JULY 2015
VOL. 16 NO. 3
Manager’s
Column
Future of Water Heating Uncertain After a spring that started out very dry, we have been fortunate to get some much needed moisture in the area and things are looking nice and green and crops are off to a good start. We hope that timely rains come for the rest of the growing season and there is a bountiful harvest in the fall. With the warmer weather, Merlin Goehring our crews have been busy getting General Manager Bon Homme Yankton Electric some of our cable replacements completed which were scheduled under our current construction work plan. Along with those plans, we have had requests for electric service for new homes, so it is nice to see that activity continuing across the service territory. Speaking of potential new services for homes, the rural electrics and our national trade association NRECA has been kept very busy with legislative matters in Washington, DC including the most recent rules on water heater manufacturing for large storage capacity heaters. The new rules limit the heaters over 75 gallons to heaters that are only capable of being operated under a load control program by the utility. This has caused the manufacturers to re-think their options and consider how this affects them in the marketplace. For years the local electric cooperatives have been using load control on water heaters to avoid adding additional power demand on the system by using off-peak time to heat water and store it in well insulated storage tanks. We have been fortunate to have the support in the Senate and Congress to get legislation to allow for our continued use of off-peak water heating, although this is coming with some added costs in the future. With the current rules in place, only utilities with a load management system are able to have larger capacity hot water storage type heaters. The manufacturers are reviewing their options and changes will be coming in the near future which will have an effect on how we handle home water heating down the road.
2 July 2015 • Cooperative Connections
TANKLESS Water Heaters - As I mentioned previously the reason for large capacity off-peak heating is to avoid creating a peak demand on the electrical system when there is a weather event causing a high call for delivery of power to appliances by the membership. Over the last couple of years we have seen more interest and also marketing for on demand or tankless water heaters which have no storage but require a lot of energy for short periods of time when the water is being used. Many of these heaters have a large resistance heating element between 10 and 20 kilowatts (kw) or larger meaning that if they are on during the system's peak demand it contributes to the overall system demand charges for electricity by our power supplier. To give you an example of the demand costs, let’s say a 10 kw water heater is on during the system peak for 30 minutes. The demand charge alone that would be charged to the cooperative is about $166 dollars but the retail rates are based on energy or kilowatt hours (kwh) used. In this case only 5 kwhs would be recorded and if the average cost of our rate is 10 cents per kwh, we would only collect 50 cents. The tankless water heaters are not a very good option for the cooperative and in turn are not good for the member since it will force price increases to cover costs. While there have not been a lot of these types of heaters installed yet, we have been made aware of some and these units will have to be addressed. If they are put on a load management system, the member would not have any hot water until after the peak demand is over. So before looking at replacing or putting in a tankless water heater give us a call to consider the potential inconvenience or additional charges that may have to be implemented to cover our costs. We will need to have this conversation with contractors and supply houses so they are made aware of these issues before they suggest selling these types of heating units without their customer understanding the full extent of effects on their power bill. As always if you have any questions on any of these matters, you can give us a call or stop in at the office. Thanks for your time and enjoy your summer.
Board
Report
Safety Demo
Business As Usual (USPS No. 018-973)
Bon Homme Yankton Electric Assn, Inc. PO Box 158 134 S Lidice Tabor, SD 57063 Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30am to 4:30pm
To Report an Outage or For Internet Tech Support, Call: Local From Tabor, Tyndall and Yankton 605-463-2507 or Toll Free in South Dakota 1-800-925-2929 NOTICE: Electric bills must be paid by 10:00am on the 20th of each month to avoid a $10 late fee. Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections is published monthly by Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc., PO Box 158, 134 S. Lidice St., Tabor, SD 57063-0158 for its members. Families subscribe to Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections as part of their electric cooperative membership. Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connection’s purpose is to provide reliable, helpful information to electric cooperative members on matters pertaining to rural electrification and better rural living. Subscription information: Electric cooperative members devote $6.00 from their electric payments annually for a subscription. Nonmember subscriptions are available for $12 annually. Periodicals Postage Paid at Tabor, SD 57063 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections, Bon Homme Yankton Electric, PO Box 158, Tabor, S.D. 57063 TELEPHONE (605)463-2507: FAX (605) 463-2419. Design assistance by TDG Communications, Deadwood, S.D.
