Rural Electric Nebraskan

Appliance

Innovations

Appliance

Innovations

Are they really saving you money?

July 2012

Take extra care when enjoying water recreation if weather turns threatening. If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to pose an immediate threat. That is why the National Weather Service advises: “ When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!” Lightning can strike up to ten miles away from rain, even if you don’t see clouds.

As part of its “Teach Learn Care” TLC campaign, Safe Electricity urges everyone to understand the importance of lightning awareness and how to stay safe.

Learn more at SafeElectricity.org

TLCTeach what you know.

Learn what you need to.

Care enough to share it.

70% of Lightning Fatalities occur June through August

July 2012 3

“The Rural Voice of Nebraska”

Volume 66, Number 7, July 2012

Features

Appliance Innovations 6

When it comes to appliances in the kitchen, they appear to begetting smarter. During the 2012 International ConsumerElectronics Show, companies unveiled several appliance twists,including an LCD refrigerator featuring Wi-Fi with a groceryapp and a Flex Duo Oven using a Smart Divider to cut wastedcooking space.

Cyber Security Patrols 12

Public power districts and electric cooperatives enhance effortsto protect reliability, security of their electric distribution sys-tems. While it’s difficult to thwart a determined computer hack-er, with constant vigilance rural electric utilities can significant-ly minimize the possibilities.

Departments

On the cover

Consider both the purchase price and estimated energy use when decid-ing which brand and model of appliance to buy. See related story on page6. Photograph provided by GE.

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.

hen I was a boy there were two carsthat I wanted to have when I wasold enough to drive. They were the

Batmobile, from the 1960’s TV show, and thecar from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.I wanted the Batmobile because I thinkalmost every young boy wants some versionof the Dark Knight’s gadget filled car. And Iwanted the other because it could fly. Over the years the cars I wanted changed

to include the 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GTfrom Bullitt and KITT (Knight IndustriesTwo Thousand), a 1982 Pontiac Trans Am,from the TV Show Knight Rider. These daysI just want a car that gets great gas mileageand is safe for me and my family. In the past few years there have been a

growing number of reports of electric carsand how they will begin a new era of energyindependence. We have already seen a fewhybrid cars on the market and last yearthere was the release of all-electric vehiclesby Nissan and Chevrolet. Ford’s first electriccar is also one step closer to going on sale.But buying one might require a road tripunless you’re in one of three states.New York, New Jersey and California are

the first states where the 2012 Ford FocusElectric is being sold. By the end of the sum-mer it will be available in 19 markets,expanding nationwide by year’s end.According to a Ford press release the car

will carry a label approved by theEnvironmental Protection Agency statingthat it gets the equivalent of 110 miles pergallon in city driving and 99 MPGe on thehighway.EPA also certified that the Focus Electric

can go 76 miles on a charge, though theautomaker said that can be extended to 100miles, depending on driving habits. With a240-volt outlet, a full charge takes about fourhours; at 120 volts it requires 20 hours.These electric vehicles have been hailed as

“the future is now” cars. But are they theanswer? Will they be the end of the gas com-bustion engine?Probably not.One of the reasons people purchase

hybrids and electric cars is because theywant to help save the environment. But willthese types of vehicles even do that? Because

you plug them in just like any other appli-ance — creating more work for power plants— will we really prevent carbon emissions?According to the Electric Power ResearchInstitute, a Palo Alto-Calif., based consor-tium, the short answer is yes. Despite the increased electric load, various

airborne emissions will decline with theonset of electric cars. Each region of thecountry will see reductions in greenhousegas emissions over several decades, thanksin part to technologies that decrease carbondioxide emissions from power plants. Inaddition, electric cars could actually helpelectric utilities if consumers plug them in atnight — that helps the system run more effi-ciently because power costs and demand areat their lowest after the sun goes down.Unfortunately, the costs associated with

electric cars may still be prohibitive for mostAmericans. The Cooperative ResearchNetwork estimates that payback in terms ofgasoline savings would take about a decade(depending on your driving habits). And ifyou want the car to charge up quickly(instead of the usual four to eight hours or sowith a regular 110-V outlet), you’ll have toinstall a higher-voltage outlet at your home.Besides the cost of having the 220-V outletinstalled — which one cooperative wholesalepower provider estimates to be about $2,000— your home’s wiring may need to be updat-ed to accommodate it. The costs add up. The cars themselves aren’t cheap either.

The Focus Electric carries a sticker price of$39,200 versus the $16,500 starting suggest-ed retail price for the gasoline-poweredFocus.Whether an electric car suits you also

depends on your lifestyle, how much you drive,and whether you want your vehicle to havefancy amenities that use more electricity.Cities across the country are attempting to

do their part — electric vehicle charging sta-tions are springing up at various locationshere and there. But a number of barriers,including cost, limited driving range on acharge, and easy access to chargers, stillrestrict widespread acceptance. I wonder if we’d be any quicker to embrace

a car that flies. Or is loaded with all sorts ofcrime fighting gadgets.

Rural Electric Nebraskan4

EDITOR’S PAGE

by Wayne Price

Are we ready for the electric car?

W

Check us

out online

July 2012 5

dison Mission Group (EMG), asubsidiary of EdisonInternational, and Nebraska

Public Power District (NPPD)announced that construction hasstarted on a new wind project capableof producing enough energy to meetthe needs of about 14,000 homes inNebraska.The Crofton Bluffs project is located

in Knox County near the towns ofCrofton and Bloomfield in northeastNebraska. The site is adjacent toanother EMG facility nearBloomfield, the Elkhorn Ridge windproject, which was commissioned in2009.Crofton Bluffs will be powered by

22 wind turbines capable of generat-ing up to 42 megawatts (MW) of elec-tricity. All of the power produced bythe project will be sold to NPPDunder a 20-year power purchaseagreement.Crofton Bluffs is EMG’s fourth

wind energy project in Nebraska, all

of which have contracts with NPPD.“Nebraska has emerged as one of themost important states in EMG’s windenergy portfolio, and Nebraska PublicPower District has become one of ourbiggest wind energy customers,” saidPedro Pizarro, president of EMG.“The state offers abundant windresources and an economic and publicpolicy environment that is supportiveand welcoming of clean energy invest-ment. We are pleased to be workingagain with NPPD to provide environ-mentally friendly wind power to theircustomers.”“The addition of Crofton Bluffs

moves NPPD another step closer toour board of directors goal of having10 percent of our energy resourcescome from renewable energy,” saidNPPD President and CEO Pat Pope.“The energy produced will be sharedwith other Nebraska utilities as wehave done at the Ainsworth and otherEMG wind farms.” NPPD is currentlyworking with Omaha Public Power

