Back in 1938 when your Cooperative was first founded, members were supplied with a pre-addressed postcard for outage reporting purposes.  Our lifestyles have changed dramatically since then and in today’s world a power outage doesn’t just mean your electricity is interrupted; it means you whole life is on hold.  From the refrigerator that keeps your food fresh to the sump pump that keeps your basement dry, power is a necessity and if your business is home based, power is essential.

In 2005, your Cooperative will rebuild approximately 40 miles of power line which was originally constructed in the fifties, ramp up our tree trimming program by one million dollars and replace an estimated 350 power poles.  All of these projects are being undertaken to provide our members with the most reliable service possible, consistent with sound business practices.

Although our employees will be working hard to keep the “lights on for you” in 2005, there are events and situations including the weather which are beyond their control.  You may recall the blackout of 2003 and the hurricanes of 2004 which resulted in millions of people on the East Coast being without power for an extended period of time.  The fact is that no power supplier, including SouthEastern, is immune to disaster and that is why we recommend an emergency home power system for those members with situations that require 100% availability.

Today’s modern home emergency power systems don’t simply backup your power, they back it up automatically even when you’re not at home.  An automatic transfer panel senses when the electricity is out, activates a generator, and routes the generator’s power to your home’s load center – all within a few seconds.  When power is restored, the process is reversed.

Unlike some units sold at home centers, a quality grade standby power system will be equipped with an electronic governor, creating greater sensitivity to power fluctuations and significantly shorter reaction time, a factor which translates to better protection.  Systems are available in a capacity to fit every homeowner’s need and all can be connected to propane or natural gas.

If you would like more information on the quietest standby home power system available, please call Don Allen or Dustin Tripp at 1-800-833-2611, extensions 160 and 166 respectively.

See you next month and as always, "We’ll keep the lights on for you."