Underground Power

Happy Halloween

2010-10-20T15:14:00.002-05:00

We hosted an all-employee training day on Wednesday, Oct. 20, and slipped this video into the program without getting caught. Always good to get a few laughs, especially when the CEO and all the co-op's vice presidents are the source of the humor. Enjoy!

Cast

Mad Scientist - Grady Smith, CEO
Frankenstein - Jerry Weathersby, VP of Finance
Wolf Woman - Melissa Cartee, VP of Member Services
Vampire - Kyle Baggett, VP of Engineering and Operations
Ghostly woman - Gail Neal, VP of Human Resources

The Annual Meeting Speech

2010-10-11T14:33:00.002-05:00

Been way too long since we took the the ol' Cullman EC blog out of the garage for a spin around the block. That's good news — sort of — since we created the blog and our other social media outlets to help spread information during power outages. I'm not sure if we've seen more than a passing rain shower in the past 10-12 weeks.

One of the few days where the skies were cloudy and we saw a few sprinkles was on Sept. 25, when the co-op hosted its 74th annual meeting.

We thought this would be a good place to post a transcript of the speech given by Cullman EC CEO Grady Smith. One of the key parts of his talk was addressing the rate increase to the facilities charge (also called the customer charge) that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2010.

* * * * * * * *

Good morning! Welcome to the 74th annual meeting of Cullman Electric Cooperative. I’m so glad you decided to join us today. This business meeting and the election of three trustees is an example of Democratic Member Control — one of the Seven Cooperative Principles upon which all co-op’s are founded. Education and Information is another co-op principle. I hope over the next few minutes to provide some of both for you.

The co-op annual meeting is like an anniversary party. Today, as we look back on our 74th year of business, we also kick off the celebration of our 75th year of service to you, our members.

After months of knocking on doors to get their neighbors to sign up and pay a $5 membership fee, on May 25, 1936, Cullman Electric Cooperative was formed, becoming the second electric co-op in Alabama.

On August 4, 1936, power lines were energized in the Simcoe area and Cullman Electric became the “first” co-op in the state to provide electricity to its members.

Since that summer day in August 1936 when Cullman EC energized 30 miles of power lines to serve 350 members, your co-op has continued to grow.

Today, Cullman Electric has more than 42,000 members and more than 3,400 miles of power lines across parts of 4 counties covering approximately 1,300 square miles…an area about the size of Rhode Island.

While your co-op’s financial condition is very stable, we find it necessary to have a modest increase starting in October. This increase will generate an additional 2.38 percent in total revenue.

The Cullman Electric Board of Trustees decided the most equitable way to achieve this revenue increase in each rate class would be to increase the monthly “facilities charge.” For residential members, this means a $3 increase on your monthly bill.

As a general rule, a not-for-profit electric cooperative like your co-op should generate margins of 1% to 2% from the operations of the electric system. Those margins are then reinvested into the co-op in many ways such as purchasing new poles, wire, and transformers, along with funding system improvement projects and new technology.

Last year, primarily due to the rising cost of electricity purchased from TVA, that margin was only three-tenths of one percent.

Because of this small amount, it was obvious additional revenue would be necessary to maintain the cooperative’s financial stability.

Your Board of Trustees wanted to make sure this increase was applied equitably across all rate classes.

For as long as electric companies have existed, the bottom line, or margins, has been extremely dependant on the “sale” of electricity. The more kilowatt hours sold, the greater the margins. For decades, electric companies encouraged customers to use as much electricity as they wanted because it was both plentiful and relatively cheap. As we all know, times have changed.

Today, although the price of electricity is going up, it is still a pretty good deal when compared to other items we use everyday.

As a result of the growing concern over environmental issues, especially those related to coal-burning power plants, many conservation programs have been put in place.

TVA recently announced that all or parts of 11 coal-fired plants will be shut down over the next few years. The good news is they are also studying their options to expand their nuclear generation facilities.

Today, electric companies across the entire country are encouraging customers to use LESS electricity. While that is in everyone’s best interest, it doesn’t make good business sense if your financial stability is based primarily on energy sales.

That’s why the Board voted to increase the “customer” or “facility” charge and begin the process of switching the co-op’s financial stability to a stable or fixed revenue source and away from kilowatt hour sales that can fluctuate significantly with the weather or changes in the price of coal.

When we talk about the “customer” or “facilities” charge we often use what we refer to as the “car in the driveway” example.

For anyone to have a working vehicle in the driveway ready to drive, there are certain “fixed costs” — These fixed cost can include monthly payments, tag and taxes, gas in the tank, oil in the engine, inflated tires, and a charged battery — These are cost you incur just to have a working vehicle available whether you use it or not. Think of this “fixed cost” as your “facilities” charge.

To have electricity at your home or business, there are also “fixed costs” — poles, wires, transformers and other equipment, along with routine maintenance such as trimming trees — all necessary to make it possible for you to use electricity when you flip the switch.

In our car example, if you actually drive the car, you have the added cost of gasoline and other operating cost. Some people drive their car to work and back everyday while others use their car as part of their work and drive great distances. And then, there are other folks that hardly ever use their car, so the car doesn’t use much gas at all. The more the car is used, the more gas you consume, thus the more it costs you to operate your vehicle.

The same relationship applies to electricity. The more you “use”, the more it cost. The “fixed cost” of having a vehicle available is separate from the “operating cost” of driving your car.

Raising the facilities charge instead of increasing the kWh charge is a step toward separating the “fixed cost” of having electric service available from the cost for the electricity you actually use.

Over 80% of your co-op’s 42,000 accounts are residential accounts. Some of these accounts are full-time residences while others are part-time or seasonal residences.

By increasing the customer or facilities charge every account will be affected equally without regard to how much electricity is used. To do otherwise would result in those accounts using more electricity to bear a larger portion of the increase.

While implementing an increase is never a popular thing to do, we can still take pride that the rates we pay are lower than rates paid by many of our neighbors here in Alabama and in the southeast.

A story earlier this month in The Birmingham News shared the rates charged by 21 utilities across the southeast. As you can see on this chart, Cullman Electric’s rate is better than some of the biggest energy companies in the country.

That’s an impressive accomplishment when you realize we have an average of only 12 meters per mile compared to our neighboring investor-owned utilities that have higher rates and 35 to 40 meters per mile paying their bills.

That is a direct result of the cooperative not-for-profit business model working as it was intended.

Instead of having a profit motive to make money for investors or stockholders, we’re focused on serving you, the member-owners of Cullman Electric Cooperative. As you have heard me say before, “Our focus is on Main Street, not Wall Street.”

We’ve also worked very hard to make sure the co-op’s operating costs remain as low as possible. The “blue line” on this chart shows how the average cost for a single kilowatt hour has gone up since 2001.

The co-op’s operating costs for that same period is shown in “red.” As you can see the cost to operate your cooperative has remained virtually flat.

During the past year, Cullman EC has completed or started work on several projects aimed at providing you better service, and to help you save money by having more control over how much electricity you use.

Cullman EC has started using the services of ProCore, a customer service call center near Atlanta, Georgia. The phone operators at ProCore help answer calls when the phones are extremely busy so members can be helped faster.

You may have already heard something about the prepay program we are currently testing. The Prepay program will give members the option to pay-as-you-go each month — sort of like putting a few dollars of gas in your car each week — Also, the prepay program does not require a security deposit to be paid.

