Nature’s Reflections – Florida Panther: Our Biggest Cat

A subspecies of the western cougar

The Florida panther (Felis concolor corti) was first listed as an endangered species in 1973 and protected by both state and federal laws. These large, tawny-colored, long-tailed, elusive cats average 80-130 pounds. They are reported to live about twelve years in the wild. These large cats are mostly nocturnal and rarely seen. Panthers are solitary, skilled hunters who live and hunt in large home ranges up to 200 square miles. They maintain boundaries by scent markings and rarely fight over territory. Deer and feral hogs are the preferred food, but panthers also eat raccoons, rabbits, armadillos, alligators, fowl and other small animals.

Habitat loss and collisions with vehicles are the principal reasons for population decline. In the early 1990s genetic defects from inbreeding and mercury poisoning also threatened their survival.

In 1995, Florida imported eight female Texas cougars to breed with the panthers and strengthen their genetic diversity. The kittens produced from the cross-breeding are considered Florida panthers and protected the same as the purebreds. Today, panthers roam remote swamplands like the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. Others go mostly undetected, roaming remote areas in central and north Florida, making it difficult to get an exact count. Female panthers begin breeding at about two and a half years of age. After a three-month gestation period, a litter of one to three kittens are born in a simple, secluded den. Spots on their tawny coats help them blend with dense vegetation. Weaned at two months, the kittens follow their mother for up to two years to learn hunting and survival skills. Once trained, the mother leaves her kittens at a kill and doesn’t return, leaving them to make their own way.

Current plans focus on securing and enhancing available habitat and breeding panthers in captivity, then reintroducing them into the wild. Let’s hope endeavors to help save this symbol of Florida’s wilderness are successful.

Column & photo by: Sandi Staton

SECO News, November 2016

Duncan’s Digest

Most people would equate a company giving money back to their consumers with flying pigs. However, SECO Energy is different. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative owned by our members, pigs really do fly this time of year – putting money back in your pocket with another record Capital Credit retirement.

Here’s 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 operating margins from the prior year. The annual amounts for each member who purchased electric service from SECO Energy during that year are referred to as Capital Credit 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, SECO’s Board of Trustees approved letting the proverbial pig fly with a record $5.1 million to be returned (retired) to members. Since SECO Energy’s inception, the co-op has retired more than $52.4 million to current and former members. This Capital Credits return is made possible by the sound financial stewardship of SECO’s Board, leadership team and employees. In a positive way, we really do reap what we “sow” – no pun intended.

Each current member receiving a Capital Credits retirement this year will see the amount on the November bill listed as a line item labeled Capital Credits. Visit our Capital Credits page if you have questions about Capital Credits.

2016 Hurricane Recap

Tropical Storm Colin made landfall in the late night hours on Monday, June 6. Colin is the first named storm to make landfall in Florida since Andrea in 2013. While Colin moved across the state, parts of SECO’s service area experienced tropical-storm-force winds and extended periods of heavy rainfall. Colin caused only a small number of outages in SECO’s area. Crews worked quickly and safely to restore these outages within hours.

Hurricane Hermine made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in the Big Bend area on Friday, September 2. Hermine brought buckets of rain and high winds to the area, causing approximately 14,000 total service interruptions. Along with the hurricane, tornadoes touched down in Sumter County. Members in Marion, Levy and Citrus counties were hardest hit by Hurricane Hermine. The SECO team did a stellar job in quickly restoring power by midnight that Friday.

Hurricane Matthew became an extremely powerful Category 3 hurricane that hugged Florida’s east coast as it traveled north Thursday, October 6. Though Matthew didn’t make landfall in Florida, the storm brought rain and very strong winds to SECO’s service area. The hurricane accounted for approximately 28,000 outages for SECO members. The area hardest hit was east Lake County, which suffered extensive damage. Broken trees, damaged utility poles, flooding and roadway debris were challenges for SECO crews and contractors. By early Saturday afternoon, all SECO members’ power was restored.

SECO was Storm Ready and once again proved the team is the best-of-the-best. SECO enacted its emergency restoration plan and manned Customer Service and System Operations Centers round-the-clock until all restoration was complete. Members reported service interruptions online or called and spoke to a representative 24/7. Thousands of members reached out via Facebook and Twitter to ask questions about restoration and report unsafe conditions. Members on social media offered thanks, compliments, praise, prayers and well-wishes for the entire SECO team and the contractors working to restore power.

Thank you, SECO Energy members, for your patience and understanding, as well as your kind words, prayers and compliments – they are truly appreciated. Words cannot begin to express our gratitude.

