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$36,000 in SECO Scholarships Up for Grabs

SECO Energy is renewing its commitment to young scholars through its 2018 Scholarship program. Apply today, as SECO will award up to twelve $3,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors in late April.

 

SECO’s Board of Trustees has authorized a total of $36,000 for SECO’s 2018 Scholarship program. For more than two decades, SECO has awarded scholarships to deserving, local students. During the program’s tenure, SECO has awarded over $500,000 in scholarship assistance to more than 250 high school graduates seeking further education.

 

To be eligible, applicants must be a high school senior graduating in 2018 (May/June) who live in a home served by SECO Energy. Scholarship recipients must be enrolled full-time in an accredited college, university or vocational/technical school located in Florida by the end of 2018 to receive scholarship disbursement.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Last summer, SECO was proud to offer an internship in our Engineering department to Megan Elliott, a 2016 SECO Scholarship awardee. We hope to cultivate new relationships and attract future employees through our scholarship program. SECO offers high-skill, high-wage positions in beautiful Central Florida, so that students who grew up in this area can find a promising career path and stay close to family and friends.”

 

SECO’s Board of Trustees President Ray Vick stated, “On behalf of the Board, it is an honor to continue the scholarship program. Our local communities abound with bright, talented young scholars who are poised to be tomorrow’s community and business leaders, and I am looking forward to meeting this year’s group of recipients.”

 

Scholarship applications are available at all SECO Member Service Centers beginning January 2, 2018. Applicants can also visit our Scholarship page to print an application or check with your local high school guidance counselor. SECO must receive the completed applications with all required components before March 30, 2018 at 5 pm.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO adheres to the seven key cooperative principles. SECO’s long-standing scholarship program exhibits the cooperative’s Concern for Community and belief in Education, Training and Information by offering educational assistance to local young people.

 

Learn more about SECO’s community involvement by visiting SECO’s Community page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Delivers for Yearly Toys for Tots Drive

SECO Energy employees performed the role of Santa Claus for SECO’s annual Toys for Tots toy drive. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program collects new, unwrapped toys and distributes them as Christmas gifts to local children in need.

 

SECO employees were especially generous this year as they shopped for and donated hundreds of toys for the Toys for Tots Program. Each of SECO’s five Member Service Centers were open to the public as local drop-off locations for Toys for Tots, and charitable SECO members contributed toys as well. Toys collected at our Member Service Centers and Operations Centers will be dispersed to children in Sumter, Lake, Marion and Citrus Counties.

 

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO adheres to the seven key cooperative principles – one of which is Concern for Community. SECO employees reflect this principle by remembering the youngest community members through their Toys for Tots donations.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “During the Christmas Season and beyond, SECO employees are a perpetually generous group. Our employees donate toys to support SECO’s Toys for Tots drive and willingly pledge a portion of their yearly salary to endow service programs in nearby communities through United Way.”

 

Employees donned their Santa hats and smiled for the camera while displaying the toys gathered across the cooperative. The toys collected through Toys for Tots will bring joy to thousands of local children who will wake up to presents under the tree on Christmas morning.

 

Duncan added, “I am extremely fortunate to work with employees who actively share their good fortune with those in need and aspire to make a difference in our area.”

 

Learn more about SECO’s community involvement here. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Reliability, Raptors and a River

SECO Energy first electrified homes and farms in Lake, Sumter and Marion Counties in 1938. The not-for-profit electric cooperative has grown alongside the counties it serves, and now provides safe, affordable, reliable power to 200,000 homes and businesses across Central Florida.

 

Currently, 63,000 of those members live in Lake County, famous for its vast number of lakes, rivers and streams in its 1,100-square mile area. In fact, almost 20 percent of the county is covered by water. SECO’s Operations crews responsible for building and maintaining SECO facilities must adapt to the unique watery landscape.

