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SECO Energy Achieves Impressive ACSI® Score of 91 for 2024

SECO Energy proudly announces the successful completion of its annual member-wide customer satisfaction survey, underscoring its commitment to excellence in service delivery. The not-for-profit cooperative, which provides electric service to over 248,000 homes and businesses across seven Central Florida counties, received invaluable feedback from more than 1,200 members, reinforcing SECO Energy’s position as a leader in customer satisfaction within the utility sector.

 

The member responses were evaluated by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), a well-respected organization that measures customer satisfaction across diverse industries in the United States and publishes the results of its syndicated studies nationally. SECO Energy conducts its member satisfaction survey in a separate study. For 2024, SECO Energy achieved an impressive ACSI score of 91 on a 100-point scale [1], reflecting the unwavering dedication of its employees to deliver exceptional service.

 

SECO Energy Chief Executive Officer Curtis Wynn expressed immense pride in the cooperative’s achievement, stating, “Our members are more than just customers—they’re our neighbors, our friends, and our community. This recent ACSI score of 91 is a testament to the passion and commitment our team puts into providing reliable, innovative energy services. It’s a reflection of the care and enthusiasm our employees bring to every interaction, always striving to exceed expectations. Surpassing the scores earned by investor-owned utilities and municipalities reported in the 2024 ACSI Energy Utilities Study is more than just an achievement – it shows how deeply we value our members and the impact we strive to make in their lives every day.”

 

SECO Energy’s score is higher when compared to publicly measured investor-owned utility scores and municipal utility scores reported in the syndicated 2024 ACSI Energy Utility Study and places SECO Energy 17 points higher than the average investor-owned utility score of 74, as well as 16 points higher than the average municipal utility score of 75, per the industry ratings. For more information, please visit https://theacsi.org/industries/energy-utilities/.

 

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) is the only national cross‐industry measure of customer satisfaction in the United States. Each year, the ACSI uses data from interviews with roughly 200,000 customers as inputs to an econometric model for analyzing customer satisfaction with approximately 400 companies in about 40 industries and 10 economic sectors. ACSI data have proven to be strongly related to several essential indicators of micro and macroeconomic performance. To learn more about the American Customer Satisfaction Index, visit www.theacsi.org.

 

“We are truly humbled and grateful for your trust and recognition. Thank you for allowing us the privilege of serving you,” Wynn stated, expressing his gratitude to SECO Energy members.

 

“Every single one of our 400+ employees is not only dedicated to meeting your needs but also to ensuring you receive the highest level of service. Your satisfaction is paramount to us, and it’s your feedback and support that empower us to achieve our mission of providing reliable, innovative energy services.”

 

[1] Compared to publicly measured energy utilities in the ACSI® survey of customers rating their own energy utility. Results based on data provided by SECO Energy, collected between December 2 and 9, 2024. ACSI did not regulate the survey administration or sample size. ACSI and its logo are registered trademarks of the American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC. For more about the ACSI, visit www.theacsi.org.

 

SECO Energy Spreads Holiday Cheer Through Toys for Tots Drive

SECO Energy is proud to continue its longstanding tradition of sponsoring the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Each year, SECO Energy holds an annual donation drive in which employees and members of the cooperative contribute toys and gifts for the Toys for Tots donation boxes located at any one of SECO Energy’s five Member Service locations. 

 

Founded over 85 years ago, SECO Energy was formed by members who banded together to bring electricity to rural areas of Central Florida, fulfilling a previously unmet need. Each year, the cooperative’s members and employees voluntarily donate gifts to support local communities across Central Florida, which serves as a reminder of this shared purpose. 

 

“SECO employees are a charitable group, and they particularly enjoy making contributions that benefit the communities we serve. The generosity of SECO Energy’s employees and members ensures that local children will have toys to unwrap and smiles on their faces on Christmas morning,” stated Curtis Wynn, SECO Energy’s Chief Executive Officer. 

