SECO News, July 2019

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

The dog days of summer have arrived. With warmer temperatures and increased humidity, your home’s HVAC works overtime to keep you cool. Pool pumps run for extended hours to prevent algae growth. These factors add up to increased kilowatt-hour use and higher electric bills.

SECO is your local not-for-profit electric cooperative committed to serving as your energy-efficiency partner. To help members reduce energy use, we’ve created energy-efficiency tools on our Energy Solutions menu.

Visit Energy Solutions today and complete our Home Energy Assessment. SECO designed this tool as an online audit that provides specialized energy-efficiency advice tailored to your home and lifestyle. The Home Energy Assessment is available to members 24/7. No need to wait for an appointment for an in-home audit.

To get started, input the characteristics of your home including age, construction, insulation and roof type. Include details about occupancy, type and number of windows, and exterior doors. The Home Energy Assessment will also query about completed energy-efficiency upgrades such as additional insulation, window tint, weather stripping and caulking.

After entering your home’s details, provide your email address to receive your energy-efficiency report based on your home’s specifics. It will provide low-cost ways to decrease your energy usage and your bill.

Win a prize! 1) Nest Wi-Fi Thermostat 2) Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostat or 3) Ecobee Wi-Fi Thermostat. Members who complete the Home Energy Assessment will be entered in a drawing for the high-tech programmable thermostats listed above. Three winners will be drawn August 15.

ENERGY STAR recommends using your programmable thermostat’s energy-efficiency settings to save as much as $180 per year.

Browse the Energy Solutions tab for other energy-efficiency tools. Our Energy Estimator calculates the amount of energy and cost for electronics and appliances.

It’s pretty handy if you’re thinking of adding a pool, charging a golf cart or installing a refrigerator in the garage or lanai.

SECO is proud to serve as your energy-efficiency partner.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

SECO Energy is a strong corporate citizen. Our cooperative supports programs based on commitment to the key cooperative principle “Concern for Community.” SECO Energy is also a not-for-profit utility. We do not have the deep pockets of investor-owned, for-profit organizations. Thus, we partner with organizations whose culture and programs align with our core values and purpose.

Annually, we ally with United Way chapters to facilitate employee pledging. Over the years, employees have donated $860,000. In addition, SECO provides quarterly allocations from our Pennies from Heaven program to fund local agencies for bill payment assistance for members in need.

Over the holidays, we sponsor a Toys for Tots drive, and our Member Service Centers are designated drop off locations. Our employees are annual, generous supporters of the program, donating hundreds of bikes, trikes and toys over the years.

SECO is also a strong corporate participant in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life events raising $132,000 over the last decade. Based on our headquarters’ location, we belong to the Sumter County Relay program but we also provide funding to other counties’ Relay programs on a pro-rata basis.

To request that SECO sponsor or donate to your organization, please use our new Contact Us form. Submissions based on these focuses will be considered:

Educational STEM Projects
Environmental Projects
Energy-Related Projects
Veterans Initiatives
Public Safety Programs
Health/Human Services

Please note SECO does not sponsor individual sports teams or booster club initiatives, as there are thousands across our service territory. SECO participates in golf tournaments selectively if we can set up a booth to engage with members. We fund initiatives in our seven-county footprint of Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco and Sumter.

Individual bill payment, basic need or job training assistance is offered by Florida 211 and funded by our Pennies from Heaven program. Members can call or text 211 to request assistance.

Take the bite out of damaging power surges and spikes with SECO Energy’s “Made in the USA” Surge MitiGator. Power surges are sudden, powerful increases in voltage which can damage or destroy household appliances and electronic devices. The most obvious cause of surges is lightning, but birds, small animals, trees or vehicles crashing into power poles are culprits as well.

Protect your home’s large appliances by leasing or purchasing SECO’s Surge MitiGator. Enroll online through August 30th and installation (a $25 value) is free. Lease the Surge MitiGator for $5.95 per month or purchase for $349 (standard 200-amp service). For residential services greater than 200 amps, the purchase price is $399 with $75 installation. Studies indicate that more than half of all surges actually originate from inside the home so be sure to also purchase point-of-use devices at your local hardware or big box store to protect your electronics.

Learn more about SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator online. Protect your home’s appliances from surges – lease or purchase the Surge MitiGator today.

