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Tropical Storm Eta Hits Citrus & Sumter in SECO Energy Territory

Overnight, several thousand SECO Energy members largely in Citrus and Sumter Counties were affected by Tropical Storm Eta-related outages. Line and tree crews worked throughout the night to restore service. Currently, the service territory has 88 outage events reported – affecting nearly 1,900 members. The local Central Florida forecast indicates that wind and rainbands will continue to affect the SECO service territory through early afternoon Thursday.

 

When assessing your property, stay away from downed power lines and report them to SECO immediately. Call 911 if there is immediate danger. Always assume a downed line is energized even if power is out at your location. Lake, Marion, Citrus and Sumter County schools are closed today, so ensure that your children understand this dire safety rule about staying away from downed lines.

 

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Storm Eta made its fourth landfall around 4 a.m. Thursday morning near Cedar Key on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The storm hit with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Earlier this week, Governor Ron DeSantis expanded the state of emergency to include Citrus, Levy, Marion and Sumter Counties in SECO’s service area.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “We are thankful that Tropical Storm Eta is passing through our system with minimal damage to our infrastructure. Members should continue to be on alert for the final rainbands passing through our service area through early afternoon and should report outages immediately through StormCenter. Crews will continue to work until all members’ services have been restored.”

 

SECO Energy’s online outage reporting and communications platform StormCenter is available 24/7 to report new outages or check the status of an existing outage. Members can use their smartphones or tablets to report outages, enroll in outage notifications and alerts via email, text or voice message, or all three. An alert is sent when the system recognizes that your service has been interrupted. The alert will include crew status, start time and an estimated restoration time.

 

Members can visit StormCenter and bookmark the site on their smartphones or tablets. On StormCenter, members can view the outage map, manage notifications, check the status of an existing outage, report an area light issue and more.

 

Stay up to date on weather affecting SECO Energy’s service area, the latest news releases and cooperative updates by “liking” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter.

SECO Energy Braced for Hurricane Eta

The National Hurricane Center upgraded TS Eta to hurricane status Wednesday morning. SECO Energy has been monitoring Eta and its pending effects on the cooperative’s territory. Hurricane Eta’s track and landfall site have continued to change since the storm moved away from Central America last week. Forecasters now predict Hurricane Eta will make an easterly turn into Florida’s Gulf Coast with the potential to travel through SECO’s service area as a tropical storm.

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts shows that Hurricane Eta is about 145 miles south/southwest of Tampa with 75 mph sustained winds. On the forecast track, the center of Eta will move closer to the southwest coast of Florida today, approach the west-central coast of Florida tonight, and move inland over the northern portion of the Florida peninsula on Thursday. Eta is expected to move northeastward into the western Atlantic late Thursday or early Friday.

 

Projected landfall location is between Citrus and Levy Counties. Citrus County has announced school closures for Thursday. Currently, hurricane force winds extend 60 miles from the center. SECO’s forecaster predicts that Eta will bring heavy rains and wind gusts between 40 and 50 mph at peak to parts of the cooperative’s service territory. A storm surge warning has been issued for the Florida west coast from Suwannee River to Bonita Beach, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.

 

cone eta hurricane

 

SECO Energy is StormReady and prepared to respond to power outages caused by Hurricane Eta’s rainbands and wind gusts. SECO employee and contractor line crews, as well as tree crews are staged across the system. Above normal rains in October have left some areas saturated. Additional rain from Hurricane Eta could cause outages from trees falling into power lines.

 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March, SECO Energy has taken the necessary precautions to ensure the health and wellbeing of its employees and contractors. SECO’s line crews and contractors are the key to preserving service reliability for the cooperative’s 200,000+ homes and businesses within its service territory. The COVID-19 protections instituted for SECO employees and contractors may slow restoration effort.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Our SECO storm watchers have been monitoring Hurricane Eta and its wobbling projected track since early last week. We’ve been lucky in Central Florida that the 2020 hurricane season has had minimal effect on our area. Hurricane Eta looks to change that trend. SECO Energy employees and our line and tree contractor partners are prepared to respond to outages from Hurricane Eta’s heavy rains and winds. The track, intensity and forecast of tropical storms and hurricanes often change, and we will keep members updated so they can be prepared.”