 

The Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots’ purpose is to help bring the joy of Christmas and send a message of hope to children across the United States through the gift of a new toy. Since 2001, the Toys for Tots program has been ranked as one of the top-rated charities by “Philanthropy 400.”  

 

This year’s Toys for Tots donation drive resulted in hundreds of toys donated through SECO Energy’s annual campaign. The toys remain within the community where they are collected, making a tangible difference for families in need. For some children, the gift of a toy from the program may be the only present they receive this holiday season. 

   

Kathy Judkins, SECO Energy’s VP of Communications, Community and Member Experience, who oversees the cooperative’s Toys for Tots initiative, added, “I’m incredibly grateful to the hundreds of SECO employees and many members who joined us in spreading holiday cheer this year. The smallest acts of kindness—like donating a toy—can have a lasting impact and bring happiness to children throughout our service area.” 

 

Toys for Toys Photo Collection:

 

 

“Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on Twitter for prize drawings, news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit About SECO Energy.  

 

 

SECO Energy Has High Member Satisfaction

SECO Energy completed its quarterly member-wide customer satisfaction survey, where over 600 members were asked to participate. The member responses were sent to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), a company that measures customer satisfaction across multiple industries throughout the entire United States. For the fourth quarter of 2024, SECO Energy received an ACSI score of 90 on a 100-point scale. [1] SECO Energy’s score is higher when compared to publicly measured investor-owned utility scores and municipal utility scores reported in the syndicated 2024 ACSI Energy Utility Study and places SECO Energy 16 points higher than the average investor-owned utility score of 74, as well as 15 points higher than the municipal utilities score of 75, per the industry ratings. For more information, please visit https://theacsi.org/industries/energy-utilities/.

 

“SECO Energy and its employees are very proud to receive another exceptional ACSI score. Every day, our employees strive to fulfill SECO’s mission of providing reliable and innovative energy services to our members and communities. Our team serves SECO members faithfully, going above and beyond to deliver on our promise of world-class reliability and excellent member service. We are deeply grateful for our members’ trust,” stated SECO Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Curtis Wynn.

 

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) is the only national cross‐industry measure of customer satisfaction in the United States. Each year, the ACSI uses data from interviews with roughly 200,000 customers as inputs to an econometric model for analyzing customer satisfaction with approximately 400 companies in about 40 industries and 10 economic sectors. ACSI data have proven to be strongly related to several essential indicators of micro and macroeconomic performance. To learn more about the American Customer Satisfaction Index, visit www.theacsi.org.

 

[1] Compared to publicly measured energy utilities in the ACSI® survey of customers rating their own energy utility. Results based on data provided by SECO Energy, collected between September 30, 2024, and October 7, 2024. ACSI did not regulate the survey administration or sample size. ACSI and its logo are registered trademarks of the American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC. For more about the ACSI, visit www.theacsi.org.

 

 

 

 

 

SECO Energy Continues Hurricane Milton Restoration

Restoration continues across SECO Energy’s 2,100-square-mile territory after Hurricane Milton passed through Central Florida. At the peak, over 100,000 SECO members’ electric service was interrupted due to damaging wind speeds and heavy rains. Progress is steady; just over 10,500 services are waiting for restoration as of early this morning; restoration is ongoing through the weekend and early this week.    

 

SECO Energy’s service area has not experienced such widespread damage since Hurricane Irma in 2017. Over 300 additional crews arrived yesterday and got to work with the SECO home team. All crews that arrive onsite first attend a safety briefing that includes an overview of the damage to the system, hazards crews may face in the field, and SECO’s construction standards.  

 

Progress Timeline: 

  • Over 100,000, or 41% of SECO Energy’s 245,000, members experienced service interruption due to Hurricane Milton’s intense wind and rain. Significant progress has been made in restoring power to affected members from the impact of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall near Siesta Key late Wednesday night. 
  • On day one of restoration, the team restored over 55,000 accounts, reducing the percentage of SECO members without power to 18%. All critical accounts were restored; per Florida mandates, critical accounts are the priority. Transmission lines that provide service to substations and large groups of members were also restored. Crews began assessing damage to feeder lines and lateral lines. 
  • On day two, crews continued to repair broken poles and downed trees. Damage assessments continued. By the end of the day on Friday, an additional 23,000 services were restored.   
  • On day three, work and damage assessments continued. Crews rebuilt feeder lines, replaced poles, and removed broken trees. Fresh mutual aid arrived and got to work, with crews restoring over 10,000 members’ services by the night’s end.  

