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Month: October 2022

September 2022 Sunshine State Stats

Hurricane Ian blazed through Central Florida between Wednesday, September 28, and Thursday, September 29, bringing large amounts of rainfall, high winds and fall temperatures. The average temperature for the month was 81 degrees, which was 3 degrees lower than last month’s average. The average high was 88 degrees while the average low was 73 degrees.

 

September 2022 Sunshine State Stats temps

 

The highest daily recorded temperature (data from the Leesburg KLEE weather station) in September was 95 degrees and the lowest 63 – the highest daily recorded temperature in August 2022 was 96 degrees and the lowest was 72. Rainfall was above average in September. The total precipitation for the month was 7.25 inches, well above the September average rainfall of 5.76 inches.

 

Daily high temperatures soared over 90 degrees 16 days in September. Hurricane Ian brought a slight cooldown to daily temperatures toward the end of the month. Expect daily highs to reach near 90 degrees into October.

 

Before September, the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season was mostly inactive. Hurricane Ian made landfall as a strong Category 4 hurricane on Florida’s west coast. It traveled slowly through southwest and central Florida before exiting into the Atlantic and making another landfall in South Carolina. Hurricane Ian was deadly and caused power outages for millions in the southeast United States. At its peak, SECO Energy had just over 11,000 accounts without electric service overnight on the 28th and 29th. All accounts were restored by late on Friday, September 30. It only takes one powerful storm to damage electric transmission and distribution infrastructure causing widespread power outages.

 

Have a plan in place for hurricane season. Don’t wait until a storm is approaching to prepare. Essential supplies such as water, gasoline, bread and other non-perishable food sell out quickly. Read our Hurricane Handbook to learn more about what to do before, during and after a tropical storm or hurricane.

 

October forecast:

 

Expect daily high temperatures to reach into the high to mid 80s during October 2022. Be alert for late-season tropical storm and hurricane activity heading toward Central Florida. Central Florida’s rainy season is winding down, expect less rain and thunderstorms during the month.

 

HVAC use may be starting to decrease with cooler daily and evening temperatures. For Floridians, HVAC use is a longer span (typically early spring to late fall) than in other parts of the country and runs more frequently. It is likely the highest energy user in your home. Before winter temperatures set in, schedule an HVAC tune up with a qualified technician.

 

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 News October 2022

SECO News October 2022 Message From Board President and District 3 Trustee Gerald Anderson

Dear Members,

I am honored to serve as your Board President. As our CEO Curtis Wynn has highlighted in previous articles, we remain committed to maintaining our electric grid and keeping up with the growth we are experiencing system-wide.  I want to highlight some of those specific activities.

 

Members who live in Sumter County know the growth in our area has been incredible over the last decade. Last year, SECO energized 1,443 new services in Sumter County – representing 25 percent of SECO’s total new service count. This year between January and August, we have already energized 2,257 new meters in Sumter County, bringing the total service count in the county to 82,173.

 

You can’t help but notice the construction all over Sumter County, and SECO Energy has many projects in various design and construction stages. SECO is actively focused on improving the reliability of its existing infrastructure in Sumter County and building new facilities to meet increasing demand.

 

Currently in the Belmont area, new commercial development is happening around County Road 466A to include new restaurants, retail space and a hotel. In Belmont Phase 3, SECO recently energized electric infrastructure for 57 residential lots. A 100,000-square-foot self-storage facility is currently in the engineering design stage.

 

New single-family residences are proposed at the Keys at Wildwood Phase II and the Villas at Wildwood. The Wildwood Cottages subdivision is also in development near County Roads 134 and 426. These 70 new units have no age restrictions. The community will include a clubhouse, pool, dog park and community garden. 

 

A new nursing center is planned for Trailwinds Villages. SECO’s Engineering team has completed the electric design for an assisted-living facility of 160 units at Lumin Park in Lady Lake. Another new senior assisted-living facility in Wildwood on County Road 472 will have 132 units and is in the electrical design stage. 

