Late spring/early summer is absolutely one of the most beautiful times to live in Tennessee. The mild temperatures and brilliant blue skies just call out for a little extra time listening to the birds from the backyard hammock. In my case, it’s listening to the kids play, but undoubtedly this is a time of year to get outside and enjoy nature’s beauty. As one of my favorite musicians sings, “Life’s way too short to waste it all inside.”
The great weather this time of year does more than just inspire us to spend more time outdoors, though. As winter fades away, it is inevitable that you’ll see neighbors starting yard projects, road builders paving new highways and your local electric cooperative’s lineworkers busy with projects to keep the power flowing.
As the temperature outside rises, so does the amount of time your air conditioner will run to keep the inside of your home cool. That means higher electric bills, sure, but most would agree it is a small price to pay for the comforts of modern society — right? Well, there are some people who hope to use the increased activity outside and your higher electric bill to their advantage so they can separate you from your money.
This is the time of year that I start to hear about scams and attempts to steal from you, using your electric service as a cover story. Please be aware of these real-life schemes so you will not fall victim:
Phone calls asking for payments
You receive a phone call from someone who claims to work at the cooperative offering a friendly reminder that your electric bill is past due. The caller ID may even display the name of the co-op. The caller tells you that you can avoid late fees or having your service disconnected if you make a payment over the phone by giving them a credit card, prepaid debit card or checking account number.
This is a common type of scam called “phishing,” and it works just the same via email. There are lots of variations, but a phishing scam uses common, publicly available information to trick you into believing you are talking to a legitimate individual or institution. Scammers then try to convince you to give up important information like Social Security numbers, bank account numbers or credit card information.
Never provide your private financial information to someone who calls you directly. Many cooperatives offer pay-by-phone options and may even call to tell you that your bill is past-due. But your co-op will never call you to initiate a payment. Make the phone call yourself. And be sure you are calling the phone number provided to you by the co-op. If you ask that same “friendly voice” who dialed you in the first place for a number to call back, the scammer will gladly provide you with his or her own number.
A knock at the door
Two men knock on your front door after parking a large white truck in front of your house. They tell you that they are employees of (or contractors working for) your local cooperative and need to perform some work on the poles along the road. They unload some tools and walk around your property. After a quick trip to the store, you discover the men are gone and your lawnmower and television are missing.
This is an unfortunate but true story that happened to a cooperative member here in Tennessee. Thankfully, the culprits were only interested in stealing property and not in any other more serious crimes. However, it is important to note that if your co-op needs to access your property to perform work, authorized individuals will be driving marked vehicles and carrying identification.
If you have any doubts at all about the legitimacy of the individuals, call the co-op directly to confirm their identity and ask if any work is scheduled at your address.
The “magic” black box
The advertisement you recently saw in a magazine or on the Internet claims that an “amazing new device” will lower your power bill by 30 percent just by plugging it into an outlet. The ad says the device is so effective that “power companies will hate this.”
While I am just as hopeful and excited as you might be for new scientific discoveries, an old adage applies here: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” One of these products, advertised heavily on the Internet, is simply two wires buried in a plastic container of sand.
You will see a lot of these advertisements at the end of the summer and winter but rarely in the spring or fall. Why is that? If you buy this magic box in the first week of September, plug it in and wait for your next electric bill, chances are your bill will, in fact, be dramatically lower. Why? Because temperatures are cooler, your air conditioner is no longer running nonstop, and you used less electricity. But, by the time you figure out the scam, the “money-back guarantee” will have expired — and your wallet will be just a bit thinner.
Touchstone Energy Balloon Team comes to Tennessee
The 37th Annual Chapel Hill Lions Club Super Pull of the South has held on Friday and Saturday night, Aug. 19 and 20, drawing some of the biggest crowds in the history of the event.
The weather was beautiful both nights and the track was in perfect shape as pullers came from all over the country to take part in one of the premier events of the National Tractor Pull Association (NTPA) circuit.
