jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org, Author at Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

Right Tree, Right Place | OEC News

Posted on May 1, 2023May 23, 2023 by jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org

Discover the Importance of Proper Tree Planting for Safety and Energy Savings

Planting the right tree in the right place can significantly impact homeowners’ energy savings. Studies have shown that a single tree, when planted in the proper location, can save up to 20 percent on energy costs. This means that not only do trees provide aesthetic benefits to our communities, but they also have a tangible impact on our wallets and the environment.

However, planting is easier said than done. Considering factors such as proximity to power lines or the potential for root damage to nearby structures is critical to your trees’ health and safety. For tips on planting your trees in the right place, go to okcoop. org/tree-trimming-and- vegetation-management/

As a cooperative committed to providing safe and reliable energy to our members, OEC recognizes the importance of proper vegetation management practices. We have two arborists on staff to assess the health and safety of trees near power lines, and we use herbicides to control the growth of trees and other vegetation that could interfere with power lines. This not only helps to prevent power outages and ensure public safety, but it also helps to promote the growth of healthy, energy saving trees in the right places.

By working to maintain a clear right-of-way for power lines, we are also promoting the planting of new trees in in appropriate locations through our annual Energy-Saving Trees giveaway. This not only helps to prevent the need for costly and potentially dangerous pruning or removal of trees in the future, but it also maximizes the energy- saving benefits of trees for homeowners.

Planting the right tree in the right place is essential for maximizing trees’ energy saving benefits. We play a vital role in promoting proper vegetation management practices to ensure trees are planted and maintained in appropriate locations. By working together to promote healthy trees and a healthy environment, we can all benefit from the many benefits trees provide. Happy planting!

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Engaging Education | OEC News

Posted on May 1, 2023May 8, 2023 by jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative and Engage Learning Spark Passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

OEC and OEC Fiber sponsored a STEM Maker Night organized by Engage Learning, featuring twenty staff members and a variety of hands-on making and STEM activities focused on electricity.

The free event was designed for families with students in grades first through eighth. It featured various engaging and interactive activities, including circuits and soldering, electricity projects, laser cutting, 3D printing, playground physics, Tesla coils and more. In addition, attendees could participate in the OEC Live Line, our state-of-the-art, high-voltage demo that promotes electricity education and safety.

The free event attracted more than 100 attendees, all eager to explore the world of STEM education through an electrical lens.

“As a parent, I am always looking for ways to bond with my children in a way that entertains all of us,” said OEC Vice President of Member Engagement, Autumn McMahon. “I was blown away by the activities and the learning that Engage Family Night promoted. Perhaps the highest praise I can offer is that as we left, my daughter smiled at me and said, ‘Wait a minute, you just tricked me into learning outside of school!’”

With the support of OEC and other partners, Engage Learning has provided cutting edge STEM education programs to students throughout the state, inspiring a new generation of innovators and problem-solvers. In 2015, when Bart Keeton and his family moved to Norman, he saw an opportunity to make a difference in education.

“It was a chance to reinvent in a new place,” Keeton said, “I have spent a lot of my life teaching, and I saw a need and an opportunity here in this state for hands-on, STEM based education.”

Oklahoma is home to two nationally ranked engineering colleges, the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, making it an ideal location for students interested in pursuing STEM education, Keeton said. However, many K-12 schools and teachers need more resources and funding to provide students with hands on learning experiences that can spark an interest in STEM fields. This is where Engage Learning comes in.

“We thought there might be a way to do all of that work for teachers, families and schools and help them give kids the best education has to offer, without that extra cost,” Keeton said.

At Engage Learning, the emphasis is on project-based learning. This approach allows students to engage with real world problems and challenges and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for success in today’s rapidly changing world, Keeton said.

“Projects are super motivating, especially when the student has ownership,” Keeton said.

By working on relevant and meaningful projects, students can practically apply their knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the subjects they are studying, Keeton said.

