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SECO News November 2022

SECO News November 2022 Message From District 6 Trustee Mike Muffett

Dear Members,

 

Your SECO Energy Board of Trustees unanimously approved a Capital Credits retirement of $2.9 million to current and former members. Look for your Capital Credits retirement amount on your November billing statement.

 

Sumter Electric brought electricity to rural residents of Central Florida through the Rural Electrification Act (REA). In 1938, the cooperative energized its first 400 meters. Now doing business as SECO Energy, we have grown into a regional utility that serves over 225,000 homes and businesses in seven Central Florida counties. We pay tribute to our cooperative founding – rooted in serving impoverished, disenfranchised and hard-to-reach residents who were not provided with electric service by investor-owned utilities.  

 

Capital Credits are a unique financial component of cooperatively structured, not-for-profit businesses. As a member, you are a partial owner of the cooperative. Since our founding, we have regularly retired/returned a portion of the cooperative’s equity to current and former members. SECO Energy has retired over $80 million to its membership.

 

Your monthly energy purchases build patronage capital – you own a portion of SECO’s equity. Ownership is defined through the annual process of allocating each member’s share of the co-op’s margins from the prior year. Individual Capital Credit allocations represent the percentage of the annual amount of electric service purchased by each member.

 

After the co-op meets its operating costs and expenses, the prior year’s revenues are accumulated as Capital Credits. These credits are allocated pro-rata to each member’s account as Capital Credits. Yearly, SECO examines the cooperative’s financial position and recommends the “retirement” of Capital Credits. Your Board of Trustees reviews the recommendation and determines the approval of the Capital Credits return. This year’s $2.9 million retirement means SECO is returning a portion of the cooperative’s equity to its membership.

 

A line item appears on November billing statements labeled “Capital Credit Ret.” Active commercial account members with retirements over $600 will receive a check. Former members who receive a retirement over $10 will receive a check. If you move out of SECO’s service area, keep your mailing address updated so we can mail future retirements to your new address.

 

SECO Energy is one of the fastest-growing cooperatives in the nation. We are the third-largest distribution cooperative in Florida and seventh largest in the country. Though we are no longer a rural utility, we remain consistent in the not-for-profit practice of returning Capital Credits to our members.  

 

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you for your SECO Energy membership.

 

Sincerely,

 

Mike Muffett

District 6 Trustee

 

 

SECO News November 2022 Safety Corner Tis The Season

Safety Corner-Decorating Safely

 

Members who live in neighborhoods with area light posts and poles must refrain from using these to display your holiday decorations. This is a safety hazard. Light poles and posts are not made for or rated for the added weight of decorations, signs or banners. 

 

Do not affix signs, advertisements, banners and sports equipment to SECO poles. Nailing, stapling or tacking items to poles increases wear and degrades their structural integrity. Protrusions can injure or puncture an employee or contractor’s protective equipment. The pole’s ground wire can also be damaged. Most important, we don’t want our members injured while hanging lights or decorations from a pole not meant to support the weight of the décor or ladder leaned against it.

 

Learn about our “Keep It Clear – We Work Here” safe clearance requirements around poles, meters, transformers and secondary enclosures at SECOEnergy.com > Safety > Keep It Clear.

 

 

February 2020 SECO News LightFinder area light reporting

Area Light Outage Reporting

 

If you notice an area light that is out, flickering, or on during the day, report the malfunction online using LightFinder on our StormCenter platform. LightFinder is available to report outage light issues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – even on weekends.

 

To report, visit SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter and choose LightFinder. Enter the pole number or closest address in the search bar in the upper left. An icon represents each light. Working lights are shown as a green icon, while a red icon is a light that has already been reported as malfunctioning. The icon is orange if the light has been repaired in the last 24 hours. A gray icon represents inactive lights and a blue icon is a member-owned light. 

 

Complete the short reporting form and submit your email address to receive updates about the light’s repair status. Most area light issues are repaired within 24 hours.

 

 

SECO News November 2022 Vehicle Accidents And SECO Energy Facilities

Vehicle Accidents And SECO Energy Facilities

 

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates over 46,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021. Deaths have increased by 8 percent from 2020 (42,338) and 17 percent from 2019 (39,107). This trend is going in the wrong direction. 

 

Vehicle accidents affect electric service as well. Between January and August this year, vehicle accidents accounted for 52 separate outages, interrupting electric service for 22,576 accounts. Car accidents involving SECO facilities occur almost twice a week on average in our service area. 

