueness of Tennessee, please exclude national franchises and chains (restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, etc.) from your responses.

Our annual “Best of Tennessee” is a fun way to interact with our readers and honor the great aspects of our state.

[button link=”https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/bestoftennessee”]Enter Online Now →[/button]

 

 Official Rules

  • No purchase necessary.
  • One entry per person.
  • Ballot must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, Aug 15, 2012.
  • To be eligible for the prize drawings, ballots must have a “Best of Tennessee” vote in at least 15 categories. You may cast votes in any or all of the regions.
  • Drawing to be held by Friday, Aug. 31.
  • Must be 18 years old to win. Grand-prize winners will be notified by mail.
  • Best of Tennessee results will be published in the October edition of The Tennessee Magazine.
  • Employees of electric cooperatives and their immediate families are not eligible for the prize giveaways.

 Enter online for a chance to win $250

For the first time you can vote online. To encourage online balloting, we will randomly choose one entry from our online submissions to win $250.

How to enter via mail

Complete the contact information form below, cast your votes on the ballot on the next page and mail both to the address on the form below.

[button link=”http://tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/BEST_OF_TN_2012_TECA_0712_.pdf”]Download Form →[/button]

 

 Prize packages

Winners will be chosen randomly from a drawing of all entries received. Three grand-prize packages will be awarded (one each from West, Middle and East Tennessee). Remember, you must vote in at least 15 categories to be eligible for the prize drawing.

  • Winners will receive certificates courtesy of Tennessee State Parks for up to a four-night stay at any of the six state resort park inns. The resort parks are Fall Creek Falls, Henry Horton, Montgomery Bell, Natchez Trace, Paris Landing and Pickwick Landing. Visit www.tn.gov/environment/parks.
  • Each winner will receive a basket of farm-direct and locally made artisan foods from Pick Tennessee Products, a division of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
  • The Tennessee Magazine will award $250 to each winner to spend while you’re enjoying your state park visit.

 

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2012 Shutterbug Winners Announced

Adult and Junior winners of our State Parks Photography Contest

Tennesseans love their state parks! There’s no other way to describe the almost-overwhelming response to our latest Shutterbug Photography Contest celebrating the 75th anniversary of Tennessee State Parks.

Legislation passed in 1937 established the parks system and remains the framework by which the parks preserve and protect Tennessee’s historic, recreational and natural areas. Today there are 54 state parks and 82 natural areas across Tennessee, and chances are there’s at least one within an hour’s drive of your home.

For our latest Shutterbug contest, The Tennessee Magazine partnered with Tennessee State Parks to visually commemorate the system’s historic milestone. The difficult task of judging the scores of entries from readers fell to the magazine staff along with Terry Bonham, Tennessee State Parks real property coordinator; Charles Brewton, Tennessee State Parks marketing manager; Steve Ward, Radnor Lake State Natural Area park manager; and Pam Hawkins, instructor in visual communications at Nashville State Community College. Whittling down the 2,000 entries to a handful of winners was difficult, but those that made the cut reflect the variety of ways in which Tennesseans use their state parks.

“Tennessee State Parks deliver a rich fabric of natural landscapes, preserved ecologies and historically significant locations,” said Brewton. “We’re excited that our patrons have taken the opportunity to capture the beauty of what Tennessee is all about in these incredible photos.”

First-, second- and third-place winners received prize packages that included stays at park inns courtesy of Tennessee State Parks and money from The Tennessee Magazine to spend at the parks.

Learn more about Tennessee State Parks and start planning your getaway at www.tnstateparks.com.

 

Adult Winners

Junior Winners

Finalists

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National Breathing Policy

Shawn Taylor,  Executive Director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association

Here’s an idea. Let’s regulate how much air we in the United States can breathe.  Then let’s gradually, or not, increase the cost for breathing until people decide not to breathe. Or better yet, let’s have people from other countries sell us and decide how much air we can breathe and at what cost. We’ll call it the “National Breathing Policy.”

OK, so that example is a bit extreme. But if you look at everything that oil and its refined products provide for our country in our everyday lives, it might not be that big of a stretch to think that we would be hard pressed to survive as the world’s only superpower without this natural resource.

The big oil derrick spewing “black gold” from the top, or an oil pump jack with its methodical motion pumping oil out of the ground, may be people’s initial visual when thinking about oil. In terms of utility, most folks probably immediately think of oil as a motor lubricant or as gasoline when refined.

