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Tag: SECO Reliability

February/March SECO News

 

DEAR MEMBERS,

Reliable electricity is essential to everyday life. SECO Energy’s 2025 reliability performance reflects our World Class results. Reliable power supports growing communities, attracts businesses and jobs, protects livelihoods, and provides peace of mind. SECO Energy members deserve an electric system they can trust, which is why we are committed to continued improvement, thoughtful planning, and routine infrastructure maintenance.

We measure reliability using three nationally recognized metrics that serve as a report card on how well our electric system performs.

In 2025, SECO members were without power an average of just 63 minutes – slightly over an hour for the entire year. By comparison, nationwide data from 2024 shows consumers experienced an average of 662 minutes without power, or nearly 11 hours annually. That difference means homes remain comfortable and safe, and businesses can continue operating with minimal disruption.

We also track how often outages occur. In 2025, members experienced an average of less than one outage per year – .94 times to be exact. This result is well below the 2024 national average of 1.53 interruptions. For our communities, fewer outages translate

into greater productivity, safety, and confidence in planning for the future.

Equally important is how quickly power is restored when outages do occur. While we were fortunate to avoid major weather events last year, outages can still happen. In 2025, SECO’s average restoration time was only 67 minutes – more than six times faster than the 2024 national average of 432 minutes, or just over seven hours. Every minute matters, and our line technicians are prepared to respond quickly and safely.

Maintaining World Class reliability takes careful planning, disciplined maintenance, and ongoing investments in our electric grid. From routine inspections to proactive vegetation management along thousands of miles of power lines, our teams work every day to prevent outages before they happen and protect the communities we serve.

At SECO Energy, reliability isn’t measured in minutes – it’s measured in trust, preparedness, and our promise to keep you powered today and well into the future.

Sincerely,

CURTIS WYNN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

SECO News February/March 2026 Spring Energy Efficiency Tips and Savings

 

SPRING IS HERE, and in Central Florida, that means that temperatures are back on the rise. We know how difficult it can be to stay cool without your energy bill skyrocketing. Here are some tips to cut back on your energy usage while keeping cool this spring.

USE YOUR WINDOWS TO COMBAT HEAT:

  • Install window coverings or curtains that prevent heat from entering through your windows during the day. Blocking this heat will improve efficiency by lightening the workload on your HVAC system.

OPERATE THERMOSTAT EFFICIENTLY:

  • Set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature while keeping in mind that the smaller the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. ENERGY STAR recommends setting your cooling temperature to 78 degrees.
  • Avoid setting your thermostat colder than usual when you first turn on your air conditioner, as this could lead to excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.
  • Keep your house warmer than usual when you are away and lower the thermostat when you return and need cooling.
  • Enroll qualifying thermostats in SECO’s Smart Connect program and earn incentives for allowing temperature adjustments during peak demand.

USE FANS AND VENTILATION STRATEGIES TO COOL YOUR HOME:

  • Keep in mind that fans cool people, not rooms, by creating a wind chill effect. Be sure to turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room.
  • When you take a shower or bath, use the ventilation fan to remove heat and humidity from your home. Ensure that bathroom and kitchen fans are routed to the outside.

MAINTAIN COOLING SYSTEM EFFICIENCY:

  • Schedule regular maintenance for your HVAC equipment to maximize energy affordability.
  • Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your thermostat; the thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
  • Regularly clean air intake vents to remove dust buildup and ensure that furniture or other objects do not block airflow through your registers.

PREVENT HOT AIR FROM LEAKING INTO YOUR HOME

  • Seal cracks and openings to prevent warm air from leaking into your home.
  • Seal air leaks around doors and windows using caulk or weatherstripping.

LOWER HOT WATER HEATING:

  • According to Energy.gov, water heating accounts for 18% of the energy consumed in your home. Lowering your hot water setting will conserve energy and save money.

 

SECO Energy is excited to announce the twelve high school juniors who have been selected to attend the Florida Youth Tour in Tallahassee. This is an exciting leadership and learning opportunity for students in our communities. Student delegates will gain insight into the energy industry and cooperative business model while exploring the Florida State Capitol and Legislative Chambers.

V. ESCOBAR, Ocala

Forest High School

P. FORMAN, Minneola

Lake Minneola High School

D. HERRICK, Eustis

Homeschool

S. HYMILLER, Clermont

East Ridge High School

J. JACKSON, Minneola

Lake Minneola High School

E. BARRIOS MEDRANO, Ocala

West Port High School

L. PATTESON, Eustis

Mount Dora High School

D. PINEIRO, Inverness

Homeschool (Abeka Academy)

M. REES, Middleton

The Villages Charter High School

M. SUDOL, Ocala

Belleview High School

H. TURO, Summerfield

Forest High School

C. WINTERS, Oxford

The Villages Charter High School

SECO News February/March 2026 Trustee Insight Go Green with Monthly Bank Draft and Paperless Billing Joseph Kusiak District 7 Trustee

 

Managing your electric bill should be simple, secure, and stress-free – that’s why more members are choosing to pay their monthly bill through bank draft instead of mailing a check.

