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Author: Amanda Richardson

SECO Energy Celebrates 84th Annual Meeting Virtually

SECO Energy held its 84th Annual Meeting of the Membership on March 24, at 4:30 p.m. for a virtual crowd of members and guests. This is the third virtual meeting since 2020 when COVID restrictions cautioned against holding large gatherings. The cooperative’s exceptional member growth has resulted in what could potentially become an unmanageable situation if a small percentage of the 500,000 SECO members and their guests accepted our invitation to come and enjoy the traditional festivities hosted on our campus, which only has an 8,000-to-10,000-person meeting capacity.

 

Hundreds of members tuned in via live webcast, Facebook live and YouTube to watch the cooperative’s Virtual Business Only Annual Meeting. Since the meeting content remains available on SECOEnergy.com, even more are viewing the meeting after-the-fact at their leisure.

 

Board of Trustees President and District 4 Trustee Richard Dennison called the Meeting to order and closed the voting platform at 4:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Vice President and District 3 Trustee Gerald Anderson led the virtual audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. SECO’s VP of Corporate Communications and Energy Services Kathryn Gloria led the invocation, introduced the Trustees, and welcomed District 5 Trustee-elect Shannon Wright, who will begin her duties at the Trustees’ Meeting on Monday, March 28. Ms. Gloria also introduced CEO Curtis Wynn and Cooperative Attorney Scott Gerken. Board of Trustees Secretary/Treasurer and District 2 Trustee Joyce Anderson certified the Official Annual Meeting Notice that was delivered timely to all cooperative members per the terms of the Bylaws.

 

Mr. Dennison’s President’s Report opened with a welcome to the virtual audience. He thanked the members who voted electronically, in person, by phone or by mail, and announced that SECO achieved a quorum by virtue of votes cast on Annual Meeting business. Mr. Dennison stated, “Florida cooperatives are required by statute to hold an Annual Meeting and must achieve a quorum to conduct official business. I am happy to announce that member voting participation has indeed helped us achieve a quorum this year. Thank you so much to all who cast a vote this year.”

 

Mr. Dennison also introduced SECO Energy’s new CEO Curtis Wynn. President Dennison stated, “Mr. Wynn was hired by the board last year and joined us in December. His energy industry career is rooted in Florida. From 1981 to 1997, he worked at West Florida Electric Cooperative. Mr. Wynn also served for 24 years as President and CEO of Roanoke Electric Cooperative in North Carolina. 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.”

 

Following the President’s Report, CEO Curtis Wynn began his report. Wynn provided the membership an impressive list of recently completed and upcoming projects under consideration at SECO Energy.

 

Mr. Wynn also expressed SECO’s commitment to maintaining and upgrading its existing electric facilities to serve current members while constructing new electric infrastructure to fulfill new growth and development needs.

 

Mr. Wynn stated, “With growth rates averaging nearly 40% in our three largest counties (Sumter, Lake and Marion), we must have the following five elements in place to viably keep pace with the growth in SECO Energy’s service territory: 1) the financial capability, 2) SECO staffing, 3) stable contract labor, 4) material & equipment supply chain consistency and 5) competitive wholesale power costs.”

 

Wynn continued, “SECO’s financial position is strong but the growth we are experiencing and the major investments that come with this growth challenge our commitment to preserve reliable and affordable service. At yearend 2021, SECO Energy added 5,770 new meters, which brings our total active meter or service count to 222,188. To support the growth in our area and increasing demand for energy, our investment in facilities topped over $1 billion. This ongoing facilities investment averages over $6 million per month.”

 

The CEO Report also mentioned being challenged by supply-chain shortages and talked about the wholesale power provider’s (Seminole Electric Cooperative’s) shift to a larger portion of its portfolio generating from natural gas and renewables. He continued by emphasizing that the natural gas market is affected like the oil market. The Energy Information Administration estimates that the wholesale spot price of natural gas in 2022, will reach an eight-year high. That market volatility will affect the cost of Seminole’s production of power and ultimately will reflect on members’ bills through the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) factor as of April 1.

