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SECO News, January 2018

 

Duncan’s Digest

Reliability, Raptors and a River

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2018 marks SECO Energy’s 80th year as a not-for-profit electric cooperative in Central Florida. The cooperative has grown alongside the counties it serves, and now provides safe, affordable, reliable power to 200,000 homes and businesses.

 

63,000 of our 200,000 members reside in Lake County – famous for its vast number of waterways. In fact, almost 20 percent of the county is covered by water. SECO’s Operations crews responsible for building and maintaining SECO facilities must adapt to the unique watery landscape. In the past, crews sometimes installed poles and lines using the most direct route possible, spanning small bodies of water and poles were often installed in standing water.

 

Duncan's Digest January 2018

 

Reminding us of by-gone construction standards, a concrete pole supporting a main feeder line rises out of Tavares’ Dead River. An osprey nesting dish at the top has offered a home for raptors inhabiting Lake County waterways. The longstanding nest on this dish was inactive and had collected years of debris. Recently, rotting debris falling off the dish made contact with the feeder line and caused an outage for 250 members. Operations crews restored power to the affected members in under an hour by temporarily rerouting (aka backfeeding) through a different feeder line.

 

To permanently fix the problem, we needed a complex plan. Crews would replace the damaged equipment and remove the burned debris from the nesting dish – all while suspended 45 feet above the river. Multiple support personnel would be on-site and a rescue boat would be launched in the river. Standard bucket trucks aren’t equipped for this type of job – SECO needed heavy equipment, including a 75-ton crane.

 

Access to the pole was limited and stationing a crane of this size near the marshy river bank was impossible. The pole would have to be accessed from the river overpass on Highway 441. With assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol and permitting from Lake County, the right two lanes were closed after 7 pm. The crane rolled in while SECO personnel set up a roadside job site. The line was grounded and de-energized for safety.

 

Line techs from SECO’s Eustis Operating Center – Nathan Rioux and Brandon Blackmon – volunteered to work from the crane basket suspended over the river while Sumterville line tech Logan Land observed from the rescue boat.

 

Before work commenced, SECO’s Safety Manager was on-site to oversee the security of the crane and basket’s connection. Nathan and Brandon donned their personal protective equipment and inspected their safety harnesses. The basket’s maneuvers were tested while empty and with the team in the basket.

 

Once testing was complete, the hard work began. The team replaced the damaged insulators and spliced in 20 feet of overhead conductor before installing new animal protections. The old nest debris was removed while Logan observed the work from the rescue boat below and watched for alligators and fishing boats.

 

The project took hours but was worth the wait and effort. The power line is reliable again, and with a cleaner, safer dish available, ospreys will soon build anew. Future plans are in the works to redesign this feeder line as an underground service. This enhancement requires a St. John’s Water Management District permit, as SECO plans to bore under the Dead River. The pole will remain in its current location to support existing communications cable and fiber lines belonging to other entities.

 

The pole and nesting dish will stand available for future generations of roosting osprey making their home near the river. This project is just one of many examples of SECO’s support of environmental protection.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

 

SECO Energy Home Energy Assessment

 

Home Energy Assessment – Increase Your Energy Efficiency IQ

 

MAKE A RESOLUTION to increase your energy efficiency IQ in 2018 and save money on your monthly energy bill with SECO’s online Home Energy Assessment, a whole-house energy audit you can complete from the comfort of your home.

 

SECO’s Home Energy Assessment will help you identify energy wasters. Get started by visiting our Home Energy Assessment page and input the specific details of your home and your family’s lifestyle.

 

In just minutes, SECO will send you an email with low-cost energy-saving tips tailored to your home. Review the energy-saving tips and implement those that best apply to your home and lifestyle. Increasing your home’s energy efficiency will decrease your energy use and ultimately lower your monthly energy bill.

 

For a more in-depth audit of your home’s energy wasters, SECO offers in-home energy audits at no charge. To request an on-site energy audit with one of our Energy Services Specialists, visit our website or give us a call.