District and other Nebraska utilitiesas partners in the project.Construction of Crofton Bluffs is

scheduled to be completed by yearend. During construction the projectwill support about 20 local vendorsand contribute about $2.8 million tothe state in sales tax revenues.Once completed, Crofton Bluffs will

provide about $16 million in propertyand state tax revenues and lease pay-ments to local landowners over thenext 25 years. The wind farm will bemanaged primarily by existing staffcurrently operating the adjacentElkhorn Ridge project, with potentialto add four new positions to supportoperations at Crofton Bluffs.In addition to Crofton Bluffs and

Elkhorn Ridge, EMG also operatesthe Laredo Ridge wind farm nearPetersburg in Boone County and isbuilding the Broken Bow wind projectin Custer County.Source: Nebraska Public PowerDistrict

EConstruction of new Nebraska wind farm currently underway

Tri-State issues challenge to EPA regulation in Federal Court

ri-State Generation andTransmission Association fileda legal challenge in April to

the Environmental ProtectionAgency’s costly Mercury and Air ToxicStandards (MATS) Rule.The association's lawsuit asks a

federal appeals court in WashingtonD.C. to review the rule, which is notlawful under the Clean Air Act andwill significantly increase electricitycosts.“The EPA’s MATS rule harms rural

electric consumers,” said KenAnderson, executive vice presidentand general manager of Tri-State.“The rule was developed in a flawedregulatory process, will impose sub-stantial and unwarranted costs onexisting plants, and will effectivelyprohibit the construction of new coalplants.”Tri-State responsibly generates

reliable and affordable electricity for

its members and complies withincreasingly rigorous state and feder-al laws. Tri-State’s coal-fired powerplants are low emitters of mercuryand comply with stringent state mer-cury limits in Colorado and NewMexico. In fact, Tri-State’s NuclaStation in western Colorado is listedby the EPA in the database to estab-lish the rule as having the lowestmercury emissions of any coal-firedplant in the U.S.; yet the plant willstill be burdened with additional reg-ulatory requirements under the rule.“The EPA overstates the benefits of

the rule and underestimates thecosts,” said Anderson. “The rule isunworkable and has an unrealistictimeframe to implement.”The rule is one of the most expen-

sive regulatory programs in U.S. his-tory. A comprehensive analysis byNational Economic ResearchAssociates found that the MATS rule

and other finalized and pending EPAregulations for power plants usingcoal could cost an average of 183,000jobs every year from 2012-2020 andincrease electricity and other energyprices by $170 billion.“This rule, along with other recent

EPA regulatory actions, appearsgeared to taking coal off the table tohelp meet our nation’s electricityneeds,” said Anderson. “We need alloptions, including coal, to ensureaffordable, reliable and responsiblepower.”Based in the Denver suburb of

Westminster, Tri-State suppliespower to 18 member public power dis-tricts and electric cooperatives inColorado, 12 in New Mexico, eight inWyoming and six in Nebraska, whichin turn provide electricity to nearly605,000 meters or a population ofapproximately 1.5 million people.Source: Tri-State G&T

T


Appliance Inno

Rebates and standards transform kitchens and laundry rooms,but are consumers really saving energy?

by Megan McKoy-Noe

oes your refrigerator haveWi-Fi or a door with a view?Select dishwashers self-dis-

pense detergent and clean based onthe number of dishes. And youmight be surprised to hear someovens double as refrigerators. Leavedinner in the oven in the morning,then send a text message for theoven to switch from cooling to cook-ing mode.

“When it comes to appliances inthe kitchen, things are gettingsmarter,” claims Kevin Dexter, sen-ior vice president of home appliancesales & marketing, SamsungElectronics America. “We’re listen-ing closely to consumers and addingimprovements that busy momswant.”During the 2012 International

Consumer Electronics Show,

Samsung unveiled several appliancetwists, including an LCD refrigera-tor featuring Wi-Fi with a groceryapp and a Flex Duo Oven using aSmart Divider to cut wasted cookingspace.Samsung isn’t alone. Other manu-

facturers are also looking for twiststo make appliances smarter andkeep consumers happy.“At GE Appliances we’re rapidly

D

July 2012 7

ovations

expand-ing our EnergyStar offerings because it’swhat consumers demand and it’s theright thing to do,” explains RodBarry, director of efficiency andenvironmental relations. He claimsa kitchen equipped with GE’s eco-magination appliances reduces elec-tricity use by 20 percent comparedto standard models.But with so many cooks in the

kitchen, not all innovations makeenergy sense. Appliances use 13 per-cent of a home’s energy — a heftychunk. Public power districts andelectric co-ops are evaluatingemerging technologies to find the

recipefor innovativeappliance success.

Setting the StandardManufacturers are constantlyenhancing appliances to complywith consumer requests and to meetever-evolving federal efficiencystandards. These standards, firstenacted in 1987, drive efficiencyinnovations and are credited withsaving more than $300 billion inelectric bills over the past quarter-

cen-tury, accord-ing to the AmericanCouncil for an EnergyEfficient Economy. Current standards set the bar for

furnaces, air conditioners, water

Please turn to page 8

heaters, refrigerators and freezers,washers, dryers, motors, lamps, andother products. In 2011, a U.S.Senate committee considered tight-ening appliance standards evenmore, but the bill has not moved for-ward for a vote.Most manufacturers also strive to

meet a higher bar of excellence —the Energy Star certification.Launched by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency in1992, Energy Star is a voluntary,international standard for ratingenergy-efficient consumer products.Not only do qualifying appliancescarrying the Energy Star logo meetfederal standards, they exceed it.Energy Star-rated appliances use 10percent to 50 percent less energy

and water than standard models.

Rebate RevolutionAfter an influx of appliance rebatefunds — almost $300 million — fromthe American Recovery andReinvestment Act of 2009, many con-sumers bought efficient appliances in2010 and 2011. Although rebateswere also offered for HVAC systemsand water heaters, kitchen and laun-dry workhorses were the clear


Appliance innovationFrom page 7

Clothes Washer• Wash your laundry with cold water whenever pos-

sible, using cold water laundry detergents. To savewater, try to wash full loads or, if you must wash a par-tial load, reduce the level of water appropriately.• Water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the

energy your machine uses to wash clothes — only 10percent goes to electricity used by the washer’s motor.• Switching to cold water can save the

average household more than $40 annu-ally (with an electric water heater) andmore than $30 annually (with a gaswater heater).• Washing full loads can save more

than 3,400 gallons of water each year.

Clothes Dryer• Don’t overdry your clothes. If your

dryer has a moisture sensor that auto-matically turns the machine off whenclothes are done, use it. • One of the easiest ways to increase

drying efficiency is to clean the lint trapbefore each and every load.• It’s easy to overdry clothes if one set-

ting is used for various fabrics. Try todry loads made up of similar fabrics, sothe entire load dries as the cycle ends.

Dishwashers• Rinsing dishes can use up to 20 gal-

lons of water before the dishes areloaded. Instead, scrape food off dishes.Energy Star-qualified dishwashers and detergents aredesigned to do the cleaning so you don’t have to.• If dirty dishes sit overnight, use the dishwasher’s

rinse feature. It uses a fraction of the water needed tohand rinse.• Most dishwashers use about the same amount of

energy and water regardless of the number of dishes

inside, so run full loads whenever possible.• Select the no-heat drying option. It gives good dry-

ing results with less energy.