 

Wynn announced the SECO Energy Board of Trustees has approved taking steps to implement an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project. Wynn stated, “SECO is one of a very few large, fast-growing utilities in the state or in the nation for that matter that has not deployed AMI throughout our system. We are in the midst of two pilot projects to test the viability of deploying AMI in our service territory. As we move to the completion of these, we are now preparing to decide on a vendor with whom we will work to deploy the AMI technology that will help us improve our operations in a variety of ways.” Wynn concluded his remarks by acknowledging the Board of Trustees’ service, his staff’s unwavering support and the 400+ SECO Energy employees’ commitment to serving the members and surrounding communities in a safe and professional manner.

 

Cooperative Attorney Scott Gerken certified the 2022 Annual Meeting voting results. In total, 8,952 members voted on 2022 Annual Meeting business which was approval of the 2021 Annual Meeting Minutes, which entailed 8,635 members voting “Yes,” 39 members voting “No,” and 278 members abstaining. Mr. Gerken announced, “The membership clearly approves the 2021 Annual Meeting Minutes.”

 

SECO Energy established a special phone number, email address and social media presence for the Virtual Annual Meeting. A panel of SECO employees interacted with members who posed questions and comments that were read and answered during the meeting by CEO Curtis Wynn and members of the senior staff.

 

The meeting ended with the announcement of prize winners. All members who voted on Annual Meeting Business were entered into the random drawing for one of 100 prizes. Shawn Matthew from The Villages won the 2012 Chevy Colorado Extended Cab. Geoffrey White from The Villages won the 2019 EZGO golf cart. The three $1,000 winners are Susan Roberts from Deland, Beverly Dearden from Inverness, and Morton Finkelstein from Ocala. Elizabeth Estavanko from The Villages won the Generac generator. Other prizes including SECO bill credits, Nest learning thermostats, energy-efficiency kits, HoneyWell smart thermostats and more will be shipped directly to winners. SECO will arrange for delivery of grand prizes. View the complete list of prize winners.

 

A complete video of the program is available at SECOEnergy.com, Facebook and YouTube.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for member contests, news releases, cooperative updates and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Visit SECOEnergy.com>Your Co-op>About SECO to learn more about SECO Energy.

 

SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn Honored with Clyde T. Ellis Award from the NRECA

SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn has been honored with the Clyde T. Ellis Award at this year’s PowerXchange in Nashville, Tennessee. PowerXchange is the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association’s (NRECA) annual meeting.

 

The Clyde T. Ellis Award is the preeminent electric cooperative award. According to the NRECA, the Clyde T. Ellis Award pays tribute to the NRECA’s first general manager/CEO. NRECA’s Board of Directors awards individuals whose contributions promote the seven cooperative principles and progress rural electrification while developing and using national resources.

 

CEO Curtis Wynn is a 40-year energy-industry veteran. He joined SECO Energy on December 15, 2021. Previously, Mr. Wynn served as President and CEO of Roanoke Electric Cooperative beginning in 1997. He began his career at West Florida Electric Cooperative in 1981. His tenure culminated there as Vice President of Member Services, Information Technology, Marketing and Economic Development. Mr. Wynn holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Management Information Systems from Troy University.

 

Mr. Wynn is honored to receive the Clyde T. Ellis Award from the NRECA. Wynn stated, “I want to express my thanks to the NRECA Board of Directors for honoring me with this year’s Clyde T. Ellis Award for exceptional cooperative service. I am truly humbled to receive one of our electric cooperative communities’ highest honors. This honor ranks as among the highest that I’ve had in my years of service.”

 

Wynn continued, “To be recognized by peers to be deserving of this award is a highlight of my tenure in the cooperative program. To be presented with the award in front of so many cooperators just puts the icing on the cake.”

