SECO News, December 2017

Duncan’s Digest

United We Live & Give

It’s time to bid farewell to 2017 and welcome 2018 as the Christmas and New Year’s holidays approach. Dreaming of a white Christmas in Florida is probably a long-shot, but with the help of our charitable SECO employees, dreaming of a giving Christmas is a reality. SECO employees, myself included, renewed their commitment to local communities through their generous pledges to United Way in the new year.

SECO employees pledged $52,214 for United Way’s 2018 Live United campaign. Every dollar contributed by SECO employees is used to endow service programs that benefit the residents in the counties we serve and in our footprint. Much of the funding is locally designated by each employee to the agency of their choice and administered through United Way. Yearly, 61 million people across the world benefit from the programs and services funded by the United Way.

Every penny makes a difference. Would you like your small change to make a difference in your community? Enroll in SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program and round up your monthly bill to the nearest dollar. Every penny collected through Pennies from Heaven is distributed locally to directly benefit SECO members. The donated funds may be used to purchase emergency medical supplies, support charitable organizations or provide bill payment assistance to your fellow members experiencing dire and unique circumstances. Enroll online or give us a call.

To learn more about United Way, find a volunteer opportunity or to be connected with a local agency, visit www.UnitedWay.org.

I couldn’t be prouder of our employees’ 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 United Way’s 2018 campaign. This giving spirit reflects the very essence of our not-for-profit electric cooperative business model.

May peace, love and prosperity follow you all through the year. From our SECO family to yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas and all the best in the new year.

Jim Duncan
Chief Executive Officer

Toys for Tots — “SECO Claus Delivers”

In early November, it began to feel a lot like Christmas as hundreds of SECO employees performed the role of Santa Claus for SECO’s yearly toy drive. SECO chooses to support the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program which collects new, unwrapped toys and distributes them as Christmas gifts to local children in need who live in the communities we serve.

The halls were decked, and Christmas joy and cheer were present at all SECO locations. Our perpetually generous employees donated hundreds of toys for needy children in Sumter, Lake, Marion and Citrus Counties. Each of our five Member Service Centers were open to the public as local Toys for Tots drop-off locations, and many charitable SECO members donated toys as well.

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO adheres to the seven key cooperative principles – one of which is Concern for Community. SECO employees personally demonstrate their Concern for Community by volunteering their time and supporting community involvement projects in their areas. Our employees give generously during the Christmas season to the Toys for Tots toy drive and the United Way as referenced on the front page.

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.

Merry Christmas!

Read the full December 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Whooping Crane

This large bird still on the endangered species list

The whooping crane (Grus americana), is named for its unique trumpet-like call that can be heard for several miles. It is North America’s largest bird, standing 45 to 50 inches tall with a wingspan of 90 inches. Mature birds are pure white with black wing tips, dark legs, a long neck, a long, dark, pointed bill and a bumpy red crown. The bumpy red patch on the head, a trait shared with the close relative sandhill crane, serves to indicate the bird’s mood – becoming bright and expanded when agitated or excited. Whooping cranes and sandhill cranes are the only two cranes found in North America.

Whooping cranes are one of the most beautiful birds and one of the rarest. This endangered species once wintered in Florida, but habitat loss virtually wiped out most of its population. The birds were on the verge of extinction and a concerted effort has been ongoing since the 1990s to bring them back. Florida’s small whooping crane population is now mostly non-migratory.

A project to restore the migratory whooping crane began in 2001. Each winter, captive-raised and released whooping cranes are led by ultra-light aircraft from Wisconsin to Florida. The idea of the project is that once these birds are taught the north-to-south migration route, the birds will continue to make the journey on their own.

Whooping cranes mate for life, but will take a new mate if one dies. Whoopers live 22 to 24 years in the wild. Sexes are similar in appearance, although males are larger – weighing about 16 pounds. Nests are usually built over standing water and pairs return to nest in the same area each year. Females lay two blotchy, olive-colored eggs in late April to May. Incubation takes 30 days. Within twenty-four hours of hatching, the pale brown chicks leave the nest to follow the parents. Both parents care for the young. The young stay with the parents for a year, learning to forage for seeds and roots, insects, snakes, frogs and small rodents. They can fly at three months, and have their full adult plumage by the end of the second summer. At five years they are ready to choose a mate and begin a family.

