TEC ReportT E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S A P R I L 2 0 1 5

The emphasis on safety during the 69th Annual TECLoss Control Conference March 17–20 was not lost

on the 431 attendees at the Sheraton Arlington Hotel. Themessages came from co-op executives, safety experts, lawenforcement officials, injured linemen and the widow of afallen lineman.

“The second you drop your guard, it could happen toyou,” said Dennis Ferguson, from Guadalupe Valley EC.He summed up the cautionary lessons about the constanthazards of his profession imparted during the conference’s20 sessions.

The conference also featured a trade show of more than40 representatives demonstrating products and servicesessential to the utility industry.

The annual auction and golf tournament raised nearly$35,000 for the scholarship fund available to children ofemployees who participate in TEC’s Loss Control program.

Linemen injured on the job shared emotional tales dur-ing sessions titled “Don’t Think It Can’t Happen to You.”Zeke Ybarra, a first-class lineman at Victoria EC, sufferedsevere burns on his face and arm after making electricalcontact. “One second can change your life forever,” he said.“I got careless.”

Fifteen co-op employees won Lifesaving Awards, andthe stories of their heroism were told in seven poignant

videos shown during general sessions.Fifteen breakout sessions focused on industry issues and

practices, including fall arrest system regulations, RESAPand identifying hazards, formation of a safety committee,accident investigations and the dangers of meth labs.

Mike Williams, TEC president and CEO, spoke aboutthe practical, political and technological challenges facingthe industry. Copper theft continues to hinder operationsand costs co-ops money. In some cases, drug cartels havebeen implicated in the thefts. “It’s inconvenient, it’s expen-sive and it’s dangerous,” Williams said.

A panel discussion featuring co-op executives stressedthat safety must be built into organizations’ culture. “Safetyis an essential job function,” said Rayce Cantwell, Wise ECgeneral manager. Mark Stubbs, Farmers EC general man-ager, and Ray Beavers, CEO and general manager at UnitedCooperative Services, joined Cantwell on the panel.

PAG E 2TEC Applauded forACRE Participation

Transformer RepairFacility Tour Benefits UCS LinePersonnel

TEC 2015 Loss Control ConferenceHighlightsPHOTO ALBUM

PAG E 3TVEC Donation To Feed Hungry

PEC Updates Interconnection Policy

Rita Blanca ECDonates to Hospitality House

Houston County ECConducts Survey

TEC Launches Discussion Lists

PAG E 4Co-op People

Co-ops in theCommunity

In the Business

C O N T E N TS

Medina EC inaugurated its Community Empowerment Program, an economic development fund offering up to$15,000 in grants for capital improvement projects bylocal governments and nonprofit groups.

The program, launched in January, aims to fund ven-tures that improve community infrastructure, encourageeconomic diversity, contribute to community health anddevelopment, and improve the quality or quantity of serv-ices within the Hondo-based co-op’s 17-county servicearea. Eligible applicants include civic organizations,schools, volunteer fire departments, libraries, emergencymedical services, museums and historical associations,and other community groups.

“Finding ways to give back to the people in and aroundthe communities we serve is important,” said JenniferOlson, MEC member relations specialist. “With our newgrant program, I think we will be able to make an impact in ways we haven’t been able to in the past, and this will continue to make Medina EC a part of the future ofSouth Texas.”

Funds come from a portion of Medina EC’s unclaimedcapital credits earmarked for economic development. Two-thirds of the total amount is available for grants of$2,000 or less, and one-third is available for grants up to $5,000. The co-op plans to offer the grants annually,subject to the availability of escheated funds.

Conference Puts Spotlight on Safety

Speed painter Dan Dunn closed out the conference with an artistic tribute to conference attendees and the work they do.

Loss Control Lifesaving Videos

M E D I N A E C O F F E R S C O M M U N I T Y E M P O W E R M E N T G R A N T

Co-op employees intervene whentheir colleagues, members or community residents meet peril.Their actions save lives. Watch at http://bit.ly/1AFRlmj as theseco-op professionals retell the talesof their lifesaving acts that earnedthem recognition.

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April 15–17TEC Accounting ConferenceDallas, The Westin Galleria

May 19–20TEC Human Resources ConferenceDallas, The Westin Galleria

May 20–22TEC Administrative Professionals ConferenceDallas, The Westin Galleria

SAV E T H E DAT E

Aug. 2–5TEC Annual MeetingAustin, Renaissance AustinHotel

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May 4–8Underground SchoolREGISTER BY APRIL 27

Quitman, Wood County EC

May 5Welcome Aboard: An Employee’s First DaysREGISTER BY APRIL 28

Webinar

May 12–14Member/Customer ServiceAcademyREGISTER BY APRIL 10

Georgetown, TEC TrainingFacility

May 18–22Digger Operator SchoolREGISTER BY MAY 11

Merkel, Taylor EC

Hotline 1–4REGISTER BY MAY 11

Merkel, Taylor EC

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Visit texas-ec.org for thecomplete calendar and registration.

T H E T E C R E P O RTThis award-winning newsletter—published by TEC

11 times a year—covers TEC happenings, co-op news, inspirational stories and industry updates.

MIKE WILLIAMS, President/CEO(512) 486-6203 • williams@texas-ec.org

SUZANNE HALKO, Editor(512) 486-6226 • shalko@texas-ec.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS: tecreport@texas-ec.org

TEC Applauded for ACRE ParticipationTEC won the ACRE Special Achievement Award forenlisting the third-highest number of ACRE members inthe nation and the most Century Club members in thenation in 2014. Bartlett EC General Manager/CEO BryanLightfoot accepted the award for TEC from the NationalRural Electric Cooperative Association’s outgoing boardpresident Curtis Nolan Feb. 25 during the NRECAAnnual Meeting.

Transformer Repair Facility Tour BenefitsUCS Line Personnel Seven United Cooperative Services employees toured theTEC/Solomon Corp. transformer repair and remanufac-turing operations in Georgetown in February for an up-

close look at equipmentthey would encounter inthe field.

The warehouse toursupplemented United’ssingle-phase transformerand regulator classroomtraining. “United takesthe opportunity to giveour line personnel asmuch info as possibleabout the equipmentthey maintain on a dailybasis,” United SeniorForeman Jerry Scott

said. “The idea was to allow trainees to view the internalparts of transformers and regulators.”

United has sent two groups for tours in the past sixmonths and is planning another tour this year.

“We always stand ready to assist and support our mem-ber co-ops in any way we can,” said Johnny Andrews, TEC’sManufacturing & Distribution Services COO. “Any timeone of our member co-ops wants to take a tour, they cangive us a call, and we will be happy to accommodate them.”

