Rural Electric Nebraskan

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January 2012 3

“The Rural Voice of Nebraska”

Volume 66, Number 1, January 2012

Features

Debunking Energy Myths 6

Interested in saving energy to lower your electric bill, but con-fused about new technology and information available to helpyou do so? Separate fact from fiction with a few energy-savingmyths.

The Year of Living Cooperatively 12

Nebraska’s electric co-ops join a global celebration of member-owned businesses during the International Year of Cooperatives2012. Electric co-ops play a vital role in deploying the advanceddistribution and transmission infrastructure that rural Americaneeds.

Departments

On the cover

An electric transmission line is part of the infrastructure in Nebraska.See the related story on Page 14. Photograph by Wayne Price.

Contents

EDITOR’S PAGE 4

SAFETY BRIEFS — Murphy 16

CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS by James Dulley 18

RECIPES 20

ADULT PEN PALS 21

MARKETPLACE/CLASSIFIEDS 22

Staff

Editor

Wayne Price

Editorial Assistant

Kathy Barkmeier

Published by the

Visit us at www.nrea.org

General Manager

Jay Holmquist

President

Gary Dill,

Roosevelt Public Power District

Vice President/Secretary

Randy Papenhausen,

Cedar-Knox Public Power District

Treasurer

Ron Jensen

Loup Valleys Rural

Public Power District

Published monthly by the Nebraska Rural Electric

Association, 1244 K Street, Box 82048, Lincoln,

Nebraska 68501, (402) 475-4988.

Advertising in the Rural Electric Nebraskan doesnot imply endorsement for products by theNebraska Rural Electric Association.Correspondence should be sent to Wayne Price,Editor, Rural Electric Nebraskan, Box 82048,Lincoln, NE 68501.

The Rural Electric Nebraskan is printed by JacobNorth Companies, Box 82046, Lincoln, NE68501. Form 3579 should be sent to the RuralElectric Nebraskan, Box 82048, Lincoln, NE68501.

Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, Neb. POST-MASTER: send address changes to the RuralElectric Nebraskan, 1244 K Street, Box 82048,Lincoln, NE 68501.

Publication numbers are USPS 071-630 andISSN 0193-4937.

Rates: $10 for one year; $15 for two years; $20for three years, plus local and state tax.

ach year, electrical accidents kill over athousand people and injure tens ofthousands more. Most, if not all, of

these accidents could have been avoided bycorrecting and updating potential electrical

hazards. Don't wait until a problem occurs tofind the problems. By using this electricalsafety checklist, you'll be able to find potentialhazards around your home and keep yourfamily and property safe.

Rural Electric Nebraskan4

EDITOR’S PAGE

by Wayne Price

Checking off electrical safety hazards in your home

E

Check outlets for loose–fitting plugs. Replace missing or

broken wall plates so wiring and components are not

exposed. If you have young children at home, cover unused

outlets with plastic safety caps.

Never force plugs into outlets. Don’t remove the ground-

ing pin (third prong) to make a three-prong plug fit a

two-prong outlet. Avoid overloading outlets with adapters

and too many appliance plugs.

Make sure cords are not frayed or cracked, placed under

carpets or rugs, or located in high traffic areas. Do not

nail or staple them to walls, floors or other objects.

Use extension cords only on a temporary basis – not as

permanent household wiring. Make sure they have safety

closures to protect children from shock and mouth burns.

Make sure outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry,

workshop, basement and garage have GFCIs. Test them month-

ly to ensure they’re working properly.

If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit

breaker or has given you an electrical shock, immediate-

ly unplug it and have it repaired or replaced. Look for

cracks or damage in wiring and connectors. Use surge pro-

tectors to protect electronics.

Check periodically for loose wall receptacles, wires, or

loose lighting fixtures. Listen for popping or sizzling

sounds behind walls. Immediately shut off, then profes-

sionally replace light switches that are hot to the touch

and lights that spark and flicker.

January 2012 5

magine a world without electric-ity -- no refrigeration, no cellphones, no television, no inter-

net, no GPS, no lights, no runningwater in the house, no sanitation, noMRI or X-Ray machines, no...wait aminute -- Yuck! Let’s just say no lifeas we know it. More than anything in the world

today our standard of living isdirectly dependent on electricity. Itdoesn’t matter how it is generated aslong as it is available in ample sup-ply and at a cost that allows every-one to access it. The type of genera-tion does have an effect on the priceto the consumer as does the com-plexity of the distribution system.Electricity coming out of a generatoris of no use to a final consumer untilit can be transmitted and trans-formed into the proper voltage at theproper location at the proper fre-quency and at the exact proper time. This is no simple or inexpensive

task to accomplish. It takes a lot ofpeople with enormous expertise anddedication working with systemsand equipment so sophisticated thatthey defy logic to the layman -- justto deliver a kilowatt of electricity tothe last house on the longest stretchof electric line so that the consumercan bake a cake for a granddaugh-ter’s first birthday. So how much is too much to pay

for this amazing stuff? Well, if a bot-tle of water is worth $1.69 and a 12-pack of pop is $4.00 -- is it worth adollar’s worth of electricity to keepthem cold for a day (along with all ofthe food in the fridge)?Electricity is so prevalent in our

lives that we really don’t take thetime to appreciate what it does forus until there is an outage that putsus back in the dark ages for a fewminutes or even hours or horribly fordays. We simply do not function wellwithout electricity and with comput-ers and other sensitive equipment

we cannot even tolerate blinkswhere the power is off for a fractionof a second. Also, I’m sure that most of you

know that some of this system isover 60 years old and that meansthat replacements and maintenanceare increasing at costs that aremuch greater than were incurredwhen these items were installed somany years ago. Then there is theincessant release of new and morecostly regulations out ofWashington, D.C. -- but that’s anoth-er story. In order to put into perspective the

increasing cost of electricity inNebraska, we should take a look atwhat is happening across the U.S. Inthe Mile High City of Denver, Colo.,Xcel Energy has instituted a 21.4percent increase for 2011. In 2009Honolulu, Hawaii residents were hitwith a 24.8 percent increase and in2010 had residential rates that aver-aged 27.83 cents per kWh or almostthree times as much as NorthCentral PPD customers averagecost. Ask the power districts in west-ern Nebraska about their rates sincethe Colorado legislature mandated a

very rigorous renewable energystandard. Nebraska Public Power District

wants a 6.5 percent wholesale rateincrease January 1, 2012 to coverthe higher price of coal and associat-ed transportation costs as well asincreased debt service payments onbonds used to upgrade and repairtheir system. This rate increasealong with increased demandcharges that were experienced lastsummer due to the extremely hotweather will translate into a needfor an additional $500,000 just tocover North Central’s anticipated2012 power bill. North Central hasother costs besides the power bill,although it is about 60 percent of ourtotal annual expenses. In the long run rates of North