For a lot of folks the option to purchase some electricity each week might be much easier than coming up with one large payment at the end of the month.

Those who sign up for the prepay option will be able to set up automatic notifications to inform them when they have only a few days of electricity left in their account.

Members in the prepay program will be able to call in anytime 24/7 and buy some electricity before their tank runs dry.

Also, in the near future, co-op members will have the ability to monitor their electricity usage on the internet at www.myusage.com. This website will be available for “free” to all co-op members. The information will show how much electricity you use each day, and what time of day you use the most so you can figure out what activities are costing you the most.

The utility industry is moving to where you the end-user will be more in control of and able to manage your energy usage more than ever before.

I hope each of you have and use one of the Co-op Connections discount cards. There are now more than 120 “local” businesses participating in this program along with hundreds of discounts available at “national retail” stores.

The card also offers a pharmacy discount available at most local pharmacies. This year, our members have used the card on more than 2,200 prescriptions with savings of more than $30,000.

These are challenging yet exciting times for the electric cooperative industry. As we work to find the best solutions, be assured that our focus remains on achieving our goal of providing you the member-owners of Cullman Electric Cooperative safe and reliable electric service at the lowest possible price.

Thank you for being here today. Thank you for listening. I hope to see you back here next year as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of your cooperative.

This is why we tell people to stay away from power lines...

2010-06-15T08:04:00.002-05:00

Here's a story out of the Charleston (WVa) Daily Mail that paints a not-so-pretty picture of what can happen when people starting messing with power lines.

Usually when we talk about safety related to power lines, we focus on keeping children away while they are playing, or making sure you know what to do if you come around power lines down on the ground.

In this story, the unlucky fellow was not only a victim of his own stupidity but suffered the most severe punishment for a criminal act.: Deputies say a Logan County man was electrocuted after he tried to take grounding cable from a utility pole.

Losing your life for a few dollars of copper wire doesn't seem like a fair trade.

Memorial Day weekend, Primary Tuesday and a whole lot more (coming soon)

2010-05-28T14:30:00.003-05:00

It has been a while since the blog was updated, and we apologize. Special projects and conferences have filled the calendar in recent weeks. When we get back to work on Tuesday, June 1, get ready for a steady update on lots of issues via the blog, Twitter and Cullman EC's facebook page.

Before you head off to start your holiday weekend celebration, out CEO, Grady Smith, shared this important message with all employees this afternoon that is important for all of us to remember...

Both the Democrat and Republican Primaries will be held on Tuesday June 1. More important than your political persuasion is your participation in the political process.

Many of our fellow citizens, past and present, have fought so we can continue to live in a country where we have the freedom to get out and vote. Monday is Memorial Day. It is a day where we honor the service of those gave it all to preserve the freedoms we continue to enjoy. One way to honor those that made the supreme sacrifice is to get out and vote on Tuesday.

To learn more about the candidates running in Tuesday's election go to www.alabamavotes.gov. You can print a sample ballot for each party primary in each Alabama county.

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day.

Grady Smith

First big storm system of the spring coming Saturday

2010-04-23T15:27:00.002-05:00

The National Weather Service is predicting a stormy day for the southeastern U.S. on Saturday, and particularly for North Alabama. This was part of the Tennessee Valley Authority weather advisory that was sent to co-ops Friday morning:

"A significant outbreak of tornadoes is possible Saturday and Saturday night across the service territory along the I 65 corridor eastward to the Appalachians. Another update with more specifics on Saturday will be issued this afternoon."

The updated advisory on Friday afternoon hasn't changed, indicating the storm system on Saturday will be capable of producing a widespread outbreak of tornadoes with potential strong to violent long track storms.

If we should experience storm damage and power outages, here are a few reminders:

1. To report an outage, call 256.737.3201 or 1.800.242.1806. If you follow the instructions, your outage will be automatically recorded and reported to our dispatch center.

2. If you have a weather radio, make sure it is turned on throughout the day and have batteries ready.

3. Flashlight & batteries

4. Be sure you have a storm emergency plan for your family.

We will keep you updated throughout the day via Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to follow us on either one or both if you are not doing so already.

Nuclear energy will have to play a major part in meeting our future energy needs

2010-04-20T11:54:00.002-05:00

Ran across a good guest column in the Seattle Times, discussing the energy future of our country and the role nuclear power will have to play.

Visit The Seattle Times website to read the whole column, but the following excerpt has several highlighted portions that stood out:

"Those who haven't been monitoring the industry's progress since a partial meltdown at Three Mile Island in 1979 might think all of the attention is unwarranted. But a lot has changed since then. Importantly, there hasn't been a single serious safety lapse, thanks to improved safety measures and regulations.

"Meanwhile, our nation's energy demand has soared, and it's projected to surge another 23 percent by 2030. Nuclear energy is in a prime position to deliver that payload — and in an environmentally responsible way.

"As Obama is fully aware, nuclear energy quietly powers one out of every five U.S. homes and businesses. But because nuclear plants produce virtually no carbon emissions, they contribute a disproportionate amount of our emissions-free electricity — nearly 75 percent. No other electricity source comes even close.

"Some of the industry's critics maintain that every dollar spent on nuclear energy is a dollar taken away from truly renewable sources such as solar or wind. The problem with these "either-or" comparisons is that even under the rosiest of scenarios for our future electricity supplies, our country is going to need "all of the above" when it comes to meeting our surging energy demand.

"In fact, a recent Energy Information Administration analysis concluded that the nation will need to double its reliance on nuclear energy by 2030 to keep consumer costs down and meet the emissions goals established in the House's Waxman-Markey climate bill."

Speaking of Energy Star...

2010-04-16T12:29:00.002-05:00

Some people might have heard the story recently about Energy Star taking one on the chin after an undercover investigation found that a bunch of bogus products and companies were able to receive Energy Star status or certification.

Ouch.

The reason the report really stings is that Energy Star has worked very hard over the past several decades to earn the brand recognition as the premiere stamp-of-approval for energy efficiency. Energy Star products usually cost a little more, but consumers make up that difference in the money they save on their electric bill (and for some people, it also comes with the warm, fuzzy feeling of helping conserve natural resources and save the environment). No matter what the reason, Energy Star's credibility took a major hit. No point in spending extra on that fancy energy-efficient refrigerator if it's not really saving me any money each month, is there?

So, changes have been made to ensure this type of silly business doesn't happen again in the future.

Here is the official Energy Star press release for your reading pleasure.

A great weekend for window shopping

2010-04-16T12:12:00.002-05:00

If you have been seriously considering a major home appliance purchase (clothes washer, refrigerator, dish washer, freezer, room air conditioner), now is the time to get serious.

If you have ever thought about upgrading from your old appliances to newer, energy efficient models, now might be the right time.

Starting Monday, April 19, The State of Alabama will implement a mail-in rebate program to help residents replace older, inefficient appliances with ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. The program is scheduled to begin April 19, 2010 and will run for three weeks. If funds remain after this initial program, the state may hold a second rebate period in October 2010 during Energy Awareness Month.

The state has $4.4 million in rebate money available. When it's gone, it's gone. The money is part of the federal stimulus package. Some states have already started their appliance rebate program, and Alabama is about jump on board.