Power Outage Safety

If a power outage occurs, contact SECO Energy right away. Don’t assume that someone else has already reported it, and don’t worry that we’re too busy. Every call and online outage report helps pinpoint the location and extent of an outage. Be sure to let us know if you see downed power lines or any damaged utility equipment. If there’s an immediate danger, call 911.

Don’t Use Candles

Avoid using candles during power out-ages – the risk of fire is too great. Use battery-powered lights, like a flashlight or LED lantern, for emergency lighting.

Protect Your Appliances

When a storm involves high winds or lightning, turn off and unplug as many appliances as possible (including your HVAC during a summer storm). This will prevent damage from a power surge when service is restored. After the storm has passed, flip the breakers back on, plug in and turn them on one at a time. Consider enrolling in our Surge Protection program.

Flood Dangers

If flooding occurs or is predicted in your area – do not use any electrical devices. Turn off the main circuit breaker or remove the primary fuse cartridge – but only if you can reach it without touching water.

To report outages quickly and easily online, bookmark Storm Center on your smartphone or tablet or call the outage hotline at (800) 732-6141.

Holiday Energy Savings

The holiday season is upon us. Decorating, holiday gatherings and gift buying are in full swing. Here are a few tips to keep your energy-saving efforts intact while enjoying all the festivities.

Decorate with LED holiday lights. LED lights are more efficient, last longer and are safer than standard incandescent lights. The initial purchase cost is higher, but LEDs use much less energy and produce a lot less heat.

Holiday gatherings usually mean a lot of cooking. Don’t peek inside the oven. Each time you open the oven door, the temperature drops by as much as 25 degrees – forcing the oven to use more energy. It’s not necessary to pre-heat the oven for baking times over one hour. You can turn off the burner 5 to 10 minutes before the dish is done on an electric stove-top. Keep the lid on until time is up.

When it comes to gift buying, consider purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified items. Electronics such as computers, TVs and other appliances are popular choices. ENERGY STAR qualified products may cost more up front, but they will save in energy use for years to come.

Area Light Out?

Do you or a neighbor have a SECO Energy area light that isn’t working properly? Is the light blinking, shining during daylight hours or off completely? Report area light problems day or night on our website. Lights are usually repaired within 72 hours. Have the pole number and location on hand if possible.

Expressions

Members expressed their appreciation for the SECO Team’s hard work during Hurricane Matthew’s aftermath via our websites Contact Us page.

Larry Grose – I’ve been dealing with the public for many years and I am aware of people being the first to complain and seldom to offer atta-boys. I just would like to ask that you pass this along to the proper personnel. I want to offer an atta-boy and sincerely thank those involved for their hard work and restoring power to the homes on Firefox Lane. Your work is greatly appreciated and you are an asset to your employer and community.

Clint Moseley – I wanted to take some time to say thanks for the hard work of the folks at SECO Energy. Hurricane Matthew came through my area and I only lost power once in the middle of the night, which I suspect may have been a maintenance issue. I really appreciate it so much. You guys are wonderful and I am very lucky to have such a dedicated group of people servicing my energy needs. Thank you again and I hope you get more letters of gratitude because you guys deserve it!

Read the full November 2016 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Arachnophobia Anyone?

Scary looking, but few are dangerous to humans

Spiders are arachnids, pronounced uh-rack-nids. There are reported to be more than 45,000 species worldwide and 1,200 in the U.S. Florida certainly has its fair share. While most species are never seen by humans, there are 29 that are common.

The largest, sometimes called the banana spider, is the Golden Silk Orbweaver (Nephila clavipes). Named for its large and impressive golden web placed at eye level, it will certainly give you a fright if stumbled into. Another large spider is the Yellow Garden spider (Argiope aurantia), which builds a web with a zig-zag design through the middle. Both are non-aggressive and seldom bite.

There are five small, yet dangerous spider species with strong venom. The Black Widow is native to Florida. The Red, Brown and Southern Black Widows and the Brown Recluse are newer residents. If bitten by any spider, try to preserve it in rubbing alcohol for identification. If the bite is from a Widow or Brown Recluse, seek medical attention immediately.

Spiders come in a variety of sizes, colors and combinations. Females are bigger and live about a year; males are small and die soon after mating. Spiders have two body regions, no antennae, eight legs and up to eight eyes. Thankfully, most do not see very well. Tiny hairs on their legs enable them to feel when a bug is in their web. Tiny claws are used to cut the silk. Spider silk is being studied due to its tinsel strength. Some strands are sticky, to catch bugs, and some are dry. When the spider feels a strand jiggle, it races to find the bug that is caught. If it’s a leaf or a big bug that might tear the web, the spider cuts the strands, to let it fall away. Once an insect is caught, the spider injects venom and wraps the bug in silk. Spiders inject a digestive fluid into their prey and suck up the digested food. They can go for long periods without feeding. Spiders eat more insects than birds do.