 

Duncan also reminded members that SECO Energy’s StormCenter outage reporting and communications platform offers outage alerts. He advises, “StormCenter is available for members to report new outages or check the status of an existing outage using their smartphones or tablets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Members should also enroll in outage notifications and alerts via email, text or voice message, or all three. An alert is sent when the system recognizes that your service has been interrupted. The alert will include crew status, start time and an estimated restoration time. You’ll also receive a notification when service is restored, and we will include the cause of the outage if it is known at that time.”

 

Members should visit StormCenter and bookmark the site on their smartphones or tablets. On StormCenter, members can view the outage map, manage notifications, check the status of an existing outage, report an area light issue and more. Stay up to date on weather affecting SECO Energy’s service area, the latest news releases and cooperative updates by “liking” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter.

 

 

SECO Energy Prepared for Tropical Storm Eta

SECO Energy is prepared for Tropical Storm Eta and its possible effects on its service territory. While Tropical Storm Eta’s ultimate track and intensity remain uncertain, SECO members should expect rain and wind to blanket the area.

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts that rainbands from Tropical Storm Eta will affect the area through Friday or Saturday this week. The tropical storm made landfall late Sunday evening in the Florida Keys. The current NHC track predicts Tropical Storm Eta will move southwest into the Gulf of Mexico and gain strength to become a hurricane; however, the models are quite varied.

 

SECO Energy Prepared for Tropical Storm Eta

 

SECO Energy is StormReady and prepared to respond to power outages caused by Tropical Storm Eta’s rainbands and wind gusts. SECO employee and contractor line crews, as well as tree crews staged across the system. Members should prepare for the possibility of rain and wind gusts from 25 to 40 mph in SECO’s area until Friday or Saturday. Above normal rains in October have left some areas saturated. Additional rain from Tropical Storm Eta could cause outages from trees falling into power lines.

 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March, SECO Energy has taken the necessary precautions to ensure the health and wellbeing of its employees and contractors. SECO’s line crews and contractors are the key to preserving service reliability for the cooperative’s 200,000+ homes and businesses within its service territory. The COVID-19 protections instituted for SECO employees and contractors may slow restoration effort.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Since the Atlantic hurricane season began in June, SECO Energy has been prepared for tropical storms or hurricanes. We are ready to respond to any power outages caused by Tropical Storm Eta with our full staff of support employees and line technicians as well as line and tree contractor crews staged across the system. We are monitoring Tropical Storm Eta closely. The track, intensity and forecast of tropical storms and hurricanes often changes, and we will keep members updated so they can be prepared.”

 

Duncan also reminded members that SECO Energy’s StormCenter outage reporting and communications platform offers outage alerts. He advises, “StormCenter is available for members to report new outages or check the status of an existing outage using their smartphones or tablets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Members should also enroll in outage notifications and alerts via email, text or voice message, or all three. An alert is sent when the system recognizes that your service has been interrupted. The alert will include crew status, start time and an estimated restoration time. You’ll also receive a notification when service is restored, and we will include the cause of the outage if it is known at that time.”

 

Members should visit StormCenter and bookmark the site on their smartphones or tablets. On StormCenter, members can view the outage map, enroll or manage notifications, check the status of an existing outage, report an area light issue and more.

 

Stay up to date on weather affecting SECO Energy’s service area, the latest news releases and cooperative updates by “liking” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter.

SECO Energy Tracking Tropical Storm Eta

SECO Energy is tracking Tropical Storm Eta and the possibility of a late-season tropical storm event for Central Florida. While Tropical Storm Eta’s eventual track and possible Florida landfall remain uncertain, SECO is prepared for the weather effects this storm could bring to its service area.

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts that Tropical Storm Eta will bring rain and winds to Central Florida next week. Eta weakened while over Central America. Forecasts predict the storm will take a northeastern turn and may gain strength. The probable track shows Tropical Storm Eta traveling across Cuba on its way toward Florida.

 

SECO members should prepare for the possibility of rain and winds early next week. SECO’s service area could begin to feel the effects of Tropical Storm Eta on Monday. Above normal rains in October have left some areas saturated. Additional rain from Tropical Storm Eta could cause outages from trees falling into power lines.

 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March, SECO Energy has taken the necessary precautions to ensure the health and wellbeing of its employees and contractors. SECO’s line crews and contractors are the key to preserving service reliability for the cooperative’s 200,000+ homes and businesses within its service territory. The COVID-19 protections instituted for SECO employees and contractors may slow restoration effort.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “At times, Mother Nature likes to remind us that hurricane season lasts through the end of November. A late-season storm such as Tropical Storm Eta is a good reminder to stay vigilant during the entire hurricane season. Make sure your hurricane supplies are well stocked and up to date. We are watching Tropical Storm Eta closely, and SECO crews and contractors will be prepared to restore outages if needed in our area.”

