Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Power of Community
WWW.PEC.COOP • POWER INTERRUPTIONS: 1-888-883-3379
System inventory continues
through service territory
Our comprehensive field inventory is
progressing smoothly throughout our
Junction, Bertram, Buchanan Dam and
Inks Lake service areas. The project
will help increase the Co-op’s system
reliability and efficiency. Learn more at
www.pec.coop/systeminventory.
PEC employees’ United Charities
supports 359 charitable programs
18 PEC linemen to compete in
annual Texas Lineman’s Rodeo
PEC Annual Report
available online
2013 was a year of growth for
Central Texas. Two of the top three
fastest-growing U.S. counties lie
within PEC’s service area, and
the Co-op grew by more than
8,000 meters and sold more
than five billion kilowatt-hours of
electricity.
Last year, the Co-op’s reliability
ranked in the top ten percentile
nationally among rural electric
cooperatives. We invested more
than $70 million in 2013 into
PEC’s distribution system to ensure
continued reliability.
More than 150 new miles of line
were constructed, 14 substations
were upgraded and one new
substation was added to keep pace
and prepare for anticipated future
electric demand. The Co-op’s full
2013 Annual Report is available at
www.pec.coop/annualreport.
Visit www.pec.coop/election for 2014 PEC election
results. Member voting in the election system referendum
and the director election concluded after press time.
PEC linemen will once again gear
up and head to Seguin July 19-20
to compete in the 18th annual Texas
Lineman’s Rodeo.
Earlier this spring, linemen from
across the Cooperative tried out for a spot
on the team. This year, three journeyman
teams and nine apprentice linemen will
represent PEC.
Linemen will be judged on safety,
technique and speed in events that mirror
their daily work.
Follow the team on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/PedernalesCoop.
Good luck, Team PEC!
PEC offices closed Friday,
July 4, for Independence Day
PEC crews will be on standby.
Please call 1-888-883-3379 to report
interruptions.
PEC coloring contest for area
youth ends July 31
Co-op stats
18
Year PEC’s United
Charities founded
1987
Staff contributions
70 percent of one
hour’s pay each month
Number of employee
participants
562
2013 contributions
$270,395 (including
matching Board funds)
Texas Co-op Power PEDERNALES ELECTRIC July 2014
There’s still time to participate! In
conjunction with library summer reading
programs in PEC’s service area, the
Co-op is holding a coloring contest for
children of PEC members. The contest
is intended to spark children’s creativity,
and more than 130 local children entered
last year. Pick up a coloring sheet and
entry form today at your local library
or PEC office. The materials can also
be downloaded at www.pec.coop/
coloringcontest. Entries are due July 31.
www.pec.coop
PEC employees and community organizations from the Marble Falls area gather at a United Charities reception.
Concern for community is one
of the core cooperative principles,
and PEC is committed to powering
and empowering the communities
it serves. But supporting local
communities isn’t limited to PEC as an
organization. Many Co-op employees
are active members of Hill Country
communities, too.
In 2013, 562 employees
participated in PEC United Charities.
Each month, they contributed
70 percent of one hour’s pay to the
program. The funds were matched
by the PEC Board of Directors and
assigned equally to all participants,
who selected recipients of their choice
from a list of 503(c) tax-exempt
charitable organizations.
This May, the funds were
distributed. The program donated
$270,395 to 359 charities, most of
which are local. Representatives
from each organization gathered
at receptions held in PEC offices
throughout the service area to receive
their checks.
www.pec.coop
Top 10 United Charities recipients
Make-A-Wish Foundation of
Central Texas
$12,868
Kimble County Meals on
Wheels
$3,942
Johnson City Volunteer Fire
Department
$4,787
Wounded Warrior Project
$3,869
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
$4,340
American Diabetes
Association
$4,317
Texas Children’s Hospital
$4,267
Kimble Rural Fire
Department
$3,428
North Blanco County EMS
$3,179
PAWS Animal Shelter
$2,980
Co-op Power
July 2014 PEDERNALES ELECTRIC Texas
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Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Power of Community
WWW.PEC.COOP • POWER INTERRUPTIONS: 1-888-883-3379
It’s easy to
Beat the Peak!
