What’s happening at your Co-op?

SECO Annual Meeting is Saturday, March 27
Top prizes include pick-up truck & $1000 cash
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative will conduct its Annual Meeting of the Membership on Saturday morning, March 27, 2010. The meeting will take place on the grounds of the Co-op’s headquarters compound in Sumterville. This year SECO marks its 72nd Anniversary and the theme for the meeting is conservation. Members will be able to see many practical ways that they can reduce their electric bills and save energy at the same time.  “Our annual meeting is attended by many members from all across our service territory and is always a great event,” said SECO CEO Jim Duncan.

At this year’s Saturday morning meeting those attending will be treated to refreshments and entertainment featuring Margo Rochelle & Rodeo Drive. In SECO’s Technology and Conservation Tent, members will see a wide range of displays giving them the knowledge they need to make real inroads into conserving energy. Each registered member receives a free gift and is eligible for the big raffle at the end of the business meeting. Top prizes include a refurbished Dodge Dakota 4x4, club cab pick-up truck, one $1,000 and three $500 cash awards. There is also a host of other major prizes that will be given away during the drawing.

Registration for the event begins at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning and continues until the business meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.
“The annual meeting is one of the things that distinguish electric cooperatives from other types of utilities. Aside from having a lot of fun and learning more about their Co-op, members get to interact one-on-one with the employees who work on their behalf all through the year,” concluded Duncan.

SECO is a member-owned, not-for-profit utility serving 170,000 members and their families in parts of Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter, Pasco, Hernando, and Levy counties. Printable PDF

February 26, 2010
SECO Scholarship Application Deadline is March 26
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative today reminded area high school seniors that the deadline for submitting applications for SECO Scholarships is March 26, 2010.
This year, SECO will award up to twelve $2,500 scholarships to deserving seniors from throughout its service territory. Applications are available at area high school guidance offices and at any of SECO’s customer service centers in Marion, Lake, Citrus, and Sumter counties.
To qualify, graduates must reside in a home being served by SECO and be enrolled in an accredited college, university, or vocational/technical school by the end of 2010.
All applicants will be evaluated by an independent panel of educators from around the SECO service territory, and winners will be selected based on past and present activities in school and the community, financial need, and scholastic record. Printable PDF

January 12, 2010
SECO members grade their Co-op
Sumterville, FL – SECO members recently got to voice their opinions on their Co-op’s performance during 2009. A comprehensive customer satisfaction telephone survey was conducted in late November and December and the results have now been tabulated. The bottom line is that the members gave the Co-op a great report card. The survey, conducted annually on behalf of SECO by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, lets SECO officials know what is on their member/consumers’ minds and how well they think their utility is being run.

Barry Bowman, SECO Director of Corporate Communications, said, “A statistically valid sample of members in Marion, Lake, Citrus and Sumter counties were surveyed. Overall, members continue to think very highly of their cooperative with a mean overall satisfaction rating of 8.92 on a 10-point scale with seven in ten members giving ratings of 9 or 10.”

Bowman noted that the co-op scored very highly on having courteous and friendly employees, having accurate and understandable bills, supporting the local community, being environmentally sensitive, minimizing longer outages and restoring power quickly after an outage, keeping members informed, and delivering good value for the money to name a few of the categories. Another measurement which was contained within the survey was a series of questions that compare SECO to other types of companies who seek to rate themselves on the nationally recognized American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

“Again,” said Bowman, “SECO’s ACSI score of 85 was one of the highest in the industry and ranked higher than the average for the nation’s Touchstone Energy co-ops, the ranked investor-owned electric utilities in Florida, and was 11 points above the electric industry average of 72. We also scored higher than PepsiCo, Target Corporation, Nike, Verizon, DirecTV and others who are not in the electric industry.”

