(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – As of Saturday, August 7, 19 Baldwin EMC employees along with local contractors and representatives from 10 electric co-ops in Mississippi and other parts of Alabama have completed training in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, or HAZWOPER standards. Due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, this training is necessary for these employees to be able to work in areas that could be contaminated with oil following hurricane-related flooding.
During the training, participants learned about the safety precautions they must take in the presence of washed-up oil and the proper handling of oil-contaminated materials. They also received hands-on instruction in decontamination and how to properly wear required safety attire and equipment, including protective Tyvek® suits and air tanks. The program lasted a total of 64 hours, including 40 hours of classroom learning and 24 hours of instruction in the field.
E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr., chief executive officer of Baldwin EMC, said this training is a new but entirely necessary part of the co-op’s hurricane preparation process. “If a hurricane does hit before the oil spill is cleared, we want our crews to have the necessary training and credentials ahead of time, so they can begin power restoration without delay,” Jakins said.
Jakins added that the workers who receive this training can serve as the OSHA-required on site supervisors for crews from other areas that come to help with power restoration after a major storm. “It was important that we not only train our employees, but employees from other companies and co-ops also,” Jakins said. “If the worst does happen, these outside employees will be a vital resource we can call on for assistance.”
The training was conducted John Sutton, chief operating officer for North Baldwin EMS, and Phil Bryars, chief of the Bay Minette Fire Department.
Phil Bryars of the Bay Minette Fire Department instructs Baldwin EMC employees William Cloudas and Tony Rice (seated) in the proper way to suit up with HAZWOPER required safety gear.
Baldwin EMC’s HAZWOPER training participants watch a demonstration of proper decontamination techniques.
Jones to represent Pea River EC on PowerSouth Board
Jack Edwin “Ed” Jones Jr. of Ariton, Ala., has been elected to represent Pea River Electric Cooperative on the PowerSouth Board of Trustees. Jones’ appointment was approved at PowerSouth’s July 23 board meeting.
Jones, who is self-employed as President of South Alabama Livestock of Brundidge, Ala., replaces Braxton Green on PowerSouth’s Board.
As a member of Pea River EC all his life, Jones grew up in Ariton and graduated from Ariton High School. He serves on Pea River EC’s Board of Trustees where he was chairman of the audit committee from 2007-2010.
“Ed brings with him a tremendous knowledge of business and the process of running a rural business successfully,” said Randy Brannon, Pea River EC General Manager. “He has been an integral part of the Pea River board, and he understands how to benefit our members by doing what it takes to provide the best service possible.”
Jones is a member of several area Cattleman’s Associations and Elam Baptist Church in Elamville, Ala. He has two children, Claire and Clint.
“It feels good to contribute to the success of PowerSouth as a new board member,” Jones said. “I believe strongly in the benefits electric cooperatives bring to rural areas like the ones we serve. I will do my best to ensure we are all successful.”
Baldwin EMC Seeks Peak Busters
Baldwin EMC recently launched a new Peak Busters program seeking to enlist members in efforts to control “peak demand.”
Baldwin EMC’s demand peaks at times when the greatest amount of electricity is needed to supply all the power required by our customers. When consumers use a lot of electricity all at the same time, Baldwin EMC may set a new peak demand record. During these peak periods (usually in the mid afternoon and evening in the summer and early morning during the winter) the cost for power is significantly higher than it is during off-peak times.
A portion of Baldwin EMC’s wholesale power bill for the next 12 months is set according to the highest peak demand reached, regardless of whether that much electricity is needed at one time ever again during the year. So, if all the co-op members work together to use less electricity during these peak demand periods, Baldwin EMC can lower peak demand and lower overall wholesale power cost. This will help to lower the cost of electricity for all Baldwin EMC members for the entire year
Baldwin EMC members can help keep these higher demands in check by becoming a Peak Buster. When a member signs up to be a Peak Buster, Baldwin EMC will notify them by phone 12-24 hours before the expected peak demand time. At that time they will be asked to take the necessary actions to lower their usage.
Some things that members can do to lower their usage are to raise their thermostat a few degrees (in summer) or lower it a couple of degrees (in winter), use a microwave for cooking or grill outdoors (weather permitting), and delay laundry, baths and showers for a few hours.
Baldwin EMC hosts Hurricane Perparedness Meeting
On July 16, Baldwin EMC hosted a meeting for local emergency response agencies to discuss our area’s hurricane preparedness with special attention to the oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. Among those participating in the meeting were representatives from BP, as well as the Emergency Management Agencies of Mobile and Baldwin County and the State of Alabama, the National Guard, the Forestry service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Coast Guard, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama Department of Transportation. Also in attendance were several elected officials, members of local law enforcement agencies, and several representatives from local utility companies including Baldwin EMC.
In the photo: Bruce Freeman from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management addresses the crowd as part of the meeting’s panel of speakers.
Central Alabama EC, Pioneer EC and PowerSouth tout AdvantageSite program success
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – Nearly 18 months after its inception, Alabama’s AdvantageSite program bolsters 19 certified industrial sites. Two of the sites are served by PowerSouth Energy Cooperative distribution members Central Alabama EC and Pioneer EC.
“AdvantageSite is a voluntary industrial site preparedness program that was created to make the state of Alabama more competitive for companies considering a location within the state,” said Lee Lawson, PowerSouth Economic Development Representative. “Having an AdvantageSite certification tells site selection consultants the appropriate due diligence has been done to certify the site is ready to be developed.”
Pioneer EC, headquartered in Greenville, Ala., serves the 305-acre South Dallas Godwin AdvantageSite. The site is located in the South Dallas Industrial Park in Dallas County near Selma.
Central Alabama EC, headquartered in Prattville, Ala., serves the Interstate Business Park located within the Interstate Industrial Park in Autauga County. The 51-acre AdvantageSite is adjacent to the Central Alabama EC office, off exit 186 on I-65. The AdvantageSite contains a 50,000 square foot spec building that is expandable and ready for occupancy.
“We welcome any economic development tool that will improve the quality of life for our members and communities we serve,” said Steven Harmon, Pioneer EC General Manager. “AdvantageSite and programs like it play an integral part in welcoming new industry and jobs to our service area.”
“Programs like AdvantageSite are critical to growing communities,” said Tom Stackhouse, Central Alabama EC President and Chief Executive Officer. “We welcome our local partners who seek to improve the quality of life for our members and communities we serve.”
PowerSouth serves as a volunteer partner with Alagasco, Alabama Power, the North Alabama Industrial Development Association, the State of Alabama and the Economic Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) to sponsor the program, which has designated 19 AdvantageSites of 450 industrial sites currently being marketed by the state.
Within the PowerSouth service territory there are a total of six AdvantageSites. An additional two locations are pending designation.
“PowerSouth’s individual effort has been to identify and encourage economic development teams at the local level to enter the process,” said Lawson. “Many of our distribution members have been instrumental in the application process for sites within their service area.”
Program sponsors work jointly as a committee to garner and review AdvantageSite applications. A desktop review is coordinated first, followed by an on-site visit. The full process from application to designation can take from 3 to 6 months.
According to Lawson, the benefits of the AdvantageSite program are two-fold. First, it raises the marketability of individual properties. “If site selection consultants or prospective industries go to the EDPA database, they will know that designated AdvantageSites are shovel-ready,” he said.
In addition, AdvantageSite prepares the community and puts developers at the local level through a stringent process designed to show what is expected of potential sites facing development consideration.
“Site certification programs have been used around the country for years,” said Lawson. “Different consulting firms and utilities have used them to prepare and increase the marketability of industrial sites. The AdvantageSite program is still in its infancy, but the progress we’ve made has brought positive light to Alabama and what our state offers to site selection consultants and prospective industry.”
PowerSouth celebrates safety
PowerSouth Telecommunications Department
staff celebrated their safety milestone
with a luncheon on June 14, 2010.
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – On May 12, 2010, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative’s Telecommunications department recorded five consecutive safe working years.
“For an effective safety program, all of us must respect safety and practice it in every job we do,” said Vice President of Power Delivery Larry Avery. “Reaching this milestone is evidence that you respect safety not only for yourself but also for your coworkers.”
During the past year, the department worked 43,849 hour with no lost-time injuries, and they have logged 181,660 total hours since the last lost-time injury occurred.
To honor the department’s accomplishment, they were awarded with a luncheon on June 14.
“Our good safety record is only possible through their combined efforts and dedication to working safely,” said Safety Manager Buddy Manring. “At the end of the day, we all want to go home healthy and happy.”
PowerSouth plans to maintain a safe work environment for all employees in the coming years and regards the Telecommunications department’s dedication to safety as a victory for the whole company.
PowerSouth conducts 2009 Annual Meeting
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – At PowerSouth’s annual meeting May 28th, the cooperative’s board of trustees and management staff reflected on 2009 as a turning point for the organization.
“We attempt to anticipate events and trends – from generation technology to environmental constraints to the effects of the economy – to position us for the future,” said Jimmy Ramage, Mayor of the City of Brundidge, Ala., and outgoing Chairman of PowerSouth’s Board of Trustees. “Our planning has allowed us to be proactive instead of reactive to the changes in our economy, community and industry.”
Some of PowerSouth’s highlights over the past year included:
Adaptation of a long-range power supply plan to meet the PowerSouth service territory’s energy demand for the foreseeable future. The power supply plan includes a generation portfolio that is more diverse than ever, ready to address the steady rise in energy sales that is expected through 2027.
Accomplishing an all-time system peak of 2,382 megawatts on the PowerSouth system. The peak, reached at 7 a.m. Jan. 11, 2010, exceeded the previous record by 176 megawatts and well surpassed projected winter demand of 2,098 megawatts.
In 2009 the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) approved PowerSouth’s $144 million transmission and construction work plan, paving the way for bulk transmission system additions, new delivery points and major maintenance projects through 2011.
