Dear Members,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! This month,  I want to acknowledge our group of generous SECO Energy employees who support our yearly United Way corporate giving effort. These community-minded folks are a testament to how collaborative giving has far-reaching effects in our service area.

Each year, SECO Energy employees participate in our annual United Way Employee Giving Campaign; this is a cause many of our employees truly believe in. United Way is on a mission to improve lives and strengthen communities. Hundreds of SECO employees pledged a portion of their 2024 earnings to local United Ways – this is giving that lasts long after the Christmas season.

Local United Ways will benefit from SECO Energy employees’ pledges of $37,164 through the employee-led 2024 United Way Pledge Drive. Our employees have been actively supporting United Way for decades. During that time, employees have pledged over $1,120,000 to aid local families through the United Way.

SECO Energy employees choose the county and the program their donated dollars will benefit. Most of our employees live in Citrus, Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties, and those counties received the highest dollar amounts in donations. 

Employees also deliver Christmas magic by filling Santa’s sleigh through our corporate Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots donation drive. Starting in November, employees and members donated new, unwrapped toys for the drive. All toys donated are dispersed in the local area where they were collected. 

Retired Marines and other volunteers pick up donations in early December to distribute to children in need in time for the holidays. Those who want to register to receive toys donated through Toys for Tots can visit ToysforTots.org > Request a Toy. 

SECO Energy is a proud sponsor of Toys for Tots as well. To support our employees’ giving, SECO Energy donated $2,500 to Toys for Tots to further assist our local communities.

From the SECO Energy family to yours, we wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Best regards,

Curtis Wynn
Chief Executive Officer

Winter temperatures are heading to Central Florida soon. During colder months, many households experience increased energy consumption due to holiday decorations, out-of-town guests, and cooking for family and friends. We have cold-weather energy-efficiency tips to help you reduce energy consumption. 

Upgrade to LEDs (light emitting diode) for holiday decorating and inside your home. LEDs use significantly less electricity than even small incandescent lights, generate little heat, have a longer lifespan and come in various colors and styles. 

For cooking, use small appliances, when possible, instead of your oven. Crockpots, Instant Pots, air fryers and toaster ovens use less energy and generate less heat. In Florida, grilling season is almost year-round; you can fire up the grill to reduce energy use, too. 

When the colder winter air moves in, turn your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower to reduce energy consumption. 68ºF is the optimal temperature for home heating per Energy.gov. To combat the cold, wear socks and sweaters and use an extra blanket.

Invest in a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats are Wi-Fi-enabled devices controlled with your smartphone, tablet, smart speaker or other device connected to the Internet. Installing a smart thermostat allows you to schedule your home’s temperatures for comfort. Some units learn your habits and preferences. Smart thermostats will provide you with data on your home’s energy use and other features.

Schedule an HVAC tune-up before cold temps set in. Your HVAC requires maintenance to operate efficiently and extend its lifespan. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind. This is a job best left for HVAC professionals to complete.

Enrolling in paperless billing with SECO Energy has benefits that go beyond just saving paper – it is a smart and eco-friendly choice that can simplify your life in many ways.

Unlike traditional paper bills that can take days to arrive in your mailbox, eBills are delivered to your email inbox instantly. You’ll get timely access to important billing information, making it easier to manage your account. 

Going paperless minimizes the risk of misdirected mail delivery, which can sometimes lead to your bills ending up in the wrong hands. Moreover, it reduces the potential for identity theft, as your bill is delivered securely to your email address, which is under your control. 

SECO Energy makes it even more convenient by offering a bank draft method for payments, which will ensure you never miss a due date. No more writing checks, buying stamps, or worrying about your payment getting lost in the mail. With paperless billing, your payments are hassle-free and always on time.

Enrolling in both paperless billing and bank draft helps you avoid missed bill payments, late fees and possible disruptions in your services. With eBills, your account information is accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection, so you can stay on top of your financial obligations even when you are away. Your eBill includes a link to our monthly SECO News, which you can read online and further reduce paper waste.

Enrolling in paperless billing and bank draft with SECO Energy is a win-win. You save time, enhance security, reduce your environmental footprint, and simplify your account management. Visit SECOEnergy.com > My Account > 12 Ways to Pay to log in or establish a SmartHub account. With SmartHub you can view your bill, enroll in paperless billing or bank draft, compare your monthly usage history and more.

SECO Energy’s systemwide AMI (advanced metering infrastructure) metering project launched in 2023. Honeywell, our approved contractor, has worked diligently in the eastern portion of our service area to meet our goal of exchanging 60,000 meters by the end of the year. Full deployment of almost 240,000 AMI meters will take three to four years to complete.

Accounts with an AMI meter can review detailed usage data and other energy-saving tools. The Honeywell meter is highly accurate and offers many benefits to members and new energy-saving features through SmartHub. The meter communicates with SECO Energy to reduce the costs of monthly meter readings and supplies members with 15-minute reading interval data. 

AMI meters use an algorithm of your usage data to estimate how much energy your home’s appliances use based on the interval readings to help you identify potential energy wasters in your home. If there’s an HVAC, water heater or other large energy-use device malfunction, you’ll know sooner rather than later. The meter can’t view your actual in-home behavior. Its software assesses your home’s load profile and estimates usage of items that use electricity based on average consumer usage and behavior.

Once the AMI meter at your location has been installed, data integration with SmartHub may take up to 60 days. To view your 15-minute interval usage data, compare historical usage, set usage alerts, schedule a payment, and more, make sure you’re enrolled in SmartHub at SECOEnergy.com.

To learn more about our AMI project, visit SECOEnergy.com > My Account > AMI, where you can review our previous communications in SECO News, search for your address on the AMI deployment map and read frequently asked questions.

Read the full December 2023 SECO News.