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives were a proud sponsor of the event, and the balloon team was on site for tethered rides both nights. A few lucky co-op staffers and directors had an opportunity to fly with the team.
PEC to interconnect massive solar farm
SELMER, Tenn. — Strata Solar is working with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Pickwick Electric Cooperative to develop the two largest solar energy installations in the Tennessee Valley near Selmer in McNairy County, Tenn.
Strata Solar will build and maintain two 20-megawatt solar farms interconnected to the TVA power system through Pickwick Electric Cooperative. TVA will buy the electricity at market rates under TVA’s Renewable Standard Offer program.
Together, the two installations could generate enough electricity in one year to power 4,000 average homes in the Tennessee Valley.
“This project will add a tremendous amount of solar power to our already strong renewable lineup,” said Patty West, TVA director of Renewable Energy Programs. “Because TVA is purchasing the output at market rates, the electricity will also be among our cheapest solar power, moving us toward our vision of being a national leader in providing low-cost and cleaner energy.”
Current plans call for the solar farms to have more than 160,000 solar panels installed on over 300 acres. Each farm will be four times bigger than the largest current solar installation on the TVA system – the University of Tennessee’s 5-megawatt West Tennessee Solar Farm that opened in 2012 in Haywood County, Tenn.
“We are thrilled to be working with TVA & PEC on these pioneering solar projects,” said Markus Wilhelm, founder and CEO of Strata Solar. “The town of Selmer has been extremely welcoming to Strata and very helpful throughout the project planning. We are looking forward to bringing a wealth of new jobs and an abundance of renewable energy to such a fine city.”
Karl Dudley, president of Pickwick Electric, said, “We are proud to be an integral part of TVA’s goal to build a stronger renewable portfolio. This project will also spur economic development in our area, and that is always a good thing.”
The Strata Solar projects have been accepted into TVA’s Renewable Standard Offer program, pending an environmental review and interconnection studies that must be completed before construction begins. TVA is accepting public comments on the environmental review at www.tva.com/environment/reports/strata/ through Aug. 13, 2013.
TVA currently owns or purchases more than 6,400 megawatts of renewable generation, including 77 megawatts of solar energy. It also supports the renewable energy industry through its Green Power Switch, Green Power Providers, and Solar Solutions Initiatives programs.
Strata Solar LLC, based in Chapel Hill, N.C., is an integrated solar energy company that owns and operates commercial and utility scale solar energy systems. With over 150 megawatts commissioned and a gigawatt under development, Strata is one of the nation’s largest solar integrators. For more information, please visit www.StrataSolar.com.
August employee updates
Each month we share news and updates, promotions and retirements that we receive from our co-ops. Below are updates from August.
Sequachee Valley EC
Sequachee Valley EC’s “Watts Up” Relay for Life team raised more than $11,000 during the Marion County Relay for Life. The SVEC team is consistently one of the top teams for the most money raised in Marion County and last year was the #2 non-corporate team in the entire Chattanooga area. Team members were Cathie Brown, Cheryl Higgins, Chris Cooper, Tiffany Burns, Joan Davis, Bryan Melton, Vickie Paris, Jane Middleton, Lisa Holtcamp, Beth Duggar and Shelby Potterfield.
Pickwick EC
Pickwick Electric Cooperative’s hot line bucket truck foreman Eddy Warren will retire Aug. 30 following a 39-year career with the co-op.
Cumberland EMC
Director changes:
September Template
[button link=”http://tnelectric.org/templates/AUG2013_TEMPLATE.qxp”]Download Template →[/button]
TECA purchases new facility in Nashville
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association announces its purchase of a 14,125-square-foot office building located at 2964 Sidco Drive in the 100 Oaks area of Nashville.
TECA purchased the building from Knestrick Construction, which will continue to operate out of the building as a tenant. The association will occupy approximately 10,000 square feet of space in the recently renovated facility. TECA is in the process of selling its current building on Spence Lane where it has operated for more than 50 years.