PowerSouth’s transmission reliability metrics continued to be as good as or better than any utility in the Southeast.
PowerSouth’s business development efforts helped recruit new industry and assisted existing industry with expansion, which provided growth opportunities for the communities we serve. Approximately 4,000 jobs were created in our service area in 2009, representing more than $300 million in new capital investments.
Construction of McIntosh Units 4 and 5 began in 2009 and is currently more than 86 percent complete. Construction has remained on schedule, and the units should be commercial by December 2010, providing an additional 360 megawatts to the plant’s existing 350 megawatt capacity.
Last year ended as one of the most successful in PowerSouth’s history. The success is attributed to the board’s attempt to anticipate events and trends – from generation technology to environmental constraints to the effects of the economy – to position PowerSouth for the future.
“If you look back at where we were in summer 2008, you’ll see that we had to step up and make quick decisions,” said Board Secretary-Treasurer Gary Harrison, General Manager at Dixie EC. “In 2009 we saw the positive results of those hard decisions made by the board and staff.
“During the summer of 2009, we were hit by one of things we all feared when we lost operation of a coal unit for an unplanned outage. But it turned out to be a blessing because during that time natural gas prices were dropping quickly, and we were able to take advantage of that fuel savings,” Harrison said.
Production for 2009 rose to 74.2 percent compared to only 57 percent the year before. As a result, costs to purchase power decreased. The Cooperative was running its plants more, resulting in an increase of production and maintenance costs.
PowerSouth’s operating revenues in 2009 were enough to satisfy all debt obligations, financial covenants and its indenture. Due to construction at PowerSouth’s McIntosh Plant, the utility plant increased by 5 percent, and equities improved by 15 percent. However, liabilities increased $21 million due to construction costs.
“PowerSouth concluded 2009 with a fine financial condition,” Harrison said. “We were well prepared going into 2010. The PowerSouth staff kept our eye on the ball and kept us focused. History is going to look back on this year, and it is going to be seen as very much a turning point in this organization.”
Several retirees, trustees and a widow of a retiree were honored in a memorial during the annual meeting, including John L. Shreve, Gerald Fowler, Mary Hall, Jimmy Utsey and Jack Clark.
Gary Smith, PowerSouth President and CEO, honored Ramage for his service as Chairman of the Board. Ronald Jones of CHELCO was named the new Board Chairman. Harrison was named Vice Chairman, and William (Bill) Rimes of West Florida EC was named PowerSouth’s new Board Secretary-Treasurer.
In addition, Smith honored former trustees for their service to the PowerSouth board.
Roy Barnes, former General Manager of Gulf Coast EC, was honored for his service from 1995 to 2010, during which he served on the Engineering and Operations, Finance and Audit, Marketing and Economic Development, Corporate Planning and Power Supply, Nominating and Executive committees. He also served as a voting delegate for the Florida Electric Cooperative Association.
J.E. (Gene) Smith, former CEO and General Manager of CHELCO, was recognized for his service from 1979 to 2009, during which he served on the Engineering and Operations, Corporate Planning and Power Supply, Nominating, Marketing and Economic Development, Member Relations and Strategic Planning and Executive Committees. During his tenure, he also served as PowerSouth board chairman.
Kinneth Daniels, Gulf Coast EC board member, was honored for his service from 2006 to 2009, during which he served on the Engineering & Operations Committee.
Nolan Laird, Wiregrass EC board member, was recognized for his service from 2007 to 2009, during which he served on the Member Relations and Strategic Planning Committee.
David Cook, Southern Pine EC board member, was honored for his service from 2006 to 2009, during which he served on the Marketing and Economic Development and Engineering and Operations Committees.
PowerSouth employees give the gift of life
Thanks to the generosity of PowerSouth employees, the Red Cross collected life-saving units of blood during its June 7 blood drive at PowerSouth’s headquarters facility.
PowerSouth Safety Manager Buddy Manring said he was pleased with the number of people that showed up to donate.
“We had 39 sign in, and the Red Cross was able to collect 36 units,” he said. “Our goal was 35.”
As an incentive to give, each employee who donated was entered into a drawing for $100. Engineering Assistant Dennis O’Neal won the prize.
O’Neal has been donating blood since his junior year in high school. “It went very well, and I had no adverse effects. Once I realized how easy it was to give and how important the need for blood was, I’ve tried to give when I could.”
From 1985 to 1995, O’Neal said he donated blood at least once a year. Since 1995, he has donated 18 times, giving as many as five times in one calendar year.
“I have always felt compelled to give,” said O’Neal. “For the past several years, most of my donations have been made here at PowerSouth. The company has made it very convenient for employees to give, and the $100 drawing makes it interesting, as well.”
Manring also began donating blood as a junior in high school. “I started giving because my Civics teacher offered five bonus points for donating,” he said. “Since that time, it has just been a personal decision to give when I can.”
“It seems like a small thing — to give 30 minutes and a little discomfort to be able to help someone out when they’re in need,” he added.
O’Neal said he encourages everyone to give at least once. “As they say, the life you save may be your own.”
PowerSouth Safety Manager Buddy Manring (right) presents Engineering Assistant Dennis O’Neal with the $100 he won during Monday’s blood drive.
New PowerSouth hybrid vehicle serves as research material
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – As part of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative’s ongoing efforts to explore energy efficiency options available to the public and business realms, PowerSouth has added a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid to its headquarters pool car fleet.
The hybrid vehicle was introduced to the fleet in May with the purpose of saving on gas expenses and reiterating PowerSouth’s commitment to being a good corporate citizen by reducing the company’s environmental impact and fuel consumption.
“More than anything, we just wanted to test the capabilities of a hybrid for ourselves,” said Terry Wilson, PowerSouth Manager of T&D Operation and Maintenance, whose department is responsible for the fleet. “We’re interested in discovering the comprehensive reliability, gas efficiency and economy of the vehicle to better determine whether or not it’s a positive alternative PowerSouth would like to continue pursuing in the future.”
A hybrid vehicle uses at least two different sources of energy to make transportation possible. The Ford Fusion Hybrid – like most other hybrids on the market – runs off of a battery-powered electric motor at lower speeds. On the highway and at faster speeds, the Ford Fusion Hybrid shifts to full use of the gas engine or, in some cases, a combination of gas and electric power. Due to the hybrid’s innovative mixed gasoline-electric power system, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has an estimated annual fuel cost of $937 – less than half the fuel cost of a non-hybrid vehicle of the same or similar size and make.
“We won’t know for a period of time the amount of savings the hybrid vehicle will truly create,” Wilson said. “We’re interested in knowing the life expectancy of the vehicle’s battery bank and how much it will cost to replace it. Typically we try to keep passenger cars in the fleet operational for a decade or more.”
According to Ford Motor Company’s website, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid boasts a fuel economy of 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. The vehicle employs the use of an already fuel-efficient 4-cylinder gas engine, as well as a battery bank to shave a portion of the fuel cost.
Hybrid vehicles produce less pollution than standard vehicles -- some hybrid models reduce air pollution by up to 90 percent. Current hybrids on the market reduce emissions by a third to a half with the expectation of greater emission reduction in the future.
PowerSouth recently ordered a second hybrid for use in the company’s fleet, which is intended to broaden the amount of research done and information gained on the hybrid car. The second hybrid will be a 2011 model of the Ford Fusion Hybrid and is expected to arrive at PowerSouth’s Andalusia headquarters later this year.
Gardner joins PowerSouth Energy economic development team
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – PowerSouth Energy Cooperative announced today that Ed Gardner Jr., has joined its economic development staff as Economic Development Representative for Florida.
Gardner will work with PowerSouth’s northwest Florida distribution members, along with state and local economic developers, to achieve economic development goals, recruiting new companies and working with existing industry to facilitate business and economic growth within PowerSouth’s service area. His responsibilities also include targeting successful business sectors and industry clusters to market PowerSouth’s service territory both nationally and internationally.
“I am pleased to round out our business development team with the addition of Ed Gardner. Ed's experience in economic and workforce development will expand PowerSouth's ongoing efforts to bring new business to our region and expand those businesses in northwest Florida,” says Seth Hammett, PowerSouth’s Vice President of Business Development. “Most importantly, he will work closely with our distribution members and existing industries to continue to grow our region's economy."
Prior to joining PowerSouth, Gardner served as Vice President of Economic Development and Workforce for the Birmingham Business Alliance, where he was responsible for business recruitment, workforce development, site development and strategic planning. During his tenure there, Gardner led an effort in partnership with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham that resulted in a $1 million grant awarded for non-entitlement counties. He also served as Chair of the Governor’s Workforce Development Council.
Prior to his work with the Birmingham Business Alliance, Gardner was Executive Director for the St. Clair County (Ala.) Economic Development Council.
“I’m thrilled to be joining a company with the reputation of PowerSouth in a region as desirable as Northwest Florida,” said Gardner. “I look forward to working closely with PowerSouth’s distribution members, along with local economic development professionals in Northwest Florida, to assist them in creating job opportunities and new investment in the region.”
Gardner is a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. He earned a Master’s of Public Administration from Auburn University. He and his wife, Alecia, have two children, ages 3 and 5.
Construction at PowerSouth’s Plant McIntosh ahead of schedule
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – Despite an unusually wet winter, construction on the new peaking units at PowerSouth’s Plant McIntosh is approximately two weeks ahead of schedule.
As of the end of last month, the project was 74.3 percent complete.
“We had a very wet winter this year, which made foundation work very difficult” said PowerSouth Project Manager Robert Meyer. “We’ve worked hard to maintain the schedule and overcome weather setbacks.”
Meyer said the combustion turbines and generators, which were delivered in mid-January, actually arrived early. “We’ve tried to use that as a springboard to stay ahead of schedule,” he said.
