SECO Energy announced today it has been named a “5-Star Co-op” by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). NRECA is the national organization that represents the nation’s 900+ not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. With 42 million members in 48 states, electric co-ops can stand together as a powerful voice in this year’s elections.
The 5-star designation recognizes SECO Energy’s high level of participation in Co-ops Vote, a national get-out-the-vote campaign. The non-partisan campaign seeks to engage voters and boost turnout in areas served by electric co-ops. The 5-star status marks the highest level of engagement in Co-ops Vote and is achieved when a participating co-op completes five or more program activities.
SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Voting is an important right that too many citizens across the nation don’t embrace but SECO is fortunate to have a higher-than-average level of participation in the Central Florida counties we serve. Elections are important and SECO uses the Co-ops Vote program to increase awareness of civic duty on Election Day and every day. We’re honored to be recognized by NRECA for being a Co-ops Vote award winner.”
SECO Energy encourages member participation in the democratic process on a local, state and federal level. The cooperative’s members can find out more about legislation affecting the energy industry, how to register and where to cast their vote by visiting our Legislative Corner.
The Co-ops Vote program makes a difference in the communities SECO serves by giving a voice to SECO Energy members related to issues affecting affordable, reliable electric service. Learn more about Co-ops Vote and subscribe to updates at Vote.coop.The seven cooperative principles include the premise of participation in the political process. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO supports these principles and encourages its members to engage in the political process and make their voices heard at the local, state and national level.
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SECO Energy members residing in District 4 re-elected incumbent Trustee Richard Dennison. A large crowd of District 4 members gathered at the Marion Oaks Community Center on February 20 to elect a Trustee to represent their District on SECO’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Dennison currently holds an officer position on the Board as Vice President.
SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO members who reside in the District elect one of their fellow members to serve on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the members at large.”
Mr. Dennison declared his willingness to serve the members of District 4 by submitting his letter of intent to run for Trustee. Elected Trustees serve a three-year term. A SECO member since 1999, Trustee Dennison lives in Ocala and was first elected to the Board in 2015. Mr. Dennison ran unopposed and even though Mr. Dennison was the only candidate, the Bylaws require that SECO hold a District Meeting. Subsequently, Florida Statute requires SECO to hold in-person elections.
Trustee Dennison stated, “I began my campaign months ago and am grateful for the members in District 4 who came out today and voted to re-elect me as the District 4 Trustee. It is truly an honor that my fellow members have continued to place their faith in me. I want you to know it is a pleasure to work in this role at SECO because we all get along for the good of the cooperative. The Board members, the senior management and the employees of this well-run company make this work fulfilling.”
President Jerry Hatfield stated, “Congratulations, Mr. Dennison on your re-election as District 4 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we look forward to continue working with you.”
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “I would like to thank the members of District 4 for engaging with SECO in the democratic process to elect a Trustee to represent your District. Congratulations Mr. Dennison on re-election as District 4 Trustee. I appreciate your community-minded enthusiasm and your dedication to your fellow members.”
Visit our Board of Trustees page to view a photo and brief bio of SECO’s Trustees along with a District Map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy congratulates five members of its Board of Trustees who have completed the necessary coursework to maintain their Director Gold Credentials from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The five Trustees are: Board President and District 9 Trustee Jerry Hatfield; Board Secretary/Treasurer and District 8 Trustee William James; District 2 Trustee Dillard Boyatt; District 5 Trustee Ray Vick; and District 6 Trustee Earl Muffett.
To earn Director Gold, Trustees must first complete the Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) and the Board Leadership Certificate (BLC). The Director Gold Credential Program (DGC) offers Trustees and Directors the opportunity to enhance their education to better support their cooperatives. Trustees Hatfield, James, Boyatt, Vick and Muffett earned their Director Gold Credentials and continued to attend courses through the NRECA to maintain their Director Gold status.
SECO Energy’s service area is geographically divided into nine Districts. Members in each District elect one member from the District to represent the District on SECO’s Board of Trustees and the membership at large. Trustees are elected to oversee the governance of the cooperative.
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Congratulations, gentlemen, on continuing your Trustee education through the NRECA. Our Board of Trustees is an active, engaged group who has assisted SECO during times of high member satisfaction and improved reliability. Thank you, gentlemen, for your commitment to SECO members and your communities through your Board service.”