 

Years ago, linemen attached climbing spikes to their boots and scaled poles on a daily basis, and facilities were installed using the most direct route possible. Lines would span small bodies of water, and poles were sometimes installed in water. Currently, one such pole rises out of Tavares’ Dead River, and a SECO crew was recently transported to work on it using a 75-ton crane.

 

 

This particular pole is concrete, supports a main feeder line and has an osprey nesting dish installed at the top. Dishes offer nesting space for raptors that inhabit Lake County waterways. The longstanding osprey nest on this dish was inactive and was collecting debris from years of inactivity. The rotting debris was falling off the dish and making contact with the feeder line and caused a feeder outage for 250 SECO members.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Improving reliability for SECO members served by this feeder was the cooperative’s immediate concern. Operations crews restored power to these members in under an hour by temporarily rerouting or backfeeding power through a different feeder line, but a permanent fix was needed. To complete this system improvement project, crews needed to replace the insulators, add new conductor line, and remove the rotting debris from the osprey dish – all while suspended 45 feet in the air above the Dead River.”

 

SECO Energy places a top priority on Safety – a cooperative Core Value. Safety was the first consideration during the planning and execution of this project. Standard utility bucket trucks aren’t equipped for this type of work. To comply with safe work practices, SECO needed heavy equipment, employing a 75-ton crane and attaching a crane basket for the team’s 45-foot ascension over the river to safely access the facilities.

 

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U1uGCfBhDc[/embedyt]

 

Stationing a 75-ton crane near the marshy river bank was impossible. The pole would have to be accessed from the river overpass on Highway 441. With assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol and permitting from Lake County, the right two lanes were closed after 7 pm. The crane rolled in while SECO personnel set-up a roadside job site.

 

Line techs from SECO’s Eustis Operating Center – Nathan Rioux and Brandon Blackmon – volunteered to work suspended over the river while Sumterville line tech Logan Land observed from the rescue boat. Previously that day, the line was grounded and de-energized for safety.

 

Before work commenced, SECO personnel and crane operators secured and tested the connections from the crane to the basket that would hold the men aloft. Nathan and Brandon donned their personal protective equipment and inspected their safety harnesses that attach to the crane basket. The basket’s maneuvers were tested while empty and with the men on-board.

 

Once testing was complete, the hard work began. Nathan and Brandon replaced the damaged insulators and spliced in 20 feet of overhead conductor before installing new animal deterrents. Logan observed the work from the rescue boat below – keeping an eye on the alligators and fishing boats. The team removed all nest debris that caused the power outage. With a cleaner, safer dish now available, ospreys will soon build anew.

 

SECO’s Safety and Risk Manager was on-site to oversee the project from beginning to end. Additional safety measures for this project included directing traffic away from the work site, a rescue boat staged in the river at the base of the pole and multiple SECO personnel observing the project from ground level.

 

Duncan added, “In the future, SECO is proposing a redesign of this feeder as underground service. This enhancement requires a St. John’s Water Management District permit, as SECO plans to bore under the Dead River.”

 

This project was critical to immediately improving reliability to the area and providing a safe nesting dish for osprey. The pole will remain in its current location to support existing communications cable and fiber lines belonging to other entities. The pole and nesting dish will stand available for future generations of roosting osprey making their home near the river.

 

View the entire album of video footage and photographs on SECO’s Flickr page.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Employees Pledge $52,200 for United Way

SECO Employees Pledge 52,200 to United WaySECO Energy’s yearly United Way pledge drive concluded on Giving Tuesday, and once again SECO employees demonstrated their personal commitment to local communities by pledging generously. This year, SECO employees pledged $52,214 for United Way’s 2018 Live United campaign.

 

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is recognized as Giving Tuesday – a global giving movement to help neighbors in need. SECO employees’ pledges aid in endowing local service programs benefitting the communities in SECO’s footprint and beyond. The United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community. Yearly, 61 million people across the world benefit from the programs and services funded by the United Way.