To learn more about the ongoing migratory project, visit www.bringbackthecranes.org.

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

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

Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Black Bear

Has A Den, But Does Not Truly Hibernate

Our largest native land mammal, the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus), has come back from only several hundred bears in the 1970s to more than 4,000 today. This subspecies of the American black bear is one of Florida’s biggest conservation success stories. It has a shiny, black coat of fur with a light brown nose and snout. Its long, razor sharp claws do not retract.

It is a powerful climber and swimmer and can run up to 30 mph for short distances. It has an excellent sense of smell, acute hearing, good eyesight, and sees in color. When a black bear sees a human, it will often do a lot of sniffing, and may stand up. This is not a sign of aggression; it helps the curious bear to catch the scent and to get a better look. The black bear is a very shy animal, whose normal nature is to flee human encounters.

Adult males normally weigh 250 to 350 lbs., and adult females 130 to 180 lbs. The largest male bear on record in Florida weighed 760 lbs.; the largest female weighed 400 lbs. Except during mating season from June to August, these bears are solitary by nature. Adult females typically breed every other year, producing one to three cubs in January/February, each weighing about a half pound. Cubs stay with their mother for about 18 months. Half die before a year of age. In Florida, male bears typically have a home range of 60 square miles; females just 15 square miles. black bears prefer forests of sand-pine scrub, oak scrub, forested wetlands and upland hardwoods like the Ocala National Forest.

The black bear is an omnivore, which means it eats both plants and other animals. It’ll eat just about anything, including fruits, berries, acorns, the hearts of the sabal palm or saw palmetto, honey, bees, walking sticks (a favorite insect), armadillos, wild pigs, fawns and garbage.

Loss of habitat due to development has increased the potential for more encounters between bears and people. The presence of a black bear does not necessarily represent a problem. Many residents living in black bear country enjoy observing them from a distance, of course. Never offer a bear food! Keep food sources like pet food and garbage away from them by securing or removing the temptations.

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

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

SECO News, November 2017

Duncan’s Digest

Greener Grid – More Megawatts

SECO Energy’s purpose is “To provide exceptional service to our members, co workers and communities.” The very foundation of that purpose requires developing long-range energy supply plans for the future. Looking ahead, not-for-profit utilities like SECO Energy must adapt to the changing landscape of energy production, while being prepared to deliver safe, reliable, low-cost power to current and future members.

In late September while many of us were still reeling from Hurricane Irma, SECO’s wholesale provider, Seminole Electric Cooperative, announced a five-year plan to build a new natural gas-fired generating plant at its current Seminole Generating Station (SGS) facility in Palatka. The plan includes Seminole’s intention to shutter one of its two coal-fired generating units at the SGS site and enter into agreements to purchase power from other facilities that use solar and natural gas resources.

A key element of Seminole’s new long-term plan is increasing the diversity of fuel sources in its energy portfolio and generating mix. The decision is supported by continued natural gas market stability and historically low prices. Seminole is adjusting to the market by shifting its fuel mix to increase natural gas-fired power generation. This portfolio shift allows Seminole to meet the demand for more megawatts and provide safe, reliable, affordable power to its members while investing in a greener grid.

Seminole has invested over $530 million in environmental controls at its SGS facility, making it one of the cleanest coal plants in the United States. Clean-burning coal is a reliable and affordable means to produce energy, and portions of Seminole’s coal-burning generating plant will remain in use. When the presidency changes hands every four or eight years, the nation faces the possibility of new, costly regulations and policy changes aimed directly at reducing America’s dependency on coal. Additional policies and regulations usher in new expenses that risk increased energy rates and higher bills for members. Reducing coal use, however, reduces carbon emissions.

Similar to a financial portfolio with its mix of stocks and funds, Seminole’s expansion of fuel sources minimizes future risk and offers stability to its member-owners, including SECO. As your local not-for-profit electric cooperative with an expanding member base, we must embrace forward thinking ways to meet demand. Under Seminole’s new long-term plan, SECO can ensure an adequate supply of quality, reliable, affordable power is available to meet the current and future needs of our growing area.