“We started with some engineering design-based projects,” Keeton said. “One of our first projects was at Norman High School, and our first sponsor to help us complete this project was OEC.”

In 2017, OEC partnered with Engage Learning for the first time, funding a project at Norman High School to create a solar charging station for cell phones. The gazebo was designed and primarily built by local seventh graders, Keeton said.

As a cooperative, OEC is committed to investing in our communities; partnering with Engage Learning was an ideal way to do this. Through our partnership with Engage Learning, OEC has supported various programs and initiatives that provide STEM education in our service territory. This included providing funding for projects in Little Axe and Noble, as well as the Engage Learning Family Fun Night last month.

“One of the unique things about OEC and OEC Fiber is that our employees live in the communities we serve,” said McMahon. “We understand that the best way to make a stronger future for all of us is to invest in activities that promote not just learning in kids but bonding in families as well.”

As Engage Learning continues to expand and evolve, we are excited to be a valuable partner in promoting hands-on, STEM-based education for all. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in Oklahoma’s students’ lives and contribute to our communities’ growth and prosperity.

Learn more about Engage Learning

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Power You Can Count On | OEC News

Posted on April 30, 2023May 1, 2023 by jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org

OEC is our name. Reliability is our game.

OEC is our name. Reliability is our game. As an OEC member, you already have a leg up over your investor-owned utility neighbors. How? Recent data shows investor-owned utility customers were without power 175 percent longer than OEC members. Reliability matters, and no one in central Oklahoma is doing it better than OEC.

“In 2021, our members experienced an average outage time of 65.1 minutes for the entire year — exactly half of what it was in 2016, when members were without power for an average of 129 minutes,” said CEO Patrick Grace. “That number dropped to 58.1 in 2022, meaning — across the board — our members were without power for an average of less than one hour last year, which is pretty remarkable.”

OEC’s score of 58.1 places us in the top 20 percent of most reliable electric co-ops in the nation. It also takes into consideration the outage time due to our generation and transmission provider, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative. If we were to only look at the outage factors we can control, that number drops to 51.8.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported investor-owned utility scores have a three-year average of 106 to 160 — 82-175 percent higher than OEC’s score.

If you’re keeping record at home, the lower the score the better. After all, the goal is to keep the lights on.

LIGHTNING’S SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN RELIABILITY

Oklahoma consistently ranks in the top five most lightning prone states and it showed in our electrical system prior to 2017. This helped OEC’s board of trustees create a 2017 strategic initiative to address and eradicate issues caused by lightning.

“We emphasized the much needed upgrading of our lightning protection equipment, which has played a large role in reducing outage time,” said Nick Shumaker, manager of system engineering.

Proof that this focused effort is paying off can be found in the data.

“Since 2016, we’ve been using analytics to stop outages before they occur,” said Shumaker. “Thanks to this information and the strides we’ve made in our system hardening intitiative, outages caused by lightning strikes have decreased significantly over the years. This is pretty incredible considering the number of lightning strikes in our service area increased from 34,445 in 2021 to 138,285 in 2022.”

Strides will continue to be made in the upgrading of lightning protection equipment until all feeders on all substations are operating at a satisfactory level.

OTHER EFFORTS BEING MADE TO PROVIDE RELIABLE ELECTRICITY

Vegetation management plays a large role in providing safe, reliable electricity. Co-ops and electric companies in general sometimes get a bad rap for the role we play in the removal of trees, but our efforts help our system withstand Oklahoma’s unpredictable weather. We’re a fan of trees at OEC, just not intermingled with our electric lines. In fact, we encourage the safe planting of trees in a mindful location in conjunction with our infrastructure. Read page 8 for our free tree-planting guide and more information.

The addition of fiber communications to our substations and members has also helped improve our reliability. We have not only strengthened our infrastructure but we have been able to deploy smart grid technology thanks to the fast, reliable connections provided by our OEC Fiber services. Because our system now has the ability to automatically activate equipment and reroute power in the case of an outage, members may experience short blinks rather than extended outages.