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that serves over 220,000 homes and businesses in seven counties in Central Florida. SECO is the third-largest electric cooperative in Florida and the seventh largest in the nation. The Cooperative has received national attention and three J.D. Power trophies for its exceptional customer satisfaction rankings. In the 2015 J.D. Power study, SECO Energy was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Midsize Utilities in the South.” And in 2016 and 2017, SECO was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Cooperatives.” SECO Energy’s 2021 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) score is 91.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and follow @SECOEnergy on Twitter for member contests, news releases, cooperative updates and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Visit SECOEnergy.com>Your Co-op>About SECO to learn more about the Central Florida not-for-profit electric cooperative. SECO Energy is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

February 2022 Sunshine State Stats

Warmer temperatures appeared in February 2022 after January’s below-freezing cold snap. The average temperature for the month was 64 degrees, which was 2 degrees cooler than last month’s average. The average high was 75 degrees while the average low was 53 degrees.

 

Sunshine State Stats February 2022 temps

 

The highest daily recorded temperature in February was 88 degrees and the lowest was 39 – the highest recorded temperature was 85 in January 2022, while the lowest recorded temperature was 32. February saw little rainfall, only 0.7 inches while the average rainfall in February is 2.87 inches.

 

February’s daily temperature fluctuations were extreme. The monthly difference from the average high to the average low was 22 degrees. The highest daily temperature fluctuation was 32 degrees. Twelve days in the month reached over 80 degrees, while the low temperature dropped into the 30s and 40s during ten days in February.

 

January 2022 temperatures were unseasonably cold in Central Florida. Nighttime temperatures in February 2022 were cold and daytime temperatures were very warm. Members may notice an increase in their February energy usage if they used both air conditioning and heating during the month.

 

March forecast:

 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a warm March with an average temperature of 71 degrees, which is 4 degrees warmer than average. Rainfall will be scarce – only 1 inch, which is 2 inches below average for the month. Expect daily high temps of 80 degrees or more with lows in the 50s.

 

Now’s the time to schedule an HVAC service check before summer heats up. A well-maintained HVAC system runs more efficiently and helps you avoid unexpected downtime and repair costs. Read December 2021 SECO News to learn more about scheduling an HVAC service.

 

 

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 March 2022

 

Dear Members,

 

SECO Energy is experiencing accelerated growth in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors while operating with strong fiscal responsibility. Florida is amid a population uptick. We expect the expansion potential and increasing energy demand to be our norm for a time.

 

In 2021, we added upwards of 5,700 new active services systemwide. This level of growth in our service area and Central Florida is exciting, challenging and has a positive effect on our financial position. SECO must meet the increasing demand for energy, maintain existing infrastructure and preserve reliability. SECO is very busy keeping up with our growing region and maintaining our existing infrastructure to serve you.

 

As a not-for-profit cooperative, significant financial investments are made to serve new members and improve your service reliability. At yearend 2021, SECO’s investment in facilities topped over $1 billion and continues to grow. This ongoing facilities’ investment averages over $6 million per month.

 

We have retained our position as the third-largest Florida electric cooperative and seventh largest nationally out of about 800 distribution co-ops. Among our co-op peers, a growing infrastructure supporting more than 220,000 metered accounts is extraordinary. Our facilities include 48 substations and 13,000 miles of line to reliably serve members.

 

This past year, with Board of Trustees approval, SECO returned $6.46 million in Capital Credits to current and former members. Since inception, SECO has returned over $80 million in Capital Credits. Assigning and returning margins to our members makes us different from other electric utilities. This is what we like to call “the cooperative
difference.”

 

We control costs, maintain healthy equity, return excess margins like a true co-op should, and provide competitive rates. It is clear there is a difference when serving members in a not-for-profit environment. And that’s the cooperative difference.

