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Month: January 2022

SECO Energy Offers Tribute for Board Service and Condolences for the Passing of Trustee Ray Vick

SECO Energy mourns the passing of its longest tenured District 5 Trustee, Mr. Ray Vick. Serving District 5 in Citrus County in the Inverness area of SECO Energy’s service territory, Mr. Vick’s tenure on the Board of Trustees began in 1980 until his passing on January 20, 2022. The not-for-profit cooperative extends its sincere condolences to Mr. Vick’s family and loved ones.

 

SECO’s Board of Trustees represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the cooperative’s financial status while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the membership at large.

 

Mr. Vick played several pivotal roles as an elected Trustee serving as Board President for twelve years. He also served for five years as Vice President and four years as Secretary/Treasurer. He had a quiet and confident demeanor. A committed member of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Vick provided his insight and wisdom to his fellow Trustees and the executive management team for a total of 42 years of service on the Board.

 

Newly hired SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn stated, “Although I did not have the chance to work with Mr. Vick personally, I’m able to recognize his servant leadership through his lengthy tenure and unwavering dedication to SECO Energy.” Wynn added, “The effects of Mr. Vick’s work and legacy will continue here at SECO for years to come.”

 

Mr. Vick’s advocacy extended to the community by supporting the Citrus County Youth Fair projects. He was a strong supporter of SECO Energy’s Scholarship program and SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program.

 

Board of Trustee President Richard Dennison stated, “I had the distinct pleasure of serving with Ray Vick on the Board of Trustees for a number of years. He was a staunch believer in SECO Energy’s purpose and core values. His contributions have helped shape SECO Energy’s fiscal soundness, environmental stewardship and community support initiatives.”

 

The employees, fellow Trustees and leadership team will miss Mr. Vick’s compassionate nature and thoughtful insight. The cooperative extends its collective and deep condolences to Mr. Vick’s family during this difficult time.

 

Mr. Vick had decided late last year not to seek re-election as a District 5 Trustee. A new Trustee will be elected at the upcoming February 1 District 5 Meeting scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm at the Inverness Middle School. Drive-thru voting will be available in the school parking lot for those who prefer not to gather in a group setting in the school cafeteria. Social distancing and masks are encouraged if members choose to come inside to register and vote.

 

Learn more about the SECO Energy Board of Trustees.

 

SECO Energy Prize Drawing Promotes Energy Savings for Cold Weekend Weather Alert

Prize winners, we will ship physical prizes to your service address. Bill credits will appear on your next billing statement.

 

$500 bill credit: Rory Davis, Wildwood; Charles Perry, Astatula; and William Westmoreland, Inverness

 

NEST Learning Thermostat: Mark Piazza, The Villages; Dawn Finney, Umatilla; and Carolyn Clement

 

HoneyWell Wi-Fi Thermostat: Victoria Pierce, Minneola; Bryce Lemke, Clermont; and Marla Feichtenbiner, Ocala

 

Apple TV box: Yushica Vaughns Johnson, The Villages; Krystal O’Brien, Eustis; and Vicky Mikrut, Belleview

 

iPad: Henry Frick, Tavares; Clint Louton, Mount Dora; and Troy Davidson, Groveland
SECO Energy is preparing for a cold weather event this weekend. Temperatures will plunge into the low 20s in some portions of the Central Florida SECO service area and the low 30s in other parts. SECO is proactively taking action with our wholesale power provider, Seminole Electric, to ensure that the grid remains stable and that system reliability for SECO members is unaffected.

 

SECO Energy is asking its members to assist the cooperative with ensuring grid stability over the weekend starting on Friday at 9 p.m. through Sunday until 9 p.m. Members are asked to lower their thermostats to 65 degrees for the duration of the event to save money, save energy and preserve grid stability. ENERGY STAR recommends a regular setting of 68 degrees in the winter, so we are only asking for a small adjustment to the normal setting. Members can also lower their water heater temperature down to below 120 degrees and curtail household tasks like doing laundry and running the dishwasher.

