August 2015 | Volume 77 | Issue 8
Happy Birthday, Platte-Clay
Please join us for ice cream and a close-up look at your co-op’s new community solar array on Thursday, August 27, 3-6 p.m. We’ll celebrate 77 years of serving the Northland and a look to the future.
Let’s celebrate, Platte-Clay members
Mike Torres
From the CEO
The Seven Cooperative Principles explain a lot of what your co-op is all about.
They are part of the basic principles of cooperatives, and have served members well since Platte-Clay was established August 27, 1938, 77 years ago.
So that’s a good reason to celebrate.
In the early days, your cooperative was on a mission to educate members on how electricity could benefit them, promoting labor- and time-saving appliances that today we consider essential: electric lights in the home and barn, washing machines, irons, power tools, even heat lamps to keep baby chicks warm.
Times have changed as we have embraced using power in our homes–and for the past decade your co-op has had a focus on using energy wisely, saving your money.
For several years, members who came to the annual meeting received a compact fluorescent light (CFL) to introduce the energy efficient lights to members, many of whom found them to be expensive and funny looking.
And while we agreed on both counts, it was important to help members find ways to save energy and to save money because lighting makes up about 14 percent of an electric bill.
Together, Missouri co-op members throughout the state have reduced energy consumption that reached a high in 2011, and since then has dropped and now is leveling out.
And for its part, AECI, Platte- Clay’s power provider, has continually worked to meet the EPA’s increasingly tough standards.
And guess what—AECI has exceeded minimum requirements. Plants are “cleaner” than what the laws require.
As a result of producing less and cleaner energy—through power plant updates and modifications, wind energy and now, Platte-Clay’s community solar array, Solartech, Missouri co-ops are doing their part to help the state meet the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan requirements.
Hats off to Platte-Clay co-op members.
And Happy Birthday Platte- Clay Electric Cooperative, two good reasons to celebrate in August.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
The Seven Cooperative Principles
1 Voluntary and Open Membership
2 Democratic Member Control
3 Members’ Economic Participation
4 Autonomy and Independence
5 Education, Training and Information
6 Cooperation Among Cooperatives
7 Concern for Community
Co-ops focus on youth
Left, Haley Seba, of Lathrop, a home school student and right, Margaux Morris, of Kearney, who attends Kearney High School.
Platte-Clay’s two top scoring Youth Tour essay contest winners were among 97 high school students who were part of the 52nd annual Missouri Electric Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., June 12-18.
The Platte-Clay essay contest is held in the fall, open to high school juniors and sophomores.
Platte-Clay sponsors two students for the Washington, D.C., trip and up to four students for the CYCLE, Cooperative Youth Conference and Leadership Experience, an action-packed event that takes place in Jefferson City in mid to late July.
Students learn about electric cooperatives, leadership skills and get a taste of Missouri state government. The program includes nationally known speakers and a day at the state Capitol.
Highlights of the seven-day Youth Tour trip includes meeting with their Congressional representative and touring significant sites and monuments including the Smithsonian Institution, Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Memorial and a sightseeing and an evening dance cruise on the Potomac River.
“The Youth Tour trip is the highlight of the summer for many students.
“We’re proud to send our best and brightest to Washington, D.C., again this year to participate,” said Mike Marsch, director of Member Services for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives.
“These students represent not only their cooperative, but the State of Missouri.”
As part of the seven-day trip, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) coordinated Electric Youth Day when the more than 1,600 students heard speeches by government leaders and presentations by motivational speakers.
Platte-Clay has sponsored students since the program began in 1964 and today more than 50,000 students have participated in the program.
The theme for 2015-2016 is “What do you think the greatest energy issue is facing your generation and how can youth be a part of the solution?” Packets will be sent to area high schools in September and will be available to download from the co-op web site at that time.
Scholarships available
Information on the Platte-Clay scholarship will be included with the Youth Tour information deliverd to schools in the fall. In addition, that information will be on the co-op web site, pcec.coop.
Community solar – no panels, no problems
The solar industry is booming, so we’re getting new phrases and new companies all the time. We just heard the phrase “roofless solar,” and that really resonated after Focus Group members said they didn’t want solar panels on their homes or in their yard. They did like the idea of “roofless solar,” or community solar, available now from Platte-Clay.
When we look out at the solar array at the Platte-Clay office, we see progress, we feel a quiet excitement about the future of the co-op and what it’s delivering to members, how the solar panels work for members.
We think the co-op panels are beautiful, especially in the warm light of dawn and dusk, when the panels make both an industrial and environmental statement.
But, just as there are any number of car manufacturers, colors and options, there are about that many opinions on renewable energy.
One solar industry expert said that 85 percent of U.S. homes aren’t suitable for a roof top installation.
The top three roof top installation considerations in the U.S. are:
- A south-facing roof, ideally within 40 degrees of directly South, or at 180 degrees.
- Minimal shading. Some homes may experience shading from trees or a neighbor’s home, making the roof unsuitable.
- Roof space. Dormers, vent pipes, chimneys and skylights lessen the space available for solar panels.
The issues are the same for panels installed on the ground, plus concern about underground facilities.
