ELECTRIC COOPERATIVET A L Q U I N

JUNE 2015

Talquin - Prepared at every level

Being Prepared - Co-op 101Being prepared is one of the major responsibilities of an electric cooperative. Just as we make preparations each year for the upcoming storm season, Talquin Electric prepares every year for upcoming legislation that could significantly impact our Members. Representatives of Talquin’s Board of Trustees and management staff join representatives from electric cooper-atives across the nation in our nation’s capital every year in May for one purpose: to remind our legislators that cooperatives serve over 75% of the land mass in the United States and represent a very important group of people – our Members.This year, three regulatory issues have the potential to significantly impact our rates and reliability, so this effort was more important than ever. We identified significant pieces of legislation to Senator Bill Nelson, Senator Marco Rubio, Representative Gwen Graham and their staff members as vitally im-portant to electric cooperatives.Our first request was that the Legislators support a bill called the “Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015.” This piece of legislation simply asks for a “safe harbor period” or “pause” for utility providers while the Clean Power Plan (EPA’s landmark rule to regulate carbon dioxide, or CO2, emissions from power plants) is worked out and finalized. One deadline in the EPA’s proposed “Clean Power Plan” requires utilities to make large re-ductions of CO2 emissions by 2020. This deadline will not allow enough time for lawsuits to be settled, for the rule to be finalized, and for utilities to make necessary adjustments to avoid power interruptions and continue to meet current demand. We asked our legislators to vote for a balanced, reasonable approach.

As our Members already know, Talquin understands the need for renewable resources in energy generation and currently is one of Florida’s leaders in this area. In 2014, about 14% of the energy provided to our Members was generated with renewable resources.

Our next request was in reference to a new “Waters of the U.S.” rule proposed by the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers. This rule would allow federal regulation of small bodies of water, such as ditches and ponds, throughout Florida. As written, this regulation could cost Talquin Members vast amounts of money in increased permitting and would slow down nec-essary maintenance on existing infrastructure. Talquin requested that our legislators support a bill that would require the EPA to drop this current proposal and rewrite their definition of protected waters.Our final request from our elected representatives was to support a bill that would permanently designate coal ash produced from electricity generation as non-hazardous. This product is currently designated as non-hazardous. In fact, coal ash has been evaluated by the EPA at least three times in the last 10 years and found to be non-hazardous each time. The proposed bill would simply make the current designation permanent, eliminate the need to re-evaluate this designation every three years, and provide regulatory certainty for electric utilities.We would also be remised if we did not mention that we met in person with Con-gresswoman Gwen Graham’s office to thank her for her help by signing a letter of support earlier this year for continued R.U.S. funding for the nation’s electric cooperatives. This low

2 THE CURRENT | June 2015

“The Current”June 2015Vol. MMXV No. 6USPS #356-710“The Current” is the official newsletter of TalquinElectric Cooperative, Inc., published monthly asan informational and educational service to themembers of the Cooperative. Periodical postagepaid at Tallahassee, Florida.

SUBSCRIPTION RATECooperative Member $1.50 per year. Talquin Electric Cooperative, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

EDITORIAL OFFICESP.O. Box 16791640 West Jefferson StreetQuincy, Florida 32353-1679

Tracy Bensley, General ManagerKen A. Cowen, Director of Administrative Services/Editor

PRINTED BY:Graphic Press Corporation, Tallahassee, Florida

POSTMASTERIn using Form 3579 please give key letter and mail to “The Current,”P.O.Box 1679, Quincy, Florida 32353-1679

OFFICERSCarrie L. DurdenPresidentP.O. Box 541Havana, Florida 32333

William R. VanLandinghamVice-President519 Telogia Creek RoadQuincy, Florida 32351

Joseph AlexanderSecretary/Treasurer507 Deerwood CircleQuincy, Florida 32352

TRUSTEES

Dr. Clifford S. Bristol15333 N.W. CR 12Bristol, Florida 32321

Doug BruceP.O. Box 10855Tallahassee, Florida 32302

Sam Fenn3539 Lakeview DriveTallahassee, Florida 32310

Mal Green7882 Bandits RunTallahassee, Florida 32309

Bobby J. Strickland108 Coleman RoadCrawfordville, Florida 32327

Dr. David L. Wright1194 Solomon Dairy RoadQuincy, FL 32352

Talquin Electric and TWWI Board meeting will be held the third Wednesday of the month at Headquarters Officein Quincy, Florida, at 7:00 p.m. Notice of any changes and special meetings will be posted at business offices.