 

Members who show thermostat participation in this energy-curtailing event will be entered to win great prizes. To enter, send a photo of the thermostat set at 65 degrees or lower. Include account holder’s last name, service address or account number for verification. Email photos to STAT@SECOEnergy.com or text to (352) 325-1108. Photos can also be sent through Facebook or Messenger. Deadline to submit thermostat photos is 9 p.m. on Sunday.

 

Prizes up for grabs in the random drawing are:
• Three $500 SECO Energy bill credits
• Three NEST Learning Thermostats
• Three HoneyWell Wi-Fi thermostats
• Three Apple TV boxes
• Three iPad’s (9th Generation)

 

SECO will announce the winners on Monday by 5 p.m. CEO Curtis Wynn stated, “Please take action and prepare for the colder-than-average temperatures predicted for our service area this weekend. SECO Energy will have employees, field crews and contractors ready to respond to outages that occur due to the cold weather. Thank you in advance for collectively and cooperatively reducing energy use this weekend and keeping the statewide grid stable by lowering your thermostat to 65 degrees or less.”

 

Wynn added, “Our outage reporting platform StormCenter is available online 24/7 for members to report outages or check the status of an existing outage. Be sure your contact information is up-to-date and enroll in outage notifications via email, text, voice or all three.” Visit Manage Notifications through StormCenter.

 

Shelter resource information is available at the Florida Disaster Special Needs Registry. Visit the website and register with your county.

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

 

SECO Energy District 1 Members Re-elect Trustee Scott Boyatt

SECO Energy members who reside in District 1 re-elected Trustee Scott Boyatt to serve on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. The meeting was held in the District on Tuesday, January 25, at Pine Ridge Elementary School in Clermont for the purpose of electing a Trustee to represent District 1 on SECO’s Board of Trustees.

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO’s service area is geographically divided into nine Districts. One Trustee is elected from each of the nine Districts to represent their fellow members on SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. 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 membership at large.

 

Trustee Boyatt submitted a letter of intent to seek re-election as a SECO Energy Trustee in January and ran unopposed. SECO’s Bylaws currently require that the cooperative hold District Meetings. Subsequently, Florida Statute requires SECO to hold in-person elections if the cooperative continues to hold District Meetings as a means of electing Trustees. District 1 Meeting was held as a drive-thru-only voting option to protect the health and wellbeing of employees and members from COVID risk.

 

Since SECO’s new CEO Curtis Wynn wasn’t able to address the attendees in an indoor venue, SECO developed a video of his District 1 address. It is viewable on the District Meetings & Elections website section. It is also published on SECO’s YouTube Channel.

 

A SECO member since 2004, Trustee Boyatt resides in Clermont and was first elected to the SECO Energy Board of Trustees in 2013. Since 2019, Mr. Boyatt has earned and maintained his Director Gold Credentials which is the highest educational achievement available from the NRECA (National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association).

 

Trustee Boyatt is looking forward to continuing his Board service for a new three-year term. Mr. Boyatt stated, “I am proud to be a part of the SECO Energy Board of Trustees and enjoy working closely with the cooperative’s senior management team. During my nine-year Board tenure, we have earned three prestigious J.D. Power awards for customer satisfaction through the hard work and dedication of SECO’s senior leadership team and, most importantly, its 400 employees. As Trustee, I strive to keep members at the forefront of our vision and decision making.”

 

Board president Richard Dennison stated, “Congratulations, Mr. Boyatt, on your re-election as District 1 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we look forward to working with you to continue SECO Energy’s future success.”

 

CEO Curtis Wynn stated, “Mr. Boyatt, congratulations on your re-election. I am grateful for your continued Board service and dedication to SECO Energy’s members and cooperative purpose. For the District 1 members who participated in the election process in the drive-thru format, thank you for entrusting Mr. Boyatt to serve as your District 1 representative on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees.”

 

View a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map. “Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

 

December 2021 Sunshine State Stats

December 2021 weather brought lots of sunshine, little rain and no snow for Christmas in Central Florida. The average temperature for the month was 70 degrees, which was 4 degrees warmer than the average temp in November 2021, and a whopping 12 degrees warmer than the average temp in December 2020. The average high temperature was 80 degrees while the average low was 59.

