May 2009

Capital Credits Refunds Coming to 52,000 Members

Thanks to a $2 million capital credits retirement recently approved by your board of directors, some 52,000 members will be receiving capital credits refunds in May.

Members qualifying for a capital credits refund of $25 or more will receive a check delivered separately from their electric bill. Those qualifying for a refund of less than $25 will receive a credit on their electric bill that they receive in May.
Capital credits are a unique benefit for members of cooperative businesses. They represent the value of your ownership in the cooperative.

As a cooperative, Blue Ridge Electric doesn't earn profits. Instead, any revenues remaining after all expenses have been paid each year are considered “margins.” Each member's share of the year's margins are assigned to a special account in their name. The amounts assigned to this account are called capital credits and are based on the amount of electricity purchased during the year. For a period of time, capital credits are used as working capital to help finance major long-term, reliability projects in order to help offset the need to borrow funds, thereby helping keep electricity rates lower. As a member-owned cooperative, we strive for a healthy balance between debt and equity to ensure the cooperative's financial health and stability as well as to ensure you receive reliable electricity delivered with outstanding customer service.

Each year, the board evaluates the return of a percentage of capital credits to members based on the cooperative's financial condition. Over the history of Blue Ridge Electric, more than $26 million in capital credits have been refunded to members.

Look for your capital credits check or bill credit this May! As a cooperative, we're pleased to be sending these funds and providing true value to our member-owners through the capital credits system.

doug johnson

The Perspective

An Editorial by Chief Executive Officer Doug Johnson

Find a Balanced Solution

This year, Congress is expected to vote on legislation that could dramatically increase energy costs for families and businesses — particularly for North Carolina and other Southeastern states that use a significant amount of coal for electricity generation. Known as “cap-and-trade,” it could increase your electricity bill by as much as 40 percent according to some estimates.

Local member-owned cooperatives like Blue Ridge Electric are working hard to persuade Congress to find a way to balance the cost impact to consumers with developing a national energy policy that addresses environmental concerns. To protect your access to affordable electricity, we're asking Congress to consider the following when voting on any environmental legislation:

Assurance of a continuing supply of reliable and affordable electricity to consumers and businesses in North Carolina, the Southeast and the nation.
Retention and creation of American jobs.
Equitable sharing of costs across all geographic regions and emitting industries.
Recognition that greenhouse gas emissions are a global issue requiring an enforceable global solution that needs a longer timeline of at least 30 years to achieve.
Access to least-cost financing for carbon emission reduction efforts by emitting industries.
Diversity in power supply fuels, including renewables, clean coal and nuclear energy.
Fast-tracking the most critical technological research and development.
Recognition and support for energy efficiency and demand side management programs.
Periodic re-evaluation of greenhouse gas reduction strategies and their impact on American consumers, businesses and our nation's ability to compete internationally.
Smart Grid development.

North Carolina's electric cooperatives will continue to look for ways to support environmental stewardship while also bearing in mind the keen concern members have for affordability and reliability of electric service. Cooperatives have embraced diverse approaches to reduce greenhouse gases such as: support for enhanced energy efficiency, Smart Grid technology, renewable energy resources, new nuclear generation, clean coal technology, expansion of plug-in hybrid vehicles, and new technologies for distributed generation.

Blue Ridge Electric and other cooperatives are doing their part to protect affordable electricity. But we need to work together with our members to achieve this goal. We're asking you to contact your elected officials today.

The electric cooperatives have developed an easy way for you to contact your representatives through our “Find a Balanced Solution” campaign web site and toll free number. The web site features a template letter that allows you to add your own comments if you wish, and the toll free number puts you directly in contact with your elected officials' offices. Visit www.FindaBalancedSolution.com or call 1-877-40BALANCE today.

It's time to tell Congress that cost does matter to you. Do it today before legislation is passed and make sure our elected officials understand the need to vote for balanced energy solutions.

More News

Tough Times Call for Greater Action

As a result of existing Operation Round Up® contributors wanting to do more for their neighbors and friends, Blue Ridge Electric now offers Operation Round Up PLUS. Through Operation Round Up PLUS, members “round up” their monthly bill $1, $5 or $10 and lend an even greater hand to those who are struggling to pay their bills in the midst of a slumping economy.

Operation Round Up PLUS is unique in that 100 percent of donations stay in our communities. Your contributions will continue to allow the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation to:

Provide crisis heating assistance for households in financial need
Fund grants for local community services and programs
Help disadvantaged members reduce energy usage and save money.

Make a greater impact today. Join Operation Round Up PLUS by calling your local Blue Ridge Electric office or by signing up online. (Members joining Operation Round Up PLUS will receive a FREE three-pack of Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs.)

With Operation Round Up PLUS, members agree to allow their monthly electric bill to automatically round up. All member contributions are tax deductible and members may cancel at anytime. The annual contribution will appear on the January bill.

New Technology Being Installed in Ashe County

Specialized Technical Services (Team STS), a contractor for Blue Ridge Electric, is currently installing automated meters in the cooperative's Ashe County service area.

The automated metering infrastructure (AMI) being installed across the Blue Ridge Electric system holds many benefits for both members and the cooperative. In addition to providing a powerful tool that helps the cooperative even further improve and monitor the reliable flow of electricity to members, AMI brings the latest technology to the metering and electric system as a whole. With AMI, energy usage and load information is communicated over the power lines to the cooperative with precise accuracy. This will offer members detailed information about their home or business energy usage, which could be used to help better control energy costs and improve efficiency.

Visit www.BlueRidgeEMC.com for more details about AMI, or contact your local district office.

Members Only News

Think Safety: Call 811 Before Digging

For your convenience, Blue Ridge Electric is now a part of the “811” NC One-Call system. This allows members to call a single number — 811 — to get all of your underground lines marked, including those of Blue Ridge Electric, before you start any project that involves digging.

When you call 811, you'll be speaking with a NC One Call Center operator who will ask for the location of your digging job. Operators will then route your information to affected utility companies including Blue Ridge Electric. Blue Ridge will send an employee to locate your underground electric lines within a few days. Once ALL of your underground lines have been marked, you can dig safely, protecting you and your family from injury and expense. It's fast, it's easy, and it's FREE!

Remember, safe digging is no accident. Know what's below before you dig — always call 811!

Energy Tips

There are many things you can do in your home to make it more energy efficient. Go to BlueRidgeEMC.com and click on the Energy Tips leaf icon. There you'll see a link to “Touchstone Energy $avers.” Take the “Touchstone
Energy Home” tour to find ways to save energy.

After you've completed the tour, you can download a copy of Touchstone Energy's popular Home Energy Savings Guide to keep on hand for more energy efficiency tips and resources.

CORPORATE OFFICE
PO Box 112 • Lenoir, NC 28645

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Doug Johnson

EDITOR
Renée R. Whitener

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Susan Simmons

DISTRICT OFFICES
Caldwell (828) 754-9071
Watauga (828) 264-8894
Ashe (336) 246-7138
Alleghany (336) 372-4646
Wilkes (800) 451-5474
PowerLine® 1 (800) 448-2383
(PowerLine® is an automated account information and outage reporting system.)

Toll Free 1 (800) 451-5474
(for members outside the service area)

To report an outage at any time,
call one of the numbers listed above.

OFFICE HOURS
8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday
Night deposit available.