Visit our Board of Trustees page to view a short bio of SECO Energy’s Trustees and a District Map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy members residing in District 2 elected Joyce Anderson as their new Trustee. District 2 members gathered at the Sumter County School Board building on February 11 to elect a Trustee to represent their District on SECO’s Board of Trustees. Ms. Anderson lives in Sumterville and is the first woman to be elected to the SECO Energy Board of Trustees.
SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO members who reside in the District elect one of their fellow members to serve on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the members at large.”
Along with Ms. Joyce C. Anderson of Sumterville; from The Villages Mr. John F. Baileys; Mr. Joe W. Elliott; Mr. Peter N. Hill; Mr. Neil R. Hoffman; Mr. Lee R. Linn; and Mr. Dale J. Williams declared their willingness to serve the members of District 2 by submitting their letter of intent to run for Trustee. Elected Trustees serve a three-year term. Trustee-elect Anderson will attend her first official Board of Trustees’ meeting on Monday, March 30.
Trustee-elect Anderson stated, “I am excited and honored to serve as a SECO Energy Trustee, and proud to be the first woman elected to the Board. I greatly appreciate the support of my fellow District 2 members. SECO members and continued member satisfaction will be my highest priority.”
President Jerry Hatfield stated, “Congratulations, Ms. Anderson on your election as District 2 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we welcome you and look forward to working with you.”
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Congratulations Ms. Anderson on your election as District 2 Trustee. Thank you to the members in District 2 who assembled to democratically elect your new Trustee to represent your District on the Board. In District 2, a total of seven candidates expressed a willingness to serve their fellow members and the membership at large.”
Duncan continued, “Thank you Mr. Baileys, Mr. Elliott, Mr. Hill, Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Linn and Mr. Williams for your interest. It is truly amazing to have seven candidates eager to be of service to their cooperative and our members.”
Visit our Board of Trustees page to view a photo and brief bio of SECO’s Trustees along with a District Map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy has once again been honored as a Tree Line USA Utility by the Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Line USA recognizes best practices in utility arboriculture. This is the eleventh year that SECO has received this honor.
The Arbor Day Foundation was founded in 1972 and its mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. The Foundation recognizes that communities depend on safe, reliable electricity to power homes and businesses, while protecting and enhancing community treescapes.
Tree Line USA recognition is awarded to utilities that follow the Arbor Day Foundation’s five core standards of Quality Tree Care; Annual Worker Training; Tree Planting and Public Education; Tree-based Energy Conservation Program; and participating in an Arbor Day Celebration.
“Trees are a critical part of urban landscapes all across the United States,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “They provide important benefits to residents, including clean air, clean water and a tolerable climate. Service providers like SECO Energy demonstrate that it’s possible for trees and utilities to co-exist for the benefit of communities and citizens.”
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “The SECO Energy team is extremely proud to once again be recognized as a Tree Line USA Utility by the Arbor Day Foundation. Central Florida is a natural paradise, we understand our members love their trees and landscaping and expect their cooperative to maintain reliable service. The Arbor Day’s five core standards enable SECO to find the proper balance between member reliability and encouraging a healthy tree canopy.”
SECO Energy Vice President of Operations John LaSelva stated, “Maintaining SECO’s Tree Line USA Utility status is a priority for our Vegetation Management team. The National Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Line USA Utility status benefits our service area by strengthening our urban forest and reducing tree-related outages. On behalf of the SECO’s executive leadership and the Vegetation Management team, we are honored to receive the 2020 Tree Line USA designation.”
Visit our Right Tree, Right Place page to learn how strategically planted trees can help reduce energy usage. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy members voted to elect Mr. Michael E. Muffett as their new District 6 Trustee. District 6 members gathered at the Village View Community Church on February 4 to elect a Trustee to represent their District on SECO’s Board. Mr. Muffett lives in Summerfield and has been a SECO member for over 35 years.
SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO members who reside in the District elect one of their fellow members to serve on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the members at large.”
Along with Mr. Michael E. Muffett, Mr. Tom Ford and Mr. Mark L. Wade from Summerfield declared their willingness to serve the members of District 6 by submitting their letter of intent to run for Trustee. Elected Trustees serve a three-year term. Trustee-elect Muffett will attend his first official Board of Trustees’ meeting on Monday, March 30.