 

 

The highest daily recorded temperature in December was 85 degrees and the lowest was 45 – both the highest and lowest recorded temps were the same as November 2021. Rainfall decreased this month to 1.86 inches and is below December’s average of 3.19 inches.

 

In December 2021, 18 days of the month the daily hig temperature reached 80 degrees or over. Evenings and mornings were cool with lows that averaged in the 50s and 60s with some extremes into the 40s.

 

Members may notice their energy usage for December 2021 increase from November 2021 if the warmer daily temps and cooler night and mornings had you running both cooling and heating during the month. Daily temperature fluctuations, along with Florida’s humidity mean HVACs will run for longer periods of time and more frequently to keep temperatures stable inside the home. Wide daily temperature fluctuations also increase HVAC usage. In December 2021, the largest daily temperature fluctuation was 29 degrees.

 

January forecast:

 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts winter in Florida will be colder than usual. Prepare for cold or freezing temperatures in January and into early February. Precipitation will also be above average.

 

With temperatures running colder than average, your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) unit may run longer and more frequently this year than in previous years. Now is the time to schedule an HVAC service call with a licensed technician. Read December 2021 SECO News to learn more about scheduling a winter HVAC service.

 

For January 2021, The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts the temperature will average 55 degrees for the month, which is 5 degrees below average. Precipitation is forecast to be 2.5 inches for the month, which is average. 3 inches above average. Look for the month to start off warm with daily highs in the low 80s. A cold front in the second week of January brings temperatures down. Lows will dip into the 50s and 40s.

 

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.

 

SECO Energy Offers Scholarships for Energy Industry Students

SECO Energy is offering a total of $36,000 in scholarships for students interested in pursuing a career in the energy industry. At a recent Board of Trustees’ meeting, SECO’s Board approved the 2022 SECO Scholarship Program for up to 12 recipients to receive a $3,000 scholarship each. Scholarship winners may also be eligible for ongoing financial support from SECO Energy throughout their studies.

 

The scholarship program is open to high school seniors who are graduating in May/June 2022. Applicants must live in a home served by SECO Energy and plan to pursue a career in the energy industry. Awardees must also be enrolled full-time by the end of 2022 in a vocational/technical school or accredited college/university located in Florida. Qualifying certifications or degrees are in technology, engineering, math or business.

 

SECO Energy is hiring and wants to connect with students who are potential employees through its Scholarship Program. According to the 2021 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), Florida currently employs 113,766 traditional energy workers statewide. The number of traditional energy jobs in Florida has declined by 9% from 2020. Much of the decline can be attributed to the high number of energy industry workers who have reached retirement age. SECO Energy must recruit a steady stream of applicants to fill both replacement and new positions in a growing industry.

 

CEO Curtis Wynn encourages students to pursue a career in the energy industry. Wynn stated, “SECO’s Scholarship Program is a recruiting tool that helps us attract local students entering the energy field. The energy industry and SECO Energy are hiring bright, career-minded individuals for positions that offer competitive wages. We hope to engage with students who want hands-on experience through paid-internship opportunities, our apprenticeship program or as a new employee on one of our dynamic teams.”

 

Wynn continued, “As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO Energy prioritizes community support, environmental stewardship, corporate citizenship and sustainability. SECO provides employees with a pension plan which is a hard-to-find benefit and a robust 401k match. We offer a high-quality, low-cost medical plan, along with dental and vision coverage. With a generous paid-time-off program, student loan reimbursement and employment referral program, SECO is an essential employer that offers internal advancement opportunities in growing fields like electric vehicle charging and solar energy.”

 

Scholarship applications are available online beginning January 3, 2022. Paper applications are available at SECO’s five Member Service Centers located in Eustis, Groveland, Inverness, Ocala and Sumterville. Completed applications must be received by SECO Energy no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, March 25, 2022.