 

 

Scholarships 2018

 

2018 SECO Scholarship Program

 

SECO ENERGY is proud to renew its commitment to local, young scholars through its 2018 SECO Scholarship program. SECO will award up to 12 $3,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who live in a home served by SECO Energy. Our not-for-profit cooperative has awarded scholarships for more than 20 years, contributing over $500,000 to 250+ local students seeking higher education.

 

Who is eligible to apply? High school seniors graduating in the current year (May/June) who live in a home served by SECO Energy. Recipients must be enrolled full-time in an accredited college, university or vocational/technical school located in Florida by the end of 2018.

 

Applications are available beginning January 1 at all Member Service Centers or on our Scholarship page online. Completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, March 30, 2018. Mail the application to:

 

SECO Energy
Attn: Corporate Communications
P.O. Box 301
Sumterville, FL 33585

 

Applications can also be delivered to a Member Service Center. If you have questions, email Communications@secoenergy.com or call (352) 569-9561. Winners will be notified by phone or mail in late April.

 

 

Correction

 

In December SECO News, January’s Board of Trustees Meeting date was incorrect. The correct date of January’s Board Meeting is January 29, 2018.

 

Read the full January 2018 SECO News here.

 

Hurricane Irma Power Outage Numbers Dwindling

The number of power outages caused by Hurricane Irma’s wrath as it blazed through SECO Energy’s territory are dwindling. SECO crews along with hundreds of contract line and tree trimming crews continued tackling the sections of SECO’s service area hardest hit by Hurricane Irma.

 

On Monday morning when hurricane winds subsided, our systems indicated more than 110,000 reported power outages out of SECO’s 200,000 members. Crews began rebuilding and repairing feeder lines after winds subsided at noon on Monday. As of Saturday, at 12 pm, SECO’s Storm Center outage map indicates less than 10,000 members remained without power. Restoration and recovery in some communities is a long process due to significant damage and high water. SECO’s goal is full restoration for all members by Sunday at noon.

 

SECO understands that members with prolonged outages are frustrated. Isolated thunderstorms on Friday hampered efforts in a few areas, but fortunately, widespread storms that were forecast held off. Crews made good progress throughout the day and overnight. Saturday’s forecast calls for a 50% chance of thunderstorms, keep your fingers crossed and pray the rains stay away. If lightning conditions occur, line work comes to a stop for safety reasons.

 

Florida mandates that facilities such as hospitals, shelters, schools and government offices are given highest priority when restoration begins. SECO restored power to these facilities first. Assisted-living, non-hospital medical facilities, nursing homes, gas stations and communications towers running on generator power began running out of fuel Thursday. These necessarily became a priority. SECO’s crews are pulled in many directions so members may see crews leaving residential areas that are not yet completely restored. Homes in one subdivision on one side of the street may have power while the other side does not. This can occur where one line ends and another line begins.

 

The electric system design is complicated, and we’ve developed an online visual to help members understand where the feeders/lines are located. SECO’s interactive restoration plan map was updated overnight to reflect Saturday’s planned restoration areas. Members can use the daily restoration plan map to input their service address and determine if their area is included in the current day’s restoration plan. Substations are labeled as a reference and feeders are outlined in polygons. To use the map, visit www.SECOEnergy.com and hover over “Contact Us” in the top right corner. Select “Daily Restoration Plan.”

 

The following is a summary of substations and feeders where crews are or will be TODAY performing repairs and restoration:

 

Sumterville District Office:
• Wildwood substation north of CR-222 in Sumter County.
• Lake Ella substation in Fruitland Park in Lake County.
• Bushnell substation in Sumter County on CR-48.
• Lake Panasoffkee substation on CR 416N in Sumter County.
• Sumterville substation on South Hwy 301 in Sumter County.
• Webster substation on CR 753 in Sumter County.

