SECO News October 2022

Dear Members,

I am honored to serve as your Board President. As our CEO Curtis Wynn has highlighted in previous articles, we remain committed to maintaining our electric grid and keeping up with the growth we are experiencing system-wide. I want to highlight some of those specific activities.

Members who live in Sumter County know the growth in our area has been incredible over the last decade. Last year, SECO energized 1,443 new services in Sumter County – representing 25 percent of SECO’s total new service count. This year between January and August, we have already energized 2,257 new meters in Sumter County, bringing the total service count in the county to 82,173.

You can’t help but notice the construction all over Sumter County, and SECO Energy has many projects in various design and construction stages. SECO is actively focused on improving the reliability of its existing infrastructure in Sumter County and building new facilities to meet increasing demand.

Currently in the Belmont area, new commercial development is happening around County Road 466A to include new restaurants, retail space and a hotel. In Belmont Phase 3, SECO recently energized electric infrastructure for 57 residential lots. A 100,000-square-foot self-storage facility is currently in the engineering design stage.

New single-family residences are proposed at the Keys at Wildwood Phase II and the Villas at Wildwood. The Wildwood Cottages subdivision is also in development near County Roads 134 and 426. These 70 new units have no age restrictions. The community will include a clubhouse, pool, dog park and community garden.

A new nursing center is planned for Trailwinds Villages. SECO’s Engineering team has completed the electric design for an assisted-living facility of 160 units at Lumin Park in Lady Lake. Another new senior assisted-living facility in Wildwood on County Road 472 will have 132 units and is in the electrical design stage.

Sumter County is also welcoming new commercial growth. An adhesive plant is in construction on 82nd Avenue west of County Road 127. In the same area, SECO has completed the electric design of a 170,000-square-foot building. A 7,000-square-foot retail building is being designed in the Fenney Professional Plaza. Near the corner of Buena Vista and Parr, a proposed 2,300-square-foot facility for a new Sprouts grocery store is in the works.

This long list helps emphasize our area’s robust residential development and commercial growth. Keeping pace with the growth while continuing to maintain our existing infrastructure to serve our current members is a high priority for every SECO Energy employee. Visit SECOEnergy.com > Newsroom > System Improvement Map to see reliability and expansion projects across our entire service territory.

Unfortunately, we continue to battle supply chain and labor shortages as a not-for-profit cooperative trying to keep pace with unprecedented growth. Our members continue to feel the crunch in their electric bills as the price of natural gas – the primary fuel used to generate electricity – increased 52% in July compared with June per the Energy Information Administration depicted in the graph to the right. The Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) component on your bill reflects these ongoing increases.

Members who need financial help should visit SECOEnergy.com > Contact and click on the Find Bill Payment Help map to locate a social service agency in their area. These agencies receive funding from SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program for the specific purpose of helping members who have difficulty paying their electric bill. Florida 211 is also a resource for residents who need resources related to food, addiction, housing and healthcare. Call 211 or visit 211.org today.

Sincerely,

Gerald Anderson

Board Trustee President

Surge MitiGator – Win a Generator Reminder!

Enroll in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator program by November 15 for a chance to win one of three portable generators! Members in a current lease or prior purchase are already eligible to win.

Chomp down on voltage spikes and surges with SECO Energy surge protection. The meter-based surge arrester blocks damaging surges and voltage spikes that come in through the electric line before they damage appliances and cause financial loss. Surges are caused by lightning, vehicle accidents, small animals, fallen trees and more.

You can lease the protection for only $5.95 plus tax per month with a $25 installation fee. Purchase prices range from $349 to $399, and installation is always free. The product carries a 15-year warranty.

Enroll in the Surge MitiGator program (lease or purchase) for a chance to win one of three portable generators. To enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Surge MitiGator and submit the web form.

The arrester at the meter is the first step in protection. You should invest in point-of-use surge devices to protect electronics and appliances. Purchase at local big box or hardware store.

Scare Away Phantom Load

Did you know that many everyday electronics consume electricity when plugged into an outlet? Electronics such as TVs, DVD players, computer equipment, gaming or audio systems, cable boxes and device chargers are the most common culprits. This phenomenon is called phantom load, and it leads to increased energy bills.