Capital Credits

Build Membersʼ Nest Eggs

In November, SECO members are indeed lucky ducks – and you are much more than simply a consumer of energy. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative owned by our members, your annual purchase of energy builds a nest egg – your share of the company’s patronage capital.

A little bird flew in to tell you how it works: Your membership in SECO Energy builds ownership through your energy purchases. That ownership is defined through the annual process of allocating each member’s share of the co-op’s margins from the prior year. The annual amounts for each member who purchased electric service from SECO during that year are referred to as Capital Credits allocations.

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 meeting with their ducks in a row, SECO’s Board of Trustees approved a record $5.4 million 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. This year’s Capital Credits return is made possible by the sound financial stewardship of SECO’s Board, leadership team and flock of dedicated, cost-conscious employees.

No wild goose chase here; each member receiving a Capital Credits retirement this year will see the amount on their November bill listed as a line item labeled “Capital Credit Ret.” Business members with retirements over $1,000 will receive an actual check. If you have questions about Capital Credits, visit SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > Capital Credits.

Energy Efficiency

The Centsible Weekend DIY

Do you plan to conquer your honey-do list this weekend? Add these inexpensive, DIY tasks to save energy and reduce your monthly electric bill. Now that’s centsible.

1. Seal doors and windows: Remove old, cracked caulking from windows, and apply new caulking around the joints and frame. Replacing worn weather-stripping around exterior doors keeps cool air in, and hot air out.
2. Reduce phantom loads: TVs, DVRs, cable boxes and home computers use power when turned “off.” Energy.gov reports phantom load can cost an average household up to $100 a year. What to do? Use power strips with multiple plug-ins, and turn them off when electronics aren’t in use.
3. Stop the leaks: Repair leaky faucets and fixtures that are not only wasting water, but causing your well and, if the leaking water is hot, your water heater to cycle on more often.
4. Build an outdoor clothesline: On average, a clothes dryer costs $.40 to dry one load of laundry. Skip the dryer and air-dry one load of laundry a day, and save almost $150 a year.
5. Vacuum refrigerator coils: Once a year, vacuum away dirt and dust collected on your refrigerator coils to keep it running efficiently. Coils are located on the bottom or back of the appliance, and don’t forget to always unplug the refrigerator before servicing.

For more centsible energy saving ideas, visit SECOEnergy.com.

Read the full November 2017 SECO News here.

SECO News, October 2017

Duncan’s Digest

HURRICANE IRMA HITS HARD

Hurricane Irma is indeed the biggest, baddest, meanest named storm we’ve seen in a long time. Irma’s damage to our system was more significant than we experienced in the infamous 2004 hurricane season.

Hurricane Irma – the aptly named “war goddess” – arrived with an arsenal of hurricane-force winds. She wreaked havoc as she traveled directly through SECO’s service territory as a Category 1 to a Category 3 hurricane, per data from the National Hurricane Center. Power outages began late Sunday evening September 10, and members continued to lose power through Monday morning.

From Irma’s onset until winds subsided Monday mid-day, approximately 139,000 outages were reported by members and captured by our outage management system. Over half of our system was damaged by the hurricane-force winds with lines, transformers and poles on the ground covered by trees and debris.

Executing an emergency action plan before, during and after a named storm is a standard practice for a Florida utility like SECO Energy. Storm hardening and emergency response are key investments for a not-for-profit electric cooperative. To successfully react to a weather crisis, we rely heavily on our tried and true emergency response plan and advanced preparation.

Members always want to know how SECO decides who is first in line for restoration. Florida requires substations and feeders serving hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies to be restored as the highest priority. The next priority is restoring power to large groups of members, and then to less populated areas with individual electric services.

Due to SECO’s demographic, we serve a large number of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. During Hurricane Irma, these facilities became a priority as well as they began to run out of generator fuel. The same held true for communication towers a few days into the recovery. Water treatment facilities and lift stations were also a strong consideration.

The bottom line is every member wants power turned back on – now. SECO is sensitive to that, and we understand the discomfort and inconvenience members experience. Personally, I slept on a cot in my office for four nights because my home was without power. I’m sharing that not for sympathy but to emphasize that SECO follows the plan and does not give special treatment or favors.