“We are excited about the new location,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of TECA. “The central location, Interstate access and close proximity to restaurants and other amenities make this a great location for our association. We will be easily accessible to our member cooperatives from around the state and be near Legislative Plaza, downtown and the airport.”
TECA will continue to operate from its facility at 710 Spence Lane until the relocation is completed in September.
Our future address:
Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association
2964 Sidco Drive, Nashville, TN
View Larger Map
Freedom to choose
Choices. Not quite as American as apple pie, but pretty close. Given the foundations and the relative wealth of our nation, we’re accustomed to having lots of choices in just about everything we do. We like to have choices, whether it’s selecting a movie to watch, buying a car, or deciding on chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or one of the 28 other flavors.
Other choices are more complex and have long-lasting consequences. One of our most complicated choices involves producing enough energy and getting that energy into your home. This continuous process involves thousands of co-op member- owners and employees across the nation every single day.
The Tennessee Valley Authority generates the electricity we deliver, and its task is as challenging as ours. Some decisions in the past may have knocked TVA from its perch as the lowest-cost provider, but TVA has a long history of providing dependable, low-cost power to Tennesseans.
Generating and delivering electricity to your home involves a lot of difficult choices — a difficult-to-achieve balance of providing enough energy and doing so with a limited impact on the environment. It takes a balance of engineering, design and operational efficiency against environmental and safety concerns. Add cost-effectiveness to that list, and you’ve set some tough goals.
Sometimes, we don’t get to choose. There have been countless attempts to craft energy policy at the federal level. Past efforts would have punished the Southeast for our geography. The wind and sun don’t create as much energy in our region as they do in the West and Midwest. And they never will. Tax credits and financial incentives can’t make the wind blow or the sun shine.
To put it succinctly, we don’t need — or want — Washington policymakers making decisions on how we generate our electricity. Political machinations are a poor substitute for meticulous planning and analysis. Even worse, the choices made by outsiders are ours to live with for decades.
Effective energy policy should be about providing choices. Different solutions work better for different parts of the country.
One example: TVA and the Department of Energy recently entered into a partnership developing small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). Together with Babcock & Wilcox, this cooperative effort could lead to a new generation of lower-cost, clean generation capacity. TVA has been evaluating small nuclear reactors for several years. The Clinch River site, which TVA had once slated for a much larger, costlier facility, is where the SMR project will be located.
This type of project is among those needed for a balanced energy future. Energy policy shouldn’t be about picking winners and losers; it should be focused on providing you with an affordable, reliable supply of electricity.
The nation’s electric utilities will need a variety of energy sources, from solar arrays to SMRs, to meet those needs. We can achieve our energy goals; we just need the freedom to make the right choices.
July 2013
[button link=”http://tnelectric.org/tearsheets/July2013_tearsheets.pdf”]View tearsheets →[/button]
2013 Washington Youth Tour
More than 140 high school juniors from across Tennessee experienced an in-depth look at our nation’s capital during the 2013 Rural Electric Youth Tour.
Students from across the state were rewarded with a weeklong tour of Washington, D.C., for writing winning short stories titled “Electric Cooperatives: Powering Your Communities” describing how locally owned, member-controlled electric cooperatives provide valuable community-building support in addition to reliable and affordable electric service.
The Washington Youth Tour is a joint effort of Tennessee’s local electric cooperatives, the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Each school year, cooperatives sponsor a short story contest for high school juniors. Winners are awarded spots on the expense-paid trip to our nation’s capital the following June as part of the Washington Youth Tour. This year’s tour ran June 13-20 and included meeting with elected officials, visits to Washington’s popular tourist stops and time to visit with winners representing other co-ops across the state.
Students on the tour visited the White House and memorials to past presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as well as monuments honoring the sacrifices of veterans of World War II and the Vietnam and Korean conflicts. Strolls through the varied museums of the Smithsonian Institution afforded the students opportunities to learn more about science, history and art. Other fun stops included homes of former presidents — George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Jefferson’s Monticello — a performance of “Shear Madness” at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a boat cruise down the Potomac River and tours of the National Museum of Crime and Punishment, Ford’s Theatre and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
The Youth Tour also included a solemn and sobering visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where the group laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. And the Tennessee group marveled at the precision and skill of the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon at the Sunset Parade, performed in front of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial’s iconic statue re-creating the flag-raising over Iwo Jima during World War II.