“We appreciate the input of our members. Their thoughts help us stay on top of what is important to them. For our part, we pledge to continue to provide them with the most reliable and lowest cost electricity possible while not losing sight of the high premium our members place on customer service,” he concluded. Printable PDF

January 5, 2010
SECO announces 2010 Scholarship Program
Seniors from Marion, Citrus, Lake, Sumter, Pasco, Levy & Hernando Counties Eligible
Sumterville, FL – Up to twelve deserving high school seniors from Sumter Electric Cooperative’s service territory will receive assistance from the Co-op this year to go on to college or a technical school following high school. The SECO Board of Trustees recently voted to continue the Co-op’s popular scholarship program which, over the years, has helped many deserving students attain higher learning when that might have been more difficult otherwise. The students chosen to receive SECO Scholarships in 2010 will each be the beneficiaries of a $2,500 grant to assist them in their pursuit of higher education.

SECO Director of Corporate Communications Barry Bowman said, “The selection of those students who will receive scholarships will be based on each individual’s past and present activities in school and the community, financial need and scholastic record. All applicants will be evaluated by an independent panel of educators from around the SECO service territory.”

He noted that to qualify, graduates must reside in a home being served by SECO and be enrolled in an accredited college, university or vocational/technical school by the end of 2010. Applications are now available at area high school guidance offices and at any of SECO’s customer service centers in Marion, Lake, Citrus, and Sumter counties. They must be returned to SECO no later than March 26, 2010.

“The SECO scholarship program reaffirms the Co-op’s commitment to the future of our young people, and while the program has no impact on the cost of electricity, it is a significant benefit for those awardees struggling to fund their higher education,” concluded Bowman.

SECO officials pointed out that other scholarship resources can be found on the Internet including the following sites: findtuition.com; syf.org; careersandcolleges.com; freecollegescholarships.net; etc. Printable PDF

January 4, 2010
SECO implements its cold weather plan
Tavares, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) implemented its cold weather plan early this morning due to the very low temperatures in its service territory. According to SECO Director of Corporate Communications, Barry Bowman, “Any time temperatures are projected to hit 29 degrees or lower our plan for addressing the cold weather is automatically implemented as a precautionary measure. No serious issues have impacted SECO’s electric system thus far. However, we have increased staffing levels should a problem occur.”

Bowman urged anyone using space heaters as supplemental heat sources to be very careful. He said that heaters should be kept well away from flammables, as well as pets and children. If an electric space heater is being used and the power does go off unexpectedly, it is advisable to turn the heater off to prevent it coming on when the homeowner is not present. That also helps reduce a surge in the power load demand across the SECO system when power is restored.

SECO serves approximately 170,000 member/customers in Citrus, Marion, Lake, Sumter, Pasco, Levy and Hernando counties. Printable PDF

December 15, 2009
SECO gives Lake County Schools $5,629
Tavares, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative presented Lake County Public Schools with a capital credits check in the amount of $5,629.71 this month. SECO traditionally shares its excess margins with its customers each year around this time. The check represents Lake Public Schools’ share of capital credits distributed to all eligible SECO customers. (Pictured from left) Pete Miles, Energy Administration Manager of Lake County; Hank Bolduc, SECO Key Accounts Consultant; Rosanne Brandeburg, Board Member District 2; Dr. Susan Moxley, Superintendent of Lake County Schools, Cindy Barrow, Board Member District 3; Debbie Stivender, Board Member District 4; Kyleen Fischer, Board Member District 5; Larry Metz, Board Member District 1. Sharing of excess margins through capital credits is a program unique to not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Printable PDF

December 10, 2009
SECO gives Citrus County Schools $1,627
Inverness, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative presented Citrus County Public Schools with a capital credits check in the amount of $1,627 this month. SECO traditionally shares its excess margins with its customers each year around this time.

The check represents Citrus Public Schools’ share of capital credits distributed to all eligible SECO customers. (Pictured from right) SECO Key Accounts Consultant Brian Gibbs presents the check to Citrus County Schools Superintendent Sandra “Sam” Kimmel. Sharing of excess margins through capital credits is a program unique to not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Printable PDF

December 10, 2009
SECO gives Sumter County Schools $2,158
Bushnell, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative presented Sumter County Public Schools with a capital credits check in the amount of $2,158 this month. SECO traditionally shares its excess margins with its customers each year around this time.

The check represents Sumter Public Schools’ share of capital credits distributed to all eligible SECO customers. (Pictured from left) SECO Key Accounts Consultant Brian Gibbs presents the check to Citrus County Schools Superintendent Rick Shirley.