LIFESAVING AWARD RECIPIENTSTo honor electric cooperative employees who save lives Joe Allen, Farmers EC Renée Nugent, Trinity Valley ECHeath Baldwin, Trinity Valley EC Mandy Read, Trinity Valley ECEd Conner, Trinity Valley EC Jimmy Don Rogers, Taylor ECJacob Donley, Farmers EC Billy Sherrell, Trinity Valley ECDavid Earls, Farmers EC Cari Smith, Trinity Valley ECGreg Fisher, Navarro County EC Jerad Taylor, Navarro County ECJarrid Horton, Farmers EC John Weaver, Trinity Valley ECMike Martinez, Big Country EC

UNSUNG HERO AWARDFor contributing to the success of Loss Control Lineman SchoolsMike Hale, Farmers EC

GE SAFETY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDFor the highest ratings in driving record, vehicle safety, timesaccredited, job training, safety support and moreSan Bernard EC

SAFETY ACCREDITATION RECIPIENTS Concho Valley EC Rusk County EC HILCO EC San Bernard EC Medina EC Trinity Valley EC Mid-South Synergy

MILLION MAN-HOUR AWARDSSan Bernard EC, 1,180,086 hours worked United Cooperative Services, 1,189,670 hours worked

NO LOST-TIME AWARDS5 Years: San Bernard EC, TEC Manufacturing and Distribution Services and United Cooperative Services6 Years: Lamar County EC and Navarro County EC7 Years: San Patricio EC26 Years: City of Brownfield and J-A-C EC29 Years: City of Fredericksburg

CERTIFIED LOSS CONTROL PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTDerly Carrizales, Medina EC Shane Rogers, HILCO ECPhil Henricks, TEC Tracy Weaver, Mid-South Synergy

Highlights of the TEC 2015 Loss Control Conference

View 2015 Loss Control Conference photos on Flickrat http://bit.ly/18UT2Vm.

From left, Bryan Lightfoot accepts TEC ACRE awards from Curtis Nolan.

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Interconnected members of Pedernales EC now receive 69 percent more money for surplusenergy generated and sold to the co-op. The board of directors voted for members to be paid$0.05826 per net metered kilowatt-hour, effective December 2014. The price, also known as“avoided cost,” will be reviewed and updated annually.

“This $0.058 is more commensurate, more indicative of the actual cost of electricity that weare buying from our energy providers today,” PEC CEO John Hewa said.

PEC announced the update at the 2014 Hill Country Solar Tour last fall, during which about350 members toured four solar installations in the Georgetown and Leander areas.

The tour also featured a solar installer fair and a children’s solar car workshop while provid-ing information on energy-efficiency loans, conservation tips and PEC’s interconnection policy.

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During the 2014 Hill Country SolarTour, Pedernales EC announced anupdate to its interconnection policythat allows members to be paid morefor surplus power generated for PEC.

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TVEC Donation To Feed Hungry

Rita Blanca EC Donates to Hospitality House Thanks to a donation from Rita Blanca EC, residents of farNorth Texas can find support during times of medicalneed. In December, the cooperative donated $3,750 toAmarillo’s Medical Center League House.

The League House, a nonprofit hospitality house, pro-vides lodging to anyone traveling to Amarillo for medicalneeds. RBEC’s donation can be used to cover the lodgers’expense of $45 per night, which rents a private room andshared facilities such as a kitchen, laundry room andprayer garden. The house is walking distance to hospitals,a cancer center and medical buildings.

“Rita Blanca Electric felt a sincere need for the LeagueHouse, as our members travel a great distance to the med-ical facilities in Amarillo,” said Brent Wheeler, RBEC CEO/general manager. “Being able to stay at the Medical LeagueHouse lessens the burden of expenses for our members.”

More hungry students of Athens ISD can take home food through the Hornet BackpackProgram, thanks to a $3,000 grant from the Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative Char-

itable Foundation. The program provides nutritious meals and snacks to children whose primary source of

food is the school cafeteria, Toni Garrard Clay, AISD public information officer, wrote inthe Athens Daily Review. Sponsoring one child for a year through the East Texas FoodBank costs $162 a year.

Kari Wilmeth, left, Trinity Valley EC public relations representative, presents a check to Yadira Chairez, center, AthensISD parent liaison, and Diana Vaughn, AISD federal programs director, for the Hornet Backpack Program.

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Houston County EC Conducts SurveyTo improve load forecast and understand co-op issues froma member perspective, Houston County EC recently con-ducted a member survey. The co-op then shared prelimi-nary responses with its members to maintain transparency.

“We want to better understand our members’ needs,”HCEC General Manager Kathi Calvert said. “If we are trulycommitted to service, our entire focus needs to be on themember—not just how they use energy, but how we inter-act with them. I also want to know how we are viewed inthe community, what we do well and what we need toimprove.”

Calvert shared the results in her March 2015 Texas Co-op Power column. Her message focused on writtencomments—including negative comments—in four areas:reliability, general service, rates and member service. Sheexplained that because co-op members are more than cus-tomers, they deserve to know the business’ successes andareas needing improvement.

“Communication and education are critical during thistransformational time of our industry, and it is a complexindustry,” Calvert said. “We need our members to believe inus and know that our goal is to serve them.”

TEC Launches Discussion ListsThe TEC Communications & Member Services Depart-ment launched nine TEC member discussion lists inMarch. Each list is built around a specific cooperativegroup, or community, and will serve as another communi-cations tool for co-op employees to connect with peersacross the state.

To kick off each list and populate the communities, TEC is emailing invitations to co-op employees to register.Once confirmed, those signed up can manage their listsand preferences via the TEC member website under Member Resources. Visit members.texas-ec.org to sign up for any of the following discussion list communities:Accounting, Administrative Professionals, Communica-tors, Emergency Response, Engineering, Human Resources,Information Technology, Member Services, Safety andLoss Control.

A new generation of solar panels could create the cheapest householdsolar energy yet, Reuters reports. The ultrathin panels are made of themineral perovskite and can be attached to windows. Perovskite panelsare 40 percent cheaper and 50 percent more efficient than today’s com-mercially produced panels.

A Disney executive recently declined the idea of using charactersfrom “Frozen” to teach children about climate change. The WashingtonPost reports that a U.S. special representative for the Arctic asked if Dis-ney would assist with making urgent public service announcements todisseminate the message of climate change to American children. TheDisney executive said the business of the company was to “tell storiesthat project optimism and have happy endings.”

Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., created Today’s Power, Inc., asubsidiary formed to provide renewable energy solutions, energy-efficiencyprograms and emergency backup generators for large commercial, indus-trial or utility customers, according to Arkansas Business. Today’s Power,Inc., will sell tenKsolar products in six states through an exclusive distri-bution agreement.