DUSTIN MERRITT – SURGE PROGRAM SUPERVISOR

LENGTH OF SERVICE – 15 YEARS

“SECO HELPS MEMBERS.” A Central Florida native raising four children in Webster with his wife Kimberly, Dustin has worked for SECO for 15 years. His SECO career began as a meter reader, and he eventually worked his way into Energy Services. Dustin was promoted to Supervisor of the Surge Protection Program in 2018. He is responsible for oversight of his team and SECO’s surge protection contractor. Dustin enjoys the opportunity to help and educate members. He and his team advocate the Surge MitiGator™ as protection against surges that may enter a home through power lines. Surges may occur due to downed lines, car accidents, animal contact or lightning strikes, and our surge protection ring installed at the meter base provides a layer of protection for large motor driven appliances in the home. Visit with Dustin or one of his team members by emailing Surge.

Congratulations to Norma Jean Bottoms from Paisley who is the winner of the Microsoft Surface Go! Ms. Bottoms registered to join America’s electric cooperatives’ advocacy hub the Cooperative Action Network. You too can become a key voice for electric co-ops to protect affordable, reliable energy in Florida. Visit www.action.coop to learn more.

Hundreds of members played 2018 Annual Report trivia with SECO on our Facebook page. Our three winners are: Jonathan Dove from Clermont won the Apple iPad; the $200 bill credit went to Rosalie Wilke from Ocala; and Carolyn Wheelis from Sorrento won the Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat. Congratulations, winners!

Read the full July 2019 SECO News online.

CEO Jim Duncan Celebrates 40 Years with SECO Energy

CEO Jim Duncan is celebrating 40 years with SECO Energy. On June 10, 1979, Duncan joined SECO (then referred to as Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc.) in the position of Director of Accounting and Finance. He held this position until March of 1990 when he accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). As the leader of a not-for-profit utility, Duncan’s priorities focus on maintaining affordable, reliable service for the cooperative’s member-owners.

Over the years, Duncan has seen a lot of positive change, tremendous economic growth and vast system expansion. In 1990 before Duncan became CEO, the cooperative served 66,600 members. Today it provides service to more than 205,000 homes and businesses. Revenue has grown from $74.4 million to $293.7 million. Total utility plant has increased from $143.5 million to $878.7 million. Member equity has matured from 22 percent to 31 percent. The co-op regularly retires capital credits to members with a $5.5 million retirement last year and a $63.3 million returned since inception.

Duncan is humble about his role in leading the cooperative through some tough times and building the organization’s financial strength. He stated, “Our Board of Trustees are the people who are ultimately tasked with reviewing and approving budgets that keep our cooperative fiscally healthy. I credit the Trustees with exercising sound judgement and responsible governance over the years that has allowed SECO to become the third largest cooperative in Florida and the seventh largest in the nation.”

Another of Duncan’s key accomplishments is the significant reduction in outage duration for members. In 1989, members experienced 348 minutes of average outage time annually. Today, that number is only 66 minutes. Duncan attributes the improvement to the development of a robust vegetation management program, system improvement projects that increase reliability, a comprehensive storm hardening program and a workforce that cares deeply about its member-owners’ satisfaction. Duncan states, “Our current senior staff deserves the recognition for ensuring that the delivery of electric service is safe, affordable and reliable and that our members receive the highest level of customer service in the industry.”

Surveys show that SECO Energy members are very satisfied with SECO Energy. In 2018, members again rated the not-for-profit electric cooperative top in customer satisfaction. SECO received an outstanding ACSI score of 89. When comparing SECO to the ACSI Utility Sector scores SECO is a clear national frontrunner. Nationally, cooperative utilities scored a 77 in 2018. Scores for municipal and investor-owned utilities were both slightly lower at 75.

Members also rank SECO high in J.D. Power surveys as well. In 2015, SECO Energy was ranked highest in satisfaction among mid-sized utilities in the south, and in 2016 and 2017, SECO was ranked highest in satisfaction among cooperatives nationally.

Visit About SECO to learn more about the cooperative’s history. Like SECO Energy on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on company news, to play trivia and to enter prize drawings.

SECO News, June 2019

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

Atlantic hurricane season makes its formal appearance on June 1 and ends November 30. In early May, however, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) was already tracking its first tropical disturbance in the Atlantic. NHC, a part of NOAA, at the time this publication went to print, had not released its official forecast.

The Weather Channel 2019 outlook calls for a total of 14 named Atlantic storms, seven hurricanes and three “major” hurricanes. That forecast is slightly above the 30-year average of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. A major hurricane is a Category 3 or stronger which means winds greater than 111 mph.

Unfortunately, no forecast can accurately predict the future. The lifesaving approach is to expect the unexpected and prepare in advance for the possibility of a power outage. Gather your hurricane supplies now. Water and plywood sell out when storms threaten. It’s essential to stock non-perishable food to sustain each family member for at least three days. If you need guidance, view SECO’s Emergency Preparation Checklist online.