Sharing of excess margins through capital credits is a program unique to not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Printable PDF

December 10, 2009
SECO gives Marion County Schools $7,911
Ocala, FL – Sumter Electric Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) presented Marion County Public Schools with a capital credits check in the amount of $7,911 this month. SECO traditionally shares its excess margins with its customers each year around this time.

The check represents Marion Public Schools’ shareof capital credits distributed to all eligible SECO customers. (Pictured from left) SECO Key Accounts Consultant Brian Gibbs presents the check to Marion County Schools Superintendent Jim Yancey. Mr. Yancey indicated the check was most welcome and would be put to good use. Printable PDF

December 8, 2009
SECO Installs Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) has taken steps to help insure that its employees, member/customers, vendors and guests are protected from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) when at SECO facilities. The Co-op has installed a total of 52 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) made by Cardiac Science of Bothwell, Washington in SECO facilities throughout its service territory.

SECO CEO, Jim Duncan, said, “According to the American Heart Association, 50 percent of the 1,000 North Americans who die from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) every day have no prior knowledge that they had heart disease. And according to the Occupational Health & Safety Administration, 13 percent of all workplace fatalities result from sudden cardiac arrest. With our new AEDs, we’re sending a clear message to our community: We care about your heart safety and we’re doing something about it.”

The only definitive treatment for SCA is a defibrillation shock — an electrical pulse through the heart — to restore a normal heart rhythm. The chance of an SCA victim's survival decreases by seven to ten percent for every minute that passes. Therefore, defibrillation must be administered within the first few minutes of SCA in order to be effective.

Dave Marver, president and chief executive officer of Cardiac Science reiterated, “A shock from a readily accessible defibrillator is just about the only way to save an SCA victim. The Cardiac Science AED is really easy to use because it includes easy-to-follow voice instructions to guide rescuers through the process. We hope others are inspired to follow SECO’s lead by protecting people wherever they work, play, or pray.”

SECO Director of Communications, Barry Bowman, said, “All of our employees have been trained in the use of these new AEDs and the devices have been placed at strategic locations in all of our buildings for ready use. I know our older customers, in particular, will feel comforted by this initiative because regardless of which office they are visiting there is effective help close at hand should they suffer sudden cardiac arrest.”

The American Heart Association and National Center for Health Statistics note that with earlier defibrillation, 40,000 more lives could be saved each year. For more info on the Cardiac Science AEDs contact www.cardiacscience.com. Printable PDF

November 13, 2009
SECO members to be surveyed
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) has announced that many of its member/customers will be surveyed by telephone later this month and in early December. SECO Director of Corporate Communications, Barry Bowman, said that the electric cooperative does this annual survey to get opinions on how co-op members feel their utility is doing with regard to such things as service reliability and customer service. Bowman said, “Generally speaking, SECO gets very high marks from the members during these surveys. In fact, a series of questions in the survey allows our co-op to be ranked against all other types of electric utilities in the nation on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Since beginning to use the ACSI to make this comparison, SECO’s scores from member/customers on satisfaction are amongst the highest of any utility in the country.”

“We are a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative. That means our focus is on delivering the most reliable, lowest cost electricity possible and best customer service we can to our members. We hope the members will take the time to answer the survey being conducted by NRECA Market Research Services on our behalf,” he said. Bowman concluded by noting that the survey process is one of the numerous ways that SECO stays in close touch with its overall membership. He stated that, in a co-op, member thoughts and opinions are important and help guide co-op operations. Printable PDF

October 19, 2009
SECO members receive $1.4 million in Capital Credits
Sumterville, FL – One of the great benefits of being a member/customer of a not-for-profit cooperative like SECO Energy is that co-op customers get to share in any excess margins the business might have at the end of each year. That sharing comes in the form of capital credits and these credits are applied to customer electric statements in November.

While SECO faces many of the same economic challenges our members face, the Co-op does remain in stable financial condition. That being the case, the Board of Trustees has determined that SECO members will get $1.4 million in capital credits returned to them in November.

