SECO News May 2024
During our 2024 Annual Meeting, I gave update on SECO Energy’s system reliability, reviewing three key metrics that affirm our commitment to providing reliable electric service to almost half a million consumers:
- The System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI)
- The System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI)
- The Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI)
In 2023, SECO’s SAIDI measurement, or average time a consumer was without power, averaged only 64 minutes or just over an hour. To compare, the national average based on 2022 data for utilities, was five and a half hours.
SAIFI indicates the frequency of power interruptions per year. SECO’s average frequency dipped below one for the first time in our 85-year history. In practical terms, on average, SECO members experienced only one power outage. Nationally, compared to 2022 figures, consumers experienced an average of 1.43 interruptions annually.
CAIDI evaluates the duration it takes our talented and dedicated SECO crews to restore power following an outage notification. In 2023, SECO’s restoration time was 69 minutes, slightly over an hour. This is quite remarkable, considering the national average from 2022 was nearly four hours.
These metrics place SECO in the “Best in Class” category for reliability, a position we’ve upheld for years.
The foundation of these statistics lies in continuous maintenance and ongoing investments in our electric infrastructure. Our engineering and operations team adheres to a meticulous maintenance and inspection regimen covering substations, poles, and overhead and underground equipment.
Our proactive approach to vegetation management, which involves trimming trees along hundreds of miles of power lines and removing potential hazards, further safeguards our system against outages.
While these reliability measurements are impressive, our focus remains on improving our performance. Last year, we were spared from severe damage during hurricane season. As we continue into 2024, we will plan and act decisively in response to severe weather events to ensure our reliability remains intact and you, our members, are satisfied.
Atlantic hurricane season is just around the corner, beginning on June 1. SECO Energy is StormReady and prepared for hurricanes, tropical storms, lightning, or the occasional outages experienced during our rainy summer. We ask you, too, to prepare for hurricane season, have a plan in place for your family, stock up early on hurricane supplies, and for those with a medical need for electricity, plan to have a backup power source or to seek shelter during a storm.
Best regards,
Curtis Wynn
Chief Executive Officer
SECO Energy believes in demonstrating our commitment to education and empowering the next wave of professionals in the energy sector. In fact, Education, Training, and Information is one of the Seven Cooperative Principles that SECO Energy holds dear as a not-for-profit cooperative.
Lake-Sumter State College, located just around the corner from our Sumterville headquarters, is one of Florida’s leading colleges that trains students who are interested in a future energy career. The College desperately needed new wooden utility poles for firsthand student training exercises.
SECO Energy stepped up in a big way by donating utility poles to the College. This is a game-changer for students who will be our future lineworkers of tomorrow. Through SECO’s pole donation, students participate in hands-on learning setting up, climbing, and replacing utility poles —skills crucial for success in the energy field. This opportunity bridges classroom learning and real-world application, preparing students for the future in a tangible way.
Read on to learn how you can have a hand in educating future Florida lineworkers by purchasing a “Thank a Lineman” license plate today. Enjoy the photos of students in action, getting a head start on their future careers, thanks to the donation of utility poles from SECO Energy to Lake- Sumter State College.
Over the years, many members have asked how to show appreciation to SECO Energy lineworkers and utility personnel who tirelessly restore power after natural disasters. One impactful way is ordering a “Thank a Lineman” license plate. This initiative, which gained approval from the Florida Legislature in 2020 after Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1135 into law, allows members to express their gratitude and support to all the thousands of Florida lineworkers and utility personnel.
Ordering this license plate is more than a gesture of thanks; it directly contributes to a significant cause. The proceeds assist a key recruitment partner for SECO Energy, supporting the next generation of utility workforce. Specifically, $25 from each sale funds scholarships for students enrolling in Electric Utility programs at Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC). According to LSSC’s website (www.lssc.edu), the college is ranked nationally among the top 150 Community Colleges. This opportunity uniquely honors lineworkers while investing in the education and future of those entering the utility workforce in Central Florida.
To reserve your plate today, visit www.ThankALineWorker.com or contact your local county tax collector’s office. Purchase avenues vary from county to county.
The actual “Thank a Lineman” license plates will be available once the pre-sale threshold is met.
EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2024, SECO Energy will implement several miscellaneous and lighting schedule fee adjustments detailed in the Cooperative’s Rate Tariff.
SECO Energy operates as a not-for-profit cooperative, structuring rates to cover operational costs rather than generate profits. Many of our posted miscellaneous fees have remained unchanged for over a decade. While we understand that any fee adjustment could affect our members, the miscellaneous fees added or changed will impact a small population and are designed to cover increased labor and material costs for specific services only.
TO REVIEW THE RATE TARIFF, visit SECOEnergy.com >Your Co-op > Rate Tariff. These adjustments are necessary to maintain the reliability and sustainability of service.
SECO Energy’s payment address for check payment processing is changing as of June 1, 2024.
The new payment address is:
SECO Energy
P.O. Box 70997
Charlotte, NC 28272-0997
Instead of writing a monthly check, consider enrolling in bank draft. With bank draft, your payment will draft on the due date. Bank draft will alleviate the worry of a missed payment, or late fee. Bank draft is the least expensive payment option. The Cooperative currently absorbs the convenience fees charged to SECO when a member pays using a credit or debit card. To enroll in bank draft, contact Member Services at CustomerService@SECOEnergy.com or enroll through SmartHub.
Read the full May 2024 SECO News.
Once earned, Trustees must re-certify as Director Gold every two years. This re-certification includes completing three study credits that ensure participants maintain their industry knowledge. This commitment to ongoing education underscores SECO’s dedication to having a Board equipped with the latest insights in the ever-evolving electric utility landscape.
Employees also deliver Christmas magic by filling Santa’s sleigh through our corporate Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots donation drive. Starting in November, employees and members donated new, unwrapped toys for the drive. All toys donated are dispersed in the local area where they were collected. 
In alignment with Seminole’s projections, SECO’s Board of Trustees approved changing the PCA to lower our members’ bills. Both SECO and Seminole are not-for-profit cooperatives that work closely to ensure the lowest rates possible for our members. When the wholesale cost of purchased power decreases, SECO passes those savings along to you.