Microwave• Use a microwave or toaster oven to reheat or cook

small portions.• Reduce cooking energy by as much as 80 percent

when using a microwave for small por-tions. This also helps save on summerair-conditioning costs, since less heat isgenerated when compared to using astove or oven.

Oven Range• Use the right sized pot on stove burn-

ers. A 6-in. pot on an 8-in. burner wastesmore than 40 percent of the burner’sheat. Also, cover pots and pans to keepheat in.• Using the right sized pot on stove

burners can save about $36 annually foran electric range, or $18 for gas.

Refrigerators• Keep your refrigerator at 35 to 38

degrees Fahrenheit.• Place the fridge in a cool place away

from a heat source such as an oven, adishwasher, or direct sunlight.• Allow air circulation behind the fridge.• Keep the condenser coils clean if it’s

an older model. Read the user’s manualto learn how to safely clean coils. Coil cleaning brush-es can be purchased at most hardware stores.• Make sure seals around the door are airtight. If

not, replace them.• Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door

stays open.Source: Energy Star

Energy-Saving Appliance Tips from Energy Star

Several GE dishwashers

feature SmartDispense tech-

nology. Homeowners can full

the appliance with up to 47

fluid ounces of detergent,

and the dishwasher releases

it as needed. Photograph

provided by GE

July 2012 9

favorites, garnering 88 percent of allredeemed rebates. About 586,000 con-sumers added refrigerators, 551,000added clothes washers, and 297,600dishwashers were updated. The U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE) estimates this influx of effi-cient appliances will save $48 millionin energy costs annually. But thesesavings are only realized when con-sumers follow the adage, “Out withthe old, in with the new.”Unfortunately, a national electriccooperative survey shows that isn’talways the case.“A lot of folks buy these great new

Energy Star refrigerators, then putthe old ‘energy hog’ model in the base-ment as a soda fridge for the kids,”comments Brian Sloboda, a programmanager for the CooperativeResearch Network (CRN), a divisionof the National Rural ElectricCooperative Association that moni-tors, evaluates, and applies technolo-gies to help electric cooperatives con-trol costs, increase productivity, andenhance service to their members. “Asa result a lot of potential savings arelost. Sure, it’s convenient to have theextra space, but these folks are pay-ing significantly more just to havecold drinks handy.”CRN partnered with E-Source, a

Colorado-based efficiency group, toconduct a national survey of appli-ances. The study found 19 percent ofAmerican homes plug in two refriger-ators, and 40 percent of householdsrun a stand-alone freezer, addingexpensive cold storage to electric bills.Older models drain energy dollars.

A refrigerator from the 1970s costs$200 more to operate every year thana current model; a 1980s fridge isn’tmuch better, wasting $100 in energydollars annually.

Shop for SavingsConsumers should look beyond fancybells and whistles and research appli-ances to guarantee energy savings,according to the Federal TradeCommission (FTC). The agencyenforces mandatory EnergyGuidelabels to help consumers comparebrands and shop effectively.“Most of the differences are on the

inside — in the motors, compressors,pumps, valves, gaskets and seals, orin electronic sensors that make appli-ances ‘smarter,’” warns the FTC.

“Even if two models look the samefrom the outside, less-obvious insidefeatures can mean a big difference inmonthly utility bills.”EnergyGuide labels offer energy

use and efficiency results from inde-pendent laboratory tests; the labelsare required for refrigerators, freez-ers, dishwashers, clothes washers, tel-evisions, water heaters, and selectHVAC systems.

Appliance AidSome states and utilities providerebates and appliance loan programs.Check dsireusa.org for local incen-tives, and call your local public powerdistrict or electric cooperative to see ifappliance aid is available. Some utili-ties offer rebates for recycling oldrefrigerators too, helping consumersachieve expected savings. Sources: U.S. Department of Energy,Cooperative Research Network, E-Source, Energy Star, Federal TradeCommission, American Council for anEnergy Efficient Economy

During the 2012 International

Consumer Electronics Show,

Samsung unveiled an LCD refrigera-

tor featuring Wi-Fi with a grocery

“app.” Photograph provided by

Samsung


n keeping with their tradition ofinnovation, public power dis-tricts and electric co-ops are

working hard to introduce new tech-nologies that will increaseservice reliability, decreaseoutage time, and improvesafety for line crews and thepublic. One of the major areas

where advancements are tak-ing place involves down-lineautomation. An umbrellaterm describing the use ofdigital meters and equip-ment, software applications,and two-way communica-tions, down-line automationallows your rural electric util-ity to effectively monitor theflow of electricity in near real-time; identify voltages out ofallowed ranges; pinpoint out-ages; and transmit signals totransformers, capacitors, circuitbreakers, and other devices to initi-ate diagnostic or corrective actionsthat can isolate, reroute poweraround, or even remotely repair thecause of a power interruption. With down-line automation, elec-

tric utilities can decrease the num-ber of members who lose power andthe duration of an outage as well asreduce “line losses” — electricitythat dissipates in the process of dis-tributing it over power lines. Thissaves your rural electric utility (andyou) money by not having to buyelectricity that doesn’t get used.One of the most promising

advances in down-line automation,distribution fault analysis (DFA),taps high-resolution monitorsinstalled on electric lines and cut-

ting-edge algorithms to zero in onhard-to-find electric system troublespots before they morph into full-blown outages. In its purest form,DFA “reads and identifies” specificfault signatures in a waveform —such as a cracked insulator or a treelimb occasionally brushing a lineand causing a blink. Instead of

learning about an event, like an out-age, after it happens, public powerdistricts and electric co-ops can fix apotential problem ahead of time. An electric cooperative in

Tennessee has been testing a DFAsystem designed by Texas A&MUniversity and the Electric PowerResearch Institute, a Palo Alto,Calif.-based non-profit consortiumwhose members include publicpower districts and electric co-ops.Other electric utilities have signedup to test DFA’s potential throughthe Cooperative Research Network,an independent research and devel-opment service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural ElectricCooperative Association. Another down-line tool that could

go a long way toward improving

electric reliability entails usingrobots to check out the condition oftransmission lines. Like DFA, robotsseek to prevent outages. But unlikeDFA, robots directly inspect cablesand other components rather thanwaveforms. Robots can work on theground or in the sky, and some evenoperate while suspended from livepower lines.It may surprise some folks that

rural electric utilities have emergedas leaders in the down-line automa-tion field. But innovation is a keypart our public power DNA. Itembodies the same spirit that droverural residents to find ways to over-

come seemingly insurmount-able technical, engineering,legal, political, and financialhurdles and bring centralstation electric service to allcorners of America.