Baby spiders, called spiderlings, are born from eggs in an egg sack. Once born, they shoot out a strand of silk and float away on a breeze. They are born colorless, making it easier to hide from predators.

Column & photo by: Sandi Staton

SECO News, October 2016

The Hot Bucks streak continues

SECO Energy has lowered the cost of energy again! As of October 1, the price for the first 1,000 kWh – average residential energy consumption in SECO’s area – has been reduced another dollar to $112.60.

Since January 2014, our cooperative has reduced the cost of energy nine times. In less than three years, SECO has lowered members’ bills by almost 12%. This latest reduction means that SECO members pay one of the lowest rates for energy in Central Florida (and per J.D. Power, our members receive the best service in the nation).

The decrease is formally called a Power Cost Adjustment or PCA – but our members know it better as “Hot Bucks.” The PCA is a line item component on your bill representing positive reductions in our cost of power. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative and a two-time J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction winner, SECO’s dedication to its members is clear. SECO is committed to providing members with low rates, reliable electric service and excellent customer service.

Be sure to look for the latest reduction on your October bill, as your Board of Trustees (your fellow members who govern your cooperative) approved the reduction in their September meeting.

What it takes to be a JDP Winner

SECO Energy earned its second J.D. Power award in 2016 – ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Cooperatives.” J.D. Power examines the six factors, highlighted below, that explain SECO’s success.

Corporate Citizenship

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO has deep roots in the communities we serve. SECO Energy and its members team up through our Pennies from Heaven Program that rounds members’ bills up to the nearest dollar. The funds collected support area social service agencies to provide financial assistance for members in need. SECO’s scholarship program awards 12 deserving high school seniors in our service area a $3,000 scholarship to an accredited college, trade or technical school. SECO’s scholarship program has awarded over $500,000 to local students over the last 20 years.

Billing & Payment

SECO Energy offers a variety of convenient ways to pay your bill – without convenience fees. Members can pay online via SmartHub (SECO’s account management system), pay by bank draft, by mail or by phone. Members can pay in person at one of our five member service center locations – some include kiosks available 24/7. Another option is SECO’s MyWay PrePay program – members pay for their daily energy before usage. MyWay PrePay is perfect for members on a budget who closely track their usage and expenses.

Communications

SECO Energy’s Communications score is highest in the nation in our segment according to J.D.Power’s 2016 Customer Satisfaction Study. In February, SECO launched a brand-new website with a user-friendly platform that performs on a variety of mobile devices and browsers. SECO members also interact online with the cooperative through Facebook and Twitter. Members are reporting service interruptions online using their smart phones/tablets through our Storm Center application. Your monthly SECO News publication has been enhanced to be more informative and dynamic as well.

Customer Service

At SECO Energy, our customer service team is the best of the best. In fact, SECO is ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction” among electric cooperatives across the nation. The SECO Team is staffed with employees who live locally in the communities we serve. Phone calls to SECO are answered by a local employee. These calls are not outsourced. Members can engage with a local associate – to pay a bill, ask a question or voice a concern – in one of our five convenient locations. Or you can contact us online at your convenience.

Price

SECO Energy continues to lower energy costs – nine times in less than three years. Our cost per kilowatt hour is one of the lowest in Central Florida. SECO members also benefit from our Capital Credits program. Through sound financial stewardship, SECO has returned (retired) Capital Credits to members for years. Since inception, SECO has returned over $47.3 million to current and former members. Watch your November bill and SECO News for more information.

Power Quality & Reliability

SECO Energy is the third largest co-op in Florida and the sixth largest nationally. We serve almost 200,000 members across seven Central Florida counties over 2,000 square miles. SECO maintains, inspects and upgrades 12,000 miles of power lines to provide reliable power to members. To increase reliability, SECO has honed a comprehensive vegetation management program, and has been recognized as a Tree Line USA utility by the National Arbor Day Foundation for nine years in a row. SECO continues to expand to meet the growing power demand.

Energy Efficiency Tips – Insulation Investment Pays Off

Homes with the proper level of attic insulation provide reduced energy costs and increase your comfort level year-round. Upgrading attic insulation is one of the best energy efficiency investments – paying dividends year after year.

Attic insulation works to slow the movement of heat, reducing the HVAC system workload. Insufficient insulation causes the HVAC to work harder to cool or heat the home. It also causes the HVAC to run less efficiently and increase energy bills over time. Fiberglass batting is a pre-formed material sized to fit between ceiling joists and should be trimmed to rest snugly against any obstructions such as electrical wiring and air-conditioning ductwork. This makes fiberglass batting somewhat difficult to install as an upgrade.

