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Category: Press Releases

SECO Monitoring Soon-to-be Hurricane Michael

SECO Energy is monitoring the soon-to-be Hurricane Michael as it moves north toward Florida’s gulf coast.

 

The current Tropical Storm Michael is on the verge of being upgraded to Hurricane Michael. As of 4 a.m. CDT on Monday, Hurricane Michael is slowly moving north at 7 mph with sustained winds of 70 mph.

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts Michael to increase in both speed and intensity over the next 48 hours. The storm is predicted to make landfall in the Apalachicola area late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. As Michael moves into the Gulf of Mexico, it may strengthen significantly – forecasters predict Michael’s strength at landfall may be as high as a Category 2 or 3.

 

SECO members should prepare for the likelihood of gusty winds for most of SECO’s seven county service area. SECO members in the western portions of the service area, including large numbers in Citrus, Marion and Sumter Counties, will likely experience the strongest sustained winds.

 

CEO Jim Duncan is urging SECO members to prepare for Michael. Duncan stated, “Tropical Storm Michael, soon to become Hurricane Michael, is on track to make landfall on Florida’s west coast. Ensure that your hurricane supplies are fully stocked and that you and your family are prepared for the possibility that Michael’s high wind speeds will cause power outages. At SECO, we are carefully watching this storm, and I encourage our members to do the same.”

 

SECO Energy is StormReady and is committed to keeping members informed of weather that impacts the area. Learn more about Storm Preparation online and view an emergency checklist. Watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for Tropical Storm Michael updates. Most important, be sure you’ve bookmarked our new StormCenter outage map and set your email, text and voice notifications preferences. StormCenter is mobile friendly and designed to perform on smartphones and tablets.

SECO Contributes $1,000 to Citrus County’s Education Foundation

SECO Energy’s back-to-school program has contributed $1,000 for Citrus County school students through the Citrus County Education Foundation. As a local not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO believes its support bolsters the community and provides much needed financial assistance to dedicated educators.

 

The Citrus County Education Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation with a vision that educators are innovators. The Foundation relies on grassroots support and community involvement to combat diminishing public school budgets. The Foundation believes it must advocate and provide for children in public schools.

 

The Foundation has pledged to “Building Pathways to Literacy” by earmarking SECO’s $1,000 contribution for its First Library program. The program recognizes the need for lower income students to have access to reading materials at home. The program provides at risk students with books to create their own personal libraries at home. The goal is to increase the students’ chances of reading success by third grade.

 

The Citrus County Education Foundation also supports the Golden Citrus Scholars Awards that recognizes the best and brightest graduating seniors in the district, student scholarships and the annual “Stuff The Bus” event to provide school supplies to Citrus County students.

 

Additional supplemental programs in Citrus County supported by the Foundation include student art festivals, math field days, Citrus Regional Science Fairs, web-based learning programs, Marine Science Center Summer Camps, school-to-work and S.T.E.M. focused after-school programs, the WTI Electrician Certification Program and more.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “As a not-for-profit cooperative, SECO supports its members by participating in community endeavors that support education. We have deep roots in Citrus County and serve over 15,000 families and businesses in that county alone. Financially supporting education is an investment in future community leaders, members and possibly future employees. SECO is honored to provide $1,000 to the Citrus County Education Foundation to strengthen education in the community.”

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. Visit our Community page to learn more about SECO’s corporate citizenship and other community outreach initiatives.

Generator Safety During Power Outages

The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season started strong with three named storms in the season’s initial six weeks. In early August, however, the outlook was revised to predict a “below-average” season. Still, a storm can hit at any time. To protect your family, property and for the safety of SECO employees, read and follow these safety tips before installing or operating a generator.

 

Before purchasing a generator, research options and discuss your home’s size and watt needs with a knowledgeable retailer. Read and follow the generator’s operating instructions and safety guidelines provided by the manufacturer.

 

Installing an emergency generator is not a do-it-yourself job. To avoid injury, only a certified electrician is qualified to install the generator, install the disconnect and transfer switch and connect the generator to the home’s electric panel. Always follow local, state and national fire and electric codes, a permit for installation may be required.

 

Electric generators require proper ventilation and airflow. Never operate a generator inside a building – even an enclosed garage. During operation, electric generators emit fumes that contain deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gas – which is odorless and invisible. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 400 Americans die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning and more than 4,000 are hospitalized.