Our not-for-profit, con-sumer-oriented businessstructure ensures all deci-sions�technology-based orotherwise focus on our coremission: providing memberswith a safe, reliable, andaffordable supply of power.

In sprawling, rugged serv-ice territories with densitiessometimes as low as two orthree consumers per mile,down-line automation cansubstantially lower costs by

reducing truck rolls. Following mas-sive storms, the ability to target out-age locations from the office andefficiently dispatch line crews cansignificantly speed up getting thelights back on. Innovation — it’s proof positive, if

there was any doubt before, thatrural electric utilities build a betterworld.

Maurice Martin and BrianSloboda are senior programmanagers specializing in trans-mission and information tech-nology for the CooperativeResearch Network, a service ofthe Arlington, Va.-basedNational Rural ElectricCooperative Association.

I

The Great Outage Detective

Public power leads the way in introducing outage-pre-vention technology

by Maurice Martin & Brian Sloboda

“Ti,” a 140-lb. robot being developed by the Electric

Power Research Institute, hangs gondola-style from

bulk power lines and rides slowly from tower to tower,

monitoring the condition of the lines. Robots like Ti

seek to prevent power outages. Photograph provid-

ed by Electric Power Research Institute

Scan for Video

www.GorillaTough.com1-800-966-3458

Finally,A ToughSuper Glue

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oating is one of America'sfastest growing recreationalactivities. Nebraska alone

has in excess of 84,000 power boats.Boaters should not take safety for

granted. The Boating SafetySection of the Nebraska Game andParks Commission suggests waysboaters may reduce the risk of inci-dents and help ensure a safe andenjoyable day on the water.

Wear a Life Jacket – Childrenunder age 13 and anybody on a per-sonal watercraft are required bylaw to wear a United States CoastGuard-approved personal flotationdevice. People being towed by a boaton skis, a tube, or other similardevice also must wear a life jacket.

Avoid alcohol – Boat operatorscan become impaired with less alco-hol than motor vehicle drivers dueto heat and dehydration. BoatingUnder the Influence is a criminalviolation and is enforced actively inNebraska.

Have all required safety equip-ment – This will help boaters beprepared if an emergency occurs.Life jackets, throw cushions, fireextinguishers, and bailing devicesare required on most boats. For alist of what is required on a boat,check out the 2012 Boating Guideat BoatSafeNebraska.org.

Be wary of surroundings – Thebest boat operators constantly arelooking around for other boats, per-sonal watercraft, swimmers,stumps and other hazards. Speedsin excess of 5 mph are prohibited ifwithin 30 yards of any other vessel,swimming area or dock.

Take a boating safety course –Anyone born after Dec. 31, 1985,who operates a motorboat or per-sonal watercraft in Nebraska musthave successfully completed theNebraska boating safety course.Visit BoatSafeNebraska.org for alist of classes.

Game and Parksurges safety whileboating this summer

B


our home probably has sever-al security features — doorlocks, bolts, and an alarm sys-

tem. When it comes to cyber securi-ty, electric cooperatives follow thesame principle — building and rein-forcing multiple layers of protectionto safeguard your personal datafrom attacks.Securing digital data on an elec-

tric distribution system isn’t a “onceand done” job. It’s a continualprocess of evaluating and address-ing risks, tightening measures,planning, and evaluating again.While it’s difficult to thwart a deter-mined computer hacker, with con-

stant vigilance electric cooperativescan significantly minimize the pos-sibilities. “Keeping our members’ informa-

tion secure is a top priority,”explains Michael Milligan, directorof system engineering for SnappingShoals Electric MembershipCorporation in Covington, Ga.“Technology constantly changes,requiring a ‘continuously improving’approach towards cyber hazards.”Snapping Shoals EMC represents

a national trend of cooperativesbulking up cyber security with toolsfrom the Cooperative ResearchNetwork (CRN), the research arm of

the Arlington, Va.-based NationalRural Electric CooperativeAssociation (NRECA). CRN’s Guideto Developing a Risk Mitigation andCyber Security Plan and supportingdocuments, released in 2011 withfunding support from the U.S.Department of Energy (DOE), helputilities of all types develop aprocess to shore up cyber defenses. “Public power districts and elec-

tric cooperatives have made sub-stantial progress in cyber securitywithout additional regulationbecause they owe it to their mem-bers to protect system reliabilityand prevent unauthorized access to

Y

by Megan McKoy-Noe

Cyber SecurityPatrolsPublic power districts and electriccooperatives enhance efforts to protectreliability, security of their electricdistribution systems

Sandia National Laboratories computer scientists Ron Minnich (foreground) and Don Rudish have successfully run more

than 1 million Linux kernels as virtual machines, an achievement that will allow cyber security researchers to more effec-

tively observe behavior found in malicious botnets. They used Sandia’s Thunderbird supercomputing cluster for the

demonstration. Photograph provided by Sandia National Laboratories

July 2012 13

personal information,” explainsGlenn English, NRECA’s CEO.

Security SweepRural electric utilities have beenworking with the DOE, the NorthAmerican Electric ReliabilityCorporation (NERC), the FederalEnergy Regulatory Commission(FERC), the U.S. Department ofHomeland Security, the Obamaadministration, and the electric utili-ty industry to strengthen and bolstercyber security. An assault on a distri-bution system, for example, could bea prelude to, or part of, a coordinatedcyber strike on the country’s powergrid as a whole that could impactelectric reliability. Last year, NERC,the nation’s electricity reliabilitywatchdog, conducted an exercisedubbed “GridEx” to identify cybersecurity concerns and encourage util-ities and government agencies towork together to mitigate the issuesuncovered.“GridEx provided a realistic envi-

ronment for organizations to assesstheir cyber response capabilities,”observes Brian Harrell, NERC man-ager of Critical InfrastructureProtection standards, training, andawareness. “Through the interaction,participants forged relationshipsacross the cyber security community.”A report on the test notes most

utilities have adequate responseplans in place, but more training andupdated guidelines were suggested.Communication difficulties were alsoidentified — a problem NERC willconfront by developing outreachstrategies for secure informationsharing. To further pinpoint cyber vulnera-

bilities, a seven-year utility systemsecurity study was conducted by theDOE’s Idaho National Laboratory(INL). Poor “patch management” wascited as the biggest utility weakness— patches fix publicly known securi-ty problems. To prevent would-be hackers from

discovering security lapses, teams ofgrid guardians routinely scour elec-tric distribution systems to find andfix weak spots.“I look for vulnerabilities in control

system software,” remarks MayChaffin, an INL cyber securityresearcher. “I try to get themrepaired before someone takesadvantage.” Lessons learned from the GridEx

activity and researchers like Chaffinhave been incorporated into CRN’scyber security toolkit. Based on bestpractices developed by the NationalInstitute of Standards andTechnology (NIST) and other indus-try organizations, the guide focuseson procedures electric utilities shouldadopt to continuously monitor cyberthreats and enhance risk prepared-ness.