The board breezed through the May agenda hearing several reports from our associated organizations. Dave Sternhagen reported on issues from SDREA including the hiring of a replacement loss control professional. Rick Koupal gave the East River Electric report including their plan to join the Southwest Power Pool at the same time as Basin Electric and WAPA. Matt Stone summarized the NRECA legislative issues that were shared with our congressional delegation in Washington DC. The bids were opened for the surplus generator and a bid was accepted.
Welcome New Members Irene Andrew S Brabec Menno Mark Heirigs Tabor Tucker Peschl Tyndall Elmer Svanda George Dominquez III Yankton Ty Poston Kyle Cihak Tom Luther Jay Ruppelt Alexis Smidt April Gawboy Arnie Burton Perry Volden Burl Williams Rh & Sh Farms Jay Batcheller Chris Mccloud Sr Sarah Jo Dimmick Michael Szymonski
Member Service Advisor Bob Felber takes questions from the Yankton County 4H Farm Safety Day Camp participants. Bob presented the Neon Leon and Lightning Liz electrical safety demonstration to several groups of quizzical kids.
Download the SmartHub App for your Mobile Device Today!
Statement of Non-Discrimination This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.
Cooperative Connections • July 2015 3
SafetyTips
Contacting Washington, D.C.
Fourth of July Safety Tips Using fireworks on our nation’s birthday is as traditional as cookouts and parades. The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these common sense safety tips for using fireworks in the hopes that injuries to consumers can be greatly reduced this season. • Obey all local laws regarding the use of fireworks. • Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting. • A responsible adult should supervise all firework activities. Never give fireworks to children. • Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Save your alcohol for after the show. • Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks. • Light one firework at a time and then quickly move away. • Use fireworks outdoors in a clear area; away from buildings and vehicles. • Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water. • Always have a bucket of water and charged water hose nearby. • Never carry fireworks in your pocket or shoot them into metal or glass containers. • Do not experiment with homemade fireworks. • Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and place in a metal trash can away from any building or combustible materials until the next day. Keep your pets safe The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips for your pet: • Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. • Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. • Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. • Keep your pets on their normal diet. • Do not put glow jewelry on your pets or allow them to play with it. • Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. • Never use fireworks around pets! • Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.
As Americans celebrate Independence Day this July, it’s important to note that with our form of government involves the people to get – and stay – involved in the political process. Electric cooperative members can engage with their Senators and Representatives in Washington, DC, through action.coop and voice their opinions on a variety of matters affecting electric cooperatives. Here’s contact information for reaching your elected officials in Washington, DC.:
South Dakota Congressional Delegation Senator John Thune 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2321, www.thune.senate.gov
Senator Mike Rounds 502 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-5842, www.rounds.senate.gov Representative Kristi Noem 2422 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-2801, http://noem.house.gov
Minnesota Congressional Delegation Senator Al Franken 309 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-5641, www.franken.senate.gov
Senator Amy Klobuchar 302 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2344, www. klobuchar.senate.gov Rep. Timothy Walz, 1st Minnesota Congressional District 1034 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-2472, http://walz.house.gov
Source: fireworkssafety.org; aspca.org
Rep. Collin Peterson, 7th Minnesota Congressional District 2204 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-2165, http://collinpeterson.house.gov
Kids’ Corner Safety Poster
Nebraska Congressional Delegation
“Mom, we need to buy some outlet covers.” Gracie Zeeb, 11 and Deni Zeeb, 13 They are the daughters of Brian and Shannon Zeeb, Pierre, S.D. They are members of Oahe Electric Cooperative, Blunt, S.D. Kids, send your drawing with an electrical safety tip to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3). If your poster is published, you’ll receive a prize. All entries must include your name, age, mailing address and the names of your parents. Colored drawings are encouraged. 4 Jul y 2015
•
COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS
Senator Deb Fischer 454 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510-2705 Phone: 202-224-6551, www.fischer.senate.gov Senator Ben Sasse 340E Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-4224, www.sasse.senate.gov