Five earthquakes shook Irving in January, and residents expressedconcerns that natural gas drilling caused them, National Public Radioreports. The earthquakes ranged in magnitude from 2.2 to 3 andoccurred within about seven hours. Thirty-six earthquakes have beenreported in that region since October. At an Irving town hall meeting,residents expressed fears that hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, caused

the seismic activity. The City of Irving produced handouts that said frack-ing had not occurred there since 2010 and no wastewaster was injectedwithin city limits. In early February, the U.S. Geological Survey recordeda 3.1 magnitude earthquake northeast of Amarillo, according to NewsChannel 10.

“Life on the Line,” a movie starring Academy Award nominee JohnTravolta, is expected to be released this year, according to DeadlineHollywood. The independent film tells the story of the often-treacherousconditions linemen face while working to maintain power. Film produc-tion began in October 2014 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Marro Filmsand Elite Film Productions are producing the movie. A Marro Filmsexecutive said, “It’s an honor … to tell this modern-day story about theseunsung heroes.”

Electric use in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas regionincreased by 2.5 percent in 2014 compared to 2013, while peak demandduring the hottest part of summer decreased by a little more than 1 per-cent, ERCOT shows in its 2014 Demand and Energy Report.

Cooperatives have access to discounts and incentives for utility-scalesolar projects, thanks to a program supported by the National RuralElectric Cooperative Association, Electric Co-op Today reports. The Solar Utility Network Deployment Acceleration, or SUNDA project, was developed by the NRECA’s Cooperative Research Network with agrant from the Department of Energy. Program details can be found oncooperative.com.

I N T H E B U S I N E S S

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S

Co-op PeopleNorth Plains EC Director Jerel Norris

retires April 20. He was elected to theboard of directors in 1994.

United Cooperative Services CEORay Beavers was elected presi-dent of the board of direc-tors of the NationalRural Utilities Cooper-

ative Finance Corporation duringthe 2015 CFC Annual Meeting onFeb. 23. Beavers first joined the CFCBoard in 2010.

Touchstone Energy Cooper-atives awarded Lynn Simmons, South

Plains EC manager of communica-tions, with the 2015 DistinguishedService Award. The award goes to aperson who exemplifies the coopera-tive spirit and the core values ofTouchstone Energy.

Carlton Penney, TEC director ofmanufacturing, was elected president of the South-ern Pressure Treaters Association. As president, hepresides over and organizes meetings, advises onlegislative and regulatory response, and assists withtechnical resources.

Rural elementary schoolchildren in the Victoria Independent School District now havedigital learning opportunities through a donation from Victoria EC.

The cooperative purchased 12 Asus tablets and keyboards for William Wood Elemen-tary School and presented them during an assembly. VEC raised the money through acommunity service project called Linemen for Little Ones, holding a silent auction,school-supply drive, raffle ticket drawing and payroll deduction campaign.

VEC plans to make a donation through Linemen for Little Ones every year and hasalready selected another elementary school to be the 2015 recipient.

“Victoria Electric Cooperative wanted to start a project that would give back in a waythat would make a difference and truly impact the children in our community,” said Brit-tany Marsh, VEC communications specialist.

CO-OPS IN THE COMMUNITY

Ray Beavers

Jerel Norris

Lynn Simmons

Victoria EC representatives present 12 tablet computers and keyboards that the co-op purchased to the stu-dents and employees of William Wood Elementary School.

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TEC ReportT E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S M A Y 2 0 1 5

To meet the needs of the Rio Grande Valley’s diversepopulation, Magic Valley EC aims to become the

nation’s first fully bilingual, biliterate and bicultural co-op.The co-op’s efforts overthe past several years have increased memberengagement and satisfac-tion, said MVEC Commu-nications CoordinatorLuis J. Reyes.

“MVEC’s Spanish-speaking members aremore engaged with the co-op than before,” Reyessaid. “We receive compli-ments not only fromSpanish-speaking members but also from bilingual mem-bers who are reading MVEC’s news in Spanish.”

Forty-five percent of MVEC’s membership prefers toreceive information in Spanish, according to a membersurvey. The co-op has employed bilingual member servicerepresentatives since the 1980s, but a campaign rolled outin 2012 emphasizes the use of Spanish across myriad mar-keting and communications platforms.

Most of MVEC’s member services representatives arebilingual. MVEC shares Spanish marketing materials onproducts and services, such as the Co-op Connections card

and Marathon water heaters; airs bilingualTV and radio spots; writes in Spanish forTexas Co-op Power, bill inserts and localpublications; and maintains a Spanish web-

site and Facebook page.Additionally, MVEC’sannual meeting programand invitation is in Span-ish, and Spanish interpre-tation is available duringthe meeting.

“For Magic Valley serv-ing the Rio Grande Valley

involves more than providing electricity,” Reyes said.“MVEC helps to enrich the communities we serve by estab-lishing community partners and sponsoring communityevents” such as the Sombrero Festival and Border Fest.

“All of the efforts have been positive,” Reyes said. “Ourmost recent [American Customer Satisfaction Index] scoreof 92 shows that MVEC is making great strides in commu-nicating with our members.”

Cooke County EC installed a 2-kilowatt solar panel in itsservice center yard March 31 to study the costs and bene-fits of solar generation.

Output information transmits directly from panelequipment outside to a computer and display station justinside the CCECA business office. The co-op intends to runthe study indefinitely, to examine variables and viability,and to educate members interested in small-scale residen-tial solar installations.

“Members want to know, is it viable? So we installed thesolar system to gather info on the costs and productionoutput,” said John Walterscheid, CCECA member commu-nications coordinator. “We’re still new in the study, but in afew months we’ll have enough information for members tocalculate how much an installation might cost and howlong their payoff period might be, and make a decisionfrom there.”

CCECA conducted a 2014 survey that asked memberswhether they were willing to pay a premium of 1–2 cents perkilowatt-hour for solar service. The results surprised co-opstaff: From among the 251 members surveyed, “Yes” and“No” responses were split evenly at 41 percent each, indicat-ing a much stronger interest in solar than anticipated.

Installation of the test system cost the co-op approxi-mately $7,500, including cooperative labor and addi-

PAG E 2Calendar

Message From the President

Texas House Honors Bluebonnet EC Lineman

TEC Staff Celebrates 75th Anniversary

NRECA Seeks Summer Interns

PAG E 3Facebook ContestHome Run forCoServ

Live Chat OpensWindows for VECMembers

Lyntegar EC MovesHeadquarters

TEC ConferenceQuotables

PAG E 4Co-op People

Co-ops in theCommunity

In the Business

C O N T E N TSMVEC Reaps Results of Bilingual Efforts

Cooke County EC Installs Educational Solar Array

The state of your cooperative is excellent. Magic Valley Electric is still growing strong 78 years after it’s founding.

Last year, we added 2,261 new meters, increasing our total meters in service to 104,822. We built an additional 33 miles of overhead distribution lines and 30 miles of underground lines. This gives us a total of 3,812 miles of overhead lines and 1,164 miles of underground lines.

