Howard Electric Cooperative - A Touchtone Energy Cooperative

Howard Electric Announces Rate Adjustment

oherlein — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:46:00 +0000

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Howard Electric Announces Rate Adjustment

Monday | January 16, 2023

Howard Electric will implement a 14% rate increase beginning on February 27, 2023. Members will see this increase on their April 1, 2023 bill which covers usage during February 27 to March 26^th. This increase will be divided out between all three components of the bill, service availability charge, KW demand charge, and kWh usage charge.

What does a 14% increase look like for the average Howard Electric member? The average member will now pay $5.96 per day. This $5.96 will keep your house warm or cool depending on the season, keep your water hot and your groceries cold. It will also run your coffee pot in the morning, your washing machine and dryer, charge your cell phones and other electronics, and power countless other conveniences. When considering all these benefits, electricity is still a bargain.

Howard Electric is a non-profit business responsible for providing safe, reliable, affordable, and clean power to the member-owners. When rate increases are necessary it is to ensure that this goal can continue to be met.

Why are rates increasing?

Inflation in 2022 is the highest it has been since 1981, affecting nearly all goods and services. Material costs have increased from 5% to over 250% depending on the item. Fleet expenses have increased as well, it isn’t just the cost of the fuel, but the bucket trucks themselves have increased over 35%.

To improve service reliability to our members an aggressive right-of-way program of clearing approximately 100 miles of line each year and then spraying previously cut right-of-way was implemented in 2020. The cost of this essential program is not included in the current rate structure.

Howard Electric itself is seeing increased power costs. Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., our power provider, has not increased rates since 2017. Their costs to provide reliable baseload generation is increasing.

Energy efficiency rebates will remain in effect. Member-Owners who have questions on ways to reduce their energy consumption, rebates, or the rate increase can call 660-248-3311.

Howard Electric Recognized for Safe Work

oherlein — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 21:39:39 +0000

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Howard Electric Recognized for Safe Work

Monday | November 21, 2022

Howard Electric Cooperative, Fayette, was one of 35 Missouri electric cooperatives recognized for working safely. Employees of the cooperative have now worked a total of 32,714.5 hours without a lost time accident.

“We are proud of the steps these cooperatives have taken to ensure each and every employee goes home to their families safe at the end of every day,” says Rob Land, vice president of risk management and training for the association. “We offer a tremendous amount of training that always stresses safety. But in the end, it is the employees themselves who have created a culture of safety at these cooperatives.”

“Rob is right”, added Amber Overfelt, Howard Electric GM/CEO, “Safety is a culture, it is a culture that Howard Electric takes pride in. Each employee here is committed to working safely to provide reliable, affordable power to our members.”

The recognition came at the 2022 annual meeting of AMEC, which is the Jefferson City-based statewide service organization for Missouri’s electric cooperatives.

Howard Electric Cooperative Community Donations

oherlein — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 21:06:36 +0000

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Howard Electric Cooperative Community Donations

Monday | November 21, 2022

One of the 7 Cooperative Principles is Concern for Community. Howard Electric is proud to support the nonprofit organizations in our service territory. These nonprofit organizations work hard to improve the communities we live in and around. Since 2012 Howard Electric has donated $196,000 throughout the service territory without any affect on member electric rates. That is correct, these donations did not have any affect on member electric rates.

Howard Electric Cooperative sends donated capital to the Howard Electric Community Foundation (HECF). In a cooperative, donated capital comes from unclaimed capital credits. The HECF funds are invested at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation (GKCCF) where they have grown substantially over the years.

CoBank, one of Howard Electric’s lenders, has a Sharing Success program. By applying to CoBank’s Sharing Success program Howard Electric has been able to secure $72,500 in matching grant funds. The Sharing Success funds in addition to the $123,500 from the HECF is what makes it possible for Howard Electric to make larger donations to the nonprofit organizations in our service territory.

What a blessing for Howard Electric and the service territory. The giving season was able to be extended throughout the year without any affect on the rates. Providing members with safe, reliable, affordable, and clean electric power remains our top priority. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2022 Recipients

Athletic Boosters - Fayette

FFA - Fayette, Glasgow, Higbee, New Franklin, Salisbury & Westran

Fire Dept - Armstrong, Fayette, Glasgow, Higbee & Howard County

Food Bank - Fayette, Glasgow & New Franklin

High School Baseball - Fayette Howard County 911 & Emergency Mgmt

Howard County AFA Scholarship Howard County Soccer

Larry’s Warrior Foundation Lions Club - Higbee

Ministerial Alliance - Fayette & Huntsville

Optimist Jr Cheerleaders Optimist Youth Tackle Football

PAWS Police Dept - Fayette

Senior Center - Fayette, Glasgow & Higbee

St Jude's (Saddle-Up Fundraiser)