Central and other rural electric sys-tems in Nebraska will be underextreme upward pressure due toincreases in wholesale power as wellas material and maintenance costsassociated with keeping power sup-ply adequate and high quality. Thereal wildcard here is how much theEPA and other governmental regula-tory bodies are going to increase thecost of fossil fuel generation with amyriad of new “greenhouse gas”,“clean water” and “clean air” regula-tions. Whatever the scenario, I feelrelatively confident that electricrates are going to continue toincrease at a rate that is anythingbut pleasant but that Nebraskanswill still have some of the lowestrates in the country. The affordability of electricity is

being threatened more and moreevery day. Thus, the day has comewhen the average electric consumerneeds to become a whole lot moreeducated on his or her electric con-sumption and really needs to getinvolved in making some thoughtfulchoices as to how to use it more judi-ciously.

GUEST EDITORIAL

Electricity drives our standard of living

I

Keith Harvey

General Manager

North Central PPD


Myth #1: It takes less energy tohave my thermostat maintain acomfortable temperature whileI’m away than it does to have itheat up or cool down my housewhen I get home.If you’re going to be gone for morethan a few hours, then it is more cost-effective to turn heat or air condi-tioning on once you return than it isto maintain a comfortable tempera-ture while you’re out. Energy Star, ajoint program of the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) and the U.S. Department ofEnergy, recommends adjusting yourthermostat up in the summer anddown in the winter by 8 degrees

Fahrenheit while you’re asleep oraway from your house.

Myth #2: I can save money simplyby installing a programmablethermostat.On their own, programmable ther-mostats do not make your heating orcooling system more efficient. Theirmoney-saving value lies in their abil-ity to, once properly programmed,automatically regulate the tempera-ture inside your house to coincidewith when you’re there and whenyou’re not. If you need help program-ming your thermostat, directions areusually available from the manufac-turer’s website.

Myth #3: When I turn off elec-tronics (like my TV, game con-sole, or computer) they stopdrawing power from the outlet. Even when turned off, most modernelectronics consume a small amountof electricity if they’re still pluggedin. Chargers for mobile devices alsoconsume electricity if plugged in,even when they are not activelycharging the device. This wastedenergy, called “phantom load,”accounts for as much as 10 percent ofa home’s total electric use, accordingto the Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory. The solution: unplugyour electronics when you’ve finishedusing them. Using a power strip can

nterested in saving energy to lower your electric bill, but confused about newtechnology and information available to help you do so? Separate fact from fic-tion with the following energy-saving myths.I

help you conveniently unplug multi-ple devices at once, while newer,“smart” power strips can automati-cally cut off phantom loads on theirown.

Myth #4: Compact fluorescentlightbulbs (CFLs) take forever toreach full brilliance, have inade-quate light quality or unpleasantcolor, and make no difference onmy utility bill.As with many products, CFLs vary inquality. Color and brightness differacross manufacturers, and somebulbs simply work better than oth-ers. Looking for the Energy Star sym-bol ensures that you’re purchasing ahigh-quality product. Also, be sure toinstall CFLs in fixtures that remainon for long periods, or that you useoften, to get the maximum energysavings out of your bulbs. In addi-tion, specialty CFLs are available for

applications such as spotlighting orbathroom vanity fixtures.

Myth #5: Mercury from CFLsposes a serious risk to the envi-ronment.On the contrary, CFLs actually pre-vent the release of mercury into theenvironment by reducing the elec-tricity needed from power plants.According to the U.S. EnergyInformation Administration, abouthalf of electricity in the U.S. is gener-ated from coal. EPA estimates thatcoal combustion for power plantsreleases roughly 400 times the mer-cury into the environment than thecumulative mercury contributionfrom land-filled CFLs, assuming thatno CFLs are recycled. However, it isstill important to dispose of burned-out bulbs and clean up broken bulbsproperly. Learn how at www.lampre-cycle.org.

Myth #6: It is not worth my timeor money to seal small air leaksaround my windows and doors,or to make sure my home is ade-quately insulated.According to Energy Star, air leaksaround cracks and gaps throughoutyour home become the equivalent ofleaving a window open all year long.Typical homeowners can save up to10 percent on their total annualenergy bill by sealing and insulatingtheir home. Check with your localelectric utility to find out if they offerrebates and incentives to reduce theup-front costs of your efficiency proj-ects.

Todd Camnitz writes on energyefficiency issues for E Source, aColorado-based provider of ener-gy business intelligence. Formore information, please visitwww.esource.com.

January 2012 7

by Todd Camnitz


pace heaters are small, versa-tile, and generally good atwarming a room, and many

people consider purchasing one atsome time or another. However, somemanufacturers claim that their elec-tric space heater can cut a home’sheating bill significantly. Do theseclaims hold up?Some basic facts about space

heaters will help you get at the truthof the matter. Space heaters workbest as a supplement to a furnace orheat pump—they rarely are used asthe primary heating source. Threemain types of space heaters are avail-able: radiant heaters, convectionheaters, and combination heaters.These usually can be purchased for$30 to $100.

Radiant HeatersA radiant heater heats objects andpeople—not the air—in a room. Theirbest use is in rooms where those whowant to be warmed are in the directline of sight of the heater. Radiantheaters can be a good choice if you are

in a room for a short period of timeand want instant heat. They can posea burn or fire risk, however, andshould not be placed near furniture,drapery, pets, or small children.