 

In 2020, the number of car versus pole/facilities accidents began to rise. That year, 91 separate outages caused by vehicle crashes affecting our facilities interrupted service to 31,170 homes and businesses. In 2021, the number increased again to 99 separate outages affecting 37,907 homes and businesses. 

 

The NSC finds that drivers’ behavior must change to save lives. Drivers may be distracted by passengers or their phones or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  

 

SECO pursues reimbursement for property damage caused by vehicle accidents through our insurance carrier. But these accidents cost the cooperative and its members. Extensive damage to facilities or a law enforcement investigation creates longer restoration times and member satisfaction suffers. Cooperation with law enforcement and emergency services at a crash scene is a priority. 

 

If you are involved in a crash with downed power lines – stay in the vehicle, if safe to do so, and wait for rescue. Downed lines may be energized and can kill. If you must exit the car, jump away from downed lines, land with both feet on the ground then shuffle and walk away.  

 

DON’T BECOME A STATISTIC. For more ideas on how to be safe around electricity, visit SECOEnergy.com > Safety > Electrical Safety. 

 

 

Santa’s Coming!

 

SECO Energy employees are lending a hand to spread Christmas joy and cheer to local children. Our employees generously take part by donating new, unwrapped toys for our annual corporate Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drive. 

 

Members can donate new, unwrapped toys as well. Our five Member Service Centers in Eustis, Groveland, Inverness, Ocala and Sumterville serve as public drop-off locations between November 1 to December 2.

 

Retired Marines and other volunteers operate Toys for Tots and pick up donations to distribute the toys to children in need. All donated toys are distributed in the local area where they were collected. Members who want to register to receive toys donated through Toys for Tots can visit ToysforTots.org > Request a Toy.

 

SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program has pledged $5,000 this year to complement employees’ Toys for Tots donations. Our Pennies from Heaven program is transitioning to the SECO Energy Foundation in January 2023. We are excited to expand the giving in our communities. 

 

 

SECO News August 2022 SECO Energy Foundation Pennies From Heaven Transition

SECO Energy Foundation Enrollment Change – January 2023

 

Update your SECO Energy Foundation enrollment status before December 31, 2022. The Pennies from Heaven program is transitioning to the SECO Energy Foundation. All SECO members will be automatically enrolled in the Foundation at year-end unless they have pro-actively unenrolled.

 

The SECO Energy Foundation’s goal is to increase community outreach and member bill payment assistance. The Foundation will round enrolled members’ bills up to the nearest dollar. The average donation per member whose bill is rounded up is $6 annually. 

 

To update your SECO Energy Foundation enrollment status, visit SECOEnergy.com > Contact >  SECO Energy Foundation. Send an email to CustomerService@SECOEnergy.com, call (352) 793-3801 or write to SECO Energy, Attn: Corp Comm, P.O. Box 301, Sumterville, FL 33585 by December 31, 2022.

 

 

PURPA hero

Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) of 1978

 

PURPA was enacted to encourage investments in conservation, efficient use of facilities by electric utilities and equitable electric rates. In 2009, PURPA required qualified electric utilities to consider three new 111(d) standards pursuant to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA).

 

Recently, the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) requires non-regulated cooperatives (such as SECO Energy), municipal utilities, and state regulators (for regulated utilities) to consider adopting two new standards under Section 111(d) of PURPA.   

 

Following direction from NRECA, SECO does not presently intend to conduct a live hearing but will, via its comment and response periods, along with the opportunity for member attendance at Board meetings where they are allowed to be heard on matters affecting the Cooperative, enable our members to be heard throughout this process. Consideration of standards need to focus on how implementation is consistent with the purpose of PURPA: 

 

  • the promotion of energy conservation 
  • optimization of the efficiency of use of facilities and resources, and  
  • equitable rates to electric consumers 

  

SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees approved a Resolution at the October 24 Board Meeting to enact the process to consider the two new standards and to engage in a public comment period to consider our members’ input on the topic. 

 

SECO will seek public comments online or via USPS from members beginning April 1, 2023. 

 

 

Read the full November 2022 SECO News online.

 

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.

May 2018 SECO News Duncan's Digest

 

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 May 2019 SECO News

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.

 

2018 Annual Report Trivia May 2019 SECO News

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!

 

2019 Annual Meeting Food Drive Results May 2019 SECO News

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.