Whether you plan to evacuate or stay put during a major event, enroll in outage notifications through StormCenter. Choose email, voice or text message – or all three. Take a tour of the outage map. Search for and bookmark your address. Create a SECO Energy StormCenter icon on the home screen of your smartphone or tablet.

We’ve added a new StormCenter feature. You can now check the status of a reported power outage. Visit StormCenter, click on “Check Status.” Input your last name and house number, account number or phone number on record.

StormCenter provides updates that include the time the outage began, estimated restoration time, crew status, cause if identified and when the outage was restored.

SECO has developed one of the nation’s most comprehensive Emergency Restoration Plans to respond to major storm damage. Restoring service to the largest number of members in the quickest amount of time is our goal, but with required priorities for shelters, schools, hospitals and government buildings.

If you or a family member have special needs, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org to locate your county and join the statewide Special Needs Registry. Other valuable resources for emergency planning are the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross.

Don’t be caught unprepared for the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season. SECO Energy is StormReady and equipped to respond quickly to outages affecting members. We are here for you. It is our privilege to serve your family’s energy needs.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

Meet SECO Champion Jerry Bolduc – an example of our 400+ SECO Champion employees. Jerry is dedicated to providing exceptional service to members, co-workers and communities.

JERRY BOLDUC – LEAD PROJECT ENGINEER

LENGTH OF SERVICE – 14 YEARS

“SECO is amazing.”

SECO Champion Jerry Bolduc is a Lead Project Engineer at our SECO Headquarters. Before working at SECO, Jerry was employed by a large investor-owned utility. As a SECO member and an employee, he appreciates the cooperative difference in service that SECO offers members. During the three back-to-back hurricanes in 2004, Jerry assessed damaged areas and directed contract crews across the service territory. He was amazed by SECO’s storm response and the efficiency and organization shown during major restoration efforts. Originally from Canada, Jerry moved to Central Florida 20 years ago. He has participated in Ironman Triathlon Events including Escape from Alcatraz where he swam with sharks in San Francisco Bay. Jerry enjoys working in the field in sunny Florida (no snow) and is proud to be a SECO member, too.

HVAC TUNE-UP AND FILTER CHANGE

Summer heat is quickly approaching. Weather.com predicts June through August temperatures will be above average in our area. Before your HVAC system begins its summer workout, schedule a tune-up with a reputable HVAC technician.

The technician should thoroughly inspect your HVAC to ensure it’s in good running condition. The system may need to be cleaned or serviced. Preventative maintenance is easier on the wallet than major repairs down the road. A well-tuned HVAC runs more efficiently, uses less energy and saves on cooling and heating costs.

Is it time to change your HVAC filter? A clean HVAC filter also helps your system run efficiently. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and change filters as recommended.

POWER LINE SAFETY

Downed power lines are a safety hazard. Car accidents involving power poles, trees taking down a line or poles broken by heavy wind or rain have the potential to bring us too close to electric lines.

Electric energy can burn, shock, injure or kill you. Never assume a power line is safe to touch. Always assume a power line is live and has the ability to harm you. Children are especially curious and may knowingly or unknowingly approach a downed line. Talk with your kids and grandkids about the dangers of downed power lines.

Warn children to never play near or on substation fencing. Do not climb trees near power lines or allow kites, toy planes or balloons to touch power lines. Don’t release helium balloons at a birthday party or other celebration. These can tangle in lines or become deadly for Florida wildlife.

If you see a downed line, stay away and warn others away as well. Call 911 immediately to report the downed line.

RELAY FOR LIFE – 6TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

Thank you to all players, sponsors and employees who participated in SECO Energy’s 6th Annual Relay For Life Golf Tournament “Tee-Up for a Cure” at Arlington Ridge Golf Club in Leesburg on Saturday, May 4th. Players enjoyed 18-holes of golf, chance to win door prizes and fellowship.

The Relay For Life Golf Tournament sponsored by SECO raised $16,600 for the American Cancer Society.

SECO and its employees are long-time supporters of the American Cancer Society and its premier annual Relay For Life events. Join SECO and its Commitment to Community by partnering with your not-for-profit cooperative on a virtual SECO Relay For Life team.

Join a SECO Energy team by visiting Relay.ACSevents.org and look for “Find a Participant or Team” and choose “Team.” Enter team name: “SECO Energy” and click “Search.” Choose a local Relay event and virtually join Team SECO and the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer.

Read the full June 2019 SECO News online.