To serve our member-owners, we have four offi ces through out the Rio Grande Valley. Our headquarters offi ce is located at Mile 2 West on Business 83, in Mercedes. There is a branch offi ce at 1825 N. Indiana Road in Brownsville. Our Western Division Offi ce is located at 2910 W. Monte Cristo Road in Edinburg. This offi ce is currently being remodeled in order to better serve our members, as it handles a high volume of business. In Pharr, we have been leasing an offi ce at 1311 S. Cage Avenue for a number of years. We had a chance to buy the building, which we did, and we will be expanding our offi ce soon. This will greatly enhance our presence in the area, which is one of our fastest growing.

MARTIN E. GARCIAMVEC PRESIDENT

2015 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Nuestra cooperativa se encuentra en un estado excelente. Magic Valley continúa fuerte y creciendo 78 años después de su fundación. El año pasado, instalamos 2,261 nuevos medidores, lo cual suma un total de 104,822 medidores activos. Construimos 33 millas adicionales de línea aérea y 30 millas de línea subterránea, lo cual nos da un total de 3,812 millas de línea aérea y 1,164 millas de línea subterránea.

Para servir a nuestros miembros co-propietarios contamos con cuatro ofi cinas en el Valle del Río Grande. Nuestra ofi cina central se ubica en la milla 2 oeste en la antigua carretera 83, en Mercedes. Tenemos una sucursal en Brownsville, en 1825 Indiana Road. La ofi cina de nuestra

división occidental está ubicada en 2910 W. Monte Cristo Road en Edinburg. Esta ofi cina está siendo remodelada para dar un mejor servicio a nuestra membrecía, ya que ahí se maneja un alto volumen de transacciones.

En Pharr, por varios años hemos alquilado un local en 1311 S. Cage Ave. Se nos presentó la oportunidad de comprar el edifi cio y estaremos expandiendo nuestra ofi cina en esa ciudad. Esa expansión mejorará enormemente nuestra presencia en una de las áreas donde estamos teniendo mayor crecimiento.

MARTIN E. GARCIAPRESIDENTE MVEC

2015 MENSAJE DEL PRESIDENTE

tional hardware. The display station yields daily outputinformation such as the levels of power produced, mone-tary yield in dollars and carbon dioxide savings. CCECAplans to distribute the information to members via itswebsite and Texas Co-op Power.

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ABOVE: Cooke County ECfound that solar panels aretough enough for installersto walk on and should holdup through years of harshweather conditions. RIGHT: The system providescost and output information.

Magic Valley EC’sannual report in English and Spanish

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May 19–20TEC Human Resources ConferenceDallas, The Westin Galleria

May 20–22TEC Administrative Professionals ConferenceDallas, The Westin Galleria

June 15–17TEC Information TechnologyConferenceAustin, Embassy SuitesArboretum

SAV E T H E DAT E

Aug. 2–5TEC 75th Annual MeetingAustin, Renaissance AustinHotel

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May 12NESC ClearancesFrom BuildingsREGISTER BY MAY 5

Webinar

Comparison of Woodand Nonwood CrossarmsREGISTER BY MAY 5

Webinar

May 27–2810-Hour OSHA SchoolREGISTER BY MAY 18

Georgetown, TEC TrainingFacility

June 1–5Digger Operator SchoolREGISTER BY MAY 25

Greenville, Farmers EC

June 8–12Underground SchoolREGISTER BY JUNE 1

Gonzales, Guadalupe Valley EC

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Visit texas-ec.org for thecomplete calendar and registration.

Message Fromthe President

This year marks Texas Electric Cooperatives’ 75thanniversary, a milestone many in this program have

already celebrated. And like many, I’ve realized this is notsimply a milestone but rather a celebration of 75 years ofpassionate and purpose-driven people. It is these people—past and present, members and employees alike—whohave made TEC.

Last month, TEC employees and their families traveledfrom all over the state, from Jasper to Lubbock, to cometogether in Georgetown for fun, food and fellowship inhonor of this occasion. It wasn’t the barbecue, games orbragging rights from winning tug of war that made thistime special. It was the opportunity to have all the handsand hearts that serve you together in one place.

I was humbled to stand before the employees and thankthem for their dedication to this organization. No matterthe tenure, department or office location, without each andevery one of them, our successes would not be possible.

It was 75 years ago under the philosophy “in unity,strength” that the membership created TEC. And I’m proudto report that 75 years later, this statement holds true.Together, all 191 TEC employees and 70 member-systemscollectively work to serve the 3 million-plus member-ownersof Texas’ electric cooperatives.

This unity is something worth celebrating.

Best Regards,

MIKE WILLIAMS

T H E T E C R E P O RTThis award-winning newsletter—published by TEC

11 times a year—covers TEC happenings, co-op news, inspirational stories and industry updates.

MIKE WILLIAMS, President/CEO(512) 486-6203 • williams@texas-ec.org

SUZANNE HALKO, Editor(512) 486-6226 • shalko@texas-ec.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS: tecreport@texas-ec.org

NRECA Seeks Summer Interns The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association islooking for candidates for the 2015 paid summer internshipprogram. The program is 12 weeks long, May 18–Aug. 7.

Interns gain professional experience while living inWashington, D.C. The internships are full time for anhourly rate of $18.50. Disciplines include communica-tions; accounting and finance; government relations andregulatory affairs; compliance; and marketing.

For more information about internships, visit nreca.jobs.

Texas House Honors Bluebonnet EC Lineman

The Texas House of Representatives recognized a Bluebon-net EC lineman and community leader in March with amemorial resolution.

The resolution, sponsored byRep. Armando Martinez, recog-nized Kennedy Clay Roland forhis contributions to his commu-nity, family and church. He wasthe first African-Americanelected to the Lockhart CityCouncil and worked for BEC forabout 35 years. Roland diedunexpectedly in January.

“It was a fitting tribute for the Texas House of Represen-tatives to honor Bluebonnet’s lineman Kenny Roland witha memorial resolution,” said Mark Rose, Bluebonnet’s gen-eral manager. “Kenny was a natural leader his whole lifeand gave so much to his family, friends and community ….No one will ever be able to replace Kenny, but his legacywill be carried on by his friends, family and co-workers.”

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TEC Staff Celebrates 75th AnniversaryTo celebrate TEC’s 75th anniversary, the statewide associa-tion hosted a picnic April 18 for its employees and theirfamilies. Nearly 300 employees and family members par-ticipated in a day of games and outdoor activities at theReunion Ranch in Georgetown. TEC’s employees work allover the state, and the picnic presented a rare opportunityfor employees to come together.

1. About 100 TEC employeesfrom all over Texas cele-brated the association’s 75thanniversary during a picnicin April. 2. TEC staff, fromleft, Johnny Andrews, MartinBevins, Jennifer Shelton andMike Williams served a bar-becue lunch. 3. The picnicincluded games such as tugof war. 4. Employees andtheir family members partici-pated in a water balloon toss.