No trip to Washington, D.C., would be complete without a lesson or two in government and civics. The group was welcomed to the U.S. Capitol by Reps. Marsha Blackburn and Stephen Fincher, and their staff members treated students to a special after-hours, VIP tour. Students also met Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker as well as former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen. Several representatives also spent some time with their constituents outside the Capitol and posed for photos.
Tennessee’s Youth Tour delegation joined other trip winners from across the country for Youth Day on Monday, June 17. More than 1,500 students came together to swap stories of their Washington experiences. They listened to presentations by former Nebraska State Sen. David Landis, who told, in character, the story of the late U.S. Sen. George W. Norris of Neb., explaining the formation of and the politics surrounding the creation of electric cooperatives and the Rural Electrification Act. And Mike Schlappi, a four-time Paralympic medalist and two-time wheelchair basketball champion, urged the young attendees, “Just because you can’t stand up doesn’t mean you can’t stand out.”
Watching wind grow
Wind energy development in the United States is rushing past recent growth records. For example, 6,819 megawatts of generating capacity were installed in 2011; in 2012, that figure jumped to more than 13,000 MW, according to the American Wind Energy Association. In total, the U.S. has more than 60,000 MW of installed wind power capacity.
Since 1 MW powers 750 to 1,000 average homes, more than 45 million American residences could be powered by wind. I say “could be” because wind doesn’t blow constantly. In fact, in our part of the country, there are very few places where the wind blows consistently enough for it to be a reliable power source. While we can’t rely on wind 24/7, it is one tool to have as part of a balanced generation fuel mix.
The industry boomed thanks to federal subsidies for construction of wind farms, sharp drops in production costs and rural economic development projects. Construction of the turbines themselves, however, is not the full cost associated with installing wind production on the electric grid.
Across the country, 50 electric co-ops either own wind turbines or buy output from wind farms, amounting to 4.3 gigawatts, or about 9 percent of the U.S. wind generating capacity. Of course, states in the Upper Midwest and Great Plains enjoy more opportunities for wind power than most others.
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s wind power site is on Buffalo Mountain near Oak Ridge. In 2004, TVA greatly expanded its wind-generating capacity by adding 15 very large turbines to the three original smaller ones at the site.
The newer turbines expanded the capacity of the Buffalo Mountain site to 29 MW of generation, or enough to power about 3,780 homes, according to TVA. The turbines are about 260 feet tall, and the blades are 135 feet long. They have a capacity of 1.8 MW each. The three original turbines, with a capacity of 660 kilowatts each, are 213 feet tall, and their blades are 75 feet long. Generally, the higher the tower, the better the access to the wind.
The primary federal subsidy for wind power project development — federal production tax credits — is available only to for-profit electric utilities. That means not-for-profit electric cooperatives can’t take advantage of the subsidies. Extension of the production tax credit is a hot topic in Washington, D.C., and the credit is likely to end soon.
To get competitive prices, electric co-ops and their wholesale power providers must sign agreements to buy electricity from private-sector wind projects or arrange long-term leasing agreements with a developer who qualifies for the federal incentives, rather than developing wind projects on their own. This would include the expense of transmitting the power from the Midwest to Tennessee.
While the idea of generating electricity from the wind seems to be a no-brainer — the fuel is free, after all — its costs rob wind power of some of its luster. If your cooperative were to rely upon wind generation to power your home, the utility would also require some form of backup power source to combat the intermittency of the wind. In essence, the utility must have redundant sources of generation. And that is very expensive.
Electric cooperatives are no strangers to innovation. As technology continues to advance, we will work hard to provide you with affordable, reliable electric power in a way that makes the most sense for your community.
To learn about other ways we’re looking out for you, visit www.tnelectric.org.
