Powering up after a storm - Washington St. Tammany Electric

RESIDENTIAL RATE COMPARISON PER 1000 KWH
Dr. Francis Cefalu President
Charles Hill General Manager
Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative
P.O. Box 697 Franklinton LA 70438 (839-3562)
[email protected] • www.wste.coop
2014 Rate Comparison 1000KWH
$120.00
$116.84
$100.00
$91.79
$81.93
$80.00
CLECO
ENTERGY
WST
$60.00
$40.00
$20.00
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Notice to all members
The Annual Membership Meeting of Washington-St Tammany Electric Cooperative,
Inc. will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2014, 10:00 A.M. at the Franklinton High School in
Franklinton, Louisiana.
The purpose of the meeting is to conduct the business of the membership and elect
three (3) members to the Board of Directors. Election of members to the Board of Directors will be held by mail ballot. (Acct. No. 10440101)
One-third (1/3) of the Washington-St.Tammany Cooperative, Inc. Board of Directors
(3 Directors) shall be elected to a three (3) year term on Saturday, May 3, 2014. Two (2)
of the directors to be elected shall be a resident of St. Tammany Parish and one (1) of the
Directors to be elected shall be residents of Washington Parish.
Any incumbent director may be a nominee by filing a letter of intent with the Cooperative by 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, the 11th of March 2014, at which time nomination of such
directorship is to be closed. Any other member of the Cooperative may be nominated by
filing a petition, which can be picked up from the Administrative Assistant in Franklinton,
La. at 950 Pearl Street between the hours of 7:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Petitions must be
returned to the Cooperative office by 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, the 11th of March 2014, containing the signatures of fifteen or more members in good standing of the Cooperative as of
that date.
ALL NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTORSHIP
SHALL BE CLOSED AT 4:00 P.M.
TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014
Powering up after a storm
Lights out?
Nearly one-third of all power outages are
triggered by the weather. Lineworkers must
battle the elements to find problem areas and
restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
“We know our members want to know why
the lights are out and when they’re coming
back,” shares Charles Hill, general manager at
Washington-St. Tammany Electric. “First we
must find the problems. Then we follow a series
of steps to bring the lights back on.”
Efforts are made to restore power to the largest number of members and emergency facilities
as quickly as possible. Then crews fix problems
impacting smaller groups of members.
Restoring power
When an outage occurs, line crews work
to pinpoint problems. They start with highvoltage transmission lines. Transmission towers
and cables that supply power to thousands of
consumers rarely fail. But when damage occurs,
these facilities - which may not be owned or
controlled by the cooperative - must be repaired
before other parts of the system can operate.
Next, crews check distribution substations.
Each substation serves hundreds or thousands
of members. When a major outage occurs, line
crews inspect substations to discover if problems stem from transmission lines feeding into
the substation, the substation itself, or if problems exist down the line.
If the problem cannot be isolated at a distribution substation, distribution lines are checked.
These lines carry power to large groups in communities or housing developments.
If local outages persist, supply lines (also
called tap lines) are inspected. These lines
deliver power to transformers, either mounted
on poles or placed on pads for underground
service, outside businesses, schools, and homes.
If your home remains without power, the
service line between a transformer and your
home may need to be repaired. Always call
Washington-St. Tammany Electric to report an
outage. This helps crews isolate local issues.
Outage Safety Tips
Follow these safety steps at home during a
power outage:
• Before calling Washington-St. Tammany
Electric to report an outage, first check to see
if your home’s circuit panel or fuse box hasn’t
tripped or blown a fuse. This can also cause a
power failure. If tripped, reset the breaker or
replace the blown fuse.
• If the power is out in your entire neighborhood, call Washington-St. Tammany Electric to
report the outage.
• Turn off and unplug all unnecessary appliances and electrical equipment. When power is
restored, turn on items one at a time.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for
about 4 hours. A full freezer keeps food cool for
about 48 hours. • Individual households may receive special
attention if loss of electricity affects life support
systems or poses another immediate danger. If
you or a family member depends on life support, call Washington-St. Tammany Electric
before a power outage happens.
Two local students will have the opportunity to
participate in a week-long all expense-paid trip to
Washington, D.C., sponsored by WSTE. They will
also attend the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association’s (NRECA) “Government-In Action”
Youth Tour Conference in Baton Rouge.
Approximately 28 young people from Louisiana
will join more than 1,300 students from 40 states on June 13-20, 2014, for a week of sightseeing and a
firsthand look at our how government functions.
Before reaching Washington the students will
tour one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World,
the Natural Bridge in Shenandoah Valley, Va.
In Washington the students will tour the Lincoln
and Jefferson Memorials, Washington Monument,
Vietnam and Korean War Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery, the Holocaust Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, Ford’s Theatre, the White House
and will also take a boat cruise on the Potomac River.
One day will be spent on Capitol Hill touring the
U.S. Capitol and visiting the offices of the Louisiana
Delegation.
WST General Manager Charles Hill said, “This
is a great opportunity for two of our students to visit
our nation’s capitol. WST Electric is dedicated to
the education of our children through programs such
as the Youth Tour, our
annual scholarship program,
A WEEK-LONG TRIP
Newspapers in Education (NIE) and teacher minigrants.” Hill also pointed out that the winners will receive
an all expense-paid trip to the Co-op Youth Leadership Conference in Baton Rouge April 14-16, 2014.
The contest is open to children ages 16-18 of
WST members. Students interested in applying will
need to complete an application form and prepare a
type written essay of 800 words or less.
The topic this year is, “Cooperatives are member-owned and controlled, as a future decision maker
for your cooperative, describe the best ways we can
connect and communicate with you.” Please submit
your essay along with an application to: WST Electric, Attn: Robin Drago, P.O. Box 697, Franklinton,
LA 70438 by March 6, 2014. An independent board,
selected by the Association of Louisiana Electric
Cooperatives, will judge the essays. For more information or to receive an application
contact your school principal or visit WST’s website
at www.wste.coop.
Powering Up
When electricity goes out, most of us expect power will be restored within a few
hours. But when a major storm causes widespread damage, longer outages may
result. Co-op line crews work long, hard hours to restore service safely to the
greatest number of consumers in the shortest time possible. Here’s what’s going
on if you find yourself in the dark.
1 High-Voltage Transmission Lines
Transmission towers and cables that supply power to
transmission substations (and thousands of members)
rarely fail. But when damaged, these facilities must be
repaired before other parts of the system can operate.
2 Distribution Substation
Each substation serves hundreds or thousands
of consumers. When a major outage occurs,
line crews inspect substations to determine if
problems stem from transmission lines
feeding into the substation, the substation
itself, or if problems exist down the line.
3 Main Distribution Lines
If the problem cannot be isolated at a distribution
substation, distribution lines are checked. These
lines carry power to large groups of consumers in
communities or housing developments.
4 Tap Lines
If local outages persist, supply lines, called tap
lines, are inspected. These lines deliver power
to transformers, either mounted on poles or
placed on pads for underground service,
outside businesses, schools, and homes.
5 Individual Homes
If your home remains without power,
the service line between a transformer
and your residence may need to be
repaired. Always call to report an outage
to help line crews isolate local issues.
WSTE offers chance to win free trip to Washington
Page 6 • Louisiana Country • February 2014
YOU CAN WIN
TO WASHINGTON DC
From the Manager
By Charles Hill
General Manager
There are many ways you can
help control the cost of power
As a member of Washington-St. Tammany Electric, you have more
control over the price you pay for power than you probably realize.
You and your fellow cooperative members own Washington-St. Tammany Electric. Because all of our members share the cost and expense of
doing business, the less money we must spend to provide this essential
service, the more you save on electric rates.
There are several challenges that present themselves in keeping power
flowing safely and economically, and you can help us overcome many of
these.
Even though we have consistently had the lowest rates in the area for
more than a decade (see chart at the top-left corner of this page), we all
want to do more in order to save more.
One big way to help is to keep your eyes and ears open. If you ever see
something that doesn’t look right or looks dangerous, please be sure to
call us as quickly as possible.
Please report trees that are encroaching on rights-of-way or power lines
and watch closely for signs of electricity theft.
Clues such as dangling power lines or an open gate at a substation may
indicate that copper thieves were at work.
Copper theft is becoming a huge problem across the country and can
cost the cooperative—and its members—thousands of dollars.
It’s also very dangerous. Each year across our state and throughout the
U.S., many criminals are injured and even electrocuted attempting to steal
copper wire. (Acct. No. 212040100)
You may hear that someone is getting power for free. If they are on
cooperative lines, that means they are stealing power from you. The co-op
has to pay for all power distributed on our lines, so the money lost is paid
by the entire membership.
Besides helping us with your vigilance, you can help us serve you better by making sure your contact information is current. If you have recently changed phone numbers or moved within our territory, give us a call to
help us to update our records.
Finally, help us keep electricity costs nationwide affordable by visiting
www.action.coop, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s
effort to persuade the Environmental Protection Agency to not take coal
off the table as a fuel for electricity generation. Your voice is important.