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Live Chat Opens Windows for VEC Members

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Facebook Contest Home Run for CoServ

Members of CoServ Electric can learn more about their electricity provider and win billcredits through a social media trivia game hosted during baseball season.

CoServ sponsors the Frisco RoughRiders and provides electricity to Dr Pepper Ballpark,where the Texas Rangers’ Double-A affiliate plays. Before each home game, the co-op asksmembers a #CoServTriviaquestion on Facebook that canbe answered by visitingCoServ.com or reading TexasCo-op Power. The names ofmembers who answer correctlyor “like” the post are entered ina random drawing to win a$100 bill credit. The winner isselected at the end of everyhomestand and announced onFacebook.

“The game gives CoServmembers an opportunity tointeract with us on socialmedia during baseball games,”said Oscar Martinez, CoServ’sdirector of marketing and com-munications. “Long term, thebiggest benefit is to create abetter understanding of what‘the cooperative difference’ isall about. Many CoServ members don’t even know they’re in a co-op, so #CoServTrivia is agood way to educate and inform them about the benefits of being in a co-op.”

For the first homestand in April, trivia questions focused on CoServ linemen in connec-tion with National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 13. Martinez said that more than150 members logged more than 350 interactions with the co-op’s Facebook page. Future#CoServTrivia questions this baseball season will highlight and help explain the role ofeach co-op department.

Lyntegar EC Moves HeadquartersLyntegar EC begins conducting business out of a newheadquarters May 4 in Tahoka.

The co-op began construction of the office building inspring 2013 to replace the facility used since 1948. Throughexpansion over the years, LEC staff and operations hadoutgrown the old facility. The new office is one block east,at 1701 U.S. Highway 87.

Co-op members were encouraged to monitor the build-ing’s progress by visiting a page on the co-op’s website thatfeatures a slideshow of construction at the new location.

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Lyntegar EC’s new office

The April #CoServTrivia, played on Facebook during Frisco RoughRidersbaseball home games, spotlighted linemen.

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Victoria EC introduced a live chat feature through its updated website in March. The goal of live chat, an option through utility software developer SEDC, was to make

members’ experience on the site easier and more convenient. Since the launch of live chat,VEC’s member service representatives have received two to three chats a week.

“Live chat is a way to communicate directly with one of our member service representa-tives to ask questions electronically, rather than having to call or come into the office,”explained VEC General Manager Blaine Warzecha in a Texas Co-op Power column.

Through Victoria EC’s live chat feature, members can contact a representative without calling or going to the office.

T E C C O N F E R E N C E Q U O T A B L E S

The TEC Accounting Conference April 15–17 broughttogether cooperatives’ staff for lessons on distributedgeneration, property taxes, industry updates, electronicrecords, capital credits and more. Here are notable quotesfrom the event:

“We’re going to see people reducing their load need, butthat still means we have a valuable grid because we’regoing to be providing system stability for members eventhough their load may be going down.”

—BILL HETHERINGTONGeneral Manager, Bandera EC

“In a paperless environment, we’ve got a lot of systems thatgive us access to data … that allows us through the courseof the year to be looking and performing audit proceduresas we plan them on a perpetual basis. So when year endrolls around, we’re that much further ahead.”

—JEFF MARSHALLPartner at Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss

“There is a move throughout business to move to virtualservers to store documentation.”

— STEVE LATHAMIT Manager, South Plains EC

“Most companies underestimate how much risk they facefrom cybercrime and how quickly they become at risk.”

—NATHAN PADENPartner at Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss

View 2015 Accounting Conference photos on Flickr athttp://tinyurl.com/tec1505.

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S

Co-op People

Coleman County EC Director Daniel Redmanplans to retire after 15 years of service.

Taylor EC Director Hollis Ellis died April 9. Heserved on the board for 13 years.

Jackson EC General Manager Roy D. Griffinplans to retire June 1 after 32 years of service.

TEC hired Jeff Marshall as chief financial offi-cer effective June 1. He has been with Bolinger,Segars, Gilbert & Moss since 1997 and has been apartner in the firm since 2006.

Nueces EC donated $2,500 to the Greater Kingsville Economic Development Councilin 2014. The donation will be used to assist the Greater Kingsville EDC with generaloperations costs and Naval Air Station Kingsville community relations. Since 2010,NEC has donated $2,500 a year toward economic development for a total of $12,500.

“NEC has been such a great partner because they understand,” said Dick Mess-barger, Greater KEDC executive director. “They understand we look to grow the com-munity population, and they support our efforts by ensuring the greater demand ofelectricity is met.”

CO-OPS IN THE COMMUNITY

Hollis EllisDaniel Redman

Roy D. Griffin

Dick Messbarger, executivedirector of the GreaterKingsville Economic Development Council, left, and Frank Wilson, Nueces EC’s competitiveretail sales manager

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SolarCity recently introduced a program to allow Dallas-Fort Worthhomeowners to have solar systems on their rooftops without an upfrontfee, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The California-based com-pany installs, insures and maintains the solar panels. The homeownermust agree to a 20-year contract to buy the power generated by the sys-tem on their roofs for 10.9 cents per kilowatt-hour. The contract alsorequires that the homeowner buy any needed power beyond what thepanels produce from retail electric provider MP2 Energy at 12 cents perkWh. MP2 buys back excess power generated by the solar arrays at 12cents per kWh.

Opower entered the utility customer service sector to help powercompanies save on call-center expenses, reports Utility Dive. The cloud-based demand management and response company stores billions ofmeter reads and provides detailed data to utilities about how customersare using power. The information helps utility call centers reduce calltime and save money. Opower also makes power data available to con-sumers through its Billing Suite, which offers high bill alerts, bill notifi-cations, descriptions of main energy users and marketing. Shiftingcustomers to online customer service can also save utilities money.

A Chicago utility received Federal Aviation Administration approvalin February to use drones to identify grid damage, reports EnergyWire.Commonwealth Edison will work with the Illinois Institute of Technol-ogy to deploy the unmanned aircraft to assess location and extent ofdamage. ComEd is the first utility to get approval to use drones on anoperational basis. San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern Co. and NextEra

Energy Inc. have also received FAA approvals while additional utilities,including Xcel Energy Inc., have requests pending.

Solar and wind company SunEdison acquired Solar Grid Storage, acompany that packages batteries and solar projects, reports GreentechMedia. SunEdison plans to provide a broad array of storage-based serv-ices to support solar and wind power. The company plans to expand allover the U.S. and abroad, broadening Solar Grid Storage’s focus on fre-quency regulation to include additional ways to turn stored energy intorevenue and serve grid needs.