Convection HeatersConvection heaters are designed toheat the air—not people or objects—in a room. Hot air from the convectionheater rises to the ceiling and forcescooler air to the floor. The cooler air iswarmed by the heater and rises to theceiling, creating a cycle that contin-ues as long as the heater is on. Thesetypically are either baseboard or oil-or water-filled heaters. The oil- orwater-filled heaters are the most effi-cient types and often look like a smallradiator. These units generallybecome warm to the touch and, com-pared to a radiant heater, have adecreased fire and burn risk.

Combination HeatersAs the name implies, combinationheaters try to merge the best featuresof radiant and convection heaters.

They often have an internal fan thataids in distributing heat throughoutthe room. These heaters are versatile,but they typically do not perform aswell as radiant or convection heaters.Before purchasing a space heater,

you should determine how and whereit will be used, and whether a radi-ant, convection, or combinationheater will do the job best.Combination units are versatile, butyou likely will get better performancefrom a radiant or convection heater.Use a radiant heater if you want heatinstantly and will stay in one spot. Ifyou need to warm an entire room, aconvection heater should do the trick.So can using a space heater cut

your home heating bill? Maybe. Mostspace heaters use between 600 and1,500 watts of electricity. A homeown-er using a space heater 8 hours a day,5 days a week, for a month, wouldspend approximately $15.26 for thisadditional electricity. However, spaceheaters can heat only a small space.You can save significantly if you usethe space heater in this way: turn thethermostat of your central heatingsystem down considerably (as low as50 degrees in some cases). Place thespace heater in a room occupied bypeople and close that room off fromthe rest of the home. This method of“zone heating” will save money.Space heaters do have their place

in warming a house, but they simplycannot replace energy efficient cen-tral heating or weatherizationimprovements to the home. For exam-ple, all electric space heaters produce1 unit of heat for every 1 unit of elec-tricity consumed; in other words, theyare 100 percent energy efficient.Those that use natural gas are 80percent efficient. In comparison, geot-hermal heat pumps can produce morethan 3 units of heat for every unit ofelectricity consumed, making them300 percent efficient.As with any technology, before pur-

chasing a space heater you shouldunderstand how the device is used, aswell as the energy claims of the man-ufacturer. While it may be technicallypossible to cut your heating bill by 50percent using a space heater, it isimpractical for most people.

The Efficiency of

Space Heatersby Brian Sloboda

S

Before buying a space heater, it will be beneficial to take some easyand inexpensive energy-saving measures in your home. Any of thesecould solve your heating problems without any additional heatingequipment:

• Add caulk and weather stripping around doors and windows• Add insulation to attics and exposed walls• Clean or replace furnace filters• Move furniture or obstacles away from heat registers• Insulate duct work• Close blinds or curtains at night

Before You Buy

January 2012 9

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othing can be more aggra-vating in the winter thanjumping into your vehicle

and turning the key in the ignition,only to find the engine will notstart. And it is bitterly cold outside!Unfortunately, three things havehappened under your hood as aresult of the bone-chilling weather.First, your gasoline will not evap-

orate as quickly when it is cold.Vaporization is necessaryfor combustion to prop-erly occur. Second,oil becomes muchthicker in coldweather. Thickerfluids take moreeffort to pump.Finally, batterieshave problemswith the cold, too.Chemical reactionsinside a battery produce the elec-trons needed to power the engine’sstarter. Since these reactions areoccurring more slowly, there arefewer electrons flowing to thestarter. Fortunately, AndrewFreeman of Grand Forks, NorthDakota came up with a remedy forthese problems in the 1940s: theelectric engine block heater.But remember! If you do not pay

attention to how you use this niftydevice, it could end up costing youeach winter more than twice its ini-tial purchase price. You may betempted to “plug” it in when you gethome every day so your vehicle willstart easily the next morning. If youare using a 500-watt heater for 12hours per day from Novemberthrough February, you can expect topay around $100 for this conven-ience. Here are a few tips for man-aging that cost.Unless it is going to be colder than

10º or 15ºF outside, it is usually notnecessary to plug in your vehicle.The electronic fuel and ignition sys-tems in today’s vehicles automati-cally adjust to compensate for coldtemperatures. At this point, thebest way to warm your engine is to

drive gently for the first couple ofminutes. Do not rev your engine!That is the worst thing you can do,because you are putting a lot ofstrain on the engine at the verytime it is least prepared to handleit. Not to mention, it wastes fuel andreleases more emissions due to inef-ficient combustion.Similar concern can be expressed

for starting your vehicle and allow-ing it to idle for five to 10minutes before driving.You may think you aredoing your car andyourself a favor by“heating” things upbefore you go, butthat is not necessarilytrue. The greatestamount of wear and tear

on an engine occurs when itis first started. Idling wastes

gas and creates more air pollution.Consider using a timer on your

heater to reduce unnecessary usage.Research done by the AgriculturalEngineering Department of theUniversity of Saskatchewan hasshown that operating a block heaterfor longer than four hours prior tostarting a vehicle is a waste of ener-gy. It was found that engine coolanttemperature increased by about36ºF during a four-hour period.However, continued use of theheater for an additional one to twohours only achieved an additional 3ºto 5ºF increase.You may also want to consider an

engine heater with reducedwattage. Finally, electric batteryblankets typically draw less powerthan block heaters and still condi-tion the battery to provide ampleelectrons that will get the enginestarted when it is bitter out. Having peace-of-mind that your

car will start on the coldest daysshould not have to cost you an arm-and-a-leg. By making someEnergyWise choices this winter, youcan be assured you will get to yourdestination and be energy efficientat the same time.

