June 2016 | Volume 78 | Issue 6
Representative November bills – based on October usage
Amounts include 4 percent overall rate increase effective October
These examples are based on actual Platte-Clay members’ bills and includes the overall 4 percent rate increase. Members can manage demand by not using all electrical devices at one time. To see how much demand each item creates, check out the interactive demand calculator on the co-op web site, pcec.coop in the Services (top tab) section for representative examples of common household appliances and tools or stop by the office for a review.
Your co-op is in sound financial condition
Mike Torres
From the CEO
I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every member who attended your co-op’s 78th annual meeting May 12 at the Kearney headquarters. I’m pleased to tell you here, as I did May 12, that we are in good financial shape.
Congratulations to all of our prize winners, it’s a great way to add some fun to the business meeting and see the joy on the faces of our future co-op members.
This year the grand prize was a year of electric service, or a maximum of $1500, which went to Von Hager.
There was considerable interest in the new three-part billing. Beginning in November, co-op electric bills will show each member’s peak demand over the past 11 months and each member will be billed accordingly. Demand will be measured and adjusted, each month.
This is a fairer way to bill all members, as your co-op pays for energy based on its overall peak demand. As it stands now, demand is included in other billing components and is averaged.
I encourage you to review the demand information, including an interactive demand calculator on the co-op web site, pcec.coop in the Services section. It will provide ideas on how to manage demand and our bills.
We have good news to share about demand. Preliminary analysis and the cost of service study show that for more than 90 percent of co-op members, separating demand from consumption will have a modest effect of no more than $5 a month, more or less, for electric service, and that includes the 4 percent overall rate increase.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
New PCEC board members and their Districts
L-R: Larry Leachman, West; Steve Adkins, North; and Kim Goepferich, South.
Platte-Clay Annual Meeting
On Thursday, May 12, Platte-Clay Electric Co-op members elected three members to serve three year terms on the Board, distributed the $1.2 million in capital credits to members who attended the meeting and gave out prizes to lucky winners. It was a near perfect, cloudless May afternoon, just right for a large gathering, a carnival and a review of your co-op’s activities.
Jared Wolters explains the three-part billing showing demand to members.
(L-R): Members line up for a light meal. Some of the youngest co-op members learn about the value of membership. Mike Torres, CEO, addressed members on the state of the co-op.
(L-R) Briann Dickson, Sierra Quinn, Emma Graff.
(L-R) Xander Kyle, Kenny Farr, Emea Wells.
(L-R) Lucas Thies; Joseph Oliphant, Troy Fisher.
Grand prizes, L-R, Gary Shanks, president, Von Hager, a year of electric service and for R. H. Schrivener and Darrell Shea, six months of electric service or a maximum of $1500 and $750, respectively.
Not pictured: $75 Platte-Clay Fuel Card winners – Greg Brunkow, Celya Milliken, Gary Wilhite, Keith Wornson.
Cool savings with Energy Star
First, if you’re buying new, don’t even consider an air conditioner without an Energy Star rating. To start online comparison shopping, visit www.energystar.gov to find energy efficient units.
There are some basic rules for sizing a room air conditioner—especially those rooms on the south or west side of the house that aren’t shaded and simply bake in the summer sun. Let’s take a look at some suggestions so we stay cool and keep our costs down.
- Bigger isn’t better. An oversized air conditioner will cycle off and on. A right-sized 0unit running constantly will keep the room at a consistent temperature and reduce the amount of humidity in the room, another way of keeping cool.
- If the room is shaded—first, congratulations. And second, it’s possible to reduce the BTU capacity by 10 percent. Congratulations again.
- If the room is sunny, increase the BTU capacity by 10 percent. And if possible, consider planting trees or vines on that side of the house.
- If the room is upstairs and the attic isn’t well insulated, consider a larger size to help reduce the effect of radiant heat—since heat goes to the cold and the hot air will be seeping through the ceiling and walls.
- If more than two people regularly are in the room, add 600 BTU for each person.
- If the unit is for a kitchen, add 4000 BTU per hour.
After those considerations, the general window air conditioning sizing guidelines are:
- 100 to 150 sq. ft. – 5,000 BTUs
- 150 to 250 sq. ft. – 6,000 BTUs
- 250 to 300 sq. ft. – 7,000 BTUs
- 300 to 350 sq. ft. – 8,000 BTUs
- 350 to 400 sq. ft. – 9,000 BTUs
- 400 to 450 sq. ft. – 10,000 BTUs
- 450 to 550 sq. ft. – 12,000 BTUs
- 550 to 700 sq. ft. – 14,000 BTUs
- 700 to 1,000 sq. ft. – 18,000 BTUs
- 1,000 to 1,200 sq. ft. – 21,000 BTUs
- 1,200 to 1,400 sq. ft. – 23,000 BTU
Always choose an Energy Star rated unit; they’ll save about 15 percent in energy costs. Some have programmable timers, digital thermostats and varying cooling speeds. Look for units with a higher EER rating –the Energy Efficiency Ratio–of 10 or higher to help stretch your energy dollars.
And bad news for those of us who liked the idea of a portable air conditioner: none of the experts like them because they’re more expensive, noisy, inefficient and at around 80 lbs., not easy to move. However for some locations they may be the best bet, just go up in size or so to make up for the unit’s inefficiency. The good news: the units are slowly but surely improving.
Clean AC = Cool Co-op Member
For those of us dusting off last year’s model, it’s important to clean the unit, replacing dirty filters, vacuuming the coils and fins. Be gentle with the soft fins, using an upholstery brush and brush out or blow out any debris that may have gotten into the cabinet.
Safety first
Platte-Clay employees received training that will be helpful at work, at home and in the community. In April employees participated in active shooter training (run, hide, fight) and drill at the Kearney office and in May employees had a refresher on how to fight fires. Shown, Wayne Noll, Platte City District Office operations supervisor. With a rainy May, the training featured an electronic “fire” and an electronic fire extinguisher, both based on video game technology.
Pull for Conservation
Platte-Clay Electric Co-op fielded a team for the first Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) sporting clay shoot held at Geiger Shooting Range, in St. Joseph, Mo. The event attracted 75 shooters who raised funds for the outdoor organization which has a mission of protecting Missouri’s outdoor heritage and natural resources. The groups expects it to become an annual event. N.W. Electric and the seven rural electric cooperatives it serves sponsored the event held May 14. Above, L-R: Platte-Clay journeyman lineman Seth Heath took top honors in the individual category; Brandon Butler, CFM executive director; Dave McDowell, N.W. Electric Co-op CEO, whose team took home the traveling trophy and Rehan Nana, CFM director of corporate relations.
The Northland Connection is published monthly by Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc., 1000 W. 92 Highway, Kearney, MO 64060. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Northland Connection, PO Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060 or mail@pcec.coop.
Platte-Clay is an equal opportunity employer.