Phantom load may be responsible for 10 to 20 percent of residential electricity use in the United States alone. Studies report that homes may have 20 to 40 sources of phantom load.

How do you scare away phantom load? The Department of Energy’s (DOE) website at energy.gov recommends using power strips instead of plugging items directly into outlets. Power strips enable multiple devices to be plugged in at one time and can be turned “on” or “off.” Smart plugs are also available for devices such as cell phones that stop using electricity when the battery is charged.

Scare away phantom load by identifying and eliminating energy wasters in your home. TVs and DVD players in a guest room? Multiple chargers plugged directly into outlets and not being used? A computer, printer or gaming system plugged in and not in use?

SECO offers a variety of ways to search out energy wasters in disguise. Find the Energy Estimator and the Home Energy Assessment at SECOEnergy.com to receive energy-efficiency advice tailored to your home.

SECO Energy Employees Donate to Relay For Life

For decades, SECO Energy employees have donated to and participated in The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life which is the largest peer-to-peer fundraising event dedicated to saving lives affected by cancer.

SECO Energy is proud to announce that its employees collectively donated $4,640 to Relay For Life teams in SECO’s service area. SECO Energy has committed to matching employees’ donations from our Pennies from Heaven fund. The total contribution totaled $9,280 for the American Cancer Society.

Want to join SECO Energy’s charitable endeavors? Enroll in our Pennies from Heaven program that is transitioning to the SECO Energy Foundation. Your bill will be rounded up to the nearest dollar each month. These donations assist your fellow members with bill payment assistance and other local worthy causes. Read more on page 4 about SECO Energy Foundation enrollment changes that take effect in January 2023.

SECO Energy Foundation Reminder

In January 2023, SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program is transitioning to the SECO Energy Foundation. The SECO Energy Foundation’s goal is to increase community outreach in our service area. The new Foundation will generate grant funds for projects that align with SECO members’ needs and SECO’s strategic initiatives. The Foundation will also provide increased bill payment assistance for SECO members.

SECO members will automatically be transitioned to enrollment in the SECO Energy Foundation at year-end unless they have proactively unenrolled. The Foundation enrollment rounds up monthly bills to the nearest dollar. The average donation per member whose bill is rounded up is $6 annually.

Update your SECO Energy Foundation enrollment status by visiting SECOEnergy.com > Contact > SECO Energy Foundation. You can 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.

We are so thankful for our current Pennies from Heaven enrollees. We look forward to expanding our community outreach with the new SECO Energy Foundation.

Contributions to the SECO Energy Foundation will be tax-deductible.

Read the full October 2022 SECO News online.

SECO Energy Recovering After Hurricane Ian

SECO Energy is recovering after Hurricane Ian swept through most of its Central Florida service area. Crews worked overnight Thursday in the continued effort to restore electric service to all homes and businesses that are deemed safe to receive service.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm, slowly moved northeast across the state and exited as a tropical storm. Portions of Lake County, Sumter County and southwest Marion County sustained the most extensive damage in SECO Energy’s service area. As of 8 a.m. this morning, SECO has 112 active outages affecting just over 3,000 accounts with 2,968 of those located in Lake County.

Across the service area, crews battled heavy rains and gusty winds. downed trees, flooded roads, or high-water areas. At the Leesburg Airport KLEE weather station, wind gusts were measured at 56 mph with maximum sustained wind speeds of 39 mph, and 2.4 inches of rain.

SECO Energy’s Ocala area returned to normal operations late Thursday night and the Sumterville area returned to normal operations early Friday morning. In the Groveland area, there are only five outages that require crews. In the Eustis area, there are four separate feeder outages (Paisley substation feeders 1 and 2, St. Johns substation feeder 1 and Mount Dora substation feeder 1). Crews are actively restoring these circuits today.

The current National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast has Ian re-strengthening to a Category 1 hurricane and poised to make another landfall along the coast of South Carolina. As of 8 a.m. Friday, the storm has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and is moving north northeast at 9 mph.