Loose-fill fiberglass insulation is fed into a machine that loosens and propels the material through a hose allowing the installer to place a uniform blanket throughout the attic.

Loose-fill cellulose, like loose-fill fiberglass, is blown into attic spaces through special hoses. It can settle over time – you may need to install extra to account for settling. When upgrading attic insulation, make sure any recessed lighting is approved to be in direct contact with insulation. For more energy-saving ideas, check out the Energy Solutions section of our website.

Facebook Contest

Want to win a $500 bill credit? “Like” SECO Energy on Facebook today. All members who “like” SECO Energy’s Facebook page by November 30 will automatically be entered into a random drawing to win the $500 bill credit.

Expressions

Recently, members recognized the SECO Team and our hard work. The restoration effort after Hurricane Hermine was truly a team effort and was accomplished within 24 hours of the storm. The SECO Team of employees is the best of the best and our members continue to show us their appreciation on Facebook!

Thomas House – Just want to thank each and every one of you for your tireless devotion to ensuring that everyone had their power back on. You did a great job in horrible weather. Bless you all!!!

Barbara Maurer Chadwick – Love being a member of this electric cooperative! It’s so reliable, and who wouldn’t love getting money back every year, and “Hot Bucks” back every month!

Howard Shehan – You guys and gals are the best. I tip my hat to all of you. Stay safe out there.

Bart Walker – Well done and the tree trimming mitigation over the last few years really paid off. We used to lose power a lot, the lights barely blinked this time around, great job!

John Parker Awesome work SECO Energy! You Rock!!

Read the full October 2016 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Salty Lightfoot Crab

Salty Lightfoot Crab

Colorful, feisty crab lives and hunts in rock crevices

The Salty Lightfoot crab, (Grapsus grapsus) also called the red rock crab, is found on rocky beaches in the Americas on both the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. It is a common crab on the Galapagos and along the Atlantic coast of Africa. In Florida, it can be found along the Atlantic coastline, living in the rocks of the jetties.

The Salty Lightfoot crab is a bright multi-colored crustacean. Its body, called the carapace, is three to four inches across and bright red with black, orange and yellow markings. It has ten jointed legs with a bright orange or yellow tip on each leg. Two legs are claws, called pinchers that are larger and are more vivid red. It has two large bluish eyes and four antennae. Males tend to be slightly smaller than females and the right claw is slightly larger than the left. The underbelly is pale white. Young Salty Lightfoot crabs are darker-colored.

Salty Lightfoot crabs can move quickly and demonstrate remarkable agility clinging to the rocks while powerful waves crash over them. It will eat practically anything it can get, from algae to dead fish. It is known to clean the beach of broken eggs and bird and bat droppings.

While Salty serves an important role as predator and beach janitor, it is also a vital part of the ecosystem as prey for many animals including large birds, octopuses, sea turtles, etc. In addition, fishermen use the species for bait and others become part of the pet trade. Average lifespan in captivity is seven years.

Breeding occurs year round. Males battle for females in a crab-style boxing match and the victor wins brief access to the female. Males and females may have multiple partners over a breeding season. After mating both return to a solitary life. Eggs remain suspended in a female’s belly until hatching in about three weeks, normally during a full moon. Females may bear twenty to a hundred offspring in a clutch. Once the young drop into the water they are on their own. Females molt after hatching the eggs and are ready to mate again in about three weeks.

Column & photo by: Sandi Staton

SECO News, September 2016

Conduct a Home Energy Assessment Online

Your happiness with SECO Energy is dependent on low rates, high reliability and help managing your energy use to keep your bills low. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, we’re one of those rare companies that actually want you to use less of our product. So to help you identify energy-wasters in your home, SECO has developed an online Home Energy Assessment. By answering a short series of questions in four quick steps, you’ll input simple answers that allows SECO to send you an email – within minutes – that provides low-cost and no-cost energy-saving tools and tips to cut down on your usage – thus lowering your electric bill.

The Home Energy Assessment is easy. There’s no math to do and all you need to start is your electric bill to input your account number. Take the Home Energy Assessment today and start saving money and energy. The email you receive comes in checklist format, giving you a step-by-step path to lowering your bill.

Find the Home Energy Assessment here. If you’re not so tech savvy and rely more on pencil and paper, just give us a call and we’ll mail the assessment to you. If you’re looking for a way to save big money, visit our Facebook page for the latest trivia contest. Not only could you win a $300 bill credit, you’ll have access to real-time outage and restoration information, the latest energy-efficiency gadget news, community outreach projects and more..