Once an emergency begins, logistics like fuel, food, lodging, manpower and a solid work plan are all critical to a timely restoration. Securing line and tree trimming contractor support from neighboring areas was difficult because Irma had such far-reaching effects. We searched far and wide and brought in contractors from Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and other parts of Florida.

Fuel, ice, food and hotel rooms for these folks became a logistical challenge as the state seemingly shut down before, during and after Irma. From the beginning of the restoration effort on Monday, fuel availability for our trucks was limited. Traffic on I-75 southbound delayed the out-of-state contractors’ arrivals. Evacuees understandably fled from coastal areas to central Florida, reducing the availability of hotels to lodge our restoration teams from out of state.

Contract line and tree crews arrived and suited up alongside our SECO home team after winds died down around noon that Monday. These professionals were in it to win it. SECO made significant progress, restoring power to over 90,000 members during the first three days of restoration – 49,000 members remained without power.

To better communicate with members, SECO developed an interactive restoration plan map that was launched Tuesday evening. The map was updated nightly to reflect the next day’s restoration plan.

This resource became a useful communication tool for members seeking information on the timing of their particular area’s restoration. Social media was a blessing throughout the hurricane and restoration, and helped members keep in touch when CenturyLink went down.

When Thursday dawned, progress slowed as SECO fought through new challenges and obstacles. High waters across roads and in homes prevented restoration in south Sumter County. Areas with significant damage took longer than planned. Stolen wire delayed restoration in Webster, Croom-A-Coochee and Lake Panasoffkee. Crews were redirected to allow restoration to continue in areas where we could restore larger numbers quickly.

The weather threatened to hinder progress on Friday and Saturday, as the presence of lightning would bring restoration to a stop. We put the word out for farmers to stop cutting hay and for residents to not wash their cars. We prayed and crossed our fingers.

Prayers were answered, and on Saturday at noon, less than 10,000 members were without power. We were determined to have full restoration complete by the end of the day Sunday, September 17. More than 1,200 SECO crews, along with line and tree contractors converged for the last time on our territory to finish rebuilding the remaining lines, clear trees, replace poles, avoid alligators and respond to the remaining small pockets of outages.

Though it was admittedly a rough week for those who lost power, I am proud to say that by Sunday night, 99.9% of SECO members had power restored. Only about 70 accounts in south Sumter County were unable to receive electric service due to high water conditions.

Many of our employees worked 20-hour days, didn’t have power at home and could have auditioned for a role on The Walking Dead. I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of the entire SECO team. I’m also grateful for the thousands of line and tree contractors who traveled thousands of miles to Florida, leaving their families to aid ours during Hurricane Irma restoration. They have my respect and appreciation.

In each major restoration event, there are lessons learned. Sometimes Murphy’s Law prevailed and other times, thankfully, we had favor and won the day. As a team, we celebrated the highs and worried through the lows.

Nature’s Reflections will be back next month. Clearly, Mother Nature made her presence known through Hurricane Irma as these photos show.

I believe in preparing for the worst and praying for the best. Hurricane Irma may be as close to the worst we will ever see. Today, let’s count our blessings and be thankful.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

Read the full October 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Living with Alligators

Keep your distance and NEVER feed them

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

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

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

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

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

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

SECO News, September 2017

Duncan’s Digest

MEGAWATTS & MILLIONS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lightning Buzz

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

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

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

Energy Efficiency

Curb the Silent Demanders

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

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

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

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

Surge Protection Bill Credit Winner

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

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

Read the full September 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Nine-Armed Sea Star

Once called a starfish, although it is not a fish

Sea stars are Echinoderms (Echinodermata) —a group of animals whose name means “spiny skin,” which includes sea urchins, feather stars, sand dollars and sea cucumbers. About two thousand species exist exclusively in oceans worldwide. None are found on land or in freshwater. Sea stars have tentacle-like structures called tube feet with suction pads situated along the extremities. Sea stars have an eye at the end of each tentacle, but cannot see color. An internal hydraulic-type system pumps fluids through the body, allowing the star to both move and feed. While predators themselves, most are covered with spiny skin for protection from other predators.