St Mary’s Catholic School Wendy Sunderland Mem. Scholarship

Youth Baseball - Fayette Youth Basketball - Fayette

Gratitude

oherlein — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:38:53 +0000

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Manager's Column

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Gratitude

Thursday | November 3, 2022

Manager's Column

Authored by: Amber Overfelt

November is National Gratitude month. While 2022 has brought on a unique set of challenges for individuals, families, businesses, and cooperatives when I sit and reflect there is still so much to be thankful for at Howard Electric Cooperative.

I am thankful to work in the cooperative business model that places the member/owners of the cooperative first. Providing safe, reliable, affordable, and clean electric power to our member-owners is a mission statement that Howard Electric employees and Board of Directors take very seriously.

Your cooperative has seen rising costs across the board in 2022 just like you have in your home and/or business. One item in particular that jumps out are the utility poles on our system. Since 2019, when rates at Howard Electric were last adjusted, the cost of a 40’ pole has increased 225%. Yes, it cost us twice as much to purchase a 40’ pole. This does not take into account the increased cost of all the other material attached to that pole, the cost of the equipment it takes to set the pole, and the increased cost of fuel to reach to the job site.

Rate increases are something no cooperative likes to talk about. Your board and employees work hard to keep rates as low as possible. There has not been a rate adjustment at Howard Electric Cooperative since 2019. However, we know rates will increase on the April 1, 2023 bills. Earlier this summer, staff at Howard Electric started working with Toth and Associates, an engineering firm specializing in electrical engineering and rate design, on a Cost-of-Service Study. Your staff and Board of Directors are currently reviewing that Cost-of Service Study to help determine based on the increasing costs what is the fair rate to charge both residential and commercial accounts. As these decisions are made you can be sure providing safe, reliable, affordable, and clean electric power will be the guiding factor.

Today the average residential member of Howard Electric pays $5.22 a day for their electricity. As we take a moment to be thankful for all the benefits we get from electricity, it is a bargain. All of your board members and a large percentage of your employees are also members of the cooperative. As members, they pay the same rate everyone does, and this makes us even more sensitive to the impact of a rate increase.

Attorney General Schmitt Stands Up for Consumers Against Predatory Solar Vendors

oherlein — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:15:28 +0000

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Attorney General Schmitt Stands Up for Consumers Against Predatory Solar Vendors

Wednesday | October 12, 2022

See press release below about suit filed against a predatory solar company by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. We are thankful the attorney general is standing up for our members in this situation! The solar company is no longer in operation. If you believe you have been taken advantage of by the named solar company please contact us at 660-248-3311.

We want to help our members make an informed decision when deciding to invest in renewable energy for their home. If you are looking into solar options, we are happy to help!

Debbie Wiswall Receives Director Gold Credential Certificate

oherlein — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:47:57 +0000

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Debbie Wiswall Receives Director Gold Credential Certificate

Wednesday | September 21, 2022

Howard Electric’s board secretary, Debbie Wiswall, recently received the Director Gold Credential certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

An ever-changing business environment has imposed new demands on electric cooperative directors, requiring increased knowledge of changes in the electric utility business, new governance skills and a solid knowledge of the cooperative principles and business model. Electric co-ops in MO have a commitment to work through NRECA to sharpen this body of knowledge for the benefit of their electric cooperative consumer-owners.

For a director to earn the Director Gold certificate, they must have already earned the CCD (Credentialed Cooperative Director) and BLC (Board Leadership Certificate) and earn three additional credits from the BLC series of courses. Unlike the CCD and BLC certificates, Director Gold includes a continuing education requirement which calls for directors to earn three credits of approved course work and/or conferences every two years to maintain their Director Gold status.

Congratulations Debbie!

New Look - Same Rate

oherlein — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 20:28:45 +0000

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Manager's Column

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New Look - Same Rate

Tuesday | September 20, 2022

Manager's Column

Authored by: Amber Overfelt

On your November 1^st power bill you will notice a new line on your bill labeled Service Availability Charge. It will reflect the same rate that has been in place since April 1, 2019. The Service Availability Charge will be in the Current Bill Information section in the middle of the page on the right-hand side. Since inception Howard Electric Cooperative (HEC), just like the majority of utilities, has had a service availability charge. Every member of the cooperative pays a Service Availability Charge based on their rate schedule. In the past, this charge has been included in the KWH Charge line.