 

Sumter County is also welcoming new commercial growth. An adhesive plant is in construction on 82nd Avenue west of County Road 127. In the same area, SECO has completed the electric design of a 170,000-square-foot building. A 7,000-square-foot retail building is being designed in the Fenney Professional Plaza. Near the corner of Buena Vista and Parr, a proposed 2,300-square-foot facility for a new Sprouts grocery store is in the works.  

 

This long list helps emphasize our area’s robust residential development and commercial growth. Keeping pace with the growth while continuing to maintain our existing infrastructure to serve our current members is a high priority for every SECO Energy employee. Visit SECOEnergy.com > Newsroom > System Improvement Map to see reliability and expansion projects across our entire service territory. 

 

Unfortunately, we continue to battle supply chain and labor shortages as a not-for-profit cooperative trying to keep pace with unprecedented growth. Our members continue to feel the crunch in their electric bills as the price of natural gas – the primary fuel used to generate electricity – increased 52% in July compared with June per the Energy Information Administration depicted in the graph to the right. The Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) component on your bill reflects these ongoing increases.   

 

Members who need financial help should visit SECOEnergy.com > Contact and click on the Find Bill Payment Help map to locate a social service agency in their area. These agencies receive funding from SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program for the specific purpose of helping members who have difficulty paying their electric bill. Florida 211 is also a resource for residents who need resources related to food, addiction, housing and healthcare. Call 211 or visit 211.org today.  

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Gerald Anderson

Board Trustee President

 

 

SECO News September 2022 Enroll In The Surge MitiGator For A Chance to Win a Generator

Surge MitiGator – Win a Generator Reminder!

 

Enroll in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator program by November 15 for a chance to win one of three portable generators! Members in a current lease or prior purchase are already eligible to win.

 

Chomp down on voltage spikes and surges with SECO Energy surge protection. The meter-based surge arrester blocks damaging surges and voltage spikes that come in through the electric line before they damage appliances and cause financial loss. Surges are caused by lightning, vehicle accidents, small animals, fallen trees and more. 

 

You can lease the protection for only $5.95 plus tax per month with a $25 installation fee. Purchase prices range from $349 to $399, and installation is always free. The product carries a 15-year warranty.

 

Enroll in the Surge MitiGator program (lease or purchase) for a chance to win one of three portable generators. To enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Surge MitiGator and submit the web form.

 

The arrester at the meter is the first step in protection. You should invest in point-of-use surge devices to protect electronics and appliances. Purchase at local big box or hardware store. 

 

SECO News October 2022 Scare Away Phantom Load

Scare Away Phantom Load

 

Did you know that many everyday electronics consume electricity when plugged into an outlet? Electronics such as TVs, DVD players, computer equipment, gaming or audio systems, cable boxes and device chargers are the most common culprits. This phenomenon is called phantom load, and it leads to increased energy bills.

 

Phantom load may be responsible for 10 to 20 percent of residential electricity use in the United States alone. Studies report that homes may have 20 to 40 sources of phantom load. 

 

How do you scare away phantom load? The Department of Energy’s (DOE) website at energy.gov recommends using power strips instead of plugging items directly into outlets. Power strips enable multiple devices to be plugged in at one time and can be turned “on” or “off.” Smart plugs are also available for devices such as cell phones that stop using electricity when the battery is charged.

 

Scare away phantom load by identifying and eliminating energy wasters in your home. TVs and DVD players in a guest room? Multiple chargers plugged directly into outlets and not being used? A computer, printer or gaming system plugged in and not in use?

 

SECO offers a variety of ways to search out energy wasters in disguise. Find the Energy Estimator and the Home Energy Assessment at SECOEnergy.com to receive energy-efficiency advice tailored to your home.

 

 

 

SECO News September 2022 SECO Energy Employees donate to Relay For Life

SECO Energy Employees Donate to Relay For Life

 

For decades, SECO Energy employees have donated to and participated in The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life which is the largest peer-to-peer fundraising event dedicated to saving lives affected by cancer. 

