In This Issue
Rate Adjustment Announced - Pages 1-2
Outages - Pages 2-3
Youth to Washington Tour - Page 4
Favorite Recipe - Page 4
Tri-County Electric
Cooperative, Inc.
February 2013
Hi-Lites is a monthly
newsletter published for
the members of
Tri-County Electric
Cooperative, Inc.
PO Box 309,
Mount Vernon, IL 62864
www.tricountycoop.com
618/244-5151
800/244-5151 (toll free)
618/244-1496 (FAX only)
Office Hours
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Board of Directors
President
Rick Russell - Richview
Vice President
Phil Carson - Oakdale
Secretary/Treasurer
Sam Phillips - Salem
Tom Beyers - Odin
Jerry Corners - Centralia
Duane Harre - Okawville
Donnie Laird - Waltonville
Larry Manning - Belle Rive
Greg Vieira - Salem
Mission Statement
To safely provide our
member-owners with
adequate and reliable
electric service, superior
customer service and
innovative energy
solutions, all at
reasonable prices.
Rate Adjustment
Announced
by Marcia Scott, General Manager
Beginning in March, Tri-County Electric will implement the second year
of our plan to phase-in a rate adjustment over two years. The rate adjustment will be effective with members’ March 1st usage which will be the
April billing.
As you may recall, the required rate adjustment was to be phased-in
over 2012 and 2013. This was done in order to allow the membership time
to adjust to the new rate over a two-year period. This rate adjustment is due
to an increase in the cost of wholesale power, which is due in large part, to
the participation of our power supplier, Southern Illinois Power Cooperative (SIPC), in the Prairie State Energy Campus located in Washington
County. While the plant will be extremely efficient and economical, the cost
of the investment, along with EPA regulations, caused Tri-County’s wholesale cost of power to rise considerably.
What is the basis for the adjustment?
Tri-County contracted to have both a Cost of Service Study and a Rate
Study performed. This provided the cooperative with important information
regarding whether each rate classification is ‘paying its fair share’ or if some
groups are subsidizing others. The studies show that accounts with minimal
usage are not paying their fair share. They also showed that large usage residential accounts (more than 4,000 kilowatt hours per month) were not quite
paying their fair share.
Facility charge
The Cost of Service Study showed the facility charge for single phase accounts (currently $28.50 per month) should be about $43 per month. Over
2,500 accounts, nearly 16% of the accounts served, have minimal usage
each month. The facility charge will be increased to $36.00 per month. This
increase will bring accounts with minimal usage closer to paying their fair
share. The facility charge adjustment is not related to SIPC’s participation
in the Prairie State Energy Campus.
Kilowatt hour charges and wholesale power cost adjustment
In addition to increasing the facility charge, the per kilowatt hour (Kwh)
charges in each block have been adjusted. The Kwh charge in the under
5% increase. These are estimates as wholesale
1,000 block was reduced to offset, in part, the
power costs could be lower or higher than projecincrease in the facility charge. It is projected
tions.
that members using 1,000 Kwh per month will
experience a small rate
Residential Rates
Security lights
decrease of about 1%.
Effective with March Usage - April Bills
Another rate classifiThe Kwh charge in the
cation that is not paying
Rate #1 - Facility Charge
over 1,000 Kwh block
Single Phase $36.00
its fair share is security
was increased.
Three Phase $65.00
lights. As with other
The wholesale
rate classifications, this
Rate #1 - Kwh Usage
power cost adjustment
0-1000 @ 11.90 cents
rate increase will also
is budgeted to be lower
Over 1000 @ 8.64 cents
be phased in over time.
than it was budgeted in
The standard security
Rate #7 - Kwh Usage
2012.
light (currently priced
Summer payment months - May through October
Based on the averat $8.50 per month) will
0-1000 @ 11.90 cents
age budgeted wholesale
increase by $1.00 beginOver 1000 @ 9.64 cents
power cost from 2012
ning with April bills and
Winter payment months - November through April
and the projected averwill increase again by
0-1000 Kwh @ 11.90 cents
age wholesale power
Over 1000 Kwh @ 7.64 cents
$1.00 beginning with
cost in 2013, we estiAugust bills.
Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment (WPCA)
mate that a member
WPCA applies when the cooperative’s wholesale
with an average usage
The future
power cost is over or under 7 cents per kilowatt hour.
of 1,250 Kwh will exThis has been a
perience billing charges with little or no change
very difficult decision and one that the board has
from 2012. We further estimate that two-thirds
spent considerable time discussing. We expect
of our membership will experience an adjustour rates to stabilize; however, that will depend
ment ranging from a small rate decrease to a
on the costs associated with new EPA regula2.9% rate increase. Residential accounts on Rate tions.
