SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative operating for the benefit of its members. As a member-focused cooperative, SECO is committed to delivering reliable, safe, affordable power and focuses on community support.
SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees first approved the scholarship program for local students in 1996. In the twenty years since inception, SECO’s scholarship program has awarded almost $600,000 in scholarship funds to 293 young scholars residing in SECO’s service area.
This year’s SECO scholarship recipients are a class of bright, ambitious, hard-working students who are concentrated on achieving their goals. SECO’s 2019 Scholarship Program awardees are:
Erica F. Adkins, Inverness, Lecanto High School
Jessica L. Chin-Shue, Webster, South Sumter High School
Joseph O. Foran, Lady Lake, The Villages Charter High School
Brittany Forbes, Summerfield, Belleview High School
Sydney M. Howard, Groveland, Leesburg High School
Emily Kennedy, Clermont, South Lake High School
Alexandra M. Lussier, Belleview, The Villages Charter High School
Jenna Mishefske, Ocala, West Port High School
Nisha D. Patel, Ocala, Vanguard High School
Alexis J. Stires, Inverness, Lecanto High School
Rachel Williams, Sorrento, Eustis High School
President and District 9 Trustee Jerry Hatfield is looking forward to meeting this year’s scholarship recipients. Hatfield stated, “As a former Lake County educator, I know first-hand our local schools are filled with students who desire an education beyond high school. This desire is sometimes hampered by limited financial resources. SECO’s Scholarship Program offers students monetary assistance to help them achieve their goals of a further education and a future career.”
CEO Jim Duncan believes the SECO Scholarship Program could be a first step to a successful career path, possibly with SECO. Duncan stated, “A career path with SECO Energy may be a good fit for some of our scholarship recipients. SECO is centrally located near the students’ hometowns and within an hour’s drive to several metropolitan areas in Central Florida. We hire a host of high-skilled employees, and offer a robust benefits package with medical, dental, and vision coverage along with competitive compensation. Additional benefits that may be particularly interesting to younger potential employees is our generous paid-time-off policy and student loan repayment assistance program.”
Duncan continued, “The energy industry is growing and with that growth are new technologies and new career opportunities. SECO is a growing cooperative that needs highly skilled employees to keep up with the latest industry trends and available technology.”
SECO will host a celebratory event for the 2019 scholarship recipients and their families at its headquarters on May 20, 2019.
Learn more about SECO Energy and its community participation on our Community page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
During its recent annual awards celebration, the United Way of Marion County named SECO Energy the 2018 Outstanding Commercial Partner. Over the years, SECO employees have pledged nearly $850,000 to United Ways in our service area. Marion County is home to many of SECO’s employees, so it’s no surprise that they would pledge their support where they raise their families.
The award was presented to SECO’s Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations Kathy Judkins who serves on the United Way Board of Directors. Kathy keeps SECO Energy apprised of community needs and helps the cooperative maintain a strong relationship with United Way of Marion County and all of the United Way partners across SECO’s service area.
SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Kathy’s passion for community support and service makes her an ideal employee to organize and execute SECO’s annual United Way campaign drive. SECO recently raised $19,970 in employee pledges for the United Way of Marion County alone.” In total, the cooperative’s employees pledged $66,000 to be distributed among a number of United Ways across Central Florida.
SECO Energy is proud to partner with United Way to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. Visit our Community page to learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy continued its long-standing tradition of supporting youth agriculture activities by purchasing local students’ livestock at the Lake County Youth Fair. SECO Energy’s Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations Kathy Judkins attended the Lake County event and purchased one steer and two pigs during the sale.
SECO purchased a 268-pound pig from first-time-participant Paulina Groeger. Paulina is a seventh grader at Gray Middle School and a member of its FFA club. After paying her expenses from the sale proceeds, Paulina plans to add funds to her college account and save for next year’s swine project. SECO also purchased a 278-pound pig from high school junior Gretchen Farace. Gretchen attends South Lake High School and showed the school’s FFA Chapter-raised pig. She indicates the Chapter plans to use the funds to upgrade its facility and fund future projects.
On SECO’s behalf, Kathy Judkins also purchased a steer weighing 1,205 pounds from South Lake High School senior Ashton Clark. Ashton has been active in FFA for seven years. Ashton is dual-enrolled, attending Lake Sumter State College since her junior year. She will finish her Associate’s degree shortly after graduating high school. After earning her AA degree, she plans to continue her studies at the University of Florida where she will pursue a career in the medical field.
