Thieves Posing as Utility Workers Rob Residents During Hurricane

SECO Energy is warning members of thieves posing as utility personnel, knocking on doors, and robbing unsuspecting consumers at gunpoint during Hurricane Irma.

Florida Power and Light (FPL) customers, and Marion County residents have been approached by thieves dressed as utility workers. The thieves knock on the door, and then rob the residents at gunpoint.

Please be very cautious if you receive a knock on your door during Hurricane Irma. By Sunday evening, wind speeds will approach 100 mph in SECO’s service area and SECO personnel will not be in the field restoring power. Also, many counties in Central Florida are under a curfew, almost no one except law enforcement and first responders should be out and about.

Scammers and thieves run rampant during and after hurricane restoration. Utility customers should never accept restoration services from anyone other than their electric utility personnel. There are possibly thousands of line and tree trimming contractors in the state prepared to restore power after Hurricane Irma. All SECO visiting line and tree crews trucks’ are clearly marked with “SECO Energy Authorized Contractor” signage.

Also, helpful in avoiding scams and dangers is to not accept restoration or tree trimming assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

Hurricane Force Winds Will Cause Extended Power Outages

SECO Energy, a not-for-profit electric cooperative, has enacted its emergency restoration plan and organized its employees and hundreds of line and tree trimming contractors who are waiting and ready for Hurricane Irma to impact SECO this afternoon through Monday. Hundreds of bucket trucks, front-end loaders, cranes, and other heavy equipment are already assembled at SECO.

Hurricane-force winds are expected throughout SECO’s service territory as Hurricane Irma veers north into Florida’s west coast. At noon Sunday, Hurricane Irma was clocked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and moving north-northwest at 9 mph. Irma is a huge storm, with hurricane-force winds extending 70 miles from its center, and tropical-storm-force winds extending 205 miles from its center.

Irma is currently forecast to move along Florida’s west coast, making final landfall near Cedar Key mid-morning on Monday. Hurricane-force sustained wind speeds over 100 mph will begin to impact SECO’s territory late Sunday night and continue through Monday morning.

As this giant storm is moving closer to Florida, SECO is warning members to expect extended outages. SECO’s distribution system is built to withstand 100 mph winds, and the state’s transmission system is built to withstand 110 mph winds. Hurricane-force winds will put poles, lines and substation equipment on the ground. Thousands of SECO members will be without power – even those served by underground equipment as their service is fed by overhead transmission lines. Full restoration from Hurricane Irma may take days or even weeks.

Later Sunday afternoon when winds exceed 35 mph in SECO territory, restoration efforts must be stopped for safety. SECO won’t be able to conduct restoration activity until winds subside Monday afternoon. Once safe, SECO employees and hundreds of line and tree contractors will converge throughout the service territory to conduct restoration according to the emergency plan.

Essential services such as hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies are the highest restoration priority. Line repairs that will restore power to large groups of members are next, and less populated areas with individual electric services are the final part of restoration.

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters. Seek shelter if you or your loved ones need power to run life-saving medical devices.

Prepare to hunker down and wait for Hurricane Irma to exit the state. If you are using a portable or backup generator during outages, never let the generator run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Do not tamper with a meter to connect a generator as this requires a licensed electrician. Safety tips and storm preparation tips are available on SECO’s website.

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration or tree trimming assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

Hurricane Irma Expected to Pound SECO’s Service Area

SECO Energy enacted its full emergency restoration plan late Friday afternoon in preparation for Hurricane Irma. The not-for-profit electric cooperative is preparing its members, employees and hundreds of line and tree trimming contractors for the hurricane to pound SECO’s service area.

Currently, Hurricane Irma remains a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 160 miles per hour. Irma’s center is located about 275 miles south-southeast of Miami, and it’s moving west at 12 miles per hour. Hurricane-force winds extend outward 70 miles from the center, with tropical-storm force winds extending 185 miles outward from the center.