“CRN’s cyber security resourcesare well-rounded tools that helpedmake our existing security plan morecomplete and serve as references forfuture projects,” Milligan comments. Andy Bochman, an energy security

lead for IBM’s rational division,praises CRN’s efforts. “While the [IT]community is waiting for [practical]implementation guides from NIST,CRN’s offering breaks things downinto actionable, prioritized parts. Itallows co-ops to travel down a well-marked path toward better cybersecurity and risk mitigation plan-

ning in the age of the smart grid.”

Regulating SecurityThe possibility of cyber mischiefundermining automated digital tech-nologies used by utilities hasCongress, the White House, and reg-ulators considering the right balanceof security and emergency responseinitiatives. “There is no question that there

will be some kind of legislation,” pre-dicts English. “It’s important thatpolicymakers make a distinctionbetween what’s appropriate securityfor bulk power versus distributionsystems. The question is whetherwhat’s put forward makes sense, if itwill be overly burdensome, and if itwill make electricity less affordablefor our members.”In 2010, the U.S. House considered

the Grid Reliability andInfrastructure Defense Act. A simi-lar measure, the Cyber Security Actof 2012, was introduced to the U.S.Senate in February. Both bills wouldprovide the federal government withmore power to draft cyber securitystandards but would weaken theNERC/FERC partnership thatallows industry stakeholders to helpensure standards are technicallysound and able to be properly imple-mented. NRECA cyber securityexperts believe any legislationshould focus on encouraging federalagencies to routinely provide action-able, timely intelligence about cyberthreats and vulnerabilities to utilityindustry experts.“Hackers are getting smarter, and

for some, much of the fun is the chal-lenge of beating your system,”observes CRN Program ManagerMaurice Martin. “Rural electric utili-ties understand cyber security isn’t aone-time thing. Improved communi-cations about potential troubleremains key to this effort.”Electric utilities are building cyber

barricades and fashioning robustplans for addressing current andfuture dangers. But in a rapidlyevolving cyber environment, there’sno such thing as perfect security. Sources: Idaho National Laboratory,CRN, NRECA, NERC

Two INL cyber security specialists

conduct research on an electric utility

Supervisory Control and Data

Acquisition system. Photography pro-

vided by Idaho National Laboratories


eplacing foreign oil withdomestically grown biomasswould revolutionize world

politics and economies, with statessuch as Nebraska emerging aspotentially huge winners, says a for-mer Clay County farm boy who'snow one of the world's leadingbiotechnology scientists.Jay Keasling, a professor of bio-

chemical engineering at theUniversity of California, Berkeley,spoke Tuesday, May 8, 2012 on "TheBold Future of Alternative Energy,"as the final guest in the 2011-12Heuermann Lectures at theUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln. Using 2009 statistics, Keasling

said that of the 94.5 quadrillionBTUs of energy used in the UnitedStates, 83 percent came from fossilfuels. The U.S. now imports abouthalf that oil, and those oil importsaccount for roughly half of thenation's trade imbalance. And, ofcourse, fossil fuels emit high levelsof carbon dioxide into the atmos-phere.Future oil shortages are predicted

as China and India increase use at atime when oil production is levelingoff and dropping. Prices could reach$200 a barrel, doubling the price ofgasoline. Ethanol from corn already is mak-

ing inroads into that dependence onforeign oil, but that's only part of theanswer, Keasling said. Indeed, cornis far from the ideal biofuels crop,since it requires lots of water andfertilizer and also is important as afood and feed crop.So, other forms of biomass are in

development, including switchgrass,which can produce four times theamount of energy it takes to grow it,Keasling noted. Keasling's research team at a firm

he founded, the Joint BioEnergyInstitute, is heavily involved inthose efforts. Scientists there engi-neered a strain of Escherichia colibacteria to produce biodiesel fuelfrom biomass such as switchgrass,

without the need of enzyme addi-tives. His team now is working toincrease the efficiency and speed bywhich its engineered E. coli straincan be cost-effective and economi-cally competitive in quantities need-ed to meet the world need."We need to rely on dedicated

energy crops" such as switchgrass,said Keasling, who received hisbachelor's degree from UNL.

"This would be a huge change inour balance of trade, a huge changein world politics," he added, notingthat the money now going overseasto purchase oil could be going intoeconomies of farm states such asNebraska.Miscanthus giganteus is a partic-

ularly promising biomass crop. It's aperennial that grows 12 feet tall; italso fixes nitrogen in the soil. "Itlooks to be a great crop for thefuture," Keasling said.Scientists like Keasling are focus-

ing on making more efficient theprocess for getting energy out of bio-mass crops. Sugars – which com-prise about 70 percent of plants' con-tent – are the key, but extractingthem and processing them is tricky.Goals are to develop plants that con-

tain more of the so-called "good sug-ars," less of the bad, and fewerlignins, which are organic polymersin plant cell walls that make themrigid and woody.Research efforts are focused on

improving pretreatment processesto remove lignins and engineeringplants to have less lignin. "This is avery exciting area of research," headded. While bioenergy has successfully

produced gasoline substitutes,future research also must producediesel and jet fuel substitutes. Keasling said he also expects bio-

mass production to result in chemi-cals from those plant sugars toreplace other substances that nowcome from petroleum.Responding to a question from the

audience, Keasling said govern-ment's role in this process will be a"steady hand ... steady policies overmany decades" and not playingfavorites among the different cropsand technologies. "Governmentshouldn't be picking winners andlosers. Let the marketplace do that."The Heuermann Lectures will

resume in the fall, with four formersecretaries of agriculture invited tospeak about the land-grant univer-sity tradition on Sept. 28.Heuermann Lectures in UNL's

Institute of Agriculture and NaturalResources focus on providing andsustaining enough food, naturalresources and renewable energy forthe people of the world, and onsecuring the sustainability of ruralcommunities where the vital work ofproducing food and renewable ener-gy occurs. The lectures featurediverse speakers who are working tomeet the world's food and food-relat-ed challenges in a variety of fields. Heuermann Lectures are made

possible through a gift from B. Keithand Norma Heuermann of Phillips,longtime university supporters witha strong commitment to Nebraska'sproduction agriculture, naturalresources, rural areas and people.

Biomass expansion would revolutionize world politics

R

ith the onset of summercomes lots of fun outdooractivities — whether

you’re lying by the pool or playingon a baseball field. Keep heat stressat bay — no matter your sun-soakedactivity of choice — by knowing howto prevent heat-related illnessesand recognize the symptoms inyourself and others.

Heat StrokeThe most serious of heat illnesses,

heat stroke, can be deadly and swift.Your body temperature could rise to106 degrees Fahrenheit or more inas little as 10 to 15 minutes. Heatstroke happens when your bodytemperature rises rapidly but can-not sweat quickly enough to coolitself. Symptoms include hot, dryskin or the opposite — profusesweating, hallucinations, chills,throbbing headache, confusion ordizziness, and slurred speech.If you see someone with the symp-

toms of heat stroke, immediatelycall 911 and move the person to ashady area. Try misting the personwith cold water, soaking his or herclothes, or fanning the body.