The new units have been unloaded at the site, foundation work is complete and all plant equipment that requires a foundation is now sitting on one. Step-up transformers have been set and are currently being tested.
The batteries for the new units’ electrical packages have been installed and construction on the support steel for the Unit 5 lube oil cooler has begun. Unit 5 exhaust manifold has also been installed and aligned.
PowerSouth T&D Project Coordinator Bubba Evers said the plant’s new substation was energized according to schedule on Dec. 28, 2009.
Meyers said the last major contract for the project has been awarded.
If construction continues at the current rate, the new units will be commercial by December of this year.
Operation Oak Comes to Bicentennial Park
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Recently, Baldwin EMC teamed up with the National Wild Turkey Federation and Baldwin County Bicentennial Park in Stockton, Ala. for a special event called “Operation Oak.” Volunteers from Baldwin EMC and the county worked together to plant 300 white, cherrybark and sawtooth oak trees. The trees were provided through Baldwin EMC’s partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Energy for Wildlife Program, designed to help utility companies boost wildlife habitats in their service areas.
Bicentennial Park is what local legislators hope will become a lasting tribute to Baldwin County’s 200 year history, which was commemorated throughout 2009.
According to Nick Warren, special projects coordinator for the Baldwin County Department of Archives and History, development at Bicentennial Park will be unlike any other in the area. Warren says the plan for the park is to give visitors an actual visit through the history of Baldwin County.
Karen Moore, Baldwin EMC’s vice-president of Member Services and Public Relations, says participating in the event is a great way for the cooperative to continue with its mission of being community involved. “This is a project that not only benefits our community, but also the environment – two things we take very seriously. The results are well worth the time and effort put into it,” said Moore.
Helping to make Operation Oak a success were participants (back row) Ronnie Weaver, Nick Warren, Joe Penn, Greg Gipson, Angela Langley, Melissa Vaughn, Johnathan Weatherford, Tim Hobbs, (middle row) George Riley, Regina Sprinkle, Lynn Bozone, Donna Givens, Michelle Ricard, (front row, kneeling), Tony McDaniels and Cleo Byrd.
Open Hearts and Open Arms The family of one Baldwin EMC employee just got a lot bigger. Gordon Lipscomb and his wife Angie recently welcomed three-month-old twins Gabriella and Gabriel and two-year-old Levi into their home. The three children were adopted from an orphanage in Haiti, where a massive earthquake recently left terrible devastation. The Lipscombs had just begun the adoption process when the earthquake hit, leaving many of the nation’s citizens in despair. Determined to bring their new additions home, the couple made the long journey into Haiti to the orphanage where the twins and their brother Levi were living. After completing an accelerated adoption process, the Lipscombs and their newly adopted children made a treacherous journey back into the United States, where they were welcomed by their four older children, Meredith, Caroline, Sara Beth and Taylor.
On Thursday, February 25, Gordon’s coworkers hosted a baby shower to celebrate the new additions, who made their Baldwin EMC debut to open arms. Pictured are Angie and Gordon Lipscomb holding twins Gabriella and Gabriel, along with older siblings (left to right) Meredith, Levi, Sara Beth and Caroline. (Older brother Taylor is not pictured.)
Baldwin EMC Honors Employee’s Heroic Actions
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – One local family is calling Baldwin EMC employee Troy Thompson a guardian angel. On Monday, February 15, Baldwin EMC called Thompson a hero, and officially recognized him with the Baldwin EMC / Touchstone Energy Power and Hope Award.
It was quick thinking and persistence that earned Thompson the recognition. In the early morning hours of January 8, he was carrying out his normal route delivering papers for the Mobile Press-Register when he came across a fire in the Lake Forest subdivision of Daphne. An electrical malfunction had ignited a shed behind the home where Christopher Parker and his wife Erica were sound asleep, unaware of the fire quickly spreading to their house.
When Thompson arrived, he says he stopped his route, called 911 and began banging on the front door of the home hoping to alert the family and prompt them to leave the house. Even though he didn’t get a response at first, Thompson says he kept knocking until he was able to wake the couple and warn them of the danger. Afterwards, Thompson picked up a garden hose and helped keep the surrounding area wet to prevent the fire from spreading until emergency responders arrived.
Christopher Parker’s mother Ginger, who owns the house involved in the fire, says she is eternally grateful to Troy for going above and beyond the call of duty. “Instead of having to replace a shed, I may be in a funeral home picking out caskets for my son and daughter-in-law,” she said. “I can replace the house. I can’t replace my children.” The family taped a special message thanking Thompson for his actions, which was played during the award presentation at Baldwin EMC’s all-employee training day on Monday, February 15.
E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr., Baldwin EMC’s chief executive officer, says he feels Thompson was very deserving of the cooperative’s Power and Hope Award. “Even though Troy has remained very humble about what he did, he’s earned every bit of the recognition he received. He is someone we value as an employee and admire as a person.” Thompson is Baldwin EMC’s sixth Power and Hope recipient since the award’s creation in 2005.
Troy Thompson (left) receives the Baldwin EMC / Touchstone Energy Power and Hope Award from Karen Moore, vice-president of member services and public relations for the cooperative.
PowerSouth employees achieve safety milestone
PowerSouth employees receive awards for their departments’ dedication to safety in 2009.
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – PowerSouth’s inside employees have again proven their awareness and dedication to safety — the company’s number one corporate value — by completing a full year without a lost time injury, which means no employee within this group has missed work due to an injury suffered on the job. Collectively, 358,956 safe hours were worked by multiple departments at the corporate headquarters in Andalusia, Ala.
“All our employees are to be commended for their commitment to safety,” said PowerSouth President and CEO Gary Smith at a Feb. 23 luncheon honoring the employees’ achievements. “All our corporate values are important, but without safety, reliability and affordability don’t matter much. PowerSouth employees continue to set the standard for safety excellence in our industry. While we are all proud of the safety record, we are even more pleased about the fact our employees go home uninjured to their families every day.”
Departments celebrating the safety milestone include: Bulk Power Services, Communications, Customer Response, Economic Development, Energy Control, Energy Resources, Environmental Services, Finance and Accounting, Financial Planning, Fuels, Human Resources, Information Systems, Legal Services, Member Services, President and CEO Staff, Procurement Services and T&D Planning and Reliability.
PowerSouth boasts an impressive safety record, with a Recordable Incident Rate of 1.84 for 2009, compared to a national average of 3.6. The company’s Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) rate is 0.0, compared to a national average of 1.8.
“Our employees work together to carry out our safety program,” said PowerSouth Safety Manager Buddy Manring. “Our good safety record is only possible through their combined efforts and dedication to working safely.”
Colder than Normal Temperatures Result in Higher Electric Usage
Fourteen straight days of below average temperatures led to higher than normal electric use for utility customers across the area. Weather data from the National Weather Service Web site shows thirteen consecutive overnight lows at or below freezing in the Baldwin County area.
Baldwin EMC energy specialists are encouraging customers to be prepared for higher electric bills as a result of the record low temperatures. “When temperatures drop this low and stay as cold during the day as they did the first two weeks of January, we expect heating units to run almost constantly, resulting in much higher use than normal,” said Greg Gipson, energy services manager for Baldwin EMC.
Gipson explained that in many homes, central heating units ran constantly trying to maintain comfort levels inside, as temperatures seldom rose out of the thirties or forties during the day, and dipped into the lower twenties or teens during the night. Because these cold temperatures persisted for fourteen consecutive days, many customers will see that entire period of high use on one bill.
Bills for this period will reach customers between late January and late February. “By the time our customers receive their bills,” Gipson said, “the weather is likely to be much warmer. But when we look at the weather data for January, we can easily see the reason for the high usage.”
While the bitter cold weather has passed for now, energy experts at Baldwin EMC say there are many things homeowners can do to improve the efficiency of their homes and heating equipment before another spell of cold temperatures comes our way. For information and energy saving tips, visit the cooperative’s Web site at www.baldwinemc.com.
PowerSouth continues to monitor lake levels due to heavy rainfall
ANDALUSIA, ALA. — Due to heavy rainfall, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative initiated its high water notification action plan at 6 p.m. Sunday evening as the tailwater below Point A dam exceeded 25 feet.
PowerSouth controls the operation of the dams at Gantt and Point A lakes on the Conecuh River near Gantt, Ala., which are subject to government-mandated water levels. As of 8 a.m. today, the tailwater reading at Gantt was 7.89 feet, and the tailwater reading at Point A was 28.06 feet. Tailwater flow is the hourly average of the river flow just downstream of the hydro plants, measured in cubic feet per second. PowerSouth has 20 feet of gate open at the Gantt Hydro and 44 feet of gate open at the Point A Hydro.
“PowerSouth personnel will continue to closely monitor conditions and manage resources with extreme caution,” said Mark Ingram PowerSouth Communication Manager.
“Residents around the lakes are reminded that lake elevations are always subject to change, depending on conditions,” Ingram said. “We urge residents and property owners to stay abreast of the weather situation and take necessary safety precautions. Low-lying areas should be avoided. Also avoid downed power lines and contact your local electric provider in the event of a power outage.”
Real-time information about the Conecuh River at Point A dam is available on www.powersouth.com in the Newsroom section.
Frigid temps prompt PowerSouth system peak
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – Below-freezing temperatures across Alabama and northwest Florida have electric consumers cranking up the heat, prompting an all-time system peak of 2,382 megawatts (unadjusted) on PowerSouth’s system. The peak, which was reached at 7 a.m. yesterday morning, exceeded the previous record by 176 megawatts.
The new peak well surpassed PowerSouth’s projected winter demand of 2,098 megawatts.
Ensuring adequate energy for system peaks is critical, and the Energy Resources and Energy Control departments make long- and short-term capacity decisions to cover load projections.