Kathy Judkins is impressed with this year’s Youth Fair participants. She stated, “These students are gaining skills that are preparing them for the workforce and companies such as SECO Energy are always seeking employees who have organizational, time management, dedication, teamwork, analytical and problem-solving skills.”
Visit SECO’s Community page to learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy once again participated in the Sumter County Youth Fair & Auction. SECO Energy Manager of Consumer Billing Tim Wallace bid on a number of students’ livestock. Remaining within SECO’s allotted budget, Tim was able to purchase two pigs from local students.
Tim purchased Leland Fudge’s swine on SECO’s behalf during the March 13, 2019, Sumter County Youth Fair. Leland has been participating in the youth fair for the past six years, is in the ninth grade and attends South Sumter High School. Tim also purchased Jenna Mears’ swine on SECO’s behalf during the resale process. Jenna is a member of the South Sumter High School FFA Chapter. She plans to set the funds she collects aside for her future college tuition at UF where she plans to major in Botany.
SECO Energy’s Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations Kathy Judkins is impressed with this year’s Youth Fair participants. She stated, “These students are gaining skills that are preparing them for the workforce and companies such as SECO Energy are always seeking employees who have organizational, time management, dedication, teamwork, analytical and problem-solving skills.”
Visit our Community page to learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy once again participated in the Citrus County Youth Fair & Auction. SECO Energy Vice President of Engineering Ben Brickhouse and Manager of Engineering Mike White attended the Citrus County event and bid on a number of students’ livestock. Ben reported that prices were much higher than previous years. Remaining within SECO’s allotted budget, Ben was able to purchase one steer through the buyback process and provide add-on dollars to several other students’ projects.
SECO was outbid three times before being able to purchase a steer belonging to Tyler Willis. Tyler is 12 years old and a member of the Ease’s Rough Riders 4-H. This is Tyler’s second year of showing a steer. The steer weighed in at 1,320 pounds and is an Angus steer. Tyler also gave a gift basket of appreciation to Ben and Mike after the purchase! Ben stated, “It is always a pleasure to interacting with the youth fair students.”
SECO Energy’s Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations Kathy Judkins is impressed with this year’s Youth Fair participants. She stated, “These students are gaining skills that are preparing them for the workforce and companies such as SECO Energy are always seeking employees who have organizational, time management, dedication, teamwork, analytical and problem-solving skills.”
Learn more about SECO Energy’s community outreach efforts. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
SECO Energy once again participated in the Marion County Southeastern Youth Fair Auction. Through the resale process, SECO purchased one steer and two pigs during the week-long Youth Fair auction event.
The first purchase of the week was Zachary Duncan’s 960-pound steer named Steeler. Zachary is an eighth grader at Liberty Middle School. This event marks Zachary’s fifth year participating in the Youth Fair. He looks forward to attending West Port High School next school year. Most important, Zachary looks forward to showing one of his “homegrown” yearlings at next year’s Youth Fair. After high school, Zachary wants to become a diesel mechanic and a cattle rancher.
SECO Energy’s Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations Kathy Judkins also engaged with a few of Belleview Middle School’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter during the Youth Fair. The participants entered the arena with a pig weighing in at 273 pounds. The students were so excited to take part. Though they were exhausted by the long week of activities, it was evident by the welcoming smiles they loved being a part of their FFA chapter and appreciated SECO’s purchase of their pig.
SECO also purchased Taylor Burns’ 252-pound. Taylor is a senior at Vanguard High School, and she plans to attend the University of Florida in the fall to study Agricultural Law. Kathy Judkins is impressed with this year’s Youth Fair participants. She stated, “These students are gaining skills that are preparing them for the workforce and companies such as SECO Energy are always seeking employees who have organizational, time management, dedication, teamwork, analytical and problem-solving skills. It is a pleasure to interact with them.”
To learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts visit our Community page. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
March 2019 was slightly warmer than March 2018. The average high temperature was 77 – one degree hotter than last year. Rainfall for March of 2019 was 0.12 inches compared to last March at 2.03 inches.
Based on data from the Leesburg weather station, April’s average high will heat up to the mid 80s, and the average historical low is 58 degrees. This variance could mean toggling between cooling your home in the day and heating it at night as temperatures drop. That said, if you haven’t changed your HVAC filter since last year, now is a good time to do so. It’s also a good time to have a qualified technician perform a health check on your system.
April rainfall is forecast to be heavier than normal compared to 2018. Warmer weather is right around the corner, so remember that every degree above 78 degrees on your thermostat will save you 6%-8% on your cooling costs.