Storm Ready

We are mid-way through the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season. Hopefully, Floridians will dodge the hurricane and tropical storm bullet again this year, but the month of September is often the most active of the season, so we shall see. Even though Tropical Storm Colin (the earliest third named storm in the Atlantic in recorded history) is the only tropical event that made landfall so far this year, SECO remains vigilant and Storm Ready.

SECO’s Operations employees stand ready to respond to outages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. SECO’s local customer service team is available to answer member phone calls (and emails) and assist members in one of our five convenient office locations. Members can interact with our Communications team live on social media for outage information, weather affecting our area and cooperative updates. Also, visit our Storm Preparedness to review our Emergency Preparation Checklist with your family so you can stay safe and Storm Ready!

Bill Enhancement

When you open your bill, the new graph will make it easy to track usage on a monthly basis and know if you used more or less energy the same month the previous year.

Members can also track energy usage through SmartHub, SECO’s online account management tool. Access SmartHub on your computer, tablet or smartphone to view or pay a current bill, review a previous bill, compare yearly or monthly energy use, update your mailing address or phone numbers and view SECO’s social media feeds. Visit My Account and register for SmartHub today.

Safety Corner: Top 10 Kids’ Safety Tips

Electricity is everywhere. It lights our homes, charges our phones, runs our appliances and powers our quality of life. But electricity can be dangerous. Explain to your kids how electricity works and warn them why it’s important to follow these safety tips.

Never put fingers, toys or other objects in an electrical outlet
Keep metal objects out of toasters
Never use anything with a cord or plug around water
Never pull a plug from an outlet by its cord
Stay away from substations and power lines
Never fly kites or climb trees near power lines
Never place your drinks on top of electronics
Stay away from broken or fallen power lines
Never touch big, green metal transformer boxes
Obey warning signs on power poles, substations and transformer boxes

Facebook Trivia Winners

Congratulations SECO Energy member Craig McDade of Belleview who correctly answered our three surge trivia questions on Facebook. Craig was randomly selected as our winner of the $300 bill credit. Eric Schwab from Leesburg is the winner of the Kindle Fire and Eleanor Newton, also from Leesburg, is the winner of a $25 restaurant gift card. Congratulations Craig, Eric and Eleanor!

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” us on Twitter for future chances to win. Not tech savvy? Look for the last six digits of your account number in this month’s SECO News for a chance to win a $25 restaurant gift card. Call or email us if your number appears. Good luck!

Expressions

I would just like to say thank you for the opportunity you gave me in receiving your scholarship, and for seeing something in me. With this I will have a greater chance in succeeding in everything I want to do in college, and for that I am extremely thankful. I would also like to thank all of SECO for the celebration we had with all of the winners as it was a very enjoyable time for my mom and I.

Once again thank you for everything.
Raul Bayas
Ocala, FL

I wish to express my utmost gratitude to you for choosing me as a recipient of the 2016 SECO Scholarship. By providing such an award you are furthering my academic success in the future by allowing me to focus whole-heartedly on my studies. I cannot adequately express my thanks for not only what you have done for me, but many students before and after me who would be far less likely to succeed if it weren’t for people like you.

Thank you,
Cayley Buckner
Ocala, FL

Read the full September 2016 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Gulf Fritillary

Florida’s Gulf Fritillary

A member of the longwings, brush-footed family

The Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) is a striking, bright orange, medium-sized butterfly common to Florida. Its wingspan is less than three inches. Its forewings are long and fairly narrow, orange above with black markings, and three black-encircled white or silvery spots at the front edge of the forewing. These spots are visible above and below. Underwings are pale brownish orange, with many large, iridescent silvery markings.

The Gulf fritillary gets its name from the fact that it migrates across the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, its range extends from South America north through Central America, Mexico and the West Indies to the southern United States.

The Gulf fritillary uses the passion flower vine for its larval food plant. Males patrol for females, who lay tiny yellow eggs on the host plant. The eggs usually hatch within a few days. The Gulf fritillary is considered a sub-tropical butterfly. This means it slows down when air temperatures drop and speeds up when it gets warmer regardless of what stage it is in. For example, an egg may hatch within three days in the heat of summer, but may take longer in cold weather.

Column & photo by: Sandi Staton

SECO News, August 2016

In 2015, the J. D. Power Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study ranked SECO Energy “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Midsize Utilities in the South.” Words cannot express the gratitude our Board of Trustees, leadership team and employees felt after winning such a prestigious, humbling award. The entire cooperative was inspired, setting our sights on a repeat performance with continued improvement in serving our members.