 

Eustis District Office:
• Sorrento substation on CR 437 in Lake County.
• Deer Island substation on CR 448 in Tavares.
• Linadale substation in Umatilla in Lake County.
• St. Johns substation in Lake County off Lake Mack Drive in Deland.
• Paisley substation off Maggie Jones Road in Lake County.

 

Ocala District Office:
• Dallas substation serving CR-42 and Hwy 301 in Marion County.
• Belleview substation serving Belleview and Summerfield in Marion County.
• Timberwood substation in Marion County off 60th Avenue in Ocala.
• Waterways substation on SW 49th Ave in Ocala.
• Martel substation in NW Ocala off 110th Ave in Marion County.
• Ocala substation on SW 80th Street in Marion County.
• Blitchton substation on NW Hwy 464 in Morriston.
• Marion Oaks substation in Ocala on SW 134 Loop in Marion County.
• Lady Lake substation on Griffin Ave in Lake County.
• Summerglen substation on SW 16th Ave in Ocala.

 

Please keep in mind that Hurricane Irma just left SECO’s service area late Monday morning. Even the storms of 2004 didn’t hit SECO’s area this hard and with this much damage. The system disruption is unprecedented and SECO is doing its best to quickly and fully recover.

 

During this time of prolonged outages from Hurricane Irma, if you are using a generator, never let it operate in an enclosed space such as your home, garage or enclosed porch. Generators emit carbon monoxide, a silent, odorless killer. There are multiple reports of Central Floridians who have been rushed to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning, and some of these cases were fatal. Read and follow manufacturer’s safety warnings when operating a generator.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO Releases Interactive Restoration Plan Map for Members

SECO Energy released a new interactive restoration plan map for members to help them determine the areas where crews are currently rebuilding feeders/circuits and restoring power.

 

This new interactive map is a useful communication tool for members seeking power restoration information. Members can input their service address and determine if their area is included in the current day’s restoration plan. Substations are labeled as a reference and feeders/circuits are outlined in polygons. To use the map, visit www.SECOEnergy.com and hover over “Contact Us” in the top right corner. Select “Daily Restoration Plan.”

 

On Wednesday morning, SECO updated the map to reflect the September 13 restoration plan, and mobile-friendly adjustments were made for smartphones and tablets. SECO quickly built the map to help its members who may not be able to get through on the phone.

 

SECO has had significant restoration success since work began Monday at noon. On Monday morning when hurricane winds subsided, our systems indicated about 110,000 reported power outages out of SECO’s 200,000 members. By the end of the day Monday, SECO crews and contractors had restored 25,000 members’ service. By the end of the day Tuesday, SECO crews and contractors had restored another 31,500 members’ service. SECO’s Storm Center shows that approximately 54,000 members remain without power.  

 

SECO anticipated the widespread damage, and brought several contingents of line and tree contractors in before the hurricane hit. The company also proactively arranged for fresh tree and line contractors to arrive every day this week to deploy in the field. Crews arrived from Texas, North Carolina and Louisiana on Tuesday and a large Missouri contingent arrives today. Most substations are now functional, and SECO is counting on the support of Duke Energy to repair its transmission lines connected to SECO’s Mount Dora, Lady Lake, Umatilla, Sorrento and Gospel Island substations back online.

 

SECO crews along with hundreds of contract line and tree trimming crews who arrived before Hurricane Irma struck have been working around-the-clock restoring power to SECO members. Since restoration began at noon on Monday, SECO has restored power to more than 56,500 members and the number restored members continues to climb by the minute. The following is a summary of substations and feeders where crews are or will be TODAY performing repairs and restoration:

 

Sumterville District Office:
• Dallas substation in Marion County near Hwy 301 in Summerfield.
• Lady Lake substation off of Griffin Avenue in Lake County.
• Wildwood substation north of CR-222 in Sumter County.
• Floral City substation off E. Floral Park Drive in Lake County.
• Inverness substation near Susan Point in Citrus County.
• Bushnell substation in Sumter County on CR-48.
• Webster substation in Sumter County on CR-753.