 

We pledge to provide you with the most reliable and lowest cost electricity possible while not losing sight of the high premium you place on customer service.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Curtis Wynn

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

SECO News MARCH 2022 Virtual Business Only! 2022 Virtual Annual Meeting

Virtual Business Only 2022 Annual Virtual Meeting

 

Members, tune in to watch our 84th Annual Meeting live via virtual webcast on Thursday, March 24, at 4:30 p.m. To access the meeting, click on the Virtual Business Meeting homepage banner on SECOEnergy.com. Links to the webcast will also be published on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

 

Though this year’s meeting is a virtual business-only Annual Business Meeting, we need your vote to approve the 2021 Annual Meeting Minutes. You can vote on Annual Meeting business by mail, electronically or by phone. All members who cast a vote are counted as present in person for determination of quorum as stated in the Bylaws Article III, Section E, #4.

 

We have 100 great prizes up for grabs! All members who vote on Annual Meeting Business (2021 Annual Meeting Minutes) are eligible to win a prize. The grand prizes are a 2012 Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab truck, a 2019 EZGO TXT gas-powered golf cart and three $1,000 cash prizes. Other prizes include SECO Energy electric bill credits, Wi-Fi programmable thermostats, energy savings kits and more!

 

Review the list of prizes on page three. To cast your vote electronically, visit SECOEnergy.com and click on the 2022 Virtual Business Meeting Vote homepage banner or text VOTE to (352) 320-2200 and follow the link. To vote by mail, fill out the ballot in your 2022 Official Annual Meeting Notice and enclose it with your electric bill payment.

 

To vote by phone, call (352) 793-3801 and an agent will assist. Do you have a comment or question for us? Engage with SECO Energy during the 2022 Annual Business Meeting, and your question or comment may be addressed live. Drop us a note via email at SECO2022AM@SECOEnergy.com, give us a call at (352) 329-MEET (answered on March 24 only) or send a message on Facebook or Twitter starting at 3:30 on March 24.

 

Good luck, and thank you for voting! We’ll see you virtually on Thursday, March 24, at 4:30 for our 84th Annual Meeting.

 

 

SECO News MARCH 2022 Annual Meeting Prize List

2022 Annual Business Meeting Prize List

 

2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO EXTENDED CAB TRUCK
2019 EZGO TXT GAS-POWERED GOLF CART
$1,000 CHECKS (3)
GENERAC GENERATOR
$250 SECO ELECTRIC BILL CREDITS (5)
NEST LEARNING THERMOSTATS (10)
HONEYWELL SMART THERMOSTATS (10)
PREMIUM ENERGY SAVINGS KITS (5)
SENSI SMART THERMOSTATS (10)
$100 SECO ELECTRIC BILL CREDITS (5)
LUX SMART THERMOSTATS (10)
SURGE MITIGATOR SURGE PROTECTION 1-YEAR LEASE (5)
RADIO SMART THERMOSTATS (10)
SMART POWER STRIPS (5)
ENERGY SAVINGS KITS PLUS (5)
AMAZON ECHO DOTS (4)
12-PACK LED LIGHT BULBS (5)
STARTER ENERGY-EFFICIENCY KITS (5)

 

 

SECO News MARCH 2022 Celebrate 25 Years of Our Surge Protection Program with Free Installation

Celebrate 25 Years of our Surge Protection Program with Free Installation

 

SECO Energy is celebrating 25 years of its Surge Protection Program with savings for you! We’re offering free installation for all new Surge MitiGator enrollments until May 31. That’s a $25 savings for you during our 25th Surge Protection Anniversary.

 

SECO’s made in the USA meter-based surge arrester has proven reliable over the past 25 years by reducing or eliminating surges BEFORE they enter your home through the meter. More than 40,000 members are already enrolled in the program.

 

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. These also require point-of-use devices that can be purchased at hardware or big-box retailers for adequate coverage.

 

Start at the meter base with the Surge MitiGator for the best protection. You can lease the MitiGator for only $5.95 plus tax per month with free installation – a $25 savings. The purchase price ranges from $349 to $399 plus tax – and this includes free installation. Visit SECOEnergy.com > Surge MitiGator and complete the webform to learn more or enroll during this limited free installation promotion.

