Notice to all Karnes Electric Cooperative Members:

Important dates:

     Billing Due Date:                   Friday,  September 10, 2010

     Meter Readings due:             No Later than the 15th of the Month

     Disconnection begins:          Thursday, August 26, 2010 - for balances due August 10, 2010.

                                                   Tuesday, September 28, 2010 -for balances due September 10, 2010.

     Offices Hours:                        Monday - Friday   8am-5pm 

     Offices will be Closed:           Monday, September 6, 2010 - Labor Day.

                                                      Federal Assistance to Electric Utilities

According to Nobel Laureate economics professor, Lawrence R. Klein of the University of Pennsylvania, all types of utilities (Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs), Municipal Owned utilities and electric cooperatives enjoy some form of subsidy. You may be surprised to learn that electric cooperatives receive the least amount of subsidy per customer.

The difference in federal subsidies for each type of utility becomes even sharper after considering that electric cooperatives typically serve sparsely populated areas: they have an average of 7 customers per mile compared to 35 for IOUs and 47 for municipal owned utilities.

Source: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, website "COOP 101"

Residential Electric Utility Bill Survey

The following data compares Karnes Electric Cooperative standard Residential rates for 1000 kWh per month to those of the registered Retail Electric Providers (REPS) serving the south Texas area.  REP offerings illustrated are those already published on the Public Utility Commission of Texas "TexasChoice" web site.  All values are expressed in U.S. Dollars.

Karnes Electric Cooperative is not a participant in the Texas electric industry restructuring experiment and

does not endorse any REP. The cooperative does not warrant that this information is accurate but rather directs the reader to its source, th Publinc Utility Commission of Texas web site, "Electric Division, Rates and Tarriffs, Monthly Electric Retail Service Bill Comparisons for Residential Electricl Service" for more information.

J.D. Powers and Associates

A new study ranking the nation's residential electric utilities found that overall customer satisfaction declined by about seven points to 661 on a 1000 point scale, when compared to last year, according to Energy Central.  The report on the 76 largest electric utilities in the country found that customers reported spending 7 percent more on electricity in 2007, the fifth cosecutive year that the average monthly bills have increased.  Nationally, the average stated electric bill is $135.00.

The report also showed that customers are increasingly turning to utility Web sites, with 22 percent visiting their utility Web site in 2007, more than double the number in 2003.

Source: National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, Solutions NewsExtra

August 3 , 2007 Vol. 9, No. 24

Please contact Mr. Buddy Kerlick, KEC Operations Superintendent and Safety Coordinator (830.780.3952) for more information on Karnes Electric Cooperatives' Safety Program.

Electrical safety in the neighborhood

              When thinking about your home or neighborhood, chances are you will not be thinking about the power lines. It is easy to overlook their presence, as power lines reside high above your roof, can run alongside property lines or near trees. Nevertheless, power lines can pose serious electrical hazards if completely forgotten.

              Trees can be a power lines worst enemy. Strong winds and storms can blow trees over or break branches pulling power lines down from poles or supporting towers. It is possible for the line to remain energized and potentially electrify the tree and nearby objects.

photo: Presque Isle Electric Cooperative

Arcing or flashovers between power lines and trees can also cause potential damage or danger. Additional weight from snow and ice can bend or break tree branches bringing them close enough to power lines to cause an arc or flashover. A voltage surge on a power line from a nearby lightening strike can cause a tree to become “electrified” as well. During warm weather or when power lines are carrying heavy electrical loads, they can heat up and stretch, making the lines longer.

Thus, power lines can sag as much as 15 or 20 feet bringing them even closer to trees. The electric current caused by arcing or flashovers between power lines and trees can easily injure or even kill an individual caught nearby. It is important to pay attention to power lines in your neighborhood. Below are some tips to consider for power line safety in your neighborhood: 

• Make sure to always look for nearby power lines before you begin to cut down any tree or trim branches. If a tree falls into a power line, stay AWAY from the tree and contact Karnes Electric Cooperative immediately. 
• Treat all power lines as energized. Never climb or attempt to handle a tree that has a limb caught in a power line. You may not see any visible evidence that the tree is “electrified” or dangerous. 
• Make sure to maintain required clearances between equipment and power lines.
• If a fire starts from a fallen power line, notify the fire department and Karnes Electric Cooperative. Stay away from the site of the electrical hazard. Make sure others stay clear of the line and treat it as energized.
• Do not use water on or near the fallen power line.   

In addition to taking the necessary steps to respond to an electrical emergency, you can help stop potential power line problems before they start by practicing these safety measures:

• If you notice anything such as trees or branches that might interfere with power lines or pose a serious threat, inform Karnes Electric Cooperative.
• If you are planning to plant trees on your property, make sure not to plant them directly under or near power lines.  They will grow into the power line causing them to be trimmed or removed by the Cooperative.
• Shrubs, hedges and other plants should be kept clear of all electric towers and poles.

Primary Source: North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives and NRECA

22 February 2007