The Nine-armed Sea Star (Luidia senegalensis), is a millipede with long, slim tapering arms attached to a small circular center. This sea star grows between twelve to sixteen inches in diameter. The topside is a patchwork of closely packed spiny plates from brownish gray to tan. The underside of the sea star has small white spiny plates and a central band of translucent, orange tube feet. The mouth is at the center of the disc. Undigested food fragments are expelled through the mouth. Like other echinoderms, it has the ability to regenerate lost or broken appendages.

It is found at the beach in shallow water and in depths of up to 130 feet along the coasts of Florida, and as far south as Brazil. It dines on mollusks, small crustaceans, tiny fish and worms. Many foods are swallowed whole and ingested by turning its stomach inside out to consume its prey. It also buries itself in the sand, filtering it to extract tiny organisms.

Breeding takes place throughout the year. Sea stars release egg/sperm cells into the sea. The eggs hatch into larva which drift along with the plankton to grow. After twenty-five days, the larva settle on the ocean floor and undergo a metamorphosis into juvenile sea stars.

Sea stars can be found in a stunning variety of shapes and colors in every ocean and reef around the world. They are best characterized by their unique symmetry. Most have five arms, while others have ten, and up to as many as forty arms. The lifespan of a sea star is reported to be from five to thirty-five years.

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

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

SECO News, August 2017

Duncan’s Digest

Third J.D. Power Award!!

Thank you, members, for honoring SECO Energy with a third J.D. Power award. J.D. Power’s 2017 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, has once again ranked your not-for-profit electric cooperative “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Electric Cooperatives.” Our 2017 trophy marks a three-year streak of J.D. Power awards for SECO Energy’s customer satisfaction.

In 2015, J.D. Power named SECO “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Midsize Utilities in the South.” The next year, J.D. Power placed cooperatives in a separate category and the cooperative set its sights on another win. We accomplished our original goal with a second win in 2016. And this year, we far exceeded our original goal with a third win, gaining the top spot and earning our “Triple Crown.”

The J.D. Power study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six factors:

Power Quality and Reliability
Price
Billing and Payment
Corporate Citizenship
Communications
Customer Service

SECO’s 2017 overall score is an incredible 789, which is a 20-point increase from our 2016 score.

How does SECO continue to rise above the competition and retain its customer satisfaction crown? The quick answer is the 400+ employees who make SECO the nation’s top electric cooperative. SECO employees are the best in the state, if not the nation. Our local employees are your friends, neighbors and family. SECO employees are the heart of the cooperative and without them, awards and recognition wouldn’t be possible.

I am beyond grateful for our employees and their dedication to not only customer satisfaction, but their dedication to our members. I am also thankful for the forward-thinking vision of our executive leadership team and the SECO Board Members who oversee the governance of the cooperative.

This third J.D. Power award culminates a decade-long effort to increase reliability, maintain low rates and provide world-class customer service to members. I am humbled by the praise and goodwill from our members and privileged to be employed by the best electric cooperative in the country.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

Right Tree Right Place

Trees interfering with power lines are a leading cause of unexpected outages. When trees contact power lines they can create sparks, fires, shock hazards and as mentioned previously – power outages. To avoid these problems, SECO has developed a holistic Vegetation Management program that includes regular tree trimming and educating members about how trees save energy and reduce monthly bills.

Don’t plant trees close to power lines. Consider how tall the tree will be when it is mature. Plant small ornamental trees or shrubs at least 15 feet away from lines and plant the tallest trees at least 70 feet away. That small oak sapling planted today may one day grow into a majestic live oak towering 80 feet in the air.

SECO also encourages members to plant the right tree in the right place to reduce annual energy costs. Planting deciduous trees to the south, southwest or west side will provide your home with shade during the summer, which reduces your cooling costs. To reduce heating costs, plant evergreens and shrubs on the north and west sides of your home to block winter winds.

Learn more about how trees can reduce energy costs and tree planting ideas at SECOEnergy.com.

Safety Corner

Move Over Law

When you see an emergency vehicle, tow truck, sanitation crew or utility vehicle on the road shoulder with lights flashing, do you reduce your speed or move over a lane?