Irma will turn northwest later today through Sunday morning, and is expected to make landfall first in the middle to upper Keys very early Sunday morning and then make another landfall near Naples Sunday afternoon. The track is shifting slightly to the west and when it makes landfall Hurricane Irma will be a Category 5 or high-end Category 4. Hurricane Irma will trek north-northwest Sunday afternoon and evening along or near Florida’s west coast picking up speed and gradually weakening before entering Central Florida.

Because Hurricane Irma strengthened back to a Category 5 early this morning, it will take time for it to weaken below hurricane strength. In addition, the slight westward shift in track means Irma will be over water for a longer period of time. For those reasons, we are now forecasting hurricane-force winds (up to 80 mph) over SECO service territory beginning late Sunday night and lasting through early Monday morning. Winds will likely decrease late Monday morning to below tropical-storm force early Monday afternoon. SECO’s area will be inundated with rain before, during and after Irma’s approach. There is also a chance of tornadoes within Irma’s feeder bands on Sunday. Hurricane Irma’s track will probably make slight shifts until it reaches Florida and makes landfall.

SECO employees and hundreds of line and tree contractors from across the nation will focus on power restoration throughout the duration of the event. Hundreds of bucket trucks, front loaders, cranes, and other heavy equipment is being assembled at SECO locations. When winds exceed 35 mph, restoration efforts are curtailed due to safety. It is possible with the hurricane timing and intensity that SECO won’t be able to conduct restoration activity beginning Saturday night until winds subside on Monday. SECO members should expect power to be off for an extended period of time due to hurricane-force winds.

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond to outages spawned by Hurricane Irma. SECO is prepared for inclement weather and reminds members that it is best to be informed and prepared.

Have your emergency supplies including food, water, batteries, a radio, etc. in a safe place. If you are using a portable or backup generator during outages, never let the generator run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist.

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters. Please seek shelter if you or your loved ones need power to run life-saving medical devices.

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. 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, and then individual electric services in less populated areas. To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

SECO Braces for CAT 2/3 Across Central Florida

SECO Energy is enacting its emergency restoration plan in full alert this afternoon well before Hurricane Irma barrels through the state. SECO employees and hundreds of line and tree contractors from across the nation will focus on power restoration throughout the duration of the event. Hundreds of bucket trucks, front loaders, cranes, and other heavy equipment is being assembled at SECO locations.

The current National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast indicates Hurricane Irma continues to move west-northwest at a speed of 16 miles per hour. Irma is currently a Category 4 storm. The projection cone has shifted, putting Irma’s path directly through the state’s center. Hurricane Irma is 250 miles wide, and by the time it reaches Central Florida, Irma could be a Category 2 or Category 3 hurricane which is unprecedented for Central Florida.

Tropical storm winds will likely affect SECO’s area before the storm makes landfall in south Florida on Sunday. Bucket trucks cannot operate in high wind conditions. When winds exceed 35 mph, restoration efforts are curtailed due to safety. It is possible with the hurricane timing and intensity that SECO won’t be able to conduct restoration activity beginning Saturday night until winds subside on Monday. SECO members should expect power to be off for an extended period of time due to hurricane-force winds.

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond to outages spawned by Hurricane Irma. SECO is prepared for inclement weather and reminds members that it is best to be informed and prepared.

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

SECO & County EOCs Prepare for Hurricane Irma

SECO Energy serves almost 200,000 members in Sumter, Lake, Marion, Citrus and in small parts of Levy, Hernando and Pasco Counties in Central Florida. Currently, no mandatory evacuations are in effect for the counties SECO serves, but Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) activated and are open to assist the public throughout Central Florida.

Sumter County: EOC Citizens’ Hotline is 352-689-4400. Shelters will be opening and schools are releasing early on Friday.

Lake County: EOC Citizens’ Hotline is 352-253-9999. Nine shelters are now open and schools are releasing early Friday and are closed Monday.