Here are the general guidelines and rebates available:

Air Conditioners (Room) — $25
Clothes Washers — $100
Dishwashers — $75
Freezers — $50
Refrigerators — $150

Of course, the appliances have to be ENERGY STAR® qualified to get the rebate

So, spend some time this weekend checking out what's on the market, and head back to the stores on Monday once the rebate program has started.

Here is a link to the official web site.

House fire a painful reminder of space heater dangers

2010-02-17T08:19:00.004-06:00

Most people in Cullman County have, by now, heard news of the house fire this past weekend in which four area residents died.

Reports have come out saying that officials believe the blaze was started by a space heater in a bedroom that was too close to a bed.

Use Your Space Heater Safely

Many people turn to space heaters—both electric models and those powered by kerosene or even wood— as a convenient source of warmth in winter months. However, space heaters can be dangerous if not used properly.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that more than 25,000 residential fires every year are associated with space heaters. More than 300 people die in these fires. In addition, an estimated 6,000 people annually receive hospital emergency care for burn injuries connected with space heaters.

Space heater hazards stem not just from fires caused by contact with or close proximity to heating elements. They also include fires started by flammable fuels used in the heaters; defective wiring in the appliance; and carbon monoxide poisoning caused by improper venting or an incomplete combustion of fuels.

Here are some tips for using your electric space heater safely:

• Keep the heater at least 3 feet from flammable items such as curtains, furniture, or bedspreads.

• Select a space heater with a guard around the heating element.

• When buying a heater, choose one that has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing institution such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

• Buy a heater that can handle the area that you want to heat.

• Read and follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions.

• Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

• Never leave a space heater unattended.

• Never go to sleep with a space heater on.

• Never use or store flammable liquids near a space heater.

• Do not use a heater in a bathroom–it’s a high-moisture area that could cause damage.

• Keep heaters away from water to prevent electrocution.

• Do not use an extension cord with a space heater.

• Do not use the heater to dry clothes.

• Be sure the heater’s plug fits snugly in an outlet. The cord and plug may feel warm when operating since the unit draws so much power, but they should not feel hot. If they do, unplug the heater and have a qualified repair person check for problems.

• Do not attempt to repair a broken heater yourself. It should be checked and repaired by a qualified appliance service center.

For additional safety tips on using space heaters that use wood or kerosene, visit the CPSC’s Web site.

The power of a positive attitude

2010-01-26T16:03:00.003-06:00

Stumbled across this story today, and thought it would be a good one to share. Always good to remember that even when we don't have electricity and all of the modern conveniences it supplies, life does go on...

Here's the link, or read the story below:

The power of a power outage
How one mom turned a simple power outage into a time to reconnect as a family
By Julie Friedman

Having lived in our mountain-top home for 16 years, weathering many storms (evacuated twice due to fires and trapped by road closures), I'm used to the unpredictability of natural disasters. Then torrential rains and lightening on Jan. 21 snapped a power line over our pepper trees. With a flick of the switch (so to speak) the next eight hours was a gift from the heavens.

What a novel experience to be without the tools of modern life -- no phone, television, computer or washer and dryer. Before the daylight dwindled, I caught up on my photo albums, organized my dresser drawers, cleared my desk and relaxed by reading the newspaper.

But the true gift came later in the day after picking up my twin boys from school. We bought pizza, came home, lit candles and ate dinner. With ringside seats by the kitchen window, we watched in amazement as electrical crews worked in the dark, rainy night -- the sounds of thunder providing a musical background.

Many times have I seen these tireless workers ascend to great heights to replace power lines. This time however, with the running commentary of my 12-year-old twins it was fueled with excitement.

My husband and I quizzed our boys on their spelling words, lingering longer than usual in making up sentences for each word. One of my boys even serenaded the electrical workers with his accordion, practicing in the dark by the window where they were outside working. Abandoning the usual nighttime routine of watching television, my husband and I sat with the boys as they got into bed and told stories instead.

Families (ours included) tend to waste hard-earned money on movies, events and other outings, when just being together without an activity can be equally satisfying. The days of families gathering around listening to the radio offered homespun fun. This power outage offered an interlude that harkens back to those days. It gave me a moment to reconnect with family in ways lost due to the gadgets and gizmos that occupy our time and minds.

As if it was all synchronized, the power came on right as it was "lights-off" time for my boys. And what could have been just another uneventful school night turned into a true family adventure that will add to our collection of memories for years to come.

Copyright © 2010, Tribune Interactive

In case you didn't know, Alabama has a football game Thursday night

2010-01-06T16:06:00.002-06:00

We've had a few people ask "what is the co-op doing to prepare for the weather (ultra cold temperatures and snow) predicted for Thursday?"

What they are really trying to say is "what is the co-op doing to make sure the power doesn't go out while I'm watching Alabama play Texas in the BCS national championship game?"

Well, there is good news and bad news.

The good news — most weather forecasts we've been following are calling for anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow. That's not a problem. Snow by itself really poses no major threat to the power distribution system (power lines). If all we get is a few inches of snow, then people should be able to go outside after the game and celebrate Alabama's victory by making snow angels in the front yard.

The bad news — the well-below-freezing temperatures pose a potential threat. When it gets Minnesota cold in Alabama, everyone tends to crank up the heater and/or plug in space heaters. When everyone is using more electricity than they normally would, that could cause circuits to overload, and that could result in a power outage.

Cullman EC's construction and engineering staff monitor our electrical system throughout the year in an effort to prevent just these type of problems. But sometimes Mother Nature takes over and there is nothing we can do except deal with the consequences as quickly — and safely — as possible.

So, to answer the question: Yes, we are prepared for the cold weather. We've done everything we can to make sure you can watch the big game while staying warm inside your home. And if Mother Nature causes problems, you can be assured Cullman EC's linemen will be working to fix the problems ASAP.

You think it's cold outside right now...

2010-01-05T14:10:00.002-06:00

Just wait. The National Weather Service is calling for a high temperature of 29 on Friday and 25 degrees on Saturday after a cold front moves through on Thursday.

(On a personal note, I would like to state my objection to Mother Nature. There is a reason many of us choose to live in the South, and part of it includes our dislike of bitterly cold weather. We do not appreciate this type of erratic behavior on your part.)

Here are some energy saving tips you can use at home to combat the cold weather:

• Take a quick inventory of your home, and see what you might be able to turn off or unplug – cell phone chargers, TVs, lights when you leave a room.

• Set the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees or to the lowest comfortable temperature. Moving the thermostat down one degree means as much as a three-percent reduction in your electric bill. Wear a sweater or sweatshirt inside the house and you can move the thermostat down another degree or two.

• Keep heating system filters clean.

• Keep air vents clear of obstructions.

• Open blinds/drapes on the sunny side of the house during the day and let the sun naturally heat your home, but close them at night.

• Compact fluorescent lamps can replace bulbs in most table lamps and will save up to 75 percent in lighting energy, produce more light and last up to 10 times longer.

• Wash full loads of clothes in the coolest water possible. Rinse clothes in cold water.

• Keep the temperature between 36 degrees and 40 degrees in the refrigerator and 0 degrees and 5 degrees in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the settings.

• Stop the dryer as soon as clothes are dry, or use the moisture sensor control to automatically shut off the dryer. Overdrying wastes energy and sets in wrinkles.