And that brings us back to community solar, where all of these issues have been resolved.
Plus Platte-Clay has taken care of the installation and maintenance and there’s no large upfront capital cost. If anything goes awry, Platte-Clay’s experienced technicians and line crews are available to make repairs.
There are two ways for residential and small commercial members to become involved with community solar, with an option to use from one to five panels.
Sign up for the output of solar panels, which will run about $2.50 a month per panel.
Sign up for a long-term, but flexible, solar panel lease for $815 per panel. There is no charge for the energy produced, although members will pay for distribution, operations and maintenance.
To download the appropriate contract from the co-op web site, pcec.coop, click on energy on the top bar and then PCEC Solar Energy to get to the Solartech page and scroll down to the contract section.
Members can select the option of buying the output of up to five solar panels or leasing up to five panels.
Small commercial members also can participate in the program and lock in long-term energy costs at 2015 rates.
For those interested in learning more, the Platte-Clay PowerPoint presentations to the Solar Committee are available on that page as well as industry and publication links.
Behind the scenes of an outage
It’s two o’clock on a hot Sunday afternoon and we’re watching the Royals–they’re ahead by one run. The kids have company over and one is playing a video game and the other is trying her hand at baking a cake.
The TV goes off, all the lights go off, the PlayStation goes dark, the oven light goes off and the air conditioner stops humming.
We hear groans, possibly a little swearing and out comes the cell phone to call Platte-Clay, 816-628-3121.
And here’s what happens on Platte-Clay’s end.
1. Telephone number
When members call in during a bad storm with multiple outages, after hours or on weekends, the IVR, interactive voice response unit, will try to match the caller’s phone number listed on the account by using Caller I.D. If the IVR can’t identify the account by the incoming number, it will ask the caller to key in the phone number listed on the account.
2. Account number
If the IVR can’t find the second number, it will ask the caller to key in the account number, which is found on the second page of the bill, upper left hand corner.
3. Report an outage
If the member is reporting an outage in an area where the co-op has already been notified of that particular incident, the IVR will respond by telling the caller that the co-op knows about the outage and give an estimated time for service restoration.
4. Confirm location
If no outage has been reported, the IVR will confirm the address of the account by using the telephone number and notify the Platte-Clay dispatcher on duty with a loud alarm. Members calling help determine the extent of the problem and help trace it back to the source of the problem. The IVR will indicate the various outage locations on an internal, detailed mapping system that shows all locations and the electronics serving them.
5. We understand
To increase efficiency and minimize the amount of time a member needs to stay on the telephone, the IVR, which will handle 20 incoming calls, is pre-programmed with several messages including “we are aware of a large outage in your area,” and “severe storms are causing outages in your area,” for example.
6. Call back option
Another member-friendly IVR feature is the call back option—the co-op will call back to verify that service has been restored at a member’s location. Simply key in your response.
7. Outage updates at pcec.coop
Once the outage is confirmed by the co-op dispatcher, outage information will be displayed on the outage map shown on the co-op web site, www.pcec. coop, indicating the general location of the outage(s). A hat on the outage map indicates crews have been assigned and are working to resolve the issue.
8. Key to efficiency: correct telephone number on account
All this takes place quickly and efficiently if the phone number(s) on the account are accurate.
9. Update/correct telephone number
To update or verify phone numbers, visit the web site, www.pcec. coop and click on Services, then Account Services, and scroll down to Update Account and submit the interactive form.
10. Let technology work for you
It’s easy and if it becomes necessary to call in for an outage, correct information makes the call quick and efficient. And crews will be working until everyone has service restored.
Facebook – it’s not just fun and games
In the early days of Facebook, there were any number of questions about why anyone in business would want to use Facebook.
Now almost every business uses the social media tool, mixing their message in with the inspirational posts, complaints, family and pet photos that appear on our personal Facebook pages.
Your co-op uses Facebook primarily to caution members about the possibility of outages because of weather and other co-op related activities.
One part of a weather post is to remind and inform Facebook friends that crews will be working so long as it’s safe and until everyone has their service restored.
During a large outage, the co-op relies on Facebook to communicate directly with members, posting updates as information becomes available and service restored.
Sometimes there’s a safety component, such as reminding members not to touch a downed line.
Another important part of a post is giving members the telephone number so callers can use the interactive voice response unit, IVR, to report an outage.
To keep up with co-op activities and updates, “like” Platte-Clay on Facebook. We promise we won’t fill up your news-feed with jokes.
Member Viewpoint
I live within a half mile of several neighbors who have KCP&L and are getting help with the solar program. We feel very strong about having panels put on our building we built for that purpose–just to find that you don’t help with this program. Are we stuck with your service, or do we have an option to switch to KCP&L and reap the benefits my neighbors are enjoying?
Thank you.
– Charles Roberts
To send in your viewpoint on co-op activities, go to the web site, pcec.coop. At the very top of the page, click on Pay Bill Online. If you haven’t registered your co-op account, do that. The secure portal ensures that we hear only from co-op members. To read member contributions click on News, then Member Viewpoints; it’s also another way to get to the place to send in comments. We hope to hear from you.
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.