I’m guessing that most people don’t think of the compact disk they use in their computer, or the detergent used to wash clothes or dishes, or maybe the petrochemicals (refined oil products) that go into making synthetic materials for clothing, bedding, outdoor recreation equipment, etc.

One only needs to take a close look at the vast uses of oil to appreciate what it means to our daily lives and realize that we need it, we have it, and that we shouldn’t have to import a majority of it from foreign countries, many of which are not friendly to the United States.

In 2008 Secretary of Energy Steven Chu remarked that Americans should “punitively pay at the pump in order to wean them [us] off of gasoline.” This is like  raising the price of the air we breathe so as to legislate or more appropriately regulate how we as citizens behave.

If the current administration had its way, we as a country would pay considerably more for oil, so that we would use less. This is similar to their approach to the use of coal. Make it more expensive, even prohibitively more expensive to use so that we would use less.

On its surface, using less of our natural resources isn’t a bad ingredient for an energy policy – as long as we can stay as productive as we are and historically have been.

But being forced or regulated into using a more expensive and less reliable substitute is counter-productive. And not allowing domestic production of oil or any of our abundant natural resources is equally counter-productive.

When I worked in D.C. for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, we continually invited members of Congress to travel to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to see first-hand what was being proposed for oil-and-gas development. We mainly focused on those members who time and again opposed drilling in ANWR, and we never got any takers.

In my opinion, it was because they didn’t want to see with their own eyes what could be done, and what has been done. That way, they could continue to tell their constituents, without having all the facts, that we shouldn’t develop this “pristine area.” This is our country’s current energy policy; don’t develop what we have, let’s import what others have.

Much like the past two resources we’ve highlighted in WREN (coal and natural gas), oil has played a pivotal role in Wyoming’s past by providing good-paying, stable jobs, revenue to the state coffers, and a source of energy across the country.  Unlike coal and natural gas however, oil production in Wyoming has been continually declining over the past few decades. However, new exploration and extraction technology (i.e. using CO2 for tertiary recovery) will help Wyoming continue to play a role in providing this vital domestic natural resource.

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General Assembly adjourns

On May 1, the 107th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned its second session and brought to a close legislative business for the year – it’s earliest finish since 1998. The TECA Bill Tracker is finalized, and available by clicking the links below.

A $31.5 B budget for the state government was approved, which is a a $400 M reduction over last year’s $31.9 B budget. Even with the reductions, state employees will receive a two-and-a-half percent increase in their base pay and there will be a 0.25% reduction in the state sales tax levied on food. The state’s inheritance tax will phased out over a six-year period, and the gift tax will be eliminated entirely. A great deal of attention was paid to Governor Haslam’s proposal to modernize the State’s employment policies, also known as civil service. Ultimately, after some contention over the issue, the Tennessee State Employee Association supported the measure and it passed by large, bi-partisan majorities.

Another successful initiative of the Governor was to alter the make-up of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority from four full-time directors to a traditional five-member Board of Directors who would serve part-time.  A new Executive Director, initially appointed by the Governor and subsequently appointed by the Board of Directors, will manage the day to day operations of the TRA.  The final version of the bill contains a requirement that TRA submit an annual report to the Governor comparing the rates of regulated and non-regulated utilities (including electric utilities).  While the comparison of electric rates is not germane to TRA, as they do not regulate cooperative or municipally-owned utilities, TECA staff will pay close attention to these reports to ensure accuracy and relevance of any information included.

Upon the conclusion of the session, all bills not passed by both chamber and signed by the Governor are now officially “dead.”  When newly elected Legislators return to Nashville in January 2013, all bills and resolutions must be filed anew.

Final TECA Bill Summary

Electric cooperative interests were well protected throughout the session, as the entirety of TECA’s legislative agenda was resolved satisfactorily.  The bills of greatest importance included:

Trespasser Liability (Sen. Brian Kelsey/Rep. Vance Dennis)
By codifying the common law that a property owner owes no duty of care to a trespasser, electric cooperatives will see an increase in its protection against liability from copper thieves and other criminal activities on cooperative property.

Board Meeting Access (Sen. Delores Gresham/Rep. Vance Dennis) – The general subcommittee of the House State and Local Government committee unanimously agreed with our position that access to electric cooperative board meetings is best determined by electric cooperative members, rather than the legislature.

