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Category: Press Releases

SECO Employees Volunteer for United Way Day of Caring

On Saturday February 20, several SECO Energy employees and area high school students volunteered for the United Way Day of Caring project for Marion County at Children’s Home Society in downtown Ocala. The volunteers were led by Kathy Judkins, SECO’s Deputy Director of Civic, Charitable & Government Affairs and Madison Mahoney, Youth United Way Community Service Co-Chair.

 

Children’s Home Society assists thousands of Florida children and families each year. The organization offers adoption assistance, aids and recruits foster parents and provides counseling services to kids, teens and families in need.

 

SECO Employees Volunteer for United Way Day of Caring

 

SECO employees and other volunteers assisted in power washing the front of the house, the porch, and driveway. They also planted flowers, washed windows, trimmed hedges and cleaned the yard. The SECO employee volunteers include Tanya Mikeals, Vincent Thomas, Tracey Johnston, Roslyn Smith, Janica Beard, and Audra Guydeen.

 

Judkins’ has a very strong personal belief in giving back to the community and she is honored to work for a company that encourages employees to volunteer in the community. “I am so grateful that SECO not only encourages altruism among employees, but also facilitates opportunities to volunteer. My co-workers and I are thankful that we were able to help an organization like Children’s Home Society that does vital work for thousands of people throughout Florida,” said Judkins.

 

SECO Employees Volunteer for United Way Day of Caring

 

“On behalf of Children’s Home Society, I want to thank every volunteer who generously gave of their time and talent,” said Susan E. Reese, Administrative Supervisor. Reese added, “The volunteers did an awesome job on Saturday. They arrived ready, willing and able to take on these projects and the results of their hard work is very much appreciated.”

 

Concern for community is a key cooperative principle, and SECO Energy is dedicated to making a positive difference in the communities we serve.

 

Visit unitedway.org to learn about how you can be a part of United Way’s community of volunteers.

 

Supreme Court Puts Brakes on EPA “Clean Power Plan”

Yesterday, Tuesday, February 9, in a landmark 5-4 decision the United States Supreme Court halted implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) so-called “Clean Power Plan” until its legality can be reviewed in federal court. This pause in implementation is referred to as a “stay.”

 

“I can’t tell you how pleased I was to find out that the Supreme Court has put the brakes on this massive overreach of the EPA’s regulatory authority,” said SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan. “At SECO we always work to provide affordable and reliable electricity to our members. We needed the Clean Power Plan stay so that Seminole Electric Cooperative, our wholesale power provider, would not have to make premature compliance decisions that would harm the affordability and reliability of our electricity.”

 

“Seminole Electric Cooperative operates the Seminole Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant located in Palatka, Florida,” said Lisa Johnson, Seminole’s CEO and General Manager. “This power plant is responsible for more than half of the electricity that we generate and provide to members like SECO Energy. It is the most efficient coal-fired facility in the state of Florida, and has been rated by Power Magazine as one of the top coal-fired plants in the world. Seminole has also invested more than 530 million dollars in environmental control technology at the plant. Despite this, the Seminole Generating Station does not meet the emissions rate requirements of the Clean Power Plan.”

 

Lisa continued, “The Seminole Generating Station has a professionally rated useful life through 2045, and is financed through 2042. It employs more than 300 individuals in rural Putnam County, the poorest county in the state of Florida. The plant is also the largest property tax payer in the county. Had the stay not been granted, Seminole would have been forced to take immediate, costly, and irreversible steps to comply with the rule, including possibly reducing operations at the plant, or even closing it. If the plant were closed, rural Putnam county and the city of Palatka would be devastated. We would also have to pay for the plant through 2042. These costs would be borne by our members like SECO Energy.”

 

Supreme Court Puts Brakes on EPA “Clean Power Plan”

 
Last fall, SECO Energy, through Seminole Electric Cooperative and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to review and ultimately reject the Clean Power Plan. While the stay ruling is welcome news, it is not the end of the story. The underlying legal challenge on the rule itself continues, with a ruling from the D.C. Circuit court expected later this year, or early in 2017.

Regions Bank is a SECO Angel – giving $10,000 to Fund

Regions Bank has committed $10,000 over a four-year period to support SECO Energy’s Angel Fund – a financial assistance program. Recently, Regions Bank delivered a $2,500 check, demonstrating a strong commitment toward helping SECO Energy’s members and community.

 

Regions Bank Senior Vice President Tim Hamilton said, “Regions Bank is appreciative of its relationship with SECO Energy and happy to support those members who may find themselves challenged during unique, difficult times.”

 

“With this generous contribution, SECO is able to provide financial assistance to worthy causes throughout its service territory. The SECO Angel Fund, the organization’s corporate humanitarian initiative, has helped thousands of members who have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. Contributions from the fund have given hope and comfort to members residing in the not-for-profit cooperative’s seven-county service territory,” said SECO Deputy Director of Civic, Charitable & Government Affairs Kathy Judkins.

