Central Electric Cooperative
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Central Electric March 2019 Vol. 19 No. 11 Electric Co-op Leaders Get Involved Locally Page 8 Rounding Up for a Cause Page 12 MANAGER’S COLUMN Extreme Cold Impacts Electric Demand & Generation Throughout the month of January, your cooperative hosted seven of our eight District Meetings. The polar vortex that hit our area the last few days in January caused us to reschedule our Buffalo County District Meeting for February 19th. That same polar vortex also had two unique impacts on our electricity demand and generation resources. New All-Time Peak On Tuesday, January 29 around 10:30 PM, East River Electric (our wholesale power supplier) reach an all-time peak of 727 MW in demand. (Demand equals the rate at which energy is used, much like miles per hour on your car). This new peak of 727 MW was the equivalent of 727 million watts being used or “demanded” over a 15-minute time frame, or approximately 727,000 hair dryers (1 hair dryer = 1,000 watts). Ken Schlimgen The previous all-time peak was set in January 2018 at 696.3 MW. General Manager Why is demand significant? Approximately 50% of the cost of wholesale electric energy purchased by Central Electric is due to electrical demand. Demand costs are related to the amount and size of generators and power lines that are built and maintained to provide enough electricity now and in the future. Members can manage their demand costs by managing how much electrical equipment is operating during a 15-minute time period. Members can also help manage the overall demand costs incurred by the cooperative by voluntary participation in the cooperative’s load management programs. Members who allow the cooperative to remotely turn off water heaters, air conditioners, irrigation systems, and industrial loads have allowed the cooperative to avoid over $1 million in additional monthly demand costs in 2018 and helped keep electric rates lower. Shift in Generation Resources Basin Electric Power Cooperative also experienced a unique phenomenon during the extreme cold tempera- tures. As the temperatures dropped, it became too cold to operate Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s wind resources, and the wind turbines were shut down. Once this happened, natural gas generation increased and additional generation needed to be purchased off the grid in order to meet the members’ load needs. As you can also see from the graph, our coal generation resources played an important role in keeping the lights on. Thanks to years of planning, foresight, and capital investment, your cooperative, East River Electric, and Basin Electric were able to keep the power on during the extreme conditions. This is expected and required The graph reflects the type of Basin Electric Resources that were used on of electric companies, and service to our members is an hourly basis during January 29-30. The top light brown line reflects what we hang our hat on. the total electric load, the yellow shaded area represents coal, the blue shaded area represents wind, and the grey shaded area represents To learn more about your electric power generation, I natural gas. As the temperatures dropped the evening of January 29, encourage you to sign up for this year’s Basin Electric wind generation sources needed to be powered off. Natural gas and coal Bus Tour held July 17-19, 2019 (see page 14). Contact were major sources of generation during this time. The white area below our office or visit www.centralec.coop for more infor- the brown line shows the power purchased from the grid. mation. Until Next Month – Be Safe 2 Cooperative Connections | March 2019 CO-OP NEWS Save the Date: Central Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting (USPS 018-963) Board of Directors April 2, 2019 • Mitchell Corn Palace Duane Wolbrink - President Todd VanWalleghen – Vice President Bernetta Burghardt – Secretary Jim Headley – Treasurer Mark Hofer - NRECA Roger Campbell Donita Loudner - SDREA Darwin “Butch” Morrison Mark Reindl General Manager: Ken Schlimgen Editor: Courtney J. Deinert – [email protected] Assistant Editor: Patrick Soukup CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS is the monthly publication for the members of Central Electric Cooperative, PO Box 850, Mitchell, SD 57301. Families subscribe to Cooperative Connections as part of their electric Deadlines cooperative membership. Central Electric Cooperative Connections’ purpose is to provide reliable, helpful informa- tion to electric cooperative members on matters pertaining to their cooperative and living better with electricity. Also available at www.centralec.coop. Approaching This cooperative is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found on-line at http:// Youth Tour - March 1 www. ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. Available to high school juniors who permanently reside You may also write a letter containing all of the information within Aurora, Brule, Buffalo, Jerauld, Sanborn, Miner, requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter by mail to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Davison, or Hanson counties of South Dakota or are the Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave, S.W., Wash- dependent of a Central Electric member. ington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202 690-7442) or e-mail at program. [email protected]. Subscription information: Central Electric Cooperative members devote 50 cents from their monthly electric Empower Youth - March 1 payments for a subscription. Non-member subscriptions are Available to high school freshmen or sophomores who perma- available for $12 annually. Periodicals Postage Paid at Central Electric Cooperative, PO Box 850, Mitchell, SD 57301, and at nently reside within Aurora, Brule, Buffalo, Jerauld, Sanborn, additional mailing offices. Miner, Davison, or Hanson counties of South Dakota or are Postmaster: Please send address changes to Central Electric Cooperative, PO Box 850, Mitchell, SD 57301. Address all the dependent of a Central Electric member. other correspondence to: Cooperative Connections, PO Box 850, Mitchell, SD 57301 Telephone: (605)996-7516; Fax: Additional information is available at www.centralec.coop. (605) 996-0869; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www. centralec.coop. Office Information Employee Years of Service M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 800-477-2892 or Norton Truman 605-996-7516 March 1 - 13 years www.centralec.coop Lindsey Wilson Mission Statement March 2 - 4 years Provide Reliable Energy & Services with a Commitment to Safety and Thank you for your service to the cooperative! Member Satisfaction March 2019 | Cooperative Connections 3 NATIONAL LADDER SAFETY MONTH SAFETY TIPS Ladder Safety and How It Affects Everyone Protecting THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES Your Home +700 113 6-10 ft. and Business ladder injuries deaths caused by The most common ladder falls happen Every year, electrical equipment, wiring, appli- every day* falls each year* between 6 and 10 feet off the ground ances and tools cause injuries and fires at both homes and workplaces. Paying close attention WHETHER YOU’RE USING A LADDER AT HOME OR AT WORK, to the condition of electrical equipment and THESE NUMBERS AFFECT YOU. taking appropriate and prompt action to correct electrical problems can help to ensure most common ladder accidents include**: your safety and the safety of those around 2 you. Below are guidelines to help identify and 1. Missing the last step when climbing down reduce electrical hazards. 2. Overreaching *“National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2017 Data Highlights”, 2017, CPSC Electrical Outlet Safety **“ALI Ladder Safety Training and Citation Report” - United States, 2018, American Ladder Institute Avoid overloading outlets with too many appliances and ensure that electrical loads Take safety into your own hands by taking ladder safety seriously. are appropriate for the circuits. Visit www.LadderSafetyMonth.com to learn more. Unplug appliances when they are not in use to conserve energy as well as minimize the National Ladder Safety Thank you to our opportunities for electric shock or fire. Month is presented by Top Cap sponsor Use outlets instead of relying on extension cords and power strips. Consider having additional permanent outlets installed KIDS CORNER SAFETY POSTER where needed. Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) in wet/ damp areas like kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors. Electrical Cord Safety Inspect electrical cords to ensure that they are not frayed, cracked or damaged. Do not place electrical cords in high traffic areas, under carpets or across doorways where they pose a potential tripping hazard or could be easily damaged. Certification and Awareness Ensure that all electrical products and equipment are certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as “Be careful with farm equipment around power lines.” Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Carson Lee, 10 years old Allow only trained and qualified electrical workers to perform work on electrical Carson is the son of Chris and Marisa Lee, Fairfax, Minn. They are equipment. members of Renville-Sibley Co-op Power, Danube, Minn. Be aware of signs of electrical problems such as flickering lights and/or buzzing, Kids, send your drawing with an electrical safety tip to your local electric coop- sizzling or humming sounds from electrical erative (address found on Page 3). If your poster is published, you’ll receive a systems. prize. All entries must include your name, age, mailing address and the names of your parents. Colored drawings are encouraged. Source: www.acadiainsurance.com 4 Cooperative Connections | March 2019 RECIPES SeafoodSeafood SensationsSensations Clam Chowder Dip Crab Quiche 2 slices bacon, chopped 1 cup shredded white 4 beaten eggs 1 cup chopped imitation Cheddar cheese, divided crab 1/3 cup chopped onion 3/4 cup milk 1 (6.5 oz.) can chopped 1 cup shredded Cheddar 1 pkg.