Over the last fourteen years SECO has given back $16 million to its customers in Lake, Marion, Sumter, Citrus, Pasco, Levy, and Hernando counties.
Capital credits are the accumulation of all prior year’s revenue after the co-op’s expenses have been paid. These credits are applied on a pro-rata basis to each SECO member’s account and represent a portion of the total monies paid to the co-op by each customer.
SECO CEO Jim Duncan said, “Capital credits are but one example of the many benefits that come from being a member of a democratic electric cooperative. We normally apply these credits to member accounts each November and they seem to enjoy getting this particular credit around the holidays.”

“As a member-owned utility, we continually strive to keep the focus on what is good for our members and the communities in which they live. Being able to share capital credits is unique to the cooperative business model,” he concluded. Printable PDF

October 8, 2009
SECO customer service trailer a hit with members
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) in central Florida has unveiled its latest innovation aimed at helping members control their own energy costs. That innovation is a specially designed trailer for community outreach and it was brought to a popular Walmart shopping center for its public debut. It gave SECO members an opportunity to talk to energy specialists about how to save energy in the home and see a variety of displays related to that.

The response was outstanding. Over 2,000 members eagerly took the opportunity to have a one-on-one interaction with SECO energy specialists and gather a wealth of information on energy savings through free copies of the co-op’s energy management publications. When asked about the energy mini-expo one participant said, “It was very helpful; lots of tips and pointers.” Another member said, “I don’t know of any other utility that would do this for their customers.” Those reactions were universal amongst attendees. SECO Director of Corporate Communications Barry Bowman noted that the mobility of the trailer allows SECO to take its message on the road and right to the people as part of the ongoing effort to help customers save on their energy bills and help conserve resources.

He also pointed out that the mobile unit serves an important second function. “It will allow us to have a mobile assistance center that we can move into an area hit hard by a tornado or hurricane. Working out of the trailer we’ll be able to render on-site help to those who have been severely impacted by a destructive weather event.”

The mobile service center has a drop down stage with built-in sound system. It also features a member area where DVD’s can be viewed and conversations can be held. Over the next year SECO’s customer service trailer will be a common sight throughout the Co-op’s seven county territory. PPrintable PDF

October 6, 2009
SECO employees pledge $56,000 to United Way
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative has completed its 2009-2010 United Way campaign and its community-minded employees have pledged $55,996 to assist those less fortunate in the Co-op’s seven county service territory.

SECO employees choose where their individual donations go and the
breakdown for the current area United Way campaigns is as follows:

“Our employees face many of the same economic challenges that our member/customers are facing. However, despite the current economic climate, they have certainly not abandoned their tradition of commitment to the communities we serve and the people who live within them,” said SECO CEO Jim Duncan.

“I am very proud of them for their support of United Way, but it’s also important to mention that our employees are involved in a wide variety of humanitarian and community causes and events throughout the year. They do so by donating their time, talents and monetary support,” he concluded.

The Co-op also has its own humanitarian programs such as the SECO Angel Fund and the SECO Gatekeeper Program. Both programs have lent support to literally thousands of people who were in need of help. Printable PDF

September 16, 2009
SECO announces new surge Website
SECO has announced a major enhancement to its surge protection program for customers
Sumterville, FL – According to SECO Director of Corporate Communications Barry Bowman, “Thousands of member/customers have joined the co-op’s effort to help them reduce damage in the home from power surges. Now we have enhanced that program by creating a dedicated website where customers can purchase surge protection devices from the comfort of their homes.”

Bowman noted that the new secure website is www.secosurge.info and it can also be accessed from the co-op’s corporate website at www.secoenergy.com. The goal is to give people an easy way to order additional interior surge devices beyond what is provided in the free interior kit members get when enrolled in the program.

He explained that when members join the program they have two options. They can purchase the meter based exterior surge protector for $299 plus tax or they can lease the device for $5.95 per month with a one-time installation charge of $25. Either way, they also get a free assortment of interior surge devices for additional protection for things inside the home like televisions, computers, etc.

Bowman said, “Sometimes people have a need for additional protectors for inside the home. Now they can go to the new website, see a wide variety of products and order them from their easy chair. SECO customers no longer have to go to one of SECO’s offices to pick up any additional items they may need.”