• Dry loads one right after another. You'll use less energy because the dryer is already heated.

• Use electricity for work (such as laundry, running the dishwasher, ironing, cleaning, etc.) during non-peak hours. Peak hours are between 5-7 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.

• Avoid using the oven during peak hours. A microwave is much more energy efficient.

• Take your showers at night before you go to bed rather than in the morning during peak times.

• Unplug unnecessary electric appliances and equipment.

• Don't have every TV and light on in your home — learn to turn out lights when you leave a room.

• Turn off indoor and outdoor decorative lighting.

• Reduce exterior door openings and closings — weatherstrip and caulk.

PACE News: Earthquakes and Bats slow renewable energy projects

2009-12-15T16:27:00.003-06:00

The Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy keeps a close eye on what's happening with the climate change debate, and legislation that could impact people here in Alabama. PACE was organized and is run by Lance Brown, who sends out e-mail updates every once in a while, and we'll start sharing them with you. Check out the PACE website to learn more.

PACE NEWS (12/15/09)

Renewables Meet Reality: From Earthquakes to Bats, Ambitious Projects Hit Roadblocks

According to a New York Times article from December 12th, "the company in charge of a California project to extract vast amounts of renewable energy from deep, hot bedrock has removed its drill rig and informed federal officials that the government project will be abandoned."

According to NYT reporter James Glanz, "the project by the company, Alta Rock Energy, was the Obama administration's first major test of geothermal energy as a significant alternative to fossil fuels and the project was being financed with federal Department of Energy money at a site about 100 miles north of San Francisco called the Geysers." The abandonment of the project by AltaRock comes on the heels of a permanent shut down of a similar project in Basel, Switzerland, that caused damaging earthquakes in 2006 and 2007. The geothermal project at the Geysers relied on $6 million from the Department of Energy and five times that amount in venture capital.

On the other side of the country, a major wind project in West Virginia has been stopped in recent days by a smaller - and furrier - concern: bats.

On December 8th, a federal judge in Maryland concluded that "there is a virtual certainty that Indiana bats will be harmed, wounded, or killed imminently by the Beech Ridge Project...", located in Greenbriar County, West Virginia, and operated by Beech Ridge LLC. The company planned to build and operate 122 wind turbines along 23 miles of ridgelines. According to published reports, 40 of the wind turbines are already under construction.

According to this first-of-a-kind ruling, Beech Ridge LLC did not properly determine whether Indiana bats were present at the project site. Acoustic data later revealed that Indiana bats were likely to be present at the project site in the Spring, Summer, and Fall and would be endangered by the wind turbines. The bats hibernate in Winter.

"Whether it's the shut down of geothermal in California or wind in West Virginia, I think we are starting to see that the build-out of renewable energy can be a treacherous road," says Lance Brown, PACE Executive Director. "It should make us think at least twice about whether aggressive national renewable mandates are even achievable in the proposed timeframes, much less equitable or affordable."

Another update from Capitol Hill

2009-11-16T15:44:00.002-06:00

Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) has written another opinion column, updating the status of climate change legislation moving through Congress.

As was the case with his previous guest column, we decided to publish it online because the situation in Washington, D.C., is constantly changing, and his words today might not clearly reflect that situation by the time our next issue of Alabama Living magazine is published.

Climate change remedies need change
By Glenn English

We’ve heard a lot about climate change and the impact Congressional action will have on electric bills. Affordability must be a top priority, and electric cooperatives are fighting to make sure Congress keeps this in mind as they work through a number of climate change proposals.

So far, more than 600,000 electric cooperative consumers from across the United States have asked Congress to craft climate change legislation that’s fair, affordable, and technologically achievable. Our message is clear, and our elected U.S. senators must hear us out.

Over the last few months and as recently as early November, electric co-ops urged members of a key U.S. Senate committee to look out for the interests of consumers as they convened hearings on climate change legislation. Electric cooperatives expressed our commitment to help produce legislation that would substantially improve upon what was passed by the U.S. House in June—and help craft climate change legislation that would be economically and politically sustainable over the many years it would be in effect. We offered concrete ideas on how to get this important job done right.

But an early measure passed by the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee —S.1733—has ignored these voices and included unachievable emission caps and timelines, inadequate technology development incentives and, most importantly, no guarantee that your electric bill will remain affordable. Rather than moving climate change goals toward a solution that protects consumers, the 959-page measure took a big step backward.

While 11 of the 100 U.S. senators voiced support of S.1733, several other Senate committees and 89 senators have yet to weigh in with their own climate change proposals. In this critical time we must continue to make our voices heard, contacting our senators with one simple message: let’s get this right. Let’s keep this affordable.

Electric co-ops support climate change goals that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while protecting consumers, promote investment in new technologies, and spur economic goals. Our senators must remember to keep climate change goals fair, affordable, and achievable as legislative debate proceeds.

Contacting your U.S. senators at this point is crucial, and calling or writing to them is easy through the Our Energy, Our Future™ campaign. Spend a few moments today making your voice heard. For more information, please visit, www.ourenergy.coop.

Glenn English is the CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)

NRECA boss gives legislative update

2009-10-20T09:41:00.003-05:00

Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), has written a guest editorial addressing the progress of climate change legislation in Congress. Because the situation on Capitol Hill is fluid, we thought it best to share his comments with you here. If we waited until our next publication date, what English has to say now might no longer be accurate or relevant.

Please pass a link to the story along to anyone you know who might feel the impact of higher energy prices due to climate change legislation (that would be everyone you know...)

Co-ops Bring Postcard Blitz to Capitol Hill
By Glenn English, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO

Here in our nation’s capital, elected officials are hunkered down for a legislative marathon many observers believe could stretch to Christmas Eve. With health-care and financial services reform, as well as energy and climate legislation, on active tracks, I cannot remember a time when so many ambitious and potentially game-changing proposals have been in play simultaneously.

Needless to say, the stakes are high and competition fierce. As you might expect with so much going on, it’s difficult to be heard above the din of paid media advertisements, “astroturf” public relations initiatives, and partisan political punditry. That’s why in August, in anticipation of a crowded congressional fall schedule and inevitable consideration of a climate change bill by the U.S. Senate, NRECA’s Our Energy, Our Future™ campaign launched an aggressive “postcard blitz.” The goal: urging senators to work with electric cooperatives to minimize the cost of curbing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and asking that they fight for provisions that are fair, affordable, and achievable.

The postcards entered the mail stream in late August, arriving at the homes of electric co-op consumers directly or stitched into statewide publications. The results of this effort have been immediate and overwhelming.

During the last week of September — literally hours before U.S. Senate leaders released their first draft of climate change legislation — delegates from electric co-ops across the nation converged on Capitol Hill to hand-deliver more than 500,000 signed postcards. These postcards serve as a physical representation of politically aware and engaged electric co-op consumers, demonstrating the incredible depth and breadth of our grassroots strength much more than any e-mail string or electronic petition. As a result, they effectively drive home the point that folks back home are watching how senators vote on this critical issue.

The initial draft of a climate change bill in the U.S. Senate, however, missed the mark. Electric cooperatives have significant concerns with the Senate bill and changes will need to be made.