Trustee-elect Mr. Muffett is looking forward to his Board service. Mr. Muffett stated, “First, I want to thank the members for attending last night’s District 6 Meeting and thank you to my fellow candidates who were prepared to serve our fellow District 6 members of SECO’s Board. I am excited to begin my Board service and eager to use this opportunity to expand my service to our local communities.”
President Jerry Hatfield stated, “Congratulations, Mr. Muffett, on your election as District 6 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we welcome you and look forward to working with you.”
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Thank you District 6 members for gathering this evening to elect your new Trustee. Congratulations, Trustee-elect Muffett, on your election as District 6 Trustee. I would also like to thank Mr. Ford and Mr. Wade for their interest to serve as District 6 Trustee and the membership at large.”
View a photo and brief bio of SECO’s Trustees along with a District Map online. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
Central Floridians experienced extreme temperature variations in January 2020 with very warm daytime temperatures that reached as high as 86 degrees and overnight temperatures that dipped into the 30s and 40.
The monthly average temperature was a balmy 64 degrees – which was 6 degrees warmer than the average temperature in January 2019. The highest daily recorded temperature was 86 degrees and the lowest daily recorded temperature was 34 degrees. That’s a fluctuation of 52 degrees between hot and cold so most likely both cooling and heating units ran in January.
January 2020’s average high temperature was 74 degrees with an average low of 54. In Janaury 2019, the average high temperature was 69 degrees while the average low temperature was 47 degrees.
January 2020 low temperatures were so cold that frozen iguanas in Florida became a common sight. Locally we enjoyed 9 days of high temperatures over 80 degrees in Janaury 2020 and 11 days of low temps in the 30s and 40s. Rainfall for the month was lower than average at only .46 inches. Rainfall for January 2019 was much higher than 2020 at 3.02 inches.
Members who used heat during the colder mornings and cooling in the warmer afternoons can expect to see an increase in energy consumption on their January billing statement. ENERGY STAR recommends setting your heat to no higher than 68 degrees during the winter months.
Have you scheduled an annual HVAC service? January and February are typically the coldest months in Florida. A well-maintained unit runs more efficiently and helps lower your energy usage. Read more about HVAC service and maintenance in November SECO News.
February 2020 forecast:
February 2020 is forecast for an average high of 76 degrees most days in the month reaching temperatures in the mid-70s and 80s. The average low is forecast at 56 degrees with low temperatures dipping into the 40s and 50s. Precipitation levels are forecast to be low with the best chance for rain early in the month.
To check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and consumption charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.
To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator.
Swallow-tailed kites are easily recognizable with their black and white plumage and deeply forked tails. Males and females are similar in appearance, size and weight. An average swallow-tailed kite’s body measures 20 to 27 inches and weighs 11 to 21 ounces. This kite’s impressive wingspan measures 3.7 to 4.5 feet.
Swallow-tailed kites are migratory raptors. In the spring, it travels from Central and South America to Florida to breed. Wetland forests are the kite’s preferred nesting grounds. Kites build nests in loblolly pine or bald cypress trees. Their diet includes insects and small animals, including frogs, anoles and snakes.
Historically, kites could be found as far north as Minnesota. In the U.S., kites are found mostly in Florida with small numbers in other southeastern states. Swallow-tailed kites are not listed as endangered or threatened by the federal government. The species’ greatest threat is habitat destruction. The future of swallow-tailed kites depends on the protection of lowland forests throughout its breeding range.
SECO Energy’s Engineering department recently embarked on a solar and battery energy storage pilot project. If you travel County Road 470 near our Sumterville headquarters, you may have noticed the new 6,000-watt solar array installed just outside the fence on the southeast corner of our Sumterville substation.
The goal of the project is to learn more about solar arrays, battery storage and how battery-stored energy feeds back into our system. This knowledge will also prepare SECO employees assisting members who are interested in solar and battery storage investments at their homes or businesses.
We contracted with local solar array vendor Solar Trek to construct the 6,000-watt ground-mounted solar array and battery storage system. The panels are positioned to face south for maximum sun exposure.
The array was built to offset the utility-supplied power that is required to serve the load in the substation’s switchgear enclosure. You can see the solar array from the road, but the energy storage batteries are housed in a cabinet outside of the substation switchgear.
