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Below
are some
of the most commonly asked questions. If you have a
question, please feel free to send it to
kmorrow@chelco.com.
Click on each of the questions below to review the answers.
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Energy Efficiency
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Outages
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Generator Safety
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Service
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School Programs
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Other Questions
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Billing
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My
bill is too high...can you help?
If you are
concerned that your bill is too high, several factors should be
taken into consideration. Seasonal
changes and daily temperatures, for example, could increase your
electricity usage substantially within a short period of time.
When the seasons change from fall to winter or spring to
summer, you can expect your electric consumption to peak.
Generally speaking your usage will be at its highest during
the coldest month of winter and the hottest month of summer.
Pull your past bills and compare your current bill to those
of the same month of years past.
It may seem that your bill is higher than it should be, but
it still falls within the same range of bills for the same month
of previous years. Consider
the temperature extremes of the season.
Was this a hotter summer or a colder winter than you can
remember for years past? Were
any repairs made to any major appliances? Was the heat pump or water heater repaired recently? If the
answer to all of those questions was no, then start monitoring
your usage. Take
readings off your meter at about the same time each day, and
record your usage. Compare
the number of kilowatt-hours you use each day.
Record extreme changes in weather, so you can compare an
extremely hot or cold day to one that was mild.
By doing this you can track the cost of each day’s usage.
We recommend that you monitor your usage for a couple of
billing cycles. If the usage drops back in line, there is not likely to be a
problem. If the usage
stays the same or keeps increasing, then a problem could be
causing the increase. A
hole in your ductwork, a malfunction with your heating or cooling
system, or a malfunctioning water heater could cause an increase
in your bill. A
routine inspection by your HVAC specialist would help in
diagnosing most of these problems.
If it is determined that there is nothing wrong and your
family is still using more electricity than you think they should,
then consider a self-evaluation of ways to make your home more
energy efficient. CHELCO’s
web site offers several energy conservation tips that will help
save you money. If
you would like personal assistance with your questions, feel free
to contact our Marketing Department.
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What are your rates?
CHELCO has some
of the lowest rates, not just in the region, but in the country.
This is even more astounding when you consider CHELCO’s number
of customers per mile of line and environmental good stewardship.
In the early years of electrification, citizens of rural
communities found that electric service was not available to them.
The citizens of these communities formed CHELCO to service those
residents who would not have had power otherwise. Today, CHELCO
has a mere 10 customers per mile of line compared to the 50+
serviced by the local investor owned utility. Yet, even with the
higher cost of servicing its customers, the cooperative manages to
stay competitive.
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Residential
Services
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Customer
Charge
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Single
Phase - $24.00
Three Phase - $34.60
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Energy
Charge
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7.046¢ per kWh, + or
– Wholesale
Power Adjustment
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General
Service –
Non-Demand
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Customer
Charge
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Single
Phase - $24.00
Three Phase - $34.60
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Energy
Charge
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6.459¢
per kWh, + or – Wholesale
Power Adjustment
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General Service – Demand
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Customer
Charge
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Single
Phase - $35.00
Three Phase - $40.00
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Energy
Charge
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4.265¢
per kWh, + or – Wholesale
Power Adjustment
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Demand
Charge
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50-499 kW, $6.22 per kW
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What is a wholesale power adjustment?
The
Wholesale Power adjustment is a means to adjust utility bills to
reflect changing wholesale power prices. This cost will vary and
is driven by the cost of fuel used to produce electricity.
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Do you have any alternative methods of bill payment?
In
addition to mailing in your payment or dropping it off at one of
the six convenient bill payment locations, you also have the
option of paying your power bill by bank draft. For information on
how to set up this service, click
here.
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What is a Customer Charge?
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A monthly charge billed to each metered account to cover CHELCO’s operating costs.
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Why aren’t operating costs included in the kilowatt hour charge?
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A small portion is included in the per kilowatt hour charge, but is not our sole cost recovery source because energy usage is as unpredictable as the weather and operating costs are fairly consistent expenses that occur regularly.
Your total per kilowatt hour rate of $0.0746 is made of up 2 figures: the major portion of this figure $0.05347 is passed directly to CHELCO’s Generation and Transmission supplier
(AEC aka Power South Energy Cooperative). The balance $0.01699 is used to help offset operating expense. These costs are directly associated with energy consumption, which in turn is affected by the weather. During a warmer winter or cooler summer season not as many hours are used, so there are inconsistencies in the amount paid in to offset operating costs.
The wholesale power adjustment is passed directly to the generation and transmission supplier as well. It covers the fluctuating costs of fuels to generate the electricity used. CHELCO averages the actual charge from our generation and transmission supplier in an attempt to maintain a fairly stable rate for our members.
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Why am I charged sales tax?
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The Florida Department of Revenue requires us to charge Florida Sales tax on all of our services, unless the purpose of use is exempt by their regulations.
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What qualifies for sales tax exemption?
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The most common exemption is residential use of electricity. This exempts ONLY charges associated with energy consumed for residential use. Other charges on the bill related to leased equipment such as outdoor lights and surge units are still taxable.
Certified exemptions such as churches and non-profit organizations may be obtained an exemption certificate from the Florida Department of Revenue. These certificates are normally good for 5 years, and must be renewed regularly. The Florida Department of Revenue can provide more details at
http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/.
Other exemptions allowed by the Florida Department of Revenue are geared for industrial and manufacturing plants, and energy used for agricultural purposes. Detailed qualification for these exemptions may be obtained at
http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/.
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Energy Efficiency
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My meter is
running too fast...can you help?
Although
it is possible that the electric meter is wrong, it is unlikely.
Less than 1/2 of 1 percent of meters go bad (reading either
fast or slow). 99.9%
of meters that go bad do so in the customer's favor by slowing
down. In a general
sense, a meter works like a windmill. As a windmill turns only
when wind is blowing through it, an electric meter turns only when
electricity passes through it. A turning meter indicates that
something is using electricity. If you turn your main breaker off,
the meter should, within a few seconds, come to a complete stop.
If it isn't apparent what appliance is running, then turn each of
your circuit breakers off one by one to determine what appliance
is pulling the load. It might be your water heater, well pump,
refrigerator, freezer, your heating and cooling equipment. The
refrigerator could be in the auto defrost mode, which consumes
electricity. The electronic circuitry in your TV, VCR, and
microwave continuously use electricity. Something else to consider
is that your larger appliances (water heater, heating and cooling
equipment, stove, etc.) require more electricity to operate; as a
result, your meter dial will revolve more frequently as these 240
volt appliances are used.
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How
can I reduce my consumption?
Contact
CHELCO’s Marketing Department for a free energy audit. The
energy audit will help to reveal your home's base load.
Base load is made up of those appliances you use every
month, such as your stove, washer/dryer or TV, which are not
affected by temperature. Understanding your home's base load can
help you reduce your consumption, by providing you knowledge of
your appliances' operational costs. For example, if your home's
base load equates to approximately $70 a month, and your current
month's bill is $120,
the additional $50 most likely resulted from the use of an
appliance which is temperature related such as a heater, air
conditioner, or irrigation pump. It could also help you to
determine if you have an appliance that is malfunctioning. For a
list of energy conservation measures, please visit the energy
efficiency tips of this web site
or contact CHELCO’s Marketing Department at 1-800-342-0990.
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My
water is extremely hot...what should I do?
To
reduce the temperature of your water, you need to adjust the
settings on your water heater. There are two types of electric
water heaters. The first is a single element water heater. We
recommend a temperature setting of 125°.
The other type is a duel element water heater. On a duel element
water heater, we recommend that the top element be set at 120°
and the bottom element be set at 125°.
Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions when adjusting
the temperature on your water heater.
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Tell me about your Touchstone Energy ® Home.
CHELCO, as a
Touchstone Energy® Cooperative, uses the Touchstone Energy®
Home standards as the basis for its energy efficient home program.
Building or remodeling to Touchstone Energy® Home standards
ensures that a consumer will have one of the most energy efficient
homes available. This translates to lower power bills, which are a
benefit while living in a home, as well as when selling it. For
more information about the Touchstone Energy® Home, click
here.
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Outages
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If
my power goes out, what should I do?
First check to see if your neighbors have
power. If everyone around you has power, check your fuse or breaker box. If that doesn't
seem to be the problem, call CHELCO at 892-2111 or 800-342-0990 and
report the outage.
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What
should I do if I see a power line down?
Don't go near any downed line. It may be
energized, even though your power may be off. Call CHELCO immediately to report the line's
location. Also, remember that water conducts electricity. If the downed line is near
water, keep your distance from the water.
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| Generator
Safety |
I recently bought a generator. How can I make sure I use it safely?
Always refer to the book that came with your generator and follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Unless your home has been wired for a generator, only use a generator that appliances can be plugged in to. You must not break the seal and remove your meter to connect a generator. Never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet. Instead, use an extension cord and plug an appliance into the generator. Rotate appliance usage. For example, keep the refrigerator or freezer plugged in long enough to keep food cold, then plug another appliance into the generator.
If generators are installed incorrectly, the result may be injury or even death for line crews who are trying to restore power. Line crews may believe a line is de-energized, but the line may have been energized by a portable generator. Current from a generator that is incorrectly hooked up can flow out of the home and into the transformers serving the home or business. Once the electricity goes into the transformer, it is stepped up to 13,000 volts and enters the local power distribution system.
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What
can I do to protect myself against lightning?
Home
protection against "indirect lightning" can best be
achieved through surge protection equipment.
A device installed on the outside meter service panel and a
device plugged directly into an interior outlet are two examples.
The meter-based surge suppressor is designed to protect
electro-mechanical appliances such as a washing machine, dryer,
stove, refrigerator, freezer, water heater, etc.
A plug-in surge suppressor is designed to protect
appliances with electronics such as televisions, VCRs, personal
computers, cordless phones, microwave ovens, stereo components,
etc. Additionally,
"single point" grounding will help prevent lightning
damage. This means
that grounding for electricity, cable TV and phone service should
be bonded at one point, creating a single path for a surge to
travel. CHELCO offers a surge protection lease program that includes
an evaluation of your ground's integrity. For information about
these products and the lease program, contact CHELCO's Marketing
Department.
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Why are my lights blinking?
A
light blink is a momentary power interruption that happens almost
in the blink of an eye. It’s like flipping a switch off and then
back on quickly. While some people mistakenly believe that an
occasional blink means poor service from their power company, it
actually indicates the opposite. Most blinks are the result of the
local environment. Generally, when your lights blink, it is the
result of a squirrel or other small animal getting onto a
transformer or a tree limb falling into the lines. The blink you
see actually means that CHELCO’s protective equipment is
operating as it should and an outage has been avoided. If,
however, the blink occurs frequently or consistently (same time
every day), then there may be a problem requiring CHELCO to
investigate. In this case, please call us and we will be glad to
respond to your call.
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Where
is your service territory?
CHELCO
primarily services consumers in Walton and North Okaloosa counties
and parts of Holmes and Santa Rosa counties. Currently, CHELCO has
offices in DeFuniak Springs, Santa Rosa Beach, Freeport, Bluewater
Bay/Seminole, Baker, and Auburn. These offices provide convenient
bill payment locations for residents throughout the company’s
territory.
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| School
Programs |
Do you have a safety program for kids?
CHELCO’s Marketing Representatives routinely visit area schools
to teach and promote safety around electricity. CHELCO
representatives use both educational videos (cartoons) and Safety
City, a model that demonstrates the dangers of electricity, to
promote electric safety. If you would like to arrange a safety
demonstration for your child’s class, please contact their
teacher or principal.
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Do
you have literature that would help my child with his/her
science project?
While
it is impossible to help without knowing the specific nature of
the science project, we can offer you some resources on the
Internet which may help with your research. For a listing of
educational sites that relate specifically to electricity,
click
here.
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Other Questions
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Do you sell A/C, washers and dryers, etc?
Currently, CHELCO does not sell any appliances. While we
constantly evaluate value-added products and services to determine
their value to our consumers, we continue to focus on bringing our
members reliable power at reasonable rates. Our most recent
research with relation to the retail sale of appliances indicated
that offering appliances to consumers who are currently being
served by their local retailers would not be the most efficient
use of cooperative resources.
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I’m building a house. Can you help me with a code form for
the building department?
CHELCO’s
Marketing Department is always willing to help you with your code
form. The cooperative offers code form preparation as a free
service for members and builders who build in our area. If you
would like to take advantage of this service, please drop off your
house plans at the office nearest you. While dropping off the
plans, please take a moment to thoroughly complete the Code Form
Request the office staff will provide. The Marketing
Representative who completes your code form will contact you when
it is ready for you to pick up. When all of the proper information
is included with the plans, most code forms can be completed and
returned within 5-7 business days.
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Do you give away water heaters or have a rebate program?
CHELCO
is a cooperative and as such has an obligation to spend its
member-owners' money as effectively as possible. Research recently
performed by an independent agency determined that offering water
heaters or rebates to consumers had no bearing on the consumer’s
behavior. That being the case, the cooperative could not
legitimately continue to devote funds to such a program.
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What is the difference between a cooperative such as
CHELCO and a conventional, investor-owned electric utility?
CHELCO is a member-owned, not-for-profit
utility, unlike other utilities that are investor-owned. Cooperatives are locally owned
and operated, and the members have a say in the business. Members vote each year for
directors and changes in the by-laws. CHELCO has approximately
44,000 services in place on
almost 3,000 miles of line. CHELCO's average density is 9.8 customers per mile of line,
while investor-owned utilities serve approximately 35 to 50 customers per mile of line.
Cooperatives such as CHELCO are a part of the communities they serve. Employees
(147 at
CHELCO) and the business are active in a wide variety of community activities. Because the
business is not-for-profit, margins go back into the company to fund upgrades and prepare
for emergencies (repairs from hurricanes, for example). When sufficient credit
accumulates, CHELCO may issue the equivalent of a stock dividend (capital credits) to
members.
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What are CHELCO’s operating costs?
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Operating costs include expenses of the company to keep the power flowing to each meter base and each outdoor light within our service area. Some expense examples are replacing damaged and/or deteriorating equipment such as transformers, poles, and power lines; and costs associated with billing and managing members’ accounts.
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If
you have a question
you would like answered, please email us:
kmorrow@chelco.com
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