 

Ready to apply for employment today? Visit Careers at SECOEnergy.com to view open positions and set notifications for new postings. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

 

SECO News January 2022

SECO News January 2022 Message From Board President And District 4 Trustee Richard Dennison

Dear Members,

 

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and SECO Energy, please join us in welcoming Curtis Wynn as our new CEO. Mr. Wynn takes the helm on January 4, stepping into Jim Duncan’s role as he retires after a distinguished 43-year SECO career. 

 

Mr. Wynn’s energy industry career is rooted in Florida. From 1981 to 1997, he worked at West Florida Electric Cooperative.  His tenure culminated there as Vice President of Member Services, Information Technology, Marketing and Economic Development. Mr. Wynn has served as President and CEO of Roanoke Electric Cooperative in North Carolina.  Roanoke is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that serves 14,500 metered accounts. 

 

Mr. Wynn is married with three children. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Management Information Systems from Troy University. Based on his electric cooperative career that spans almost 42 years, SECO’s Board of Trustees expects that Mr. Wynn will continue Mr. Duncan’s legacy of success at SECO.

 

In reviewing his bio, Mr. Wynn’s resume reflects a long list of awards and accomplishments showing a history of supporting creative solutions that are turning the challenges of the energy industry evolution into major opportunities. 

 

He also serves or has served on a variety of boards including: immediate past board president, National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (NRECA); past president, vice president and secretary-treasurer of North Carolina Electric Membership Cooperative; board member, North Carolina’s Association of Electric Cooperatives; board member, Meridian Cooperative (formerly Southeastern Data Cooperative – SEDC); and past nominating committee member, CoBank.

 

SECO Energy provides electric service to 220,000+ homes and businesses across seven counties in Central Florida. SECO Energy is a three-time J.D. Power award-winning electric utility and is a front runner statewide and nationally with the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

 

Welcome, Mr. Wynn. We look forward to working with you and seeing our cooperative into the future supporting our strategic goal of providing affordable, reliable electric service.

 

Sincerely,

 

Richard Dennison 

Board President and District 4 Trustee

 

 

 

SECO News January 2022 Payment Mailing Address Change

Payment Mailing Address Change

For members who prefer to pay their monthly energy bill by mail, our payment mailing address has changed. The new payment address is:

 

SECO Energy

DEPT # 3035

PO BOX 11407

Birmingham, AL 35246-3035

 

This change is effective on January 1.

If you are considering a more modern and secure payment option in place of writing a paper check, visit SECOEnergy.com > My Account > 12 Ways to Pay. Using SmartHub, you can enroll in bank draft, schedule a credit/debit card payment or pay by e-check. SmartHub also allows you to opt-out of receiving a paper bill in favor of an eBill sent to your email address each month after your meter is read.  This helps us keep rates low by saving time and money – both for you and SECO. 

 

Pennies From Heaven Donates $3,485 To The American Cancer Society

SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven Program donated $3,485 to help fight cancer. From October 1 through November 15, 2021, for every member who enrolled in our Surge MitiGator surge protection, your not-for-profit electric cooperative donated $5 from the Pennies from Heaven program to a local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

 

697 members enrolled resulting in donations totaling $3,485. 

 

Take the bite out of damaging surges and spikes with the Surge MitiGator. Power surges are caused by lightning, vehicles crashing into SECO poles, small animals, birds or fallen trees. 

 

SECO’s made in the USA meter-based surge arrester reduces surges BEFORE they enter your home through the meter. The Surge MitiGator has a beastly 15-year warranty and is designed to protect your home’s large-motor appliances. Household appliances and sensitive electronics such as televisions and computers can be damaged or destroyed by power surges and also require point-of-use devices for adequate protection.

 

You can lease the MitiGator for only $5.95 plus tax per month plus a $25 installation fee. The purchase price ranges from $349 to $399, with installation included. To enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com > Surge MitiGator and complete the web form.