 

Groveland District Office:
• Groveland substation in Citrus County on Phelps Street.
• Big Creek substation in Clermont off CR-474 in Lake County.
• South Highway substation in Groveland on SR-33 in Lake County.

 

Eustis District Office:
• St. Johns substation in Lake County off Lake Mack Drive in Deland.
• Mount Dora substation off SR-44 in Lake County.
• Linadale substation in Umatilla off SE 255 Ave in Lake County.
• Umatilla substation in Lake County off of CR-450A.
• Sorrento substation off CR-437 in Lake County.
• Deer Island substation in Tavares off CR 448 in Lake County.

 

Ocala District Office:
• Dallas substation serving CR-42 and Hwy 301 in Marion County.
• Belleview substation serving Belleview and Summerfield in Marion County.
• Timberwood substation in Marion County off 60th Avenue in Ocala.
• Summerglen substation serving Summerglen and Marion Oaks in Marion County.
• Westwood Acres substation in Ocala off SW 140th Ave in Ocala in Marion County.
• Martel substation in NW Ocala off 110th Ave in Marion County.
• Ocala Park substation in NW Ocala off 90th Ave in Marion County.

 

Please keep in mind that Hurricane Irma just left SECO’s service area late Monday morning. Even the storms of 2004 didn’t hit the area this hard with this much damage. The system disruption is unprecedented and SECO is doing its best to quickly and fully recover.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

SECO Employees Aid in Power Restoration for Clay Electric Members

Late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, a strong line of thunderstorms swept into SECO Energy territory. Heavy rains soaked the area causing downed trees, poles and electric lines.

 

Central Florida has been the target of powerful winter thunderstorms this year, and SECO’s system continues to fare very well. This stability is attributed to solid design, quality construction, consistent maintenance and balanced vegetation management protocol.

 

At the height of the storms, almost 4,000 SECO members in Marion and Levy Counties experienced a service interruption when a Duke Energy transmission line failed. A second large-scale outage occurred when a tree fell into a line, affecting the Westwood Acres and Rainbow Lakes communities. SECO Operations employees were immediately dispatched to the affected area and worked throughout the night. Service was restored to all members by 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.

 

Clay Electric Cooperative’s members were affected by widespread outages due to the strong late night storms and asked SECO for aid. SECO was fortunate to have recovered quickly from the storm and was more than willing to lend a hand to a fellow electric cooperative. The SECO Operations team jumped into action. In just over an hour, the cooperative sent 20 of SECO’s employees to help restore power and also sent released 11 of its contracted line crews to Clay’s service area that afternoon.

 
Crews travel to Clay Electric

John LaSelva, Vice President of Operations, stated, “SECO is always willing to assist our neighbors when possible. We have answered the call to assist fellow cooperatives, investor-owned utilities and municipalities, and understand our duty to render aid when needed. SECO’s efforts to storm harden its system continue to pay off. A well-designed system that includes comprehensive vegetation management is key to not only preventing outages but is paramount to restoring outages quickly and safely when they occur.”

 

LaSelva added, “The most important consideration is the energy consumer. Power is necessary for SECO members, and all consumers for that matter, to maintain their quality of life. SECO supports cooperation among cooperatives and stands Storm Ready when weather conditions turn volatile in The Sunshine State.”

 

Learn more about preparing your family’s emergency kit online. Bookmark SECO’s Storm Center so you can quickly report an outage using just your last name and house number. Establish a SmartHub account or download the app to update your phone number. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Strong Thunderstorms Cause Widespread Power Outages

SECO Energy was “Storm Ready” this weekend and has restored power to all members affected by lines of strong thunderstorms that passed through its seven Central Florida counties on Sunday. Tornado warnings and watches were in effect throughout the day Sunday.