SECO Raises $16,600 for ACS at Annual Relay For Life Golf Tournament

SECO Energy hosted its sixth Annual Relay For Life Golf Tournament at Arlington Ridge in Leesburg on Saturday, May 4. Thanks to generous sponsors and players, the golf tournament was a great success. Over 60 golfers joined SECO’s cause to “Tee-up for a Cure.”

Approximately $16,600 in donations was raised for the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) effort to find cures for cancer and to reduce the burden of the disease in our community. “Each year, we’ve seen a steady increase in the number of golfers and sponsors participating in our golf tournament. The golfers have a fun day on the green supporting this worthy cause,” said Kathy Judkins, SECO Energy Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable and Government Relations.

Golf tournament participants enjoyed a variety of competitions in addition to 18 holes of scramble golf tournament play. Activities included 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winning teams, a men’s and women’s longest drive, longest putt, and closest-to-the-pin game. The event concluded with a hearty lunch and an awards ceremony.

1st place winners – Mathew Woolf, David Woolf, Tyler Wingate, and Todd Blair
2nd place winners – Alan Campos, Kevin Rohr, Darryl Gonzalez, and Nick Reaves
3rd Place winners – Erin Quinn, Mark Grant, Byon Smiddy, and Thomas Gough
Men’s Longest Drive – Ben Pauluhn
Women’s Longest Drive – DJ Hamilton
Longest Putt – Alice Dickard
Men’s Closest-to-the-pin – Luke Pearce
Women’s Closest-to-the-pin – Janet Cox

“This event would not be possible without the sponsorships we received from the business community, our vendors and partners, our large group of golfers and our SECO employee volunteers. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who was instrumental in making the golf tournament an exciting and successful fundraising event,” said CEO Jim Duncan.

Thank you to the following sponsors for supporting the SECO Energy 6th Annual Relay For Life Golf Tournament: Electric Supply, Inc.; RadWear Designs; Power Services, Inc.; Conrad Tree Service; Substation Engineering & Design; Cap & Associates; McFarland Cascade; Barker Law Office; Florida Utility Services; GRESCO; Tri-State; Catfish Johnny’s; John Carter & Associates; IT Resources; Nelson Tree Service, LLC; Pike; Power Services; Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Sparks; Salescorp of Florida, Inc; and SubGrid Solutions.

SECO encourages the community to join the virtual SECO Energy Team and to attend Sumter County’s upcoming Relay For Life event at South Sumter High School, 706 N. Main Street, Bushnell, FL on November 2, 2019.

District 3 SECO Energy Members Elect New Trustee

On Monday, May 13, members who attended SECO Energy’s District 3 Special Meeting voted to elect Gerald B. Anderson to represent their District and the members at large on SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. The Special Meeting to elect a new District 3 was held to fill the vacant Board seat. Mr. Anderson will serve the remainder of the term that ends in early 2022.

A SECO member for nearly five years, Mr. Anderson served in the Marine Corps and worked for a utilities manufacturing company. Mr. Anderson served as president of his hometown volunteer Fire Department, was elected to four six-year terms on the Board of Supervisors of Warrington, Pennsylvania and after retiring he was appointed as Director of Operations for Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Jane, enjoy making friends through their work with the Belle Aire Social Club in which Mr. Anderson serves as President and Mrs. Anderson serves as Secretary.

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, operated for and owned by its members. SECO members elect their fellow members to SECO’s nine-member Board of Trustees. Collectively, the Board represents the SECO membership, meeting monthly to monitor the financial status of the cooperative while providing fiduciary oversight and participating in policy decisions that serve the best interests of the members at large.

Members in District 3 gathered at The Villages’ Savannah Center for the election and to hear a short update on the status of the cooperative. In total, eight members residing in District 3 submitted a letter of intent to run. In addition to new District 3 Trustee Gerald B. Anderson, the candidates who expressed their willingness to represent the members of District 3 were: Stephen M. Doran, Paul G. Embs, Barry R. Evans, Gary L. Jackson, Bryan T. Lifsey, Aileen M. Milton and Albert D. Uhryniak.

Mr. Anderson is eager to begin his duties as the new District 3 Trustee stating, “Thank you District 3 members for trusting me to represent you on the SECO Energy Board of Trustees. My previous experience in the utility industry will allow me to readily fulfill my new role in cooperative governance.”

Board President and District 9 Trustee Jerry Hatfield stated, “Congratulations, Mr. Anderson, on your election as District 3 Trustee. On behalf of myself and the Board, I am excited to welcome Mr. Anderson as our newest Board member.”