You should. In fact, under Florida’s Move Over Law it’s mandatory. Utility workers, law enforcement personnel, EMTs and sanitation workers are at risk of being injured or killed by vehicles traveling at high rates of speed when working on the road shoulder.

SECO technicians routinely park near roadways and are particularly vulnerable to careless/distracted drivers who cause accidents. It is common to see a SECO Energy line technician replacing a pole or repairing lines while inside a bucket that is 40 or 50 feet aloft. Oftentimes this mid-air roadside work takes place in the dark and during thunderstorms. Technicians are focused on their assigned tasks and working safely, they may not be able to get out of the way if a vehicle crashes into their work area.

On a multi-lane road, the Move Over Law requires drivers to move over a lane away from the vehicle on the shoulder. If you cannot move over safely, the law
requires you to reduce your speed to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. On two lane roads where there isn’t a lane to move over into, the law requires you to reduce your speed to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. Drivers can be ticketed for failure to comply with the Move Over Law, which will cost you over $100, add points to your driving record and raise your insurance premiums.

Please do your part to ensure workers return home safely to their loved ones. Pay attention to the road, don’t text while driving, move over and slow down for emergency vehicles – it’s the law.

Energy Savings

Solar Window Screens

Florida summers certainly offer chances for fun in the sun, but when humidity is at 100% and temps reach the triple-degree mark, energy bills increase. The sun’s heat transfers through your windows and raises the temperature inside your home. In turn, your HVAC unit runs more often and uses more energy – thus raising your electric bill.

What low-cost step can you take to prevent heat transfer into your home? Install solar window screens. Indoor shading techniques such as curtains and blinds block light and heat after it is already inside your home. Solar screens fight heat transfer through your windows on the outside of your home. These screens are designed to reflect up to 90% of the sun’s heat and glare before it enters your home without compromising visibility. Solar screens also provide a level of daytime privacy by preventing outsiders from peeking in your windows. The heavy screens provide a level of bug protection as well.

Solar screens come in a variety of colors to complement the aesthetics of your home. Visit our website for additional tips to reduce energy usage and lower your monthly bills.

Read the full August 2017 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Hurricanes & Wildlife

Where do animals go in a hurricane?

Florida’s wildlife is well adapted to the state’s weather extremes. Their early warning system lies in the ability to sense any change in the barometric pressure and move to safer locations. Members of the animal kingdom seem to find places to hide from a storm’s wrath.

Water birds and shorebirds move inland during storms. Many birds will fly to the outer edge of a storm and find a safe place to hunker down – sometimes hundreds of miles away. Birds have the ability to tighten their grip and hold on during high winds, just as they do when sleeping. Cavity nesters, like woodpeckers will often ride out the storm in the tree. Many species of wildlife know the areas of the forest where they will be best protected from the worst winds. Chicks in a twig or ground nest are at the highest risk for injury.

Natural disaster disrupts and affects everything in its path, including wildlife. Livestock and pets are not always able to get out of harm’s way on their own. A sad fact is that there is usually some loss to wildlife and habitat as a result of severe storms. The good news is that wildlife in general is amazingly resilient.

While we can never place animal life above human life, it is important to be sensitive to the needs of both wildlife and domestic animals as much as we can before and after a natural disaster.

Following the 2004 hurricanes, FEMA brought in veterinarians from other states to help rescue and treat the thousands of domestic animals that resided in the Florida counties that were declared federal disaster areas.

The Humane Society collected pets found disoriented and wandering aimlessly and gave them food and shelter until the rightful owners could be found. Those unclaimed pets were later offered for adoption.

Volunteers from area wildlife rehab centers were busy with rescue and treatment of injured, displaced and orphaned animals following the hurricanes. Biologists from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) monitored the impact to wildlife for weeks following the storms. Research shows that most of Florida’s ecosystems and wildlife populations recover, or adapt, quickly after even the severest storms.

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

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

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Home » SECO News

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

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

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

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Third J.D. Power Award!!

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Move Over Law

Energy Savings

Solar Window Screens

Where do animals go in a hurricane?

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

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