Beat the
Peak
Here are some easy tips to use less electricity during
peak hours
Heating and cooling account for
the majority of a home’s energy
use. During the summer, raising
your thermostat three degrees
during the peak hours of 2 p.m.
to 6 p.m. can help reduce peak
demand.
Shift electric use away from hours between 2 P.M. - 6 P.M.
Help PEC Beat the Peak
again this summer!
The 2014 PEC Beat the Peak
program rolled out June 2. The
program encourages members to
take simple steps to shift electric use
away from peak-time hours, and all
members enrolled in the program
have a chance to win an Energy Star
washing machine or one of 10 Nest
Learning Thermostats.
Summertime wholesale electric
pricing peaks between the hours of
2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Electricity
purchased during those hours costs the
Co-op nearly twice as much to buy as
electricity purchased during off-peak
hours. Nearly 67.5 percent of PEC’s
operating expenses in 2013 went to
the purchase of wholesale power.
Those are substantial costs, and by
working together we can help reduce
them. Beat the Peak is a team effort
made up of PEC members just like
you making small changes to adjust
electric use. More than 15,000 of your
fellow members are already enrolled
in the program, and your actions
20
can make a difference. Shifting your
electric use to off-peak hours not
only helps reduce the Co-op’s costs
associated with power, but it can also
help lower overall demand on the
Texas electric grid. Helping PEC beat
the peak reduces stress on the state
overall.
Water heating is the second
leading energy user in a
home. You can shift the use of
appliances such as washing
machines and dishwashers to
off-peak hours to reduce hot
water needs, and consider
lowering your water heater’s
temperature to 120 degrees.
Beat the Peak –
What you need
to know
Computers, electronics and
lighting use the third highest
users of electricity in a home.
When possible, shift as much
use as you can to off-peak
hours, and make sure lights are
turned on only when needed.
• Enroll online, by phone
or in person at any PEC
office.
• All members enrolled
on or by Sept. 30 are
eligible to win an Energy
Star washing machine or
one of 10 Nest Learning
Thermostats.
Energy Star
washing machine
Texas Co-op Power PEDERNALES ELECTRIC July 2014
Nest Learning
Thermostat
PEC’s Kids Zone makes it
fun for children ages 6 to 13
to learn about power, energy
savings and electrical safety.
You’ll find activities that
parents and teachers can
use to teach children about
energy conservation at
home and at school. Visit
www.pec.coop/KidsZone.
• Beat the Peak is free.
• Program ends Sept. 30.
You could win!
Make energy
conservation fun
for the whole
family
• Find more details at
pec.coop/beatthepeak.
www.pec.coop
Being conscious of your electric
use — and how that use affects
the Co-op’s wholesale costs
— is a simple key to helping us
Beat the Peak!
www.pec.coop
Beat the
Peak
Enjoy fun games such
as Lights Out! that give
kids the chance to learn
how compact fluorescent
bulbs save energy.
Explore fun energy facts
and other activities!
Learn about electricity,
how it works and how to
conserve energy in your own
home. Print out coloring
pages and activity sheets for
even more fun.
Co-op Power
July 2014 PEDERNALES ELECTRIC Texas
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21
Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Power of Community
WWW.PEC.COOP • POWER INTERRUPTIONS: 1-888-883-3379
Renewable news
Field Notes
PEC participates in SunShot Initiative
to help co-ops streamline affordable solar
PEC is participating with 14 other
cooperatives nationwide on the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
SunShot Initiative to make solar
energy cost competitive with other
forms of electricity by the end of the
decade. The research will analyze
labor, procurement and supply
chain costs that must be identified
in the deployment of large utilityscale photo-voltaic (PV) installation
projects.