A CoBank report states that solar power will continue to becomemore cost effective because it is a technology, not a fuel, reports ElectricCo-op Today. Solar technology will experience innovation via increasedefficiency and better construction, as most technologies do over time. Forco-ops, that means member interest in solar panels will likely continue togrow. “As it does, utilities need to consider the impact of net energymetering, a state policy allowing bill credits for net excess generation,”according to ECT.coop.

About 17 percent of U.S. coal-fired power generation will retire in thecoming years, reports Bloomberg News. Factors facing coal plantsinclude their age, increased use of cheap natural gas and the Environ-mental Protection Agency’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards under theClean Air Act. The Supreme Court soon will consider the EPA rules. Evenwithout the new rules, many old plants are fated for closure or conver-sion to natural gas.

I N T H E B U S I N E S S

Two deadly tornados and spinoff storms twisted theelectrical infrastructure of Texas co-ops in mid-May.

Facing structural damage, flooding, lightning, straight-linewinds and hail, co-ops rallied their crews to restore power.

A tornado touched down May 10 near Van. The EF-3tornado was 700 feet wide and traveled 9.9 miles, causingan estimated $40 million in damage, killing two peopleand injuring 43, according to Van Zandt News. About3,400 Wood County EC members experienced power out-ages as the storm damaged 71 poles and 2.1 miles of con-ductor, transformers and crossarms from Van to BenWheeler and throughout the Jamestown community.WCEC restored power by May 13.

Another tornado hit near Cisco on May 9, killing oneperson, and damaging 3 miles of Comanche ECA line andbreaking 50 poles. CECA had repaired about half of thedamage by May 19.

In CoServ Electric’s service territory, a tornado was seennear Sanger on May 7. Heavy rain then pelted the region,washing out roads and causing floods so severe that CoServsupplied its crews with life jackets. Crews responded to out-ages affecting 6,000 members. More than 2 million light-ning strikes registered in the co-op’s area over four days—more than the total for all of 2013, reported Oscar Martinez,CoServ’s marketing and communications director.

One Fayette EC member sustained damage from a tor-nado that touched down near La Grange on May 18. Light-ning and high winds caused outages for almost 1,000 FECmembers. Five crews and two contractors restored power.

Yet another tornado ran through Grayson-Collin EC’sservice territory, starting near Gunter and ending nearCherry Mound. The co-op escaped serious structural dam-age despite flooding. GCEC reported that nearly everyavailable employee was called into service May 8–11.

Severe storms also affected Upshur Rural EC and DeepEast Texas EC in May.

TEC ReportT E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S J U N E 2 0 1 5

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C PAG E 2Clean Air, Coal Ash,Chickens AmongTop Texas Concernson Capitol Hill

TEC Holds Conferences forAdministrative andHuman ResourcesProfessionals

Legislature HonorsTexas Youth TourVIDEO EXTRA

PAG E 3Texas Hosts YouthTour Reunion

GVEC To Co-OwnGeneration Facility

PEC Linemen Volunteer in Haiti

Red Gate PowerPlant To ServeSouth Texas

PAG E 4Co-op People

Co-ops in theCommunity

In the Business

C O N T E N TS

Texas Co-ops Win Communications Awards

The Bluebonnet EC communications team, led by Manager of Marketing and Communications MelissaSegrest, right, accepts the Edgar F. Chesnutt Award foroverall communications, as NRECA CEO Jo Ann Emerson,left, applauds.

Eight electric cooperatives and TEC broughthome accolades for communications from theNational Rural Electric Cooperative Associa-tion’s 2015 CONNECT Conference in May inMinneapolis.

Bluebonnet EC claimed six individualawards in its category and earned theesteemed Edgar F. Chesnutt Award for itsoverall communications program.

The following co-ops also won recognitionfor their communications efforts: CoServ Elec-tric, Guadalupe Valley EC, Magic Valley EC,Pedernales EC, Sam Houston EC, Taylor EC and United Cooperative Services.

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Tornadic Spring Strikes Texas Co-ops

Strong storms left these bicycles on a roof in Fayette EC’s territory.

Earlier storms in North Texas caused outages for 5,500members of United Cooperative Services April 24 and 26.Seventeen reported funnel clouds punctuated severe thun-derstorms, causing damage. United restored power by April28. Mid-South Synergy also experienced storm damage.

The April storm systems dropped two tornadoes onJasper-Newton EC, causing outages to 5,000 meters. Afew days later, a second round of storms caused outages to20,000 meters, a scale JNEC had not seen since HurricaneIke in 2008. Neighboring crews from Rusk County, SamHouston and Deep East Texas ECs assisted JNEC withpower restoration.

At this article’s deadline, more tornadoes and floodingwere hitting co-op territory.

Bluebonnet EC 75th Anniversary CampaignNRECA presents this year’s Edgar F.Chesnutt Award to Bluebonnet EC.Watch at tinyurl.com/bb75th.

C A L E N D A R

C O N F E R E N C E S

June 15–17TEC Information Technology ConferenceAustin, Embassy SuitesArboretum

SAV E T H E DAT E

Aug. 2–5TEC 75th Annual MeetingAustin, Renaissance AustinHotel

T R A I N I N G E V E N TS

June 11Public Speaking Without Fear and AnxietyREGISTER BY JUNE 4

Webinar

June 16–19Regulator Recloser Capacitor SchoolREGISTER BY JUNE 8

Livingston, Sam Houston EC

June 23C·O·R·E TRAININGMicrosoft Office: Excel for Intermediate UsersREGISTER BY MAY 22

Victoria, Victoria EC

June 23–26Metering SchoolREGISTER BY JUNE 15

Tahoka, Lyntegar EC

June 24–25C·O·R·E TRAININGMicrosoft Office: Excel for Super UsersREGISTER BY MAY 25

Robstown, Nueces EC

June 30–July 1Basic Electricity SchoolREGISTER BY JUNE 22

Karnes City, Karnes EC

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S

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Visit texas-ec.org for thecomplete calendar and registration.

T H E T E C R E P O RTThis award-winning newsletter—published by TEC

11 times a year—covers TEC happenings, co-op news, inspirational stories and industry updates.

MIKE WILLIAMS, President/CEO(512) 486-6203 • williams@texas-ec.org

SUZANNE HALKO, Editor(512) 486-6226 • shalko@texas-ec.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS: tecreport@texas-ec.org

Clean Air, Coal Ash, Chickens Among Top Texas Concerns on Capitol HillTexas cooperative leaders visiting national elected officialsfocused on three pieces of legislation during the 2015National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Legisla-tive Conference May 3–5.

First is the Ratepayer Protection Act to provide a “safeharbor” period while the courts evaluate the Clean PowerPlan and determine whether it complies with the Clean AirAct. The legislation would enable cooperatives to avoidmaking irrevocable billion-dollar decisions in the next fewyears while the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan ischallenged in federal court.