All of our efforts culminate with one mission: to improve your quality of life with the safe delivery of highly reliable, reasonably priced electric service, innovative energy programs and exceptional member service.

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Powering Up | OEC News

Posted on April 30, 2023May 1, 2023 by jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org

How Fuel Prices Impact Your Electric Bill

Winter Storm Uri was a catastrophic weather event that swept through the United States in February 2021, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. One of the sectors hit the hardest by this storm was the utility industry. The unprecedented freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls caused widespread power outages and equipment failures, severely affecting millions across the country.

Since the effects of the Uri, questions on the minds of many are the factors that determine the price they pay for electricity and what measures are being taken to ensure affordable and reliable access to power.

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative’s ultimate goal as a not-for-profit is to protect our members. Several factors show up on your bill.

“All rates are made up of fixed and variable costs,” said Key Accounts Specialist and rate expert Tim Ferree.

The fixed cost contains things like administration, poles, wires and trucks. This appears as the service availability charge on your bill, Ferree said. Demand and energy charges are other factors that make up our fixed cost.

Energy charges are based only on the total amount of energy consumed. Demand charges on non-residential accounts are based on the highest level of electricity you demand at one time during the billing period and at the time of day it is needed.

OEC builds an estimated fuel cost into our rates, which is considered our base rate, Ferree said.

“Those are the things you can control,” Ferree said. “Variable costs include the fuel cost adjustment, which is a separate line item on each bill that reflects the increases and decreases of the power we purchase from Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC).”

As a distribution cooperative, OEC purchases power at wholesale cost and delivers it safely to members’ homes and businesses. Generation cooperatives like WFEC rely on various inputs to generate power, including natural gas, coal, oil and renewable resources like wind and solar, Ferree said.

“The fuel cost adjustment must either recover any excess or credit anything lower than the base rate,” Ferree said. “If it is higher than our base rate, we have to make that charge to the member, but if it is lower than our base rate, we credit it to the members.”

When OEC buys power from WFEC, we buy a fuel mix. The prices of these inputs, along with other factors like regulatory policies and infrastructure investments, can significantly impact the cost of producing electricity, Ferree said.

Natural gas is one of the most important inputs for electric utilities, used to power gas-fired power plants. Supply and demand factors, such as production levels, weather patterns and global energy markets, determine the price of natural gas. When natural gas prices are low, generation cooperatives can generate electricity at a lower cost, translating into lower electricity prices for consumers. Conversely, when natural gas prices are high, electric utilities must pay more to generate electricity, which can result in higher electricity prices.

“Despite these hardships, WFEC is a leader in the integration of renewable energy that benefits all OEC members,” said Ferree. “WFEC has maintained a reliable supply of wholesale electric service across their region at a very competitive price.”

In 2021, Uri disrupted natural gas production, causing shortages and driving up prices nationwide.

“Supply disruptions like Uri have a ripple effect on electricity prices,” Ferree said. “Once most production was frozen or disrupted, then there isn’t natural gas on hand, then all of a sudden, there is a huge spike in natural gas demand because people need it for heating their homes. So, with limited on-hand fuel and high power demand, the price kept increasing.”

As an electric cooperative, one distinguishing factor that sets us apart is our ability to control our rates, giving us the flexibility to respond efficiently to disruptions like high fuel prices.

“We knew with those astronomical gas prices, we would have to find a balance in our cost adjustment between covering costs and being as fair as possible to the members,” Ferree said.

In an effort to take a proactive approach, we set the cost adjustment at a reasonable level and gradually building up our balance to prepare for any future rate changes, Ferree said.

“This strategic move allowed us to soften the blow of unexpected cost fluctuations and ensure continued affordable access to electricity for our members,” said OEC CEO Patrick Grace said. “Our goal is to recover our cost while also ensuring our members pay the lowest possible price.”