Use engine block heater wisely

N

Dogs pose potentialthreat to utility workers

tility employees regularlyvisit homes to read metersand provide other types of

service to customers, but they alsofrequently encounter aggressive dogs.Veterinarian Dr. William VanAlstinesays, “These animals are merely try-ing to protect their home or theirowners and dog owners shouldensure their animals are safe andsecure when a utility employee isscheduled to visit a home or busi-ness.”The US Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention report in arecent year that 4.7 millionAmericans sustained dog bites andone in every six required medicaltreatment. Small children were themost frequent victims, but meterreaders are particularly vulnerable toattacks by dogs which do not recog-nize a utility worker as needing to bearound the home to provide therequired services.Dr. VanAlstine offered suggestions

to prevent dog bites and provide asafe environment for a meter readeror other utility worker who visitsyour home. He says home and busi-ness owners can help themselves bybeing familiar with the schedule forreading meters and plan ahead for avisit by a meter reader that day, orknowing when a utility worker isanticipated to arrive to provide aservice.Confine a dog if necessary, keeping

the animal either inside or outside,and away from the utility employeeuntil the service is completed. Dr.VanAlstine also suggested relocatingthe animal temporarily to reduce itsconcern for your welfare. A “beware ofdog” sign near the home will help theutility employee anticipate a poten-tial encounter or even contact theowner of the home or business to helpavoid such an encounter.Provide a collar for your dog to

more quickly control its behavior if itbecomes aggressive toward a utilityemployee.Source: SafeElectricity.org

U

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s it possible to change the waypeople eat a fruit? Couldcheese unite communities?

Can electricity transform the futureof a country? It’s possible ... with alittle cooperation.The United Nations General

Assembly designated 2012 asInternational Year of Cooperatives(IYC 2012), under the banner“Cooperative Enterprises Build aBetter World.” The resolution recog-nizes the vital role cooperatives —democratically governed businessesthat operate on an at-cost, not-for-profit basis — play in the economicand social well-being of nationsaround the globe and encouragescountries to foster cooperativedevelopment as a way to generatelocal wealth, employment, and mar-ketplace competition.“At a time when folks are losing

faith in big corporations,International Year of Cooperatives2012 offers us a great opportunityto showcase the many ways thelocal, consumer-owned and mem-ber-controlled cooperative form ofbusiness benefits communities allover the world,” declares NRECACEO Glenn English. “It gives coop-eratives a perfect venue to contrasthow we differ from profit-drivencompanies.”

Co-ops are everywhereIf variety is the spice of life, co-opsare a zesty bunch. Every day, morethan 29,200 cooperatives supplyessential products and services toAmerican consumers, touching ourlives in almost every way.Tomorrow at breakfast, check

your morning paper. Many of thearticles may be labeled “AssociatedPress” or “AP.” Those stories werewritten by individual reporters butdistributed by a cooperative newsorganization.If your breakfast includes freshly

squeezed orange juice, it may befrom a Sunkist product. Sunkist is acooperative formed by Californiaand Arizona citrus growers.And the list goes on: Land O’

Lakes butter, Ocean Spray cranber-ry juice, Sun-Maid raisins, Welch’s

The Year of LivingCooperatively

By Megan McKoy-Noe

Electric co-ops join a global celebration ofmember-owned businesses during theInternational Year of Cooperatives 2012

I

January 2012 13

grape jelly, Nationwide Insurance,Blue Diamond almonds, AceHardware, REI outdoor gear — theyare all cooperatives. In fact, one outof every four Americans claimsmembership in some type of cooper-ative, including 91 million served bycredit unions and 42 million con-nected to more than 900 electriccooperatives in 47 states.Although many in number, cooper-

atives differ from “typical” business-es in one big way: they are organizedfor the benefit of their members, notsingle owners or stockholders.“Co-ops are established when the

for-profit, investor-owned commer-cial sector fails to meet a need,either due to price or availability ofgoods and services,” explains MartinLowery, NRECA executive vice pres-ident, external affairs and chairmanof the Washington, D.C.-basedNational Cooperative BusinessAssociation Board of Directors. “Theco-op business model works in hous-ing, utilities, and in both rural andurban settings. Co-ops empowerpeople to take control over their owneconomic destinies.”He continues: “When you’re a

member of a co-op, you have a realsay in the direction of that business.That’s critical — it helps the co-oprapidly respond to changing condi-tions. As an example, a number ofelectric co-ops have branched outinto other pursuits beyond electrici-ty to meet pressing consumer andcommunity requirements.”Dallas Tonsager, under secretary

for rural development with the U.S.Department of Agriculture, pointsout that co-ops “are only as good asthe people running them and onlysucceed when members supportthem. But well-managed, democrat-ically run co-ops have proven timeand time again that when peopleunite to achieve a common goal,they can accomplish anything.”

On the cutting edgeOdds are you have orange juice inyour refrigerator. But before a 1916advertising campaign by Sunkist,oranges were only eaten by the slice.By the end of World War I, however,

Sunkist’s “Drink an Orange” pushhad increased the average per capi-ta serving size from one-half anorange to almost three. This pioneering co-op tradition

continues in many ways today:• Credit unions fought off the

destructive cycle of payday loans bycreating salary advance loans withlow rates that placed part of the bor-rowing into a savings account —helping members escape a cycle ofdebt• Marketing cooperatives added

food nutrition labels to productslong before it was required by feder-al law• Electric cooperatives lead the

way in smart grid implementation— close to half have installedadvanced metering infrastructure(AMI), with 30 percent integratingAMI or automated meter readingdevices with various software appli-cations, such as outage managementand geographic information systems“Co-ops have made these invest-

ments because it makes sense forthem and their members,” stressesEnglish. “It’s an outgrowth of the co-op commitment to innovation — thesame spirit that allowed co-ops toovercome seemingly insurmount-able technical, engineering, legal,political, and financial hurdles inthe late 1930s to bring central sta-tion electricity to all corners ofAmerica. Thanks to our consumerorientation, co-ops work to ensurethat all decisions�technology-basedor otherwise — focus on their coremission: providing members with asafe, reliable, and affordable supplyof power.”It is hard to conceive of America

without cooperatives, Tonsagerreflects. “Agricultural co-ops havemade our nation the breadbasket ofthe world. This occurred, in part,through lending from the farmer-owned, cooperative Farm CreditSystem and power supplied by elec-

Please turn to page 15

A few interesting facts about cooperatives.

• Provide 2 million jobs with annual sales of $652 billion

• More than 900 electric co-ops deliver electricity to 42 million

consumers in 47 states

• Electric co-ops own and maintain 42 percent of the nation’s

electric distribution lines that cover 75 percent of America’s

landmass

• Two million farmers are members of nearly 3,000 farmer-

owned cooperatives

• More than 7,500 credit unions offer financial services to 91

million consumers

• Approximately 233 million people are served by insurance

companies organized as or closely affiliated with co-ops

• Around 50,000 families use cooperative day-care centers

• Roughly 1.2 million Americans in 31 states are served by

260 telephone cooperatives

• More than 1.2 million families live in housing owned and

operated through cooperative associations

Source: International Cooperative Alliance

America’s 29,200 cooperative enterprises strive to build a better world


ver look up at a utility poleand wonder: “What is all thatstuff?”

