January 28, 2008

FREE Energy Kit Available

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, through a partnership with Tennessee Valley Authority, is offering free energy conservation kits to members of the cooperative who complete a home energy audit. The audit can be performed online or on paper at the home owner's convenience.

To get your free audit questionnaire, visit any MLEC office or go to www.mlec.com. Questions asked on the audit range from general information about home size to the more in depth about specific energy uses. It covers all the bases with questions about heating and cooling, plumbing, the dish washer, clothes washing and drying, lighting, televisions, cooking, and more.

"The audit is a simple, easy way to find out how you are using energy around the house," says Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative Member Services Supervisor Vanessa Clayborn. "After it is completed, you will receive a report on how to use energy more wisely and save on energy bills."

The free kit includes two compact fluorescent light bulbs, outlet and light switch gaskets, a filter whistle, two faucet aerators, a hot water temperature gauge, a home thermometer, and a copy of the "How To Save" brochure.

Although the energy audit is a permanent item on MLEC's menu of energy saving helps, the kit is only available through June 30, 2008. Additional energy saving tools available from MLEC include free brochures on how to curb your home's energy diet, other audit resources, and a comparison of incandescent and compact fluorescent lighting costs. E-mail power@mlec.net or contact your local MLEC office to learn more.

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy® cooperative, is a non-profit organization offering reliable, low-cost electricity to over 34,500 members in Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry counties. Member - electric power companies of Middle Tennessee. Remember to play it safe around electricity.

Outage Reporting with MLEC

MLEC makes proactive steps like clearing right of way and using quality equipment and material to prevent power outages during severe weather. However, Mother Nature can cause outages with things like winter snow and ice and spring and summer thunderstorms.

To report power outages that occur outside of MLEC's normal business hours of 7:30 a.m. thru 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, members are reminded to call the after-hours call center for their area. The call is toll-free and ensures that members will reach someone on the first call.

"We are at our members' service 24-hours a day, 7-days-a-week when it comes to repairing outages," says MLEC General Manager Hal Womble. "The call center staff provides quality service. It is continuously staffed in order to dispatch MLEC employees around the clock in the quickest, easiest manner possible for our members."

The 1-800 phone numbers are unique to each county. Hickman County, including Dyer Road, will call 1-800-482-6553. Lewis County will use 1-800-256-2807 to report outages. Perry County, including Pleasantville, will call 1-800-316-2342. MLEC members served out of Humphreys County will use 1-800-893-8273; Houston County members will call 1-800-650-6814.

Most MLEC members will see these numbers printed in the yellow pages of their phone directory. However, in some phone directories, the phone company lists incorrect numbers in the white pages due to printing errors. Members also have quick access to the numbers on a yellow magnet that was inserted in their electric bills earlier this year. If you need another magnet, just contact your local office of MLEC. For power outages that occur within the normal workday and other questions about MLEC, members should call their local MLEC office.

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative is a non-profit organization offering reliable, low-cost electricity to over 33,000 members in Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry Counties. Member - Electric power companies of Middle Tennessee.

Averitt Retires

Pat Averitt, left, retired from Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative in January after 32 years of service. He was honored with a luncheon at the MLEC office in Waverly on March 11. During the luncheon, MLEC District Manager Carl Brazzle, right, presented him with a retirement plaque. Pat also received a scrapbook and other retirement gifts.

Students attend Leadership Conference with MLEC

Caitlin Farmer of Waverly Central High School and Boyd Crofton of Lewis County High School were among 42 high school juniors from across the state who attended the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association's annual Youth Leadership Summit March 17-19 in Nashville. Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative was their sponsor.

"Every year students across the state undergo the highly competitive selection process to earn a spot at the Youth Leadership Summit," said Joe Jackson, TECA director of youth and member relations. "Students are chosen based on their interest in government and leadership abilities."

"The annual summit gives students an opportunity to learn about electric cooperatives and how they affect their lives," Jackson said of the students representing 21 of Tennessee's electric cooperatives. "It also gives them an opportunity to see the legislative process in the Tennessee Capitol."

The summit was hosted by TECA and funded in part by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, a not-for-profit cooperative financing institute that provides an independent source of financing to member cooperatives nationwide.

"It is encouraging to see this high caliber of students in our service area," said Dawn Orton, MLEC member services assistant. "These young people will one day be the leaders of our communities, and we are privileged to provide them with this opportunity to join their peers from across Tennessee to learn about state government and rural electric co-ops."

The summit kicked off Monday evening, March 17, with dinner at the group's hotel, the Millennium Maxwell House. "Get-acquainted" and leadership development activities followed, led by cooperative employees and special guests, including 2007 Miss Tennessee Grace Gore, Tennessee Titans cheerleaders Kindle Martin and Lindsey Roznovsky.

Tuesday morning began early with breakfast and preparations for a visit to Legislative Plaza. TECA Director of Government and Public Affairs David Callis introduced State Rep. Doug Overby, who welcomed the students to Tennessee's capital and discussed the legislative process with them. Callis then explained current bills affecting cooperatives and described what everyone should expect from the legislative committees they were to visit.

The 11th-graders made their way to Legislative Plaza, where they got to see state government in action and pose for photos in front of the historic Capitol.

Following the visit to Capitol Hill, they enjoyed lunch and leadership activities at a Nashville-area YMCA camp. Later they had a pizza dinner before watching a Nashville Predators hockey game followed by a tour of Nashville. The busy day was capped off with an ice cream social back at the hotel. Wednesday morning, students learned more about Tennessee's electric cooperatives and the commitment these co-ops show toward the communities they serve. Then they fought it out in the "Energy Battle" competition, where teams answered trivia questions about electric cooperatives and the state.