Pole Attachments (Sen. Brian Kelsey and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey/Rep. Debra Maggart) – This perennial issue saw much more legislative attention, due to the co-sponsorship of Lt. Gov. Ramsey and several committee hearings that included testimony on the bill.  Ultimately, electric cooperative member-owners owe a debt of gratitude to the Lieutenant Governor and the members of the Senate Commerce Committee who failed to make a motion that would bring the bill to a vote. This is a very unusual event in the senate, and sent a strong message to the cable industry about the depth of support enjoyed by electric cooperatives in Tennessee.

 

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2012 Farm Energy Audits through USDA NRCS

With America’s farmers continuing to face high energy costs, help is on the way in the form of Headquarters Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMPs), commonly called on-farm energy audits.  Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding is available through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for farm energy audits and equipment upgrades. Farm energy audits can generally identify energy savings between 10% and 35% of total energy use, which enables farmers to take more control of their energy use and increase their energy independence.

Although the New Year has barely begun, producers must act quickly in order to secure their AgEMP for 2012. National deadlines for AgEMP application cutoff are February 3, March 30, and June 1, but state deadlines may vary. Farmers should call or visit their local NRCS office to verify application deadlines and apply for the AgEMP.

EnSave is the nation’s leading provider of farm energy audits and stands ready to provide AgEMPs to farmers throughout the United States.  The firm is a registered Technical Service Provider for NRCS and has provided thousands of farm energy audits over its 20 year history.

“We commend NRCS for committing to energy efficiency,” says Craig Metz, EnSave’s Chief Executive Officer. EnSave provides AgEMPs by working with its national network of local data collectors to conduct the on-farm audits.

“These local resources live within the region and often personally know many of the farmers. Our data collectors visit the farms to collect the energy use data, and our engineers analyze the information. Our engineers then develop recommendations and provide them to the farmer in a written report,” says Metz.

The AgEMP includes a review of current energy use for all fuels, specific recommendations for energy efficiency, and payback periods for recommended equipment. The AgEMP can also be used to access additional NRCS funding for implementation of energy efficient equipment.  Interested producers can call EnSave at (800) 732-1399 to learn more about the process or contact their local NRCS office to apply for an AgEMP.

About EnSave:

EnSave is the leading agricultural energy efficiency consulting firm in the United States. They help their clients achieve energy efficiency goals while also helping farmers save energy and reduce their environmental impact. The inspiration for their work is the hardworking men and women on the farm, and they strive to provide solutions that strengthen the farm and provide long-term viability.

Their passion is helping American agriculture become more sustainable and profitable through energy efficiency and resource conservation.

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2012 Legislative Conference

More than 200 directors and employees from Tennessee’s electric cooperatives were in Nashville Monday and Tuesday, March 12 and 13, for the 2012 Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s legislative conference. Attendees met with their legislators on Capitol Hill to help them better understand electric cooperatives and the issues that impact them. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam also addressed the group.

“It is an honor to travel around the state and meet people who really do care about their communities, and you all represent businesses that do that,” said Gov. Haslam. “You really are trying your best to provide a service that people need at the lowest possible cost. I am grateful for what you are doing.”

Tennessee’s electric cooperatives maintain an active presence in Nashville and Washington, D.C., to be certain that the interests of co-op members are protected. “Our electric cooperatives are private, not-for-profit businesses, but the decisions made by elected officials can affect co-op members in big ways,” says David Callis, general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “It is important that legislators understand the impact their decisions will have on our co-ops’ ability to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy.”

During the conference, TECA staff explained to co-op directors and employees how this year’s redrawing of house and senate districts had impacted their service areas. Attendees were also briefed on pending legislation that would impact Tennessee’s electric cooperatives. Armed with this information, the co-op delegation took to the hill to help legislators better understand the important role of electric cooperatives and their position on various issues and legislation.

Most issues affecting co-ops this year revolve around local control. “We believe that our members are best served when local decisions are made by local board members elected to run the cooperative,” says Mike Knotts, director of government affairs with TECA. “We are concerned when legislation limits a board’s ability to act in the best interests of its members.”

The primary issue facing electric cooperatives this year is nothing new – pole attachments. Electric utilities charge cable TV and telephone providers when they attach their wires to electric poles. Cable and telephone companies believe these rates should be lower, but co-ops believe they charge fair rates based on the actual cost of installing and maintaining the pole. “We believe that our local boards are more than capable of establishing fair attachment rates,” says Knotts. “This is an issue that is best settled locally, not by state government.”