CEO Curtis Wynn assured members that the restoration effort is ongoing. Wynn stated, “Crews worked tirelessly overnight on both Wednesday and Thursday to restore service after Hurricane Ian traveled through SECO Energy’s service area. Keep in mind, the rain bands from Hurricane Ian’s rain bands only exited SECO’s service area mid-afternoon yesterday. Restoration was hampered by strong winds and heavy rains yesterday. We continue this morning and won’t stop working until the last member’s service is restored.”

SECO’s Emergency Restoration Plan determines the system’s restoration priority of each affected feeder. Essential services such as hospitals, shelters, schools and government agencies are the highest priority. Line repairs that will restore power to large groups of members are next, feeders that serve large commercial services and then individual electric services in less populated areas.

SECO Energy has re-opened its five Member Service Centers on Friday as Hurricane Ian restoration is in its final stages. StormCenter is SECO Energy’s outage and communications platform for members 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 on your smartphone or tablet to report outages quickly and easily.

Major weather events can cause extended power outages. SECO Energy reminds members to follow safety protocols when using a generator during a power outage. Generators emit deadly carbon monoxide (CO) that is odorless and colorless. Thousands of people die each year from CO poisoning. Never operate a generator in an enclosed space, including a garage. Always place the generator at least 15 to 20 feet away from your home and never near open windows.

Before operating a generator, thoroughly read and review the owner’s manual. Never plug a generator directly into an electrical outlet. This current flow is deadly for utility personnel. Keep children away from an operating generator and store fuel in approved containers. Do not smoke while fueling a generator. Always operate a generator in a dry space. If it is raining, use a canopy or cover. SECO Energy’s Hurricane Handbook includes generator safety tips and how to prepare for before, during and after a storm.

“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.

Check Out StormCenter SECO Energy is Storm Ready! — StormCenter is SECO Energy’s outage reporting and communications platform that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online at www.SECOEnergy.com/StormCenter.

SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn Informs Sumter County Chamber of Rising Costs

SECO Energy Chief Executive Officer Curtis Wynn addressed the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce at the April 20 meeting held at The Villages Rohan Recreation Center in Wildwood.

Mr. Wynn was joined by SECO Energy Board of Trustee Officers Jerry Anderson (President) and Joyce Anderson (Secretary/Treasurer) and was introduced by SECO Energy’s Manager of Key Accounts & Revenue Programs Jeff Light. Jeff is a Chamber board member and is honored to be named volunteer of the year by the Chamber.

Coincidentally, Mr. Wynn and wife Selene recently became Sumter County residents. Just before the move, Mr. Wynn hosted the 2022 SECO Energy Virtual Annual Meeting and was eager to spread the “state of the company” news in person with the Sumter Chamber members. The overview included a review of rising capital and maintenance costs that are causing rate and fuel cost pressure for SECO Energy members. Supply chain issues were covered in detail, along with the labor shortage that is affecting so many businesses across the county, state and the nation.

Industry-related topics like solar energy, technology advancements in metering and electric vehicle potential were also part of Mr. Wynn’s presentation at the Chamber and during the Virtual Annual Meeting. To hear from Mr. Wynn and to win one of five prizes SECO Energy members can watch the 2022 Virtual Annual Meeting video and answer the question at SECOEnergy.com by clicking on the homepage banner. Enter before June 15 for a chance to win one of the following prizes:

• $500 SECO Energy bill credit
• $250 SECO Energy bill credit
• Nest Learning Thermostat
• HoneyWell Wi-Fi Thermostat
• 2021 Apple TV HD

“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 SECOEnergy.com>Your Co-op>About.

SECO Energy Celebrates 84th Annual Meeting Virtually

SECO Energy held its 84th Annual Meeting of the Membership on March 24, at 4:30 p.m. for a virtual crowd of members and guests. This is the third virtual meeting since 2020 when COVID restrictions cautioned against holding large gatherings. The cooperative’s exceptional member growth has resulted in what could potentially become an unmanageable situation if a small percentage of the 500,000 SECO members and their guests accepted our invitation to come and enjoy the traditional festivities hosted on our campus, which only has an 8,000-to-10,000-person meeting capacity.