 

SECO News January 2022 Second AMI Pilot

Second AMI Pilot

 

In 2014, SECO Energy engaged with a smart meter vendor in an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) pilot project of about 1,200 meters. After the pilot, we installed 36,000 meters in our territory. Unfortunately, the product did not perform as expected. The meters and communications equipment were removed and returned to the vendor.  

 

Since then, we’ve kept an eye on the market. In 2018, we conducted workshops with eight different major smart meter vendors. Each offered a slightly different product and provided varying performance expectations based on the type of communications systems their brand offered. Because SECO’s service territory is a mix of dense suburban areas, metropolitan areas and sparsely populated rural areas, we require a product that will perform in a variety of terrains. Several vendors offered to build a hybrid to accomplish that. Unfortunately, it comes with a hefty price tag. Thus, we decided to take small steps to determine what product is best for SECO.    

 

Late in 2019, SECO announced a pilot project that replaced 6,200 outdated prepaid meters with Elster/Honeywell AMI meters that used Verizon 5G technology. The Board of Trustees recently approved an additional pilot project for a broader comparison and benchmark using Landis+Gyr technology. Both the Elster/Honeywell and the Landis+Gyr pilot projects will help us gain the experience of operating an AMI system. 

 

AMI meters supply daily usage readings that will integrate with SECO’s online account management platform SmartHub. Through this SmartHub integration, members will have much more insight into their energy consumption and habits. AMI also has the potential to reduce labor costs and can expedite member requests for service reconnection or disconnection. Meter tampering and line loss can also often be identified using AMI. Immediate identification of outages is also a strong advantage of an AMI system. Distribution automation in an AMI system can improve power quality, optimize efficiency and provide comprehensive data for planning, engineering and maintenance.

 

To identify the strengths and weaknesses of both AMI products/vendors, SECO requires a test period that spans all seasons to glean the data and field experience in real-time. SECO can analyze the data gathered from both pilots once complete.

 

Technology is changing rapidly, and we must choose a product and vendor that will serve SECO into the future. AMI is likely one of the largest equipment and technology investments we will make in the coming decade. Watch SECO News for updates as we evaluate our pilots. 

 

 

SECO News February 2021 Winners' Circle

WINNERS CIRCLE

Engage with our virtual assistant Electra on the phone for a chance to win a $25 gift card. Winners who self-served using Electra are: 

 

Joseph Hrytzay from Sorrento

Daizebel Ortiz from Tavares

Carol Bullock from Inverness

Conrad Penchion from Ocala

Joan McDonald from Lady Lake

 

The latest winner of a SECO Energy Level 2 EV Charger is Irene Jaronczyk from The Villages. To enter, text “EV” to (352) 320-4500 for a link to enter. Or click on the EV Charger Giveaway homepage banner. Visit our Electric Vehicles website section to learn more about the benefits of owning an EV.

 

Winners in our Go Green and Win: Paperless Billing and Bank Draft Incentive

 

Kelli Wilson from Ocala is the winner of a $200 SECO Energy bill credit.

William Barnes from Floral City is the winner of a NEST thermostat.

Benjamin Mohr from Clermont is the winner of an Amazon Echo Dot with Alexa. 

Congratulations to our recent winners!

 

Read the full January 2022 SECO News online.

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

 

Are you looking for an outdoor adventure? Take a hike on The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail to observe native Florida animals, birds, butterflies and trees. There are 510 designated sites in the panhandle, east, west and south Florida.

 

In our local area, you’ll find sites in both the east and west. In Citrus County make a visit to the Crystal River Preserve State Park, Flying Eagle Preserve and Withlacoochee State Forest. In Lake County, look for the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area, Lake Louisa State Park and the Seminole State Forest. In Marion County enjoy the Ocala National Forest Salt Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park and World-Famous Silver Springs State Park. In Sumter County you’ll find the Lake Panasoffkee Wildlife Management Area and the Marsh Bend “Outlet” Park.

 

The Florida Department of Transportation and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida support the Trail. The program is overseen by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Millions visit The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail every year. Its economic impact is over $1 billion for the state, but the Trail’s goal is to encourage conservation of our native habitats and species.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

 

Read the full January 2022 SECO News online.