The economic impact of climate change remedies will be enormous, ultimately driving up the price we pay for electric power. Just how high monthly electric bills will soar has become a matter of some debate. But the Congressional Budget Office — the non-partisan arm of Congress entrusted with determining the price tag of federal legislation — estimates that H.R. 2454, the climate change measure passed by the U.S. House in late June, would cost the average American household $175 a year by 2020. That works out to about $14 or $15 a month: an average that will vary depending on where you live.

Congress needs to ensure that consumers are protected from soaring increases in electric bills because of the legislation they consider. Now is the time to shape this legislation into something electric co-op consumers can afford to live with, and already we are seeing discussions that could make the bill more realistic in its goals and timelines. The Our Energy, Our Future campaign can keep the discussion going.

If your voice has not yet been heard, please get involved. I urge you to visit ourenergy.coop and join with the hundreds of thousands of co-op members who have already sent postcards. If you have taken the time to fill one out and mail it in, thank you.

Outage tonight will impact more than 10,000 members

2009-10-08T13:18:00.002-05:00

Cullman EC, the Cullman Power Board and TVA will be working at the North Cullman substation tonight, and starting at 11 p.m., an outage lasting 20 to 30 minutes will take place.

The outage is to fix a "hot spot" inside the substation. We regularly use infrared cameras to look for hot spots in substations. If equipment overheats, it can cause a major power outage — usually at a time that is most inconvenient for everyone. During a check earlier this week, a hot spot was discovered, and the decision was made to fix is ASAP.

The outage will effect North Cullman as well as all of the substations that it feeds along a 46 kv line. Among those are Trade, Trimble, Jones Chapel, Holy Pond, Berlin to name a few.

Climate change comes with a high price

2009-09-28T11:26:00.002-05:00

Interesting guest column today in the Washington Post, written by Bjorn Lomborg, director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and the author of "Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming."

Click on the link above to read the whole article, which is very interesting, but below are some excerpts that we found particularly interesting.

...Imagine for a moment that the fantasists win the day and that at the climate conference in Copenhagen in December every nation commits to reductions even larger than Japan's, designed to keep temperature increases under 2 degrees Celsius. The result will be a global price tag of $46 trillion in 2100, to avoid expected climate damage costing just $1.1 trillion, according to climate economist Richard Tol, a contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change whose cost findings were commissioned by the Copenhagen Consensus Center and are to be published by Cambridge University Press next year....

...Today, coal accounts for almost half of the planet's electricity supply, including half the power consumed in the United States. It keeps hospitals and core infrastructure running, provides warmth and light in winter, and makes lifesaving air conditioning available in summer. In China and India, where coal accounts for more than 80 percent of power generation, it has helped to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.
There is no doubt that coal is causing environmental damage that we need to stop. But a clumsy, radical halt to our coal use -- which is what promises of drastic carbon cuts actually require -- would mean depriving billions of people of a path to prosperity.
To put it bluntly: Despite their good intentions, the activists, lobbyists and politicians making a last-ditch push for hugely expensive carbon-cut promises could easily end up doing hundreds of times more damage to the planet than coal ever could.

Phone scam — members beware!

2009-09-08T15:57:00.000-05:00

Word is spreading across the electric co-op world of a billing scam that some co-op's are dealing with. So far, none of Cullman EC's members have reported such an incident, but we wanted to share this with everyone so you are aware and prepared.

Here is the e-mail Cullman EC received Tuesday morning:

All, just an FYI that NRECA is getting some reports from various states where co-op consumers are receiving phone calls from fraudsters posing to be from the co-op and asking the consumer to provide credit card or other financial account information and personally identifiable information over the phone. (Co-ops are not alone here, this is hitting utilities of all stripes.) There are at least two flavors of this scam -- one is to say the consumer owes on his/her account and will have service shut-off unless payment information is provided immediately. The other appears aimed more specifically at seniors. The caller claims the consumer can receive Federal stimulus dollars to pay their utility bills or some sort of a bill credit but the consumer must first provide his/her personal information (e.g. Social Security Number and utility account number).

As a reminder, here is a link to Cullman EC's bill pay policies. Please know that no employee from Cullman EC will ever call you and demand payment over the phone or make unsolicited attempts to get information about your credit card or bank accounts.

For more information on protecting your identity, visit the Federal Trade Commission's website page on identity theft.

Hurricane season comes to life

2009-08-17T08:30:00.002-05:00

After 2 1/2 months of inactivity, the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season saw it's first three names storms — Ana, Bill and Claudette — develop over the weekend. Ana appears to be of no concern to residents in Alabama and other Gulf Coast states. Bill has reached hurricane level and could be a major storm (category 3 or higher) by the middle of the week, but he's a long way from the U.S. mainland right now.

Claudette is been downgraded this morning to a tropical depression as it moves inland over South Alabama. Cullman and Winston counties can expect the possibility of some rain this afternoon or evening and a slight tropical breeze, but not much more.

For anyone interested, here is a link to the National Weather Service Hurricane Center.

PowerSouth CEO warns of "cap & trade disaster"

2009-08-17T08:14:00.002-05:00

PowerSouth president & CEO Gary Smith wrote a guest column that was published in the Andalusia Star News over the weekend that is worth reading.

PowerSouth is the major electricity generation and transmission company for South Alabama and much of the Florida Panhandle. The column mentions some specific statistics in terms of the future cost increases that would be felt by consumers if the current version of the climate change bill is passed. Cullman Electric Cooperative is a distributor of TVA-generated electricity, not PowerSouth, but our members can anticipate a similar increase.

A link to the full column is above, but here are some excerpts from Smith's column:

— "Current proposals for a government auction of carbon allowances under a cap-and-trade program basically represent an energy tax on consumers designed to transfer wealth and provide funding for government spending. Making energy substantially more expensive would be a regressive tax on the poorest Americans, slowing economic growth and our economy as a whole."

— "By 2012, PowerSouth would need to purchase 2.7 million carbon dioxide credits, and estimates are that the credits will be $20 each, which translates into an additional $54 million burden for our members. Even the bill’s supporters concede that it will cause electricity costs to skyrocket, yet the bill’s subsidies don’t make up for the price increase consumers would face. For consumers served by PowerSouth’s member cooperatives, the passage of the Waxman-Markey Bill in its current state could mean a 6.78 percent increase in monthly power bills beginning in 2012."

Maybe nuclear power isn't so bad after all

2009-07-09T14:15:00.002-05:00

Interesting article. Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore is saying that his group made a mistake in the 1970s and ’80s in opposing nuclear power plants.

“We got a lot of things right in the early years of the environmental movement,” Moore said, as he described Greenpeace’s battles against nuclear weapons testing and toxic waste and its Save the Whales campaign, but also made the mistake of tying its opposition to nuclear weapons with its position on nuclear energy as though everything nuclear was evil.

“If it hadn’t been for the environmental movement back then, there would be a lot less coal plants and a lot more nuclear plants in the United States and around the world today,” he said. “It was a serious error.”

Here is a link to the entire article from the CFC Solutions News Bulletin.

TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment going down... again.

2009-07-09T14:10:00.001-05:00

TVA's Fuel Cost Adjustment has been reduced for the third consecutive quarter, effective July 1. To see the full press release, visit the Cullman Electric Cooperative website.