 

Much of the pledged funding is locally designated by each employee to the agency of their choice and administered through the United Way. 2018’s United Way campaign hit close to home for SECO employees who witnessed first-hand the devastation from Hurricane Irma this summer. As of Giving Tuesday 2018, the cooperative’s employees had topped the 2017 pledges of $50,171 – beating it by $2,043.

 

CEO Jim Duncan states, “SECO employees consistently display their goodwill toward others, and I am grateful to work with employees who care about our members and our communities. I applaud our employees’ generous spirit with their promise of $52,214 to support local United Ways. This giving spirit reflects the very essence of our not-for-profit electric cooperative business model.”

 

Kathy Judkins, SECO Energy’s Deputy Director of Civic, Charitable and Government Affairs stated, “On Giving Tuesday, commit to volunteering your time or donating monetarily to help others in need. I am so proud of SECO employees’ willingness to share a portion of their paycheck with local communities through their United Way pledges, and through their personal altruistic endeavors throughout the year.”

 

To learn more about the United Way, find a volunteer opportunity or to be connected with a local agency, visit www.UnitedWay.org. To learn more about SECO Energy’s corporate citizenship initiatives.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Trustee Muffett Recognized for Seminole Board Service

SECO Energy’s wholesale provider Seminole Electric, Inc. commended SECO’s District 6 Trustee Earl Muffett for his willingness to serve as a Seminole Trustee. Seminole’s CEO Lisa Johnson lauded Mr. Muffett’s Board service with a commemorative plaque and a letter of recognition. Mr. Muffett completed his 16-year tenure as a SECO Energy delegate on the Seminole Board in March 2017.

 

Mr. Muffett lives in Summerfield and is actively self-employed. After first becoming a SECO member in 1979, Mr. Muffett was elected to the SECO Board of Trustees in 1990. During his 27 years of service, Muffett was appointed as the Board’s Vice President, and was named a Seminole Voting Delegate, Seminole Alternate Delegate and Statewide Voting Delegate. Muffett was re-elected as District 6 Trustee by SECO members in February 2017.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO’s nine Board of Trustees are members themselves who collectively serve as the members’ representatives within SECO. Through his work on SECO’s and Seminole’s Board, Mr. Muffett has devoted much of his free time in overseeing policies and procedures that allow SECO and Seminole to provide safe, reliable, affordable power to SECO members.

 

Seminole CEO Lisa Johnson states, “On behalf of Seminole, I express my most sincere gratitude for your service to Seminole as a member of our Board. It is so important for Seminole, and all cooperatives, to have willing, engaged individuals, like you, to serve in the critical role of Board Trustee to carry out the governance and fiduciary responsibilities required in support of our cooperative business model.”

 

Trustee Muffett states, “I am proud to have played a role in Seminole’s success and growth during my long-term service on Seminole’s Board. As a local business owner myself, I understand the complexity of business ownership and leadership, and how local businesses enrich the economy. It is refreshing to work with SECO Energy and Seminole cooperatives that believe offering members affordable, reliable power and excellent customer service are a top priority.”

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Trustee Dennison Earns Leadership Accreditation

SECO Energy applauds District 4 Trustee Richard Dennison for earning his Board Leadership Certificate (BLC) from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). This is the second advanced certification earned by Mr. Dennison, who received his Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in November 2016.

 

Mr. Dennison has been a SECO member since 1999, and he has served on SECO’s Board for two years. Dennison was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2015 when a former Trustee vacated the post. SECO members in District 4 re-elected Mr. Dennison as Trustee in February 2017.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO’s nine Board of Trustees are members themselves who collectively serve as the members’ representatives within SECO. Dennison is committed to putting members’ interests first by following the key cooperative principle of Education, Training and Information. Continuing his education with the BLC allows Dennison to advance his knowledge of the cooperative business model and equips him with the tools to practice sound governance and oversight while serving on SECO’s Board.