Hundreds of members tuned in via live webcast, Facebook live and YouTube to watch the cooperative’s Virtual Business Only Annual Meeting. Since the meeting content remains available on SECOEnergy.com, even more are viewing the meeting after-the-fact at their leisure.

Board of Trustees President and District 4 Trustee Richard Dennison called the Meeting to order and closed the voting platform at 4:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Vice President and District 3 Trustee Gerald Anderson led the virtual audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. SECO’s VP of Corporate Communications and Energy Services Kathryn Gloria led the invocation, introduced the Trustees, and welcomed District 5 Trustee-elect Shannon Wright, who will begin her duties at the Trustees’ Meeting on Monday, March 28. Ms. Gloria also introduced CEO Curtis Wynn and Cooperative Attorney Scott Gerken. Board of Trustees Secretary/Treasurer and District 2 Trustee Joyce Anderson certified the Official Annual Meeting Notice that was delivered timely to all cooperative members per the terms of the Bylaws.

Mr. Dennison’s President’s Report opened with a welcome to the virtual audience. He thanked the members who voted electronically, in person, by phone or by mail, and announced that SECO achieved a quorum by virtue of votes cast on Annual Meeting business. Mr. Dennison stated, “Florida cooperatives are required by statute to hold an Annual Meeting and must achieve a quorum to conduct official business. I am happy to announce that member voting participation has indeed helped us achieve a quorum this year. Thank you so much to all who cast a vote this year.”

Mr. Dennison also introduced SECO Energy’s new CEO Curtis Wynn. President Dennison stated, “Mr. Wynn was hired by the board last year and joined us in December. His energy industry career is rooted in Florida. From 1981 to 1997, he worked at West Florida Electric Cooperative. Mr. Wynn also served for 24 years as President and CEO of Roanoke Electric Cooperative in North Carolina. Mr. Wynn’s resume reflects a long list of awards and accomplishments showing a history of supporting creative solutions that are turning the challenges of the energy industry evolution into major opportunities.”

Following the President’s Report, CEO Curtis Wynn began his report. Wynn provided the membership an impressive list of recently completed and upcoming projects under consideration at SECO Energy.

Mr. Wynn also expressed SECO’s commitment to maintaining and upgrading its existing electric facilities to serve current members while constructing new electric infrastructure to fulfill new growth and development needs.

Mr. Wynn stated, “With growth rates averaging nearly 40% in our three largest counties (Sumter, Lake and Marion), we must have the following five elements in place to viably keep pace with the growth in SECO Energy’s service territory: 1) the financial capability, 2) SECO staffing, 3) stable contract labor, 4) material & equipment supply chain consistency and 5) competitive wholesale power costs.”

Wynn continued, “SECO’s financial position is strong but the growth we are experiencing and the major investments that come with this growth challenge our commitment to preserve reliable and affordable service. At yearend 2021, SECO Energy added 5,770 new meters, which brings our total active meter or service count to 222,188. To support the growth in our area and increasing demand for energy, our investment in facilities topped over $1 billion. This ongoing facilities investment averages over $6 million per month.”

The CEO Report also mentioned being challenged by supply-chain shortages and talked about the wholesale power provider’s (Seminole Electric Cooperative’s) shift to a larger portion of its portfolio generating from natural gas and renewables. He continued by emphasizing that the natural gas market is affected like the oil market. The Energy Information Administration estimates that the wholesale spot price of natural gas in 2022, will reach an eight-year high. That market volatility will affect the cost of Seminole’s production of power and ultimately will reflect on members’ bills through the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) factor as of April 1.

Wynn announced the SECO Energy Board of Trustees has approved taking steps to implement an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project. Wynn stated, “SECO is one of a very few large, fast-growing utilities in the state or in the nation for that matter that has not deployed AMI throughout our system. We are in the midst of two pilot projects to test the viability of deploying AMI in our service territory. As we move to the completion of these, we are now preparing to decide on a vendor with whom we will work to deploy the AMI technology that will help us improve our operations in a variety of ways.” Wynn concluded his remarks by acknowledging the Board of Trustees’ service, his staff’s unwavering support and the 400+ SECO Energy employees’ commitment to serving the members and surrounding communities in a safe and professional manner.