Heat ExhaustionHeat exhaustion is the result of

heavy sweating — extreme loss ofsalt and water. People prone to heatexhaustion include the elderly, thosewith high blood pressure, or peoplewho work in hot conditions. Besidesexcessive sweating, symptomsinclude extreme weakness orfatigue, dizziness and confusion,nausea, clammy skin, musclecramps, and shallow, rapid breath-ing.If a person suffers from heat

exhaustion, move him or her to ashaded or air-conditioned area. Thevictim should drink cool — non-alco-holic — beverages and take a coolshower or bath.

Heat SyncopeSun-bathers may be prone to heat

syncope, which is dizziness or faint-ing after lying (or standing) for longperiods of time. Dehydration cancontribute to an episode of heat syn-cope, so keep that water bottlehandy when you head to the beach.If you feel dizzy after lying for a

long time, sit or lie back down in acool place and sip on a cool beverage— water, sports drinks, or clearjuice.

Heat CrampsFolks who work or play sports out-

side in the heat may suffer fromheat cramps, which result from lowsalt levels after heavy sweating.Stay alert if you feel crampingbecause it could be a symptom ofheat exhaustion. Heat cramps usu-ally are felt in the arms, legs, orabdomen.If you feel them, stop what you’re

doing, sit in a cool place, and drinkclear juice or a sports beverage.Take it easy for a few hours afteryou no longer feel the cramps — ifyou return to your activity, the con-dition could transition to heatexhaustion or heat stroke. If youhave heart problems, are on a low-sodium diet, or the cramps do not goaway in an hour, call a doctor.

Heat RashHeavy sweating can cause a heat

rash during hot, humid weather. Itlooks like a red cluster of pimples orsmall blisters that usually pop up onthe neck or chest, groin, and in thecrook of your elbow. You can’t domuch to treat heat rash besideskeep the area dry and use baby pow-der to alleviate discomfort.Source: U.S. Centers for DiseaseControl

July 2012 15

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SAFETY BRIEFS

f you are the proud owner of abrand new home, your to-do listis probably pretty long. One

item you might consider moving alittle closer to the top of that list ismaking sure your brand new invest-ment is electrically sound. Your home’s electrical system is

one of its most crucial elements andcan be one of its biggest hazards if itisn’t in proper working order.Getting the proper permits is a crit-ical step in maintaining a safe homeand work environment. When it comes to getting your newhome’s electrical system checkedout, it is a good idea to get an elec-trical inspection from the authorityhaving jurisdiction.While it is recommended to get a

qualified electrician to thoroughlycheck the system and make sure itis safe, there are some things thatyou can yourself do to make yourhome safer:• Check for outlets that have

loose-fitting plugs, which can over-heat and lead to fires. • Replace any missing or broken

wall plates.• Make sure extension cords

aren’t being used as “permanent”

wiring solutions.• Be sure there are no cords sta-

pled to the wall, baseboard, or othersurface.• Make sure there are ground

fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) inthe proper locations — kitchen,bathrooms, garage, laundry room,outdoors — and that they workproperly. If not, have a qualifiedelectrician install or replace them.• Check to see that the wattage of

all bulbs in light fixtures is the cor-

rect wattage for the size of the fix-ture — and that the bulbs arescrewed in tightly. Loose bulbs canoverheat.• Be sure that appliance cords are

not cracked or frayed, are placed outof high traffic areas, and do not rununderneath carpets or rugs.Help make your new home safe

and enjoyable by keeping its electri-cal system in good shape. For moreinformation on electrical safety, visitSafeElectricity.org.

IProtecting your new home from electrical fires

July 2012 17

o matter the age of yourhome, it could benefit from aprivate energy investigation

— also known as an energy audit.Check with your local rural electricutility to see if they offer a freehome energy audits conducted bytrained energy advisors. But youcan get started on your own searchto find low-cost solutions that couldsave money every month on yourelectric bill.To be an energy “private-eye,” ask

yourself a simple question: Does myhome feel drafty and cold in the win-ter, or stuffy and hot in the summer?If your answer is “yes,” then yourhome probably experiences air leak-age. To track down where those spots

are, round up the usual suspects —culprits like damaged seals arounddoors and windows. If you see day-light or feel air, then apply caulkand weather stripping to keep out-door air where it’s supposed to be. But don’t forget spots you might

not immediately think of, likerecessed canister lights and electri-cal outlets. Outlet insulation kitscan be purchased for as little as $2,and you can fix up your canisterlights with some caulk around theedges. Also look where walls meet the

ceiling. Cobwebs mean you’ve gotdrafts.Next, poke your head into the attic

and inspect the crawl space or base-ment for sufficient insulation. Howmuch you need depends on your cli-mate. Check out the insulation cal-culator from the Oak RidgeNational Laboratory atwww.ornl.gov/~roofs/Zip/ZipHome.html. It’s important to rememberinsulation won’t do its job well ifthere’s not a proper air barrierworking in tandem. That means alljoints and cracks must be sealedbetween your living space and insu-lation.Finally, look to your light fixtures.

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs(CFLs) are up to 75 percent more

efficient than traditional incandes-cent bulbs, and they’ve come a longway in light quality, design, andaffordability. You can purchaseCFLs in a variety of shapes andhues. They cost more upfront, butyou’ll make your money back in lessthan nine months and after that,they start saving money. Make sureto purchase a CFL that’s rated byEnergy Star, the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency’sprogram that denotes productsmeeting specific energy efficiencycriteria. Energy Star-rated CFLswill typically last 10 times longerthan a traditional incandescentbulb producing the same amount oflight. Sources: EnergySavers.gov, EasternIllini Electric Cooperative,EnergyStar.gov

NBe your home’s private investigator Choose your trees

and shrubs wisely

mart home landscaping canlower your monthly electricbills. Trees on the east and

west sides of your home provideshade and reduce your cooling costsduring hot summer months. Shadefor your air conditioner can save 10percent of your cooling costs. Byadding vegetation to the north side ofyour home, you can reduce winterwinds that trigger higher heatingcosts. Trees, shrubs, and groundcover

plants can also shade the ground andpavement around the home. Thisreduces heat radiation and cools theair before it reaches your home’swalls and windows.Source: Touchstone Energy®Cooperatives

S


: We have an old inefficient elec-tric resistance furnace. I have

heard there are some new types ofheat pumps that use a big watertank and don’t need backup heat.How do these systems work, and arethey efficient?