 

Read the full March 2022 SECO News online.

 

SECO Energy Scores 91 in 2021 American Customer Satisfaction Index

SECO Energy has scored an impressive 91 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for 2021. SECO’s 91 score was measured as part of the not-for-profit electric cooperative’s member satisfaction survey and calculated by ACSI. SECO has scored a 91 in the ACSI for two years in a row.

 

The American Customer Satisfaction Index provides a one-of-a-kind, cross-industry measurement of customer satisfaction in the United States. Each year, the ACSI uses data from interviews with roughly 300,000 customers as inputs to an econometric model for analyzing customer satisfaction with more than 400 companies in 46 industries and 10 economic sectors. ACSI data has proven to be strongly related to several essential micro and macroeconomic performance indicators.

 

At the end of 2021, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) conducted the membership survey on SECO Energy’s behalf, including the ACSI metrics. The NRECA contacted a member sampling by email to ask about their unique experience with the cooperative. Members rated SECO with an impressive ACSI score of 91, maintaining its high score for two years.

 

SECO Energy’s ACSI score is impressive when compared to average ACSI scores in the Energy Utilities Sector. The average ACSI score for energy utilities as an industry ties its 2020 score at 72. Nationally, cooperative utilities averaged 73 in 2021 – the same as 2020. Investor-owned utilities averaged 72 while municipal utilities averaged 71.

 

CEO Curtis Wynn is proud of SECO’s continued high customer satisfaction scores. Wynn stated, “We are honored to learn that SECO Energy members surveyed by the ACSI rated SECO with a customer satisfaction score of 91. Our score of 91 shows that SECO is both a state and national frontrunner when compared to investor-owned and municipal utilities as well as our cooperative peers. On behalf of our 400+ employees who strive to provide exceptional customer satisfaction every day, we thank the members who rated us highly.”

 

SECO Energy has received national attention and three J.D. Power trophies for its exceptional customer satisfaction rankings. In the 2015 J.D. Power study, SECO Energy was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Midsize Utilities in the South.” And in 2016 and 2017, SECO was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Cooperatives.”

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. SECO Energy is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

SECO Energy District 3 Members Re-elect Gerald Anderson as Trustee

SECO Energy members who reside in District 3 re-elected Gerald Anderson as the District 3 Trustee on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. The meeting was held in the District on Tuesday, February 8, at the Savannah Center in Sumter County for the purpose of electing a Trustee to represent District 3 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.

 

Along with Gerald Anderson, Hamilton McLean of The Villages submitted a letter of intent to run for Trustee. SECO’s Bylaws currently require that the cooperative hold District Meetings. Subsequently, Florida Statute requires SECO to hold in-person elections; therefore, the cooperative continues to hold District Meetings as a means of electing Trustees. A drive-thru voting option was available for members for added convenience, to encourage participation, to practice social distancing and to reduce the size of the indoor meeting.

 

A SECO member since 2013, Trustee Anderson was first elected to SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees in 2019. Mr. Anderson currently serves as Board of Trustees Vice President and has completed the educational requirements from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to earn the Director Gold Credential – the highest Trustee accreditation from the NRECA.

 

Trustee Anderson is eager to continue his Board service. Mr. Anderson stated, “I want first to thank all of the District 3 members who attended the District Meeting and cast a vote. Serving on SECO’s Board of Trustees and as Vice President is an honor, and I am looking forward to continuing to serve SECO Energy’s membership as a Trustee. Thank you to all District 3 members who placed their trust in me as their District representative.”

 

Board president Richard Dennison stated, “Congratulations, Mr. Anderson, on your re-election as District 3 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we are excited to continue working with you to ensure SECO Energy’s future success. In addition, I want to thank Mr. McLean for his willingness to serve and also thank the members who attended the District 3 Meeting and participated in the cooperative business model’s governance practices.”