Powering Communities/Empowering Members

Carrie Durden, Board President Tracy Bensley, General Manager

interest funding is critical for maintaining stable rates for the nation’s cooperatives. Thank you again, Representative Graham!

As you all know, every year brings new challenges to electric cooperatives, but we ap-preciate the opportunities provided by our state and federal representatives to meet in person and discuss the importance of maintaining reliable and affordable electricity for our Members. What a great country we live in where we are afforded that privilege! Talquin Members can depend on us to provide reliable, affordable services and keep the membership informed of important topics. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at www.talquinelectric.com to stay updated on issues that matter to you.

Are You Prepared for Hurricane Season?Even though our area has not recently been hit by a major storm and 2015 is expected to be quiet, we always want to be prepared for the worst. June 1 marks the official start of the hurricane season with the peak storm threat occurring from mid-August to late October.

Talquin Electric wants you to be prepared in the event of any dangerous storms. Keep your family safe with these handy tips:

Before the Storm:

• Put together an emergency kit and plan. Communicate the plan with your family. Make sure you have a weather radio that is working with extra batteries.

• Know the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone. This will help you prepare for the storm surge and any tidal flooding.

• Secure your home – cover all windows with either storm shutters or boards, clear loose and clogged rain gutters, and bring all outdoor furniture indoors.

• Learn your community hurricane evacuation routes.

During the Storm:

• Listen to the radio or TV for information, if possible.

• Avoid using the phone, unless there is an emergency.

• Turn off utilities if instructed to do so. Otherwise, keep the refrigerator ther-mostat on the coldest setting and keep the doors closed.

After the Storm:

• Keep away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to Talquin Electric at 850-627-7651 or after hours call 1-866-899-4832 (auto-mated system) or 1-888-802-1832 (live operator).

• Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads. Watch out for fallen objects, downed power lines, and weakened walls, bridges, or sidewalks.

As summer starts to heat up and tempera-tures rise, many of us are cranking up the air conditioners to stay cool. It should come as no surprise then that air con-ditioners use about 5 percent of all the electricity produced in the U.S., costing homeowners more than $11 billion a year in energy costs.

This summer, instead of blasting the air conditioner (and blowing your electrici-ty bills through the roof ), you can take simple actions that will help you beat the heat. For example, replacing a dirty, clogged air filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5-15 percent, while using a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees without impacting your comfort.

With just a few small changes, you can relax in comfort this summer while saving some cold, hard cash.

**from energy.gov

DON’T WAIT… Order your filters at a discounted price by visiting our website at www.talquinelectric.com .

HOW CAN YOUSAVE MONEYAND ENERGY

THIS SUMMER?

June 2015 | THE CURRENT 3

Effective June 1, 2015 the Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment was de-creased by 5.5 mills from 3.0 to -2.5 ($0.003 to -$0.0025 per kWh). This will be a savings of $5.50 per month for Members using 1,000 kWh.

Powering Communities/Empowering Members

trading post Trading Post GuidelinesIn order to continue to provide The Trading Post in every issue of The Current, we are asking Members to adhere to the guidelines listed below when submitting an ad. If an ad does not meet the new criteria, it will not be published. There is no cost to place an ad in The Trading Post.

• Members may submit one ad every three months (four times a year)

• Ads must be twenty-five words or less• Must be typed or printed legibly in ink• No registered businesses may run an ad• No changes after ad submission• Deadlines are the first day of the month

preceding the month of publication (For example, December 1st is the deadline for the January edition.)

• Members must provide name, phone number, and account number. No email addresses will be published.

Mail ads to: “The Current”, Talquin Electric Cooperative P.O. Box 1679, Quincy, FL 32353-1679 or e-mail to: tradingpost@talquinelectric.com