Cooperative Attorney Scott Gerken certified the 2022 Annual Meeting voting results. In total, 8,952 members voted on 2022 Annual Meeting business which was approval of the 2021 Annual Meeting Minutes, which entailed 8,635 members voting “Yes,” 39 members voting “No,” and 278 members abstaining. Mr. Gerken announced, “The membership clearly approves the 2021 Annual Meeting Minutes.”

SECO Energy established a special phone number, email address and social media presence for the Virtual Annual Meeting. A panel of SECO employees interacted with members who posed questions and comments that were read and answered during the meeting by CEO Curtis Wynn and members of the senior staff.

The meeting ended with the announcement of prize winners. All members who voted on Annual Meeting Business were entered into the random drawing for one of 100 prizes. Shawn Matthew from The Villages won the 2012 Chevy Colorado Extended Cab. Geoffrey White from The Villages won the 2019 EZGO golf cart. The three $1,000 winners are Susan Roberts from Deland, Beverly Dearden from Inverness, and Morton Finkelstein from Ocala. Elizabeth Estavanko from The Villages won the Generac generator. Other prizes including SECO bill credits, Nest learning thermostats, energy-efficiency kits, HoneyWell smart thermostats and more will be shipped directly to winners. SECO will arrange for delivery of grand prizes. View the complete list of prize winners.

A complete video of the program is available at SECOEnergy.com, Facebook and YouTube.

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for member contests, news releases, cooperative updates and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Visit SECOEnergy.com>Your Co-op>About SECO to learn more about SECO Energy.

SECO News October 2021

Without question, your electric service is supported by an extensive, robust and well-maintained infrastructure that distributes power generated by our wholesale power provider, Seminole Electric Cooperative. Like SECO Energy, Seminole is a not-for-profit cooperative owned collectively by nine Florida electric distribution cooperatives.

Each distribution co-op’s CEO serves on the Seminole Board – myself included. In addition, select Trustees from each distribution co-op’s board have seats on the Seminole Board. Our Trustee representatives on the Seminole Board are President and District 4 Trustee Richard Dennison and District 8 Trustee Bill James.

In late September 2017, Seminole announced its plan to build a new, natural gas-fired generating plant next to the existing Seminole Generating Station (SGS) facility in Putnam County. This new, highly efficient generation facility is currently named the Seminole Combined Cycle Facility or SCCF. The new generating capacity is approximately 1,050 megawatts (MW).

The new SCCF plant is on schedule and budget. The major components of the plant have been delivered to the site, and construction is 50% complete. Seminole projects the plant to be commercially operational in the fall of 2022. Construction has continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, with personnel ensuring that work moves forward safely.

When Seminole’s plan to build SCCF was first announced, the board decided to take the environmentally friendly step to shutter one of its coal-fired units at the SGS facility once construction of the new natural gas-fired plant is complete.

Seminole is also taking steps to add a higher mix of renewable energy into its fuel portfolio. The cooperative will add 300 MW of additional solar power to its fuel mix by entering into purchased power agreements. Removing the SGS coal-fired unit from service and the addition of the 300 MW of solar, Seminole projects that it will decrease its carbon dioxide emissions in 2024 by 48% from 2005 levels.

Florida’s population is growing. According to the U.S. Census, between 2010 and 2020, Florida’s population grew from 18.8 million to 21.5 million. The growth doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Sumter County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida.

In fact, The Villages recently earned the title as the fastest growing metropolitan area in the nation over the last decade per new 2020 census data with a Sumter County growth rate of 39%. Lake and Marion counties’ growth rates continue to climb at 29% and 13%, respectively. Stocking ever-more-expensive and hard-to-procure construction material to build new and maintain existing electric infrastructure is daunting in today’s economic environment as we continue to feel the effects of the pandemic.