 

SECO took steps before the weekend began, to prepare for the possibility of the thunderstorms and high winds creating power outages. Field crews, tree trimming contractors, warehouse and customer support employees worked overnight replacing broken poles, removing fallen trees and communicating with members.

 

The storm came in from the west and first reached northern Marion and Levy Counties just before 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. The high winds brought down a large oak tree near the Ocala Park area that destroyed three spans of lines and other equipment. That large outage began a series of wind and tree-related service disruptions that continued into the evening.

 

An additional line of storms brought the possibility of tornados and hail as it blew through Citrus, Marion and Northern Lake Counties before impacting Sumter and south Lake Counties around 9:00 p.m. Sunday. High wind speeds and heavy rain accompanied this second line of storms along with unconfirmed reports of tornados in the area.

 

The total outages during the storms per county were:

 

Marion and Levy: 5,342
Citrus: 2,239
Lake: 977
Sumter: 938

 

Kathryn Gloria, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Energy Services stated, “SECO’s system held up very well when the storms brought high wind and rains yesterday. Less than 9,500 members experienced an outage during the storms last night and early this morning. Field crews and tree trimming contractors are out in full force today inspecting the system for damage along with identifying and removing damaged trees that have the potential to cause outages in the future.”

 

Gloria added, “We are thankful that our employees returned home to their families safely after working in adverse conditions over the weekend. We appreciate our members’ patience and support during the disruptions, and we’re grateful that the storm caused only minimal damage in our service area.”

 

SECO Energy is Storm Ready. Visit our Reliability page to learn how to build an emergency kit and take steps to keep your family safe when storms blow through SECO’s territory.

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Calm Before the Storm – SECO Braces for Matthew’s Inland Effects

Per the Friday morning National Hurricane Center update, Hurricane Matthew continues to slowly move up the Florida east coast – just off the shore. Matthew is moving at 13 mph and has weakened to a Category 3 hurricane. As of 5 am, the eye is located parallel to Melbourne.

 

For Central Florida, winds will increase throughout the day. Lake County, Sumter County and the east side of Marion County could feel wind gusts up to 60 mph. Models remain mixed as to if the eye will cross Florida’s shores. Where it will head after it passes the state remains uncertain.

 

Poles and lines will go down, and power outages will likely be widespread. Because crews are unable to work safely or raise bucket truck booms in winds over 35 mph, outages will be long in duration if crews cannot respond to outages until winds subside and the storm passes.

 

SECO encourages its members to report outages using smartphones or tablets at the Storm Center application on SECOEnergy.com. It’s easy to report with the last name and house number. Members can contact SECO via Facebook and Twitter and read outage details.

 

For members less tech savvy, call and talk to a member service rep (or use the prompts to report the outage by phone at 800 732 6141). SECO’s System Operations Center is manned 24/7, and our call centers are also manned 24/7 when severe weather comes through – as will be the case as Hurricane Matthew approaches. Also report downed power lines – call 911 if there is immediate danger.

 

SECO is Storm Ready. Its emergency response plan determines the restoration priority of each feeder. Essential services like shelters, hospitals, schools and government agencies are the highest priority. Next, linemen work to restore power to large groups of members. Then repairs begin on individual services in less populated areas. Additional line crews and tree trimming contractors continue to arrive at SECO to be staged for the restoration effort.

 

Members who need continuous power for medical devices and do not have a back-up source of power must act now. Shelters are open in the SECO area. Contact your county’s emergency operations center (EOC) to find shelter in your area – do not wait.

• Sumter County 352-689-4400 or visit the website.
• Lake County 352-343-9420 or visit the website.
• Marion County Citizen’s Info line is 352-369-7500 or visit the website.
• Citrus County 352-527-2106 or 352-746-5470 or visit the website.
• Levy County 352-486-5213 or visit the website.
• Hernando County 352-754-4083 or 352-754-4111 or visit the website.
• Pasco County 727-847-8137 or visit the website.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being members’ first source for accurate storm information. Learn more at SECOEnergy.com.