Miscellaneous2 (side by side) funeral plots available at Tallahassee Memory Gardens (off Hwy 27, near Lake Jackson). “Peace” section. Lot 125, section D, spaces 3 and 4. $1,200 each. Sold as a pair. 524-4432Dishwasher and wall mounted Microwave for sale. $175 each or both for $300.00 Ready to be installed and used. White and in GREAT condition. 539-8383Housecleaning, reasonable rates, excellent references,16 years experience. Move ins and move outs. 321-41812007 goodman ac split unit 13 seer 2.5 ton. Good compressor with new capacitor, and new blower fan motor. $800 call 566-6435Tractor work. Call 294-4487Story & Clark piano for sale asking $600.00, in very good condition.567-9101 or 574-0026210 ea Heart pine boards 3/4 x8x12 ft. in warehouse since 1981. $4.00 each. 544-2288Limited Edition 2001 G six Kirby Micron Magic HEPA FILTRATION vacuum cleaner, all attachments and carpet shampoo system. Bags and manual included. Excellent condi-tion. $500. 893-6898Antique sewing cab. w/ Sewmor Electric machine mounted. $100 OBO. 100 yr old antique wash pot $150 OBO. JASZY 1133 electric wheelchair used less than 5 hrs $500 OBO 442-44494 cemetery lots Tallahassee Memory Gardens – Garden of Devotion. $1,250 each. 893-3455Lg and sm aluminum walkers $25/$20; raised toilet sea w/ handrails $25; adj shower stool $20; pedal exerciser $15; Regalo safety bed rail $15; 3x16x16 wheelchair cushion $15; stnd size wall surround for bath tub (wht/never installed) $75. 442-4210Electric hospital bed w/ exercise bar $1,000. Molift quick riser $1,205. Electric wheel chair $2,000. Manual wheel chair $400. All items OBO. 445-3692Shotgun shell reloaders: 12 ga MEC “Grab-ber”; 12 ga Pacific progressive DL 366; 28 ga MEC 600 Jr. $75 ea. 514-3585Craftsman belt/disc sander 4”x36” belt 6” disc like new condition $75 OBO. 668-1871Collectible porcelain dolls and some doll furniture. Also grandma and grandpa porcelain dolls. Call for appointment. All for $1,000 firm. 510-193650 gal. aquarium w/ stand and accessories. $130 firm. 766-6472

Real Estate1964 Home, 4BR, 2BA, Pool, 815 Brent Drive, Tallahassee Sunroom, Hardwood Floors, Excellent Family Home Recent bath-room fixtures and paint, Sits on 2 lots, 3/4 Acre

$115,000.00 766-5858Riverfront reduced. $108,000. Recreational wonderland on beautiful Ochlockonee. Clean and tight 2BR/2Bath, protected dock, high and dry N Easy Street, Smith Creek, Sopchoppy. 566-17193 bedroom 2 bath MH for rent - date avail-able now. Will except section 8 housing choice voucher. Monthly rent $959.00. By appoint-ment only 926-4630Beautiful RV Lot for Sale in N. GA Mountains – Fantastic RV Park. Great Deal – Ready to Sell - For pictures and more information, 508-3325Land for Sale -7.3 acres, 3 beautiful residential lots. Ft. Braden area adjacent to Nat. Forest, good for horses. Must see. $9,995.00 per acre. 575-6968HOME FOR RENT, furnished, 3 bedrooms, 1 bth, one block from beach at Shell Point $950.00 month plus utilities 834-2094Shell Point Mini House complete with bed-room, kitchen, RV hookup, septic, 2 showers, 2 toilets, fire pit. Vacation now or build bigger home. 478/396-2843Port St. Joe Vacation Rental: $100.00 per night Plus $50.00 cleaning fee; 2/1 cozy 1930’s cottage; w/full kitchen; sleeps 6; fenced yard; grill, screened porches; small dogs ok; 2 blocks from the bay; 539-8055

Automotive 1979 Ford LTD II – 4-Door, A/C, Radio, P/S, Original Motor/Interior Low Mileage – 26,000 Asking $7,500 766-5858, 9H31F170318 – VIN NumberOne Truck/Van/SUV size battery, bought but never used Two Dodge Van Seats.(BO) 332-9985 2013 Harley Davidson Anniversary model Trike Low mileage, Like new condition, with HD cover. $31.900 575-35721996 Mazda B3000 V6 PU, Extended Cab w/A.R.E Topper. Approximately 190,000 miles. 5 good tires. Runs well. AC needs work. $3500 OBO. 322-1283

Antique 1955 GMC truck, hydromatic drive $10,000 OBO 442-44492003 Freedom Coachman: 30,000 miles, new tires and awning, bedroom, bath w/ separate shower facility, kitchen w/ stove, fridge and microwave. $20,000 265-1265 or 832-22342002 Lincoln Town Car: 85,000 miles, good condition, one owner, no accidents. $5,000. 556-3942

