animal shelter planning to expand · heat pump rebates you can receive up to a $500 rebate on an...

Verendrye Electric Cooperative Velva, N.D.

NetworkNewsVelva: 701-338-2855 • Minot: 701-852-0406 Website: www.verendrye.comFE

BRUA

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FEBRUARY 2018IN THIS ISSUE

• Load control changes• Metering in the modern age• Animal shelter campaign

Animal shelter planning

to expand

Verendrye Electric Cooperative Member Services Manager Tom Rafferty (middle) hands a $500 check to Souris Valley Animal Shelter Community Outreach Coordinator Justin Anderson to help with a planned expansion. Also pictured are Member Services Aide Kristie Hoff and Rafferty’s daughter, Jovie. The group volunteered recently for the shelter’s pet therapy program by bringing Princess (right) and Fufu to Emerald Court, an assisted-living home.

www.verendrye.com VERENDRYE ELECTRIC NEWS , FEBRUARY 2018 C1

NetworkNewsVerendrye announces

2018 energy programsWe can help you save money this year with a variety of programs that include special heating rates, rebates for certain

equipment, rebates for retro� tting to energy-e� cient commercial lighting and help with � nancing of electric heating and weatherization. Go to www.verendrye.com for more information, or call us at 800-472-2141 and ask for the Member Services Department.

Electric heat rateMembers using electricity for space heating receive a lower rate when it

is separately metered. � is is available to both residential and commercial members.

Water heater rebatesPurchase an attractive stainless steel 100-gallon Westinghouse water

heater from us and receive a $400 rebate if it is connected to our o� -peak program. In addition to the rebate, you will also receive a lower rate. Because the water heater has a large capacity and heavy-duty insulation, we are able to turn it o� for periods of time to shave our peak.

Commercial lighting rebates

We provide a commercial lighting rebate of 50 cents per watt saved, up to a maximum of $1,000 per building on hard-wired lighting retro� ts. New construction does not apply.

Heat pump rebatesYou can receive up to a $500 rebate

on an air-source heat pump and up to a $1,000 rebate on a ground-source heat pump, depending on the size. � e rebates are $125 per ton on an air-source heat pump and $250 per ton on a ground-source heat pump.

Free energy auditsOur energy experts will conduct a free energy audit of your home or

business to help you identify ways to save energy and money.

Home weatherization loansQualifying members can receive 5 percent loans for energy-saving

weatherization. Call us for more details.

C2 FEBRUARY 2018 , VERENDRYE ELECTRIC NEWS www.verendrye.com

NetworkNews

Members will benefit from load control changes in 2018

In exchange for lower rates, thousands of members choose to have Verendrye Electric Cooperative (VEC) remotely switch devices o� during times of peak

usage. � is year, there will be fewer hours in a day when controlling will occur, thanks to a change made by Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

Depending on the month, there will be between one and 11 less hours in a day when VEC will need to control devices because of Basin’s new demand period waiver.

Basin, which produces most of the power VEC sells, charges VEC for the highest demand (peak) during the month and also for the total amount of energy used throughout the month. However, Basin does not charge for the peak reached during the demand period waiver times, which means VEC does not need to control during those times.

Load control refers to a utility’s ability to intentionally reduce the amount of electricity being used by consumers for a brief period of time. Load control is also referred to as the o� -peak program, load management or demand-side management. Load control saves utilities money because they can reduce or eliminate the need to purchase additional power on the market during times of high usage.

For residential members, the most commonly controlled devices are water heaters, air conditioners and heat pumps. Some farmers choose to have their grain drying or irrigation systems controlled, and some businesses allow VEC to control entire buildings while they run backup generators. VEC controls about 5,000 devices.

VEC can control water heaters without the member noticing in many cases, because the water heaters have a large capacity and are well-insulated. VEC sells 100-gallon Westinghouse water heaters and includes a $400 rebate as long as they are connected to a load-control device. Read more about this incentive and others on the previous page.

How does load control work?When a member chooses to have a device controlled,

an electrician will connect a load-control transponder (LCT) to the device. A� er an electrician installs the LCT, VEC will send a technician to verify it is installed correctly before putting the member on the special rate.