Rep. Adrian Smith, 3rd Nebraska Congressional District 2241 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-6435, http://adriansmith.house.gov
Reader Recipes
Delicious Desserts Rhubarb Dessert for Two 1-1/2 cups cut-up rhubarb 1/2 apple, cut-up 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup frozen strawberries 1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. strawberry gelatin 1/4 cup flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 3 T. butter, melted 3/4 cup oatmeal
Spray a 1-1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Put rhubarb, apple, water, strawberries, sugar and gelatin in bottom of pan. Mix flour, brown sugar, butter and oatmeal. Put on top of rhubarb mixture. Bake at 350°F. for 35 minutes. Very good while still warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Darlene Price, Prairie City
Easy Strawberry Pie 2 cups water 1 cup sugar 3 T. cornstarch Strawberries
1 (3 oz.) box strawberry gelatin 1 graham cracker pie crust or baked pie shell
Combine first 3 ingredients; boil until clear. Add gelatin. Cool and add strawberries. Pour into pie shell. Marianne Thompson, Colome
Wanda’s Fluffy Lemon Dessert 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 4 oz. (1 stick) margarine, melted 1 (3 oz.) box lemon gelatin 1 cup boiling water
8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar 2 tsp. vanilla 1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk, chilled
Mix graham cracker crumbs and margarine; press into a 9x13-inch pan. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; cool until starting to set. Blend together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Combine cream cheese mixture with partially set gelatin. Using chilled bowl and beaters, whip evaporated milk until consistency of whipped cream. Fold cream cheese/gelatin mixture into whipped milk, then spread on crust. Chill until set. Serve topped with cherry or blueberry pie filling, if desired. Nancy Stenson, Fort Pierre
Heath Bar Dessert 12 graham crackers, crushed 12 soda crackers, crushed 1 stick margarine, softened
2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding 2 cups milk 2 cups chopped Heath bars
Mix together crackers and margarine. Pat into a 9-inch glass pan. Combine pudding and milk; fold in Heath bars. Spread on crust. Refrigerate.
Pumpkin Pie Squares with Cinnamon Yogurt Topping Crust 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 T. low-fat milk Cooking spray
3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup low-fat milk 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. pumpkin spice 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup pecans, chopped Topping 2 T. sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
Filling 2 cups canned pumpkin 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar
In a large bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, oats, brown sugar, butter and 2 T. milk. Press into a thin layer in a 9x13-inch pan greased with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F. for 10 minutes. While the crust is baking, in another bowl, beat together pumpkin through salt. Pour over crust and bake for 40 minutes or until set. Sprinkle pecans over pumpkin filling and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool slightly in pan. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Mix in yogurt. Top each square with 1 T. of yogurt topping. Yield: 16 servings Nutritional information per serving: 182 calories; 6g total fat (3g saturated fat); 35mg cholesterol; 28g carbohydrates; 2g fiber; 4g protein; 108mg sodium Pictured, Cooperative Connections
Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert 2 boxes ice cream sandwiches 12 Oreos, crushed
2 (8 oz.) containers whipped topping
Layer enough ice cream sandwiches to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Cover with half the whipped topping and then half the crushed Oreos. Repeat steps 1 and 2. Keep in freezer until ready to serve. Jillian Nedved, Harrisburg
My Family’s Favorite Dessert 1 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup cocoa 2 cups water
Miniature marshmallows Chocolate cake mix Broken nut meats
Mix brown sugar and cocoa in a 9x13-inch pan. Add water. Cover this with miniature marshmallows. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package directions. Spoon batter over mixture in pan. Top with nut meats. Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 60 minutes. If using a glass baking pan, reduce heat to 325°F. Serve with whipped topping. Elaine Rowett, Sturgis
Please send your favorite salad, garden produce and pasta recipes to your local electric cooperative (address found on page 3). Each recipe printed will be entered into a drawing for a prize in December 2015. All entries must include your name, mailing address, telephone number and cooperative name.
Shirley Dreher, Clark
COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS
• J ul y 2015
5
Energy Cents
Ideas
Roofing Materials Impact A/C Costs Dear Jim: My black asphalt shingle roof needs to be replaced. I want to install a new roof that will last longer and help keep my home cooler during hot summer afternoons. What type of roof do you recommend? – Sandi J.