Marion County: EOC Citizens’ Hotline is 352-369-7500. Shelters are open only for Marion County residents – no host shelters available. Schools are closed on Friday and Monday.

Citrus County: No Citizens’ Hotline open. No school closures or shelters have been determined at the time of this release.

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

As of Thursday afternoon, Hurricane Irma is maintaining its Category 5 intensity and wind speeds of 175 miles per hour. Irma continues its west-northwestward path at 16 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center predicts Irma will make landfall in south Florida early Sunday morning.

SECO members will likely feel Irma’s effects late this weekend and early next week. SECO’s service area will likely experience tropical storm force winds, torrential rains and the possibility of tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Irma. Members should be prepared for the possibility of lengthy power outages.

Gather your emergency supplies and if you plan on running a portable or backup generator, now is the time to test that it is working properly and you have an adequate supply of fuel. Never use a portable generator in an enclosed area. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and to view an emergency checklist.

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. 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, and then individual electric services in less populated areas. To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a storm restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond if outages occur. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO Bracing for Hurricane Irma

SECO Energy is keeping a close watch on Hurricane Irma as its track lands the giant Category 5 storm in Florida. The cooperative is enacting its emergency plan in full alert mode starting Friday at 4 pm through the duration of the restoration event.

Hurricane Irma continues to move on a west-northwestward track with an increased speed of 17 miles per hour, and maximum sustained winds of 180 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has shifted the impact cone to the east overnight, but that shift isn’t enough to send Irma away from Florida. The NHC predicts Irma will make landfall along the southern east coast of Florida or the storm will travel up the east coast.

Gather your emergency supplies and if you plan on running a portable or backup generator, now is the time to test that it is working properly and you have an adequate supply of fuel on hand. Never use a portable generator in an enclosed area. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist.

Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

Members with smartphones and tablets should bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates. 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, and then individual electric services in less populated areas.To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

SECO’s employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond if outages occur. SECO is prepared for inclement weather and reminds members that it is best to be informed and prepared. All SECO members should continue to seek out supplies for their emergency kits, and be ready to wait out the storm.

SECO Tracking and Preparing for Hurricane Irma

SECO Energy is tracking Hurricane Irma and continues to prepare for a track that will affect its service territory.

Currently, Hurricane Irma is a Category 5 storm with wind speeds over 180 miles per hour. The storm is located five miles north of Barbuda, and is moving west-northwestward at 15 miles per hour. Forecasters predict that Hurricane Irma will continue on this current path until at least Friday night, passing between Cuba and the southern Bahamas.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is predicting Hurricane Irma will make landfall in Dade County. The major models predicting Irma’s path shifted a bit easterly overnight, and predictions will continue to fluctuate over the next couple of days.

SECO’s service area will likely experience heavy winds, torrential rains and the possibility of tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Irma. Members should be prepared for the possibility of lengthy power outages.

If you have a portable or backup generator, now is the time to test that it is running properly and you have an adequate supply of fuel on hand. Members can visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist. For members with smartphones or tablets, bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates.

SECO Tracking Hurricane Irma as Governor Declares State of Emergency

SECO Energy is tracking Hurricane Irma and the impact the storm will bring to Central Florida. The peak of Atlantic hurricane season is here, and Irma is a strong storm that may target Florida later this week.

As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Irma is a Category 5 hurricane and is located approximately 1,000 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Thunderstorms associated with Irma are becoming more organized and conditions are conducive for Irma to continue develop and the intensity of the storm to increase. Hurricane Irma is moving west-northwest, and the storm is on track to affect south Florida as early as Saturday.

Governor Rick Scott has proactively declared a state of emergency for all Florida counties. The governor’s actions allow local governments ample time to gather resources well in advance of potential landfall. Currently, Irma is still too far away to determine its exact path, but SECO hopes the governor’s declaration spurs Floridians to prepare early and also allows comprehensive movement of utility crews, equipment and supplies within the state.