 

The Angel Fund program was established many years ago to make a difference in our local community. SECO Energy Members enrolled in Pennies from Heaven have their monthly electric bill automatically rounded up to the nearest dollar. As an example, if a member’s bill is $67.72, he/she will pay $68.00. The extra 28 pennies go directly to the SECO Angel Fund. Every penny collected is distributed here in the local communities to benefit SECO members.

 

If you are a SECO member who would like to round up your electric bill to the nearest dollar to support our cooperative’s Pennies from Heaven program, enroll online or email customerservice@secoenergy.com to enroll. The extra pennies are used to provide support to local social service agencies that help SECO members with unique needs.

 

Requests for Angel Fund assistance are administered through several area agencies. These funds can be used to provide bill payment assistance in unusual circumstances or help for those in dire and unusual circumstances. Funds may be used to purchase emergency medical supplies, support charitable organizations, and fill a host of other needs in our local area. Any small administrative costs are absorbed by SECO Energy. Just a few pennies every month can change lives.

$36,000 in Scholarships Up For Grabs!

Central Florida, of course, is known as a haven for snowbirds but it might surprise you to know that 87 percent of SECO Energy members state that their SECO-served premise is their primary residence. It’s important to folks with kids and grandkids in this area that their loved ones have access to a quality education and good job prospects once they’re out of school.

 

SECO Energy is one of the largest employers in Sumter County and is the third largest electric cooperative in the state. CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Our utility is structured as a not-for-profit organization guided by the cooperative principles, so support for education and community needs are high priorities.”

 

The Board of Trustees recently approved the continuation of the SECO Energy Scholarship Program. Board President Ray Vick said, “The Board is proud to renew our commitment to the support of youth and continuing education in our community. These scholarships can be used for community college, a university or a technical/trade school, and we hope that some of these students have a career in their future at SECO Energy once they’re out of school.”

 

Applications for the 2016 program are now available at secoenergy.com, and graduating high school seniors are eligible to apply. Up to 12 hardworking seniors will each be selected to receive a $3,000 scholarship. To qualify, the student must live in a home served by SECO Energy, graduate from high school in 2016, and have proof of acceptance with a plan to be a full-time student in a university, accredited college or vocational/technical institute in 2016.

 

If you don’t have Internet access or a printer at home, application packets have been mailed to high school guidance counselors. Direct your student there or pick up an application from one of our five service center locations. Completed applications must be received by SECO Energy by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 25th. If you have questions about the scholarship program, contact us via our website or call (352) 569-9561.

SECO Energy Earns J.D. Power Ranking; Showcases New Logo

SECO Energy, a not-for-profit cooperative delivering power through nearly 200,000 meters across seven Central Florida counties, ranks highest in among midsize utilities in the South region according to the J.D. Power 2015 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study. To commemorate the honor and strengthen the company’s brand identity, a new logo was developed.

 

The J. D. Power study ranks midsize and large utilities in four geographic regions: East, Midwest, South and West. Companies in the midsize utility segment serve between 100,000 and 499,999 residential customers, while companies in the large segment serve 500,000 or more. The study measures customer satisfaction with utilities by examining six factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service.

 

SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan humbly stated, “This J.D. Power award is the culmination of a decade of hard work and steady improvement in the service we provide to our customers, who we call members. I credit our Board’s governance, our management team’s leadership and, most important, our employees’ dedication and hard work. Our highest priority is serving our members with reliable, low-cost service while supporting our local communities. We’re honored that SECO Energy members have recognized our company with this award.”

 

Board President Ray Vick commented, “The J.D. Power award marks a significant milestone and frames a positive future for our company, which has a deeply rooted history as Sumter Electric Cooperative, founded in 1938 with a mission of rural electrification.” The mission has changed over time, and in an effort to enhance the company’s image as a utility serving across seven Central Florida counties, the cooperative has slowly adopted the name “SECO Energy.” A notice was recently published in the Sumter County Times of intention to officially do business as (d/b/a) SECO Energy, and the name was registered with the Florida Department of State.

 

The company developed the new logo to strengthen its brand identity. Colors remain the same for familiarity, and the plug was preserved as a tribute to the previous logo. Duncan added, “The partial circle or arc over the top speaks to SECO Energy’s presence in The Sunshine State – its beautiful sunrises, sunsets, solar power, continuous energy flow, Florida oranges and, truly, anything under the sun. The logo commemorates the significance of the company’s identify today and in the future as SECO Energy.”

 

Enhancing member communication is one of SECO’s current priorities. The company is currently evaluating its website and storm center platforms and researching technology that promotes two-way communication with members. Visit the company on Facebook and Twitter today for the latest company news, energy-efficiency resources and community outreach events.