 

“Day four of Hurricane Milton brings new challenges as our SECO home team crews and our mutual aid line and tree crews move into some of the most heavily damaged areas,” said Curtis Wynn, CEO of SECO Energy. “Electricity is an essential service; four days without it is a major hardship, and we understand that members without service need their power restored so they can get back to normal day-to-day activities. Please continue to be patient with our team and contractors who are working in the field and behind the scenes to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. They are working long hours and desperately want to see your lights come back on, too.”  

 

Restoration and recovery in some communities is a long process due to the substantial number of outages caused by downed lines, broken poles, flooding, fallen trees, and other damage curtailing restoration work. Do not enter a work zone – this is a safety hazard and slows work progress. Crews may need to leave a jobsite to respond to an emergency or get materials; they will return to complete the job.   

 

For outage reporting and updates, SECO Energy offers StormCenter, an outage and communications platform. Members can report outages, check the status of an outage, and sign up for alerts via email, text, or phone. Visit SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter and bookmark the page for quick access. 

 

Stay away from downed wires. Always assume they are energized. Call 911 if you see a downed line. Members who require electricity to operate medical equipment should consider investing in a backup power source or have a relocation plan during extended power outages. Follow manufacturer’s safety instructions if you use a portable generator. Do not run a portable generator while sleeping. Carbon monoxide is emitted from a generator’s exhaust; it is deadly, colorless, and odorless. Avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by placing portable generators outside in a well-ventilated area, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows. Never run a generator inside, not even in your garage. Do not connect the generator directly to your home’s main fuse box or circuit panel.
 

For more storm safety tips, visit Ready.gov or download the American Red Cross’s Emergency Severe Weather App by texting “GETEMERGENCY” to 90999. 

SECO Energy Completes Restoration from Hurricane Helene and Sends Aid

SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn

In the early morning hours on Saturday, September 28, SECO Energy completed electric service restoration for all accounts affected by Hurricane Helene’s impact. After a short rest for SECO Energy’s crews, a group of employees volunteered to join the restoration effort at other cooperatives.

 

The wind damage in SECO Energy’s service area was moderate, disrupting service to roughly 43,000 accounts. In response, SECO Energy employees and hundreds of mutual aid line and tree crews began a comprehensive storm recovery process, which involved damage assessments, restoration prioritization, and working around the clock to restore electric service. Crews and contractors worked tirelessly to replace broken utility poles, remove fallen trees, and restore downed power lines, ensuring the safety and comfort of our members.

 

“I am extremely proud of our dedicated employees and mutual aid crews that worked tirelessly until every member had power restored,” says SECO Energy’s Chief Executive Officer Curtis Wynn. “Storm recovery is difficult, dangerous work, but our crews are experienced, highly trained, and dedicated to protecting the communities we serve.”

 

A 13-person restoration module left SECO Energy early Sunday afternoon, traveling to Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc., headquartered in Keystone Heights, to assist in outage restoration. Clay Electric’s service area has been significantly damaged, with over 26,000 accounts currently without electric service as of Sunday afternoon. This underscores the urgency of the situation. Two SECO warehouse support employees have stepped in to provide needed warehouse and supply chain services at Central Florida Electric Cooperative (CFEC). Their assistance is crucial in helping CFEC employees continue the restoration effort in their region.

 

Wynn continued, “I want to thank each employee who volunteered to help others. We are proud to answer the call to help a sister cooperative. Cooperation Among Cooperatives is essential; when we work together, we can bring normalcy back to the lives of thousands of our neighbors. North Florida and western North Carolina sustained some of the worst damage from Helene, these communities are in our thoughts as they work to rebuild their homes and lives.”