It is my hope that by separating each of the three components on their own line, the bills will be simpler to review and understand. The top line will be the Service Availability Charge, the second line will be the KWH Charge, and the third line will be the Demand Charge. If you do not have any KWH usage for the month than the KWH Charge line will not appear on your bill, this also applies to the Demand Charge line.

The Service Availability Charge line of your bill will be the same each month, this is a set charge. The KWH Charge and Demand Charge lines on your bill, you have control over. With this change, the KWH Charge line will include only the charge the KWH’s you used during the billing period. To figure your KWH rate you can simply take the KWH Charge amount divided by the Usage KWH listed above. The Demand Charge line shows your highest KW demand hour during the billing period. To figure you Demand Charge you can take the dollar amount divided by the KW stated next to the Demand Charge. The charge per KWH and KW will remain the same each month.

Let’s talk a little about the Demand Charge. First, what is demand? Demand is how much power you need at one time. Put simply, KWHs are converted to KW. The one hour during the billing period in which you use the highest amount of KWHs is the hour your KW demand charge is based on. For all non-commercial members this KW demand is only tracked during the hours of 6 to 8 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. This allows residential members, when possible, to shift large amounts of KWHs usage outside of these hours and save money on their demand charge.

We are in football season so one way I think of demand is by thinking of Arrowhead Stadium. It is built to hold over 76,000 Chiefs fans; however, that only occurs a few times a year. The rest of the year you can find the stadium empty or only partially filled by another event. Arrowhead Stadium is built to accommodate the peak demand of a home playoff game for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Just like building that huge stadium, there is a cost associated with having the needed amount of generation available for the hottest and coldest day of the year. HEC through Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. has a diverse portfolio of generation including coal, natural gas, wind, and hydro. To ensure reliable power to each member there has to be enough generation to cover the electric demand of our members at any one specific time, even though it might not be needed every day.

This is why HEC charges a Demand Charge. HEC is charged a demand charge from our power supplier based on the demand set by our members. In the past HEC did not have the meter technology in place to track residential demand. The last meter conversion done at your cooperative in 2015 gave us the ability to record residential demand and bill all our members their fair share. Watch your Rural Missouri in future months for more information on demand.

Electric Co-op Members Asked to Conserve Electricity

oherlein — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 21:19:36 +0000

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Electric Co-op Members Asked to Conserve Electricity

Tuesday | June 14, 2022

Due to unseasonably high temperatures, members of Howard Electric Cooperative have been asked to safely conserve electricity as the three-tiered system of electric cooperatives continues to do everything possible to meet members’ energy needs.

Associated Electric Cooperative, the power supplier for six regional generation and transmission cooperatives and 51 distribution cooperatives, including Howard Electric Cooperative, notified member systems on June 14 that energy supplies may be tight on June 16 and June 17, and that member systems can help make a difference by conserving energy on those two days from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., when peak energy use occurs.

The conservation appeal was triggered by an unseasonably hot weather pattern, unplanned outages at three Associated generating units and projections of declining wind power for Thursday and Friday.

During the severe winter storm in February 2021, members made a difference by conserving energy to help the system through that energy peak event, and the system served by Associated experienced no service interruptions.

During high-temperature weather events, members can help conserve energy by:

Raise their thermostats a few degrees. For example, if a normal setting for a member’s home is 75 degrees, raise it to 78 degrees.
Limit the use of large appliances.
Unplug devices that are not in use.
Turn off unnecessary lights.

We ask consumer-members to safely conserve electricity as we work through this weather event. The employees of Howard Electric Cooperative, Central Electric Power Cooperative and Associated Electric Cooperative continue to do everything possible to ensure safe and reliable power for members.

Howard Electric Welcomes New CFO / Manager of Finance & Accounting

oherlein — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 22:00:13 +0000

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Howard Electric Welcomes New CFO / Manager of Finance & Accounting

Friday | February 25, 2022

Howard Electric Cooperative is pleased to announce Emily Bange as the new CFO / Manager of Finance & Accounting. Emily brings nearly 25 years of accounting background experience. Prior to joining us here at Howard Electric, Emily worked at Veterans United in Columbia as their Financial Planning & Analysis Manager for the last nine years. Emily is a Howard County native, graduating from Fayette High School and receiving her Bachelors of Science in Accounting degree from Central Methodist University. Emily and her husband Chris live in Fayette along with their 2 children, Aven (freshman), and Alexi (4th grade).

Solar - Net Metering

oherlein — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 20:23:46 +0000

Solar - Net Metering