“Our system operators closely monitor our projected demand and manage our resources accordingly,” said Tim Hattaway, Manager of PowerSouth’s Energy Control Center.
PowerSouth has a variety of resources available to meet required high capacity demands, including coal, natural gas and hydroelectric power plants, as well as purchased power agreements.
PowerSouth generated 503 megawatts of capacity at Plant Lowman, 147 at McWilliams, 520 at Vann, 5.5 at the Gantt and Point A hydros to help cover the high demand. Another 84 megawatts were generated at Alabama Power’s Miller plant, in which PowerSouth has an 8.16 ownership interest in Units 1 and 2. The remaining energy needed to cover the additional load was purchased.
“Meeting the peak load like we did Monday is like winning a championship,” said PowerSouth’s Vice President of Power Supply Damon Morgan. “For the plants, it requires having sound maintenance practices all year long, not just this week. It requires having knowledgeable operators who know how to handle these conditions. It takes a host of folks behind the scenes, scheduling and handling fuel, accounting for parts and equipment. It takes a lot of preparation, sound training, attention to safety and environmental performance. PowerSouth should be proud of all of its employees who helped ensure that the power was flowing.”
“We don’t anticipate any more system peaks in the near future,” Hattaway said. “As the temperatures gradually begin to warm up this week, we should see our demand level back to our normal peak."
PowerSouth climbs rankings in state, nation
PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, headquartered in Andalusia, AL, employs 624 employees at eight locations. The cooperative serves the wholesale energy needs of 16 electric cooperatives and four municipal electric systems in Alabama and northwest Florida.
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – In a year filled with economic rises and falls resembling a roller coaster, Alabama’s own PowerSouth Energy Cooperative rose on two rankings released by state and national media in recent weeks.
Business Alabama magazine, based in Mobile, compiled a list of the state’s 100 largest privately owned companies, and PowerSouth rose in rank from 16 in 2008 to 8 in 2009. Additionally, the National Consumer Cooperative Bank (NCB) ranked PowerSouth 73 in its top 100 cooperatives in America for 2009, compared to PowerSouth’s 75th ranking on NCB’s 2008 list.
“The climb up the ranks on both lists is indicative of our effort to serve our distribution members effectively and with a mind for economic development,” says Seth Hammett, PowerSouth Vice President of Business Development. “PowerSouth strives to be an excellent corporate citizen in every way possible.”
The Business Alabama listing was compiled using information provided by Standard & Poor’s and Dunn & Bradstreet, both providers of credit information on businesses. The companies were ranked by revenue for the most-recently completed fiscal year. All companies listed are either based in Alabama or are wholly owned Alabama-based subsidiaries. PowerSouth is headquartered in Andalusia, Ala.
Each year the NCB announces the top 100 cooperatives in America, highlighting the business activity and economic power of the member-owned, member controlled businesses. As the only report of its kind, the NCB ranking is an important indicator of cooperative business activity.
Chilly temps prompt system peaks for two consecutive days
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – Baby, it’s cold outside. Frigid temperatures across Alabama and northwest Florida prompted all-time system peaks for two days in a row. At 7 a.m. yesterday, PowerSouth reached a 2,165 megawatt peak. This morning at 7 a.m., PowerSouth’s system reached a 2,206 megawatt peak (unadjusted), exceeding yesterday’s peak by 40 megawatts and the previous record by 105 megawatts.
The new peaks even surpassed PowerSouth’s projected winter demand of 2,098 megawatts.
And the cold snap isn’t over. With the current forecast of even colder temperatures over the next several days, this record will be short-lived.
“We expect to exceed this current peak over the weekend if temperatures are as cold as projected,” said Tim Hattaway, Manager of PowerSouth’s Energy Control Center.
Ensuring adequate energy for system peaks is of utmost importance, and the Energy Resources and Energy Control staffs make long- and short-term capacity decisions to cover load projections.
“We knew that additional capacity was needed because a plant outage, so we made preparations in December for enough capacity to cover the projected demand,” Hattaway said.
Because the actual demand exceeded the projected demand, PowerSouth made additional short-term capacity purchases to cover the additional load, according to Ron Graham, PowerSouth Energy Resources Manager.
Baldwin EMC Distributes Child ID Kits
(Summerdale, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC recently completed the distribution of more than 2,000 child identification kits to local kindergarten classes. The kits include an inkless fingerprint sampling set, a wallet card, and DNA swabbing sets. They’re meant to give parents and guardians a record of the identifiable characteristics that can be used to locate a missing child.
“The statistics on how many children go missing each year are unfortunately alarming,” says Karen Moore, Baldwin EMC’s Vice President of Member Services and Public Relations. “Many parents don’t realize how valuable having ID kits for their children can be until it’s too late.”
The kits distributed by Baldwin EMC were produced in cooperation with the National Child Identification Program and the American Football Coaches Association. This has become an annual project for the cooperative, which has distributed the kits for the past five years.
“It’s something we hope no parent ever needs,” Moore said. “But we’d rather families have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”
The kits were delivered to kindergarten classes throughout Baldwin County this month. Kits are also available by request in any Baldwin EMC office, or via the cooperative’s Web site, www.baldwinemc.com.
Baldwin EMC Honors Employees for Safety and Longevity Achievements
(Summerdale, Ala.) – Thirty-three Baldwin EMC employees and trustees were recently honored for years of dedicated service to the co-op and its members. A luncheon held on December 17 celebrated their service along with the cooperative’s safety achievements for the year.
Those employees with five, ten, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40 years of employment were presented with longevity awards at the luncheon held at Baldwin EMC’s training center in Summerdale. Baldwin EMC Chief Executive Officer E.A. Jakins, Jr., said the commitment of these employees and trustees is where all the credit for the cooperative’s success belongs. “We are what we are today because of the people that show up every morning to serve our customers,” Jakins said. “Our employees come second to none in dedication and service.”
The following employees and trustees were honored for their years of service:
5 years: Carey Gates and Karen Moore
10 years: Sharon Childress, James Day, Brad Garcia, Dwayne Ferguson, Larry Havel, Benny Lowery, Kathy McGrew and Troy Thompson
15 years: Scott Bankester, Shannon Clemmons, Aubury Fuller, Mary Hubbard, Paul Lores, James Rhodes, Herman Schimmelfennig, Craig Schoen and Johnathan Weatherford
20 years: Doris Arce, Doug Byrd, Mark Creamer, Bert Jones, Gordon Lipscomb, Jeff Malone, Joe McKenzie, Jerry Rider, Charles Smith and Marcus Wallace.
25 years: Cary Roley
30 years: Butch Long and Joe Sopr
40 years: John Phillips
Local High Schoolers Participate in Baldwin EMC Wiring Contest
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC recently teamed up with Daphne High School, the South Baldwin Center for Technology and Foley High School to host an FFA/EMC wiring contest for local students.
Ten high school students participated in the contest, which was held at Baldwin EMC’s training center in Summerdale. They were asked to demonstrate the proper use of electrical tools, present a speech/demonstration on an electrical energy-related topic, answer problem solving questions pertaining to electrical wiring and complete an assigned wiring problem based on The National Electrical Code.
Joey Stabler of Daphne High School took home the first place prize, Preston White, also of Daphne High School, was named the second place winner, and Alex Pressley, a student at the South Baldwin Center for Technology, took home third place honors.
Gary Hellmich of Hellmich Electric, Inc. and Paul Maurin of M&M South Baldwin Electric, Inc. served as judges for the contest.
McIntosh Power Plant construction progresses on schedule
In order to continue serving consumers in the most reliable and efficient manner, PowerSouth is constructing two additional peaking units at the McIntosh Power Plant site in McIntosh, Ala. Construction began in June 2009.
The project, which is approximately 56 percent complete, consists of two natural gas-fired simple-cycle units that will provide 360 megawatts of electricity — enough to power more than 6,000 homes.
It was determined that simple-cycle technology’s fuel flexibility and short start-up time were suitable for continuous, peaking and emergency operation.
“We have thoroughly evaluated our options for meeting our capacity deficit in 2011, said Damon Morgan, PowerSouth’s Vice President of Power Supply. “We have determined that adding additional units at our McIntosh site is in the best interest of PowerSouth, our distribution members and the communities we serve.”
According to PowerSouth Project Manager Robert Meyer, construction on the new units continues on schedule.
Crews are currently constructing foundations and installing underground piping and electrical duct banks.
According to Bubba Evers, PowerSouth T&D Project Coordinator, construction on the new substation, which should be energized in December, is also on schedule.
“Contractors and in-house crews are working diligently to ensure the substation is completed by the end of the year,” Evers said.
Currently, PowerSouth’s McIntosh Power Plant consists of the United States’ only Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) unit and two gas-fired combustion turbines, for a total capacity of 350 megawatts.
Meyer said if construction continues at the current rate, the new units will be commercial by December 2010.
Baldwin EMC Holds 2009 Annual Meeting
Baldwin EMC held its 2009 Annual Meeting on Friday, Dec. 11 at the company’s headquarters office in Summerdale. The meeting was marked by member voting, Board of Trustee elections and a few significant announcements about the future of the cooperative.
Baldwin EMC Board President and District 6 Trustee Peggy Vanover along with District 2 Trustee Joe Coleman, who both ran unopposed, were reelected to their respective positions on the Board. The District 4 Trustee position came down to a race between incumbent Tommie Werneth and challenger Iris Ethridge. Tommie Werneth, who has served on the Board for the past 13 years, was reelected to serve another three year term to represent District 4.
Board members representing the four other districts, Tom Bradley, Jack Taylor, Aubrey Fuller, and Jimmy LaFoy were all in attendance and introduced.
Both Vanover and Baldwin EMC Chief Executive Officer E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr., addressed the members in attendance at the meeting. Vanover encouraged members to have confidence in the leadership at the cooperative, even during uncertain economic times, and praised the hard work of the company’s nearly 200 employees.
