COURIER
The Kilowatt
December 2014
6th ANNUAL ENERGY FAIR A SUCCESS
H
omer Electric hosted its 6th annual Energy & Conservation Fairs last month
and featured local vendors displaying a variety of energy conservation
related information, products, and services.
Over 800 Kenai Peninsula residents attended the Kenai and Homer fairs
where they learned about various topics and received information 33471003 on
LED lights, efficient window coverings, energy assistance programs, and other
conservation strategies and products.
Awards for the HEA Energy & Efficiency Student Contest were also presented
at the fairs. Students from kindergarten to 8th grade submitted contest entries
ranging from coloring sheets, acrostic poems, song lyrics, games or a speech.
During the family friendly event, LED Lucy made an hourly appearance for
photo opportunities with the kids. The Kid Zone area featured a Lights Out
game, a coloring station, word search and safety quiz.
Special thanks to our Gold
Sponsors Conoco Phillips, Hilcorp
Alaska, Touchstone Energy, and
Urban Green Technology. Thank you
to our Silver Sponsors Alaska Housing
Finance Corporation, Browns Electric,
Home Depot, Kenai Peninsula Builders
Association, Quality Enterprises, LLC,
Spenard Builders Supply and Tesoro.
Thank you to Grant Aviation,
Two Sisters Bakery, and Charlotte's
Restaurant for their generous
donations! Additional thanks to ReGroup for the use of their recycle bins
for collecting plastic water bottles,
Samantha and Emily Halstead for
her help in the Kid Zone, Kenai High
School wrestling team, and Homer
High School boys' basketball team for
their participation in the success of the
event.
LED Lucy with Paul Banks Elementary 2nd grader,
Beatrix McDonough. Beatrix won 1st place (South
Service Area) for her acrostic energy efficiency poem.
WATCH OUT FOR UTILITY SCAMS
H
omer Electric has received a few calls from members inquiring about the
validity of suspicious phone calls. Scammers are becoming smarter – so don't
be fooled by caller ID even if it says Homer Electric Association. These scams impersonate
Homer Electric representatives and request payment for the customer's supposed past
due bill and threaten disconnection of electric service if their bill is not paid. The goal of
the scammers is to obtain credit card or other financial information.
Before you do anything, end the phone call and contact Homer Electric for verification
and to check the status of your account. Homer Electric has a protocol for contacting members
which includes advanced notification prior to a phone call.
Never give anyone your personal information such as your Social Security number, bank
account number or credit card number unless you initiated the conversation and you are confident
the transaction is legitimate.
Kilowatt Courier is published monthly by Homer Electric Association, Inc.
BUNDLE UP FOR WINTER STORMS
A
re you ready for winter’s cold grasp? Snow and ice are inevitable when dealing
HIDDEN
with 74955001 winter storms, but being prepared can make a world of
ACCOUNT NUMBERS
difference. Homer Electric recommends the following tips to help you prepare for
Every month three randomly chosen
wintery blasts.
italicized account numbers are hidden
in
the Kilowatt Courier. If you find your
Winterize your home
Winter storms wreak havoc on your home. By winterizing your living space, account number, call 235-3338 and you'll
receive a $50 credit which will be
you’ll be prepared for extreme cold and hazardous conditions.
reflected in your next bill.
• Remember to maintain and inspect heating equipment and chimneys every
year to ensure they’re working safely and properly.
• Caulk and weather strip doors and windows to make the most of your heating
system.
• Freezing temperatures often cause water pipes to burst. Remember to insulate pipes
with insulation or newspapers and plastic. Allow faucets to drip during extreme cold to
avoid frozen pipes.
• Consider installing storm windows for better insulation. You can also cover windows with
plastic (from the inside) to keep the cold out.
• Make sure everyone in your family knows where the home’s fire extinguisher is located
and how to use it properly. House fires occur more frequently during winter months, as
people tend to use alternative heating methods that may not be safe.
Prepare a winter survival kit
Severe winter storms often bring heavy accumulation of ice and snow, which can lead to
downed power lines and extended outages. HEA crews will work hard to restore power, but having
a winter survival kit on hand is a smart idea.
• Food: Store food that does not require cooking, such as canned goods, crackers, dehydrated
meats and dried fruit. Keep a large supply of water on hand. Ready.gov recommends five
gallons per person.
• Medication: Be sure to refill all prescriptions in the event of a major power outage.
• Identification: Keep all forms of identification handy, such as driver’s licenses, photo IDs
and social security cards. Bank account information and insurance policies are also good
to have on hand.
• Other items: First Aid Kit, blankets, flashlight, battery-powered radio and extra batteries.
Stay warm and safe
CURRENT
RESIDENTIAL RATES
As of November 1, 2014
All Residential Customers
Energy charge = 13.780 cents/kWh
Customer charge = $15.00
System delivery charge = $20.67*
(*If usage is less than 150 kWh)
Cost of Power Adjustment (COPA)
8.194 cents per kWh*
(*Subject to change on a quarterly
basis and upon RCA approval.)
See www.homerelectric.com for
commercial rates.
BOARD of DIRECTORS
& MANAGER
Dick Waisanen, President
(907) 262-6298
Bill Fry, Vice President
(907) 235-8484
If an outage occurs, you should plan for an alternate heating source. A fireplace, propane space
heater or wood-burning stove would be sufficient. Fuel and wood-burning heating sources should
always be vented, and make sure carbon
monoxide and smoke detectors are working
properly. Always practice extreme caution
when using alternate heating sources.
If you decide to use a portable generator
during an outage, make sure it is placed
outside the home for proper ventilation.
Be careful not to overload the generator.
Use appropriate extension cords that can
handle the electric load.
Follow these tips, and your family will
stay warm in the event of a power outage.
David B. Thomas, Sec/Treasurer
(907) 252-2954
MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE
Brad Janorschke, General Manager
(907) 283-5831
H
omer Electric finished the month of September 2014 with a total asset base of $223.9
million. Year-to-date operating revenue was $66.7 million and total cost of electric service
was $65.7 million bringing net operating margins to $1.0 million through September 30, 2014.
This chart is a breakdown of key financial indicators for 2014 as compared to 2013.
Year-to-Date
Operating Revenue
Cost of Purchased
Power
Total Cost of
Electric Service
Operating Margins
Total Kilowatt
Hours Sold
Total Number
of Meters
September 30, 2014
$66.7 million
$42.0 million
September 30, 2013
$65.7 million
$55.9 million
$1.0 million
345.0 million kWh
$3.2 million
362.0 million kWh
33,262
32,893
Printed on recycled paper
$59.1 million
$33.2 million
Jim Levine, Deputy Secretary
(907) 299-0323
Kelly Bookey, Director
(907) 398-7283
Dave Carey, Director
(907) 260-6413
Dan Chay, Director
(907) 283-9227
Ed Oberts, Director
(907) 398-8039
Don Seelinger, Director
(907) 399-7573
DECEMBER 2014
KILOWATT COURIER
Homer Electric Association, Inc.
3977 Lake Street
Homer, AK 99603
(907) 235-8551
(800) 478-8551
280 Airport Way
Kenai, AK 99611
(907) 283-5831
www.homerelectric.com
68951001