MARCH 2016 | BILL INSERT

• Important information about your rate

• Register to attend our free seminar and learn how to save money on your electric bill

• Nominate a Cobb EMC member for a home energy efficiency makeover

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

THE SMART CHOICE RATE AND YOUR BILL

The Smart Choice Rate gives you a smart way to manage your bill. Thanks to this innovative rate program, you have a simple way to reduce your annual electric bill. With the Smart Choice Rate, controlling your energy use at the right time allows you to control your bill. The highest energy need that you demand during Cobb EMC’s peak conservation hours determines your peaking service charge. If peak conservation hours kW have not been set, it will be based on the highest consumption used during the month. The peaking service charge that you set will affect your rate for up to the next 12 months. To monitor your daily and hourly energy use and to find out when it is the right time to control your energy use, visit www.cobbemc.com/smarthub. Let’s take a look at two key terms:

Peak use (demand) is the maximum energy need for an hour—set by you, the member—for Cobb EMC to reserve a certain capacity of power. Cobb EMC must have the capacity ready at all times to meet everyone’s maximum needs during peak hours.

Energy use, also referred to as consumption, is the total amount of energy used by the member—usually over a longer period such as a whole month.

Sign up to stay informed

Stay informed about peak notification days and receive alerts about peak conservation hours. Sign up for Cobb EMC newsletters to learn when to use your power at different hours and when to save energy during peak conservation hours. Visit www.cobbemc.com/smartalerts. Don’t forget to download the SmartHub® app today! The online and mobile application allows you to easily and securely pay your electric bill, monitor daily and hourly energy use and more.

Smart ChoiceSame Power. Different Hour.

Example: If a 100-watt lightbulb is on for 10 hours, it consumes 1,000 watt-hours. The entire time it's on, it demands 100 watts or .01kW from the utility. That means Cobb EMC must have that .01kW ready whenever the member turns on the lamp.

Similarly, 10 100-watt lightbulbs burning for one hour consume 1,000 watt-hours or 1kWh.

Note that in both examples, the energy use is 1kWh, however, look how differently the second situation impacts Cobb EMC from a demand perspective. Cobb EMC must now be prepared to provide 10 times as much capacity in response to the demand of the 10 lightbulbs operating all at once.

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF MEMBERSHIP

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF SAFETY

A change to member-sponsored bylaw amendments

Recently we invited a random sampling of members to complete a survey regarding a proposed amendment to bylaw Article X, Section 10.01 (a)(1). Of 10,000 surveyed, 60% of respondents recommended member-sponsored bylaw amendments be accompanied by a petition containing 850 or more signatures, that is 0.5% of the membership or more. The board voted unanimously to amend the bylaw to that level. We appreciate the member input and involvement. www.cobbemc.com/bylaws

35 signatures (previous requirement)

1/2 of one percent of members (about 850 signatures)

1 percent of members (about 1700 signatures)

1/4 of one percent of members (about 425 signatures)

3/4 of one percent of members (about 1275 signatures)

At least 2,000 member signatures

How much can you do with your loose change?

Through Operation Round Up®, the estimated maximum tax-deductible contribution is $11.88 per year, and with this small change, nonprofit organizations in our community are able to continue to work to enhance the quality of life of those they serve. Your loose change can do a lot! Find a full list of recipients for Operation Round Up at www.cobbemc.com/roundup.

February 2016 donations • The American Red Cross • Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America • Autism Speaks • Cherokee County Educational Foundation • Cobb County Fire Explorers • The Cobb County Youth Museum • Devereux Georgia • Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)

• Georgia Symphony Orchestra • Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia • Helping Mamas Inc. • Jewish Family & Career Services Inc. • Marietta Cobb Museum of Art • Paulding County 4-H • Road Trip Home Animal Rescue

Have a DIY project for spring? Think safety first. When the weather cooperates, it provides a chance to check off items such as cleaning out gutters, trimming trees and mending fences. Regardless of what is on your to-do list of outdoor projects, electrical safety should be a high priority. Here are some tips from Safe Electricity:

Need help finding a trusted contractor for a project? Find a list of our approved contractors at www.cobbemc.com/contractors.

Help us honor those who keep us safe and warm In April, Cobb EMC will honor the hard working line crews who often work in challenging conditions to keep the lights on in celebration of National Lineman Appreciation Day.

We’re inviting our members to join us by sending a letter to the linemen who sacrifice nights, weekends and holidays with their families to safely work around the clock to keep the lights on for the rest of us. Send letters to Cobb EMC Linemen by April 4 Attn: Corporate Communications, Cobb EMC P.O. Box 369, Marietta, GA 30061 or email to communications@cobbemc.com

•Be aware of power lines, especially when working with long metal tools like ladders, pool skimmers and pruning poles, or when working on a roof. •Keep yourself and equipment at least 10 feet away from power lines. Call a professional for work near lines, like tree trimming for example. •If it is raining or the ground is wet, never use electric tools. •When using extension cords, only use ones made for outdoor use. Use heavy-duty, three-pronged cords for tools.

BRINGING YOU THE POWER OF ENERGY

Possible makeover measures include but are not limited to the following:

• Two years of free natural gas courtesy of Gas South • New energy efficient appliances • Energy efficient lighting • New HVAC unit and smart thermostat • Caulking and weather stripping

ENERGY MAKEOVER

Cobb EMC

*Winner is solely responsible for all applicable taxes.