Don’t be a Safety Statistic

SECO Energy considers the safety of its employees its most important core value. SECO employees pay critical attention to electrical safety by wearing personal protective gear (PPE) and utilizing the latest safety standards and equipment.

 

Just as SECO Energy employees use specialized PPE to protect themselves while working with electricity, consumers should protect themselves from electrical hazards. Consumers use electricity daily to cook meals, cool our homes, power televisions and other electronic gadgets. Electricity may seem commonplace, but consumers need to remember that electricity can cause injuries such as burns and shocks, which can be fatal.

 

SECO Energy, Don’t be a Safety Statistic

 

Don’t be a safety statistic. The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports there are more than 400 people electrocuted each year. Electricity is the cause of more than 140,000 fires with 4,000 injuries and 400 deaths and results in property damage of $1.6 billion. Electricity is also to blame for 300 workplace fatalities and approximately 4,000 injuries at work according to the National Safety Council.

 

Follow these top ten electrical safety tips so that you don’t become a safety statistic:

  1.  Before working near electric equipment, survey the work area for hazards
  2.  Always assume any overhead line is energized and dangerous
  3.  Report downed lines as soon as possible
  4.  Remain clear of downed power lines
  5. Keep ladders and equipment away from overhead lines
  6.  Repair appliances that smoke, spark or shock
  7.  Unplug appliances during cleaning or servicing
  8.  Replace frayed power or extension cords
  9.  Caution children to never play near underground transformer boxes or substations
  10.  If you are in a car accident involving downed wires, stay in the vehicle until help arrives

 

CEO Jim Duncan states, “SECO Energy employees are dedicated to safety and are acutely aware that our industry is dangerous. We don’t compromise safety standards, and we watch out for each other, our members and the general public.”

 

For more information about electrical safety visit SECO Energy’s Safety page at www.secoenergy.com. Are you a member or leader of a group who is interested in a presentation about electrical safety? SECO has speakers and presentations about electrical safety available for all age groups. Contact SECO online, or call 352-793-3801 to request a speaker for your group.

SECO News, May 2016

SECO News, Duncan's Digest, May 2016

 

If you were one of the over 3,000 SECO members and guests who attended SECO Energy’s 2016 Annual Meeting of the Membership, you will probably agree that our 78th Annual Meeting was one of the most comprehensive in recent memory. Members joined us for breakfast biscuits, cookies, coffee and donuts; and to listen and dance to classic and recent country music hits by Margo Rochelle & the Rodeo Drive Band.

 

Several hundred SECO employees arrived before dawn to prepare for a very large crowd of excited SECO members and guests. The light rain didn’t deter attendees from enjoying breakfast biscuits, browsing energy saving displays at the Energy Showcase, receiving gifts, winning door prizes, hearing an update on the business side of the cooperative and enjoying the renowned hospitality of SECO employees.

 

SECO News May 2016, Annual Meeting

 

The 78th Annual Meeting boasted some of the newest product ideas and displays designed to save energy and help members lower their electric bills. The revamped Energy Showcase tent displayed a working rooftop and ground mounted solar panel system along with a touchscreen tool to estimate the amount of utility-supplied energy a home might off-set using a rooftop solar panel system.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO Energy is operated for and owned by its members; as such, SECO does not share dividends with investors or stockholders. Members are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting for an update on cooperative business and information on how your cooperative is meeting the challenges occurring within the industry and controlling costs. SECO’s Board of Trustees, senior staff and 400+ employees are committed to successfully managing the challenges SECO faces in a changing arena while continuing to offer members low rates, reliable power and excellent customer service.

 

SECO News May 2016, Hot Bucks Bill Decrease

 

SECO Energy is expanding its presence on social media with the goal of engaging its 200,000 members online. These communication channels save the cooperative money and improves satisfaction. Members who “liked” SECO’s Facebook page and uploaded a photo to or commented on the Annual Meeting page during the event were entered into a drawing to win a $300 electric bill credit. The photos make it clear that members having a good time with the Facebook Help Squad and were treated to our one of a kind SECO hospitality. You can “like” SECO’s Facebook page today for outage information, company news and future chances to win.

 

A number of members voiced their concerns about how the EPA’s Clean Power Plan will affect the reliable service and low rates SECO offers. These members pledged $25 annually to The Action Committee for Rural Electrification (ACRE). This political action committee uses contributions to fund candidates who support the interests of electric cooperatives such as SECO.