“The impact of co-op members coming to talk with their legislators is huge,” said Callis. “Educated and informed legislators are a key component of low-cost, reliable power in Tennessee.”

 

[button link=”http://teca.smugmug.com/Legislative/Legislative-Day-2012/21916851_RVCFs6#!i=1749821770&k=FcBwFKK”]View photos from the event →[/button]

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Shutterbug Contest

Some of the most breathtaking scenery Tennessee has to offer lies within our state parks. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Tennessee State Parks system, and to celebrate this milestone, The Tennessee Magazine and the parks system are teaming up to host the first-ever State Parks Shutterbug Photography Contest.

The theme, “Celebrating 75 Years of State Parks,” will give you plenty of room to be creative. Subjects could range from scenic vistas full of wildlife to hikers enjoying the solitude of a backcountry hike. In fact, any photograph taken inside a Tennessee state park, state historic park, state archeological park or state natural area can be entered as long as you follow the rules.

Photographers shouldn’t have a shortage of subjects. No matter where you are in Tennessee, you are less than an hour from a state park. Photographs will be judged on sharpness, composition, lighting, creativity and adherence to the contest rules. Print quality will also be taken into consideration.

“I’m thrilled that Tennessee State Parks is working with The Tennessee Magazine to sponsor a state parks 75th anniversary photo contest,” says Charles Brewton, Tennessee State Parks director of marketing. “It will be fun having our visitors share their memories with us. We look forward to seeing their photo images as they explore and enjoy our state parks.”

The winning images will be published in the June 2012 issue of The Tennessee Magazine.

Note: By entering the contest, photographers automatically give The Tennessee Magazine and Tennessee State Parks permission to publish the winning images in print and digital publications and on websites.

Contest Rules

  1. The contest is open to amateur photographers only. If you earn your living as a photographer, please refrain from entering.
  2. Photographs must have been taken at one of Tennessee’s state parks. Visit www.tnstateparks.com for a complete list or call 1-888-867-2757 for a free brochure.
  3. A photographer can enter no more than three photographs in any category. There is no cost to enter.
  4. A completed entry form (below) must be attached to the back of every photograph entered. Omitting any of this information may result in disqualification.
  5. Extensive digital manipulation of photographs is prohibited. The use of photo-editing software should be limited. Adjusting exposure, color balance, contrast and sharpness is allowable, but highly manipulating colors and content of images is not.
  6. Employees of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and Tennessee’s electric cooperatives and their immediate families are not eligible to win.
  7. Please include the name of each recognizable person in your photograph. It is the photographer’s responsibility to have the subject’s permission to enter his or her image into the contest. You must include the subject’s name and contact information with your submission. Omitting any of this information can result in disqualification.
  8. Media: Use any camera, film or digital; any film, black-and-white or color.

Parks Rules

Photographers and their subjects are expected to follow all rules and regulations posted by each state park. Noncompliance will result in disqualifications. These regulations include but are not limited to staying on marked trails, keeping dogs on leashes and wearing life jackets when required.

Submissions

  1. All photographs must be entered as unmounted, 8-by-10-inch prints. Images can be color or black-and-white. Please don’t send your only print of a photo. Because of large numbers of entries, prints will not be returned.
  2. Send entries to: The Tennessee Magazine, State Parks Photo Contest, P.O. Box 100912, Nashville, TN, 37224. Entries may not be emailed or submitted via the tnelectric.org website.

Deadline

Entries must be postmarked by Friday, April 20.

Categories

  1. Shutterbugs 18 and older
  2. Junior Shutterbugs 17 and younger

Prize Packages:

Judges will select a first-, second- and third-place winner in each category. The following prizes will be awarded:

Shutterbugs win:

  • First place
    Six nights at any state park inn, plus $75 from The Tennessee Magazine
  • Second place
    Four nights at any state park inn, plus $65
  • Third place
    Three nights at any state park inn, plus $50

Junior Shutterbugs win:

  • First place
    Three nights at any state park inn, plus $75
  • Second place
    Two nights at any state park inn, plus $65
  • Third place
    One night at any state park inn, plus $50

Note: Accommodations subject to availability

Entry Form

 

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