For a full list of sponsors, please visit our website.

Capture your share of the sun

Cobb EMC remains committed to doing what we can to help the environment while continuing to provide our members reliable, affordable electric energy options. That’s why we’ve made the benefits of clean, renewable power more widely available to our members through our Cooperative Solar program. Sign up for Cooperative Solar to see how it’s easy to be green!

Capture your share of the sun today. Visit www.cobbemc.com/coopsolar to learn more.

Nominations now open for a Home Energy Efficiency Makeover

Nominate a family in need for the chance to win*. To be eligible, homeowners must live in a primary residence served by Cobb EMC. Entries must be submitted by March 31. Learn how to enter and view program rules at www.cobbemc.com/makeover.

Convenient ways to pay your Cobb EMC bill

Pay by cash, check or money order at our office.Take a copy of your bill to any MoneyGram location, including Walmart or CVS (fees may apply).

Set up automated drafts or make one-time payments online with SmartHub. View and pay your bill online through your participating financial institution.

Mail check or money order payable to Cobb EMC.

Call 1-855-730-8714 Download the SmartHub app.

This spring, plan before you plant Landscaping doesn’t only add beauty to your home, but it can also improve your home’s comfort and lower your energy bills, always keeping safety in mind.

Below are a few planting tips from the U.S. Department of Energy: • Plant deciduous trees to the south of your home as they can screen 70-90 percent of the hot summer sun while allowing breezes through. • Plant trees with crowns lower to the ground on the west if you want to shade from lower, after noon sun angles. • Plant bushes, shrubs or climbing vines with a trellis to shade your patio area. • To cool air before it reaches your home, plant shrubs and groundcover plants.

cob

bem

c.co

m

As a member of Cobb EMC you are connected to valuable discounts through your Co-op Connections® Card, including discounts from local participating businesses. Find out more at www.cobbemc.com/discounts.

SAVE MORE WITH CO-OP CONNECTIONS®:

Download the Co-op Connections® app to get your card on your

tablet or mobile phone!

PRODUCT CONTENT LABEL

The product is sold in blocks of 150 kilowatt-hours (kWh). The product will be made up of the following renewable resources.

Green-e Energy Certified New3 Renewables in

Cobb EMC Green Power Program

Generation Location

20151 20162 -Biomass 100% 100% Georgia -Geothermal 0% 0% -Eligible hydroelectric 0% 0% -Solar 0% 0% -Wind 0% 0% TOTAL 100% 100%

1. The 2015 figures reflect the resources that were supplied for the year ending December 31, 2015.

2. The 2016 figures are prospective and reflect the power that we have contracted to provide. Actual figures may vary according to resource availability. We will annually report to you before August 1 of next year in the form of a Historic Product Content Label the actual resource mix of the electricity you purchased.

3. New Renewables come from generation facilities that first began commercial operation within the past 15 years.

This product includes generation from a facility that is approved for extended use by Green-e Energy. For comparison, the current average mix of resources supplying Cobb EMC includes: Coal (20.00%), Nuclear (16.28%), Oil (0%), Natural Gas (52.02%), Hydroelectric (10.76%), and Other (.94%). The average home in the United States uses 911 kWh per month. [Source: U.S. EIA, 2014] For specific information about this electricity product, please contact Cobb Electric Membership Corporation, (770) 429-2100, www.cobbemc.com/greenpower.

Green-e Energy certifies that Cobb Electric Membership Corporation Green Power Program meets the minimum environmental and consumer protection standards established by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions. For more information on Green-e Energy certification requirements, call 1-888-63-GREEN or log on to www.green-e.org.

Check your HVAC now!

Our annual $50 HVAC Tuneup rebate is back! The program will run March 1 through June 1, or while supplies last. For program guidelines, a complete list of approved contractors and to register, visit www.cobbemc.com/tuneup.

Mark your calendar

Town hall meeting Where: 1000 EMC Parkway Marietta, GA 30060 When: Mar. 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Open board meeting Where: 1000 EMC Parkway Marietta, GA 30060 When: Mar. 29 at 4 p.m.

28MAR

29MAR

Air Conditioning and Heating

AccuTemp Heating & Cooling Inc.www.accutempair.com

Cheshire Heating & A/C Co. Inc.www.cheshirehvac.com D. McKeon Heating & Air Inc.www.dmckeon.com

GUS HVAC Inc.www.gushvac.com

Ragsdale Heating, Air & Plumbing www.ragsdaleair.com Attorneys

Divorce Money Matterswww.divorcemoneymatters.com

DivorceTown Help and Hope Fairwww.divorcehelpandhope.com

Hallmark, Bowman & Hallmark www.bowmanlaw.com

Beauty, Bridal and Events

Catered Southern Events www.cateredsouthernevents.com CTO Bridalwww.ctobridals.com Gala Events Facilitywww.galafacility.com

Gary and Elaines Photographywww.garyandelainesphotography.com

Jump Ovation Parties www.jumpovation.com

Merle Norman Cosmeticswww.merlenormanstudios.com

The Alison Agency www.thealisonagency.com