Membership Matters
April 2010
Members Save With Co-op Connections Card
Members using their Blue Ridge Electric Co-op Connections® Card are realizing significant savings at pharmacies and other local businesses signed up to give discounts through this special card that’s only available to cooperative members.
The Co-op Connections card is a Touchstone Energy program involving electric cooperatives across the country that allows card holders to receive discounts from any participating pharmacy or business across the
nation. Blue Ridge Electric first launched the program in 2006 and each new member receives a Co-op Connections card with their new member packet.
Local and national pharmacies have agreed to offer 10 to 60 percent savings on many prescriptions at over 48,000 independent and national pharmacy chains including CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, and Target. After signing the back of the card, members simply present their Co-op Connections card at a participating pharmacy with their prescription and receive a discount at the time of purchase. In addition to dozens of pharmacies, more than 100 local businesses across the cooperative’s service area continue to offer discounts unique to their business or service to card holders.
To date, Blue Ridge members have used their Co-op Connections card to fill more than 33,600 prescriptions and saved over $559,000. That’s an average savings of 41 percent!
To locate participating area pharmacies, go to www.locateproviders.com and search by using your zip code, telephone number, or pharmacy name. Look up discount prescription prices at www.rxpricequotes.com.
“We hope all our members take advantage of the Co-op Connections card and the savings it can provide,” said Renee Whitener, director of public relations.
If you didn’t receive or have misplaced your card, simply call your local Blue Ridge Electric office for a replacement.
The Perspective
An Editorial by Chief Executive Officer Doug Johnson
Investments for Better Service
Businesses make financial investments every day. They have to in order to keep their operations running smoothly, to stay competitive, to achieve growth strategies, and to meet customer expectations.
Like all businesses, electric cooperatives must make investments too. The primary dif- ference between a cooperative and other businesses is the purpose of the investment.
Most businesses invest to make money. When your cooperative makes investments, our primary goal is to benefit members and the communities we serve. The primary investment benefit is better service reliability. We achieve this by utilizing more “smart” equipment and technologies that enable us to isolate and restore outages much more quickly.
We’re also investing in advanced metering technology infrastructure and customer information systems in order to help our members have access to detailed energy usage information about their homes, become more energy efficient, and help them control their electricity costs.
Electric generation utilities are also making significant investments to meet consumers’ demand for power. National electric reliability experts say the nation may need to build between 1,300 and 1,900 new power plants to meet the expected 43 percent rise in electricity demand over the next 20 years. Other infrastructure ― transmission and distribution lines, substations and other electric plant facilities ― are also needed to modernize the nation’s electric delivery system.
Blue Ridge Electric is no different. Much of our system was originally built in the 1950s and 1960s. The beauty of this area has led to significant growth in households and businesses since that time.
Technology has also exploded, and today’s household power demands cannot measure up to the comparatively simple lifestyles of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Not unlike what other electric utilities are experiencing, these factors have placed an enormous demand on our electric delivery system.
To address the need and ensure reliable power, we began a significant effort several years ago to modernize and rebuild the transmission and distribution system that provides power to our mountain districts. Upgrades were completed in recent years in our Caldwell district, where much of the original system constructed in the 1930s and ‘40s has already been rebuilt. Projects, such as the Boone to Blowing Rock transmission line improvement, are underway in Watauga County this year.
Furthermore, our smart meter project that will give consumers more energy information as well as help the cooperative operate more efficiently and aid in our reliability efforts will be completed this year. Smart meters are already installed and activated in Caldwell and Alleghany counties, with Ashe County’s completion slated for the middle of this year. By the end of 2010, Watauga County members will also have smart meters fully installed and activated.
Our primary responsibility is to manage electric service and reliability investments in a manner that enables members to receive outstanding service at a competitive and affordable price. It’s also a significant part of our mission and a major way we demonstrate our desire to look out for our members’ best interests every day!
Temporary Rate Reduction Extended
At their February board meeting, your Board of Directors approved a second month for a temporary rate reduction in an effort to help members struggling from higher than normal winter electric bills.
The reduction was reflected on bills members received in March. The board first approved a reduction that was reflected on February bills. Through this action, members’ bills for the last two months were reduced, on average, by about nine percent. This helped lower member’s costs from extreme cold weather and higher electric usage experienced the past few months.
More News...
Local Youth Speaks at NRECA Conference
Alleghany High School senior Jacob Brooks recently spoke to a crowd of more than 6,000 key staff and locally-elected directors from the nation’s cooperative electric utilities in Atlanta, Georgia, during the Annual Membership Meeting for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
Brooks spoke about the importance of life experiences and specifically about how his experiences during the Washington Youth Tour last year had enriched his life. He shared the stage with speakers including actor Ed Asner, former White House official David Gergin, and TV host John Walsh.
Brooks was selected by Blue Ridge Electric as one of the co-op’s Youth Tourists to attend last year’s educational trip to Washington, DC, along with other youth from across the nation sponsored by their local electric cooperatives. The Youth Tour is one way cooperatives support local education to help youth learn not only about cooperative business principles but also about government and history.
During the Youth Tour, Brooks was selected to be the national spokesperson for the Youth Leadership Council of NRECA. His responsibilities in this role included addressing the national annual meeting of electric cooperatives. During the three-day annual meeting, he and other Youth Leadership Council members organized a concentrated communications effort with state and national elected officials as part of “Our Energy, Our Future,” an effort of the national electric cooperatives to help elected officials understand the importance of ensuring any new legislation supports the nation’s need for affordable and adequate electricity. They also provided assistance to NRECA staff and co-op delegates, participated in the Parade of States at the opening General Session, and took part in a variety of educational activities.
Due to his leadership skills and speaking and writing abilities, Jacob has also been selected for several national honors, including being invited as a regular columnist for the North Carolina electric cooperative’s statewide magazine, Carolina Country.
See Brook’s speech online at Blue Ridge Electric’s web site: www.BlueRidgeEMC.com under the “Hot Topics” tab or http://www.blueridgeemc.com/hot-topics/2010/jacob_brooks_20100217.asp.
50 Years of Service
Cornelia Cornell recently retired from Blue Ridge Electric with the distinct honor of having the longest length of service to the cooperative than any other retiree to date. Cornell was employed with Blue Ridge for more than 50 years, most recently as administrative assistant. Her duties over the years included writing, layout and design for the member newsletter, forms management, printing and production supervisor, and working in both the engineering and public relations areas. One of her key duties over the years was assisting in a variety of ways in preparing for and working at the Annual Membership Meeting. Several years ago, Cornell was nominated and selected by her peers to receive the prestigious Touchstone Overall Excellence Award for her commitment to excellence in her work to benefit members and the example she displayed for her co-workers.
Members Only
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
You may be aware that by changing your traditional light bulbs to compact florescent lightbulbs (CFLs) you can save on your electric bill. CFLs use 75 percent less electricity and as an added bonus, they last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
But, did you know that you can save even more money by buying your CFLs at your local Blue Ridge Electric district office? We’re now offering discount pricing on CFLs to members to help you save on both your electric bill and your CFL bulb purchases. We hope our discount CFL GreenSmart program helps you change out every light bulb in your home!
Start experiencing the savings today by purchasing your CFLs at the Blue Ridge office in your community.
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.