Once the installation is veri� ed, VEC can then send a signal to the LCT and tell it to switch o� the device to which it is connected. � is process happens automatically to all of the devices VEC chooses to control. Not all

devices with LCTs are controlled the same way or at the same time.

VEC works closely with its wholesale power provider, Central Power Electric Cooperative, to estimate the peak demand. Central Power delivers power from Basin Electric Electric Cooperative and hydropower from the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) to VEC and � ve other cooperatives.

Each month, demand levels are set based on past history and the weather forecast. When the peak comes close to those levels, the loads are controlled automatically. Common peaking times are early in the morning between 7 and 9 a.m. when people are getting ready for work, or also in the evening a� er people get home from work.

To lessen the impact of load control, some devices like water heaters and air conditioners are cycled on and o� . � e amount of time they are o� depends on how much of the peak the cooperative wants to shave. Other devices can be completely shut o� until the peak event is over.

Controlling devices is a way for your cooperative to save money each month, but there are also other bene� ts. Cooperatives and other utility companies have to build enough power generation facilities to meet the peak demand of their consumers. If that demand can be reduced, it might eliminate the need to build a new power plant. n


NetworkNews

Metering in the modern ageMeters do much more than measure kilowatt-hours

No matter the size, style or age, all homes across the country have one thing in common: a small meter, constantly keeping a tally of electricity

use. Since 1888, the electric meter’s main job has been to measure electricity usage, but today’s meter can do a whole lot more.

“� e meter is not what it used to be 100 years ago,” said Verendrye Electric Cooperative System Engineer Brad Doll. “Today, all of the meters are read remotely from the o� ce multiple times a day and they are the starting point for outage management.”

Verendrye Electric has around 24,050 meters. All of the meters are read remotely, with the information coming in several times a day. Besides measuring kilowatt-hours for billing purposes, the information from the meters helps Verendrye pinpoint outages, detect issues and operate its load-management program.

Verendrye Electric Cooperative System Engineer Brad Doll explains electrical metering to the cooperative’s Member Advisory Committee.

Meters measure voltage and current to track energy usage over time. In an electromechanical meter, electric coils create a magnetic � eld, causing a disc to spin. � e large disc, in turn, spins several small counter wheels. With solid state electronic meters, a current transformer is used to measure voltage and current digitally and there is a digital, rather than analog display.

At one time, Verendrye had eight meter readers on sta� who would physically go to each meter to read them. Some members actually read their own meters and would mail the readings back to the o� ce. Today, there are no meter readers.

Some homes or businesses have a main meter and one or more submeters that separately measure electricity used for heating, which is billed at a lower rate. Meters are also instrumental in Verendrye’s o� -peak program, helping Verendrye to constantly measure total electric load. � ese smart meters also enable Verendrye members to see their usage patterns per month, day and hour with the SmartHub application. SmartHub can be accessed via computer, cellphone or tablet. Not only can members see their usage, they can also pay their bills and receive noti� cations. For more about SmartHub, go to www.verendrye.com. n


NetworkNews

Power down your energy billYou may have fi nished working, but your laptops and PCs in the home offi ce are contributing to your electric bill.

On or off?

Use a power strip

Ensure power management features are enabled so your computer monitor will automatically go into sleep mode after a period of inactivity. Of course, a desktop or laptop computer can still suck 15-21 watts when idle. Turn it off instead and save even more electricity. Here are some general guidelines when deciding to turn off your personal computer:

• Turn off the monitor if you aren’t going to use your computer for more than 20 minutes. Many computers available today come with a sleep mode or power management feature. Using these features will save you up to $30 each year on your electricity bills. Enable the power management features when a computer is purchased. Note that screen savers are not energy savers.

• Turn off the computer if you’re not going to use your PC for more than two hours. Most PCs reach the end of their “useful” life due to advances in technology long before the effects of being switched on and off multiple times have a negative impact on their service life. The less time a PC is on, the longer it will “last.”

Make sure your monitors, printers and other accessories are on a power strip/surge protector. When this equipment is not in use for extended periods, turn off the switch on the power strip to prevent them from drawing power even when shut off.

Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These vampire loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as DVD players, TVs, stereos, computers and kitchen appliances. Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use.