 

SECO Energy 2016 Annual Meeting Slideshow, Facebook contest winner

 

Prize winners and event photos are posted on SECO Energy’s Facebook page. The video of the Business Meeting with reports is available at here. Next year’s meeting date will be announced in the coming months once the Board of Trustees approves the date. I invite members to come for breakfast and stay for the band. From the number of line dancers and two-steppers who kicked up their heels this year, SECO may need a larger dance floor next year! Thanks again to all who attended. It is our privilege to host this event every year for you.

 

 

SECO News May 2016, SECO is storm ready

 

SECO is Storm Ready

 

Whether it is an afternoon thunder and lighting storm, tropical storm or hurricane, at SECO Energy our members can count us to be Storm Ready. SECO Energy’s Dispatch center is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and uses the latest technology available to track weather patterns affecting our area. A brigade of employees stands ready to respond to members experiencing power outages. They jump when called, brave the storm and work quickly and safely to restore power.

 

SECO is Storm Ready, and as a not-for-profit electric cooperative, we are committed to being our members’ first source for accurate storm communications and updates. SECO utilizes today’s mainstream communication channels to inform members when inclement weather is approaching. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to stay in touch with SECO and receive instant updates on storm activity and news releases.

 

As a member, how can you be Storm Ready and stay up-to-date on the latest restoration efforts in the event of a storm that takes down lines and poles? If you haven’t already, invest in a smartphone or tablet and batter-operated or solar charger. Pack the charger in your emergency supply kit with water, flashlights and other emergency items.

 

Bookmark our website www.secoenergy.com on your desktop browser and smartphone for quick access to SECO’s Storm Center to report a power outage and stay updated on restoration efforts.

 

SECO is Storm Ready. Are you?

 

 

SECO News May 2016, Winner Winner! $300 Electric Bill Credit!

 

Winner, Winner! $300 Electric Bill Credit!

 

Congratulations to SECO Energy member Richard (Rich) Scheiterle from Center Hill. Rich’s name was randomly selected from those who correctly answered three trivia questions related to our 2015 Annual Report on SECO’s Facebook page.

 

Do you want to be our next winner? Log in and head over to SECO’s Facebook page today. First, please “like” SECO Energy’s page. Second, correctly answer the three outage prevention trivia questions on SECO’s Facebook page for a chance to win a $300 electric bill credit. All answers can be found in SECO Energy’s 2015 Annual Report, available on our website at www.secoenergy.com.

 

Outage Prevention Trivia Questions:

SECO Energy works diligently to offer members reliable power by inspecting and upgrading its distribution and transmission poles, underground equipment and substation infrastructure each year. We invest in a comprehensive vegetation management program that dramatically reduces outages as well.

  1.  How much does SECO spend on vegetation management annually?
  2.  How many distribution poles were inspected in 2015?
  3. What web address (URL) can members visit online to find SECO Energy’s website?

 

Want to double your odds with another chance to win? “Share” the trivia post on your page for a second entry into the drawing. Not tech savvy? If you’re not a Facebook user, there’s a simple way to win every month. Just 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 certificate. You can email us at customerservice@secoenergy.com or call if you number appears. Good luck!

 

 

SECO News May 2016, Safety Corner: Generators

 

Safety Corner: Portable Generators

 

During storm and hurricane season, a portable generator can come in handy if your power is interrupted, but portable generators must always be used with safety in mind. Read and follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions contained in the generator operations manual.

According to the National Safety Council, www.nsc.org, portable generators should NEVER be used in an enclosed space; always run the generator outdoors away from windows, vents and doors. Portable generator engines emit carbon monoxide (CO) that if inhaled can be fatal to humans and pets. CO is a colorless, odorless, invisible killer. Do not attempt to use a generator when it is wet, this poses a risk for electrocution and death.

For more information about generator safety, visit our generator safety page or contact us for additional assistance.

Permanent Generators:

Are you thinking of installing a generator at your home or business for use during power interruptions? If so, heed these tips before purchasing and installing:

  1. Installing a generator is not an average do-it-yourself project.
  2. A qualified electrical contractor must perform the installation of the emergency generator, as well as the disconnect and transfer switchgear.
  3. Do not attempt to connect the generator directly to your electric panel.
  4. Always properly disconnect from SECO’s service before starting your generator.
  5. Before use, read and follow the safety instructions contained in the generator operations manual.

Improperly installing or using a generator can lead to property damage, injuries or even death. Learn more about generator safety here or contact us for additional assistance.

 

Read the full May 2016 SECO News here.