Climate change bill debated in House today

2009-06-26T09:48:00.002-05:00

Watch/listen to the House debate on the American Clean Energy & Security Act on C-SPAN

The House debates the American Clean Energy & Security Act, Pres. Obama's climate change legislation. The bill centers on a renewable electicity standard, encouraging the use of renewable energy, and a cap-and-trade policy, creating financial incentives to limit carbon emissions.

Congress continues to look for the right solution

2009-06-11T15:34:00.002-05:00

Here are two interesting article from the most recent news cycle.

The first covers some of the changes to current climate change legislation and why Congress doesn't think it will be able to pass legislation that meets President Obama's goals for renewable energy.

Here's another article with details of a climate change plan crafted by Republicans in Congress.

Climate change bill passes House committee

2009-05-22T14:38:00.003-05:00

Here are some more updates and opinions on the Waxman-Markey climate change bill.

House panel advances global warming bill — Associated Press

Climate change bill addresses job losses — The Heritage Foundation

Climate change legislation moving through Congress

2009-05-20T16:02:00.003-05:00

The Waxman-Markey energy and climate bill has received plenty of headlines in recent weeks. Climate change legislation is a popular topic for journalists and bloggers, so we've decided to share links to what is being written.

For the record, electric cooperatives are opposed to the bill. As it is currently written, the Waxman-Markey bill would cause the monthly electric bill of co-op members across the country to jump up significantly, and that is something co-ops cannot and will not support.

Co-ops absolutely support Congress in its efforts to address climate change, but we are working to make sure any legislation that is passed does so without causing the cost of electricity to become unaffordable. Earlier this month, more than 3,000 co-op employees from 48 states converged on Washington D.C. to meet with their respective representatives. The Alabama contingent had more than 120 people that met with all seven congressmen as well as Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby.

Look for continued updates as new articles appear on the internet. Here are a few we found today (some relating directly to the Waxman-Markey bill, and others concerning climate change and energy policy in general):

Cap-and-Trade Debate Drags On in House Energy Committee — The Washington Post

U.S. Lawmakers reject nuclear in renewable power goals — Reuters

Thinking about cap and trade — The Atlantic magazine

Climate Bill: Plenty of Sound and Fury in Waxman-Markey Hearings — Wall Street Journal blog

The Waxman-Markey Global Warming Tax — The Heritage Foundation

Energy Secreatry says coal, nuclear are here to stay — for now

2009-04-17T14:10:00.003-05:00

One of the Obama Administration's top energy advisors said recently that coal and nuclear technology will remain a key part in U.S. energy production for at least the rest of this century.

That's pretty big news from a major player, considering all of the talk out of Washington, D.C., in recent months.

If you have not had a chance to check out the Our Energy, Our Future campaign website, here is a link. The idea behind the movement is to make sure your elected officials are asking the important questions that must be answered in the energy crisis/climate change debate.

Co-ops are not opposed to expanding renewable energy sources, but we have to make sure those decisions are being made with a full understanding of the issues. The biggest issue for co-ops is the cost. Unrealistic mandates for production and use could cause prices to skyrocket for consumers, and that is something co-ops do not want to see happen.

Wednesday lunchtime update

2009-04-15T12:24:00.002-05:00

The number of members without power is going down, but there is still a lot of work to do. As of noon Wednesday, approximately 520 members were without power. Most of those are in the southwest portion of Cullman County and southeast portion of Winston County, surrounding Smith Lake.

The line crews are blanketing that area, while a few crews are located in other areas of the service territory finishing up other repairs and outages.

All of the biggest outages have been dealt with (one problem = hundreds without power). It's almost to the point where each repair that is made leads to one member having their service restored. We're not quite there yet, but right now, every repair means several streets or a group of houses has power again.

With a little luck, we could have everyone back on before the end of the day.

Tuesday lunchtime update

2009-04-14T12:15:00.002-05:00

Outages are down to 2,700 remaining, still concentrated in the southwest service territory, but hundreds scattered all over.

What is a gravity wave???

2009-04-14T10:43:00.005-05:00

According to the story in today's edition of The Cullman Times, and reports from media outlets all across the southeastern United States, a weather phenomenon known as a gravity wave is what produced the strong, sustained winds that caused so much damage Sunday night and Monday morning.

So, what exactly is a gravity wave? Here's the best description we could find, although we're not sure it really explains it easily. From what it says, we can assume that the thunderstorms Sunday night are what triggered the gravity wave.

Here is a pretty cool time-lapse video of a gravity wave. This is what we all would have seen in the skies if the gravity wave had occurred during daylight hours.

ONE OTHER NOTE: In talking with our operations staff, they said the damage from this gravity wave is every bit as bad if not worse than what Hurricane Ivan did to this area in September 2004.

Maybe we should start giving names to gravity waves. Just a thought...

Tuesday morning update

2009-04-14T10:04:00.002-05:00

As of 10 a.m., approximately 3,900 Cullman EC members were without power.

Outages are still spread all over our service territory. The highest concentration of outages is located in the southwest portion of Cullman County, including the communities of Arkadelphia, Bug Tussle, Bremen, Sulphur Springs and Trade (just to name a few).

More than 50 Cullman EC employees having been working in the field since 5 a.m. They are being assisted by linemen crews from Cullman Power Board Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, as well as contract lineman crews and tree trimming crews.

Many of the remaining 3,900 members should have their electrical service restored today, but for some people, it's going to be at least another day. Just being honest. Due to broken poles and the distance between many of the outages, there just aren't enough hours in the day to make all of the repairs during the next 12-14 hours.

12,000 restored as of 7 p.m.

2009-04-13T19:48:00.002-05:00

More than 12,000 of the 17,000 members that were without power caused by Sunday night's thunderstorms and strong wind have power back as of 7 p.m.

There are still approximately 4,900 members without power. Cullman EC's linemen crews will work throughout the night to make repairs. The Cullman Power Board has extended its hand in helping the co-op get everyone back, and several crews from a co-op in Pratville, AL, are scheduled to arrive Tuesday morning to assist as well.

The official press release has now been posted on the Cullman EC web site.

9,000 down and counting...

2009-04-13T14:14:00.003-05:00

As of 2 p.m., power has been restored to more than 9,000 of the 17,000 Cullman EC members who were without power following the Sunday night/Monday morning storms.

Making progress...

2009-04-13T11:16:00.002-05:00

Outages are down from 17,000 early this morning to under 9,000 as of 11 a.m. We've still got a long way to go, but every available person is out in the field working non-stop to make all the repairs.

Wind causes widespread power outages

2009-04-13T08:47:00.003-05:00

Cullman EC's linemen as well as contract crews and tree trimming crews have been working since the early morning hours to restore power to more than 17,000 Cullman EC members. The thunderstorms that moved through North Alabama last night did not cause as much of a problem as the high winds that came behind it.

As of 8:50 a.m., power had been restored to more than 4,000 members. The co-op's operations center is a hectic place right now, with most of the people working having come in during the middle of the night. From what we could tell during our visit, it will be an all-day process to make the repairs.

This picture was taken just before 9 a.m. Monday morning. Every red, green and yellow dot on the map is a power outage that has been reported. Unfortunately, that is the most "colorful" anyone has seen the map in a long time.

Currently our system is showing 340 reported outages. That means there are hundreds of places Cullman EC's linemen have to go all across the country before everyone will have their power restored. Sometimes, making repairs to one outage will restore power for everyone who is out if, for example, the problem is at the substation that supplies an entire area. But high wind usually leads to trees falling or lots of branches touching powerlines, creating lots and lots of small power outages all over the service territory.