SECO employees are Storm Ready and waiting to respond if outages occur from Hurricane Irma. SECO is prepared for the possibility of inclement weather and would like to remind members that it is best to be informed and prepared. When storms threaten, supplies sell out quickly, now is the time to gather your emergency supplies and be ready to hunker down if Irma strikes Florida.

The National Weather Service recommends each household have enough food and water for each person in the house for one week. Stock your first aid kit, and include a 30-day supply of prescription medicines. Make sure your flashlights and weather radio are in good working order, with plenty of extra batteries. Fill your car with gas, and have cash on hand, gas pumps, ATMs and credit cards won’t work during power outages.

If you have a portable or backup generator, now is the time to test that it is running properly and you have an adequate supply of fuel on hand. Members can visit SECO’s website for storm preparation tips and view an emergency checklist. For members with smartphones or tablets, go online and bookmark SECO’s Storm Center for easy outage reporting and updates.

Nature’s Reflections – Living with Alligators

Keep your distance and NEVER feed them

Florida’s official state reptile is the American Alligator (Alligator mississippensis). This largest North American reptile is a common site in Florida’s waterways. Our state is home to 1.3 million of them. People are intrigued by alligators, but they are dangerous creatures if someone attempts to handle or feed them. Feeding is not only illegal, it causes the gator to lose its fear of humans and associate people with food. Once this natural fear of humans is lost, it is an extremely dangerous threat. Development and loss of habitat result in more alligator encounters.

Adult males typically reach 13 to 14 feet. The Florida record is 14 ft. 3.5 in. and 1,043 lbs. Females reach just under 10 feet. The snout is characteristically broad. The number of teeth varies from 74 to 80, and are continually replaced if lost. Lifespan is 30 to 50 years.

Alligators begin to mate once they reach seven to eight feet in length. May is the peak of mating season. During June/July, the female builds a high mound of vegetation where she lays about 35 to 50 eggs, covers them with mud and vegetation and guards the nest. The mound keeps the eggs warm during the 65-day incubation. Hatchling sex is determined by nest temperature. Colder nests produce more females and warmer nests produce more males.

Alligators can be a threat to livestock and pets, but are also a Florida conservation success story. Thousands of eggs are harvested from the wild each year as part of a program that allows farmers to raise them in captivity for valuable hides and meat. Florida’s Alligator Management program allows annual hunt participation to keep numbers down. If you observe a nuisance alligator call: 1-866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286) for removal. Better understanding of these unique reptiles, plus keeping a safe distance allows humans and alligators to coexist in Florida.

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the September 2017 SECO News here.

SECO News, September 2017

Duncan’s Digest

MEGAWATTS & MILLIONS

On November 12, 1938, the first employees of Sumter Electric Cooperative electrified 400 homes at the crossroads of Sumter, Lake and Marion Counties. Sumter Electric has since evolved from a small, rural electric cooperative into our d/b/a name of SECO Energy, and has grown into a regional, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving members across Central Florida.

SECO’s growth during its 80-year history is impressive. Continued economic development in our service territory, keeps us investing in new infrastructure and upgrading our existing system. When I joined the SECO team in 1979, the cooperative served less than 39,000 members. Upon becoming CEO in 1990, we served almost 70,000 members. Since then, SECO’s membership increased to almost 200,000 members – a growth rate of 186%.

Population booms create a greater demand for power. To keep pace, SECO makes investing in its electric system a top priority. As of July 31, SECO’s system wide facilities investment is $817.8 million, which equates to an investment of $2.77 million per month in SECO’s system.

Sumter County is growing with The Villages of Fenney and Southern Oaks, future home to 8,000 houses and numerous retail spaces. As a result, SECO is upgrading that area’s substation (called “Federal” because it serves the prison) from 12kV to 25kV and building additional feeders to increase capacity.