 

Curtis Wynn CEO stated, “Mr. Anderson, thank you for your willingness to continue your SECO Energy Board service as District 3 Trustee, and congratulations on your successful re-election as well. I am grateful to all who participated in our not-for-profit cooperative’s democratic process. I look forward to working with you and the rest of the SECO Energy Board of Trustees.”

 

SECO Energy will post a video of the meeting later this week along with the Q&A session for member viewing.

 

To view a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map, visit our Board of Trustees website section. “Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. SECO Energy is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

January 2022 Sunshine State Stats

January 2022 ushered in the coldest temperatures of the winter season for Central Florida. The average temperature for the month was 58 degrees, which was 12 degrees colder than last month’s average. The average high was 68 degrees while the average low was 48 degrees.

 

January 2022 Sunshine State Stats temps

 

The highest daily recorded temperature in January was 85 degrees and the lowest was 32 – the highest daily temperature was 85 in December 2021 as well, while the lowest recorded temperature was warmer at 45. January is starting with a rainfall deficit. This month rainfall measured only 1.29 inches while the average January rainfall is 3.32 inches.

 

January temperatures swung from very high to very low. Three days in the month reached over 80 degrees for the high daily temperature, while six days the low temperature dropped into the 30s.

 

With the fluctuating and extremely cold temperatures, members will likely notice their January energy usage increase from December 2021. The last weekend of January, portions of SECO’s service area experienced temps in the low 20s. To ensure electric grid stability and help conserve energy, SECO asked members to lower their thermostats to 65 degrees – 3 degrees lower than the ENERGY STAR recommended energy-efficiency heat setting. Over 8,000 members responded with photos of their thermostats to show compliance and curtailed household tasks like laundry and running the dishwasher to conserve.

 

February forecast:

 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a colder-than-average winter in Florida. Prepare for cold or freezing temperatures into early February. Precipitation will also be above average. For February 2021, expect rain early in the month. Daily highs will stretch into the 70s with lows in the 40s.

 

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. If you didn’t schedule an HVAC tune up, now is the time before temperatures warm up for spring and summer. Read December 2021 SECO News to learn more about scheduling an HVAC service.

 

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 Members Win Prizes for Saving Energy During Cold Weather Weekend

SECO Energy prepared for colder-than-average temperatures last weekend by asking members to turn down their thermostats and save energy to preserve electric grid stability. The incentive drawing was released on Friday evening on social media, SECOEnergy.com and distributed to local media outlets. More than 50,000 members read the communications about the thermostat incentive drawing and submitted nearly 10,000 photos of their thermostats with the settings turned down to 65 degrees or less.

 

SECO’s service area experienced early morning temperatures that plunged into the low 20s in some portions of the Central Florida SECO service area and the low 30s in other parts. SECO and its wholesale power provider, Seminole Electric, Inc. (SECI), proactively took action to ensure grid stability and system reliability.

 

SECO Energy asked members to assist the cooperative with ensuring grid stability during this past weekend’s cold temperatures by lowering their thermostats to 65 degrees from Friday evening to Sunday evening. Lowering the thermostat for the duration of the event helped members save money and energy, while helping SECO and SECI preserve grid stability. ENERGY STAR recommends a setting of 68 degrees in the winter, so the three-degree adjustment was minimal. Members also helped conserve energy by lowering their water heater temperature below 120 degrees and curtailing household tasks like doing laundry and running the dishwasher.

 

The coldest temperatures blanketed the area on Sunday morning. Ocala was 22 degrees, Leesburg was 32 degrees, Clermont was 39 degrees and Inverness 27. At 8 a.m., SECO had an instantaneous load of 929MW (megawatts) and SECI’s load was 3,998MW. SECO experienced only four outages systemwide that affected 160 members. There were reports of flickering in the Marion Oaks area in Ocala but overall, the SECO Energy and Seminole electric systems held up extraordinarily well. Historically, the SECO system has experienced similar extremely cold temperatures but with higher kWh usage. It’s clear that SECO members stepped up and conserved when asked.