NetworkNews

The Souris Valley Animal Shelter, served by Verendrye Electric in Minot, is undergoing a capital campaign for an expansion depicted in these engineering sketches.

Animal shelter working on capital campaign

The Souris Valley Animal Shelter has raised about half the amount needed for the � rst phase of a planned expansion that will double its capacity to house

animals. Randy MacDonald, director of the shelter, said they have

raised more than $600,000 toward a $1.2 million expansion. � e expansion would be 7,000 square feet added to the back of the current building, which is located in Minot and served by Verendrye Electric Cooperative.

A� er the � rst phase is complete, a second phase will be to renovate the current building.

“By doing it this way, we can move the animals to the new addition and continue operations while we renovate the current building,” MacDonald said.

� e building is currently designed to house 55 cats and 29 dogs. � e expansion will double that capacity. � e expansion will also give the shelter a new source of revenue because it includes a boarding and grooming facility and a multipurpose room that can be rented.

� e shelter has increased its engagement with the community in recent years. A group of Verendrye employees recently volunteered for the pet therapy program by taking dogs to Emerald Court in Minot, an assisted-living facility.

“Pet therapy helps socialize the animals and it helps the people they visit,” MacDonald said.

People can also become a member of the shelter, which gets them discounts from local businesses. � ey can also donate to the capital campaign at www.svaspets.com. n

Scholarships due Feb. 9Students still have time to apply for one of three $1,000

scholarships The deadline is Feb. 9.Verendrye Electric Cooperative (VEC) and its power provider,

Basin Electric Power Cooperative, team up each year to award three, $1,000 scholarships, one per director district, to area high school seniors or college freshmen.

To be eligible for the VEC scholarships, students must be dependents of a VEC member and enter college in the fall of the

school year for which the scholarship is awarded. Students must complete an application, which is available at www.verendrye.com or by calling or visiting Verendrye Electric’s offi ces in Velva or Minot.

Applicants are required to include a recent academic transcript, copy of a college entrance exam (ACT or SAT scores), a one-page essay and an appraisal completed by a teacher, counselor or supervisor. For questions about the scholarships, call 800-472-2141.


NetworkNews

Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) are special outlets that have saved thousands of people from electrocution over the last three decades. If GFCIs were installed in older homes, experts suggest that 70 percent of the electrocutions that occur each year in the home could be prevented.

GFCIs are electrical safety devices that trip electrical circuits when they detect ground faults or leakage currents. A person who becomes part of a path for leakage current will be severely shocked or electrocuted. These outlets prevent deadly shock by quickly shutting off power to the circuit if the electricity fl owing into the circuit differs by even a slight amount from that returning.

A GFCI should be used in any indoor or outdoor area where water may come into contact with electrical products.

Call a qualifi ed electrician if you have:• Frequent problems with blowing fuses

or tripping circuit breakers• A tingling feeling when you touch

an electrical appliance

• Discolored or warm wall outlets• A burning or rubbery smell coming from

an appliance• Flickering or dimming lights• Sparks from an outlet


Your account at your fi ngertipsVerendrye Electric Cooperative is putting the power of data into members’ hands. With SmartHub, members have convenient account management and detailed usage information at their fi ngertips, to:• Check your usage• Pay your bill• Report service issues

SmartHub, a mobile and Web app, delivers accurate, timely account information and allows you to make payments in a secure environment with the touch of a button, right from your mobile device or on your PC. The two-way communication available with SmartHub

allows you to notify us of account and service issues while providing us a way to let you know about special offers, programs, events and more.

Creating a SmartHub account takes less than three minutes. Then, manage your account right from your computer or smartphone.

Download the FREE app today in the Apple app store or Android marketplace for secure account management right at your fi ngertips.

www.smarthubapp.com

BOARD PRESIDENTBlaine Bruner

MANAGERRandy Hauck

EDITORTom Raff erty

VERENDRYE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVEVelva, ND 58790

Velva: 701-338-2855 Minot: 701- 852-0406Toll-Free: 800-472-2141 Website: www.verendrye.com Email: [email protected]

Verendrye Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.


animal shelter planning to expand · heat pump rebates you can receive up to a $500 rebate on an...

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