While wires are easy — everyoneknows they carry electricity — howabout those attached metal boxes andother mysterious gadgets? What arethey called, and what purpose do theyserve? With a little information, you can

understand a lot more about the util-ity line you pass every day. Not onlycould “pole spotting” shed light on thework done by your local public powerdistrict or electric co-op, you justmight be able to impress your friendsand family.A guide to pole spotting follows.

Enjoy, but please keep in mind: • Utility poles are not for climbing!

Looking is OK, but keep a safe dis-tance from all equipment describedhere. • The measurements and descrip-

tions given here represent commonconfigurations, but in the real world,design varies greatly. Part of whyrural electric utility employeesundergo such extensive training is toenable them to identify componentsin the field with a high level of confi-dence and certainty.

Transmission vs. Distribution First, make sure that the pole you’relooking at is a distribution pole andnot a transmission pole. Distribution poles are those you see

in your neighborhood, unless yourdistribution lines run underground.They are generally up to 55 feet highand made of wood. Power runningthrough distribution lines rangesfrom 4,600 volts to 33,000 volts. Transmission lines are designed to

carry electricity longer distances andat higher voltages — 69,000 volts andabove. Relative to distribution poles,transmission poles are much larger— from 55 feet to more than100 feet— with the conductors higher off the

ground. Some large transmissionlines use steel poles and tower struc-tures. In cases where a pole carries both

transmission and distribution lines,the transmission lines will run abovedistribution lines An easy rule to fol-low is the lower the voltage of theline, the lower it is on the pole.

Four Common Distribution Devices Transformers are something mostpeople can already spot — they’rehefty metal cylinders that hang offpoles. The transformer that connectsyour home to a distribution line low-ers the distribution voltage to whatyou need in your house — generally120 volts for your outlets and 240volts for your air conditioner andclothes dryer. Look at the top of atransformer and you’ll see bushings— ceramic projections with severaldisks running around the outside. Onthe inside of bushings are metal con-ductors; the outsides are insulators,so that when they attach to a trans-former the metal casing doesn’t

become electrically charged. Capacitors look somewhat like

transformers, with bushings on top,but have flat, rectangular casings.While transformers change voltage,capacitors improve the power factoron the utility lines — they preventpower from being wasted and helpboost the voltage on long rural distri-bution lines. Reclosers protect lines and con-

sumers from short circuits. For exam-ple, if a tree branch touches a line,electric current will flow through thetree, burning it and overheating thewire. Eventually, this will result in afault that causes a protective device,like a fuse or circuit breaker, to oper-ate and interrupt the power. Circuitbreakers “open” the circuit, cutting offthe power. Because many shorts cor-rect themselves in a few seconds — asthe high current will usually burn atree limb away from the line — mostmodern circuit breakers have a mech-anism that allows them to reclose amoment later (hence the name reclos-er). Like transformers and capaci-tors, reclosers also have bushings.They tend to be rectangular, likecapacitors, but squatter.Fuses are also designed to protect

lines and homes from short circuits.But fuses are one-shot devices — afault, like the tree branch describedabove, on the load side of the fuse willcause them to burn out. High-voltagefuses look like a bar offset from thepole by one or more insulators. Whena fuse blows, lineworkers have to goout and find why the fuse blew, fix theproblem, and refuse the line torestore power.These four devices are the most

common on distribution poles. Onceyou know what they look like, you’llrealize you’ve been seeing them everyday for years.

Maurice Martin is senior pro-gram manager for theCooperative Research Network,a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural ElectricCooperative Association.

E

A spotter’s guide to distribution poles

by Maurice Martin

Transformers lower voltage to a level

that’s safe for use in your home.

Homes served by electric co-ops can

often be identified by transformers

sporting redundant mounting brack-

ets on the outside of the canister.

Photograph provided by Shelby

Energy Cooperative; United Utility

Supply

tric co-ops. Today, electric and tele-phone co-ops are playing a vital rolein deploying the advanced distribu-tion, transmission, and telecommu-nications infrastructure that ruralAmerica needs to prosper and staycompetitive.”

Building a better worldThe IYC 2012 theme, “CooperativeEnterprises Build a Better World,”embodies NRECA InternationalPrograms, a division of NRECA thatcelebrates its golden anniversarythis year. Since its creation inNovember 1962, NRECAInternational Programs has assist-ed with electrification endeavorsthat have resulted in increased agri-cultural output, millions of new jobs,as well as an enhanced quality oflife for more than 100 million peoplein 40-plus nations. NRECA International Programs

projects are currently under way inAfghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia,Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic,El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti,Pakistan, the Philippines, SouthSudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.Despite progress, much workremains. “More than 2 billion people world-

wide still lack electricity and mil-lions more must depend on unreli-able and unsafe power,” emphasizesIngrid Hunsicker, manager of inter-national program development forthe NRECA InternationalFoundation, a charitable organiza-tion that has partnered with morethan 300 electric cooperatives in theUnited States to bring power andeconomic development to rural vil-lages overseas. “In many countries,traditions of self-help, self-govern-ment, and joining together toachieve a common goal don’t exist. Adismaying array of financial prob-lems, such as a lack of investmentcapital and little understanding ofeven the most basic accounting pro-cedures, throw up even more barri-ers.”