During his address, Jakins talked about the future of power cost and delivered some good news to members about their 2010 power bills. Jakins said that due to significant decreases in the cost of coal and natural gas, Baldwin EMC members should see, on average, a 6.5 percent decrease on their power bills as compared to 2009. Jakins explained that figure , which equates to approximately $9.69, was calculated based on an average Baldwin EMC member, and the number would change based on each members’ typical power usage.
Members were also treated to live entertainment from popular local bluegrass band The Wayfarers, along with door prizes and giveaways. Baldwin EMC representatives also manned booths offering information about energy efficiency along with some of the cooperative’s current programs and services.
Baldwin EMC Issues Capital Credits Checks
Baldwin EMC refunded $1.2 million this month in capital credits to those who were members of the cooperative in 1987 and / or 2006. Capital credits refer to any income above and beyond the normal cost of doing business for Baldwin EMC, which sets its rates to bring in enough money to pay operating costs, make payments on any loans, and to provide an emergency reserve. At the end of each calendar year, the co-op subtracts those operating expenses from the total amount of money collected during the year. The balance is the margin. That margin is retained for operating funds as long as needed, but is eventually returned to the members.
“Capital credits are one of the many benefits of belonging to a cooperative,” says Baldwin EMC Chief Executive Officer E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr., “Baldwin EMC is a not-for-profit business. We exist only to provide goods and services to our members - not to make a profit for a shareholder or investor.”
According to Jakins, it isn’t always possible to return capital credits to members. If the cooperative has a year with extenuating expenses like storm damage, the margins must be used for operating capital to keep the co-op financially strong and maintain reliability. “However, due to the co-op’s fiscal responsibility, BEMC has been able to return capital credits this year, something we always look forward to doing,” Jakins says.
If you were a member of Baldwin EMC in 1987 or 2006, part of that $1.2 million dollars may have your name on it. The amount was based on how much electricity you used that year.
Capital credit checks were mailed the week of Dec. 4, 2009. If you have any questions or concerns about the process, please contact Baldwin EMC toll free at (800) 837-3374.
Baldwin EMC’s Fourth Annual Power of Giving Drive Called a Success
Baldwin EMC representatives are calling the cooperative’s fourth annual Power of Giving blood drive, food drive, and health fair a great success for the community. The drive, which took place on Wednesday, Dec. 2, yielded 74 pints of blood donations and more than 700 pounds of food donations.
The cooperative worked with LifeSouth Community Blood Center to collect blood donations throughout the day. Both Baldwin EMC employees and members of the public rolled up their sleeves to make a contribution. Food donations were also plentiful during the drive. A total of 717 pounds of food donated by employees and the community were packaged up and delivered to Catholic Social Services in Robertsdale for distribution to needy families.
This year’s drive also served as a health fair, where visitors took advantage of a variety of health and wellness screenings and information.
Karen Moore, Baldwin EMC’s vice-president of member services and public relations said the cooperative was once again thrilled with the results of the drive. “The LifeSouth team has explained that each pint of blood can actually save three lives,” Moore said. “That means we were able to save 222 lives in just the course of one day. When we add in the difference made by the food donations, that number could really be even higher.”
Moore said that Baldwin EMC wished to thank all those who participated in the Power of Giving Drive. “This event reminds us year after year how generous the people of this community really are,” said Moore, “we are very proud to be a part of it.”
Baldwin EMC employees (l to r) Kevin Dorman, Kenny Foley, Travis Scott, and Rant Brock all rolled up their sleeves to donate blood at the Power of Giving drive.
Dene McCoy (right) from Thomas Hospital’s Sleep Services Department spoke with health fair visitors about how sleep affects health.
Baldwin EMC Completes First Ever Home Energy Makeover
(Summerdale, Ala.) - Baldwin EMC has completed its first ever Home Energy Makeover at the home of the Thompsons of Foley, Ala. The Thompsons became part of the project after they were named the winners of the Home Energy Makeover contest in August.
Over the course of several weeks, energy marketing specialists from Baldwin EMC along with home renovation professionals from throughout the community worked on the Thompson home, carrying out a variety of upgrades and improvements to reduce the home’s energy use.
To complete the project, the Home Energy Makeover team installed efficient window glass and ENERGY STAR rated ceiling fans and appliances, along with a SEER 16 rated heat pump and an ENERGY STAR rated heat pump water heater. The team also changed out incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lights, upgraded the home’s attic insulation to a sprayed-in foam, and caulked around windows and doors.
Representatives from the cooperative performed a series of evaluations of the home’s energy use at the start of the project, and then repeated those same tests after all the renovations had been completed. The results indicated that the improvements were having a noticeable effect on the home’s energy use.
According to Greg Gipson, Manager of Energy Services for Baldwin EMC, the Home Energy Makeover was intended to not only benefit the Thompsons, who won the contest after submitting a detailed application, but also other members looking to improve their home’s energy use. “The Thompsons’ house will set an example that just about anyone can follow to make similar improvements in their own home,” Gipson says.
The energy saving results of the makeover will be tracked over the next year and reported on Baldwin EMC’s Web site, www.baldwinemc.com.
Segments of the makeover also aired as part of the popular television show “Today’s Home Owner,” hosted by home improvement expert Danny Lipford on Sunday, November 8.
Baldwin EMC to Hold Fourth Annual Power of Giving Drive
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC will hold its fourth annual Power of Giving blood drive and health fair on Wednesday, December 2 at the cooperative’s training center on Highway 59 in Summerdale. Members of the community are invited to come donate blood, drop off non-perishable food items for charity, and take advantage of a variety of health and wellness services during the event.
Starting at 7 a.m., representatives from LifeSouth Community Blood Centers will be on hand to accept blood donations. Health officials say the need for donations is critical, as nearly five million Americans require blood transfusions each year.
Anyone interested in donating blood should be in generally good health, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be at least 17 years old. Donors must not have given blood anywhere else within 8 weeks prior, and as always, first time donors are welcome. If you have a chronic condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes, you may still be able to donate as long as you are being treated and the condition is under control. Please remember to have with you a valid form of photo identification.
Once again, this year’s Power of Giving drive will also include a health fair. Visitors are welcome to come take advantage of a variety of pre-diagnostic health and wellness screenings performed by medical professionals. All services are provided free of charge.
Baldwin EMC will also be collecting non-perishable food items to be donated to Catholic Social Services in Robertsdale. Food donations will be packaged up and distributed to underprivileged families throughout the community.
BALDWIN EMC PREPARES FOR TROPICAL STORM IDA
(Summerdale, Ala.) - Baldwin EMC staff and employees are busy today preparing for the possibility of Tropical Storm Ida, as she slowly moves toward the Gulf Coast. Although Ida is not expected to be a very severe storm, Baldwin EMC officials are not taking any chances.
“We have a disaster emergency plan in place and in action,” said cooperative spokesperson Karen Moore. “We have fine-tuned our disaster plan so we can be ready to respond within a matter of hours after a storm hits and begin restoring power as quickly as possible. We want to assure our members we are prepared should Tropical Storm Ida cause extensive damage to our service area.”
Baldwin EMC has taken all standard precautionary measures, and their emergency preparedness team has confirmed that all preliminary requirements for storm preparation have been met.
According to Moore, EMC officials are monitoring the storm around the clock. They urge members whose medical conditions require electricity to make alternate plans for their healthcare needs in the event outages are experienced.
The co-op would also like to encourage the public to be aware of the following:
Stay away from fallen power lines. Assume that any downed line you see is electrified and dangerous. Call Baldwin EMC immediately to report any downed or sparking lines.
If you use a generator, keep it outside. Using generators inside can have tragic consequences. Fumes produced can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Generators should only be used in well-ventilated areas outside the home. In addition, never add fuel while a generator is running. Turn it off and let it cool first. Do not connect a portable generator to your home’s wiring. Connect it only to appliances, and only used approved properly-sized power cords.
Following a storm, remain indoors until the “all clear” notice is given by the Emergency Management System or your local law enforcement.
Baldwin EMC’s staff will continue to watch this storm closely, and would like to remind their customers to keep abreast of the storm’s development and take safety precautions in the event Tropical Storm Ida affects Baldwin County.
Selma, AL. (October 19, 2009) –Pioneer Electric Cooperative members, family and friends along with its staff packed the gym of Southside High School in Selma, on Saturday, October 17th, for its 2009 annual meeting. This year’s meeting featured three particularly noteworthy events: an announcement on the cooperative’s equity status, an election of Trustees and a vote to amend its bylaws.
Pioneer members re-elected Tommy Thompson of Forest Home, Tom Duncan of Honoraville and John Henry of Sardis to represent Districts 1, 4 and 7, respectively. Three of Pioneer’s nine board seats were up for election this year. Trustees are elected to three-year term. All three incumbents ran unopposed and were unanimously elected.
The voters also amended the bylaws to remove age restrictions on trustees.
PEC Board President Tommy Thompson addressed the crowd and discussed key issues from the board room including one of the most crucial concerns at the cooperative: the safety of Pioneer’s frontline employees, the general public, the linemen, servicemen and right-of-way crews, applauding their daily duties of working in dangerous situations to help keep member’s lights on. Secretary/Treasurer Melvia Carter also gave an update on the overall financial state of the cooperative.
Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Harmon updated members on the health of the cooperative, and the uncertain future of America’s energy policy. Harmon remarked, “We encourage members to contact their local legislators about how these issues will affect their electric bills.” He also explained to members how they can do so, by visiting www.ourenergy.coop to start the dialogue with legislators about keeping electric rates affordable. The coop also had postcards on hand for members to sign and have sent on their behalf.