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Congratulations to Mr. Anderson on his successful election as the new District 3 Trustee. The willingness of District 3 candidates to share their time, knowledge and energy to work for the SECO Energy membership is unprecedented. A Board of Trustees elected by its fellow members is a unique component of the not-for-profit cooperative business model and democratic process. I look forward to SECO’s continued success working with Mr. Anderson and our current Board members.”

Visit SECO’s Your Co-op page for photos and brief Trustee bios along with an interactive District map. “Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO News, May 2019

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

Dear Members,

Thank you for attending our 81st Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 23. The perfect spring weather and the potential to win really great prizes attracted a crowd of almost 5,000 members, guests, VIPs and employees.

Attendees were well-fed. We served breakfast biscuits, cookies, doughnuts, coffee and soft drinks. Registered members received a special SECO gift (a combination LED nightlight USB charger), an LED from our wholesale power provider Seminole Electric, a copy of the 2018 Annual Report and additional giveaways.

To prepare for this year’s crowd, we added seating areas, large screens and speakers – providing seating for about 6,000 people. We left enough room under the pavilion for members to dance to the music performed by crowd-favorite Margo Rochelle & Rodeo Drive Band.

Members who toured the Energy Showcase browsed energy-efficiency displays, visited with our vendors, asked questions of employees and picked up more giveaways.

Board President and District 9 Trustee Jerry Hatfield delivered the President’s Report. He encouraged members to enroll in SECO’s community outreach program called Pennies from Heaven. The program rounds up your monthly bill to the nearest dollar and uses those pennies to fund local, worthwhile causes or aid members in need. If all members enrolled, the donated pennies will total over a million dollars a year to help people in the communities we serve. Enroll online, visit Pennies from Heaven.

Speaking of community, we tried something new this year. SECO partnered with local United Way agencies to hold a food drive at the Annual Meeting. You and our employees responded generously by donating 5,000 pounds of food. Read more on page 4 and visit our YouTube channel to watch the “Feeding the Cooperative Spirit” video.

Members voted affirmatively on a Board-recommended Articles of Incorporation amendment and a related Bylaws revision. These changes authorize SECO’s Board of Trustees to permit electronic or by mail voting for the purpose of conducting Annual Meeting business and meeting the quorum requirement.

Once official business was wrapped up, the prize drawings began. U.S. Congressman Daniel Webster who serves Florida’s 11th District dropped by to draw the grand-prize-winning tickets:

Robert Morrill of The Villages won the golf cart; Arnold A. Gomke of Tavares took home the 2009 Ford SuperCab 4×4; and $1,500 went to Robert James of Ocklawaha.

If you were unable to attend, visit SECO’s YouTube channel to view the Annual Meeting video recap.

Thank you for your membership. It is our privilege to serve as your energy provider.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

CAR VERSUS POLE – IT’S GONNA HURT

According to the National Safety Council, an estimated 40,000 people lost their lives to car crashes in 2018. About 4.5 million people were seriously injured in crashes last year. Florida along with several other states saw a 5.8% spike in fatalities, according to Council estimates.

The Council concludes that driver behavior is contributing to the numbers staying stubbornly high. From a SECO perspective, car versus pole accidents happen about twice a week on average. Drivers misjudge curves, swerve to avoid animals and other cars, are distracted by passengers/texting, or may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Any of these circumstances can lead to a face-to-face contact with a firmly planted utility pole – and it’s gonna hurt.

SECO posts photos like these on our social media channels for a variety of reasons. If the accident causes an outage, we want to explain the reason for the service interruption. As the saying goes: A picture is worth a thousand words. We also feel the photos send a cautionary message about distracted driving (though we don’t publish accident photos involving death or serious injury).

In our service area, car versus pole accidents caused 81 outages in 2018 affecting 37,550 members’ service. In terms of volume of members interrupted, in 2018, car versus pole events were the second largest cause of outages.

Property damage reimbursement is pursued through our insurance carrier but these incidents still cost the company. Member satisfaction suffers as a result of extended outage duration when damage is extensive. Cooperation with law enforcement and emergency services is the highest priority at these crash scenes.

Members sometimes ask why all electric infrastructure can’t be underground. That decision is usually made by a developer during the design phase of new construction. The cost for underground services is substantially higher than overhead – up to six times more. It’s also important to remember that outages affecting underground services can be longer in duration because the repairs are more difficult to access.

DON’T BECOME A STATISTIC. Watch out for those big, bad utility poles. For more examples of car versus pole carnage featured in our latest video, visit our home page and click on the Car versus Pole banner.