You, our members, ranked SECO highly again in 2016, honoring us with another J.D. Power trophy. We are referring to the pair as our “Dynamic Duo.” This year’s ranking placed SECO Energy in a segment with the toughest competition – all cooperatives across the nation with over 100,000 meters.

On July 12, J.D. Power announced that SECO Energy has been ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Electric Cooperatives.”
J.D. Power’s six scored factors are:

power quality and reliability
price
billing and payment
corporate citizenship
communications
customer service

SECO’s 2016 overall customer satisfaction score this year is an astonishing 769, which is a 20-point increase from our 2015 score. This increase reflects significant efforts by our employees to improve the level of service you receive from SECO.

Our Operations & Engineering employees focused on reducing outage durations and improving facilities to deliver safe, reliable power. Member communications have been modernized through our redesigned website, online “Contact Us” web form and stronger social media usage. SECO News is more interesting – promoting energy efficiency, safety and ways for members to win bill credits and prizes.

Customer Service folks answered more than 300,000 phone calls in the last year and handled nearly 250,000 transactions in our Service Centers. Our Billing team generated nearly 2.5 million billing statements in the last 12 months.

SECO’s sound financial management allowed us to retire $4.6 million in Capital Credits to members in 2015 ($47.3 million since inception). And most important, we dropped the cost of electricity again on June 1st – the 8th decrease of members’ bills in the last three years.

Historically, electric cooperatives rank the best of the best in customer satisfaction compared to municipal and investor-owned utilities. Electric cooperatives are owned by the members they serve, which means our Board of Trustees, leadership team and employees focus on our most important asset: you, our member.

Thank you, members, for ranking YOUR electric cooperative as the best in the nation. It is our privilege and pleasure to serve as your electric provider.

Community Support

Red Nose Day

SECO Energy employees and members brought the laughs and raised $1,181 to support FUN-raising on Red Nose Day. Wearing big, red noses may be fun, but Red Nose Day is serious support for many global charities. Donations contribute to meals for children in homeless shelters, antibiotics to treat pneumonia, eye exams, medical supplies and support homeless shelters for children.

Trees Donated to Habitat

This summer, SECO added to the beauty of the urban forest and energized the community by donating trees and shrubs to Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter. For nine years in a row, SECO has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Line USA utility. The collection of cypress trees, loropetalum bushes, bougainvillea and lily hybrids will be planted at various Habitat projects in Lake and Sumter Counties.

Trees beautify communities and save energy when planted in the right place. Shade from trees can reduce cooling costs and trees block wind in the winter to reduce heating costs. To learn more about planting the right tree in the right place and saving energy, visit the Reliability section of our website.

Community Action Luncheon

SECO Energy representatives attended the Central Florida Community Action Agency (CFCAA) Annual Awards Luncheon. As a Diamond level sponsor, SECO joined community leaders in honoring the CFCAA board members, staff and area residents who dedicate their time to enrich the lives of Alachua, Levy and Marion county citizens. The CFCAA’s purpose is to reduce poverty and help low income individuals and families become self sufficient. Photo inset: CFCAA CEO, Charles J. Harris Jr., with the Honorary Senior Judge Sandra E. Champ.

Extra Pennies?

Partner with SECO to help your neighbors in need. SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program rounds up your electric bill to the nearest dollar. The pennies donated are used to assist fellow SECO members with bill payment and to help members in dire and unique circumstances. Sign up for Pennies from Heaven today.

New Fleet Look

Have you seen our new look? Our entire fleet’s branding has been redesigned to display SECO Energy’s new logo. We think it looks pretty snazzy; do you?

Community Solar Project

In June, SECO Energy’s wholesale power provider Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. began construction on its 2.2 megawatt solar facility. SECO members will have the ability to live a greener lifestyle and reduce their carbon footprint by enrolling in this upcoming Cooperative Solar Project. The enrollment process is slated to begin in October, and the project should be operational by 2017. Watch for more details on our website.

Energy Efficiency: Cash-saving Splash

Florida summers are long and hot. One of the best ways to beat the heat is in the family pool. Although the cost of running a pool adds a little to your electric bill, there are ways you can save.

Variable-speed pumps are the best energy saver. They are much more energy efficient than traditional, single-speed pool pumps. Before spending the money on costly repairs for an older pump, consider upgrading to the newer technology. Regardless of the type of pump, install a pool timer and set to operate 6-8 hours daily during the summer and 3-4 hours daily during the winter.

If you’re thinking about heating your pool, think solar. Solar panels are the most economical way to heat the water. The next best energy-saving option is a heat pump pool heater. To reduce heat loss, utilize a pool cover. Covering your pool when not in use is the single most effective means of reducing heating costs and can save you as much as 70% in electric costs.