He concluded by saying items can also be ordered by calling 1 (800) 638-3788 and that, whether it is a phone order or an internet order, the products are delivered right to customers’ doorsteps. Printable PDF

September 16, 2009
Seminole adds more biomass to its renewable energy portfolio
Sumterville, FL – We are pleased to announce that SECO’s not-for-profit energy supplier Seminole Electric Cooperative will add an additional 25 megawatts of biomass energy generated from sweet sorghum to its resource portfolio. This comes about as a result of a contract signed with Ft. Lauderdale-based Southeast Renewable Fuels (SRF).

As SECO CEO Jim Duncan pointed out, “Biomass is one of the truly practical renewable fuels we should be developing in Florida and Seminole is to be congratulated on this acquisition. It will have a positive impact on our environment.” Seminole’s chief executive, Tim Woodbury, says the new contract reflects the cooperative’s continued commitment to renewable resources and environmental stewardship. “Biomass is clean, efficient, reliable, and renewable,” Woodbury noted, “and it’s price-competitive with traditional energy sources, an important factor in holding down the retail cost of electricity.”

Southeast’s chief executive, Aaron Pepper, said that SRF has taken a unique approach to Florida policy makers’ calls for development of advanced energy concepts. Instead of relying on unproven technology that hasn’t been scaled to production levels, SRF has modeled the facility after well-established processes successfully deployed in places such as Brazil.

“We are very pleased to be working with Seminole Electric and thankful to the State of Florida, Governor Crist, Commissioner Bronson, and the Florida Energy and Climate Commission for assisting in developing the State’s first commercial Advanced Bio-Refinery,” he added.
The facility is expected to go into commercial service sometime in late 2011. The new contract gives Seminole the option of purchasing the facility’s output through November 30, 2036. The parties did not disclose contract terms.

The new facility is also expected to help Seminole meet forecasted growth in the demand for electricity in Florida. Seminole said it continues to work with its members to slow that growth through energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. One megawatt of energy can meet the energy needs of about 600 average-size homes. In turn, this 25 megawatt biomass plant will meet the needs of approximately 15,000 homes. Printable PDF

July 23, 2009
SECO offers Vid-cast on surge protection
Sumterville, FL – SECO Energy has announced the latest addition to its informational video broadcast library. The new vidcast deals with the topic of surge protection and why it is important in Florida.

SECO Director of Corporate Communications, Barry Bowman, said, “Central Florida is the lightning capital of North America. The new vidcast is designed to let folks know that there are ways to protect the appliances and electronics that they have worked so hard to acquire. Having to replace expensive equipment, especially in this economic climate, is not something the average homeowner wants to be confronted with and surge protection can help.”

Bowman noted that SECO offers its members an exceptionally high quality surge protection program that they can lease or buy. “We began to offer this program as a result of a member survey in which our customers asked for this service specifically,” he said. The vidcast format is an informal conversation between Bowman and SECO’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator John Adams. It is available on SECO’s corporate website www.secoenergy.com and on YouTube.

SECO serves 170,000 customers in parts of Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, Pasco, Levy and Hernando counties. The co-op’s service territory is 2,000 square miles in size and it delivers electricity to its member/customers over 11,350 miles of SECO owned power lines. Printable PDF

June 1, 2009
SECO offers Vid-cast on storm restoration
Sumterville, FL – SECO Energy, today announced that it has a vidcast available on its corporate website www.secoenergy.com that deals with how SECO prepares for storm season and restores power during a severe weather event. Storm season has arrived here in Florida. The SECO vidcast offers a behind-the-scenes look into the comprehensive plan the co-op uses to restore power during an emergency situation. In addition, viewers will learn about resources available to them through SECO that will help them prepare their home and family for heavy weather, report outages, track SECO’s restoration progress at any time during the year and more.

The vidcast format is an informal conversation between SECO Director of Corporate Communications Barry Bowman and SECO Director of Reliability and Operations John LaSelva.