One of the benefits of having control over our cost adjustment is that we can quickly respond to changes in the market and lower rates as soon as purchasing costs decrease. This sets us apart from other utilities that may have a different level of flexibility and allows us to pass savings on to our members as soon as possible. By monitoring market trends and staying vigilant in our efforts to maintain affordable and reliable electricity, we strive to provide the best possible service to our members.

Two years later, OEC’s cost adjustment has decreased significantly, from an almost historic high to a more normalized rate. Our prices remain below the national average price of electricity, and we continually work with WFEC to ensure that remains the case.

The impact of fuel prices on electricity rates is a complex issue that requires careful consideration and planning by electric utilities. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, OEC remains committed to finding innovative solutions that prioritize the needs of our members and ensure their continued access to the power they need to live and work.

WHAT CAN I DO IN THE MEANTIME?

We provide various solutions for those seeking relief from these temporary price increases.

Apply for a FREE energy audit through our Home Energy Consultation Program to identify ways your home can cut energy use — and costs. Learn more at
okcoop.org/HECP
Enroll in hourly or daily high-usage text message alerts via the MyOEC mobile app. If your electricity use exceeds your threshold, you will receive a text message and can take immediate action to avoid a high bill.
Consider switching to a different rate. We offer three residential rates, each one ideal for different usage types and behaviors. Learn more and switch rates at okcoop.org/rates
Create your home’s profile using our online Home Energy Advisor tool. It helps pinpoint ways you can start saving on your energy costs right away. Use the free tool at okcoop.org/auditcalc
Use the MyOEC mobile app to make payment extensions.

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From the Top with CEO Patrick Grace – May 2023

Posted on April 30, 2023April 30, 2023 by jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org

May tends to bring with it strong storms, some of which can be severe. While the tornadoes in February gave us a preview of what we can typically expect, the spring weather seems to test the true reliability of our system. Because reliability is one of our top priorities, we spend the rest of the year doing preventive maintenance in preparation for the extremely high winds and storms we can experience this time of year. We must be prepared for anything, and thanks to the foresight of OEC’s Board of Trustees — a group of your fellow co-op members — we have always worked hard and invested to improve the reliability of your power supply, and significantly increased that effort since 2017.

During the severe weather and tornadoes in February, members in Cleveland County whose homes were not directly impacted experienced brief outages. Thanks to the addition of high-speed fiber services and the ability to accommodate smart equipment on our system, power was automatically rerouted and restored within minutes. A few short years ago, the effects of severe weather would’ve resulted in power outages lasting for hours or even days. But because of the investment we’ve made in a self-healing grid, our members continue to enjoy the most reliable power in central Oklahoma.

As you will read on page 4, our outage times continue to decrease at record levels. We are very proud of these numbers because they show our commitment to improving the quality of life for our members and subscribers, no matter where they choose to call home. Whether our members reside in an urban subdivision or on an acreage at the end of a 10-mile stretch of lines, we believe you deserve the same level of exceptional service. This is why we build our systems — both electric and broadband — stronger than any minimum requirements.

Oklahoma’s weather can and will take down just about anything, so our system is designed to handle more wind and ice than the average system. Our focus is on reliability and ensuring you have power and internet services you can count on.

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Right Tree, Right Place | OEC News

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Engaging Education | OEC News

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Power You Can Count On | OEC News

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Powering Up | OEC News

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Best and Brightest | OEC News

Posted on April 5, 2023March 31, 2023 by jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org

Youth Tour, Camp RYLA winners named following March banquet

OEC awarded all-expenses-paid trips to eight extremely talented high school juniors during the 2023 Youth Tour Banquet held March 9. Nandini Patel from Westmoore High School, Chandler Patterson from Tuttle High School, Shephard Schuerman from Community Christian School and Jayce Sherman from Blanchard High School won a seven-day trip to Washington, D.C. on Oklahoma’s Youth Tour. The other finalists — Brayden Brumley from Newcastle High School, Emma Fletcher from Norman High School, Reece Rylee from Westmore High School, and Brea Willoughby from Purcell — won trips to Camp RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). Both trips will occur this summer.