Best of Tennessee 2013
It’s time for you to have your say in determining the best Tennessee has to offer. We again invite — and urge — you to help name the honorees of the 2013 Best of Tennessee Readers’ Choice Awards, which recognize winners from the three regions of the Volunteer State. And just for nominating your favorites, you’ll be entered in a drawing for entertaining Tennessee-themed prizes. 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 the prize drawing.
You can vote for up to three “Bests” 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.
Our annual “Best of Tennessee” is a fun way to interact with our readers and honor the great aspects of our state.
Official Rules
Best of Tennessee results will be published in the October edition of The Tennessee Magazine. Electric cooperative employees and their immediate families are not eligible for the prize giveaways.
Enter online for a chance to win $250
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.
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.
Aug template
Co-ops alarmed by Obama proposal
NASHVILLE – In a speech today at Georgetown University, President Obama announced a broad federal mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric power plants. The President will instruct federal regulators to apply the Clean Air Act to carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, effectively outlawing coal-burning facilities.
“More than 40 percent of electricity used in Tennessee comes from coal, so the President’s plan will be a disaster for Tennessee families and businesses,” says Mike Knotts, director of government affairs with the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Reliable, low cost electricity is the backbone of the U.S. economy.”
While the President’s plan will impose costly regulations on all consumers, Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are especially concerned about this proposal because rural and low-income Americans already spend disproportionately more on energy than others.
“The President’s proposal will make electricity more expensive, causing families and businesses to sacrifice even more,” says Knotts. “Without question, electric bills will get bigger for the Americans who can least afford to pay them.”
Tennessee’s electric cooperatives will actively monitor this proposal, review its impact on ratepayers and keep members informed and engaged on the issue.
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association represents Tennessee’s 23 not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperatives and the 1.1 million consumers they serve across rural and suburban Tennessee. Click here to learn more and get involved.
# # #
June 2013
Warm weather brings out more than flowers
Late spring/early summer is absolutely one of the most beautiful times to live in Tennessee. The mild temperatures and brilliant blue skies just call out for a little extra time listening to the birds from the backyard hammock. In my case, it’s listening to the kids play, but undoubtedly this is a time of year to get outside and enjoy nature’s beauty. As one of my favorite musicians sings, “Life’s way too short to waste it all inside.”
The great weather this time of year does more than just inspire us to spend more time outdoors, though. As winter fades away, it is inevitable that you’ll see neighbors starting yard projects, road builders paving new highways and your local electric cooperative’s lineworkers busy with projects to keep the power flowing.
As the temperature outside rises, so does the amount of time your air conditioner will run to keep the inside of your home cool. That means higher electric bills, sure, but most would agree it is a small price to pay for the comforts of modern society — right? Well, there are some people who hope to use the increased activity outside and your higher electric bill to their advantage so they can separate you from your money.
This is the time of year that I start to hear about scams and attempts to steal from you, using your electric service as a cover story. Please be aware of these real-life schemes so you will not fall victim:
Phone calls asking for payments
You receive a phone call from someone who claims to work at the cooperative offering a friendly reminder that your electric bill is past due. The caller ID may even display the name of the co-op. The caller tells you that you can avoid late fees or having your service disconnected if you make a payment over the phone by giving them a credit card, prepaid debit card or checking account number.
This is a common type of scam called “phishing,” and it works just the same via email. There are lots of variations, but a phishing scam uses common, publicly available information to trick you into believing you are talking to a legitimate individual or institution. Scammers then try to convince you to give up important information like Social Security numbers, bank account numbers or credit card information.
Never provide your private financial information to someone who calls you directly. Many cooperatives offer pay-by-phone options and may even call to tell you that your bill is past-due. But your co-op will never call you to initiate a payment. Make the phone call yourself. And be sure you are calling the phone number provided to you by the co-op. If you ask that same “friendly voice” who dialed you in the first place for a number to call back, the scammer will gladly provide you with his or her own number.