ANNUAL REPORT TRIVIA

If you missed this year’s Annual Meeting or didn’t win a door prize, you have another chance to win. Visit our Facebook page to play 2018 Annual Report trivia by answering questions on our status update. Three prizes are up for grabs:

Apple 32 GB iPad
Wi-Fi programmable thermostat
$200 SECO electric bill credit

How do you play? Answer these five questions on Facebook:

1. What is SECO Energy’s 2018 ACSI score?
2. How many members were served by SECO Energy at year-end 2018?
3. How many Trustee Districts make up the SECO Energy Board?
4. Per the Balance Sheet, what is the 2018 value of SECO’s Total Electric Plant?
5. What is the name of SECO Energy’s online outage map and reporting platform?

To find the answers, browse our 2018 Annual Report. Members without internet access can request a copy of the Annual Report and trivia questions mailed. Return your answers by mail or play online before June 15th. Winners notified by June 21st. Good luck!

FOOD DRIVE RESULTS

This year’s Annual Meeting theme – “Feeding the Cooperative Spirit” – was also a mission. Adhering to the seventh cooperative principle of Concern for Community, SECO partnered with United Way to organize a food drive to restock local food pantries.

Hundreds of members and SECO employees donated 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items. The foods were sorted and delivered to 14 food pantries serving nearby communities.

• Brother’s Keeper
• Salvation Army of Marion County
• Interfaith Emergency Services
• St. Theresa’s Social Services
• Community of Gratitude
• Salvation Army of Lake County
• Leesburg Food Bank
• Faith Neighborhood Center, Inc.
• Lake Cares
• Salvation Army of Sumter County
• Wildwood Food Pantry
• Hope Ministries Center, Inc.
• Daystar Life Center, Inc.
• Community Food Bank Citrus County

Thank you all for your gracious donations!

Read the full May 2019 SECO News online.

SECO Energy Congratulates 2019 Scholarship Awardees

SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative operating for the benefit of its members. As a member-focused cooperative, SECO is committed to delivering reliable, safe, affordable power and focuses on community support.

SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees first approved the scholarship program for local students in 1996. In the twenty years since inception, SECO’s scholarship program has awarded almost $600,000 in scholarship funds to 293 young scholars residing in SECO’s service area.

This year’s SECO scholarship recipients are a class of bright, ambitious, hard-working students who are concentrated on achieving their goals. SECO’s 2019 Scholarship Program awardees are:

Erica F. Adkins, Inverness, Lecanto High School
Jessica L. Chin-Shue, Webster, South Sumter High School
Joseph O. Foran, Lady Lake, The Villages Charter High School
Brittany Forbes, Summerfield, Belleview High School
Sydney M. Howard, Groveland, Leesburg High School
Emily Kennedy, Clermont, South Lake High School
Alexandra M. Lussier, Belleview, The Villages Charter High School
Jenna Mishefske, Ocala, West Port High School
Nisha D. Patel, Ocala, Vanguard High School
Alexis J. Stires, Inverness, Lecanto High School
Rachel Williams, Sorrento, Eustis High School

President and District 9 Trustee Jerry Hatfield is looking forward to meeting this year’s scholarship recipients. Hatfield stated, “As a former Lake County educator, I know first-hand our local schools are filled with students who desire an education beyond high school. This desire is sometimes hampered by limited financial resources. SECO’s Scholarship Program offers students monetary assistance to help them achieve their goals of a further education and a future career.”

CEO Jim Duncan believes the SECO Scholarship Program could be a first step to a successful career path, possibly with SECO. Duncan stated, “A career path with SECO Energy may be a good fit for some of our scholarship recipients. SECO is centrally located near the students’ hometowns and within an hour’s drive to several metropolitan areas in Central Florida. We hire a host of high-skilled employees, and offer a robust benefits package with medical, dental, and vision coverage along with competitive compensation. Additional benefits that may be particularly interesting to younger potential employees is our generous paid-time-off policy and student loan repayment assistance program.”

Duncan continued, “The energy industry is growing and with that growth are new technologies and new career opportunities. SECO is a growing cooperative that needs highly skilled employees to keep up with the latest industry trends and available technology.”

SECO will host a celebratory event for the 2019 scholarship recipients and their families at its headquarters on May 20, 2019.

Learn more about SECO Energy and its community participation on our Community page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Named 2018 Outstanding Commercial Partner by Marion United Way

During its recent annual awards celebration, the United Way of Marion County named SECO Energy the 2018 Outstanding Commercial Partner. Over the years, SECO employees have pledged nearly $850,000 to United Ways in our service area. Marion County is home to many of SECO’s employees, so it’s no surprise that they would pledge their support where they raise their families.