 

Duncan also reminded members that SECO Energy’s StormCenter outage reporting and communications platform offers outage alerts. He advises, “StormCenter is available for members to report outages using their smartphones or tablets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Members should also enroll in outage notifications and alerts via email, text or voice message, or all three. An alert is sent when the system recognizes that your service has been interrupted. The alert will include crew status and an estimated restoration time. You’ll also receive a notification when service is restored, and we will include the cause of the outage if it is known at that time.”

 

Members should visit StormCenter and bookmark the site on their smartphones or tablets. On StormCenter, members can view the outage map, enroll or manage notifications, check the status of an existing outage, report an area light issue and more.

 

Stay up to date on weather affecting SECO Energy’s service area, the latest news releases and cooperative updates by “liking” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter.

SECO Energy Returns $6.1 Million to Members

SECO Energy has positive financial news for its 210,000+ members. The not-for-profit electric cooperative is retiring a record $6.1 million in Capital Credits to current and former members. During the September Board Meeting, the SECO Board approved the record-high $6.1 million Capital Credit retirement.

 

Current members will see their portion of the retirement on their November billing statement. Look for a line item labeled “Capital Credit Ret.” Active commercial members with retirements over $600 will receive a check. Former members who receive a retirement over $10 will receive a check at their last known mailing address.

 

Capital Credits are unique to not-for-profit, cooperatively structured businesses. SECO members own a portion of the cooperative’s equity. Members’ energy purchases build patronage capital. Ownership is defined through the annual process of allocating each member’s share of the co-op’s margins from the prior year. Individual Capital Credit allocations represent the percentage of the yearly amount of electric service purchased by each member.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “I am especially pleased that SECO can offer members a record-high Capital Credits retirement payout this year. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty have been stressful. Capital Credits are a tangible benefit of the not-for-profit cooperative business model. The cooperative has retired over $72.9 million to current and former members since energizing the first few hundred services in 1938.”

 

Capital Credits are the accumulation of all prior years’ revenues after SECO’s operating costs and expenses are paid. These credits are allocated on a pro-rata basis to each SECO member’s account as Capital Credits in accordance with the cooperative’s not-for-profit 501(c)12 status. Annually, SECO examines the cooperative’s financial position and makes a recommendation to the Board of Trustees on the retirement of Capital Credits. The $6.1 million Capital Credits retirement pays out a portion of SECO’s equity to current and former members.

 

Interested in learning more about Capital Credits? Visit our Capital Credis page. Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Employees Praised for Hurricane Sally Restoration Assistance

In mid-September when Hurricane Sally left thousands of Florida Panhandle residents without power, SECO Energy answered Escambia River Electric Cooperative’s (EREC) call for assistance. On September 17, thirteen SECO employees departed in a caravan of trucks bound for EREC’s service area to aid in power restoration.

 

After five days of repairing damage and restoring members’ service, SECO Energy employees were released and safely returned home. The damage was extensive with 95 percent of EREC members out of service once Hurricane Sally exited the area. Crews from EREC, SECO and nearby cooperatives repaired transmission lines, substations and individual residential and commercial services.

 

EREC’s CEO Ryan Campbell reached out personally to SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan to express his gratitude for the dedicated, highly trained professionals who volunteered to travel to the Panhandle to assist with hurricane restoration. CEO Campbell states, “Our call for help was answered with manpower that rose to the challenge and succeeded through teamwork and perseverance. There is no better example of cooperation among cooperatives. Again, we send our heartfelt gratitude to you and your outstanding crews for their assistance during this challenging time.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan appreciates the gratitude from EREC and the hard work of the employees who traveled to the Panhandle. Duncan stated, “SECO Energy is proud and honored to answer the call for help from a fellow cooperative. Our employees are the best in the business and we’re thankful for their selfless volunteer spirit and their safe return home.”

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Member Service Centers Reopening October 5

SECO Energy is reopening its five Member Service Centers to walk-in traffic on Monday, October 5. To promote the health and wellbeing of SECO members, employees and contractors, SECO encourages visitors who enter a Service Center to wear a face mask.