If you’re interested in the HDDs and CDDs, there were 108 cooling degree days and 62 heating degree days for March 2019, while last year there were 84 cooling degree days with 67 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.
If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and 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. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.
** Past weather data sourced from Leesburg Airport weather station.
At year-end 2018, your not-for-profit cooperative served 205,644 members with reliable, safe, affordable power. The communities SECO Energy serves in our seven-county area are growing. You and your fellow members consumed over 3.14 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) last year – an increase of 184 million kWh over 2017.
We welcomed 5,161 new members in 2018. SECO invested over $3.3 million per month to maintain, inspect and build new infrastructure to reach new members and improve system reliability. The total investment in facilities tops $878.7 million.
Much of our growth can be attributed to The Villages expansion in Sumter County but other counties are prospering as well. 23% of last year’s new growth occurred in Marion County and 32% was attributed to Lake County. 43% of the growth falls in Sumter County, and SECO’s 2019 work plan aligns with that ongoing development.
This month, I’m highlighting a noteworthy system improvement project – the $3 million Federal substation expansion in Sumter County along County Road 501. Federal’s expansion is impressive – tripling its size – making it the largest in SECO’s territory to keep pace with growth in The Villages of Fenney, Southern Oaks and the Turnpike area.
The existing substation was rebuilt in 2017. A new control house was installed. The high and low side bus work was rebuilt, the sub was completely rewired and expanded foundations were poured.
In this state-of-the-art substation, we are adding two 56 MVA power transformers for a total of three, and building eight new distribution feeders for a total of 12 to serve more members. Federal serves 3,000 members – my home included. After expansion, capacity will increase ten-fold to potentially power 30,000 members’ homes.
Safeguarding this multi-million-dollar investment is a relay protection scheme programmed to protect the substation and power transformers to keep the sub operational. SECO Relay Technicians like Travis Taylor (who you’ll read about as this month’s SECO Champion) compute the limits feeders can distribute and the amount of fault current feeders can absorb and continue to operate safely.
Power transformers provide the proper voltage to members served by the substation. When unexpected outages occur, a car hits a pole or a tree falls on the line, relays operate and try to clear the fault/interruption detected on the line. A power blink is the relay scheme in action, interrupting power and restoring quickly. If the fault still exists after the blink, the relay shuts the power flow to protect the transformers as well as the downline breakers and equipment.
Like the substation itself, the relay scheme is high-tech. Federal will be equipped with an auto-restore scheme. If a power transformer is nonoperational, a transformer in the substation will automatically pick up the load in less than a minute. Thus, members may see a blink instead of a full outage. The transmission lines will be fully looped – meaning if a fault occurs on one side of the transmission line, another side will automatically pick up the load and members won’t know a problem occurred.
SECO’s 48 substations are inspected monthly. Crews visually inspect all material, run diagnostic tests and view equipment through an infrared camera that detects temperature variations. Equipment that is out of normal temperature ranges is inspected and replaced or repaired.
Along with monthly maintenance, substations undergo a major overhaul every eight years. Our techs test relays, breakers and transformers. Test records help build trends over time. Every year, a dissolved gas analysis is conducted on all substation power transformers. Techs take a sample of the oil found in the transformers and test for arcing, which is the first sign of failure. Samples are tested in-house at our mini lab and sent away for further analysis if dangerous gases are present and degradation is suspected.
Federal is one of many system improvement projects scheduled this year. The Marion Oaks substation is being completely rebuilt, and we’re upgrading the Ocala Park substation. Major maintenance is happening at the Clermont, Haines Creek, Inverness, Linadale, Mount Dora and The Villages substations.
Improving reliability and keeping power affordable for you and your family are top priorities at SECO.
Sincerely,
Jim Duncan
Chief Executive Officer
Meet SECO Champion Travis Taylor – an example of our 400+ SECO Champion employees. Travis is dedicated to providing exceptional service to members, co-workers and communities.
TRAVIS TAYLOR – RELAY TECHNICIAN
LENGTH OF SERVICE – 2 YEARS
“SECO is reliable.”
SECO Champion Travis Taylor is a 1st Class Relay Technician stationed in Sumterville. As a Relay Technician, he commissions, tests and maintains the equipment in SECO’s substations. A Florida native originally from Apopka, Travis and his wife have two young sons and make their home on the eastern side of SECO’s territory in Mount Dora. Travis and his family are active at their local church. Travis’ work at the Federal substation is instrumental in bringing its two new power transformers and expanded member capacity online. When Federal’s expansion is complete it will be the largest substation in SECO’s territory.