Harmon continued to highlight other achievements that have taken place in the past year. The first which included a 2% rate decrease that began this month. Harmon added, “We’ve made changes to strengthen our deposit and collection policies to be better stewards of our cooperative– This is sometimes difficult but we are much stronger as a result.”
Harmon further explained how the coop refinanced a $10 million dollar loan with Co Bank that saved its membership $3.2 million in interest. “Our overall Cooperative equity has increased by over $2.6 million over the past year bringing us from -2.69% up to a positive 2.34%,” he said. “This is truly a monumental milestone for the cooperative. Our equity projections during the 2007 annual meeting indicated that we may reach this point by December 2009, and we have exceeded those projections 4 months ahead of schedule” explained Harmon.
In concluding, Harmon gave PEC members an update on projects the coop is continuing to work on in their behalf. To date, 120 homes have been retrofitted or weatherized under a nearly $800,000 USDA, High Energy Usage Grant it was awarded earlier this year. This was the second grant of its kind that Pioneer has received. Looking ahead, The cooperative has also applied for two other federal grants that would bring in Smart-grid Technology and high speed internet service over power lines or Broadband Over Power lines (BPL), a service that is still limited in much of PEC’s service area.
The meeting ended with members taking part in a grand prize give-a-way. Pioneer member Johnnie McCrackin of Oak Hill was the winner of a 32 inch flat screen television.
Unlike investor-owned utilities, Pioneer Electric Cooperative is a non-profit organization, owned by its consumer-members. A democratic organization by nature, the cooperative conducts an annual meeting each October to update consumer-members on the progress made during the year. PEC services more than 13,000 members across 4 counties: Butler, Lowndes, Dallas and Wilcox and the service area extends into five other counties which include parts of Autauga, Crenshaw, Covington, Conecuh and Monroe counties.
Baldwin EMC Employees Receive Power and Hope Award
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Two Baldwin EMC employees have been named the fourth and fifth recipients of the Baldwin EMC / Touchstone Energy Power and Hope Award. The men were honored for life-saving actions which took place on two separate occasions.
Hank Allen, a lineman at the cooperative’s South Baldwin office, was chosen to receive the award after coming to the aid of an accident victim. Allen was at his home in Foley when his electricity unexpectedly went out. Allen’s instinct as a lineman was to look into the cause of the outage. His investigation led him to the scene of an accident where a van had collided with a power pole. A grass fire resulting from a broken power line had ignited and was fast approaching the vehicle, whose driver was still trapped inside. While others kept their distance in fear, Allen worked to get the fire out as quickly as possible in order to prevent it from igniting the vehicle. He stayed at the scene until emergency personnel arrived. Shortly after, Allen returned home, changed into his Baldwin EMC uniform, and went back to the scene to help repair the damage and restore power.
The award’s other recipient, Harrell Grant, was honored for being in the right place at the right time. Grant, a field services technician for Baldwin EMC, was at the home of a customer as part of his normal job responsibilities. In the middle of a conversation with the homeowner, who lived alone without family nearby, Grant noticed some alarming changes in her behavior and mannerisms. Past experiences in his own family led him to believe the woman was suffering a stroke. Grant called paramedics, who were able to get the woman to the hospital in time to save her life. Not long after that incident, Grant arrived at the home of another customer as part of a routine work order. When he got there, the woman was showing signs of distress and was threatening suicide. Grant spoke to the woman at length about hope and healing, eventually convincing her to pick up the phone for help.
The Power and Hope Award was established by Touchstone Energy in 2005 to acknowledge cooperative employees who go beyond the call of duty in displays of heroism in their community. Baldwin EMC’s Chief Executive Officer, E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr., presented the award at the cooperative’s all-employee training day on Monday, October 12.
Baldwin EMC Chief Executive Officer Bucky Jakins, Jr. (center), presented the Baldwin EMC / Touchstone Energy Power and Hope Award to Harrell Grant (left) and Hank Allen (right).
Mail balloting sets record participation for Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting Members learn that fuel costs have driven rate increases, while distribution costs have actually decreased since 2004
HARTFORD, Ala. — Saturday was a milestone for Wiregrass Electric Cooperative (WEC) as it marked its 70th anniversary annual meeting with the largest member participation in the power provider’s history.
While less than 200 members registered at WEC offices Saturday morning, some 3,000 participated through the mail balloting process in the weeks leading up to the annual meeting.
“This is the the largest registration in the history of the cooperative,” said Michael McWaters, the cooperative’s chief executive officer. “Almost 20 percent of our members took advantage of mail balloting as an opportunity to register and vote for their cooperative leaders from the convenience of their homes.”
The process illustrated an important cooperative philosophy, that of democratic contol. After hearing from many members who wanted the opportunity to vote by mail in the annual meeting elections, the company’s board of trustees commissioned a survey of the membership. The survey found that more than 90 percent favored mail balloting. At the 2008 annual meeting, an amendment to the WEC bylaws was overwhelmingly approved by members, making mail balloting a reality.
“We immediately put plans in motion to allow our members to vote by mail as part of this year’s annual meeting,” said Brad Kimbro, director of member services for WEC. “Judging from the response, I believe our members appreciated the opportunity to participate in a more convenient manner.”
Member George Faint did. “It worked well for me,” he said. “I have a very busy schedule, and it allowed me to make sure my vote counted.”
Member Linda Benefield and her husband Jim agreed. “They sent out all the information you really needed,” she said. “It was easy to do, just follow the directions and mail it back. They even provided the postage.”
“It was very self-explanatory,” added member Cathy Hvarven. “It walked you right through it, and gave the descriptions of the nominees.”
Those nominees for board positions in 2009 were: Donna Parrish and Ronnie Jackson in District Two; Sammy Jones and Tracy Reeder in District Five; and Greg McCullough in District Eight. When the votes from mail balloting and Saturday’s attendees were combined, Parrish was the winner in District Two by a vote of 2,125 to 952, while Reeder was the winner in District Five by a vote of 1,625 to 1,399. Being the only candidate in District Eight, McCullough was deemed elected by acclamation in accordance with the cooperative’s bylaws.
In addition to bingo, a free hamburger plate and a chance to win door prizes, members attending the annual meeting Saturday heard reports regarding the condition of their electric cooperative. Ed Williamson, a certified public accountant with the Montgomery firm Jackson Thornton, told members their cooperative was “in a very sound financial position.” Even with the
increasing costs of wholesale power, Wiregrass Electric Cooperative posted a positive net margin of $1,873,404 for the year ending December 2008.
“It’s wonderful to know that Wiregrass Electric Cooperative doesn’t have to be bailed out by the federal government,” said Jack Cook, who served as the moderator and parliamentarian for the meeting. “We’re in good hands here. A clean audit is a wonderful sign.”
Gary Smith, president and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, explained to the crowd why electric bills have increased so much in recent years. He presented charts showing the dramatic spikes in the price of coal and natural gas, important fuel sources for PowerSouth as it generates the electricity distributed by Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and 19 other systems in South Alabama and North Florida.
Those rising costs associated with generating electricity have resulted in a 41 percent increase in members’ bills in the past four years, reported CEO McWaters. During that time, however, the portion controlled by the cooperative — the distribution costs — have actually decreased.
“Our cost per meter per month at the end of August was $38.64,” McWaters told members. “In 2004, that number was $39.60. We’ve actually been able to decrease our costs by 96 cents per meter per month.” To accomplish this, Wiregrass Electric Cooperative has employed technology to work more efficiently, emphasized employee health and safety, improved customer service, reduced the number of bad debt write-offs, and better managed the cooperative’s debt and cash.
The crowd was also greeted by U.S. Congressman Bobby Bright, who called the annual meeting “an example of grassroots control.”
Bright said he voted against the recent House energy bill that sought to establish a ‘cap and trade’ system in America. He vowed to continue fighting such measures “because I know that’s what you want me to do, and I know it would hurt industry here in our country... it would also cause our utility rates to go up, and we don’t need that at a time when our economy is in such a fragile shape.”
Baggett to represent Southern Pine EC on PowerSouth Board
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – Vernon Baggett of Repton, Ala., has been elected to represent Southern Pine EC on the PowerSouth Board of Trustees. Baggett’s appointment was approved at PowerSouth’s Sept. 25 board meeting.
Baggett, who has served on Southern Pine EC’s Board of Trustees since 2000, replaces David Cook and will serve on PowerSouth’s Marketing & Economic Development and Engineering & Operations Committees.
Baggett received his Bachelor of Science degree from Livingston University and his master’s degree from Troy University.
He and his wife, Hilda, attend Baggett’s Chapel Methodist Church.
“I look forward to serving on the board and working together for the betterment of all our members,” Baggett said.
Pioneer Cuts Rates
Greenville, September 17, 200-At its board meeting today, the Pioneer Board of Trustees took action to reduce the price of electricity for its member/owners. “Our power supplier, PowerSouth, has projected a decrease in the wholesale price of power for the remainder of the year, and, we are now passing that savings on to our members in the form of a reduced Wholesale Power Adjustment (WPA)” Pioneer General Manager, Steve Harmon, said.
“Our board is extremely excited to be in a position to help our members deal with the current economic recession by dropping our commercial and residential rates by almost 2 percent” Harmon said. “Our average residential member uses about 1,200 kWh per month; this reduction means lowering that average bill by about $3.60 per month. The net effect is an overall savings to both residential and commercial members”
Pioneer is also looking at redesigning its rate structure in January 2010 to more fairly distribute our cost across each rate class, and to reduce our dependence on weather variations.
Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Inc. services more than 13,000 members across 4 counties: Butler, Lowndes, Dallas and Wilcox and the service area extends into five other counties which include parts of Autauga, Crenshaw, Covington, Conecuh and Monroe counties.
Baldwin EMC Lineman Receives Jack Jenkins Award
E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr., CEO of Baldwin EMC (left) presented lineman Bert Jones with the Jack Jenkins Cooperative Citizenship Award on Wednesday, August 26. Jones was also the recipient of the Touchstone Energy / Baldwin EMC Power and Hope Award last October.