: Although electric resistanceheating can be relatively expen-

sive to operate, it is 100 percent effi-cient — that means all the electrici-ty you pay for ends up heating yourhouse. With a gas or oil furnace, youlose some heat out the flue. Theproblem with electric resistanceheating is it costs more to produce 1Btu from electricity than it does byburning fossil fuels.A heat pump can produce 3 Btu of

heat for your house for each 1 Btu onyour electric bill. This is because theheat pump does not actually createheat directly. It uses a compressor,coils, and other equipment to drawheat from the outdoor air and pumpit into your house.The heat pump system you refer to

is called a reverse cycle chiller. Itbasically uses a standard high-effi-ciency heat pump to produce heatduring winter and cool air in thesummer. A typical air-source heatpump heats or cools a refrigerantthat flows directly through an indoorcoil. Air blows over the coil to heat orcool your house. A reverse cyclechiller heats or cools water in a small(20- to 40-gallon) insulated tank. Thewater then flows through the indoorcoil. The entire system will cost 15percent to 20 percent more to installthan a standard heat pump/electricfurnace combination.The output capacity of typical heat

pump is sized for the cooling Bturequirements of the house. In mostparts of the U.S., the heating Btu

requirements are greater. To makeup the difference, a backup electricresistance furnace is required dur-ing very cold periods. As the outdoortemperature drops, the heat outputof the heat pump also drops just asthe heating needs of your houseincrease.You might think you could install a

larger capacity heat pump to provideenough heat for your house even onvery cold days. This would be possi-ble with an air-source heat pump,but it would not work well in the air-conditioning mode. An oversized airconditioner results in short cycles,indoor temperature swings, and poordehumidification.The primary advantage of a

reverse cycle chiller is it transfersheat to an insulated water tank. Thisallows you to install a heat pumpwith an extra large capacity for ade-quate heating even in cold weatherwithout the associated summertimecooling issues. Many of the majorHVAC manufacturers’ heat pumpscan be used with a reverse cyclechiller system.During summer, this large heat

pump cooling capacity chills thewater in the insulated tank to 40degrees or so. The chilled water isrun through a coil in the blower sys-tem, which cools and dehumidifiesindoor air just like a standard heatpump. The heat pump can cycle onand off as needed to chill the waterin the tank independently of theindoor blower. Therefore the blowercan run as long as needed to providecomfort and efficiency.Another key advantage of having

the heated water tank is its winter-time defrost mode. A heat pump reg-ularly switches to the cooling modeto defrost ice that collects on the out-door condenser coils. During this

time, expensive electric resistanceheat comes on or chilly air blows outthe registers. With a reverse cycle chiller, the

heat to defrost the coils comes fromthe heated water tank so warm aircontinues to blow out the registers.During regular operation, the tem-perature of the air coming out theregisters is also warmer than with atypical air-source heat pump.In addition to eliminating or great-

ly reducing the use of backup resist-ance heating, a reverse cycle chillerprovides options for efficient heat-ing. Because the heat is coming fromthe insulated water tank, you canselect different types of heating fordifferent rooms. The hot water canbe piped through a heat exchanger(fan coil) and typical ductwork toproduce heated air.It may be more efficient and com-

fortable in some rooms to use radi-ant floor heating. For this heatingmethod, the hot water flows throughpipes in the floor. This is one of themost efficient heating methodsbecause you can feel comfortablewith at a lower room air tempera-ture. This option is more feasible fornew construction, but it can be usedif you have a basement providingaccess to the underside of the floorabove.During summer, an optional refrig-

eration heat reclaimer (similar to ageothermal desuperheater) can beused. Instead of the heat pumpexhausting the heat to the outdoorair in the cooling mode, it can beused to heat your domestic hot waterfor free. During winter, the heatpump can be used to heat yourdomestic hot water in addition to thehouse. This produces hot water at aCOP (coefficient of performance) ofbetween 1.5 and 3.0, as compared toa standard water heater at only 1.0.

CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS

Hot water can heat houses

by James Dulley

Q

A

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

July 2012 19

ow much electricity can yousave by using ceiling fans tokeep cool this year? That

depends on how you use them. Infact, if you do not use them wisely,you may end up using more energyoverall!Ceiling fans can “help” save

money on air conditioning bills.They do this in two ways: First, dur-ing the spring and fall when it is nottoo hot outside, you can sometimesuse the fans to keep comfortableinstead of turning on the air condi-tioning system. Since fans use onaverage 60 to 100 watts of energyand the average air conditioningsystem uses 3,500 watts, you cansave a few dollars..The second way to save is to use

the fans during very hot weather.Since a fan blowing air on you canhelp you feel comfortable even athigher ambient air temperaturesthat would normally have you scur-rying to find relief from the heat,you can set your home’s air condi-tioner’s thermostat to a higher tem-perature and feel comfortable.Unfortunately, most people do not

use their ceiling fans in a way thatactually saves them money. A recentstudy in Florida found that therewas no difference in thermostat set-tings for people using fans versusthose not using fans. If you do notturn up the thermostat, then the airconditioning will run just as much,and you will not save a dime. In fact,your bill will rise, since the fan usesenergy too!If you want to save money by

using fans, the key thing to remem-ber is that fans cool people. They donot cool air. They do not cool rooms.They do cool people. So run the fansonly when there are people in theroom.To be economical, you have to

think of the fans like you think oflights. You go into a room, you turnon the light (fan). You leave theroom, you turn it off. Blowing aironto your living room carpet or ontoyour bed, when no people are there,

will cool nothing except dust mites.In summer months, your ceiling

fan offers the greatest energy savingbenefit when run in a counter-clock-wise direction. If the outside tem-perature is not too high, you mightbe able to achieve a comfortable

environment by turning off theHVAC altogether, by opening a fewwindows and allowing the ceilingfan to circulate warm air outdoors.Effective circulation can make youfeel up to 8 degrees F. cooler andreduce air conditioning bills by up to40 percent, though most people seean average decrease of 15 percentenergy use when effectively manag-ing their cooling.For maximum energy saving ben-

efits, you might consider an Energy

Star ceiling fan. These fans circulatean average of 15 percent more airthan other ceiling fans, without sac-rificing style or attractiveness. Toreap the optimal energy saving ben-efits from your ceiling fans, it isimportant to install several fansthroughout your home and office,placed in key locations. All of themost frequently used rooms shouldhave a ceiling fans. For optimal per-formance, the blades of your ceilingfan should be between 7-9 feet abovethe floor, and 10-12 inches below theceiling. If the blades of your fan aretoo close to the ceiling, your fan maybe up to 40 percent less efficient.Finally, the blades should be at least18 inches from the nearest wall.The fan hanging from the ceiling

in your living room may seem like itwas put there for decoration, butthis simple device can help controlyour home cooling costs. Using amulti-speed reversible ceiling fancould save you significant money,but only if and when it is used cor-rectly.Source: Nebraska Public PowerDistrict

HSave money with the help of a spinning ceiling fan

For a FREE color brochure send the ad couponor call toll free 800-658-7076 or fax 507-462-3211.