 

Trustee Dennison states, “After winning re-election in February, I promised SECO members to work hard on their behalf. My recent educational achievement, this Board Leadership Certificate, is the next step in keeping my promise to members and the communities SECO serves. I am proud to serve as Trustee for District 4 and look forward to being a part of SECO’s continued success in providing our members with affordable, reliable power.”

 

Mr. Dennison resides in Ocala and is retired. He displays his passion for community service by not only serving on SECO’s Board of Trustees, but also serving as President of the Marion Oaks Civic Association.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Energy Voted Best Utility in Marion County

SECO Energy members in Marion County have cast their ballots and voted SECO Energy as the best utility in the Ocala Star Banner’s Official Readers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2017. The top-three utilities this year are SECO Energy, Ocala Electric Utility and Duke Energy, with SECO taking home the top prize.

 

SECO Energy has served Marion County members since the cooperative electrified homes in rural areas in Sumter, Lake and Marion Counties in 1938. SECO now serves almost 200,000 residences and businesses – with over 55,000 of those in Marion County. SECO’s Member Service Center located on Southwest 60th Avenue in Ocala is open Monday through Friday with walk-in and drive-thru facilities available to serve members. This location also serves as a home base for 40 of our local Operations, Member Services, Meter Reading and Warehouse team members.

 

CEO Jim Duncan states, “Thank you, Marion County members, for voting SECO the best utility in the county. SECO and its employees are dedicated to providing members with safe, reliable, affordable power, while providing exceptional customer service. As your local, not-for-profit electric cooperative, we put our members first.”

 

Duncan added, “SECO Energy is proud to have a role in Marion County’s growth, and is an active community sponsor in the areas we serve. Almost 100 of our employees and their families reside in Marion County home. We are thankful for our members and their satisfaction with SECO.”

 

This is the second consecutive accolade for SECO after being honored as best utility in 2016’s Best of the Best in Star Banner’s Readers’ Choice Awards. SECO Energy achieved national recognition after winning its third consecutive J.D. Power Award in 2017. The cooperative is ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Cooperatives (2017 & 2016) and among South Midsize Utilities (2015).”

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Hurricane Irma Aftermath: Disaster Aid Resources

As a result of the damage caused by Hurricane Irma, every county in SECO Energy’s service territory is eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs. Local, state and federal officials have allocated funds to rebuild Florida. The programs provide financial assistance to eligible applicants affected by Irma. Please, contact the appropriate agency for your situation.

 

FEMA Individual Assistance: FEMA made every county in our service territory – Lake, Marion, Sumter, Hernando, Citrus, Pasco and Levy – eligible for Individual Assistance. Steps to begin applying:

  • Residents who sustained losses should register at www.DisasterAssistance.gov
  • If you do have Internet access, register by calling 1-800-621-3362
  • The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time)

 

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), call 1-866-487-2365. To be eligible, individuals must:

  • Not be eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI);
  • Be unemployed as a direct result of the disaster;
  • Be able and available for work, unless injured as a direct result of the disaster;
  • File an application within 30 days of the date of announcement of DUA availability;
  • Have not refused an offer of employment in a suitable position.

 

Information for Small Businesses: Governor Scott has re-started the Florida Small Business Bridge Loan Program to assist small businesses affected by Irma. The program is intended to provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that have sustained physical or economic damage. The application period runs from September 14, 2017 to October 31, 2017. To complete the application or find more information, visit www.floridadisasterloan.org. Reach the Florida Small Business Development Center Network – which runs the loan program – at 1-850-898-3489.

 

Flood Insurance:

    • If you have a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood policy, you may be eligible for reimbursement of actions taken to protect your property. Call your insurance agent to learn more.
    • To file a flood insurance claim under the NFIP, contact your insurance agent immediately. You may also call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

If you need help with utility payment, contact Florida 2-1-1.  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.

Copper Crooks Slow Power Restoration

During the recent Hurricane Irma power restoration effort, SECO Energy fell victim to thieves who stole copper feeder line from three local substations. The thefts occurred in Sumter County in the communities of Webster, Lake Panasoffkee and Croom-A-Coochee/Clay Sink. The thieves slowed power restoration to local residents.