SECO serves 170,000 customers in parts of Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, Pasco, Levy and Hernando counties. The co-op’s service territory is 2,000 square miles in size and it delivers electricity to its member/customers over 11,350 miles of SECO owned power lines. Printable PDF

June 16, 2009
SECO announces new builder outreach
Offers new Home Energy Certification
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative, aka SECO Energy, today announced that it has launched a new effort aimed at helping builders in the region get their homes certified as energy efficient.

SECO Director of Corporate Communications, Barry Bowman, said, “We have had SECO’s energy services specialists trained at the Florida Solar Energy Center to be able to offer builders a very valuable service. Our energy services group has passed the exams necessary to receive their Green Building Rater Certification. Now area builders can have SECO rate their new home construction as truly energy efficient and receive official certification through the Florida Green Building Coalition, Inc. (FGBC).

“That’s a good thing because more energy efficient homes in Florida mean lower utility bills and help conserve energy resources. Not only that, a green certification will give builders an edge in marketing their new construction to potential buyers.”

Bowman noted that SECO’s green team will work hand-in-hand with builders as construction progresses to ensure their building practices are meeting the standards for certification.

He said SECO will use the recommended tiered rating system where scoring is awarded at different levels according to points achieved over the minimum point threshold. Builders can achieve a bronze, silver, gold or platinum level certification.

“We are going to look at a wide variety of categories including energy and water use, site prep, construction materials and more. Each item evaluated has a point value associated with it. The more points achieved, the higher the rating. In addition to their official certification through FGBC, builders participating in the program will also receive a special certificate from SECO documenting their home ratings, which can be used for marketing purposes,” Bowman concluded.

Area builders interested in finding out more about green building certifications are invited to call SECO at 352-793-3801, extension 1202. Printable PDF

May 21, 2009
SECO 2009 scholarship winners
Sumterville, FL – Twelve graduating seniors from Sumter Electric Co-op’s service territory were each awarded $2,500.00 scholarships at a special recognition ceremony at SECO’s headquarters building in Sumterville on May 18th, 2009.

Standing from left to right: Skye Pepe (Citrus High School), Jordan Lewis (Williston High School), Nezla Jans (West Port High School), Elizabeth Wall (South Sumter High School), Katherine Fischer (The Villages High School), Cristina Tremante (Citrus High School), SECO CEO James Duncan, Julie Earles (South Sumter High School), Alison Brooks (South Sumter High School), Wendy Roth (Lake Weir High School), Lydia Greiner (Citrus High School), Christopher Boogar (Tavares High School), and Wren Murphy (Deland High School) was not available for the photo. Printable PDF

April 24, 2009
SECO announces $2,500 scholarship winners
Sumterville, FL – Jim Duncan, CEO of Sumter Electric Cooperative, today announced that 12 graduating seniors from SECO’s service territory have each won $2,500 scholarships from the Cooperative. According to Duncan, SECO’s scholarship program began in 1996 when the SECO Board of Trustees first approved it. Since then, including this year’s winners, SECO has awarded 172 scholarships to deserving high school seniors.

Duncan said, “With today’s high cost of a college education, every dollar that can be dedicated to the pursuit of higher education is important. At SECO we’re very proud of the young people in our service territory and we hope that, following college, some of them will bring their new found skills and knowledge back to our area. We wish our scholars well as they pursue their academic endeavors.” This year a record 176 qualified applicants were evaluated based on their scholastic achievements, school and community service activities, and financial need.

The 12 SECO Scholars for 2009 are:

These outstanding seniors were selected by SECO’s Scholarship Committee of independent educators from the application materials submitted by each student. The Committee members come from the Sumter, Lake, Marion, and Citrus county school systems. Scholarship recipients and their families will be honored at a special reception at SECO’s headquarters building in Sumterville at 3:30 p.m. on May 18, 2009.

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SECO's Jim Duncan warns of Carbon Tax
Addresses Sumter Chamber of Commerce
Wildwood, FL – SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan today brought members of the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce up to speed with regard to energy policy being formulated at the federal level that could have a crushing effect on consumers of electricity and other goods.