Jim Dulley www.dulley.com
Dear Sandi: From the standpoint of a long life and keeping your home cooler, a black asphalt shingle roof is probably the worst option. The dark color absorbs much of the sun’s heat, which not only makes your home hotter and drives up your air-conditioning costs, but hastens the degradation of the shingle material itself. A black shingle can easily reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit in the hot afternoon sun. If you have ever tried to lift a square (100 sq. ft.) of shingles, you know how heavy they are. When this thermal mass gets hot, it stores the heat and radiates it down into your home well into the evening. Even if you have adequate insulation on the attic floor, the radiant heat from the hot roof easily passes through to room ceilings. Standard thermal insulation, such as batts and blownin fiberglass or rock wool and cellulose, are most effective for blocking conductive heat transfer, but less so for radiant heat from a hot roof. The two most common roofing materials for homes are shingles and metal. White shingles can be fairly energy efficient and effective for reflecting much of the sun’s heat. Some white shingles even qualified for the former federal energy tax credit. Keep in mind, it takes very little color tint before shingles start to absorb heat, so white is the most efficient option. Metal roofing can cost twice as much as shingles, but many types have lifetime warranties and they can reflect the majority of the sun’s heat. Aluminum and steel are the two most common and reasonably priced materials. Copper is attractive and durable. It is quite expensive, but the natural aged patina color is beautiful and it absorbs heat well. I installed an aluminum simulated shake roof on my own home five years ago while the energy tax credit was in effect. My roof consists of 1-foot by 2-foot interlocking panels with a special heat-reflecting paint coating. The panels are made of recycled aluminum from soda pop cans and are formed to look like cedar shakes. Aluminum is a particularly efficient roofing material because
the underside surface of the roofing panels is bare. With a low emissivity rating, it does not allow the heat from the hot metal to pass through to the roofing lumber and insulation below. When selecting an aluminum roof, it is important that its contour provides an air gap over the sheathing for its low-emissivity properties to be effective. A simulated clay tile aluminum roof is also very effective with the many air gaps under it. After my aluminum roof was installed, the second floor bedrooms stayed much cooler during summer afternoons. The only drawback to an aluminum metal roof is you must be careful walking on it and stepping on the high shake’s edges so it is not damaged. During winter, snow sometimes slides off in large sheets and crushes shrubs and blocks the garage door. Snow stops can be glued to the roof to stop this, but they may also catch leaves and debris from nearby trees. Painted steel roofs are also available in many colors and simulated contours. The steel is treated with many layers of corrosion-resistant coatings so rust is not a problem. Steel roofs with an aluminum-alloy coating are particularly durable. Steel is very strong, so there are fewer problems with walking on it.
There are quite a few free, low-cost improvements and simple lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the amount of air-conditioning needed. Since your old shingles are likely cracked with curled edges, they would have to be torn off before new shingles are installed. Most metal roofs, because of their rigidity, can be installed over existing shingles no matter what their condition. This saves the cost (often about $1,000) of tearing off the old shingles. Whether you choose white shingles or a metal roof with heat-reflecting paint, also consider installing an attic ridge vent. When replacing a roof, adding a ridge vent is a minor additional expense. If you install, make sure the soffit vents are not blocked by attic insulation. Even with the metal roof, adequate attic ventilation is needed for both summer and winter energy efficiency. The following companies offer metal roofs: Classic Metal Roofing, 800-543-8938, www.classicmetalroofingsystems. com; Conklin Metal, 800-282-7386, www.conklinmetal.com; Englert, 800-364-5378, www.englertinc.com; Gerard, 800237-6637, www.gerardusa.com; and McElroy Metal, 800-5623576, www.mcelroymetal.com.