SECO Energy and Seminole must work together to plan for future energy supplies to meet the growing demand for safe, affordable energy.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

ADVICE FROM THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC

With winter fast approaching, Florida will soon be welcoming our human snowbirds and our annual aviary migrating snowbirds, too. Read on for interesting facts about avian migration from The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Some migrating birds plump up for maximum energy in preparation for a long flight. In other birds, their reproductive organs shrink to trim excess weight while hemoglobin in their blood increases for aerobic efficiency. Other changes happen too. New feathers grow to improve flight efficiency; these feathers are often less colorful than the birds’ summer feathers. Every avian order has a long-distance migrator. No matter what time of the year, there are always birds on the move.

Read this month’s Florida Fauna and Flora to learn more about the American kestrel.

SURGE MITIGATOR HELPS AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. You can help too by enrolling in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator surge protection product. From October 1 until November 15, for every new MitiGator lease or purchase, SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program will donate $5 to the American Cancer Society.

Take the bite out of damaging surges and spikes with our Surge MitiGator. Surges are often associated with lightning, but other causes are vehicles crashing into SECO poles, small animals and birds contacting SECO lines or falling trees. Household appliances and sensitive electronics such as televisions and computers can be damaged or destroyed by power surges and also require point-of-use devices for adequate protection.

Our made in the USA meter-based surge arrester helps prevent unnecessary financial loss by reducing surges BEFORE they enter your home through the meter. The MitiGator has a beastly 15-year warranty and is designed to protect your home’s large-motor appliances.

You can lease the MitiGator for only $5.95 plus tax per month plus a $25 installation fee. The purchase price ranges from $349 to $399, with installation included.

October is breast cancer awareness month, so the timing is perfect to aid cancer research and support cancer patients by enrolling in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator surge protection product. To enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com.

AREA LIGHT OUT?

Report an area light outage or malfunction online through LightFinder on our StormCenter platform. Whether the light is always on, completely off or flickering, you can report the malfunction 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – even on weekends.

To report an area light issue, visit SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter and choose LightFinder. Enter the pole number or closest address in the search bar in the upper left. Each light is represented by a lightbulb icon. Green indicates the light is working, and a red icon is a light that has already been reported as malfunctioning. If the icon is orange, it has been repaired in the last 24 hours. Inactive lights are represented by a gray icon 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.

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

Engage with our virtual assistant Electra on the phone for a chance to win a $25 gift card. Winners who self-served using Electra are:

Donna Vail from Ocala

Jennifer Mears from Webster

Richard Reddy from Deland

Jane Lomont from Clermont

The latest winner of a SECO Energy Level 2 EV Charger is Harry Farrish from Minneola. To enter, text “EV” to (352) 320-4500 for a link to enter. Or click on the EV Charger Giveaway homepage banner. Visit our Electric Vehicles website section to learn more about the benefits of owning an EV.

Winners in our Go Green and Win: Paperless Billing and Bank Draft Incentive

John Utegg from Ocala is the winner of a $200 SECO Energy bill credit.

Stephanie Eck from Clermont is the winner of a NEST thermostat.

Susan Douglas from The Villages is the winner of an Amazon Echo Dot with Alexa.

William Guffey from Clermont is our final winner of a portable generator – drawn from the list of all members enrolled in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator surge protection program. Though our generator giveaway has concluded, from October 1 through November 15, for every new Surge MitiGator lease enrollment or purchase SECO will donate $5 to the American Cancer Society. To learn more or enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Surge MitiGator.

Congratulations to our recent winners!

Read the full October 2021 SECO News online.

SECO Energy Back-To-School Program Funds $3,000 for Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation

SECO Energy’s back-to-school program allocated Sumter County public school students with $3,000 through the county’s Enhancement Foundation. As a not-for-profit local electric cooperative, SECO believes in supporting the communities it serves.

The Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation will use the funds for back-to-school supplies for students and support for essential teacher and staff trainings. The Sumter Foundation partners with the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF) to advance education in Florida. Collectively, the CFEF-aligned Foundations represent 99 percent or 2.8 million K-12 students.

The Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation’s Director Eileen Goodson is thankful for SECO Energy’s support and partnership. Goodson stated, “The Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation and the Sumter School District treasures the partnership we have had with SECO for many years. We offer our sincere gratitude for the support that SECO continues to show our students, staff and schools.”

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO Energy is honored to support Sumter County students through its back-to-school program’s contribution to the Sumter County Schools Enhancement Foundation. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO believes an investment in education is a benefit to all of our members. In Sumter County, we serve over 65,000 homes and businesses. Teachers are an invaluable community asset. They enrich our communities by educating our future leaders and as a benefit to SECO, possibly our future employees.”

Learn more about SECO Energy and its efforts to support education and local communities on our Community page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

CEO Jim Duncan Celebrates 40 Years with SECO Energy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SECO News, April 2019

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

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

TRAVIS TAYLOR – RELAY TECHNICIAN

LENGTH OF SERVICE – 2 YEARS

“SECO is reliable.”

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

RELAY FOR LIFE – JOIN THE SECO ENERGY VIRTUAL TEAM

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

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

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

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

Join SECO Energy and the American Cancer Society today!

CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG

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

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

TREE LINE USA 12 YEARS GROWING

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

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

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

Read the full April 2019 SECO News online.

SECO Energy Awarded Outstanding Large Business

The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce awarded SECO Energy the 2017 Outstanding Large Business of the Year at its Celebrate Sumter Annual Dinner and Awards Gala on January 19, 2018, at the Savannah Center in The Villages.

The Annual Awards Gala celebrates businesses, large and small, in Sumter County. Members of Sumter County’s business community stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and received a greeting from County Commissioner Doug Gilpin. The Honorable Judge Militello took the stage to swear in the Chamber’s 2018 Board Members including SECO’s Hank Bolduc, Key Accounts Consultant. Before dinner began, Sumter County Sheriff, William Farmer, delivered the night’s invocation. The group enjoyed dinner and live entertainment, followed by live and silent auctions.

During the awards presentation, SECO Energy’s Vice President of Corporate Communications and Energy Services Kathryn Gloria accepted the award naming SECO as Sumter County’s Outstanding Large Business of the Year. Gloria stated, “On behalf of SECO Energy’s CEO Jim Duncan and the Board of Trustees, I am honored to accept the award for Outstanding Large Business. Since our founding in 1938, SECO’s roots have been firmly planted in Sumter County which is home to our headquarters and many SECO employees as well. These employees are local residents who come running to restore power and answer the phones during storms. They are often your friends, neighbors and sometimes even your family members. I am delighted to share this honor with the employees of SECO Energy.”

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “It is an honor to be recognized as Sumter County’s Outstanding Large Business of the Year. This accolade is a credit to SECO’s Board of Trustees’ governance, the executive team’s leadership and our employees’ dedication and hard work. Thank you, Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, for this award and for your long-time support of local business and communities.”

The 2017 awardees recognized by the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce include: Dawn Hodges – Outstanding Chamber Volunteer; House of Hope – Outstanding Non-Profit; La Hacienda Catering – Outstanding Small Business; SECO Energy – Outstanding Large Business; Connie Mahan – Business Woman of the Year; and Matt Hatcher – Business Man of the Year.

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

MY ACCOUNT

AMI

MEMBER PERKS

ENERGY SOLUTIONS

SOLAR

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

SAFETY

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

RELIABILITY

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

MEMBER PERKS

YOUR CO-OP

MEMBER PERKS

COMMUNITY

Archive

Surge MitiGator – Win a Generator Reminder!

Scare Away Phantom Load

SECO Energy Employees Donate to Relay For Life

SECO Energy Foundation Reminder

ADVICE FROM THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC

SURGE MITIGATOR HELPS AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

AREA LIGHT OUT?

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

RELAY FOR LIFE – JOIN THE SECO ENERGY VIRTUAL TEAM

CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG

TREE LINE USA 12 YEARS GROWING

NEED HELP? CALL (352) 793 -3801

Search our website

CONNECT WITH US

NEED HELP? CALL (352) 793 -3801

Search our website

CONNECT WITH US