As he did in his keynote address before 3,500 people at SECO’s annual meeting on March 28, he told the business leaders that comprise the Sumter Chamber that he believes the nation is “on a collision course that will result in rapidly escalating electric rates and diminishing electric system reliability.”

In his speech before the Chamber he said, “The driving forces on this collision course are man-made climate-change proponents and a government that sees climate-change legislation as a huge revenue opportunity – a/k/a taxes.”

According to Duncan, the most onerous of these federal proposals relates to what is being called “cap and trade”, but what is, in actuality, a carbon tax. Under a cap and trade system such as is being proposed by the President and many in Congress, Duncan says consumers of electricity in Florida will likely see a $50 increase in their monthly electric bill which means $600 more per year. He also noted that the $50 projection is a conservative estimate. It could be much higher.

He pointed out that even President Obama recently acknowledged that a cap and trade program would indeed cause American consumers to see enormous increases in their electric bills.

“Cap and trade,” said Duncan, “simply seeks to charge any manufacturer or any producer of electricity fees for the amount of CO2 emitted. It does not help the environment one iota as it does nothing to limit CO2 emissions. It is simply a revenue generator for the federal government to spend as it sees fit. In the end, the astronomical cost of cap and trade will be borne by the consumer.”

SECO’s CEO urged attendees to become more engaged with their legislators and to demand answers to questions about the affordability of what Congress is proposing. He noted that people can ask those questions by going to www.ourfloridaenergy.com or going to SECO’s website www.secoenergy.com and clicking on the Our Energy, Our Future icon. (printable PDF)

Arbor Day Foundation honors SECO Energy
Sumterville, FL For the second year in a row, the national Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) as earning the Tree Line USA designation from the foundation. In order to receive the Tree Line USA designation utilities must meet three requirements: they must have a proven program of quality tree care, they must conduct annual training of employees in quality tree care practices, and they must have a tree planting and public education program. The Arbor Day Foundation sponsors the Tree Line USA program in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters.

John Rosenow, chief executive of the foundation, noted that trees are extremely beneficial in helping to clean the air and water. They also help conserve water and increase property values. He pointed out that Tree Line USA utilities bring their communities many environmental and economic benefits.

SECO CEO Jim Duncan said, “We are honored to have been designated a Tree Line USA utility. Proper tree care enhances our ability to deliver reliable electric power and insures that more beautiful trees will live on into the future. We are very proud of our tree program here at SECO and it is yet another example of this co-op’s concern for our environment and the creatures that share it with us.”

For additional data on SECO’s tree program interested persons can go to www.secoenergy.com and go to the drop down menu under the heading “environment” where there is a wealth of information for public consumption. SECO serves 170,000 members and their families in Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter, Levy, Pasco and Hernando counties. Printable PDF

Top five ways to save energy in the home
SECO Experts Say They Will Lower Power Costs
Sumterville, FL – The energy experts at Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) have listed the top five ways people can cut down on energy waste and reduce their electric bills. Based on years of doing home energy audits and research, the following tips are offered that will have a dramatic effect in anyone’s home:

1.  THERMOSTAT SETTINGS

• Thermostat settings, higher in the winter and lower in the summer, are the primary cause of higher electric bills in Florida. The Florida Solar Energy Center has stated that for each degree below 78 degrees F in the summer and above 68 degrees F in the winter, the energy usage is increased by 10 to 12 percent.
• Set the thermostat and leave it. Heat pumps, in particular, will use more energy if the thermostat is raised in increments of more than 3 degrees at a time in the winter because it will activate the back-up heat strips to bring up the temperature quickly.
• Installation of digital programmable thermostats to regulate the temperature will greatly reduce the amount of energy used in the home.
• Thermostat settings should be 78 to 80 degrees F for the A/C in summer and 65 to 68 degrees F for the heat in winter.

2.  HVAC SYSTEM

• The best heating system for Florida is a high-efficiency heat pump. The heat pump will save 65 to 70 percent for heating energy use over electric strip heating systems.
• Heat pumps need to be serviced EVERY YEAR to maintain efficiency. Faulty relays in these systems can bring on both the heat pump and the back-up strip heaters constantly in winter and summer resulting in very high energy use.
• Replacement of older electric strip heating systems with high-efficiency heat pumps will greatly reduce the winter usage. Contact HVAC contractors at the first sign of greatly increased usage.