 

For members who want to continue limiting face-to-face interactions, all SECO Member Service Centers are equipped with an outside automated kiosk that is available for bill payment 24/7. Drive-thru service is available as well. The drive-thrus in Eustis, Inverness, Ocala and Sumterville will operate 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The drive-thru and lobby in Groveland is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Lobby Hours in Eustis, Inverness, Ocala and Sumterville are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

The cooperative offers members 12 ways to pay bills, and most avoid face-to-face contact. Members can pay online, by phone, by mail, enroll in bank draft and more. SECO’s online account platform called SmartHub is the place to start for convenient self-serve options. Log in or create an account profile today. View past bills, usage history, request a payment arrangement and more.

 

The cooperative will continue to limit member and employee contact in the field. SECO field personnel are practicing the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended social distancing standard of maintaining a six-foot barrier with members, contractors and vendors. Employees and members are asked to use email, phone and web conferencing communication in lieu of in-person meetings whenever possible and to practice social distancing when in-person meetings are unavoidable.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “On Friday, September 25, Governor DeSantis announced that Re-opening Florida would enter into Phase 3 of the plan. This Phase allows most businesses to begin operating under pre-COVID-19 parameters with social distancing measures in place. While SECO looks forward to welcoming members back into our Member Service Centers, we will continue our adherence to CDC-recommended social distancing guidelines. We ask members, employees, contractors and vendors to wear a face mask while on SECO property or during face-to-face interactions when social distancing is not possible.”

 

Duncan continued, “While we are happy that Florida is re-opening and we are entering the end of the COVID-19 shutdown, some of our cooperative’s members are still struggling. Members who donate monthly to SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program have helped us provide funding for member bill payment assistance and local food banks during this pandemic. I am grateful for our Pennies from Heaven members’ generosity and support.”

 

SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program contributes funds every quarter to local United Way organizations and social service agencies. Members who have been economically affected by the COVID-19 shutdown and are unable to pay their electric bills are urged to seek bill payment assistance. Call or text 2-1-1 or visit their website at www.211.org. To find a social service agency, use SECO’s online interactive map. Members can simply input their address and search for an agency in their county of residence.

 

SECO members who enroll in the Pennies from Heaven program agree to round up their monthly bills to the next dollar. The extra change funds the Pennies from Heaven program. The donated pennies can be used to fund local, worthy causes and to provide bill payment assistance to fellow members. The funds are used locally within SECO’s service area. SECO employees also support the Pennies from Heaven program through internal fundraising efforts and personal donations.

 

If you’d prefer to write a check, please send it to SECO Energy, P.O. Box 301, Sumterville, FL 33585.

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Lowers Members’ Bills October 1

SECO Energy is once again lowering the cost of electric service. The not-for-profit electric cooperative will apply a higher member-favorable Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) to members’ bills beginning October 1, 2020. The PCA calculation appears on monthly statements as a line item titled “Hot Bucks.”

 

Since January 1, 2020, SECO’s rate for the first 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) consumed has been $116.90. The reduction on October 1 will lower the amount by $4.50 per 1,000 kWh to $112.40 or approximately 4%. Between January 1, 2014, and October 1, 2020, the price for $1,000 kWh of electricity has decreased by $15.35 or 12%.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Providing affordable electric service is a high priority for a not-for-profit electric cooperative like SECO Energy. Going back to January 2014, the rate for 1,000 kWh was $127.75. We applied several member-favorable PCA adjustments since early 2014 to correspond with fuel cost decreases.”

 

SECO’s PCA factor fluctuates based on the amount the cooperative pays for power purchased from its wholesale power provider Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. SECO works closely with Seminole to ensure the lowest rates possible for members. When the wholesale cost of purchased power decreases, SECO passes those savings along to members.

 

Duncan added, “Since 2014, there were times when fuel costs rose and SECO adjusted the PCA to reflect the increase. For the most part, the PCA adjustments SECO has made have consistently lowered members’ bills.”

 

SECO also encourages members to use electricity efficiently and reduce their energy consumption. Visit our Energy Efficiency page to complete the Home Energy Assessment for an online energy audit. Try the Energy Estimator to calculate the energy use and costs associated for everyday electronics, appliances, lighting and more.

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases, cooperative updates and for weather information and updates affecting SECO’s service area.

SECO Energy Crews to Aid Hurricane Sally Restoration

SECO Energy is sending crews to aid in power restoration after Hurricane Sally left thousands without power in the Florida Panhandle. Thirteen SECO employees left the Ocala Operations Center early this morning traveling to Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC) in Jay, Florida.