Have a question for Jim? Send inquiries to: James Dulley, Cooperative Connections, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com. 6 July 2015 • Cooperative Connections
News
Briefs
2015 Resource Conservation Speech Contest Winners The 54th annual State Finals of the Resource Conservation Speech Contest were held at the State Capitol in Pierre on Saturday, April 25, 2015. Winning first place and a $1,100 scholarship was Logan Hattervig. Hattervig was sponsored by the Miner County Conservation District and is a junior at Howard High School. He is the son of David and Connie Hattervig of Carthage. Receiving second place and a $750 scholarship was Joanna Geffre. Geffre was sponsored by the South Brown Conservation District and is a sophomore at Aberdeen Central High School. She is the daughter of Jeannie Ryncarz of Aberdeen. Receiving third place and a $450 scholarship was McKayla Carda. Carda was sponsored by the South Brown Conservation District and is a freshman at Aberdeen Central High School. She is the daughter of John and Brenda Carda of Aberdeen. Scholarships totaling $2,300 for the winners are provided by Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives of South Dakota. The contest is co-sponsored by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA), the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts. The theme of this year’s contest was “Technology: Bridging the Conservation Generation Gap.” South Dakota high school students first participated in a local contest sponsored by their conservation district. Two students from each district were then eligible to participate in an area contest. From there, the top two winners from each of the designated areas were eligible to advance to the state finals. This year, 10 contestants competed in the state finals. Next year’s theme is “Why Manage Water for Conservation?” For more information, contact your local conservation district office or SDDA at 605-773-3623.
Progress Continues on Urea Project at Dakota Gasification The urea project construction site at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant is buzzing. About 60 Dakota Gasification Company and contract employees are currently on site working on the project. Those numbers are projected to increase throughout the year and peak at 750 workers in 2016. In May, Matt Greek, Basin Electric senior vice president of engineering and construction, requested an amendment to the urea project budget. The Dakota Gas board of directors approved a new budget of $500 million. The budget had been originally set at $402 million. General construction bids came in higher than estimated, partly resulting in the request to amend the budget. Workers are focusing on below-ground construction activities, like the auger cast pilings and storm drainage systems. Crews are also working to complete the new craft parking lot, install a permanent guard shack, construct a permanent site access road and create additional material laydown yards. A recent engineering milestone was met when a 70 percent computer model review was successfully completed. The model shows the steel structures, mechanical, piping and electrical systems for the urea plant. Engineering is also working to issue structural steel drawings to the steel fabricator, a North Dakota company, for the Melt building. Other members of the engineering team are preparing concrete foundation drawings for issue in June. The goal is to complete engineering for the project in the fourth quarter 2015. AECOM Technology Corporation was chosen to be general contractor for the project, and should be on site in June. Several pieces of equipment have also arrived at the plant. A stripper, scrubber and pool reactor will arrive from Austria in November.
EVEN THREE IS A CROWD.
NEVER OVERLOAD OUTLETS.
Helping members use electricity safely, that’s the power of your co-op membership. Learn more from the experts themselves at TogetherWeSave.com. Cooperative Connections • July 2015 7
Hometown Traditions Put
Sparkle and Pop into Fourth of July Celebrations
F By Brenda Kleinjan
rom full-fledged parades to bike parades, thrilling rodeo action to the song of the drum at wacipis, communities in South Dakota and western Minnesota offer a variety of traditions each Fourth of July. In eastern South Dakota along U.S. Highway 212, Kranzburg, population 210, will see crowds gathering in the early morning for the community’s mid-morning parade. While organizers don’t have
8 July 2015 • Cooperative Connections
an actual head count, the county sheriff has estimated the crowds to exceed 6,000 people by the time the parade commences. Parade participants aren’t given a number, they just show up and queue up in the line. “It keeps getting bigger and bigger,” said organizer Brian Zaug. “It starts at the turkey sheds at the east side of town.” By the time the first parade entry finishes its one-