 

Fuel safety is critical. Always store gasoline and diesel in approved containers out of the reach of children, and extinguish all flames and cigarettes when handling fuel. A fully charged fire extinguisher should be staged near the generator at all times.

 

Generator engine parts are very hot during operation – do not touch. Severe burns may result. Warn children to stay away from a generator in operation. Only use an extension cord free of exposed wires and frayed shielding. If the generator is faulty, contact a qualified repair technician for service. Similar to installing a generator, repairing a generator is a project best left to an expert.

 

To avoid injury to SECO employees, always disconnect from your metered electric utility service before starting the generator. Never remove or tamper with a generator’s safety devices.

 

Follow these safety tips to operate a generator safely during power outages. Visit SECO Energy’s website to learn more about generator safety.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for the latest storm alerts and company news.

SECO Contributes $3,000 to Marion County’s Public Education Foundation

SECO Energy has contributed $3,000 for Marion County school students through the Public Education Foundation of Marion County (PEF Marion). As a local not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO believes its contribution bolsters the community and provides much needed financial assistance to dedicated educators.

 

PEF Marion is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to financially and materially support Marion County Public Schools, its students and teachers. The Foundation is organized to assist students from as young as pre-Kindergarten to vocational and adult education programs.

 

The funds contributed to the Foundation can support programs such as the Golden Apple Teacher Recognition program that honors and rewards excellence in teaching; the Take Stock in Children initiative that provides deserving low-income young people/students the opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty through education; and Grants for Great Ideas that has awarded hundreds of grants to teachers and principals in support of teaching innovation – impacting more than 100,000 students.

 

SECO Energy’s $3,000 contribution can also benefit the Foundation’s Tools 4 Teaching program. Tools 4 Teaching accepts donations of unused office supplies from local businesses and puts them to good use in Marion County schools. Tools 4 Teaching allows teachers to shop for supplies for their classrooms – pencils, paper, art supplies and more – without spending their personal money. Tools 4 Teaching assists Coats 4 Kids during colder months – accepting donations of new or gently used winter coats for local children without a warm jacket.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “As a not-for-profit cooperative, SECO supports its members by participating in community endeavors that support education. We have deep roots in Marion County and serve over 58,000 families and businesses in that county alone. Financially supporting education is an investment in future community leaders, members and possibly future employees. SECO is honored to donate $3,000 to Marion County’s Public Education Foundation to strengthen education in the community.”

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. Visit our Community page to learn more about SECO’s corporate citizenship and other community outreach initiatives.

SECO Contributes $3,000 to Sumter County’s Schools Enhancement Foundation

SECO Energy has contributed $3,000 for Sumter County school students through the Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation. As a local not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO believes its contribution bolsters the community and provides much needed financial assistance to dedicated educators.

 

Through its partnership with the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF), the Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation maximizes the individual and collective strength of Florida local education foundations to support local partners and schools. The CFEF builds partnerships between local education foundations and businesses that impact students in the classroom.

 

Collectively, CFEF member education foundations raise $63 million annually to fund initiatives that increase Florida’s students’ achievements. These investments fund programs not covered by tax dollars. Investments include student scholarships, mentoring and drop-out prevention strategies, teaching innovation and recognition programs, classroom grants, college readiness and access programs, literacy improvement strategies, technical/career education initiatives and targeted support for low-performing students and schools.

 

SECO Energy’s $3,000 contribution can also be used to support back-to-school activities, teachers’ luncheons, training sessions and classroom supplies. The donated funds are provided for the benefit of teachers and students in Sumter County schools.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “As a not-for-profit cooperative, SECO supports its members by participating in community endeavors that support education. We have deep roots in Sumter County – our corporate headquarters is located in Sumterville and we serve over 62,000 families and businesses in this county alone. Financially supporting education is an investment in future community leaders, members and possibly future employees. SECO is honored to donate $3,000 to the Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation to strengthen education in the community.”

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. Visit our Community page to learn more about SECO’s corporate citizenship and other community outreach initiatives.

SECO Contributes $3,500 to Lake County’s Educational Foundation

SECO Energy has contributed $3,500 for Lake County school students through the Educational Foundation of Lake County. As a local not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO believes its contribution bolsters the community and provides much needed financial assistance to dedicated educators.

 

The Educational Foundation of Lake County is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to serve as the connection between the community and public education, and evaluate resources to enhance the quality of education in Lake County. The Foundation is the direct support organization for Lake County Public Schools and is operated for the benefit of students and teachers.

 

The funds contributed to the Foundation can support programs such as the Lake County Teacher of the Year, Rookie Teacher of the Year and Employee and Volunteer of the Year; the LCS Science Fair; the Take Stock in Children initiative that provides deserving low-income young people/students the opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty through education; and Grants for Great Ideas that has awarded hundreds of grants to teachers and principals in support of teaching innovation – impacting more than 100,000 students.

 

SECO Energy’s $3,500 contribution can also benefit the Foundation’s Apple-Mart, where teachers and social workers shop for free. Each year, new teachers in the district are given a pass to the Apple-Mart where they can shop for school supplies for their classroom once a month. Principals in the district also receive passes to distribute amongst current teachers. The Foundation depends on donations from the community, local businesses and churches to stock school supplies for the Apple-Mart.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “As a not-for-profit cooperative, SECO supports its members by participating in community endeavors that support education. We have deep roots in Lake County and serve over 65,000 families and businesses in that county alone. Financially supporting education is an investment in future community leaders, members and possibly future employees. SECO is honored to donate $3,500 to the Educational Foundation of Lake County to strengthen education in the community.”

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates. Visit our Community page to learn more about SECO’s corporate citizenship and other community outreach initiatives.

SECO Energy Board Compensation Statement

SECO Energy was founded in 1938 as Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc., a small not-for-profit rural electric utility serving a few hundred folks in the Webster area. Over the years, sound financial management, appropriate governance policies and economic growth in Central Florida have resulted in the cooperative doing business today as a fiscally sound SECO Energy with a membership of more than 205,000 residents and business owners across seven counties.

 

Cooperatives in Florida are legislated by Florida Statute Chapter 425. Not only is SECO Energy in full compliance with the Florida statute, the cooperative also adheres largely to Florida Public Service Commission guidelines developed for investor-owned utilities (although cooperatives are not technically required by statute to do so). SECO also files its rate tariffs for approval and emergency response plan outline annually with the PSC.

 

SECO Energy’s member-elected Board of Trustees are fairly compensated for their service and the cooperative’s election guidelines make it easy for an interested party’s name to appear on the ballot. A potential candidate simply notifies SECO in writing of intention to run. No signatures or nominations are necessary.

 

The potential Trustee candidate must reside in the District, cannot be closely related to another Trustee or employee and must meet very general eligibility requirements per the SECO Energy Bylaws. In fact, four of the nine current Trustees have been elected to the Board in the last eight years. The cooperative encourages election participation at District Meetings and holds an Annual Meeting as required by Florida Statute. In 2018, SECO Energy’s Annual Meeting drew a crowd of nearly 7,000.

 

Once elected, Trustees are compensated for each monthly Board of Trustee meeting. The amount covers meeting attendance and the study time needed to prepare for Board meetings. The compensation is standard for this region and for a Board responsible for governance and the financial oversight associated with a company of this size with $855 million in utility plant. SECO Energy is the third largest cooperative in Florida and the seventh largest in the nation.

 

SECO Energy Trustees are not provided with company-paid health, dental or vision insurance or pension/retirement benefits. Trustees are encouraged to participate in trainings and conferences to provide the education needed to govern and oversee the utility.

 

For trainings/conferences, transportation type and dates/time is limited to the most economical. Overstaying of training/conference dates at company expense is not permitted. The cooperative’s policies prohibit the coverage or reimbursement of spouse or family member travel or entertainment expenses if they accompany a Trustee to a conference or training.

 

Board meeting dates and times are published two months in advance in our monthly edition of SECO News which is mailed with billing statements and posted on social media and SECOEnergy.com. Members are welcome to attend any meeting in its entirety (with the exception of executive sessions) and can examine the minutes of any past board meeting. Board of Trustee compensation records are released publicly as required in the cooperative’s Form 990. The cooperative publishes an Annual Report as well. SECO Energy is an award-winning utility in customer satisfaction.

 

SECO Energy has retired Capital Credits regularly as a true not-for-profit electric cooperative should. Capital Credits are the accumulation of all prior year’s revenue after the co-op’s operating costs and expenses have been paid. These credits are allocated on a pro-rata basis to each SECO Energy member’s account as “Capital Credits” and represent a portion of the member’s patronage with the cooperative in the prior fiscal year.

 

During its September 2017 meeting, SECO’s Board of Trustees approved a record $5.4 million Capital Credits retirement to be returned (retired) to members. Since SECO Energy’s inception, the co-op has retired more than $57.8 million to current and former members. Capital Credits returns are made possible by the sound financial stewardship of SECO’s Board, leadership team and flock of dedicated, cost-conscious employees. The cooperative anticipates (with Board of Trustee approval, of course) another healthy Capital Credits retirement at year end 2018.

Florida Electric Cooperatives Association Honors SECO Trustee Vick

The Florida Electric Cooperatives Association (FECA) honored SECO Energy’s District 5 Trustee Ray Vick for his long-time service to FECA. Mr. Vick has worked closely with Florida’s statewide cooperative association and provided twenty years of guidance by serving on the FECA Board.

 

FECA presented Mr. Vick with a memento clock to show its gratitude for Mr. Vick’s years of service. The engraving reads, “Presented to Ray Vick In Recognition of Your Dedicated Service and Commitment to the FECA Board 1998 – 2018.”

 

Serving as District 5 Trustee since 1980, Mr. Vick resides in Inverness and became a SECO member in 1974. During his tenure, Mr. Vick has been an ardent supporter of the cooperative purpose and business model. Along with his Board peers, Mr. Vick is an integral component of SECO’s continued success.

 

Mr. Vick stated, “I would first like to thank Florida’s statewide association, FECA, for honoring my service. Serving millions of Florida cooperative members through my work over the last 20 years with the FECA Board has been very rewarding. I am particularly proud and humbled to have served my fellow SECO members by serving on SECO’s Board of Trustees for 38 years.”

 

CEO Jim Duncan thanked Mr. Vick for his FECA service, stating, “Trustee Vick has a long track record of working hard for energy consumers in Florida. With Mr. Vick’s FECA Board service and SECO Energy Board service, his commitment to Florida’s electric cooperative members is second to none. I’m grateful to Mr. Vick for his service and commitment to our members.”

 

Visit our Board of Trustees page for photos and brief bios of the Trustees along with an interactive District map. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Supports Youth Energy Academy STEM Focus

On June 14 and 15, local energy experts teamed up to provide high school students a real-life glimpse into the many careers in the electric utility industry. SECO Energy, Duke Energy and Ocala Electric Utilities partnered to bring the Fourth Annual Youth Energy Academy to life for more than fifty students in Marion County. The event was held at the College of Central Florida’s Hampton Center.

 

In conjunction with employees from the three electric utility providers, representatives from several other companies (College of Central Florida, Boys & Girls Club, CLM CareerSource, Lockheed Martin and DeConna Ice Cream) volunteered, presented or provided support. With a limited workforce, the business community understands the premise of investing in today’s youth to develop future leaders and foster diversity.

 

Kathy Judkins, SECO Energy’s Deputy Director of Civic, Charitable and Government Affairs stated, “SECO Energy, Duke Energy and Ocala Electric Utilities have formed a strong partnership in the quest to develop a talent pipeline of local students for the energy industry. At this year’s Academy, students had the opportunity to gain essential knowledge related to the array of jobs, careers and occupational requirements in the energy field.”

 

The two-day event was jam-packed with activities that ranged from learning how electricity travels from the generation plant to homes and what it takes to restore power during an outage to a hands-on live demonstration provided by Duke Energy’s Ronnie Bailey and Moise Graham. Students learned the difference between soft and hard skills via a presentation from Heaven Colon, CLM CareerSource. The students then explored high-skill, high-wage careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by taking a closer look at robotics. They met Forest High School EMIT program students – EMIT stands for Engineering and Manufacturing Institute of Technology.

 

Youth participants also learned about one of the fastest growing jobs in the industry – the Substation/Relay Tech position – from SECO Energy Manager Transmission and Substation Design Kenny Rodrigue and Environmental & Project Supervisor Ron Summers. Participants built solar cars to test in the sun, and found out that solar panels receive enough energy to power the cars to move when the sun is not shining.

 

The activities didn’t end there. On day two, the students toured the City of Ocala water treatment plant with Rachel Slocumb, Division Coordinator. Utilities Director Mike Poucher showed students what can occur while texting and driving through a demonstration of a pole versus car accident scene that included how to safely exit a vehicle. Participants also rode in bucket trucks and learned about Ocala’s fiber-optic internet system. Watch video clips of this year’s Youth Academy highlights at SECO Energy’s YouTube channel.

 

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEjIr13Vjac[/embedyt]

 

SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “The Youth Academy aligns with two key cooperative principles – Education, Training and Information and also Concern for Community. The energy field offers a multitude of diverse careers just waiting for talented candidates to apply. Participating in youth education programs gives SECO a hand in crafting its future workforce and offers local, talented youngsters employment opportunities close to home and family.”

 

Six years ago, the Florida Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) incorporated a Youth Energy Academy model focused on, but not limited to, minority students in St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Orlando and Ocala. “AABE’s goal is to spark the interest of the emerging workforce by educating young people about opportunities in the energy arena. With over 240 Marion County students going though this academy so far, we believe we will see a few of them working in the energy industry,” stated AABE Florida Chapter President Mikle Gordon. The AABE Florida Chapter is lead by members from six energy providers, as well as a number of entrepreneurs and business partners.

 

Learn more about SECO Energy and its Concern for Community online. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Debuts Interactive StormCenter Map with Email, Text and Voice Notifications

Just in time for the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, SECO Energy debuts all-new StormCenter platforms. StormCenter offers members enhanced outage reporting capability, real-time restoration estimates and a brand-new communications suite giving members the power to manage outage notifications.

 

Outage Map all-new StormCenter

Over the last year, SECO researched a number of outage map and communications vendors before contracting with Kubra – a customer experience solutions provider with a proven reputation in the utility industry. The new StormCenter consists of four user-friendly platforms for two-way outage communication. A new, interactive map displays current outages, estimated restoration times, cause of the outage and more. The map also includes a weather overlay to view the current weather radar and a zoom feature to pinpoint specific outage parameters.

 

Reporting an outage and checking the status of an existing outage is easy. On the Report/Status StormCenter page, input the last name on the account along with the house number or the account number and telephone number on file. Indicate if the outage is a complete loss of power, partial loss of power or flickering lights and submit. Once the outage is submitted, members can view the estimated restoration time, start time, number of members affected and crew status on the confirmation page.

 

Report Status web all-new StormCenter

 

StormCenter allows members to choose how they want to receive outage updates and notifications. Members with active email addresses on file with SECO are automatically enrolled in email notifications. Members with verified cell phone numbers are subscribed to receive text messages. Phone numbers that appear to be land lines will be enrolled in voice notifications. Members can easily change or add communications channels and opt out of unwanted notifications.

 

To manage notifications, log in with your account number or phone number on file for the location. Choose email, text and/or voice notifications and program “do not disturb” settings for each active communication channel.

June 2018 SECO News Manage Notifications

 

SECO’s new StormCenter includes LightFinder, a separate interactive map to easily report an area light outage or needed repair. Report the light using a street address or SECO pole number. Members will receive an email confirming the reported light issue and an email confirmation once the light is repaired – usually within two business days.

 

Working lights are labeled with green icons. Reported lights are identified with a red icon with a wrench. Lights that were repaired in the last 24 hours are represented with an orange icon. Inactive lights not associated with an account are gray icons and lights owned by members are noted by blue icons.

 

For a full overview of SECO’s new StormCenter capabilities, view the instructional video on SECO’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

 

June 2018 SECO News LightFinder

 

CEO Jim Duncan is proud to introduce SECO’s brand-new StormCenter platforms to members. Duncan stated, “SECO invests heavily in outage prevention technology and facility maintenance. As a result, our reliability statistics are among the best in the nation – despite the fact that we are a Florida utility subject to a storm season that spans from June through November. Our electric system is stringently maintained, but occasional outages occur for a variety of reasons such as lightning, wildlife, vehicle accidents, unexpected equipment failures and more. We realized it was time to invest in new technology to improve outage communications with members when outages occur.”

 

Duncan added, “Outage reporting is now high-tech. Surveys show that 70 percent of our members use an internet-enabled smartphone and more than 50 percent of our members own a tablet. Our new StormCenter platforms are mobile-friendly and function on a wide variety of browsers. It’s easy to report an outage, check the status of an existing outage or manage outage notifications.”

 

SECO members should visit StormCenter and bookmark the page on their mobile devices. The cooperative encourages members to begin storm preparedness today and to program their communication preferences as the 2018 hurricane season begins.

 

Social media users will continue to find up-to-date outage information on Facebook and Twitter – enhanced by the new StormCenter tools. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.