 

Hurricane Sally made landfall in Gulf Shores, Alabama as a CAT 2 hurricane in the early morning hours of September 16. The hurricane weakened into a tropical depression and turned east into the Florida Panhandle. Residents in the Panhandle have experienced torrential rains and flooding.

 

A module of first-class line personnel, a supervisor, a superintendent and a first-class mechanic will arrive in the Panhandle to begin assisting with power restoration this afternoon. EREC serves over 11,000 members in Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties. This morning, more than 8,800 members of EREC are without power.

 

CEO Jim Duncan is honored that SECO Energy can aid Panhandle residents. Duncan stated, “As a Florida electric cooperative, we know firsthand how devastating hurricanes, tropical storms and tropical depressions are for our members. We are honored to send crews to help EREC restore power for the members it serves.”

 

Duncan continued, “SECO places a top priority on safety and our employees do as well. The energy industry carries inherent dangers and working in an area that has been damaged by a storm is even more treacherous. My thoughts are with the Florida residents and business owners affected by Hurricane Sally and for the safety of crews working to restore service.”

 

Vice President of Reliability and Operations John LaSelva stated, “Cooperation among cooperatives is one of our seven cooperative principles. When called, SECO is willing to send mutual aid and offer assistance to our cooperative peers. I am grateful for our employees who show their commitment to the cooperative purpose by volunteering to help others.”

 

SECO team members reporting to EREC:

 

Mark Bowling
Todd Yates
Bryan Lancaster
Dave Kerns
Jimmy Johns
Ryan Hendrix
Derek Eveleth
Brandon Blackmon
Gary Zachary
Paul Byrd
Tommy Lakin
Chris Reynolds
Rick Walsh

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases, cooperative updates and for weather information and updates affecting SECO’s service area.

SECO Energy Monitoring Tropical Storm Isaias

SECO Energy continues to monitor Tropical Storm Isaias as it moves along Florida’s east coast. The storm was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm early Sunday morning. The current track brings the storm close to Jupiter and Melbourne.

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts that Tropical Storm Isaias will no longer make landfall along Florida’s east coast. The storm is moving northwest and has slowed to 8 mph with wind speeds at 60 mph. Forecasters predict that the storm will travel along Florida’s east coast toward the Carolinas. Tropical Storm Isaias will bring rain to the east coast from Florida to Maine.

 

Forecasters predict SECO’s service area could begin to feel the effects of Tropical Storm Isaias early Sunday afternoon into the early hours Monday morning. Members should expect wind gusts and heavy rains as Isaias’ rainbands move through the state. The strongest winds will affect SECO’s area beginning Sunday evening into the early hours Monday morning. The maximum sustained winds are expected to be upwards of 20 mph in eastern Marion County and Lake County with gusts up to 40 mph. Western Marion County, Citrus and Sumter Counties will have sustained winds at 18 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March, SECO Energy has taken the necessary precautions to ensure the health and wellbeing of its employees and contractors. SECO’s line crews and contractors are the key to preserving service reliability for the more than 200,000 homes and businesses the cooperative serves. The COVID-19 protections instituted for SECO employees and contractors could delay the restoration effort.

 

CEO Jim Duncan said, “Thankfully, Isaias has lost strength and is now a tropical storm instead of a hurricane. Nonetheless, SECO is ready for Isaias and its effects on our service area. We are warning members in Lake and Marion Counties to be prepared for heavy rains, winds and the possibility of power outages because of Isaias’ track through the state. Employees are ready to respond to outages. We will work until all members’ services are restored.”

 

Duncan also reminded members that SECO Energy’s StormCenter outage reporting and communications platform offers outage alerts. “StormCenter is available for members to report outages using their smartphones or tablets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Members should also enroll in outage notifications and alerts via email, text or voice message, or all three. An alert is sent when the system recognizes that your service has been interrupted. The alert will include crew status and an estimated restoration time. You’ll also receive a notification when the service is restored, and we will include the cause of the outage if it is known at that time.”

 

Members should visit StormCenter and bookmark the site on their smartphones or tablets. On StormCenter, members can view the outage map, enroll or manage your notifications, check the status of an existing outage, report an area light outage and more.

 

Stay up to date on weather affecting SECO Energy’s service area, the latest news releases and cooperative updates by “liking” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter.