December - Clark County REMC

As a member of Clark County REMC,
you deserve the credit…
A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
Clark County REMC
7810 State Road 60
P.O. Box 411, Sellersburg, IN 47172-0411
Office: 812-246-3316 or 800-462-6988
Outage Reporting: 866-480-REMC (7362)
Fax: 812-246-3947
To pay by phone or inquire about your account:
812-248-7549 • 877-484-4042 Toll Free
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.theremc.com
Call Before You Dig: 8-1-1
Upcoming board meetings
Dec. 4
5:30 p.m. est
Jan. 8
5:30 p.m. est
The first 30 minutes of each meeting are devoted
to hearing any comments or concerns from REMC
members. The agenda of the meeting is available for
review by contacting the REMC office four days before
a regularly scheduled meeting. Members who want to
voice comments regarding any item on the agenda or
any other utility matter are encouraged to attend
this meeting.
Clark County REMC board of directors
District 1 Candy Meyer
812-752-5101
[email protected]
District 2 Steve Dieterlen – President
812-256-6096
[email protected]
District 3 Kendall Greene – Secretary/Treasurer
812-294-1625, [email protected]
District 4 Jimmie Sanders
502-541-3166, [email protected]
District 5 Steve Stumler – Vice President
812-945-9334, [email protected]
District 6 Dale Bottorff
812-246-9815, [email protected]
District Paul Graf
At-Large 812-246-4156, [email protected]
How does the weather affect my electric bill?
To portray an accurate picture of how the temperature
relates to our comfort level, the National Weather
Service uses “degree days” to define the margin
between the actual temperature and a baseline of
65, which would be considered comfortable with no
heating or cooling devices needed.
Degree days for October:
2011
2012
Normal (base of 65)
267
297
269
This comparison shows that October 2012 had 30
more degree days than October 2011 and 28 more
degree days than the National Weather Service defined
as “normal” weather conditions.
Power cost adjustment
The PCA represents an additional charge per kWh for
power purchased from Hoosier Energy not included
in the base retail rates of Clark County REMC. The
amount will change monthly.
The power cost adjustment is printed on your
monthly bill. The PCA effective for December billing
cycle is $.013898 kWh or $13.90 per 1,000 kWhs.
When was the last time
you overheard someone
say that an electric company was sending a refund check to a customer?
Probably never! At electric cooperatives, it’s one
of the seven principles:
economic participation by
our members.
Clark County REMC is a member-owned cooperative. One of the many unique features of an electric
cooperative is that any revenue left over at the end of
the year, after operating costs are paid, is returned to
members in the form of capital credits.
Capital credits are allocated annually and then
refunded depending on the financial health of the
REMC. They are returned based on the amount of
electricity used. This year, your REMC board of di-
rectors will refund $544 thousand to customers who were
members of the REMC in
1989 through 1990, as well as
those who were members in
2011.
This refund is made up of
patronage returned by Hoosier Energy for the same time
period. Hoosier Energy is a generation and transmission cooperative owned by 19 REMCs. As a cooperative, they too allocate capital credits to their
members. Clark County REMC is a member/owner
of Hoosier Energy.
At Clark County REMC, every customer is an owner of the business. And, as a member-owner, you share
in the profits in the form of capital credit refunds.
Refund checks will be mailed this month.
Warm hands
warm hearts
The tradition continues this year with the glove/mitten/scarf tree!
Thanks to you and our employees and directors, hundreds of pairs
of gloves as well as scarves and socks have been donated to agencies
working with families in need in our service area. Please make a
contribution this year to warm the hands and heart of a child or adult
who doesn’t have the means to buy the basics for this winter.
We are accepting donations now through Friday, Dec. 14.
Thank you for making the season a little warmer for those in need!
Save this holiday
season with
the Co-op
Connections Card!
Your Co-op Connections card offers you
hundreds of ways to save on holiday gifts,
travel and meals. Please visit theremc.com
and click on the Co-op Connections card
icon. It’s the first step to saving a bundle
this season!
ELECTRIC CONSUMER • DECEMBER 2012 • 7E
Deck the halls with cost-saving,
energy-efficient lighting
When one goes out, they all go out, right?
Wrong, if you use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to do
your holiday decorating. These hardy, energy-saving
lights are guaranteed to give you one less thing to
worry about so you can better focus on the joys of
the season. Why are LED holiday lights better than
traditional bulbs?
• LEDs are now on par with traditional bulbs. Gone
are the days when LED holiday lights were known
for a harsh white light or stark colors that created
a less-than-magical atmosphere. These days, LEDs
come in warm, inviting colors in variety of light
beam patterns and dimming speeds, giving you
lots of creative options for decorating.
• LEDs last longer than traditional lights. In fact,
they have an operational life span of about 20,000
hours, enough to last for 40 holiday seasons. Also,
the lights don’t have glass or filaments, which
make them durable and resistant to breaking. And
because LEDs bulbs are so strong, one individual
outage generally doesn’t darken the whole strand.
For those enthusiastic decorators who like to blanket their entire house and yard in holiday lights,
LEDs could save hours of painstaking work each
year.
• LEDs use less energy, which means less strain on
your first winter electric bill. Running LEDs on
one 6-foot Christmas tree for 12 hours per day for
40 days can save 90 percent or more energy when
compared to traditional incandescent lights.
• Because they use less energy, LEDs make it safer
to connect multiple strands end-to-end without
overloading the wall socket. Also, they’re cool to
the touch, reducing the risk of fire.
Warm up your house
with an REMC electric fireplace
Enjoy the beauty of a dancing fire in an attractive
mantle piece, without the hassle and mess of burning wood. Electric fireplaces from the REMC provide a
realistic, soothing fire effect, and you can have one any
place you have an electrical outlet. They’re great for
dens, family rooms and bedrooms.
For more information and an order form, visit our
website at www.theremc.com
8E • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • DECEMBER 2012
Retail electric rates over all rate classifications will
increase beginning with bills received in February
2013. This increase is the result of additional revenue
requirements needed on a distribution level; as well
as rolling in a portion of the power cost adjustments
from our wholesale power supplier, Hoosier Energy.
Residential:
Facility Charge $ 31.50 per month
Energy Charge $ .10135 per kWh
Residential Time of Use:
Applicable to single-phase residential electric
service supplied through a single delivery point
with installed transformer capacity of 50 kVA or less.
Members with annual kWh requirements of 12,000
kWh or more will be considered eligible for this rate
schedule. The capacity of individual motors served
under this schedule shall not exceed 10 horsepower
without consent from the corporation. Member must
remain on the rate a minimum of 12 months.
Facility Charge $ 32.25 per month
• On-Peak Energy Charges $ .16728 per kWh
On-peak time periods:
– January, February and December
Monday through Friday
7 – 10 a.m.
6 – 9 p.m.
– June, July and August
Monday through Friday
Noon – 10 p.m.
• Off-Peak Energy Charges $ .08429 per kWh
Off-peak time periods:
– All weekends
– July 1, Dec. 25, Jan. 1
– Every day in March, April, May
– Every day in September, October, November
– January, February and December
Monday through Friday
10 a.m – 6 p.m.
9 p.m. – 7 a.m.
– June, July and August
Monday through Friday
10 p.m. – noon
Small Commercial - Single Phase
Facility Charge $ 31.50 per month
Energy Charge $.10135 per kWh
Small Commercial – Multi-Phase
Facility Charge $110.00 per month
Energy Charge $.09353 per kWh
Several styles, sizes and finishes are available.
New models include the most realistic flame available,
remote control and new air filtering system.
Rate change in
February 2013
The antique white Cambridge Electraflame fireplace from Dimplex is not
only beautiful, it’s much more energy
efficient than a wood burning version.
Add a warm, relaxing feel to your home
at the push of a button.
REMC holiday closings
The REMC office will be closed on
Dec. 24–25 and Jan. 1.
GeoSpring Water Heater
GE’s most energy efficient, hybrid electric water
heater made in the USA
• The GeoSpring offers consumers an energy-efficient
alternative to standard water heating technology, saving
an average consumer about $325 yearly on their water
heating utility bills*.
Exchange six canned
food items for CFLs or
Energy Starter Kit
Clark County REMC members can pick
up their free compact fluorescent light
bulbs or an energy kit at the REMC
office during the month of December
in exchange for six canned food items.
If that’s not possible, we understand
and will still provide the free CFLs and
kits. The canned food items will be
distributed to area food pantries.
• The GeoSpring is being produced in GE’s Appliance Park
in Louisville. A standard electric water heater can cost
an average homeowner $520 every year to operate. The
GeoSpring costs an average of $195 to operate annually,
uses 62 percent less electricity than a standard electric
water heater and will pay for itself in less than 2.5 years.
Please understand that each member
will receive one set of 16 CFLs or an
energy kit regardless of the number
of accounts with the REMC.
The GeoSpring Hybrid Water Heater combines energysaving heat-pump technology with traditional electric
heating systems used in most conventional water heaters
on the market today.
Fourteen-Watt Flood Lamp
The 14-watt flood lamp uses 75
percent less energy than a 65-watt
incandescent equivalent and lasts
four times longer. Used in recessed
lighting.