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REC


DOWN HOMERECIPES

2-1/2 pounds beef for stew, cut into1 to 1-1/2-inch pieces3 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 teaspoons ground cumin1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon salt1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pep-

per1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled, cut

into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)1/2 cup regular or golden raisins1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced toma-

toes with garlic and onionSaltHot cooked couscousChopped toasted almonds (option-

al)Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Combine flour, cumin, cinnamon,salt and red pepper in 3-1/2 to 5-1/2-quart slow cooker. Add beef, sweetpotatoes and raisins; toss to coatevenly. Pour tomatoes on top. Coverand cook on LOW 8 to 9 hours or onHIGH 4 to 6 hours or until beef andpotatoes are fork-tender. (No stirringis necessary during cooking.) Seasonwith salt, as desired.Serve over couscous. Garnish with

almonds and parsley, if desired.

Moroccan Beef andSweet Potato Stew

Continental Zucchini

Strawberry Pizza

Blackberry Cobbler

Wanda Paulsen, Chappell, Nebraska

Heat oil in large skillet. Saute zucchini and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Addpimento, corn, salt and lemon pepper. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes, oruntil zucchini is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and heat until cheese melts.

Vlasta Zrust, Clarkson, Nebraska

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, butter, 1/3 cup of powderedsugar, & salt. Pat into pizza pan and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until lightgolden brown. Cool. Place softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, andwhipped topping in a bowl and mix well. Spread evenly over cooled crust.In a saucepan, combine gelatin, sugar, water, and cornstarch. Bring to aboil. Boil until thick. Cool. Meanwhile arrange sliced strawberries on topof cream cheese layer. When glaze has cooled, cut not thickened spreadevenly over entire pizza. Cool. Serves 6-8.

Lois Goosic, Inavale, Nebraska

Mix flour, baking powder, & salt. Whisk in milk just until blended.Whisk in butter. Pour in 9x13 inch pan and spoon berries on top. Bake at350 degrees 30-40 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool on wire rack. ‘So deli-cious slightly warm from the oven.’ Best eaten same day made.

1 tablespoon cooking oil1 lb. zucchini (about 3 small)

cubed1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced1 (2 ounce) jar pimento, drained

1 can whole kernel corn, drained1 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

cheese

1 cup flour1 1/3 cups powdered sugar1/8 teaspoon salt1/2 cup butter8 oz. cream cheese, softened8 oz. whipped topping, thawed

3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin(1/2 of 3 oz box)1 cup sugar1 cup water3 tablespoons cornstarchFresh strawberries, as needed

5 cups blackberries 2 cups sugarMix and let stand 20 minutes.2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon salt2 cups milk1 cup melted butter

Recipe provided by theNebraska Beef Council

The Rural Electric Nebraskan will pay $25 to any reader who submits arecipe which is selected for publication in the magazine.Be sure to include a mailing address for payment purposes and a phone

number in case we need to contact you.Recipes will not be returned and not all recipes will be used. Recipes should

be submitted in typewritten or printed form. Send recipes to the Nebraska Rural Electric Association, Rural Electric

Nebraskan Recipes, P.O. Box 82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.

July 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

JUL-1: DWM, 52, NS, from southcentral Nebraska. I’m good ole farmboy heart that likes to cook, movies,outdoors, sports, golfing, fishing,laughing, and have a good time.Looking forlady between50-55 to befriends at firstand maybe turninto somethingmore.

JUL -2: M, 60,N/S, socialdrinker, smallfarmer withhorses to ride, disabled veteran,looking for cowgirl, between 50-61,must be able to drive car or pickup.I like gardening, rodeos, camping,fishing, C/W, R&R, and some newC/W music. Animals welcome. I willanswer all.

JUL -3: WWidF, 68, NS, just asocial drinker. Looking for a malecompanion to have fun with. LikeC/W dancing, traveling, playingcards, football, keeping busy and goout and have fun.

JUL -4: SWCF, NS, 26, 5’5”, enjoysfarm life, animals, being outdoors,cooking, music, movies and spend-ing time with family and friends.Looking for Mr. Right 26-36 withsimilar interests. Photo and phonenumber appreciated.

JUL -5: SWM mid-30s, 5’8”, hardworking cowboy from central

Nebraska who likes concerts,rodeos, traveling, demo’s, set lines,gardening, American history andkids. Wish to meet a nice lady 24-46.Send photo and phone number.

JUL -6: SWM,42, NS, socialdrinker, farmerfrom centralNebraska whoenjoys playingcards, demos,deer hunting,football & bas-ketball, travel-ing, camping,

movies, music, slow dancing, diningout, & the Huskers. Looking for mysoul mate – a young lady - to sharelife with. Photo, email numberplease.

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www.nrrfoundation.com

Toll Free 1-888-320-7466

F a x : 9 4 0 - 4 8 4 - 6 7 4 6 e m a i l : [email protected] e b s i t e : h t t p : / / w w w . R H I N O B L D G . C O M

25 Year Warranty on Roof & Walls;Prices F.O.B. Mfg. Plants; Seal Stamped Blue Prints; Easy Bolt Together Design.

Farm•Industrial •Commercial

VISITOUR

WEBSITE

PRICES INCLUDE COLOR SIDES

& GALVALUME ROOF

VISITOUR

WEBSITE

(Local codes may affect prices)

Arena Special (roof & frame)

100’ x 100’ x 14’...$35,581

30’ x 50’ x 10’........$8,57940’ x 60’ x 12’........$11,99960’ x 100’ x 12’......$23,84980’ x 100’ x 14’......$32,582100’ x 150’ x 14’....$55,759

MID-AMERICAPole Barn Co.

30 x 50 x 10 Galvalume

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Open M - F 8 to 5

1-866-456-0959

Price includes material, delivery,construction, factory trusses, screws

TOPLINE STEEL BUILDINGS

Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings.SAVE THOUSANDS

on Fac tory Direc t Pric ing!!!Ask about our Outstanding Warranties.

1-800-369-3882www.toplinebuildings.com

See what a difference it makes...Advertise in Rural Electric

Nebraskan Classifieds35 Words for $35

nppd.com

THE PERFECTHOUSEMATETHE PERFETHE PERFE TCTHE PERFETHE PERFEHOUSEMATHE PERFEHOUSEMA

TCTHE PERFETEAATE

nppd.com 877-275-6773 (ASK

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-NPPD)877-275-6773 (ASK

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EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT BUT WE ALL SHARE ONE COMMON GOAL.

www.tristate.coop

As consumer-owned electric co-ops, we serve the needs of many people.

Still, we all share a common interest: the need for affordable, reliable

electricity – power that helps rural communities and economies thrive.

Working together with our 44 member co-ops, Tri-State generates and

transmits electricity across a diverse landscape in the rural West. And it takes

a balanced approach to resource planning and managing costs to make it

possible. So it is with a spirit of cooperation that we work together, delivering

the highest value to the 1.5 million people whose lives we energize.

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association • P.O. Box 33695 • Denver, CO 80233 • Wholesale power supplier to 44 electric cooperatives in Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska and Wyoming.

Documents

Rural Electric Nebraskan