 

Over 8,200 members sent in photos of their thermostat set at 65 degrees in an effort to conserve energy during the cold weather event. Members who sent a photo of their thermostat set at 65 degrees during the weekend event via email, text or social media were entered to win great prizes.

 

Random drawing prize winners are:

 

• Three $500 SECO Energy bill credits: Rory Davis, Wildwood; Charles Perry, Astatula; and William Westmoreland, Inverness

 

• Three NEST Learning Thermostats: Mark Piazza, The Villages; Dawn Finney, Umatilla; and Carolyn Clement, Inverness.

 

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

 

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

 

• Three iPad’s (9th Generation): Henry Frick, Tavares; Clint Louton, Mount Dora; and Troy Davidson, Groveland

 

CEO Curtis Wynn stated, “Thank you to members who made a critical difference for SECO Energy and Seminole in reducing our overall load during critical peak events this past weekend. We are grateful for your actions to reduce energy use by lowering your thermostat and curtailing household activities involving electric usage. You did your part to ensure statewide grid stability last weekend. By reducing energy usage during an extremely cold weather event, you also helped to keep your bill lower and save money.”

 

Learn more about saving energy on our Energy Efficiency website section and access our online tools such as the Energy Estimator, the Home Energy Assessment and the Solar Estimator. SECO employs a team of Energy Services Specialists (ESS) and operates an Energy Services help resource via email. Visit our website today about saving energy and money on your bill.

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. SECO Energy is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

SECO Energy District 5 Members Elect Leslie Shannon Dean Wright As Trustee

SECO Energy members who reside in District 5 elected Leslie Shannon Dean Wright as the new Trustee on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. The meeting was held in the District on Tuesday, February 1, at Inverness Middle School in Citrus County for the purpose of electing a Trustee to represent District 5 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.

 

Along with Leslie Shannon Dean Wright, Troy Creel of Inverness, Dr. Karrie Markland of Lake Panasoffkee, David Rovaldi of Inverness and Lewis Smith of Inverness each submitted a letter of intent to run for Trustee in January. SECO’s Bylaws currently require that the cooperative hold District Meetings. Subsequently, Florida Statute requires SECO to hold in-person elections as the cooperative continues to hold District Meetings as a means of electing Trustees. A drive-thru voting option was available for members to practice social distancing and to reduce the size of the indoor meeting.

 

A SECO member since 2014, Mrs. Wright has spent her 30-year career in public service in adult education, law enforcement and state government. Trustee-elect Wright has served as the Northeast Regional Director with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and a Master’s Degree in Adult Education.

 

Mrs. Wright is looking forward to serving as the District 5 Trustee. Mrs. Wright stated, “Thank you to all of the members in District 5 who attended the meeting and cast a vote. Thank you for entrusting me as your District 5 representative on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. Serving as the District 5 Trustee on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees is an honor that I am looking forward to. I am excited to work with the Trustees and SECO leadership to meet the challenges of the energy industry and ensure its future success.”

 

Board president Richard Dennison stated, “Congratulations, Mrs. Wright, on your election as District 5 Trustee. On behalf of my fellow Board officers and peers, we welcome you and look forward to working with you to ensure SECO Energy’s future success. In addition, I thank the other four candidates for stepping forward with their willingness to serve.”

 

Curtis Wynn CEO stated, “Mrs. Wright, thank you for your willingness to serve as District 5 Trustee, and congratulations on your successful election. The turnout at the District 5 was amazing and in fact record breaking. I am grateful to all who participated in our not-for-profit cooperative’s democratic process. I look forward to working with you and the rest of the SECO Energy Board of Trustees.”

 

If you were unable to attend and want to watch a video of the Business Meeting, SECO Energy will post a video of the meeting along with the Q&A session later this week.

 

View a brief bio of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees and a District boundaries map on our Board of Trustees website section. “Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. SECO Energy is an equal opportunity provider and employer.