We'll provided updates as they come, and hopefully some pictures of the repair work.

Severe weather expected today

2009-04-02T11:22:00.002-05:00

We're not sure what will happen this afternoon, but the weathermen and women all across the region and saying things could get pretty rough. The Weather Channel is saying the worst storms along the I-65 corridor in North Alabama will occur between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. this evening.

Check in throughout the afternoon and evening and we'll give weather updates along with any information on outages, locations, damage and anything else we can pass on.

Hope everyone out there stays safe!

President's Carbon Emission Plan Would Force At Least 15 Percent Rate Increase for Co-ops

2009-03-12T10:43:00.002-05:00

There is a misconception that power companies are against renewable energy and other "green" energy policies. It's simply not true.

For electric co-ops all over America, our No. 1 priority is to provide our members with the most affordable power possible. Co-ops have spent millions upon millions of dollars in recent years to fund hydro, wind, solar, geothermal, methane and other renewable energy sources as well as research and development of carbon capture technology and other R&D projects.

While the potential for renewable energy to provide an excellent source of electricity is very real, the cost to make it a reality today is going to be steep. Co-ops believe that government cap & trade programs on carbon emissions and mandates on renewable energy portfolios will place unrealistic goals and unfair burdens that will cause prices to increase dramatically.

You, our members, will be the ones that have to pay the extra price, and we don't think that needs to happen.

Co-ops are in favor of expanding the use of renewable energy sources, but we believe it should be done in a smart, calculated manner that will not cause the price of electricity to skyrocket.

We'll continue to follow events in Washington, D.C. and share any good reading we come across, starting with this story...

In a letter to President Obama, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Glenn English voiced strong objections to the Administration’s plan to auction the carbon emission allowances under a cap and trade scheme.

In the letter, English pointed out that “Such a program would only serve as a backdoor, variable tax on consumers. Even worse, the level of the tax would be determined by Wall Street and large multi-national energy companies who would likely be the highest bidders in any auction.”

The read more, and access a copy of Glenn English's letter to President Obama, visit www.nreca.org

The price of electricity

2009-03-11T15:10:00.004-05:00

We got lots of questions (and a "few" complaints) about how much electricity costs and why it is so expensive.

Let me clarify — lots of people complain that their bill is too high, and they think the problem is that we (the power company) are charging too much. In reality, electricity is pretty darn cheap, and here in Alabama we pay right at or below that national average per kilowatt hour (check out the map.)

The biggest reasons people have high bills are because they waste a lot of electricity either through being careless (leaving appliances turned on all day) or have a leaky house that causes their heating and cooling system to work overtime.

State Senate Bill 128

2009-02-16T15:46:00.002-06:00

"It is my belief one of the most important jobs of a state legislator is to stop bad bills from becoming law. One such bill in the current session of the Alabama Legislature is Senate Bill 128.

"It seeks to place Alabama’s electric cooperatives under the jurisdiction and control of the state Public Service Commis-sion. I am strongly opposed to this because it would have a negative affect on a system that is working better than most business models today."

State Sen. Lowell Barron (D-Barron), who lives on the Sand Mountain EC system, wrote those words as part of a press release that was published last week by media outlets across the state. Here's a full version of the press release that was published in The (DeKalb County) Times Journal.

If you don't want to read the entire story, here are some highlights:

"Electric cooperatives are not owned by big stockholders, they are owned by the very families who buy the power they distribute. For this reason, electric cooperatives are focused on being responsive to their members’ needs, not on creating huge profits for investors."

"Electric cooperatives are examples of what is right about this country today. At a time when Wall Street’s corporate greed and mismanagement have created an economic crisis across our nation, electric cooperatives show us what corporate accountability, responsibility and transparency look like."

"I want to assure cooperative members that, while Senate Bill 128 is not dead, it is not breathing very well. I will work hard within the State Senate do ensure this bill is defeated.
"Placing electric cooperatives under the jurisdiction and control of the Public Service Commission would create needless bureaucracy and expense for a system that has a proven track record of progress.
"These locally-owned, locally-controlled utilities have improved the lives of people throughout rural Alabama for decades, and I will continue to support the excellent work they do."

TVA announces decrease in Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) beginning April 1, 2009

2009-02-13T10:06:00.005-06:00

TVA announced on Thursday that the fourth-quarter Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA), which goes into effect April 1, will decrease by about 7 percent.

What does that mean to you? Here's what TVA had to say...

Because the fuel cost adjustment is a per kilowatt-hour charge, amounts that consumers will save depend on the amount of energy they use. While savings will vary across the Tennessee Valley, residential consumers can expect a decrease that ranges from about $4 to $9 in their monthly power bills. Retail billing periods for TVA power distributors also vary, so some April bills will include March usage at the lower rate.

Overall, the decrease for the quarter will be about a 7-percent reduction on total average wholesale rates, and is a reduction of almost 40 percent from the current quarter’s fuel cost adjustment amount. For the quarter beginning April 1, the fuel cost adjustment will decrease about 0.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, from more than 1.3 cents to 0.8 cents per kilowatt-hour.

“In these economically challenging times, we are especially glad lower fuel costs will provide some relief in power costs to the consumers in the Tennessee Valley,” said TVA President and CEO Tom Kilgore. “Unusually cold weather this winter has meant higher consumption of electricity and higher power bills even for people who keep their thermostats low.”

Under the fuel cost adjustment, when the price of fuels used to make electricity decreases, the cost of electricity also decreases. Current economic conditions and increased rainfall also contributed to lower fuel and purchased power costs, Kilgore said.

To view the whole press release, visit the TVA website.

Pictures from Kentucky

2009-02-12T15:28:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pictures we've received from guys who spent time in Kentucky. These photos are from Cullman EC lineman Justin Davis. As you can see, when the guys first arrived, the ice storm was still taking place. In fact, Justin said the ground was frozen soild almost 12 inches deep. That helped out at first because many of the poles that needed to be replaced were not conveniently located along the side of the road. Imagine mile after mile of poles running through the country side all snapped due to the ice storm. Then, as the ground started to thaw, the trucks had a hard time moving through the soy bean fields and needed a little help to get going.
Check out the Cullman EC photo page on Flickr for more images of Cullman EC's crews working in Kentucky.

Still lots of work to be done in Kentucky

2009-02-06T14:38:00.000-06:00

Co-ops across the country are still sending employees to Kentucky to help make all the repairs and get life back to normal ASAP following the ice storm of two weeks ago. Cullman EC's first wave of lineman has returned (we'll posts some of their pictures if we see any). The second crew will return home this weekend and be replaced by a third crew that will be working there all next week.

Here's a video that a co-op in South Carolina made as some employees prepared to leave their homes and families to help co-op members in Kentucky.

Cullman EC crews in Kentucky to help repair ice storm damage

2009-02-02T11:26:00.000-06:00

The massive ice storm that covered Kentucky last week has come and gone, but the damage it caused is still being repaired. Last week news reports said more than 525,000 people were without power. This morning, that number is down to 80,000. That's really good news — unless you're one of the 80,000 still freezing inside your home.

Cullman EC sent two construction crews to Owensboro, KY last week. Those eight employees will be heading home later today once eight more lineman from Cullman EC arrive. The reinforcments left Cullman and headed up I-65 around 9:30 Monday morning.