In its current configuration, the substation can serve 5,000 members. The upgrade brings the capacity to 25,000 members. The substation is currently equipped with a 34-megawatt power transformer. The upgrade adds two 56-megawatt power transformers with space for another 56-megawatt power transformer if/when needed. The Federal substation upgrade investment is approximately $3 million.

This system upgrade also gives SECO the ability to backfeed power to members served by other substations in the event of an outage.

In south Lake County, crews have already upgraded equipment at our Big Creek substation. In Marion County, crews are upgrading the relay equipment at our Oak Run substation that serves members in the western State Road 200 area. In northwest Marion County, work has begun to upgrade our Blitchton substation to increase its operating voltage and capacity.

Future power supply development by our wholesale provider, Seminole Electric Cooperative is a topic you’ll hear about in more detail soon. Seminole supplies power to 1.6 million Floridians, and the company’s plans for the future ensure an adequate power supply with a fuel portfolio that keeps costs and rates low but also expands the use of renewable energy. That said, SECO will continue to provide reliable power to current members and be ready to serve future members.

It is our pleasure to serve your family’s energy needs. Thank you for being a SECO member.

Lightning Buzz

Florida is deemed the “Lightning Capital” of the nation. It comes as no surprise that lightning is the leading cause of outages in SECO’s service area, and it creates a host of problems for our electric system. Lightning can strike power lines directly, causing a sudden increase in the electrical field. This sudden increase causes outages by tripping fuses, reclosers and breakers installed along the lines to protect the circuit. Lightning also plays a role in the second and third leading causes of outages – trees and equipment failures. Lightning strikes trees, causing damage to tree branches, trunks and roots. Branches and entire trees fall onto lines, bringing down poles and lines, causing outages. Lightning interrupts the normal operation of transformers, cabinets, fusers and breakers, and lightning can spark fires that damage electrical equipment.

Squirrels, birds and bears – oh my – they wreak havoc on SECO’s facilities. Bears use SECO poles as scratching posts, creating a weakened pole that could break and cause lines to fall. Squirrels, birds and snakes travel on SECO lines and cause outages. Birds build their nests on SECO poles and woodpeckers drill into wood poles to hollow out nests.

System maintenance is a constant and costly battle. During hurricane season and beyond, SECO is Storm Ready, equipped to respond quickly and safely to major weather events and occasional outages. If you experience an outage, use your tablet or smartphone to report it through Storm Center at SECOEnergy.com.

Energy Efficiency

Curb the Silent Demanders

According to energy.gov, a home’s water heater accounts for about 12% of monthly energy use. Follow these simple, easy tips to increase the energy efficiency of your water heater.

Install a timer that turns off the unit at night or when not in use.
Lower the temperature to 120º F.
Wash and rinse clothes in cold water.
Wash only a full load in your dishwasher on the shortest cycle.
Replace showerheads and faucets with low-flow fixtures.

It may be time to consider purchasing a new water heater, clothes washer or dishwasher. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label. Tankless water heaters use less energy, but the up-front costs are higher. ENERGY STAR reports savings of $135 a year by replacing a washer that’s over ten years old. ENERGY STAR-qualified dishwashers use 31% less energy and 33% less water than older models – a double-win for efficiency.

Searching for additional energy-saving advice? SECO’s Energy Services Specialists are available to answer your questions. Visit our website to schedule an Energy Audit appointment at your home or business today.

Surge Protection Bill Credit Winner

Margaret Locke from Umatilla is the winner of SECO’s $300 Surge Protection Bill Credit. Congratulations Margaret!

You too can add a layer of protection to your home’s appliances with SECO’s meter-based surge protection. Enroll online today!

Read the full September 2017 SECO News here.

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Archive

Keep your distance and NEVER feed them

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

Duncan’s Digest

MEGAWATTS & MILLIONS

Lightning Buzz

Energy Efficiency

Curb the Silent Demanders

Surge Protection Bill Credit Winner

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