A knock at the door
Two men knock on your front door after parking a large white truck in front of your house. They tell you that they are employees of (or contractors working for) your local cooperative and need to perform some work on the poles along the road. They unload some tools and walk around your property. After a quick trip to the store, you discover the men are gone and your lawnmower and television are missing.
This is an unfortunate but true story that happened to a cooperative member here in Tennessee. Thankfully, the culprits were only interested in stealing property and not in any other more serious crimes. However, it is important to note that if your co-op needs to access your property to perform work, authorized individuals will be driving marked vehicles and carrying identification.
If you have any doubts at all about the legitimacy of the individuals, call the co-op directly to confirm their identity and ask if any work is scheduled at your address.
The “magic” black box
The advertisement you recently saw in a magazine or on the Internet claims that an “amazing new device” will lower your power bill by 30 percent just by plugging it into an outlet. The ad says the device is so effective that “power companies will hate this.”
While I am just as hopeful and excited as you might be for new scientific discoveries, an old adage applies here: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” One of these products, advertised heavily on the Internet, is simply two wires buried in a plastic container of sand.
You will see a lot of these advertisements at the end of the summer and winter but rarely in the spring or fall. Why is that? If you buy this magic box in the first week of September, plug it in and wait for your next electric bill, chances are your bill will, in fact, be dramatically lower. Why? Because temperatures are cooler, your air conditioner is no longer running nonstop, and you used less electricity. But, by the time you figure out the scam, the “money-back guarantee” will have expired — and your wallet will be just a bit thinner.
Electricity Comes to Us
Always looking to expand my mind, I recently purchased an educational text on electricity. It is written on a level that takes this technically complex product and puts it on a down-to-earth level. The authors, both university professors, do a great job of explaining this innovative product and the ways it impacts people’s everyday lives.
The book, “Electricity Comes to Us,” was published in 1937. Reading it today is a lot like opening a time capsule and trying to imagine what life was like in that era.
The book, “Electricity Comes to Us,” was published in 1937. Reading it today is a lot like opening a time capsule and trying to imagine what life was like in that era.
For the period in which it was written, the book does a great job explaining electricity, which at that time was far from universally available. The text walks through how electricity is generated, transmitted to homes and used by individuals. It even describes how to electrify a doll house. (We don’t recommend that!)
The section of the book that explains how electricity travels from the generating station (hydroelectric or coal) to homes is titled “The City Power Lines.” Not only was electricity carried into the city at 550 volts, it wasn’t carried into rural areas at any voltage.
Today, even the most remote part of Tennessee is likely to have nearby distribution lines that carry electricity at 7,200 volts or greater.
The advances in the distribution of electricity made me ponder the book as a time capsule. What went through the minds of the authors when they described how electricity was used? There is a drawing of an electric toaster in the book that was innovative and futuristic then but would be terribly unsafe in any home today.
Here’s how my friend Paul Wesslund frames that thought in a recent Kentucky Living magazine column:
“How didn’t you use electricity 40 years ago? You didn’t use it to charge a mobile phone or an iPhone. You might have used it when you switched on your record turntable to play music from a 12-inch, black, vinyl disk.
You most likely didn’t use it to power a computer. And even if you did have one of those garage-sized machines, there was no Internet to connect it to hundreds of millions of people, libraries and businesses all over the world.
Today, electric cars, solar and wind energy and efficiency practices are turning from novelties into more commonplace power practices. In 1973 these energy options were so expensive they seemed like science fiction.
The list goes on: TV remote controls, microwave ovens, flat-screen TVs, GPS, hospital MRIs.
“Which of those things could you have confidently predicted in 1973? What are your predictions for 2053?”
The authors of “Electricity Comes to Us” could not have possibly fathomed the many ways we generate and use electricity today. I don’t know that anyone could have done so. Given the advances that have transpired since 1937, I don’t know that our predictions for 2053 would be any better.
It’s difficult enough to maintain today’s electric grid. And the rapidity with which technology advances, it’s difficult and expensive to plan for the future. However, the goal today is the same as it was in 1937: to bring electricity to the homes of the user. No matter how you’ll use electricity in 2053, we’ll be here to bring it to you.