By collaborating with the 15 co-ops
in the program, the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association
(NRECA) will develop “PV system
packages” consisting of standardized,
optimized and scalable technical designs for 250-kilowatt
(kW), 500-kW and 1-megawatt systems. Standardization
can reduce the cost of solar and accelerate deployment.
“We are excited to partner with our sister co-ops on a
project that could help our members take advantage of
advances and cost reductions in solar PV energy,” said
PEC Chief Executive Officer John D. Hewa. “This research
demonstrates how a consumer-centric business model can
drive innovation.”
The DOE is providing $3.6 million in funding for the
project, which will be matched by a $1.2 million cost share
Your
questions
answered
22
News and tips from the field
Stay safe this
summer
from the other participating organizations: the NRECA, the
National Rural Utility Cooperative Finance Corporation,
Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, PowerSecure
International, Inc. and the 15 co-ops. PEC will not receive
a portion of this money but will instead provide technical
expertise to the research.
“Initiatives such as these will play an increasingly
important role in PEC’s efforts to reach the goals outlined
in the Board’s Strategic Plan regarding rates and costs,
member satisfaction and power supply,” Hewa noted. “It
also dovetails nicely with the Co-op’s renewed commitment
to innovation.”
PEC capital credits allocation info
mailed in July, August
Because PEC is a not-for-profit cooperative, it doesn’t earn profits. If
revenues exceed expenses, the Co-op earns margins, which are assigned
to members in proportion to the amount billed for electricity during the year.
They reflect your ownership in PEC and are eventually returned to you as
capital credits.
At its May meeting, the PEC Board announced that more than $45
million will be allocated to members for electricity purchased in 2013.
The approved allocation factor is 0.08449894. Letters explaining the
allocation are being mailed starting in July. Learn more about this important
cooperative element online at www.pec.coop/capitalcredits.
Texas Co-op Power PEDERNALES ELECTRIC July 2014
www.pec.coop
PEC linemen and crews keep an eye out for snakes, spiders and
insects when working outdoors.
Protect yourself from
bites and stings
PEC field crews know that the
Hill Country is full of things that
sting or bite. Take these steps to
stay safe!
Mosquitoes can carry West Nile
Virus and other diseases. To
minimize your chance of being
bitten, avoid being outside
during dusk and dawn (when
mosquitoes are most active) and
keep your yard free of items that
can collect standing water. When
working outdoors, wear pants
and long-sleeved shirts, and use
a repellent as directed.
Snakes hide in piles of brush
and debris, under rocks and
in high grasses. Always use
a tool instead of your hands
to move items you can’t see
beneath, and lift the edge
farthest from you first so
the object provides a shield
www.pec.coop
between you and any snake that
may be underneath.
To guard against spiders and
scorpions, shake out shoes,
gloves and clothing before use,
and be careful when moving piles
of long-undisturbed materials.
Learn to identify Brown Recluse
and Black Widow spiders, and
seek medical attention as soon
as possible if you’re bitten by
these highly venomous creatures.
Bees and wasps usually only
sting when aggravated, so
remain calm and still if you see
one nearby. Don’t use perfumed
soaps or sprays when working
outdoors, and be especially
careful around flowering plants
and food garbage (which can
attract wasps). If you know
you’re allergic to bee stings,
carry medication at all times.
As it warms up outside, we
hope you enjoy spending time
with your family, friends and
loved ones. Keep everyone
safe, especially around water
and electricity, by being
aware of your surroundings.
There’s perhaps no
better way to cool off
during a hot Texas
summer than by diving into a
swimming pool. Remember
to never keep electronics,
such as stereos or speakers,
near pools, spas or hot
tubs. Ensure outlets near
pools are properly covered
and protected by ground
fault circuit interrupters. If
an electronic device should
fall in water, do not try to
retrieve it. Instead, unplug it
immediately or shut off the
circuit powering it.
While sprinkler systems
help keep lawns lush
and green, they can
cause hazardous situations.
Avoid using power tools or
electric lawn mowers while
sprinklers are running or when
your lawn is still damp.
Co-op Power
July 2014 PEDERNALES ELECTRIC Texas
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