Solar systems – whether installed residentially or commercially – produce energy from the sun in the form of direct current (DC). Inverters are installed on each solar panel to convert the DC power produced by the panels to alternating current (AC) that is usable in homes and businesses.
The solar panels will produce an anticipated average of 25 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day or approximately 750 kWh per month. Each panel is connected to a micro-inverter that maximizes efficiency by converting DC to AC power at the panel. The battery storage is configured for charge by the solar system.
This stored energy is released onto SECO’s electric system twice per day, at 9 a.m. and before 6 p.m.
The pilot project offers a variety of data for SECO’s Engineering staff to collect and study. SECO will measure the amount of AC power produced by the panels and the amount of energy the battery inverters will use to convert AC to DC then back to AC voltage. Also, SECO will assess the amount of energy required to charge the batteries and how much energy the battery inverter uses to convert DC to AC voltage.
Ultimately, we will monitor the collected data to compare the costs and benefits of energy storage and the impact of possible investments in future large-scale solar enterprises.
Sincerely,
Jim Duncan
Chief Executive Officer
SECO Champion – Surgeo The Surge MitiGator™
Length of Warranty: 15 Years
Power surges are sudden, powerful increases in voltage that can damage or destroy household appliances and sensitive electronics. The common cause of power surges is lightning, but small animals, trees, birds or vehicles crashing into SECO Energy poles or lines also cause surges.
For just pennies a day, SECO’s Surge MitiGator™ helps take the bite out of damaging power surges and spikes that can occur at your home. The Surge MitiGator™ is installed at the electric meter to help prevent high voltage spikes and surges from entering your home and sending voltage into your large appliances.
Sign up online before March 31 and receive $25 off installation. Lease the Surge MitiGator™ for only $5.95 per month plus tax with free installation for 200-amp residential services. For services over 200 amps, installation is reduced to $75. Or you can purchase the protection for $349 to $399 with free installation for online enrollments.
This valuable protection is “Made in the USA” and includes a beastly warranty. Sign up for the Surge MitiGator™ protection online to receive $25 off installation.
Advice from The Old Farmer’s Almanac
FEBRUARY IS THE MONTH OF LOVE! Are you planning a wedding? The Old Farmer’s Almanac has chosen the best days to get married in February 2020 are 12th and 13th just in time for Valentine’s Day on the 14th. Take your new spouse on a honeymoon camping trip on the 16th and 17th. Thinking of buying a new home? The best days to buy are the 2nd and the 7th. If you are selling a home, the best days to sell are the 28th and 29th. The best days to ask for a loan are the 11th and the 15th.
Area Light Out?
SECO Energy’s online StormCenter outage reporting and communications platform also includes LightFinder – our easy, convenient area light outage reporting tool. Use LightFinder to report area light malfunctions including a light outage, a day burner, flickering light or another issue.
LightFinder is available 24/7 at SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter. Choose the LightFinder tile. In the search bar, find the area light by entering the pole number or near address to locate. An icon represents each SECO-served area light. Click on the icon to report the light malfunction. Review the light’s details and add comments if needed. Include your email address in the submission to receive updates about the light’s repair status.
A green light icon indicates there is no known area light issue. When an area light trouble ticket is issued, the icon turns red. Lights represented by an orange icon have been repaired in the last 24 hours. Member-owned lights are shown as a blue icon and inactive lights are indicated by a gray icon.
SECO repairs most area light issues in less than 24 hours.
Energy Estimator
Are you interested in determining the energy use per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of the electronics and appliances in your home? Our online Energy Estimator calculates the amount of energy and associated cost.
With spring around the corner, are you thinking of adding a new hot tub, buying an electric golf cart/car or building a new swimming pool? Use the Energy Estimator for an estimate of how your energy usage and costs may change.
To use the Estimator, gather information about your home’s electronics’ wattage and hours per day usage. Don’t forget about water heating, refrigeration, laundry, cooking, lighting and miscellaneous electronics. The Energy Estimator will break down the energy costs for each item annually and monthly. Calculations are based on 1,000 kWh usage with SECO’s current Power Cost Adjustment (PCA/Hot Bucks) credit applied.
Explore the Energy Estimator tool online. Input the wattage and daily hours used for each electronic and appliance in your home. To receive energy-savings suggestions via email, provide your email address and submit.