Summer Safety Tips
When the weather gets hot, we head outdoors for sun and fun. Keep in mind some tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation International to make sure everyone has a safe summer.
Water and electricity don’t mix
Summer is the season for swimming and boating, and awareness of electrical hazards around water can prevent deaths and injuries. Water and electricity don’t mix.
Lightning and storms
Lightning strikes are fatal in 10 percent of victims, and 70 percent suffer serious long-term effects, according to the National Weather Service. Because lightning can travel sideways for up to 10 miles, blue skies are not a sign of safety. If you hear thunder, take cover.
Working with large appliances
If your air conditioner goes out, keep a few things in mind before you start poking around. Large appliances, such as air conditioners, are responsible for almost 20 percent of consumer-product electrocutions each year.
Find more safety tips at esfi.org.
Tennessee supports Moore, Okla., co-op
In a small show of our support and encouragement, the electric cooperatives of Tennessee provided breakfast for 150 recovery workers at Norman-based Oklahoma Electric Cooperative earlier today. OEC serves areas in and around Moore.
The sign below was displayed to let the people at OEC know that our thoughts and prayers are with them today.
The images and stories coming out of Oklahoma in the past few days have been both heroic and heartbreaking. The recovery is just beginning, and there is certainly a long road ahead for the people of Moore and the surrounding areas.
Watson named Duck River EMC President
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation Vice President Michael Watson has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Board Chairman Brent Willis announced today.
Watson will succeed President/CEO Jim Allison who will retire at the end of June, ending a 13 year career with the cooperative. He will be the eighth manager/CEO in the Cooperative’s 77 year existence.
“Michael has served the cooperative as Vice President for the past year and has proven his exemplary performance as he led DREMC through an extensive technology expansion program and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) roll-out. He was selected from a pool of more than 50 applicants as the Board of Directors conducted a national search through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Executive Search Program,” Willis explained.
“Duck River Electric is a vital part of the utility infrastructure in the counties and communities it serves in south central Tennessee, providing electricity to more than 71,000 meters. It is critically important that the person heading this organization be immensely qualified and capable of leading the more than 155 employees charged with delivering safe, reliable electric service to the Cooperative’s member owners. The Board of Directors felt that of the many qualified candidates interviewed for the position, Michael is that person,” Willis added.
Watson began his career with Duck River Electric in 1992 as an Electrical Engineer, working in the headquarters Engineering Department. He was later named District Manager overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Shelbyville/Lynchburg District. He then served as Director of Operations prior to being named Vice President in 2012, having direct supervision over the Cooperative’s Engineering and Operations Departments, as well as all five District Managers. He was recently recognized by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for his outstanding work in research and development in the area of Power Delivery and Utilization, specifically the collection and analysis of data involving power transformer and circuit breaker fleet management.
He is a native of Memphis and a graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering, The University of Memphis with a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Tennessee. Prior to joining Duck River Electric Watson worked with Memphis Light, Gas and Water as a Substation and Protective Relay Engineer. He is married to Dr. Dianne Watson, a Shelbyville Dentist, and they have three children, Ruth, Will and Wes.
“It has been a pleasure working with Michael as he has grown in his responsibilities over the course of his career with DREMC. Because of his knowledge and experience I feel the cooperative is being left in good hands and there will be a smooth transition as I retire from Duck River Electric,” Allison said.
Duck River Electric, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, is an electric distribution cooperative with its headquarters in Shelbyville, TN serving all or portions of 16 counties in south central Tennessee with safe, reliable electric service.
July template
[button link=”http://tnelectric.org/templates/JULY2013_TEMPLATE_v7.qxp”]Download Template →[/button]
Touchstone Energy Update
Touchstone Energy Update by Scott Bialick, Touchstone Energy Cooperatives
[button link=”http://tnelectric.org/presentations/2013MMSC_tse.pdf”]View presentation[/button]