1 using 5,000 Kwh per month will experience a
December 28th Snow
Caused Outages
On December 28th, our area was
issued a ‘winter weather advisory’
for a snow event that was predicted
to last a short duration and produce
only minor snow accumulations.
What actually ensued was a major
snow and unique conditions that
caused numerous problems across all
three counties served by Tri-County’s
distribution system.
Calls began coming in around
6:30 p.m. the night of the 28th. There
were reports of small outages and
numerous reports of lights going off
and on. Extremely wet and heavy
Outages
Snow accumulation caused lines to sag from the weight.
snow was falling, and
conditions were so calm
(no wind) that the snow
was able to accumulate
on anything it fell upon
- including power lines.
The snow built up on
the lines so heavily that
the sag of many lines
was affected to the point
where they began touching each other, causing
numerous blinks and
outages. Tri-County
Electric crews worked
in the tough conditions
all through the night
restoring power to as
many lines as possible as
new outage reports kept
coming in. The number
of outages continued to
rise throughout the night
as the heavy snow continued to fall.
A total of five extra
contractor crews were
called in very early the
next morning to help
with the restoration
effort. As the snowing finally subsided and
the snow started to fall off the lines, even more
blinks and outages occurred as lines jumped
back to their normal positions. Crews worked
hard throughout the day, making great progress
in restoring power to many lines and members.
Above: This photo is of
the same line as shown on the
previous page. Often the snow
accumulation fell off the
neutral (bottom line) before
the phase (top line) causing
the lines to come into contact
with each other. This caused
many more blinks and outages.
Left: Snow build-up on
the lines is evident.
By the end of the afternoon on December 29th,
crews had responded to 248 different outages
affecting nearly 1,300 members. Power was
restored to all members that evening around 5:00
p.m.
January 7th Transmission Outage
Around 1,214 members served by our Mount
Vernon and Shiloh substations experienced a
brief power interruption Monday, January 7th.
Most of the members affected were located in
an area on the northwest side of Mount Vernon.
Around 10:00 a.m., a switching error by Ameren
on the transmission line that feeds these substations caused a partial power situation to the
mentioned substations, ultimately causing partial
power and low voltage to all Tri-County Electric
members served by these substations. Our crews
and dispatchers worked closely and quickly with
Ameren to remedy the situation and full power
was restored to all members at 10:26 a.m.
We appreciate and thank our members for
their understanding during both of these outages.
~ High School Students ~
D.C.
Win a FREE Trip to Washington, D.C
High school students* have a great opportunity
to win a FREE, well-chaperoned, educational trip to
Washington, D.C. this summer. Three students (one
from each county served by Tri-County) will be selected to attend the Youth to Washington program
June 14 through June 21 of this year. The three winners as well as three alternates will also participate
in Illinois Rural Electric Youth Day in Springfield,
Illinois on April 17, 2013.
Requirements to earn the trip are very simple.
A test, consisting of true-false and multiple choice
questions on material contained in a rural electrification booklet, will be administered at local high
schools. The study booklets are available at the cooperative or any of the area high schools.
Testing will be held at each participating high school, or special arrangements can be made
for a home-schooled student. The dates of the testing will be posted and announced at each of
the schools, or you can call the cooperative (244-5151) for dates and times.
*Qualifications:
Students must be a high school Sophomore, Junior or Senior.
Students must reside in a home served by Tri-County.
Students previously participating in the tour are not eligible.
Favorite Recipe - Apricot Bars
shortbread layer: blend flour, sugar, and salt in
food processor. Add butter; using on/off turns,
process until coarse meal forms. Press crumbs
firmly onto bottom of dish. Bake until center is
golden, about 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare apricot layer: place
Apricot layer:
apricots in small saucepan; add enough water
2/3 cup (packed) dried apricot halves (about 4
to cover. Boil until soft, about 4 minutes; drain
ounces), coarsely chopped
and set aside. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
into small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
in large bowl. Add brown sugar and vanilla; beat
1/4 teaspoon salt
until thick. Stir in flour mixture, then nuts and
2 large eggs
apricots. Spread over shortbread.
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
Bake until puffed, dark brown, and toothpick
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
inserted into topping comes out with small moist
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool.
Powdered sugar
Cut cookie into 6 strips, then crosswise into
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8x8x2-inch glass thirds. Transfer to waxed paper. Sift powdered
baking dish with nonstick spray. To make the
sugar over bars to serve. Makes 18.
Shortbread layer:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut
into 1/2-inch cubes
Tri-County’s Offices Closed
Monday, February 18th in observance of Presidents Day