 

SECO approximates the theft occurred sometime between Thursday, September 14, and Saturday, September 16. In Webster, thieves took off with 464-feet of line from 516 NW 3rd Street. In Lake Panasoffkee, 1,006-feet of line disappeared from 3417 CR 421. The largest amount of line was stolen from the Croom-A-Coochee/Clay Sink area, 4,726-feet was taken from Porter Gap Road.

 

Thieves steal copper wire to sell the copper for scrap value, the value of which can add up quickly. It is always dangerous to touch any electric line, and if the thieves had encountered an energized line, they could have been seriously injured or killed. If you see a down line, always assume it is live and stay away, never try to pick it up yourself, call for help. SECO has notified the proper authorities, and asks citizens for their help. Please report any suspicious activity to the Sumter County Sheriff and to SECO.

 

CEO Jim Duncan states, “This act is criminal in more ways than one. I was saddened to learn that because of these crooks, residents in Webster, Lake Pan and Croom waited longer for power restoration. These members were already suffering without power after Hurricane Irma and these copper crooks created additional hardships. My heart goes out to these communities, and I sincerely hope the thieves are apprehended, charged and convicted.”

 

In addition to theft, SECO advises members to be cautious of any person or company claiming to be from SECO. SECO employees and contractors carry company identification and trucks are clearly marked. SECO will never call and harass members for payment, if you receive a questionable phone call, hang up and call SECO directly.

 

Learn more about SECO Energy’s commitment to community at SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > Community. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO’s System 99.9% Recovered After Hurricane Irma

SECO Energy completed the final stage of its Hurricane Irma restoration effort on Sunday. At the end of Sunday, the not-for-profit electric cooperative completed power restoration for 99.9 percent of all members affected by Hurricane Irma.

 

SECO’s infrastructure suffered significant damage as Hurricane Irma traveled directly through its service territory with winds that ranged from a Category 1 to a Category 3 hurricane, per data from the National Hurricane Center. Power outages began Sunday evening, September 10, as Irma’s tropical-storm-force winds entered Central Florida. Members continued to lose power throughout Sunday night and Monday morning when winds increased to hurricane-force speeds. When winds subsided, more than half of SECO’s system was down and more than half of the cooperative’s members were without power.

 

Restoration began on Monday, September 11, at noon. More than 1,200 SECO crews and line/tree contractors were deployed in full force throughout the system over the next six days to restore power. At the end of the day on Sunday, September 17, SECO’s system was more than 99.9% restored. Only about 70 accounts in South Sumter County are unable to receive electric service at this time due to high water.

 

The damage to SECO’s system from Hurricane Irma was much more significant than even the damage from the 2004 hurricanes. The damage and disruptions from Hurricane Irma, were unprecedented in SECO’s service territory and across the state.

 

Today, line and tree trimming contractors are preparing to return home. If a member experiences a new outage, it should be reported at Storm Center using the last name and house number.

 

For SECO members who were without power, it was a long week. SECO Energy thanks them for their patience and understanding as crews worked to bring substations back online, rebuild feeder lines, replace thousands of broken poles and clear trees from infrastructure. Most important, the company is overwhelmed by and grateful for the thoughtful outreach by hundreds of members across the service area. Citizens brought pizza, sandwiches, cookies, goodie bags and more to the crews in the field and employees in our locations. Members sent notes of encouragement and posted signs of gratitude along the roads.

 

SECO members are still facing the after effects of Hurricane Irma. A colossal amount of tree branches, trunks and debris remains on the ground and near roadways. Members should call the county where they reside and ask for the debris to be removed. For members who have damage to their homes or property, please call your homeowners’ insurance carrier, county emergency services or FEMA. If you need financial assistance with everyday living expenses due to the hardship of Hurricane Irma, please contact Florida 2-1-1.

 

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.