mile trek across town, there is still more parade to come. “We have no entry numbers. They just show up and line up. There are tractors, semis, firetrucks, clowns, area fire departments, lots of politicians, concrete trucks and usually a U.S. Senator,” said Zaug. A professional football player has also been spotted at past gatherings, he said. While the traditional candy is dispersed from some floats, other floats offer hot dogs and beverages to the spectators. “Once you’ve been there, you don’t skip it, you just don’t miss it,” said Zaug. For Zaug, the thrill of the event is reuniting with friends and family from across the country who return for the annual event. “It’s just nice to be in my hometown and hanging out with friends and family. It’s a good family gathering,” Zaug said. Those attending the parade may decide to cap off the evening at nearby Watertown, S.D., for that community’s annual fireworks display. Head north to Agency Village near Sisseton, S.D., the Sisseton-Wahpaten Oyate 148th annual contest wacipi will be held July 3 through 5, gathering large crowds for arguably one of the longestheld gatherings in the state. Across the state at Crazy Horse Monument outside of Custer, S.D., the traditional fireworks show is exchanged for a production blast (weather permitting) as tons of rock are shed from the mountain as the carving progresses. The Monument’s celebration activities include having a huge American flag displayed on the mountain while visitors can meet with Native American artisans, watch American Indian dancers perform and participate in many other planned events. Those seeking a bit of the wild west will find plenty of rodeo action that weekend. This year will be the 96th annual Black Hills Roundup Rodeo in Belle Fourche, S.D. Head back to the east and one can catch Fort Pierre, S.D.,’s Fourth of July parade, rodeo and fireworks displays. A trip to the Rosebud Casino just north of Valentine, Neb., will bring one to the 16th annual Rosebud Casino Wacipi and Great Plains Indian Rodeo Association Rodeo. Opposite Page: The Kranzburg Fourth of July Parade in eastern South Dakota will gather thousands of people to the community of just 200 people. Photo Courtesy Watertown Public Opinion Inset: Fireworks at Mount Rushmore have been discontinued due to the pine beetle devastation and fire risk, but plenty of other celebrations across the region exist. Photo Courtesy S.D. Tourism/Chad Coppes On the cover: Fireworks light the sky above the Missouri River separating Fort Pierre and Pierre, S.D. Cover Photo Courtesy S.D. Tourism/Chad Coppes
A Sampling of Events Aberdeen, Aberdeen Aqua Addicts Water Ski Show, July 3-4 Aberdeen, Uncle Sam Jam, July 4 Aberdeen, Wylie Park Fourth of July Celebration, July 4 Agency Village, Sisseton Wahpeton Oayte 148th Annual Wacipi, July 3-5 Bear Soldier Wacipi, McLaughlin, July 3-5 Belle Fourche, 96th Annual Black Hills Roundup Rodeo, July 2-5 Bird Island, Minn., Polka Fest Days, July 4-6 Centerville, Tornado Days, July 2-5 Crazy Horse, Independence Day at Crazy Horse Memorial, July 4 Custer, Old Time Country Fourth Celebration and Country Fair Arts and Crafts, July 3-4 Deadwood, Joe Nichols, July 4 Eureka, Freedom Dayz, July 3-5 Faulkton, Wild West Days, July 3-5 Fort Pierre, Fourth of July Parade, Rodeo and Fireworks, July 3-4 Kranzburg, Fourth of July Parade, July 4 Lake Norden, Independence Day Celebration, July 4 McLaughlin, Bear Soldier Wacipi, July 3-5 Menno, July 4 Celebration, July 4 Milesville, 20th Year Anniversary July 4th BBQ at Milesville Hall, July 4 Miller, Fourth of July Celebration, July 3-5 Mobridge, 70th Annual Sitting Bull Stampede Rodeo, July 2-5 Morton, Minn., Independence Day Celebration, July 4 Philip, Volunteer Fire Department Fireworks at Lake Waggoner, July 3 Piedmont, 125th Celebration, July 3-4 Rapid City, Independence Day Celebration, July 4 Redfield, Fourth of July Spectacular Celebration, July 3-4 Redfield, Fourth of July at the Depot, July 4 Spearfish, Great Western Cattle Trail and Day of the American Cowboy, July 3-4 Timber Lake, Volunteer Fire Department Fourth of July, July 4 Valentine, Neb., 16th Annual Rosebud Casino Wacipi and GIRA Rodeo, July 3-5 Watertown, Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks, July 4 Wessington Springs, Fourth of July Parade, July 4 White River, Community Celebration, July 4 Worthington, Minn., Old Fashioned Fourth of July, July 4 Yankton, Summer Pops Concerts, July 4 This is just a partial listing of events taking place in the region on July 4.