 

SECO Energy is proud to announce that its employees collectively donated $4,640 to Relay For Life teams in SECO’s service area. SECO Energy has committed to matching employees’ donations from our Pennies from Heaven fund. The total contribution totaled $9,280 for the American Cancer Society. 

 

Want to join SECO Energy’s charitable endeavors? Enroll in our Pennies from Heaven program that is transitioning to the SECO Energy Foundation. Your bill will be rounded up to the nearest dollar each month. These donations assist your fellow members with bill payment assistance and other local worthy causes. Read more on page 4 about SECO Energy Foundation enrollment changes that take effect in January 2023.

 

 

 

SECO News October 2022 SECO Energy Foundation Pennies From Heaven Transition

SECO Energy Foundation Reminder

 

In January 2023, SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program is transitioning to the SECO Energy Foundation. The SECO Energy Foundation’s goal is to increase community outreach in our service area. The new Foundation will generate grant funds for projects that align with SECO members’ needs and SECO’s strategic initiatives. The Foundation will also provide increased bill payment assistance for SECO members.

 

SECO members will automatically be transitioned to enrollment in the SECO Energy Foundation at year-end unless they have proactively unenrolled. The Foundation enrollment rounds up monthly bills to the nearest dollar. The average donation per member whose bill is rounded up is $6 annually. 

 

Update your SECO Energy Foundation enrollment status by visiting SECOEnergy.com > Contact >  SECO Energy Foundation. You can send an email to CustomerService@SECOEnergy.com, call (352) 793-3801 or write to SECO Energy, Attn: Corp Comm, P.O. Box 301, Sumterville, FL 33585 by December 31, 2022.

 

We are so thankful for our current Pennies from Heaven enrollees. We look forward to expanding our community outreach with the new SECO Energy Foundation.

 

Contributions to the SECO Energy Foundation will be tax-deductible.

Read the full October 2022 SECO News online.

 

SECO Energy Fully Restored After Hurricane Ian

SECO Energy has restored electric service to all accounts after Hurricane Ian charged through its service area. SECO crews and contractors worked from Wednesday afternoon to Friday late evening to complete the restoration effort. Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida Wednesday afternoon, swept across Central Florida before moving into the Atlantic Ocean and making landfall again in South Carolina on Friday.

 

Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm. The hurricane’s travels through Central Florida were destructive to homes and businesses served by SECO Energy. Lake County, Sumter County and southwest Marion County suffered the brunt of the damage to the cooperative’s electrical facilities. At the peak of the storm, SECO Energy had just over 11,000 accounts without electric service.

 

Across the service area, crews battled heavy rains and gusty winds, downed trees, high-water areas and inaccessible roads. The restoration effort was hampered early Thursday morning when sustained wind speeds reached over 50 mph in both Lake and Sumter Counties. Truck buckets cannot safely operate when winds are over 35 mph. At the Leesburg Airport KLEE weather station, wind gusts were measured at 56 mph with maximum sustained wind speeds of 39 mph, and 2.4 inches of rain on Thursday.

 

CEO Curtis Wynn praises the restoration effort. Wynn stated, “I want to express my appreciation for the entire SECO Energy team and our contractor partners who worked tirelessly before, during and after Hurricane Ian to assist members. Whether it was in the field actively restoring electric service, providing information to and helping members report outages, issuing critical materials or back-office activities, our team pulled together seamlessly. I am also grateful to members for their patience, understanding and kind words of support and appreciation for our employees. SECO is StormReady and committed to restoring electric service for all members.”

 

SECO’s Emergency Restoration Plan determines the system’s restoration priority of each affected feeder. Essential services such as hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies are the highest priority. Line repairs that will restore power to large groups of members are next, feeders that serve large commercial services and then individual electric services in less populated areas.

 

“Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on Twitter for prize drawings, news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Manage your outage notification preferences at StormCenter. To see reliability and expansion projects in your area, visit our new System Improvement map. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > About.