Farm/Garden Organically grown heirloom vegetables & herbs; flowers and plants; free-range eggs. Lo-cated in Crawfordville, FL. Delivery to TLH available 274-7690. Snapper Lawn Tractor - Model LE14.538H. 38in deck with mulching and bagging kits. Needs a clutch but runs fine otherwise. Asking $400 OBO 766-6007Plants for Sale: roses, herbs, mints, crepes, cones, evergreens, cherry’s, bottlebrush’s, lilies, hedges and more. Free cana or crinum lilies. Indoor also. 339-43811997 light blue Ford Windstar. New fac-tory engine Jan. 2012, needs minor work, good condition, some repair history available. $2,000. 339-4396

WantedCompetent certified Christian teacher to instruct my bright 11 yr old homeschooled child full-time. Bradfordville area. 544-3370

FREEBusiness MBA textbooks: Doing Business Abroad, Organizational Behavior & Adminis-tration, Readings in Organizational Behavior & Performance, Problems in Marketing, Management Policy and Strategy, Economics w/ study guide, Marketing Principals, Man-agement Theory Process & Practice, Practice of Management Science, Managerial Finance 562-2086

4 THE CURRENT | June 2015 Powering Communities/Empowering Members

Department HighlightThe Talquin Electric Substation Department knows what is involved to make sure that power is supplied to the power lines that we see running down the road and into our homes. The Substation Department maintains some of Talquin’s most critical assets. This department is made up of 7 employees that are responsible for maintaining 25 substations, approximately 39 power transformers and 84 substation regulators. The Substation Department also helps maintain the electrical equipment for approximately 83 well-site and lift stations throughout our service area. The Talquin Electric Substation Department has a deep understanding of electricity and what is required to support the Cooperative’s ongoing daily operations. They cover 1,500 square miles of service territory spanning from the northern tip of Gadsden County all the way to Shell Point on the coast. Electricity is a necessity to most of us, and this department plays a key role in keeping it on. The Substation team takes their job seriously and is proud to manage the electrical needs of the Cooperative and the Members they serve. As they like to call it, “Life on the rocks!”

Get prepared for Summer with this Gazpacho recipe that you can always depend on to cool you off!

Golden Gazpacho2 yellow bell peppers (about 1 lb.

total) 1 cup chilled fat-skimmed chicken

broth or vegetable broth 1/2 cup chilled sour cream 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2/3 cup seedless green grapes, rinsed

and cut in half 2/3 cup diced English cucumber

2/3 cup cherry tomatoes (3/4 to 1 in. wide), stemmed, rinsed, and cut into halves or quarters

1/4 cup coarsely chopped salted roast-ed almonds

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint

leaves Salt and fresh-ground pepper

1. Rinse, stem, seed, and coarsely chop bell peppers.

2. In a blender, combine peppers, broth, sour cream, and lemon juice. Whirl until smooth. If making up to 1 day ahead, cover and chill.

3. Ladle soup into wide bowls. Onto the centers, spoon equal portions of grapes, toma-toes, cucumber, almonds, cilantro, and mint. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*Sunset Magazine

Watts HappeningMovie Night - Florida Historic Cap-itol Museum

June 26th – 7:00 PM till movie end.

400 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee (850)487-1902

Join us in the Capitol Complex Court-yard for a movie from the 1980s. Bring your own chair or blanket and enjoy the movie on the big screen with popcorn and sodas.

June 25th – Talquin’s 75th Anniversary

Join us at any of our Member Service Offices for some fun and prizes to help us celebrate 75 years of service!!

Community, God and Country Celebration

June 28th 7:00 PM at Calhoun County Airport

There will be free food, music and fire-works at dark.

4TH OF JULY – INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!

County Emergency Management Information

If you have special needs and may require assistance during a storm, contact your local County Emer-gency Management for information regarding services they provide during storms.

Gadsden County – (850) 875-8642

Leon County – (850) 606-3700

Liberty County – (850) 643-2339

Wakulla County – (850) 745-7200

June 2015 | THE CURRENT 5Powering Communities/Empowering Members

Electric gener- a tor s can keep your lights and appliances run-ning during power outages — but they can also pose serious safety haz-ards if operated incorrectly. To ensure the safety of your family, neighbors and Talquin Electric Cooperative employees, please read and follow the safety, maintenance and testing

instructions in the generator’s op-erating manual.

Use heavy-duty extension cords from the generator. Overloaded cords can cause fires or equip-ment damage. Don’t use exten-

sion cords with exposed wires or worn shielding. Make sure the cords from the generator don’t

present a tripping hazard. Don’t run cords under rugs where heat

might build up or cord damage may go unnoticed.

Never run an electric generator inside a building. Always ensure proper ventilation and airflow around the generator.