The second piece would turn back the EPA’s proposedrule to revise the definition of Waters of the United Statesunder the Clean Water Act. The legislation would allow co-ops to avoid necessitating permits for more activities,which would make electric transmission and distributionconstruction take longer and cost more.

The third piece would preserve the EPA’s nonhazardousdesignation of coal ash to overcome the review requiredevery three years under current law. The beneficial use ofcoal ash reduces greenhouse gas emissions, extends the lifeand durability of the nation’s roads and bridges andreduces disposal in landfills or surface impoundments.

Cooperative representatives also met with U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service representatives, including Gary Frazer,assistant director for endangered species, to discuss prob-lems with the reinterpretation of the range-wide plan forthe lesser prairie-chicken.

TEC Holds Conferences for Administrativeand Human Resources ProfessionalsThe 31 educational and networking sessions at the Admin-istrative Professionals and Human Resources conferencesMay 19–22 in Dallas helped equip the 80-plus attendees tomeet the challenges of that shift in the electric cooperativeprogram. “Regulations, technology and consumer expecta-tions are converging to create a dynamic shift in our indus-try,” said Houston County EC General Manager KathiCalvert during a panel discussion at the AdministrativeProfessionals Conference.

View Human Resources Conference photos attinyurl.com/tec15-hr and Administrative ProfessionalsConference photos at tinyurl.com/tec15-admin.

Legislature Honors Texas Youth TourTexas Electric Cooperative’s celebration of 50 years of par-ticipation in the Government-in-Action Youth Tourincluded the adoption of House Resolution 2553 lastmonth, congratulating member cooperatives and the pro-gram for sending thousands of high school students toWashington, D.C.

Rep. Brooks Landgraf of Odessa sponsored the resolu-tion. He was joined at the dais by 10 representatives whohave electric co-ops in their districts and wanted to sup-port Landgraf in presenting the resolution on the Housefloor May 20.

Landgraf attended Youth Tour as an Odessa PermianHigh School student in 1998, one of 3,719 Texans who havemade the trip since 1965. “I’m proud to say I’m one ofthem,” he said. “In fact, that was one of my first experiences

with public service.”Eric Craven, TEC’s

senior vice president ofgovernment relations andlegal affairs, said the reso-lution shows the Legisla-ture recognizes co-ops’commitment to helpingdevelop future leaders.“Rep. Landgraf and the

others who joined him showed their support not only forthe Youth Tour but for electric co-ops generally,” he said.

Youth Tour 2015 kicks off June 10 in Austin, where 125teens will join past participants for an anniversary celebra-tion. The next day, they’ll tour the Capitol and other sitesbefore heading to Washington for a week.

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The nationwide legislative conference gives cooperatives the opportunity tovoice their concerns in Washington, D.C.

State Nods to Youth TourHouse Resolution commemoratesTexas Youth Tour's 50 years. Watch at tinyurl.com/ytresolution.

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Rep. Brooks Landgraf, a Texas Youth Tour alumnus, reads a House Resolutionhonoring electric cooperatives’ 50th anniversary celebration of the TexasYouth Tour.

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S

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Texas Hosts Youth Tour Reunion

This year, electric cooperatives in Texas celebrate 50 years of the Texas Youth Tour, andto mark the occasion, Texas Electric Cooperatives is throwing a party.

The Texas Youth Tour Anniversary Celebration and Reunion Dinner will be held June10 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

“The purpose of the reunion is to connect past and present Youth Tour participants withtheir cooperatives and memories by providing an opportunity to reminisce about this life-changing trip,” said Martin Bevins, TEC vice president of Communications & MemberServices. “These people shared something unique, and it’s time we brought them together.”

The event commemorates Texas electric cooperatives’ sponsoring youths on the Govern-ment-in-Action Youth Tour every year since 1965. The national program, sponsored bylocal co-ops and coordinated by TEC andthe National Rural Electric CooperativeAssociation, sends high school students toWashington, D.C., for a fun and educa-tional trip.

“For the past five decades, electriccooperatives have been empoweringyoung people to improve the quality oftheir lives, their communities and theirfutures by sending them to Washington,D.C., to represent their hometown coop-eratives and see their American heritage,”said TEC President/CEO Mike Williams.

All generations of Texas alumni areinvited to join the 2015 delegation ofTexas youths the night before theyembark on their journey, which has been called the trip of a lifetime. The evening featuresguest speakers, including Youth Tour alumni from Texas’ inaugural trip, last year’s YouthLeadership Council member and Williams.

Dinner is complimentary for all Texas Youth Tour alumni. Guests are welcome with thepurchase of a $47 ticket payable in advance. Please RSVP with your name, Youth Touryear, name(s) of guest(s), total number attending and corresponding check made out to:TEC/Youth Tour, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701 or email YouthTour@texas-ec.org. Please RSVP by June 3.

Red Gate Power Plant To Serve South Texas South Texas EC initiated construction of a 220-megawattnatural gas-fired power plant near Edinburg. The facilitywill help meet the region’s growing energy needs, increasegrid reliability in the Rio Grande Valley and provide energyand services to Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

The Red Gate Power Plant features 12 Wärtsilä spark-ignition, lean burning, natural gas-fired reciprocatingengines that are capable of starting and reaching full loadin 10 minutes. The facility’s modular design allows theplant to run at peak efficiency or peak output while meet-ing emissions standards and limiting water consumption.

Construction began March 30, and the plant is expectedto begin commercial operation by the end of May 2016.

GVEC To Co-Own Generation Facility Guadalupe Valley EC announced May 1 that its subsidiary, GFS Electric Cooperative,agreed to 50 percent ownership of a peaking power plant to be built in Marion. GFS ispartnering with Calpine Corporation for the business venture.

“The partnership is an integral part ofthe cooperative’s long-term strategy tobuild diversity in its power supply optionsand gain additional control over powercosts beyond June 2016,” said GVEC Gen-eral Manager and CEO Darren Schauer.“The future calls for diversification of ourpower supply resources in order to main-tain affordability as well as flexibility torespond to changing market, technologi-cal and political environments.”

The Guadalupe Peaking Energy Center will be a 418-megawatt natural gas-fired plantthat features two fast-ramping combustion turbines. The facility is expected to begin com-mercial operation between June 2017 and June 2019.

GVEC agreed to a two-year power purchase agreement with favorable rates for 270 MWfrom Calpine’s Texas power plant fleet effective June 2017 in exchange for the two-yearflexibility in construction timing. To avoid construction risk, the cooperative will not takeany ownership of the plant until it reaches commercial operation.

“With careful consideration and affordability at the forefront of every decision we make,we are confident this agreement will serve the overall best interests of the GVEC member-ship well into the future,” said GVEC Board President Lewis Borgfeld.

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Calpine Corporation’s existing Guadalupe Peaking EnergyCenter in Marion.