Because circumstances vary sowidely, NRECA InternationalPrograms has adopted the slogan,“Electrifying the world, one villageat a time.” Outreach relies on thetime-tested electric cooperativeapproach — giving individuals,many for the first time, practicalexperience in democratic decision-making and entrepreneurship sothey can launch locally driven serv-ices. “By aggregating small stake-holders into large-enough units tocompete, cooperatives expand thecritical people-to-people relation-ships required to break down mis-trust,” Hunsicker asserts.In many cases, volunteer electric

co-op lineworkers from the UnitedStates head to distant lands for afew weeks to teach their peers safeconstruction practices. ThenNRECA staff instructs local resi-dents on how to maintain simplepower grids and run their own utili-ties. “We’re sharing knowledge about

best techniques on a person-to-per-son basis,” says Chris Stephens, vicepresident of engineering atPalmetto, Ga.-based Coweta-FayetteElectric Membership Corporation,who assisted with an electrificationundertaking in Ixcan, Guatemala.“Even though we may speak a dif-ferent language, we all speak thesame work.”“One of the challenges we face in

many countries is building a ruralbusiness culture,” indicatesHunsicker. “When electric coopera-tive employees and volunteersarrive, they outline how to create abusiness plan, how to conduct meet-ings, how to collect the full amountdue from consumers, what type ofelectric generation system to investin, and everything in between. It’sall about discovering and buildingon what works. Best of all, we showthe best face of not only who we areas co-ops but who we are asAmericans.” While NRECA International

Programs does not limit help to co-ops — municipal electric systemsbenefit, too — many foreign commu-nities embrace the cooperative way.

Argentina boasts the largest num-ber of electric co-ops — nearly 800— outside of the United States,while Cooperativa Rural deElectrificacion in Santa Cruz,Bolivia, serves more than 400,000members, ranking it as the largestelectric cooperative anywhere. ThePhilippines has 119 electric co-ops,Bangladesh 72, and the imprint ofcooperation can also be seen inCosta Rica, South Sudan, Uganda,and other countries.

January 2012 15

Year of CooperativesFrom page 13


SAFETY BRIEFS

ry this riddle: What weighs600 pounds, deters intrud-ers, and goes up or down at

the push of a button? It’s your auto-matic garage door, the largest mov-ing piece of equipment inmany homes. Automatic garage doors

may be a routine part ofleaving and arriving home,but you should be aware ofthe potential for injury.Underwriters Laboratories,Inc., recommends these tipsto make safety an open andshut case when it comes toyour home’s garage:1. Always keep automatic

garage doors fully open orfully closed. Some folks mayleave a small opening at thebottom for pets to get in andout for food or shade. But asmall opening could also bean invitation for a child totry to crawl through and get stuck.Another push of the button couldsend the heavy door down — caus-ing injury — instead of bringing thedoor up when trying to free anyonestuck underneath. If you encountersomeone stuck in an automatic door,

call your local fire department. 2. Read instructions on how to

operate and maintain your garagedoor properly. Check your automaticdoor monthly to be sure safety pre-

cautions are working. Many garagedoors boast a safety feature thattriggers an automatic reversal ifanything is encountered while clos-ing. To check, place a 1.5-inch object(like a flat 2x4) in the path of thedoor to make sure the door correctly

reverses when contact is made.Instructions should also advise onmaintaining a properly balanceddoor. Call a qualified repair compa-ny for service or maintenance.

3. Do not allow children tooperate a garage door. It mayseem like a harmless, simpletask to allow children topush the garage opener. Butactivating heavy equipmentshould be taken seriously.4. Avoid walking under adoor that is opening or clos-ing. You never know when amalfunction may take place.Steer clear of a moving door. 5. Know when and how touse the emergency release.You’ll find a cord with a han-dle hanging along the trackof your garage door. Alwaysuse caution when using thisrelease, and only use it whenthe door is fully closed.

An automatic garage door openeris a common convenience poweredby electricity. Just as electricitydemands safety and respect, so doesthe equipment it operates. Source: Underwriters Laboratories,Inc.

TGarage door safety: An open and shut case

January 2012 17

olorado’s Tri-State G&T hasbecome the sole electric coop-erative to test a fleet of plug-

in hybrid Chrysler pickup trucks.Westminster-based Tri-State nowhas six of the Ram 1500 PHEVs,which it will be using for the nextthree years.“They are being assigned to Tri-

State personnel in fleet, safety andmember services, primarily,” Jim VanSomeren, Tri-State’s communica-tions manager, told ECT.coop. Hesaid they anticipate putting a mini-mum of 1,000 miles a month on thevehicles.Chrysler has been rolling out a test

fleet of the Ram PHEVs that willnumber 140 by the end of the year.Along with being the lone electric co-op, Tri-State is also the only organi-zation in the Rocky Mountain regiontaking part in the program. That’s asource of pride for Ken Anderson, theG&T’s executive vice president andgeneral manager.“We are excited to get these trucks

into our vehicle fleet to see how thetechnology performs in the variety ofconditions throughout our 200,000square-mile service territory,”Anderson said.That huge expanse—Tri-State

serves 44 distribution co-ops inColorado, Nebraska, New Mexico andWyoming—appealed to Chrysler.“With Tri-State’s vast geographic

footprint and the variety of weatherconditions throughout the year, we’llbe sure to collect a significantamount of valuable data,” saidAbdullah Bazzi, senior manager ofChrysler’s advanced hybrid vehicleproject.Chrysler began distributing the

trucks May 25, when the city ofYuma, Ariz., received the first 10. Theautomaker said then—and now—that it is only testing the pickups andhas no plans for a production version.

Colorado Gov. JohnHickenlooper joinedAnderson and otherTri-State officials, aswell as Chrysler rep-resentatives, at aNov. 18 delivery cere-mony at the stateCapitol in Denver.Anderson, VanSomeren and Bazzidrove one of thetrucks from Tri-Stateto the governor’shome that morning.“He then jumped intothe driver’s seat anddrove us all to theCapitol,” VanSomeren said.Hickenlooper said

that the PHEV tech-nology “can change the world.” It wasalready doing that at the news con-

ference, where oneof the pickups pow-ered the public-address system.That was a small-scale demonstra-tion of one of thetrucks’ other uses—providing powerback to the grid in a“reverse powerflow” of up to 6.6kilowatts.

Each truckhas a 12.9 kilowatt-hour battery packlocated under thesecond row seat.

When fullycharged, a truck cango 30-60 miles onelectric, depending

on conditions, before the gasolineengine kicks in.

C

Tri-State G&T to test plug-in hybrid Chrysler pickup trucks

by Michael KahnElectric Co-op Today

Parked outside the Colorado

Capitol is one of the new

Chrysler PHEVs that Tri-State

G&T is testing. Photograph

provided by Tri-State G&T


: My old heating and cooling sys-tem must be replaced. With high

energy costs and future energy pricevolatility, how can I determine thebest type to go with?