Here's a story from the Cullman Times that was printed this weekend, talking about the lineman from Cullman EC as well as the Cullman Power Board who went to Kentucky.

A press release from Kenergy, the co-op Cullman EC's crews are assisting, said in its service territory (14 counties and 51,000 members) there are more than 2,000 broken power poles that must be replaced, and more than 350 workers from co-ops in Michigan, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia helping their crews. As of Monday morning, more than 23,000 Kenergy members were still without power.

Politics closer to home

2009-01-22T12:03:00.000-06:00

Writing about events in Washington, D.C. got us thinking about the upcoming state legislative session set to begin down in Montgomery. Here's a link to an article from earlier this month about energy bills that are expected to top the legislature's to-do list.

As the session progresses and we learn more about these proposals, we'll share what we know. In general, any articles we find relating to the future of electric utilities, energy efficiency and what it all means to our members and their monthly bill, we will post on our blog.

How will changes in D.C. impact your electric bill?

2009-01-21T15:56:00.000-06:00

President Obama took office yesterday. Wow...Can you imagine being in that crowd? No matter how you voted in November, there's no denying Tuesday's inauguration was a historic event.

Speaking of history making events, President Obama's proposed energy policy could have an impact on our country for generations to come. There is a heavy emphasis on renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions and lots of other things that, on the surface, are not bad. It's going to cost a lot of money to get it right, but it could be an even bigger expense if things are done the wrong way.

Electric co-ops across the country are working on a campaign called Our Energy, Our Future. The idea behind the grassroots campaign is to have people like you contact your elected officials in Washington D.C. They need to be aware of how decisions they make about our nation's energy policy are going to impact rural America, and they have to know that you want them to keep us in mind when they vote.

At Cullman EC and electric co-ops all over the country, our No. 1 priority is to provide our members with affordable and reliable electricity. Sometimes, we've got to stand up for ourselves and make some noise to make sure folks in D.C. are doing what's best for our members.

That's the whole idea behind the Our Energy, Our Future campaign. Co-ops are not opposed to renewable energy or reducing carbon emissions. What we are opposed to is poorly written laws that set unrealistic mandates and could cause the price of electricity to skyrocket.

The United States needs to make some changes in the way we produce and use electricity, but co-ops want to make sure the need for affordable electricity is not overlooked in the process.

To learn more about the campaign and contact your senator and congressman, visit the Our Energy, Our Future web site.

Cold weather, outages & "peak demand"

2009-01-16T16:07:00.000-06:00

We're not sure what the official low temperature was last night, but several people around the office reported single-digit reading at their home overnight. Tonight won't be much better as the temperature is expected to reach the low- to mid-teens.

The co-op did experience some outages Friday morning, and, yes, the freezing cold weather was the culprit. Approximately 1,800 members experienced power loss. The majority happened between 6:30 and 9:30 in the morning. McDonald's was still serving breakfast by the time our line crews had fixed most of the problems, and were working hard to solve isolated outages in different parts of our service territory.

So, how did the cold weather cause the power to go out? Think of it this way — the power lines can only carry a certain amount of electricity at any given moment. On really, really cold nights, just about everyone have their heater running all night long, which means more electricity is being used than normal. Then, people start to wake up. They turn on lights, take a hot shower, plug in their curling iron and blow dryer, turn on the stove, TV, computer, etc. At the same time, people start going to work — office lights and heaters and computers all kinds of stuff that take electricity get turned on.

When there is more demand for electricity than the power lines can provide, that's when the power goes out. It's the electrical systems way of protecting itself from a major meltdown that could take several days or more to repair. Instead of spreading across the entire system, causing everyone to lose power, only the area that was overloaded goes dark. Although it's a MAJOR inconvenience for people who live there, the isolated outage is easier for line crews to find and fix.

Kyle Baggett, Cullman EC's vice president of engineering & operations, shared this interesting bit of information with us:

"Winter peaks typically occur in the morning hours (7-9 a.m). Most everybody gets up and showers before work during those times and we get hot water heater loads in addition to home heating load. Summer peaks occur in the afternoon (4 to 7 p.m.) — driven by the hottest part of the day and people cooking dinner.

Welcome to sunny Alaska — formerly known as Alabama

2009-01-14T15:16:00.000-06:00

Most of us live in the South because we enjoy the climate. That's a nice way of saying we don't like cold weather.

When it's freezing outside (32 degrees) that means it's too cold. If we enjoyed below freezing weather, we would all live in Chicago.

If we wanted to endure days at a time where the temperature stayed below freezing, we would have moved to Alaska.

Unfortunately, Alaska is coming for a visit this week. Tonight (Wednesday, Jan. 14) the temperature is supposed to drop below 20 degrees. The talking weatherheads on TV have told us it will not rise above 32 degrees until sometime Saturday afternoon. The forecast low for Thursday night is 10 degrees. On Friday night, things will warm up all the way to 15 degrees. The high temperature both days might reach 30.

A cold snap like this can prove to be very costly on your next month's electric bill. Heat pumps are excellent for home heating and cooling here in the South with our warm spring, summer and fall months and our moderate winter. But, when the mercury takes a swan dive, heat pumps have to use strip heating in order operate, and strip heating uses A LOT of electricity.

Our best advice? Turn down the thermostat as low as you can possibly stand it, and bundle up! Wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt or fleece pullover around the house. Curl up in a quilt on the couch. Throw an extra comforter or blanket on the bed. TVA's energy right program recommends setting your thermostat at 68 degrees in the winter. Over the next several nights, your home heating system is going to have to work extra hard to maintain that temperature, so every degree below 68 is money you will save and keep in your pocket.

I knew a young man once who lived in a older home that would get frigid inside on the coldest winter nights. He told me he would sleep in sweats with a warm pair of socks on his feet, two blankets and a wool snow cap pulled down over his ears and eyes, leaving just his mouth and nose uncovered. It wasn't pretty (or so I'm told...) but the electric bill didn't break the bank.

We're not suggesting you put your family through episode of Survivorman inside your own home for the next three days. Just be aware that a hard freeze can be hard on your electric bill, but you can find some relief by dropping your theromstat setting a few degrees.

website update — we promise; we really are working on it!!!

2009-01-14T15:04:00.001-06:00

Well, here we are six months later and the fancy new website we were hoping to unveil in October is still not quite ready.

It's close. Very, very close.

Another couple weeks and it should be up and running. In the meantime, we're going to get this blog fired up so by the time people start to find this, it won't look like another good idea gone bad.

Our vision for this blog is, let's say... open to your imagination. We'll use this to give our guests some insight on how and why things happen in the electricity business, and do it in a way that is quick and easy to read AND actually makes sense!!! We'll use it for breaking news during bad weather. We'll use it as a forum to give answers to your questions that might not fit easily inside the pages of Alabama Living. There might be hundreds of topics that eventually are posted here, but we really have no idea what this will be since we're just getting started.

The one things we'll always aim for is to make it interesting. Be sure to set a bookmark and check in on a regular basis.

Under Construction

2008-07-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

This blog is under construction. We are in the process of redesigning our web site www.cullmanec.com, and this blog will be a new feature. Once the new site is launched, this blog will have updated posts on a regular basis. Check back soon for more updates.