Cooperative Connections • July 2015 9
Co-op
News
Fact or Fiction? The Facts About Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless, or instantaneous, water heaters are a hot topic. Tankless water heaters are about the size of a briefcase and heat water rapidly as it passes through a heated exchange coil. Proponents of tankless water heaters emphasize several benefits, but you may not be getting the whole story.
CLAIM: Huge dollar Savings
FACTS: • Most tankless water heater units cost at least twice as much as standard water heaters. • Installation costs can be up to 10 times more than standard water heaters. • Tankless water heaters usually require costly new equipment upgrades for both electric and gas models. • The operating costs of a tankless unit is less, but the savings is only about $30 per year for average family usage. • Tankless water heaters significantly increase demand during peak hours, which in turn can lead to increases in electric rates. • Tankless water heaters are not eligible for co-op rebates or incentives.
CLAIM: Last Longer
FACTS: • Tankless water heaters need very pure water or they may fail prematurely due to buildup of mineral deposits. • Mineral deposits can also reduce water flow and efficiency in tankless units. • Failure due to mineral deposits is not covered by most tankless warranties. • Tankless water heaters also contain many specialized parts that should only be serviced by a trained technician. Replacement parts are not readily available and usually must be ordered.
CLAIM: Endless supply of hot water
FACTS: • "...Taking a shower and running the dishwasher at the same time can stretch a tankless unit to its limits."* • "Even the largest...model cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses..."* • "Typically tankless water heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2 to 5 gallons per minutes."* • Standard water heaters have no flow rate limits! *Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Classifieds August Issue Deadline: July 1, 2015. Email your classified ad to: by@byelectric.com. Members can post one free ad per year. Repeats or longer ads are $1/column inch. FOR RENT: 1 bedroom apartment. Tabor Manor. Contact John at 605-463-2478 or Gary at 605-463-2209.r Thinking about building a home? Don’t pick a floor plan or a builder until you’ve talked with the area’s ONLY Certified Aging-in-Place specialist, Certified Green Professional Builder and ENERGY STAR Partner Builder. Call 4 Life Homes today. 605-6614488.r Beseda Hall, Tabor, SD for rent for any special occasion such as weddings, anniversaries, graduation or birthdays! For more information contact Linda Bares at 605661-6220 or snlbares@gmail.com. ELECTRONICS FOR SALE: Minolta 35mm camera with Tamron 28-80mm attached lens $25; HP LaserJet 1200 Printer $25; HP Officejet 4622 Wireless Printer $25; 4 slightly used Firestone Tires: 245/70R17 - price is $400 for set of 4. Call 605-660-1433. FOR SALE: Amana Microwave/Convection Oven. Tabletop model, good shape, works great. Make Offer. Call 605-668-0804. 1 0 July 2015 • Cooperative Connections
By cleaning your air conditioner’s air ducts, you can lower your energy consumption by between 5 and 15 percent. Source: energy.gov
Haase Heating & Cooling
Dan Haase
Heating, Cooling, Heat Pumps We sell the best and service the rest
Bohemian Farmers Mutual
GT Repair & Autobody
R. Martin Koch, Secretary PO Box 206 Tabor, SD 57063 605-463-2558 1-800-868-1756
Glenn Tycz Tyndall, SD 57066
605-589-3018
If only the future was predictable. Farming is always a gamble. You never know when bad weather or other problems will strike. The only thing you can be sure of—you need quality insurance protection. Call our office today for a competitive quote.
Scotland, SD 57059 605-583-4490
We Repair and Install Windshields
Don Wynia’s Shop
Koranda Well Company LLC Tabor, SD 57063 605 - 463- 2244
Jonsered Mowers - Raven Electric Mowers - Kohler - Briggs & Stratton Small Engine Repair & Major Welding & Pick Up Service
Well drilling, repairing and cleaning Water Systems – Artesian Wells Sales and Installation
Call Don, 2 miles south of Tyndall
41566 306th St Tyndall, SD 57066
Earth-Coupled Heat Pump
Emergency Service Free Estimates
605-661-1960 Art & Antique Gallery Custom Matting & Framing Original Art/Gifts/Cards Handmade Glass Beads & Jewelry
1610 Main St
Tyndall, SD
605-589-4050
Open Wednesday through Saturday
Sanders Heating & Cooling
Construction And Painting
300 W 17th Tyndall, SD 57066
New Construction Remodel - Roofing Flooring
605- 589-3228 1- 800-894-3228
Jason Finck
Furnaces, Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners Free Estimates
Tabor, SD 57063
605-660-3204 Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home
Handicap and Accessible Home Modifications • Ramps • Grab Bars • Stair Lifts • Walk-in Showers www.4lifehomes.net • Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels
Yankton, Tabor, Tyndall, Menno
605-665-9679
Preplanning will give you peace of mind and may save money
Wellmark Has You Covered, No Matter What Your Stage of Life. CALL TODAY to learn more.