With bank draft, your monthly payment is automatically withdrawn from your checking or savings account on your due date. Bank draft is the environmentally friendly choice – no stamps to buy and no need to write a check. Once you enroll in bank draft, you can relax knowing that your bill will be paid on time, every time – even when you’re away from home.

Security is a top priority. Your financial information is protected using encrypted systems, which reduces the risk of lost checks, mail delays, or fraud. Bank draft minimizes handling and provides a safe, reliable way to pay your bill month after month.

After enrolling in bank draft, go green and paperless – paperless billing makes bill management even easier. Instead of waiting for a paper bill, you’ll receive your statement electronically, which is faster, more secure, and accessible anytime through our online account management platform SmartHub. Paperless billing reduces clutter, supports environmental sustainability, and ensures you always have a digital record at your fingertips.

Bank draft and paperless billing are convenient. You’ll save time by eliminating manual payments, late fees, and trying to remember due dates. Your bill is available for review each month, you can track payments easily, while letting bank draft work automatically in the background.

Choosing bank draft and paperless billing is a smart, secure, and hassle-free way to manage your SECO Energy account – and enjoy greater peace of mind every month.

SECO News February/March 2026 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.

BOARD MEETING DATES

The Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, February 23, at 2:30 p.m. in the Corporate Offices at 330 South US HWY 301 in Sumterville.

A Trustees’ meeting will also be held on Monday, March 30, 2026.

Read the full February/March SECO News.

 

Reliability, Raptors and a River

SECO Energy first electrified homes and farms in Lake, Sumter and Marion Counties in 1938. The not-for-profit electric cooperative has grown alongside the counties it serves, and now provides safe, affordable, reliable power to 200,000 homes and businesses across Central Florida.

 

Currently, 63,000 of those members live in Lake County, famous for its vast number of lakes, rivers and streams in its 1,100-square mile area. 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.

 

Years ago, linemen attached climbing spikes to their boots and scaled poles on a daily basis, and facilities were installed using the most direct route possible. Lines would span small bodies of water, and poles were sometimes installed in water. Currently, one such pole rises out of Tavares’ Dead River, and a SECO crew was recently transported to work on it using a 75-ton crane.

 

 

This particular pole is concrete, supports a main feeder line and has an osprey nesting dish installed at the top. Dishes offer nesting space for raptors that inhabit Lake County waterways. The longstanding osprey nest on this dish was inactive and was collecting debris from years of inactivity. The rotting debris was falling off the dish and making contact with the feeder line and caused a feeder outage for 250 SECO members.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Improving reliability for SECO members served by this feeder was the cooperative’s immediate concern. Operations crews restored power to these members in under an hour by temporarily rerouting or backfeeding power through a different feeder line, but a permanent fix was needed. To complete this system improvement project, crews needed to replace the insulators, add new conductor line, and remove the rotting debris from the osprey dish – all while suspended 45 feet in the air above the Dead River.”

 

SECO Energy places a top priority on Safety – a cooperative Core Value. Safety was the first consideration during the planning and execution of this project. Standard utility bucket trucks aren’t equipped for this type of work. To comply with safe work practices, SECO needed heavy equipment, employing a 75-ton crane and attaching a crane basket for the team’s 45-foot ascension over the river to safely access the facilities.

 

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U1uGCfBhDc[/embedyt]

 

Stationing a 75-ton crane 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.

 

Line techs from SECO’s Eustis Operating Center – Nathan Rioux and Brandon Blackmon – volunteered to work suspended over the river while Sumterville line tech Logan Land observed from the rescue boat. Previously that day, the line was grounded and de-energized for safety.

 

Before work commenced, SECO personnel and crane operators secured and tested the connections from the crane to the basket that would hold the men aloft. Nathan and Brandon donned their personal protective equipment and inspected their safety harnesses that attach to the crane basket. The basket’s maneuvers were tested while empty and with the men on-board.

 

Once testing was complete, the hard work began. Nathan and Brandon replaced the damaged insulators and spliced in 20 feet of overhead conductor before installing new animal deterrents. Logan observed the work from the rescue boat below – keeping an eye on the alligators and fishing boats. The team removed all nest debris that caused the power outage. With a cleaner, safer dish now available, ospreys will soon build anew.

 

SECO’s Safety and Risk Manager was on-site to oversee the project from beginning to end. Additional safety measures for this project included directing traffic away from the work site, a rescue boat staged in the river at the base of the pole and multiple SECO personnel observing the project from ground level.

 

Duncan added, “In the future, SECO is proposing a redesign of this feeder as underground service. This enhancement requires a St. John’s Water Management District permit, as SECO plans to bore under the Dead River.”

 

This project was critical to immediately improving reliability to the area and providing a safe nesting dish for osprey. 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.

 

View the entire album of video footage and photographs on SECO’s Flickr page.

 

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