Never add fuel to a generator while it’s running. Avoid spilling fuel on hot com-ponents. Put out all flames or cigarettes when handling gasoline.

Always have a fully charged, approved fire extinguisher located near the generator.

Generator Safety

Be aware of the potential hazards of electric generators.

Don’t overload the generator. It should be used only when necessary, and only to power essential equipment.

Keep children away from generators at all times.

Plug appliances directly into generator itself. Connecting the generator directly to your home’s circuits or wiring must be performed by a qualified, licensed electri-cian who will install a transfer switch that will keep the generator from feeding power back into the distribution lines. If that hap-pens, the power crews working to restore your electric service could be put at risk. In addition, if your generator is still hooked up when the power is restored, your gener-ator and your household electrical system may be damaged as well.

If you are interested in a GenerLink transfer switch, contact a Member Ser-vices Office to arrange the purchase and installation of a unit for your home.

Summer Storm Safety Tip

Strong summer storms can create dangerous situations.

Always avoid downed power lines - the wire could be live, which could

be deadly for those nearby.Quickly report downed power lines to your local electric cooperative.

Call our outage lines 1-866-899-4832 (Automated System) 1-888-802-1832

(Live Operator) or 911

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Powering UPWhen electricity goes out, most of us expect power will be restored within a few hours. But when a major storm causes widespread damage, longer outages may result. Co-op line crews work long, hard hours to restore service safely to the greatest number of meters and the most critical infrastructure in the shortest time possible.

1

If your home remains without power, the service line between a transformer and your residence may need to be repaired. Always call or register to text in outage information to help crews isolate local issues.

Individual Homes

Transmission towers and cables that supply power to transmission substations (and thousands of members) rarely fail. But when damaged, these facilities must be repaired before other parts of the system can operate.

High-Voltage Transmission Lines

Each substation serves hundreds or thousands of members. When a major outage occurs, line crews inspect substations to determine if problems stem from transmis-sion lines feeding into the substation, the substation itself, or if problems exist down the line.

Distribution Substation2

If the problem cannot be isolated at a distribution substation, distribution lines are checked. These lines carry power to large groups of members in communities or housing developments.

Main Distribution Lines

If local outages persist, supply lines, called tap lines, are inspected. These lines deliver power to transformers, either mounted on poles or placed on pads for underground service, outside businesses, schools, and homes.

Tap Lines4

1

5

3

2

3

4

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Here’s what’s going on if you �nd yourself in the dark.

Powering Communities/Empowering Members

Members of Talquin for 20 years, Ace Home Center in Crawfordville has made quite an impression on Talquin employees. They know

Member of the Month the owners, Walter and Beverly Roberts - Mr. Walter and Mrs. Beverly – and their daughter Leanne by name, which is not something you see that often these days. “They have a good variety, are friendly, and have a hands on ap-proach. And it is always nice to shop local,” states Susan Vickers. Did you know that every Ace store is locally owned and is a member of the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry? So the next time you are in the area, whether it is for something small or preparing for a storm, make sure to say hi to Mr. Walter and Mrs. Beverly!

Move Over Act In honor of National Safety Month, we want to remind everyone of the Move Over Act (Florida Statute Section 316.126). When approach-ing an authorized emergency, sanitation or utility service vehicle – don’t forget to do the following:

• Move out of lane closest to their vehicle

• Slow speed to 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit

Thanks for helping keep our guys safe!!

“THE CURRENT”TALQUIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. P.O. BOX 1679QUINCY, FL 32353-1679

TALQUIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

Office Locations

Headquarters1640 W. Jefferson StreetQuincy, Florida 32351

(850) 627-7651 or

Quincy Member Services Office1607 W. Jefferson StreetQuincy, Florida 32351

(850) 627-9666

Wakulla Member Services Office681 Wakulla Arran Rd.

Crawfordville, Florida 32327(850) 926-7422

Hosford Member Services Office20557 NE Cooperative Way

Hosford, Florida 32334(850) 379-8679

Lake Jackson Member Services Office4808 Portal Drive

Tallahassee, Florida 32303(850) 562-0125

Bradfordville Member Services Office

6724 Thomasville RoadTallahassee, Florida 32312

(850) 893-6853

Service Interruptions (Outages) Should Be Reported To

1-888-802-1832

(live operator)

1-866-899-4832 (automated systems)

Visit us and report and view outages on the Web at

www.talquinelectric.com

Sign up for text outage notification at www.talquinelectric.com to report your outage quickly and to receive

outage information.

years7575TA

LQUIN

ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.