REMC members can purchase the new GeoSpring water
heater for an installed price of $1,499** plus tax; or, if you
want to install yourself, the purchase price is $1,199 plus
tax. In addition, every REMC member will receive a $400
rebate applied to his/her electric bill.
Do It Yourself Price$ 1,199 plus tax
Energy Kit
Our Energy Efficient Kit
will get you on the path
to saving money with
your electric bills. Each
kit contains: - 20-watt
compact fluorescent
light (equal to a 75watt incandescent
bulb) - 14-watt compact
fluorescent light (equal
to a 60- watt incandescent bulb) - 10 switches and
10 outlet sealers - energy saving nightlight - vinyl
foam weatherseal - energy efficient shower head bath faucet aerator - kitchen faucet aerator - child
safety outlet plugs.
12 monthly payments of $99.91 plus tax***
Offer good while supplies last.
Installed Price $ 1,499 plus tax
12 monthly payments of $124.91 plus tax***
Rebate Special purchase price: Rebate
Price after rebate:
$ 400
$ 1,099
$ 400
$ 799
*Based on DOE test procedure and comparison of a 50-gallon standard
electric tank water heater using 4,879 kWh every year vs. the GeoSpring
hybrid water heater using 1,830 kWh every year.
**This is for REMC members only. Installation is for a standard 50-gallon
electric water heater replacement and does not include additional work
if needed for plumbing or electrical.
***Charges for the GeoSpring may be applied to the member bill over
a 12-month period if the account is over 12 months old and has a
satisfactory payment history.
Mention code
EC2012 for
an additional
$100 discount
Did you know a computer can draw as much
electricity as a new refrigerator? Turn it off
when not in use or switch on its energysaving mode. Also, cell phone and mp3
player chargers as well as plasma TVs and
entertainment centers pull power even
when they’re off. Unplug these and other
appliances to save on your electric bill. Find
more ways to save at TogetherWeSave.com.
Source: Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives
ELECTRIC CONSUMER • DECEMBER 2012 • 9E
NEW 3
-STEP PROGRAM TO
AN EFFICIENT HOME
With the cold winter weather, it’s definitely time to look for ways to make our
homes more energy-efficient. Finding the best method to keep the heat in
and the cold out is a challenge when the temperatures drop below freezing!
Heating systems can only do so much to keep you and your family comfortable
this fall and winter.
RIGHT NOW is the time to assess how much energy your home uses and
evaluate what measures you can take to improve efficiency. An in-home
energy audit is key to properly diagnosing energy inefficiencies in a home and
increasing your comfort level.
Clark County REMC is offering an easy 3-Step Energy Audit and
Weatherization Program that will help provide a clear path from audit to repair.
STEP 1
STEP 2
There is no charge for this audit. This audit
will help determine what potential energy
improvements should be considered.
This audit requires diagnostic testing to
evaluate how leaky the building is, how
well the air ducting is performing, and
combustion analysis testing.
1st Site Energy Audit
FREE*
The 1st Site Energy Audit includes:
• Building evaluation concerning
general health and safety issues, and
general heat waste opportunities for
improvement.
•A
udit report detailing opportunities for
improvement.
•M
ember Education regarding energy
improvements and why they should be
considered.
•M
ember Education regarding rebates
currently offered by the REMC.
Diagnostic Audit
$300**
The Diagnostic Audit includes:
•B
uilding evaluation concerning general
health and safety issues.
•C
onfirmation of general heat waste
opportunities.
•B
lower door test.
•R
ecommended Work Scope.
•A
nticipated Cost of Improvements
**With approved payment history, this charge can
be added to your electric bill.
*The 1st Site Energy Audit is offered free of
charge by Clark County REMC.
“With energy costs on the rise, we need as much
information as we can get on how to reduce our
energy and we look to the REMC to provide it.”
REMC member comment
10E • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • DECEMBER 2012
Annual Energy Bill for a
Typical vs. an Efficient Home
Lighting
$2,000
Small Appliances
Large Appliances
Water Heating
$1,500
Cooling
Heating
$1,000
$500
$0
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, 2009
Buildings Energy Data
Book. Savings are DOE
Home Energy Saver
estimates.
Typical
Home
Efficient
Home
STEP 3
Do It Yourself for free, or
choose a Weatherization
Management Service
$750***
Do the suggested repairs on your own
or for a management fee let Sherlock
Homes take it from here. Sherlock Homes
will completely manage your repairs and
retrofits, using contractors that are part of
the weatherization pro network. Included in
the fee is a final audit that confirms all work
was completed correctly.
*** This fee and all repairs can be financed over a
12 month period, interest free. The application
process is easy and can fit your budget. The
financing is offered through Sherlock Homes.
Hurry and
start saving today.
Call us at
812-246-3316 for
more details!