All applicants were asked to design a community-benefitting project, produce a short video promoting the project and write a professional letter to a leader of their choice about either their project or other public interest issues. Finalists created PowerPoint presentations and “pitched” their community projects in front of OEC trustees, senior staff, representatives from their schools, their families and three independent judges.

“I am impressed by all the applicants and their passion for service,” said Tory Tedder-Loffland, OEC’s education and outreach programs director. “This contest emphasizes grass-roots initiatives to effect positive change in their communities.”

OEC and OAEC redesigned the Youth Tour contest for 2023 to focus on three areas core to the co-op identity: community involvement, social connection and legislative participation.

“We want to support and encourage the kind of human who lends their talents and efforts to improving life in their communities,” Tedder-Loffland said. “All eight of these finalists qualify as amazing humans who will do amazing things in life.”

The panel of judges included Representative Dick Lowe of District 56, Norman City Councilwoman Lauren Schuler of Ward 2, and owner of Fusion Fitness & Yoga, Lindsey Densow.

As winners of the 2023 Youth Tour, Patel, Patterson, Schuermann and Sherman will travel to the nation’s capital in June along with 70 of their peers from electric co-ops across the state. They will spend the week touring Washington, D.C.’s historic monuments and museums, meeting with Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation and making new, lifelong friends.

While at Camp RYLA, Brumley, Reece, Fletcher and Willoughby will learn improved techniques of leadership. Their enthusiasm and technique are brought back to their communities, where their positive influence impacts those around them. RYLA introduces a large number of young people and their families to the Rotary ideals of service each year. It helps bridge the communication gap between the generations and helps improve relationships among youth groups, families and the community.

“I am confident OEC will be very well represented both in Washington, D.C. and at Camp RYLA,” said OEC CEO Patrick Grace. “The board and I are happy to support programs that encourage our next generation of co-op members to dream big and become the community leaders we know they are capable of becoming.”

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Unexpected Disaster | OEC News

Posted on April 5, 2023March 31, 2023 by jomarie.ramsey@okcoop.org

Crews rebuild after tornadoes sweep through Norman

February typically brings a threat of snow and winter storms, but on Sunday, Feb. 26, members instead braced for severe spring-like storms. Multiple tornadoes were confirmed in OEC’s service area that evening, the most impactful being an EF-2 that destroyed homes and businesses in the eastern parts of Norman.

While many members faced a long road to rebuilding, OEC and OEC Fiber crews worked through the night and the next day to rebuild infrastructure and restore power and broadband services to the thousands of members affected by the storms.

“At the storm’s peak, we had a little over 15,000 members without power and four substations offline,” said OEC VP of Operations Marty Hayes. “I couldn’t be more proud of the response from our team in restoring all but around 800 accounts as of 4:30 Monday morning.”

The tornadoes destroyed about 60 poles and three miles of electric line, and OEC Fiber lost over three miles of fiber line as well.

“During the storm, about 12,000 OEC Fiber subscribers temporarily lost service,” said Senior Manager of Outside Plant & Fiber Technicians Joe Torres. “Fortunately, we were able to reroute and reconnect most subscribers quickly.”

The addition of fiber strands to OEC’s electric poles led to a progressive system-wide upgrade in infrastructure over the last five years. While this strengthened the electric system, it’s hard to combat the effects of a tornado.

“I’m proud of how our entire OEC and OEC Fiber teams responded in the wake of these storms,” said CEO Patrick Grace. “Their training and expertise translated into safe and efficient restoration of both power and broadband services. Our thoughts are with our members and subscribers who lost homes and have experienced damage to their property.”

HOW WE CAN HELP

If you, a neighbor, family member or friend experienced damage as a result of the tornadoes, our Operation Round Up program can help. Each month, 87% of OEC members round up their electric bills. The OEC Foundation board of directors meets periodically to review applications and award grants. Anyone — OEC members and non-members that reside within our seven-county service area — may visit okcoop.org/ORU to submit an application.

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