: It can make economic, environ-mental, and lifestyle sense to

switch to an entirely different type ofheating source for your home. Thecosts of fuels, such as natural gas,propane, heating oil, and electricity,have shifted dramatically over thepast decade. Many new heating sys-tems last 20 years or more, so withwide variations in fuel costs, long-term estimated operating costs andpaybacks are not always reliable.Electricity prices are the most sta-

ble and will probably continue thatway. For homes heated with electrici-ty, air-source or geothermal heatpumps make good sense because theycan heat, as well as cool, your houseefficiently.A standard air-source heat pump is

basically a central air conditionerwith a few extra parts. The outdoorunit looks exactly the same as a cen-tral air conditioner. It is called a heatpump because it literally pumps heatout of your house (cooling mode) orinto your house (heating mode) to orfrom the outdoor air around the out-door compressor/condenser unit.Among central heating and cooling

systems, geothermal heat pumps pro-vide the highest efficiency and lowestyear-round utility bills. While geother-mal heat pumps have boasted muchhigher initial installation costs (due tothe need to place loops, or tubing, torun through the ground or to a well orpond), the federal stimulus bill pro-vides consumers (through the end of2016) a 30 percent tax credit on thecost of putting in a geothermal heatpump system, which makes them

much more affordable.The primary advantage of installing

a heat pump of any kind is they can beused year-round for both heating andcooling. This provides year-round sav-ings, and shortens the payback period.In contrast, a super-efficient furnacegets used only during winter and acentral air conditioner only duringsummer.I use a portable heat pump in my

own home/office for year-round sav-ings. In addition to cooling the roomduring summer, it also functions as anefficient portable heater during win-ter. It produces 14,000 Btu per hour(Btuh) of cooling and 11,000 Btuh ofheating. This is much more heat out-put than a standard electric spaceheater using the same amount of elec-tricity during winter.The efficiency of a portable air con-

ditioner is similar to a window air con-ditioner. Although this is less efficientthan the newest central air condition-ers, using one can still save money. Bykeeping just one or two rooms com-fortably cool with clean air, you can set

your central thermostat higher andsave electricity overall. Use it in thedining room for dinner, roll it into theliving room for television, and then tothe bedroom for sleeping.They are typically mounted on cas-

tors so they can be easily rolled onefrom room to room. Most operate onstandard 120-volt electricity, so theycan be plugged into any wall outletnear a window.A portable air conditioner/heat

pump operates similarly to a typicalwindow unit. The internal rotary com-pressor, evaporator and condenserfunction in the same way. The primarydifference is it is on castors and restson the floor. When choosing a heating and cool-

ing system, there are other intangiblefactors to consider. Every type of sys-tem requires some maintenancewhich can increase the overall costs.

CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS

Weigh options before installing heating and cooling system

by James Dulley

Q

A

Send inquiries to James Dulley, RuralElectric Nebraskan, 6906 RoyalgreenDr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visitwww.dulley.com.

A super-efficient geothermal heat pump shown with and without the front cover.

Notice the large air cleaner and water fittings for also heating hot water.

Photograph provide by Waterfurnace

January 2012 19

ou probably never give a sec-ond thought to a night lightuntil you find yourself in the

dark and wished you knew whereyou were. At that point, just having alight is your number one concern;more important, probably, than yourlight’s energy efficiency. But to savemoney and help provide electricityfor future generations of night lightusers, energy efficiency shouldalways be a consideration. Let’s takea moment to give some thought toyour night lights.Many traditional incandescent

lamps require four to seven watts tooperate. One 7-watt night light lefton all year will cost a little over $6 inenergy at $0.10 per kilowatt hour.That may not seem like much, but ifyou have several night lights, it canadd up. As the lamp life ranges from1,000 to 3,000 hours, those littlebulbs may need replacing severaltimes a year. If you are faithfully turning off

your night lights every morning, youcan cut costs roughly in half.Photosensors in some models sense“daylight” and turn off automatically.In addition to this neat convenience,you may want to think about energy-efficient light bulbs for even greatersavings.Start by considering what you need

the light to do. Does it simply serveas a location mark in a room or hall-way? Or does it have to provideenough illumination to completesmall tasks without turning onbrighter lights? Do you need onenight light or several? As the level ofillumination and/or the number oflights increase, so does your opportu-nity to save energy while providingthe safety, security, and capabilityyou desire. If you want to keep your existing

night light fixture but wish to makeit more efficient, change out yourincandescent bulbs with light-emit-ting diodes (LEDs). LEDs come inboth standard and candelabra bases.Some use as little as a third of a watt,which could reduce your energy

usage by more than 95 percent. AnLED lamp lives 12,000 to 100,000hours, so at the very least, they lastfour times longer than incandes-cents. Electroluminescent night lights

emit a uniform blue, green, or orangeglow from a flat panel. Also knownas “limelights” or “indiglos,” if youleave it plugged in 24-hours-a-day foran entire year, it will use less then0.3 kWh of electricity and cost onlypennies. While not overly bright,electroluminescent night lights pro-vide a soft glow at night that helpchildren feel safe and often provideenough light to guide someonethrough a hallway.Need a little more light? Miniature

fluorescent night lights use 1.5 to 6watts and last much longer thanincandescents. More importantly,they produce seven-to-ten times

more light, watt-for-watt, than incan-descents. Fluorescent night lightscan easily cast a glow through anentire medium-sized room enablingyou to write a short note, get a drinkof water, or deal with a frightenedchild in the middle of the night.You might want to also look for a

night light that uses a photo andmotion sensor. These night lightsonly switch on when it is dark andmovement is detected. Unless bothsensors are activated, the light usesvirtually no energy! Most people donot consider night lights when itcomes to energy saving opportuni-ties. However, now that you see howtraditional night lights can add toyour electricity costs, you also knowhow to make some EnergyWisechoices!Source: Nebraska Public PowerDistrict

YThe right night light can save energy and money

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DOWN HOMERECIPES

2 pounds beef shoulder tender petiteroasts (8 to 10 ounces each)1 tsp. black pepper