3.  DUCT LEAKS

• Leaks in the ductwork are amongst the largest energy wasters in most Florida homes, both site built and mobile homes, and leaks are prevalent in most homes over 10 years old.
• Leaks in the return ductwork will pressurize the home and raise the supply temperature as well as introduce higher humidity into the system, cutting the Energy Efficiency Rating by as much as 50 percent.
• Supply system leaks will send conditioned air outside and depressurize the home through the infiltration routes.
• These pressure differences increase both positive or negative air changes in homes and will extend the HVAC running time, causing an average 22 percent increase in energy usage.
• New methods of sealing the duct connections with masking material are not expensive and will greatly reduce leakage and higher energy use.

4.  INTERIOR DOOR CLOSURE

• Most homes in Florida are ranch style, single story, and average 1500 to 2500 square feet of climate controlled space.  Most homes built prior to 1995 have only one air return duct, usually in the main part of the home.
• If internal room doors are closed during HVAC operation, those rooms will be pressurized from the fan force and the main part of the home will be depressurized, creating an imbalance in the system and resulting in longer running time due to air changes (conditioned air forced outside in the pressurized rooms and outside air drawn inside to the depressurized area). This imbalance results in extended HVAC running time and higher energy use. Closing all interior doors can increase the energy usage to condition the home by 35 to 45 percent.
• Opening all interior doors when the HVAC is in use preserves the HVAC balance.

5.  INFILTRATION

• The older a home gets the more the caulking and weatherstripping need attention and maintenance.  Especially in older homes, infiltration areas around doors, windows, and electrical outlets can work in conjunction with pressure changes inside the home to extend HVAC running time and increase energy usage in the home.
• Inspect and maintain caulking and weatherstripping at least yearly.

Want more energy-saving advice? Visit www.secoenergy.com/energy.html for a host of additional tips, on-line energy audits, and more. SECO serves 170,000 accounts in Lake, Marion, Sumter, Citrus, Pasco, Levy, and Hernando counties. Printable PDF

SECO’s Jim Duncan honored as outstanding communicator
CCA cites CEO’s leadership in the communications field
Sumterville – The Cooperative Communicators Association has selected Sumter Electric Cooperative’s CEO Jim Duncan as the recipient of their 2008 CEO Outstanding Communicator Award. The award will be presented at the annual CCA Institute held in Portland, Maine this month. CCA is a national organization of highly trained, professional communicators who work on behalf of many types of cooperative businesses including electric cooperatives. The award selection committee was comprised of representatives from CoBank, Nationwide Insurance, Blue Diamond Growers, Merlo & Company and the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives. According to CCA, “The atmosphere for truly effective communications begins at the top, so it’s appropriate that CCA recognizes those CEOs who support, actively participate in, and provide leadership for communications efforts.”  In accepting the award Duncan said, “I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from as distinguished a group as CCA. Clearly, at SECO communications is highly valued and I consider it essential to our overall operation...” Full Story/Printable PDF

SECO testing hybrid technology
Sumterville, FL – Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) is testing a new plug and go vehicle to ascertain if hybrid vehicles will be practical for SECO’s fleet. “At SECO the environment is important to us,” said SECO CEO Jim Duncan. “In fact, the Co-op has won a number of awards and notoriety for its environmental initiatives. So, it is only natural that we look at how hybrid vehicles might have a significant presence in our fleet.” SECO’s new hybrid is a Toyota Prius with a twist. The standard Prius is not a plug-in vehicle, but SECO’s car has been retrofitted with a plug-in capability. And it employs the latest in lithium-ion battery technology. I believe that in the next five years we’ll see additional strides made in alternative energy type vehicles from many different manufacturers and we’ll be watching those developments closely here at SECO. We have a service territory of 2,000 square miles and 11,000 miles of power lines and other infrastructure. So, if we can gain on fuel mileage with some of our vehicles while we are serving our members, it will benefit everyone,” Duncan said... Full Story/Printable PDF

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Page last updated: Friday, March 5, 2010