"MLEC is proud to offer local students opportunities like the Summit. They are our future members, and we want them to understand what makes a cooperative special," MLEC President and CEO Hal Womble says. "It's not like we're dealing with their grandparents, who might remember what it was like to live without electricity. These young people have had modern conveniences all their lives."

"We want them to be able to appreciate their electric cooperative and understand why it was so important to form electric cooperatives in the first place," Womble says.

Caitlin is the daughter of Dyan and Alan Farmer of Humphreys County, and Boyd is the son of Debby and Joel Crofton of Lewis County. Both families live in the MLEC service area.

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy® cooperative, is a non-profit organization offering reliable, low-cost electricity to over 34,500 members in Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry counties. Member - electric power companies of Middle Tennessee. Remember to play it safe around electricity.

MLEC Board Visits With Legislators

Directors and employees from Tennessee's electric cooperatives recently held a two-day meeting in Nashville March 4 and 5 to meet with their legislators. The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association's Legislative Conference brought more than 200 co-op member-owners face to face with their elected representatives, maintaining a long-standing tradition of support for the members of rural electric cooperatives.

Those representing the Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative service area included President and CEO Hal Womble, Lewis County Directors Dr. Jeff Peery and Bill Webb, Perry County Directors Gene DePriest and Tommy Graham, Humphreys County Director Reed Dreaden, and Houston County Director Sam Fussell.

The event started with cooperative board members attending a class on how to voice their cooperative's political concerns. Later that day, everyone attended a legislative update that educated them on the legislative issues facing their co-ops. Sen. Doug Jackson discussed legislation that was important to the state's electric cooperatives such as pole attachment fees and telecommunications. Attendees also heard a national update from Chuck Penry of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, who gave a thorough report on how Congress is dealing with rising energy costs. Staff from the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association gave detailed information about bills that could directly affect the electric cooperatives in the state.

On March 5, the co-op representatives had a long day as they made their rounds through the halls of the legislature. Each year, cooperative representatives visit the senators and House members that represent the districts in their cooperatives' service areas. They come not just as constituents, but also as representatives of their member-owned utilities.

Some of the major issues discussed were

o Senate Bill 2400/House Bill 2433, offered by Sen. Jim Kyle and Rep. Mike McDonald. As the price of scrap copper has risen, theft from warehouses, poles and substations has escalated. Electric cooperatives have experienced financial loss and service interruptions due to vandalism and theft. Our cooperatives urged the legislature and the administration to work toward improving the regulation of scrap metal dealers. TECA participated in the summer study committee that developed this legislation.

o Senate Bill 3375/House Bill 3620, offered by Sen. Doug Jackson and Rep. Mark Maddox. This bill would remove barriers that keep electric co-ops and municipal electric systems from expanding broadband communications services to unserved or underserved parts of the state.

o Just like last session, two bills were introduced that would lower the price cable and telecommunications providers pay to electric utilities to attach to utility poles: Senate Bill 3181/House Bill 3435, offered by Sen. Paul Stanley and Rep. Randy Rinks, and Senate Bill 3809/House Bill 3522, offered by Sen. Paul Stanley and Rep. Craig Fitzhugh. Our cooperatives will resist any effort to allow cable providers to pay less than their fair share of pole attachment costs.

"We simply would not have the support that we have were it not for our grass roots efforts," said David Callis, TECA director of government and public affairs. "By having the 'folks back home' come to Nashville and meet with the people they elect, it really helps us drive home our stand on the issues. Lawmakers recognize our long tradition of putting people over profits."

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association represents 22 electric cooperatives and one municipal electric system in Tennessee. Tennessee's electric cooperatives provide electricity and other services to more than 2 million residents of the state. Electric cooperatives are not-for-profit utilities governed by their members. You can see current legislative news by going to www.tnelectric.org.

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy® cooperative, is a non-profit organization offering reliable, low-cost electricity to over 34,500 members in Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry counties. Member - electric power companies of Middle Tennessee. Remember to play it safe around electricity.

Keep Your Green Thumb

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative takes the safety of its members seriously and strives to be a source of information on the subject. This time of year the cooperative knows many people are getting out and working in the yard. They share the following tips from Underwriters Laboratories Inc. about outdoor electrical safety:

• Call before you dig. MLEC has marked underground power lines with red "WARNING" flags. The flags ask you to contact MLEC before digging in the area for the safety of yourself and others.
• Before using any appliance or tool, read and follow the manufacturer's use and care instructions.
• Before each use, inspect tools for frayed power cords and cracked or broken casings. If the product is damaged, DON'T use it or attempt to repair it yourself. Return the product or have a qualified repair shop examine it.
• Always wear proper attire. Keep your clothing, hands and feet away from cutting blades at all times. Never wear jewelry when working with tools. Always wear safety glasses.
• Pay attention to warning markings. Don't allow tools to get wet unless they are labeled "Submersible." When using tools outside, make sure they are appropriate for outdoor use.
• Never alter a product or remove safety features such as blade guards or electric plug grounding pins.
• Use only properly rated outdoor extension cords with outdoor electrical tools.
• Check the switch on a power tool or garden appliance to make sure it's "OFF" before you plug it in.
• Unplug all portable electrically operated power tools when not in use. These tools contain electricity even when turned "OFF" but still plugged in.
• Have a qualified technician install ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles in all outdoor outlets. After installation, test your GFCIs monthly.
• Never carry an appliance by the cord, and never yank the cord when removing it from a receptacle. When disconnecting the cord, always grasp the plug - not the wire. Keep the cord away from heat, oil and sharp edges.

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy® cooperative, is a non-profit organization offering reliable, low-cost electricity to over 34,500 members in Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry counties. Member - electric power companies of Middle Tennessee. Remember to play it safe around electricity.