Please make it heard.
If you spot damage to co-op property, please give us a call.
It’s up to all of us to do our part in keeping costs as low as possible
In the Board Room
Join hundreds of young people from across the country.
Visit historic monuments and museums.
Meet with your U.S. Representatives and Senators.
Meet and mingle with students from
many states on Rural Electric Youth Day.
The regular meeting board minutes are available by contacting WSTE at
985-839-3562.
Look for TWO lucky account numbers!
YOUTH
Visit out website:
www.nreca.coop/youthtour
Follow us on Twitter:
@YouthTourDC
TOUR
Washington-St. Tammany Electric is offering its members two opportunities to win the Co-op’s monthly Lucky Account Number contest by publishing two account numbers somewhere on pages 6-7 of Louisiana Country. Look for your account number hidden somewhere on these pages. To
win you must locate your account number (listed on your electric bill) on
these pages and then contact the Co-op within seven working days of that
issue. To claim your prize call 985-839-3562.
February 2014 • Louisiana Country • Page 7
Meet Your WSTE Directors
WSTE News
Pages 6-7 • Feb. 2014
Vol. 30 No. 11
Carey Bateman
Rev. Leon Hickman
Bateman, a retired Allstate Agent, is a
licensed real estate agent and Notary
Public. He is an active member of First
Baptist Church in Franklinton and has
been married to the former Manette
Gennaro for 58 years. They have
3 children, 5 grandchildren and 2
great-grandchildren.
Bateman is a member of the
National Wild Turkey Federation,
the NRA , Washington Parish Farm
Bureau, and the Washington Parish
Forestry Association. He is a past
member of the Franklinton Jaycees,
Rotary and Chamber. He holds a B.S.
Degree from SLU and has completed the
national Credentialed Cooperative Director
and Board Leadership Certification program. Bateman, has served on the board for 11 years (May 2003), and has also
served as president.
Bateman said, “With over 900 electric co-ops nationwide, WST
can call on any of them during emergencies, just as we did in Hurricane Katrina. I appreciate the business principles of co-ops and the
power of ‘cooperation among cooperatives.’”
Pastor of Mount Zion United Pentecostal Church, Hickman has been a WST
Board Member for 19 years (May
1995) and is a Credentialed
Cooperative Director.
Hickman is a past board
president and has served
on all Cooperative committees. Hickman is also a
past board member of the
Washington Parish Farm Bureau. He was a dairy farmer
for over 21 years and is the
owner of Angel’s Pest Control.
“It is an honor for me to
serve as one of your directors,”
said Hickman. “WST is moving
forward at a rapid pace utilizing new
technologies such as voice over internet and global positioning system (GPS) devices. Utilizing the latest GPS technology, WST is upgrading our outage management system and
it will allow for improved inventory control.” Hickman and his
wife of 47 years, the former Rosalie Adams, are residents of
Franklinton and have three children.
Lawrence ‘Cotton’ Jourdan
Billy Wayne Rester
Lawrence ‘Cotton’ Jourdan, a retired captain from the Covington
Police Department, is serving his 19th year (May
1995) on the WST board.
Jourdan, a resident of Folsom,
is active in the local Little League
football/ baseball associations, the
4-H and FFA Youth Fund and is a
member of the St Tammany Parish
Fair Association.
Jourdan, who is a Credentialed Cooperative Director, also
serves as the director on the
Association of Louisiana Electric
Cooperatives statewide board in
Baton Rouge in addition to serving
on the Grounds and Building Committee of the Bogue Falaya Baptist Church.
Jourdan said, “WST continues its long
and rich tradition of quality service and rate stability. With the ever-changing technology in today’s utility market, we
are constantly looking at new ways to improve service and reliability.”
Jourdan and his wife of 53 years, Iris, have two children and four
grandchildren.
Retired Deputy Chief Assessor of Washington Parish,
Rester has served on the Board for 20
years (May 1994). He served on the
Washington Parish Police Jury
from 1979-91, including six
years as President. The retired
dairy farmer has served as a
WST Board President and
is serving his fourth term as
Secretary. Rester, a lifelong
resident of Varnado, and
his wife, Jane, have been
married for 19 years. He is
a graduate of USM with a
degree in Industrial Technology.
Rester, an NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director, comments, “We are making strides by upgrading our technology. We continue work on
an aggressive mapping and outage management system that
will improve outage response times while creating a database
for poles and equipment. Upgrading our billing software will
make it more user friendly for on-line payments and e-billing.”