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) - Baldwin EMC’s Bert Jones has been named the winner of the Alabama Rural Electric Association’s Jack Jenkins Cooperative Citizenship Award. The award honors and pays tribute to a current cooperative employee who has made an outstanding contribution to his or her cooperative, and who has worked for the betterment of his or her community or state.
Named after the late Jack Jenkins, a long-time employee of the Rural Electrification Administration and the Rural Utility Services, the award is presented to a deserving cooperative employee in the state of Alabama only in years when specific exemplary criteria is met.
Jones was nominated for this award by the Board of Directors at Baldwin EMC for his outstanding commitment to his community. Some of the specific achievements mentioned in their nomination included his quick actions in April 2008, which saved the life of a young man severely injured in an automobile-motorcycle accident. Jones was also considered because of his notable contributions through programs like Relay for Life where he has served as a board member, and his participation on the Silverhill, Ala. town council.
According to E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr., Baldwin EMC’s CEO, the Board felt Jones was an outstanding candidate for the Jack Jenkins award because his contributions to his cooperative and his community go above and beyond the call of duty. “Bert really brings a lot of honor and pride to the Baldwin EMC uniform, both through his work and through his character,” Jakins said. Jakins presented Jones the award during the cooperative’s employee meeting on Wednesday, August 26.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving approximately 67,000 meters in Baldwin and southern Monroe Counties, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Operation Round Up Welcomes New Chairperson and Members
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Operation Round Up, the grant program facilitated by Baldwin EMC’s charitable foundation, has a new chairperson and four new members.
Margaret Cooper of Robertsdale, Ala. was chosen to serve as head of the foundation’s board of directors. Cooper has been a member of the board since 2004, and served as treasurer before being named chairperson. In addition to her work with Operation Round Up, Cooper also works at the medical office of her husband, Dr. Keith Cooper, and as a part-time music teacher. She is one of Operation Round Up’s original board members.
The charitable foundation board also welcomed four new members this year. They are Caren Wilson, who represents District 6, Katie Warren, representing District 3, Janis Helton, who represents District 7, and Duke Robinson, member-at-large. The foundation’s board members are chosen by Baldwin EMC’s Board of Trustees for three year terms, with a limit of two consecutive terms.
Operation Round Up is a program in which participating Baldwin EMC members allow the co-op to round up their electric bill to the next highest dollar amount, with the extra change going to the charitable foundation. Grants are distributed to individuals and organizations to meet the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, education, healthcare, or the environment. For more information about the program, call Baldwin EMC at (251) 989-6247, or visit www.baldwinemc.com.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving approximately 67,000 meters in Baldwin and southern Monroe Counties, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Operation Round Up’s foundation board recently welcomed a new chairperson and four new members. They are (seated from left), Margaret Cooper, Chairperson; Janis Helton, District 7; (standing from left), Caren Wilson, District 6 ; Duke Robinson, member-at-large, and Katie Warren, District 3.
Baldwin EMC Welcomes New Trustee Jimmy LaFoy
June 30, 2009 - (SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC announced today that the Board of Trustees has chosen Jimmy A. LaFoy of Gulf Shores, Ala. to fill the vacant District 7 position on the Board.
LaFoy is a certified public accountant and currently serves as president and manager of LaFoy and Associates, PC in Gulf Shores, an accounting firm he founded in 2003. Before starting his career in Gulf Shores, LaFoy worked for a major CPA firm in Montgomery, and was also the owner and operator of LaFoy and Associates, CPA in the Opelika area for 21 years.
LaFoy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama.
General Manager E.A. “Bucky” Jakins, Jr. said both he and the other board members are looking forward to working with Mr. LaFoy, and feel his background and experience will be a great asset to the cooperative’s Board of Trustees.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving approximately 67,000 meters in Baldwin and southern Monroe Counties, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Operation Round Up Honors Scholarship Recipients
June 16, 2009 - (SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC’s Operation Round Up Foundation recently honored the program’s scholarship recipients for the 2009 – 2010 school year. Foundation board members held a luncheon at the co-op’s training center in Summerdale to recognize all of the students, both first-time recipients and those whose scholarships were approved for renewal.
The grants were awarded using funds collected through Operation Round Up. It’s a program in which participating Baldwin EMC members allow the co-op to round up their electric bills to the next highest dollar amount. The extra change is distributed for grants meeting the criteria of food, shelter, clothing, health, environment, and education.
Anyone wishing to learn more about the Operation Round Up Scholarship Program can call Baldwin EMC at 989-6247 or visit www.baldwinemc.com.
Board members from Baldwin EMC’s charitable foundation recently hosted a luncheon honoring this year’s foundation scholarship winners. Pictured are (front row, from left): Jerald Crook, Amy Wilkins, Jennifer Brown, Jacqueline Chandler, Board Member Kathy Holler and Board Member Mary Carolyn McDaniel; (middle row, from left) Board Member Caren Wilson, Lisa Arnold, Alexandria Glass, Ashley Schell, and Benjamin Rollings; (back row, from left) Board Member Janis Helton, John Russell Smith, Board Member Lester Peavey, Board Member Duke Robinson, Trevor Graves, and Board Chairperson Margaret Cooper.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 67,000 customers in Baldwin and Monroe Counties in southwest Alabama, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Construction begins on new McIntosh Power Plant units
June 8, 2009 - ANDALUSIA, ALA. – The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) issued a Finding Of No Significant Impact (FONSI) last week, clearing the way for construction to begin on PowerSouth’s Plant McIntosh Units 4 and 5.
PowerSouth prepares to move the natural gas substation (foreground) to a new location (background) as part of the construction phase for the new units at Plant McIntosh.
The FONSI came after a year of studies, testing and permitting to ensure the new units would not harm or significantly alter the environment.
Studies, field work and analyses done in Summer 2008, culminating in an Alternatives Report submitted to RUS in October 2008, involved numerous considerations, including impact on PowerSouth’s transmission system, availability of water and fuel supply, topography, land acquisition, and rights-of-way issues. Soil, geological and environmental surveys, and title searches were also conducted to determine site suitability.
From a field of 17 possibilities, PowerSouth determined the McIntosh site to be the most favorable for plant construction. Proximity to the existing McIntosh Power Plant, transmission facilities and fuel supply were among the chief considerations of the site.
“We have thoroughly evaluated our options for meeting our capacity deficit in 2011,” said Damon Morgan, PowerSouth Vice President of Power Supply. “We have determined that adding these units at our McIntosh site is in the best interest of PowerSouth, our distribution members and the communities we serve.”
A public scoping meeting was held in November 2008 to allow the public to comment on PowerSouth’s plans to build at the McIntosh site. Information about the project was also featured in area newspapers to update the public throughout the planning process. No negative comments were received, according to Keith Stephens, PowerSouth Environmental Services Manager.
After conducting various studies – such as endangered species, cultural resource and delineated wetlands – PowerSouth submitted an environmental analysis to RUS in April 2009.
PowerSouth secured a synthetic minor air permit for the new units and is planning to add continuous emissions monitors when the units are built, to ensure they operate within air permit regulations.
PowerSouth also amended its existing water discharge permit to cover the new units and will maintain a storm water permit and inspections during the construction phase.
The project will consist of two natural gas-fired simple-cycle units that would provide 360 megawatts, enough to power more than 6,000 homes. The additional units, classified as peaking units, are designed to provide extra electricity during “peak” usage periods, usually short periods of time during early morning or evening hours.
“PowerSouth’s load forecast studies indicate that additional peaking load capacity will be needed in this timeframe to meet our members’ growing energy demand,” Morgan said.
Because of simple-cycle technology’s fuel flexibility and short start-up time, these units are suitable for continuous, peaking and emergency operation.
PowerSouth’s McIntosh Power Plant currently consists of the United States’ only Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) unit and two gas-fired combustion turbines, for a total capacity of 350 megawatts.
Natural gas to fuel the plant will be delivered via an existing 12-inch pipeline. Minor changes may be made to existing infrastructure at a nearby gas delivery and storage point to ensure a reliable, economical fuel supply, but Morgan said these changes will occur on existing facilities, with no environmental impact anticipated.
“PowerSouth and our distribution members are committed to ensuring a reliable and economic energy supply to meet our consumers’ needs,” Morgan said. “Planning for future energy requirements is vital to sustaining the growing economies of the communities we serve.”
June 4, 2009 - Baldwin EMC Hosts Disaster Plan Preview
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC Linemen Travis Scott (left) and Paul Lores (right) explain the basic steps required to restore power after a major power outage during a Disaster Plan preview, held on May 29, just two days before the official start of the 2009 hurricane season. News media, state and county elected representatives, and city and county officials were invited to the meeting, a first-time event for Baldwin EMC. In addition to the restoration demonstration, guests toured the co-op’s control center, watched a video presentation and learned about Baldwin EMC’s disaster plan from Vice President of Engineering & Operations Tom Page and General Manager Bucky Jakins.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving approximately 67,000 meters in Baldwin and southern Monroe Counties, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Daphne Students Participate in FFA/EMC Wiring Contest
Daphne High School FFA member Joseph Ouellet recently won the FFA/EMC Electrical Wiring Contest sponsored by Baldwin EMC. Also participating was FFA member Michael Pruett, who placed second in the contest.
Participants in the Electrical Wiring Contest demonstrate the proper use of electrical tools, present a speech/demonstration on an electrical energy-related topic, answer problem solving questions pertaining to electrical wiring and complete an assigned wiring problem based on The National Electrical Code.
Paul Maurin of M & M Electric and John Kane from the South Baldwin Center for Technology served as judges for the contest.