 

SECO Energy’s contracted line and tree crews also left to aid in restoration. Five Pike overhead line crews and 24 Link Energy contractors left for Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) on Saturday. Four Pike overhead line crews joined Clay Electric on Sunday. Additionally, five Wright Tree Service crews are traveling to other damaged areas in the southeast.

 

SECO Energy is grateful to members affected by this storm for their patience and understanding as crews worked to replace broken utility poles, remove tree fallen trees, and restore downed power lines. The cooperative also extends its gratitude to the various cooperatives, businesses, and organizations that provided valuable support and assistance during the recovery efforts.

 

 

Hurricane Helene Mutual Aid from SECO Energy
SECO Energy employees who traveled to Clay Electric on Sunday, September 29, 2024, to aid in power restoration after Hurricane Helene

 

Storm Restoration Photos:

 

For more information about SECO Energy and our storm recovery efforts, visit our online Newsroom at SECOEnergy.com. 

 

SECO Energy Completes Restoration from Hurricane Debby

SECO Energy is pleased to announce that power has been fully restored to all members following the impact of Hurricane Debby. The system made landfall near Steinhatchee early Monday morning, causing widespread outages across Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco, and Sumter counties. 

 

The Category One hurricane brought sustained winds of up to 85 mph and heavy rainfall, leading to extensive flooding and damage. In SECO Energy’s service area, downed power lines, damaged poles, fallen trees, and standing water disrupted electric service to thousands of members. The not-for-profit cooperative’s infrastructure experienced over 400 outages, affecting over 37,000 total accounts. By midnight on Monday, SECO had fully restored service to all members.

 

SECO Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, John LaSelva,   commended the cooperative’s employees for their dedication and hard work.  “Our team was well-prepared for Hurricane Debby’s approach days before landfall. Without question, SECO Energy’s line crews, support staff, and contractors worked tirelessly around the clock assessing damage, repairing infrastructure, and restoring power as quickly and safely as possible. The hurricane’s strong winds and torrential rain made efforts challenging, but the SECO team and outside personnel remained resilient and focused on restoring service to every member.” 

 

Members are encouraged to use StormCenter, SECO Energy’s outage and communications platform to report outages, check the status of an existing outage, and enroll in outage communications and alerts via email, text, voice or all three. Visit StormCenter today and bookmark it on your smartphone or tablet to report outages quickly and easily.  

  

For storm preparation and safety tips, SECO Energy’s Hurricane Handbook provides valuable information on how to prepare before, during, and after a storm. 

 

“Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on X for prize drawings, news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Manage your outage notification preferences at StormCenter. To see when SECO Energy crews/contractors are working in your area, visit our new System Improvement map. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit SECOEnergy.com> Your Co-op>About. 

Find, Feed & Restore Awarded $2500 SECO Energy Foundation Grant

The SECO Energy Foundation joined the battle to aid local homeless families in need by approving a $2,500 grant for Find, Feed & Restore to support the Restore Lake Project. The $2500 SECO Energy Foundation Grant supports its Health and Human Services efforts by sponsoring Find, Feed & Restore’s Love & Laughter Event on May 6 at the Clermont City Center to raise money for the housing solutions project.

 

The Restore Lake Project provides transitional housing for ten to 14 local families with children. In an effort to combat homelessness, Find, Feed & Restore provides housing solutions, including transitional housing, no-cost housing, permanent housing, Women’s Mental Health and Domestic Violence Shelter and homelessness avoidance in Lake County. The programs help families who are struggling with financial difficulties avoid homelessness. Restore Lake’s facility provides no- or low-cost housing, financial education resources and a case manager to help families into future homeownership, job opportunities and more. The facility’s goal is for its families to reach mental and physical balance and become self-sufficient.