The award was presented to SECO’s Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations Kathy Judkins who serves on the United Way Board of Directors. Kathy keeps SECO Energy apprised of community needs and helps the cooperative maintain a strong relationship with United Way of Marion County and all of the United Way partners across SECO’s service area.

SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Kathy’s passion for community support and service makes her an ideal employee to organize and execute SECO’s annual United Way campaign drive. SECO recently raised $19,970 in employee pledges for the United Way of Marion County alone.” In total, the cooperative’s employees pledged $66,000 to be distributed among a number of United Ways across Central Florida.

SECO Energy is proud to partner with United Way to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. Visit our Community page to learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO News, April 2019

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

At year-end 2018, your not-for-profit cooperative served 205,644 members with reliable, safe, affordable power. The communities SECO Energy serves in our seven-county area are growing. You and your fellow members consumed over 3.14 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) last year – an increase of 184 million kWh over 2017.

We welcomed 5,161 new members in 2018. SECO invested over $3.3 million per month to maintain, inspect and build new infrastructure to reach new members and improve system reliability. The total investment in facilities tops $878.7 million.

Much of our growth can be attributed to The Villages expansion in Sumter County but other counties are prospering as well. 23% of last year’s new growth occurred in Marion County and 32% was attributed to Lake County. 43% of the growth falls in Sumter County, and SECO’s 2019 work plan aligns with that ongoing development.

This month, I’m highlighting a noteworthy system improvement project – the $3 million Federal substation expansion in Sumter County along County Road 501. Federal’s expansion is impressive – tripling its size – making it the largest in SECO’s territory to keep pace with growth in The Villages of Fenney, Southern Oaks and the Turnpike area.

The existing substation was rebuilt in 2017. A new control house was installed. The high and low side bus work was rebuilt, the sub was completely rewired and expanded foundations were poured.

In this state-of-the-art substation, we are adding two 56 MVA power transformers for a total of three, and building eight new distribution feeders for a total of 12 to serve more members. Federal serves 3,000 members – my home included. After expansion, capacity will increase ten-fold to potentially power 30,000 members’ homes.

Safeguarding this multi-million-dollar investment is a relay protection scheme programmed to protect the substation and power transformers to keep the sub operational. SECO Relay Technicians like Travis Taylor (who you’ll read about as this month’s SECO Champion) compute the limits feeders can distribute and the amount of fault current feeders can absorb and continue to operate safely.

Power transformers provide the proper voltage to members served by the substation. When unexpected outages occur, a car hits a pole or a tree falls on the line, relays operate and try to clear the fault/interruption detected on the line. A power blink is the relay scheme in action, interrupting power and restoring quickly. If the fault still exists after the blink, the relay shuts the power flow to protect the transformers as well as the downline breakers and equipment.

Like the substation itself, the relay scheme is high-tech. Federal will be equipped with an auto-restore scheme. If a power transformer is nonoperational, a transformer in the substation will automatically pick up the load in less than a minute. Thus, members may see a blink instead of a full outage. The transmission lines will be fully looped – meaning if a fault occurs on one side of the transmission line, another side will automatically pick up the load and members won’t know a problem occurred.

SECO’s 48 substations are inspected monthly. Crews visually inspect all material, run diagnostic tests and view equipment through an infrared camera that detects temperature variations. Equipment that is out of normal temperature ranges is inspected and replaced or repaired.

Along with monthly maintenance, substations undergo a major overhaul every eight years. Our techs test relays, breakers and transformers. Test records help build trends over time. Every year, a dissolved gas analysis is conducted on all substation power transformers. Techs take a sample of the oil found in the transformers and test for arcing, which is the first sign of failure. Samples are tested in-house at our mini lab and sent away for further analysis if dangerous gases are present and degradation is suspected.

Federal is one of many system improvement projects scheduled this year. The Marion Oaks substation is being completely rebuilt, and we’re upgrading the Ocala Park substation. Major maintenance is happening at the Clermont, Haines Creek, Inverness, Linadale, Mount Dora and The Villages substations.

Improving reliability and keeping power affordable for you and your family are top priorities at SECO.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

Meet SECO Champion Travis Taylor – an example of our 400+ SECO Champion employees. Travis is dedicated to providing exceptional service to members, co-workers and communities.

TRAVIS TAYLOR – RELAY TECHNICIAN

LENGTH OF SERVICE – 2 YEARS

“SECO is reliable.”