Garlic Bread:6 Tbsp. butter, melted1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley1/2 tsp. garlic salt1 (12-inch) baguette, cut into 24 (1/2-

inch thick) slicesWasabi Sour Cream:1 carton (8 ounces) dairy sour cream1 Tbsp. prepared wasabi paste

Heat oven to 425°F. Press pepperevenly onto beef roasts.Place roasts on rack in shallow

roasting pan. Do not add water orcover. Roast in 425°F oven 20 to 25minutes for medium rare to mediumdoneness. Let stand 5 minutes beforecarving.Meanwhile combine butter, parsley

and garlic salt in medium bowl. Placebaguette slices on two 15 x 10 x 1-inchjelly roll pans. Brush tops with buttermixture. While roasts are standing,toast baguette slices in 425°F oven for8 minutes or until golden brown.Combine dairy sour cream and

wasabi paste in medium bowl untilwell blended. Cover and refrigerateuntil ready to use.Thinly carve roasts into medallions

and evenly layer over toasted garlicbread slices. Top with 1 teaspoonWasabi Sour Cream.

Roasted Beef Crostini& Wasabi Sour Cream

Recipe provided by theNebraska Beef Council

8 Can Soup

Tamale Squares

Cream Cheese Cookies

Karen Brosius, Stapleton, Nebraska

3 cans (10 3/4 oz.) minestrone soup1 can (15 1/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, do not drain1 can (10 oz.) Rotel tomatoes, mild1 can (16 oz.) pinto beans, do not drain1 can (14 1/2 oz.) chopped tomatoes1 can (14 oz.) beef broth2 pounds hamburger

Brown and drain hamburger. Combine all ingredients together and heat.Serve. Also is excellent for freezing and use later.

Linda Robertson, Cozad, Nebraska

Combine dry ingredients. Add milk and margarine; beat until smooth.Pour into greased 8 inch baking dish. Brown meat, drain. Add green/redpepper, cook until tender. Set aside 1/2 cup Cheez Whiz and 1/2 cup toma-to. Stir in remaining Cheez Whiz, tomato, and chili powder. Carefullyspoon meat mixture over batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Topwith rest of Cheez Whiz and tomato, continue baking 5 minutes. Removefrom oven, let sit for 5 minutes. Cut into squares. Spicy variation: Add 4ounce can chopped green chilies (drained) to the meat mixture.

Mrs. Hollie Gilbert, Lochbuie, Colorado

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened1(8oz.) package cream cheese, softened1 egg1/4 teaspoon vanilla1 (18.5 oz.) package yellow or devils food cake mix

Cream butter and cream cheese. Blend in egg and vanilla. Add dry cakemix, 1/3 at a time, mixing well after each addition. (If an electric mixer isused, add last third of cake mix by hand.) Cover and chill 30 minutes.Drop by scant teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 min-utes in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until light brown. Cool slightlybefore removing from baking sheet.

3/4 cup cornmeal3/4 cup flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup chopped tomato3 Tablespoons melted butter/mar-garine

1 pound ground beef1/2 cup chopped red or green bellpepper1 (8oz.) jar Cheez Whiz3/4 cup milk1 tablespoon chili powder

January 2012 21

To appear in print

The Rural Electric NebraskanAdult Pen Pal Service is exclusivelyfor member-readers ages 18 and over.To be considered for use, submissionsmust: (1) Identify rural electric sys-tem providing magazine; (2) Include$6 to cover mail forwarding costs; (3)Be 25 words or fewer; (4) Include fullname and mailing address (will notbe used in magazine); and (5) Be firstperson, submitted directly by personto receive responses. Acceptance,editing and issue scheduling is at edi-tor’s discretion.Address all submissions to Rural

Electric Nebraskan Adult Pen PalService, P.O. Box 82048, Lincoln, NE68501. All responses received by theAdult Pen Pal Service are routeddirectly, postage paid, to the responsenumber assigned to each submission.

To write

To respond to one of the adult penpal requests, write letter, place inenvelope, seal and affix first classpostage. Address to full, correctresponse #, c/o Rural ElectricNebraskan Adult Pen Pal Service,P.O. Box 82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.Your letter will be forwardedunopened. Do not send money oradditional postage; forwarding is pre-paid. Enclose your full mailingaddress for return correspondence.Once again . . . it is very important

that all responses carry the fullresponse number—both month andnumber—to be properly forwarded.

Abbreviation CodeC — Christian; C/W — Country-western;D — Divorced; F — Female; M — Male; NS — Non-Smoker; ND — Non-Drinker;R&R — Rock and roll; S — Single;W — White; Wid — Widowed

JAN-1: SWM, NS, 22, tall, strongfrom north central Nebraska. I loveranch life, outdoor activities, danc-ing, country music, friends, and fam-ily. Looking for a good hearted coun-try girl 20-25. Photo and phonenumber appreciated.

JAN-2: WWidF, 48 from easternNebraska. I am tall & slender. Enjoycountry living, nature, Harley’s andmusic. Looking for male companion-ship 45-55 with similar interest.

JAN-3: SWM, 42, NS, socialdrinker, good personality, farmerfrom central Nebraska who enjoysfarm life, college football & basket-ball, deer hunting, camping, movies,music, slow dancing, playing cards,family and friends. Looking foryoung lady with similar interests tospend life with.

JAN-4: SDWM, 60, NS, sometimessocial drinker from south central

Nebraska. Country guy enjoysmotorcycling, rodeos, concerts, fairs,shows, etc. I’m positive, sincere, hon-est, and trustworthy. Church, familyand friends are important. Like tomeet nice lady 50-62 with sameinterest and farm related. Recentphoto, phone number.

JAN-5: DWM, 52, from centralNebraska. Enjoy cooking, movies,country music and Rock and Roll,all sports, and outdoors. Have greatsense of humor. Looking for ladybetween 50-55 who enjoys having agood time and likes to laugh. Like tostart as friends, maybe turn intosomething great. Send photo andphone number.

JAN-6: DWF, 46, from northeastNebraska. Looking for someone tospend time with and build newmemories. Love the outdoors, music,animals, laughter, and fun. I amhonest and caring and to the extramile to make someone happy.Looking for someone who wants todo the same.


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