RELAY FOR LIFE – JOIN THE SECO ENERGY VIRTUAL TEAM
SECO Energy is a proud, long-time supporter of the American Cancer Society by participating in local Relay For Life events. Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s premier event.
This year, we are asking members to join a virtual SECO Relay For Life team established in your local community.
By partnering with SECO’s virtual Relay For Life team, you become a member of an organization of 3.5 million survivors, patients, advocates, volunteers, caregivers and researchers doing everything within our power to save lives.
You can participate virtually and/or in person. To join a SECO Energy team, visit Relay Events, look for “Find a Participant or Team” and choose “Team.” Enter team name: “SECO Energy” and click “Search.” Choose your local Relay event to join one of SECO’s teams, donate or dedicate a luminaria.
Join SECO Energy and the American Cancer Society today!
CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG
Planting a garden or a tree? Call 811 before you dig. In Florida, it’s the law.
Sunshine 811 is a free service that locates and marks underground utilities, keeping you and your family safe from digging into buried electric, natural gas, telephone or water lines. Know what’s below – dial 811 or visit Sunshine 811 online to request utility locating assistance.
TREE LINE USA 12 YEARS GROWING
We are proud to announce that SECO Energy has earned the Tree Line USA Utility distinction from the Arbor Day Foundation. Your cooperative has been named a Tree Line USA Utility now for 12 consecutive years!
The Arbor Day Foundation created the Tree Line USA program to recognize public and private utilities for practices that protect and enhance America’s urban forests. A collaboration of the Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, Tree Line USA promotes the dual goals of delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community trees.
To be named a Tree Line USA Utility, SECO follows the Arbor Day Foundation’s standards that include quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, tree-based energy conservation programs and participation in an annual Arbor Day celebration event.
Cottontail rabbits are small, grayish-brown rabbits with a white puffy tail. These rabbits make their homes just about anywhere in Florida with the exception of dense forests and swampy areas. Cottontails live in small brush that is well camouflaged from predators.
Female cottontails typically birth four to seven baby rabbits (aka kittens) per litter. An average female births four litters in its lifetime. Cottontails are crepuscular, meaning they are mostly active during twilight hours. From dusk to dawn, these rabbits rummage through foliage scouting for food and can be spotted in the early morning hours before settling in for the day.
Children all over the world have been entertained with “tails” about mischievous cottontail rabbits written by Beatrix Potter (Peter Rabbit) and Thornton Burgess (Peter Cottontail). Like Potter’s stories, Burgess’ Peter Cottontail character was originally named Peter Rabbit but temporarily changed his last name to Cottontail, then changed it back to Rabbit. Burgess’ Peter Cottontail character evolved through pop culture and is now associated with the Easter Bunny.
Hundreds of SECO Energy members and employees graciously gave 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food during the “Feeding the Cooperative Spirit” food drive initiative at SECO Energy’s 81st Annual Meeting of the Membership which garnered a crowd of nearly 5,000 attendees on Saturday, March 23, 2019.
SECO Energy and local United Way agencies partnered to identify 14 regional food banks in SECO Energy’s service territory to receive the collected food. Volunteers from some of those food banks along with United Way representatives and SECO employees collected, sorted, packed, and delivered 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to:
Brother’s Keeper
Salvation Army of Marion County
Interfaith Emergency Services
St. Theresa’s Social Services
Community of Gratitude
Salvation Army of Lake County
Leesburg Food Bank
Faith Neighborhood Center, Inc.
Lake Cares
Salvation Army of Sumter County
Wildwood Food Pantry
Hope Ministries Center, Inc.
Daystar Life Center
Community Food Bank Citrus County
According to Rebecca Brislain, Executive Director of the Florida Association of Food Banks, “Florida food banks have been distributing food at disaster levels over the last three years with increases of 80 percent in some areas of the state.”
CEO Jim Duncan said, “We recognize disasters don’t always hit during a hurricane or severe storm but can occur at any given time to individuals or families. We continue to adhere to our seventh cooperative principle, “Concern for Community.” I believe this is why hundreds of our members showed their concern for community by donating to this worthy cause.”
“Some of our members suggested they would visit one of the identified food banks at a later date to drop-off their food items. Others gave money for SECO to purchase items for the food drive. We ask the community to continue our theme of ‘Feeding the Cooperative Spirit’ by giving to the local food bank closest to them,” stated Kathy Judkins, Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations.
View our video footage of the food drive and learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts online. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