SECO Champion Travis Taylor is a 1st Class Relay Technician stationed in Sumterville. As a Relay Technician, he commissions, tests and maintains the equipment in SECO’s substations. A Florida native originally from Apopka, Travis and his wife have two young sons and make their home on the eastern side of SECO’s territory in Mount Dora. Travis and his family are active at their local church. Travis’ work at the Federal substation is instrumental in bringing its two new power transformers and expanded member capacity online. When Federal’s expansion is complete it will be the largest substation in SECO’s territory.

RELAY FOR LIFE – JOIN THE SECO ENERGY VIRTUAL TEAM

SECO Energy is a proud, long-time supporter of the American Cancer Society by participating in local Relay For Life events. Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s premier event.

This year, we are asking members to join a virtual SECO Relay For Life team established in your local community.

By partnering with SECO’s virtual Relay For Life team, you become a member of an organization of 3.5 million survivors, patients, advocates, volunteers, caregivers and researchers doing everything within our power to save lives.

You can participate virtually and/or in person. To join a SECO Energy team, visit Relay Events, look for “Find a Participant or Team” and choose “Team.” Enter team name: “SECO Energy” and click “Search.” Choose your local Relay event to join one of SECO’s teams, donate or dedicate a luminaria.

Join SECO Energy and the American Cancer Society today!

CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG

Planting a garden or a tree? Call 811 before you dig. In Florida, it’s the law.

Sunshine 811 is a free service that locates and marks underground utilities, keeping you and your family safe from digging into buried electric, natural gas, telephone or water lines. Know what’s below – dial 811 or visit Sunshine 811 online to request utility locating assistance.

TREE LINE USA 12 YEARS GROWING

We are proud to announce that SECO Energy has earned the Tree Line USA Utility distinction from the Arbor Day Foundation. Your cooperative has been named a Tree Line USA Utility now for 12 consecutive years!

The Arbor Day Foundation created the Tree Line USA program to recognize public and private utilities for practices that protect and enhance America’s urban forests. A collaboration of the Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, Tree Line USA promotes the dual goals of delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community trees.

To be named a Tree Line USA Utility, SECO follows the Arbor Day Foundation’s standards that include quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, tree-based energy conservation programs and participation in an annual Arbor Day celebration event.

Read the full April 2019 SECO News online.

SECO Members/Employees Donate 5,000 Pounds to Local Food Pantries

Hundreds of SECO Energy members and employees graciously gave 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food during the “Feeding the Cooperative Spirit” food drive initiative at SECO Energy’s 81st Annual Meeting of the Membership which garnered a crowd of nearly 5,000 attendees on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

SECO Energy and local United Way agencies partnered to identify 14 regional food banks in SECO Energy’s service territory to receive the collected food. Volunteers from some of those food banks along with United Way representatives and SECO employees collected, sorted, packed, and delivered 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to:

Brother’s Keeper
Salvation Army of Marion County
Interfaith Emergency Services
St. Theresa’s Social Services
Community of Gratitude
Salvation Army of Lake County
Leesburg Food Bank
Faith Neighborhood Center, Inc.
Lake Cares
Salvation Army of Sumter County
Wildwood Food Pantry
Hope Ministries Center, Inc.
Daystar Life Center
Community Food Bank Citrus County

According to Rebecca Brislain, Executive Director of the Florida Association of Food Banks, “Florida food banks have been distributing food at disaster levels over the last three years with increases of 80 percent in some areas of the state.”

CEO Jim Duncan said, “We recognize disasters don’t always hit during a hurricane or severe storm but can occur at any given time to individuals or families. We continue to adhere to our seventh cooperative principle, “Concern for Community.” I believe this is why hundreds of our members showed their concern for community by donating to this worthy cause.”

“Some of our members suggested they would visit one of the identified food banks at a later date to drop-off their food items. Others gave money for SECO to purchase items for the food drive. We ask the community to continue our theme of ‘Feeding the Cooperative Spirit’ by giving to the local food bank closest to them,” stated Kathy Judkins, Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations.

View our video footage of the food drive and learn more about the not-for-profit cooperative’s community outreach efforts online. Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to have your bill rounded up to the nearest dollar and donate the extra pennies for worthy causes like bill payment assistance for members in need. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

MY ACCOUNT

AMI

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Archive

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

HVAC TUNE-UP AND FILTER CHANGE

POWER LINE SAFETY

RELAY FOR LIFE – 6TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

CAR VERSUS POLE – IT’S GONNA HURT

ANNUAL REPORT TRIVIA

FOOD DRIVE RESULTS

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

RELAY FOR LIFE – JOIN THE SECO ENERGY VIRTUAL TEAM

CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG

TREE LINE USA 12 YEARS GROWING

NEED HELP? CALL (352) 793 -3801

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NEED HELP? CALL (352) 793 -3801

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