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SECO Energy Announces Increase in Lighting Rates

SECO Energy, a trusted, local, not-for-profit electric cooperative, is deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve over 240,000 homes and businesses in seven Central Florida counties. We are honored that our electric service touches the lives of over 500,000 consumers every day. SECO Energy has been a member of your local community for over 85 years and is one of the fastest growing electric cooperatives in the nation.

 

Today, SECO Energy supplies reliable electric and lighting services to more than 62,000 families and commercial accounts within The Villages community. We invest millions each year in building and maintaining our state-of-the-art electric grid, so we stand ready to meet the increasing demand for safe and economical electric power to serve your future neighbors.

 

SECO Energy also takes a proactive approach to maintaining thousands of streetlights that illuminate The Villages at night. In the interest of public safety and well-being, our crews patrol The Villages boundaries, investigating lighting outages and malfunctions. Our track record proves that most lighting issues are repaired within 24 hours after the lighting malfunction is reported to the utility – a response time that is almost unheard of among electric utilities. Nationally, other utilities target a repair time for lighting outages to be less than 30 days. SECO also has an interactive online tool called LightFinder, which allows members to report lighting outages or malfunctions quickly, thereby ensuring a faster response time and improved service.

 

As a member of a cooperatively structured utility, individuals and businesses share in the benefits and costs of SECO Energy through their energy purchases and additional energy services. Unfortunately, material costs and supply chain shortages, particularly in LED lighting fixtures and poles, have necessitated the need for the cooperative to increase the monthly rate for lighting service that went into effect on May 1. These increases are a direct result of the industry’s shift towards LED technology, which is more efficient and longer lasting, but also more expensive. SECO will also enact a more substantial increase in pole rental costs for lighting that will go into effect in October of this year.

 

SECO Energy’s Vice President of Growth, Smart Grid, and Operational Technology, Ben Dawson, wholeheartedly supports the Rate Tariff changes that impact lighting. Dawson reassures, “The SECO Energy team is unwavering in our commitment to maintaining competitive rates, and exceptional service to our members. The rate for lighting service had remained steady for over a decade. The industry is shifting toward more efficient and longer lasting LED lighting, and SECO is looking forward to embracing this newer lighting type, all while ensuring the continued delivery of reliable and affordable energy service to all members.”

 

Dawson continued, “Maintaining reliable lighting service along streets and busy roadways also involves a public safety component. SECO wants its members to enjoy the benefit of well-lit streets, walking paths, and neighborhoods that most who live in The Villages have come to expect.”

 

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit entity. Energy rates, lighting service costs, and additional services are structured not to turn a profit but to reflect the costs of providing power and other related services. We continually review rates through cost-of-service studies which are comprehensive evaluations of the costs associated with providing service to different customer groups, to ensure fairness and equity among ratepayers and that the cost of additional services is not subsidized by the entire membership base. The full rate tariff is available online at SECOEnergy.com.

 

 

SECO News, February 2016

SECO News, Duncan's Digest, February 2016

 

SECOEnergy.com has a brand-new look. The site has been completely redesigned on a more user-friendly platform that performs well on a variety of mobile devices and browsers. The old site, in its day, was award-winning, but we recognize that this online makeover is long overdue and appreciate your patience as we developed the new platform.

 

You’ll notice home page access to the most frequently visited site features. Members are one click away from reporting an outage, online account (SmartHub) access, bill payment, social media updates and a variety of intuitive Contact Us web forms.

 

Frequently asked questions are updated and categorized. All forms are housed on one page and many are fill-in PDFs. We’ve added a video gallery and a blog in the Newsroom. You’ll find a new section dedicated to solar energy. On the Contact Us page, you can report an area light problem, request an energy audit, inquire about community presentations, let us know you’re moving or ask a general question about your bill or usage.

 

Convenient communication tools that are enhanced for mobile devices are so important in our tech-savvy world today – especially during a power outage. Now that the website itself is redesigned, we will begin enhancing our Storm Center platform to provide members with a more user-friendly outage map and communications suite that supports text and email. Watch for details in the coming months.
Keep in mind that when you have a power outage, reporting it to us is easy using the current Storm Center application from the home page of SECOEnergy.com or by phone via our automated outage management system. To use these systems effectively, please ensure we have an updated primary phone number that corresponds with your account. Update your number today by logging into your SmartHub account, sending a message through “Contact Us” on the new website or calling us during regular business hours.

 

Another way to stay up-to-date on outage information, energy efficiency and company news is through our social media platforms. Just visit SECOEnergy.com and click on any of the seven icons. You’ll find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram. We look forward to connecting with you and building these online social communities.

 

Speaking of community, I hope you’ll join us face-to-face at the SECO Energy Annual Meeting of the membership on March 19. Details are enclosed in your official notice. Lucky winners will claim a 2005 Dodge Dakota 4×4, cash prizes and a variety of door prizes. And the hospitality can’t be beat – hope you can come!

 

SECO News, Lights Out, February 2016

 

SECO offers a variety of ways to report a street or area light issue. The most convenient way is to visit SECOEnergy.com and click on Contact. You’ll find a user-friendly web form that allows you to report the light issue – even if you don’t have the light number handy. Another way to report a light issue is by emailing AreaLightRepair@secoenergy.com. Of course, you can always call us during regular business hours. Once reported, most light issues are addressed within 72 hours.

 

Read the full February 2016 SECO News here.
Check out this months Nature’s Reflections here.