FFA is a national organization of more than 500,000 members preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. FFA is an integral part of the agricultural education program in public schools. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving approximately 67,000 meters in Baldwin and southern Monroe Counties, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
First Place Winner Joseph Ouellet of Daphne High School with Melissa Vaughn from Baldwin EMC, Paul Maurin from M & M Electric, John Kane from the South Baldwin Center for Technology, and Second place winner Michael Pruett, also of Daphne High School.
March 23, 2009 - Wiregrass Electric Cooperative hosts Senator Shelby town hall meeting
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) was hosted by Wiregrass Electric Cooperative (WEC) in Hartford for his town hall meeting with Geneva County on Saturday, March 21. At the hour-long meeting, he spoke about topics before the U.S. Senate, gave his opinions on national issues and heard questions from members of the audience.
Approximately 20 people gathered in the community room of WEC to hear Shelby speak, including several county mayors, city council members, a representative of the American Legion and Republican Party members.
Shelby said that the economic stimulus package offered by President Obama “has a few good things in it, but it’s not going to turn our economy around,” explaining why he voted against it. Shelby said he told the president that the priorities were wrong in the bill, saying something needed to be done with real estate and banking first.
“I will do everything to make sure we protect our industries here (in the Wiregrass area),” said Shelby, “and anything to create education or jobs.”
On the subject of proposed “cap and trade” legislation, Shelby said, “We need to make sure we have affordable energy and access to it – and that it doesn’t go out the roof. Cap and trade is just another tax. Anything that makes energy prices escalate out of the reach of the average family, I will never support.”
Shelby then took questions from the audience. Questions ranged from the economic stimulus package to Ft. Rucker to card check legislation.
“This was a great meeting in Hartford today,” Shelby said. “I use this as a venue to meet the people I serve and discuss the issues they are concerned about. I travel the state every year and visit every county – this being my forty-sixth county this year.”
March 23, 2009 - Wiregrass Electric Cooperative welcomes Congressman Bright
U.S. Congressman Bobby Bright (D-2nd District Ala.) recently met with officials of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative (WEC) on March 13 at WEC’s Dothan office. Other guest of WEC attending Congressman Bright’s visit were employees of WEC’s Action Committee for Rural Electrification (ACRE), area electric cooperative officials from surrounding electric cooperatives and Dothan City and Houston County officials.
During the meeting Congressman Bright fielded questions from the group about issues affecting the electric utility industry as well as other issues affecting the Wiregrass Region. The Congressman also discussed defense projects and Ft. Rucker and how those will be affected by President Obama’s Stimulus Plan.
“My commitment is making sure the Wiregrass rate payers have affordable energy and access to it – and that it doesn’t go out the roof,” Bright said. “Anything that makes rates escalate out of the reach of the average family in the Wiregrass, I will never support.”
Michael S. McWaters, CEO of WEC, stated, “we were very honored Congressman Bright took the time out of his busy schedule to come to our office and meet with our group. Congressman Bright’s support and commitment to work from a national level to make certain electric rates remain affordable for the Wiregrass region is very encouraging to us. We appreciate his commitment for affordable electricity for the country.”
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative serves nearly 23,000 member/customers in portions of six Alabama counties including Houston, Geneva, Covington, Coffee, Dale and Henry.
March 9, 2009 - PowerSouth signs contract to add renewable biomass to energy portfolio
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – PowerSouth Energy Cooperative has signed a purchased power agreement with Yellow Pine Energy Company, LLC, a commitment that further diversifies its renewable energy portfolio.
Along with 36 other cooperatives and municipal electric companies in Georgia, Alabama and Florida, PowerSouth signed a 30-year purchased power agreement with the company for the output of energy from a planned 100 megawatt biomass-fired power plant near Fort Gaines, Ga. The contracts are for an initial term of 30 years, with options to extend the term to 40 years. All the plant’s output is committed, as are all of the renewable energy credits.
“Participation in this project affords PowerSouth and our members an opportunity to add renewable energy to our generation mix at an affordable cost, while avoiding the operational and construction risks involved with a project of this magnitude,” said Damon Morgan, PowerSouth Vice President of Power Supply. “We are committed to expanding our renewable portfolio while continuing to provide affordable, reliable energy to our members.”
Construction on the facility is slated to begin this summer.
The Yellow Pine project is one of several “utility-scale” biomass renewable energy projects proposed in the Southeast. The plant uses state-of-the-art fluidized bed technology to convert wood waste into electricity. Several similar-sized projects were also announced for eastern Georgia, Florida and Texas.
February 6, 2009 - Baldwin EMC Employees Go Red!
Supporting American Heart Association’s Go Red Day are many of the employees from Baldwin EMC’s Summerdale office. National Wear Red Day is an event that brings awareness to heart disease being the number one killer of women and raises money for much needed research of cardiovascular disease. Baldwin EMC employees were recognized recently for participating in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk and are already raising money for the 2009 event.
January 24, 2008 - Baldwin EMC Helps Local Schools “Get Charged”
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC has helped some local science teachers and their students “get charged” in the classroom. Working in cooperation with the Baldwin County school board, representatives from Baldwin EMC’s Energy Marketing department delivered “Get Charged” educational toolkits to local fifth through eighth grade science teachers in all of Baldwin County’s public schools. The project is a joint effort between Baldwin EMC and the Discovery Channel, designed to provide elementary and middle school students with an understanding of the power and purpose of electricity and the important role of electric co-ops in rural America and beyond.
“Programs like Get Charged are part of Baldwin EMC’s commitment to being community-focused,” said Karen Moore, Baldwin EMC’s vice-president of Member Services and Public Relations. “Our local schools are a big part of this community, and we’re happy to have the opportunity to work with them on such a beneficial project.”
The Get Charged kits included interactive CD-ROMs, study guides, and classroom assignments. A total of 150 kits were distributed free-of-charge throughout the month of January.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 60,000 meters in Baldwin and southern Monroe Counties, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Baldwin EMC’s Third Annual Power of Giving Drive a Huge Success
(Summerdale, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC’s third annual Power of Giving blood and food drive was a huge success for both the co-op and community. The drive, which took place on Thursday, Nov. 20, collected a total of 85 pints of blood and a generous amount of non-perishable food items. A health fair was also provided where visitors took advantage of free offers like blood sugar checks, bone density screenings, and massage therapy.
Staff members from the LifeSouth Community Blood Center were on hand at the co-op’s training center in Summerdale to facilitate the blood donations. More than 90 Baldwin EMC employees and members of the community signed up to donate throughout the day.
The food contributed by employees and other visitors were all donated to Catholic Social Services in Robertsdale. The food will be packaged up and distributed to underprivileged families in the community.
According to LifeSouth, a pint of blood will save up to three lives. Karen Moore, Baldwin EMC’s Vice-President of Member Services and Public Relations said the co-op is thrilled with the results of the drive. “We are extremely proud to be able to say we helped save as many as 255 lives in just the course of one day. It shows that the employees and community exercised their own power of giving in a big way.” Moore also extended a special thank you to all the people who participated in the drive, in particular, all those who came out to make donations.
Baldwin EMC Journeyman Line Technician Joe McKenzie receives assistance from LifeSouth Community Blood Center Representative Brandy Fulford as he donates a pint of blood at the 2008 Power of Giving Blood Drive.
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Jack Edwin “Ed” Jones Jr. of Ariton, Ala., has been elected to represent Pea River Electric Cooperative on the PowerSouth Board of Trustees. Jones’ appointment was approved at PowerSouth’s July 23 board meeting.
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – Nearly 18 months after its inception, Alabama’s AdvantageSite program bolsters 19 certified industrial sites. Two of the sites are served by PowerSouth Energy Cooperative distribution members Central Alabama EC and Pioneer EC.
Central Alabama EC, headquartered in Prattville, Ala., serves the Interstate Business Park located within the Interstate Industrial Park in Autauga County. The 51-acre AdvantageSite is adjacent to the Central Alabama EC office, off exit 186 on I-65. The AdvantageSite contains a 50,000 square foot spec building that is expandable and ready for occupancy.
“We attempt to anticipate events and trends – from generation technology to environmental constraints to the effects of the economy – to position us for the future,” said Jimmy Ramage, Mayor of the City of Brundidge, Ala., and outgoing Chairman of PowerSouth’s Board of Trustees. “Our planning has allowed us to be proactive instead of reactive to the changes in our economy, community and industry.” 
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – As part of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative’s ongoing efforts to explore energy efficiency options available to the public and business realms, PowerSouth has added a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid to its headquarters pool car fleet. 
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – PowerSouth Energy Cooperative announced today that Ed Gardner Jr., has joined its economic development staff as Economic Development Representative for Florida.
ANDALUSIA, ALA. – Vernon Baggett of Repton, Ala., has been elected to represent Southern Pine EC on the PowerSouth Board of Trustees. Baggett’s appointment was approved at PowerSouth’s Sept. 25 board meeting.
June 30, 2009 - (SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC announced today that the Board of Trustees has chosen Jimmy A. LaFoy of Gulf Shores, Ala. to fill the vacant District 7 position on the Board. 
During the meeting Congressman Bright fielded questions from the group about issues affecting the electric utility industry as well as other issues affecting the Wiregrass Region. The Congressman also discussed defense projects and Ft. Rucker and how those will be affected by President Obama’s Stimulus Plan. 
(SUMMERDALE, Ala.) – Baldwin EMC has helped some local science teachers and their students “get charged” in the classroom. Working in cooperation with the Baldwin County school board, representatives from Baldwin EMC’s Energy Marketing department delivered “Get Charged” educational toolkits to local fifth through eighth grade science teachers in all of Baldwin County’s public schools. The project is a joint effort between Baldwin EMC and the Discovery Channel, designed to provide elementary and middle school students with an understanding of the power and purpose of electricity and the important role of electric co-ops in rural America and beyond.