Rendering of the Red Gate Power Plant

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TEC IntroducesYouth Tour AlumniMagazineTo correspond withTexas Youth Tour’s 50thanniversary celebrationand reunion, TEClaunched Your Tourmagazine, to be pub-lished yearly, for TexasYouth Tour alumni and future participants.

Visit TexasYouthTour.com and find TexasYouth Tour Alumni on Facebook.

TEXAS YOUTH TOUR ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2015

PEC Linemen Volunteer in Haiti PEC linemen Marshall Verette, Andrew Ridge and MarkMoreno volunteered with NRECA International in Haitilast year to help build the country’s first electric coopera-tive to serve 1,600 consumers, many of whom have neverbefore had access to reliable electricity.

Their work constructing parts of the electrical distribu-tion system and training local linemen touched not onlylocals’ lives but also their own. Speaking at the NRECACONNECT Conference in Minneapolis in May, Ridge saidthe trip was “truly a life-changing experience.”

Ridge explained that seeing how Haitians maintain apositive outlook while living in impoverished conditionsreminded him of how fortunate U.S. citizens are. “Thereare billions without lights still,” he said, “and we just take itfor granted.”

In acknowledgment of “their service and for putting intoaction Cooperative Principle No. 6—Cooperation AmongCooperatives—in Haiti,” U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith recog-nized the linemen before Congress in March.

Three Pedernales EC linemen joined NRECA International in Haiti.

South Plains EC employees walked for nine hours May 1 at the Lubbock Relay For Lifein honor of their late co-worker Fred Helms, who worked at SPEC for 40 years andfought cancer for six years.

“We raised more money this yearthan any year in the past,” said CharlaPadgett, SPEC member service repre-sentative and relay team leader.“However, the best part of this yearwas being able to honor our co-worker, Fred Helms, and his battlewith cancer. We were humbled to bewith his family and support themthrough this time.”

The Relay For Life is the AmericanCancer Society’s largest annualfundraising event, held worldwide bylocal teams participating at schoolsand parks. SPEC employees have donated time and money to the event for eight years.

At the co-op’s offices in Lubbock, staff members sold fundraising items includingbaked goods and luminaria bags, each of which is lit during the event’s remembranceceremony in honor of someone who has fallen to cancer. SPEC also donated funds forsilent auction items, event supplies and snacks for participants.

The 67-member SPEC team raised a co-op record amount of $20,046, helping Lub-bock County also reach a record of $103,919.

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S

CO-OPS IN THE COMMUNITY

South Plains EC employees and CFL Charlie raised arecord amount for the Lubbock Relay For Life in honor ofFred Helms, a co-worker who lost his battle with cancer.

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Energy Future Holdings Corp. continues restructuring attempts inone of the largest bankruptcies in history, The Wall Street Journal reports.The company was affected by falling energy prices and is attempting toaddress its debt. After a year in court, creditors have failed to reach con-sensus for a restructuring plan. Now investors are considering the sale ofOncor, the prize asset of the former TXU Corp., which escaped financialtrouble and is profitable through the transmission business. Oncor couldbe worth $17 billion or more.

San Antonio’s CPS Energy plans to set itself up as a “utility of thefuture” by focusing on renewable and distributed energy, reports SolarEnergy.net. Part of the municipal utility’s New Energy Economy initiative is to create more jobs and invest in the economy. Therefore,almost all the components of CPS’ newly opened 400-megawatt Alamo 3solar farm were manufactured in Central Texas. The solar farm is one ofseven to be built from a deal between CPS and OCI Solar. More than2,600 jobs have been created directly and indirectly through the effort.

As customers generate their own power, utility sales in the north -eastern U.S. could decrease about half by 2030, reports Bloomberg News.A Rocky Mountain Institute report indicates that utilities in the Northeastcould lose as much as $34.8 billion. Additionally, utilities’ inability to raisecapital would affect investment into power-grid maintenance.

In recent years, residential solar system installations have increased by50 percent annually, thanks to dropping prices of photovoltaics and avail-ability of lease options. Utilities nationwide grapple with the change invarious ways, with some offering payments for excess electricity generated

and others charging grid connection fees. Experts say utilities need todelve into conversations about regulatory framework and rate structures.

Tesla Motors Inc. launched a line of large-scale home and industrialbattery packs, reports The Wall Street Journal. The electric car companyplans to produce “power wall” batteries with 7- to 10-kilowatt hour units for$3,000 to $3,500, as well as an industrial-level battery with 100 kilowatt-hours. Production will begin in California and then shift to Tesla’s $5 billionbattery plant, dubbed the “gigafactory,” near Reno, Nevada. Customers willinclude Green Mountain Power Corp., a Vermont utility planning to sellTesla packs to customers who have solar power, and TreeHouse, an Austinstore planning to sell the Tesla packs with its solar systems. The smallersystems are marketed to customers who want to go “off the grid,” saysTesla CEO Elon Musk.

Solar leasing companies and other new market entrants aim to becomea new kind of utility, reports Utility Dive. Companies not governed by theregulatory restrictions affecting utilities can get into customers’ homes,and the new relationships could have financial ramifications for existingutilities. To stay relevant, a report from the Edison Electric Institute sug-gests, utilities should get into the business of developing distributed tech-nologies and services.

A drop in oil prices caused a decrease in jobs in March, reports TheHill. U.S. oil and gas companies set up 8 percent fewer drilling wells in the first quarter of 2015 than last year. Texas led the nation in oil-relatedjob losses.

I N T H E B U S I N E S S

Co-op PeopleEast Texas EC named its recently completed bio-mass facility the Hilton Lively Biomass Facility,in honor of his 22 years of service to the genera-tion and transmission cooperative’s board. Lively,

who also served for 31 years on the Jasper-Newton EC Board of Directors, died

July 2014. Clifford Woods waselected to fill the vacancy.

Clif Royal was appointed to theKarnes EC Board of Directors inMarch. He replaced David David-son, who retired in December afteralmost 23 years on the board.

Lea County EC Trustee Dean Kinsolvingretired after 31 years of service. Thenominating committee nominatedC.J. Kinsolving, and the memberselected him at the LCEC AnnualMeeting April 24.

North Plains EC Director JerelNorris retired April 20 after 21 yearsof service. Allen B. “Trey” Webb waselected to the board of directors.

Trinity Valley EC Communicationsand Marketing Coordinator Jeff Jordan waselected mayor of Kaufman May 18.

Clif Royal

Allen B. “Trey” Webb

#368Spotlight on Excellence Entry Form

NRECA Voting Member Classification * Statewide Associations, G&T or Service Member

Category * 5. Best Internal News Publication

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Mailing Address 1122 Colorado St. 24th Floor Austin, TX 78701 United States

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Entrant's Email clohrmann@texas-ec.org

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