 

The SECO Energy Foundation Board of Directors District 1 Director Sara Meyer is pleased the SECO Energy Foundation is making a difference in local communities. Ms. Meyer stated, “Affordable housing options for low to moderate income families have drastically decreased by Florida’s recent increased population boom. To improve the quality of life in SECO Energy’s service area for residents, the Restore Lake Project will help the families most impacted by the COVID pandemic, increasing costs and housing prices on the rise. I am extremely pleased that my fellow Directors and I unanimously approved a health and human services grant for Lake County citizens who desperately need our assistance.”

 

Find, Feed & Restore Vice President of Development Stephen Shylkofski is grateful for the SECO Energy Foundation’s partnership. Mr. Shylkofski stated, “We are thankful for the opportunity to build on the partnership with the SECO Energy Foundation to grow our programs in Lake and Sumter Counties. Along with the SECO Energy Foundation and our other community partners, we can begin to achieve our goal of eradicating homelessness from our communities.”

 

The SECO Energy Foundation is a nonprofit 501c3 entity funded largely through SECO’s electric bill roundup program and will be supplemented by grants the Foundation applies for through other private and federal funding programs that align with the SECO Energy Foundation’s goals. Participating members’ extra pennies are donated to the Foundation to fund grants and bill payment assistance that make a difference in the lives of members across the communities served by SECO Energy.

 

SECO Energy’s CEO Curtis Wynn stated, “Concern for community is a key co-op principle that ties in with health and human services in our local communities – especially for its most vulnerable members. Surveys tell us that members want to be part of an organization that does more for their consumers and communities than sell goods and services. The SECO Energy Foundation’s focus is to improve the quality of life in and around SECO’s service area. The Foundation’s support of the Restore Lake Project creates a difference in our communities.”

 

To learn more about the SECO Energy Foundation, visit SECOEnergy.com>Your Co-op>Foundation. “Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on Twitter for prize drawings, news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Manage your outage notification preferences at StormCenter. To see reliability and expansion projects in your area, visit our new System Improvement Map. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > About.

 

IEEE PELS Plan August 31 Webinar with SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn

The IEEE PELS (Power Electronics Society) Women in Engineering (WiE) is hosting a virtual Fireside Chat with SECO Energy SECO Curtis Wynn as an industry advocate for energy and data equity.

 

Redefining the expectations for an industry can feel like an insurmountable or unapproachable task. Curtis Wynn, CEO of SECO Energy, personifies the idea that industry employees should seek to be a catalyst for change. Curtis has dedicated his over 40-year career in electric cooperatives to support equitable access to clean energy, high-speed internet, and economic development to support all members of the not-for-profit cooperatives he has led – especially focusing on programs to assist rural and low-income members.

 

“It’s not easy,” Wynn says. “But I imagine it wasn’t easy to string those first wires, either.” In this fireside chat, Curtis will share how he has been an effective change maker in the energy market through a focus on adopting new technology and the power of developing a strategic vision.

 

As the son of a rural farmer, Curtis Wynn is no stranger to hard work. Growing up he knew that he wanted to work at the local electric co-op and began his career in the industry by washing co-op trucks with future dreams to be a line technician. Working in many roles across the electric co-op ecosystem, he currently leads SECO Energy – the seventh largest cooperative in the nation serving over 220,000 families and businesses in Central Florida. Curtis is also the immediate past president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, where he led fellow energy executives through supporting their service regions during the onset of the COVID pandemic.

 

Finding a way to innovate an industry can be difficult. Join the IEEE PELS (Power Electronics Society) Women in Engineering (WiE) upcoming Power at the Table event to hear Curtis Wynn share his lessons. Register for the Power at the Table event on August 31 at 10:30 a.m. EST and learn how Curtis Wynn, a son of a rural farmer with an aspiration to become a line technician not only became the CEO of the seventh largest cooperative in the nation but also became an “Advocate of Energy and Data Equity.”

 

“Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on Twitter for prize drawings, news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Manage your outage notification preferences at StormCenter. To see when SECO Energy crews/contractors are working in your area, visit our new System Improvement Map. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit About SECO Energy.