For more information on how to save energy or to learn more about SECO Energy products and services, visit our website’s Energy Solutions section.

Slam the Door on Scams

SECO is cautioning members to slam the door on utility scams. Exercise caution when answering the door – don’t get scammed. All SECO employees carry – company issued identification – don’t hesitate to ask to see an employee’s identification. All approved SECO contractors display an “Authorized SECO Contractor” sign on their trucks, and members can view the list of authorized contractors at SECOEnergy. com under the Reliability tab.

If you receive a call threatening disconnection of service if the bill is not paid immediately, or have a question about an employee or contractor call SECO at (352) 793-3801. Prevent any bill payment confusion by enrolling in automatic bank draft today – call us or establish an online account at secoenergy.com. Don’t let scammers in – slam the door!

Facebook Winners

Congratulations to SECO Energy member Mary Wimberly of Wildwood who correctly answered our three outage prevention trivia questions on Facebook. Mary was randomly selected as our winner of the $300 electric bill credit. Congratulations, Mary!

Scott Bidgood of Ocala is the winner of our “Dodged a Bullet” gift basket. Scott posted photos and offered members additional storm preparedness tips on Facebook. Congratulations, Scott we hope you enjoy your goodies!

Be sure to “like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” us on Twitter for more chances to win. Also, look for the last six digits of your account number in this month’s SECO News for a chance to win a $25 restaurant gift card. Call or email us if your number appears. Good luck!

Read the full August 2016 SECO News here.

Nature’s Reflections – No-see-ums

No-see-ums

Can’t see them, but you can sure feel the bites

Something is biting you, but don’t see anything? If it’s summer in Florida, it’s probably No-see-ums. The tiny, most irritating insect sometimes called sand gnats or sand flies, are actually part of a family of small flies known as the biting midge (Ceratopogonidae). At less than .03 mm long, all that can be seen is a tiny speck, yet it is the smallest blood-sucking insect on the planet. Like the mosquito, only the female bites.

The bad news is, there are said to be 47 different species in Florida alone, and 4,000 worldwide. This makes it virtually impossible to know which of the species is biting since they all have similar behaviors. And frankly, once bitten, no one cares what species it is, but how to get them to stop biting.

No-see-ums are found during warm weather in all coastal areas, virtually the whole state. They are plentiful and most
annoying at the beach, in the pool, when fishing or just enjoying the outdoors. Since they are all over Florida, if you are outside under the right circumstances, they can find you. The worst biting activity occurs early in the morning and late afternoon, or during an overcast day when there is little or no wind.

Adult female midges take a tiny bit of blood as a source of protein for their eggs. The number of eggs depends on the size of the adult and the amount of blood. Somewhere between 25 and 110 eggs are produced per blood meal. Eggs are laid in wet sand and hatch in three to five days as long as temperatures are at least 80° F. They are short lived, but their numbers make that a moot point.

The midge uses small cutting teeth on the elongated mandibles in its mouth to make a tiny cut in the skin – the bite. The amount of blood taken is insignificant. The irritation comes from the chemical in the saliva that is injected to prevent blood clotting and gumming up their microscopic beaks. The reaction to these chemicals causes the itchy, painful welts that can last for days. Over time, one’s immune system builds up a tolerance to these bites and the welts stop forming. The best preventative measure is avoidance during peak biting times. Repellents labeled for biting midges may offer some degree of relief.

Column & photo by: Sandi Staton

SECO News, July 2016

Do you want to engage with SECO? I can think of at least ten ways for you to connect with us.
You can:

Call
Email
Tweet
Fill out a web form
Upload Instagram photos
Watch our YouTube channel
Send a Facebook private message
Comment on the Newsroom blog
Check-in or comment on Facebook
Visit us in person at one of our five locations

Now that you know how to engage with SECO Energy, let’s count the reasons why. You can:

Request a free home energy audit
Enroll in SECO’s Surge Protection Program
Order deeply discounted HVAC filters with free delivery
Visit with a member services representative about your bill
Make a payment at a kiosk or in person with a representative
Ask questions about your home’s conduciveness to rooftop solar
Enter trivia contests on Facebook and win a $300 electric bill credit
Establish an online account through SmartHub to view past billing

Watch this year’s Annual Meeting video and learn about company news
Find the estimated time of restoration for an outage affecting your area

In this day and age, we know we can’t just push information to you and meet today’s expectations. The communication must allow two-way dialogue, and we do our best to be responsive 24/7 and 365 days a year (366 this year since it’s leap year). I hope you’ll engage with us soon. We are always privileged to hear from our members.

