A powerful connection

Transcription

1 A powerful connection 2015 Annual Report EMC of the Year. See inside for details.

2 A powerful connection A powerful connection Over the past year, our board of directors and employees have worked diligently, focusing efforts on increased accountability, stronger governance and lower operating costs. We live by the cooperative difference our focus is on keeping this business financially strong on your behalf and continuing to provide you safe, reliable service at the lowest possible cost. We are operating under a corporate strategic plan that focuses on initiatives that will meet, or better yet, exceed member expectations. Connecting to members. We work hard to put members first, and the success of that approach is reflected in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey, where we received a score of 86. The national average among Touchstone Energy cooperatives is 80, IOUs and municipals scored 74 and 73, respectively. We are listening to you! Cobb EMC has a long and proud record of effectively managing our costs so that the electricity we provide to our members remains affordable. Our commitment to cost containment and fiscal discipline has allowed us to avoid rate increases, making the co-op one of the most affordable providers in the state. Cobb EMC is among the top 10 out of 94 electric utilities for lowest summer rates for in Georgia at the 1,000 kwh use level, according to the Georgia Public Service Commission s Residential Rate Survey. These rankings reaffirm our commitment to safely delivering reliable, competitively priced electricity. Connecting you to reliable electricity. With some 177,000 members, reliability is critical. Cobb EMC s percent reliability rating helps assure our members that the lights will stay on in their homes and their business will keep running. Over the past 22 years, Cobb EMC has made substantial investments in its infrastructure, building one of the most technologically advanced power distribution systems in the country. Our teams are highly skilled and trained, which means our restoration times are among the best in the nation. Comparing the average length of outages among cooperatives, Cobb EMC ranks second as the most reliable among Georgia s 41 cooperatives and third among 25 co-ops in the nation with more than 100,000 members, according to a key ratio trend analysis conducted by the National Cooperative Services Corporation. Our implementation of fiber optic communications and enhancements to distribution automation will help us continue to maintain and improve our reliability. Connecting to your future energy needs. Our expanded renewable energy portfolio includes at least 118 MW of solar power. In we signed the largest solar power purchase agreement in Georgia co-op history. Our board of directors approved a 25-year power purchase agreement with Southern Power to receive 77 percent of the output from the Taylor Countybased solar facility. This solar facility makes our co-op one of the largest purchasers of solar energy among electric cooperatives in the U.S. Construction of the project is scheduled to begin in September, with commercial operation on the horizon for fourth quarter of This new solar generation will help assure a diverse supply of reliable electric energy. Cobb EMC is always looking for ways to diversify our energy mix and expand our energy portfolio in an effort to keep costs as low as possible for our members. Our focus on affordable, renewable energy options is what helps support rate stability and Chip Nelson President and CEO Bryan Boyd Chairman favorably position our co-op for future environmental regulations. Connecting in the community. We re pleased to be recognized locally and nationally for our efforts to provide value to our members and remain involved in the community. Our directors received NRECA s Cooperative Spirit Award for their focused efforts on increased transparency and accountability, stronger governance and lower operating costs. The award, the first ever, illustrates the commitment of our board to putting the interests of our members first. Then, in November, for unprecedented generosity and service to thousands of residents in five metro Atlanta counties, Georgia EMC named us EMC of the Year. We hope you will be pleased with our efforts to provide the best possible service to you. Our co-op is looking out for each of our members, and we are continually working to introduce programs that make your life easier. At Cobb EMC, three things never waver our reliability, our employees continued commitment to our members and the company s focus on safety. Providing world-class service to all Cobb EMC members is the No. 1 priority of our board and staff. 2

3 Connecting to the members and communities we serve 77 years of service... As a member-owned cooperative, Cobb EMC operates differently than a traditional utility. You are a member not simply a customer, which means you are getting more for your money. You are a part of this company, and you have a say in the way things work. You ve chosen our board of directors, and they have focused their efforts on increased transparency and accountability, stronger governance and lower operating costs. Excellence Awards It takes a great deal of planning, equipment, staff and programs to provide safe, reliable electricity to those we serve. We want to ensure our members feel good about the service we provide. We were delighted that our members responded favorably to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey, where we rated higher than the national average among IOUs, municipals and Touchstone Energy cooperatives. 86 American Customer Satisfaction Index Lower rates Despite national and industry pressures, we are working tirelessly to control costs and bring power to our members. Among the top 10 out of 94 electric utilities for lowest summer rates in Georgia.* *According to a rate survey by the Georgia Public Service Commission. Renewable energy At least 118 MW of solar power included in our renewable energy portfolio We have an obligation to you to keep up with demand and meet challenges through careful planning and analysis of our day-to-day operations. This dedication has garnered several honors for our cooperative over the past year. 1 st ever 1 6 Cooperative Spirit Award 22 4 th 1 Georgia Lineman s Rodeo awards Community Service and Volunteerism award Overall, EMC division, International Lineman s Rodeo Member benefits 15,575 members chose paperless billing $32,000 in pharmacy savings More than 275 local and national discounts NRECA Spotlight on Excellence awards Golden Backhoe Award 83,620 SmartHub account management users Community-driven As a co-op, we have a special responsibility to give back to the areas in which our members live and work. That s one of the things that s different about a co-op: We always work to give back. From supporting new jobs and industry through economic development to local sponsorships, we stand as a driving force in our community. Cobb EMC works to be a responsible corporate citizen and to improve the quality of life in our local communities. With your help through Operation Round Up, Cobb EMC supports charitable and educational projects in the community. More than 135 organizations benefited from Operation Round Up Connecting to our members, community 3

4 Connecting you to safe and We are responsible for ensuring the power stays on for 177,000 members 24/7, 365, through all types of conditions. No matter how well we plan and engineer our distribution system, outside forces beyond our control can interrupt your power. Cobb EMC has one of the most technologically advanced automated distribution systems in the country. Fault Detection, Isolation and Restoration (FDIR) technology helps us identify, isolate and resolve power interruptions. This saves members money through fewer trucks on the road, improved reliability and increased operational efficiency. 29%Tree Severe storms Animals Vehicles Right of way Unknown Other Damaged equipment or lines (add in bad transformer to this one??) Lightning In our efforts to keep you connected we are constantly moniinsulators UG fault We are dedicated to continued maintenance and technology toring outage causes. improvements toload help us follow through on our corporate promise to provide Underground equipment you, our member, with equipment reliable, safe electric service. Below are some examples of Overhead Bad meter throughout our service district in. the top outage causes Outages by cause. 5% An estimated two-thirds of outages on our system are caused by the following: 8% Top 5 11% It takes a highly skilled and knowledgeable team to provide safe, reliable electricity to our members. Our electric operations staff play a key role in helping keep the lights on, and a dedicated group of employees work behind the scenes as well. Topby5 cause outages outages by cause 29% Animals Right-of-way Tree outside right-of-way Storms and lightning Minor and uncontrollable interruptions like balloons in the line 12% Service reliability Restoring power efficiently, quickly and safely 99.99% Our crews have extensive experience in restoring power following destruction from a variety of weather events. During a major outage, Cobb EMC s highly skilled employees repair and re-energize lines safely and efficiently. The main goal is to restore power safely to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible. Find all the steps to restoring power at Here s an overview: The amount of time Cobb EMC is free from outages, outside of major storm events. A safe and reliable connection Based on the Average Service Availability Index (ASAI) 4 State-of-the-art distribution automation 450 More than skilled, knowledgeable and dedicated employees ready to provide 24/7 service 365 days a year Local substation When a major outage occurs, the local substations are checked first. If the problem can be corrected here, power may be restored to a large number of members. Distribution lines carry electricity away from the substation to a group of members. When power is restored at this stage, all members served by this supply line could see the lights come on. Supply or Tap lines deliver power to transformers either mounted on poles or placed on pads for underground service outside homes and businesses. Line crews fix the remaining outages based on restoring power to the greatest number of members. Individual homes Sometimes, damage occurs on the service line between your house and the transformer on the nearby pole. This explains why you have no power and your neighbor does.

5 MEMBERSHIP ENERGY SAFETY reliable electricity System at a glance ,176 miles of line More than 21 active meters per mile of line 432 square miles in our service territory More than 800 automated devices 94,697 poles Safety a top priority We strive to keep you safe and connected. Our recordable incident rate is 45 percent lower among other co-ops across the state and 50 percent lower than co-ops across the nation.* Every day our employees strive to achieve zero accidents or preventable injuries on the job. Striving for a zero issues report is quite a feat for a company with more than 450 employees, many of whom work outdoors and must daily exercise caution around hazards including live power lines, sharp tools, elevated heights and high voltages. Safely performing our job ensures the safety of our members. Below is a look at how our efforts stacked up in. Daily success rate of 99.5% 10,927 total hours of employee safety training 12 employees completed Safety Ambassador course Average of 430 employees attended monthly safety meetings Average of 50 frontline supervisors participate in Frontline Supervisor Safety Meetings monthly *According to a report gathered by a national insurance provider who covers electric co-ops across the country. Connecting you before, during and after a storm Outage map on our website. In, we launched our outage map and storm center at The page, which works on both computers and mobile devices, keeps members informed before, during and after an outage. Our outage map shows outages our crews are already aware of and estimated time of restoration. Storm hardy. When severe weather is predicted, our trucks are stocked and our crews are ready to mobilize if an outage occurs. Back at headquarters, our power control team monitors our system 24/7. So, if your power goes out, we can start working immediately to get you back up and running. ALWAYS PREPARED: Download our award-winning storm safety guide for tips to help you stay safe and prepared before, during and after a major outage. WE ARE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU storm SAFETY GUIDE A safe and reliable connection 5

6 Connecting our members to time- and energy-saving tools and services Keeping you connected As a not-for-profit electric co-op, we re here to empower you, our members, to improve the quality of your lives. That s why, in an effort to serve you better, we implemented a new member care and billing system called ivue. With this implementation, members have the opportunity to experience our online account management tool, SmartHub, an easier way to manage your electric account. Priority one is making your life and your experiences with us more convenient. We ve been hard at work adding new payment options and a simpler billing process. In January we rolled out a new bill design and began accepting online credit card payments with no fees for residential members. What s more, payments made via SmartHub are posted to your account immediately. That means no more waiting for payments to post through your bank. SmartHub features Account information Access multiple accounts Update contact information Usage and billing Pay your bill in real time Set recurring payments Compare monthly bills Residential members may pay by credit card with zero fees Analyze and understand your energy usage trends to find the best ways to cut back your use and push alerts Previous day s usage Bill and payment status Social media alerts Convenient Use SmartHub on your smartphone or tablet Download the FREE app for Apple and Android devices at Create an account in less than three minutes Usage explorer To view your usage, click on the My Usage tab once you log in to your account, then click on Usage Explorer. Choose any of the temperature hyperlinks to compare your usage as temperature fluctuates. Connecting you to tools and savings See the actual temperature by hovering over a square or triangle or by looking at the temperature sidebar. Click on a month or date hyperlink to view more detailed information. Note: To view hourly usage, click on the date hyperlink and you will see hour-byhour usage. To switch back to your monthly usage, click on the Monthly Usage button at the top of the page. View a summary of your electric usage and weather in the frames below the graph. 6

7 Downlo and pr ad i full au nt the dit rep or t this su mmer. bbem annualr c.com/ eport Connected to solid financial management Statistical profile year-end Number of Active Meters (In thousands)* : : : : Kilowatt-hour Sales 3.8 (In billions) : 4.1 : 4.0 : 3.8 : 3.8 *Due to sale of Pataula District. 10,700 1,200 10,500 1,100 9,000 1,000 8,300 Miles of Line : 10,508 : 10,563 9,156* : 10,608 : 10, Peak Load (In thousands 1,085.5 of kilowatts) : 1,189.2 : 1,156.0 : 1,178.1 : 1, Total Plant Value (In millions of dollars) : : : : Total Operating Revenue (In millions of dollars) : : : : Conntected to solid financial management *Due to sale of Pataula District. 7

8 Cobb EMC commits to safely delivering reliable, competitively priced electricity while being accountable to our member-owners through sound governance, management, operating practices and improving quality of life in our local communities. Cobb EMC named EMC of the Year cobbemc.com