Community Support

SECO Energy’s 2016 scholarship awardees are truly the best of the best! As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO supports the communities we serve. In the 20 years since we began the scholarship program, we have enabled 257 young people to begin their dreams of a college education. Here at SECO, we are proud of our scholars and would like to introduce them to our members.

The twelve scholars this year were each awarded a $3,000 scholarship for the university, accredited college or vocational/technical school of their choice. Since the program’s inception in 1996, we have pledged over $500,000 in scholarships to young people in our service area.

Congratulations, 2016 scholarship awardees!

Merari Saldana, West Port High School – Majoring in Psychology at the University of Florida.
Megan Elliott, Tavares High School – Majoring in Mechanical Engineering at University of Central Florida.
Citlali Barragan-Hernandez, Belleview High School – Majoring in Biology at the University of Florida.
James Cato, Lake Weir High School – Majoring in Business Management at Warner University.
Cayley Buckner,West Port High School – Double majoring in Ecology and Creative Writing at Warren Wilson College.
Melissa Moreno, West Port High School – Plans to obtain a doctorate in Optometry from the University of Florida.
Shelby Smith, South Sumter High School – Majoring in Biology at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College in Georgia.
Ana Mata, Belleview High School – Majoring in Business Administration/General Studies at the University of Florida.
Elijah Hughes, South Sumter High School – Majoring in Chemistry at Santa Fe College and is the first member of his family to go to college.
Karla Carvajal, Wildwood Middle-High School – Majoring in medicine/pre-med at College of Central Florida and is the first member of her family to go to college.
Raul Bayas, Vanguard High School – Majoring in Computer Engineering at Santa Fe College.
Richanda Pierre, West Port High School – Attending Florida Atlantic University with plans to work in physical therapy.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Shading for Savings

Summer is here and staying cool is a top priority. The sun’s rays make keeping your home cool difficult. Shading your windows can help reduce solar heat gain and save on energy consumption.

There are a number of good exterior options to choose from when attempting to block out the heat. Solar screens, installed on exterior frames, cover the entire window blocking the sun’s heat before it gets to the glass. Exterior shutters do the same but require manual opening and closing. Both provide a bit of privacy in addition to energy savings.

Awnings and trees are another good choice for window shading when placed on the east and west sides of your home. For added benefit, plant deciduous trees that lose their leaves in fall. You’ll want the heat from the sun to help warm your home in winter.

Interior window shading options include reflective film, shutters, and coverings such as drapes, blinds, or shades. Interior shutters and window coverings, although very effective at blocking the heat, will need to stay closed during the day – completely obstructing your view. Reflective film, on the other hand, reflects the sun’s rays without obstructing the view. Choose the option that is right for you.

Access to Underground Facilities

SECO employees are currently out and about in the community inspecting padmount transformers (big green above-ground boxes). In order to quickly and safely restore power after an outage, our Operations employees need a clear path to access this equipment.

Landscape safely – keep fences and plants at least ten feet away from the front of the transformer and at least three feet away from the sides and rear of the transformer.

We are communicating proactively with members and asking them to relocate fences or plants that are obstructing transformers. If the obstructions are not cleared near the transformers, SECO will be forced to remove anything that blocks our access.

For more information about SECO Energy products and services, visit SECOEnergy.com.

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Archive

Home » Nature’s Reflections • SECO News

A subspecies of the western cougar

Duncan’s Digest

2016 Hurricane Recap

Power Outage Safety

Don’t Use Candles

Protect Your Appliances

Flood Dangers

Holiday Energy Savings

Area Light Out?

Expressions

Read the full November 2016 SECO News here.

Scary looking, but few are dangerous to humans

The Hot Bucks streak continues

What it takes to be a JDP Winner

Corporate Citizenship

Billing & Payment

Communications

Customer Service

Price

Power Quality & Reliability

Energy Efficiency Tips – Insulation Investment Pays Off

Facebook Contest

Expressions

Read the full October 2016 SECO News here.

Salty Lightfoot Crab

Conduct a Home Energy Assessment Online

Storm Ready

Bill Enhancement

Safety Corner: Top 10 Kids’ Safety Tips

Facebook Trivia Winners

Expressions

Read the full September 2016 SECO News here.

Florida’s Gulf Fritillary

Community Support

Red Nose Day

Trees Donated to Habitat

Community Action Luncheon

Extra Pennies?

New Fleet Look

Community Solar Project

Energy Efficiency: Cash-saving Splash

Slam the Door on Scams

Facebook Winners

Read the full August 2016 SECO News here.

No-see-ums

Community Support

Congratulations, 2016 scholarship awardees!

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Shading for Savings

Access to Underground Facilities

Read the full July 2016 SECO News here.

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Nature’s Reflections • SECO News