Cameron Insurance
Brad Cameron Tyndall, SD 57066
605-589-4176
An Authorized Independent Agent For
605-463-2786
FREE HOME DAMAGE ASSESSMENT following a storm
INSURANCE CLAIM SPECIALIST GENERAL CONTRACTOR • Roofing • Gutters • Siding • Painting • Windows • Doors
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ©2012 Wellmark, Inc. SD-20-P-12
HEATING & COOLING 920 Broadway Yankton, SD 57078
60 5 -6 6 5 -9 4 6 1
800-491-9461
HOME REPAIR HOTLINE
605-661-4488
Warm Air, Air to Air, Geothermal Heat Pumps WE DO EMERGENCY HOME REPAIRS Cooperative Connections • July 2015 1 1
Solving the Solar Puzzle A
By Cathy Cash RE Magazine
s sure as the sun shines, solar power is coming. The costs of photovoltaic (PV) technologies are tumbling. Government mandates for renewable energy are expanding. Options for adopting consumer-level solar are increasing. And member demand is exploding. “I’ve never, never seen this kind of enthusiasm and excitement” from consumers, said Wright-Hennepin Cooperative President and CEO Mark Vogt, a 35-year co-op veteran. Add to that a 30 percent federal tax incentive for solar projects that will be reduced to 10 percent at the end of 2016 and you have a rush toward a technology that’s already seen triple-digit growth over the past five years. Electric co-ops nationwide have about 105 MW of solar energy in their generation mix, but a recent survey shows they’re planning to add nearly 300 MW over the next two years, and more co-ops are announcing plans nearly every day. But for cooperatives venturing into solar for the first time, deciding which options are best for the co-op and the membership can be daunting. “There are multiple options for each phase of a solar project,” said Andrew Cotter, a project manager in NRECA’s business and technology strategies division. “First, you have to find out if your membership wants solar and if meeting the demand is worth the investment. Then, there’s financing, planning and design, installation and interconnection and operation and maintenance. Making the right call on all these facets and getting them to fit properly can really be like solving a puzzle.” The landscape becomes even more complex when co-ops are faced with individuals or third par-
12 July 2015 • Cooperative Connections
ties installing rooftop solar and with net-metering laws that compel utilities to compensate residents at retail rates instead of wholesale for solar power they feed back into the grid. “When a member puts solar on a house on his own or through a third party, the traditional rate model is broken,” Cotter says. “Utilities recover most of their fixed costs through kilowatt-hour sales. Without major changes in the way we charge for power, the effect of rooftop solar and net metering is to transfer these fixed costs to members who can’t afford or don’t want solar or whose homes aren’t suitable for it.”
Community Solar Wright-Hennepin Cooperative created a forprofit subsidiary, WH Solar, to install and maintain its solar projects. Vogt and his team at Rockford, Minn.-based Wright-Hennepin studied those competitors for a couple of years before deciding on a business model to bring solar to the co-op’s power mix. That model was community solar, a highly successful option being deployed by dozens of co-ops across the country, where the utility builds a large solar power installation and sells or leases individual panels or their output to members. The co-op built Minnesota’s first community solar power project in 2013 at its headquarters. Soon after, it created a for-profit subsidiary, WH Solar, to install and maintain its solar projects. The company is now on its third community solar installation and looking to develop and sell solar energy outside the co-op’s territory by the end of 2015. WH Solar customers lock into a 20-year solar
electricity rate that covers the cost of the panel with no money down. They pay a higher retail rate than non-solar customers during the first few years but can potentially net thousands of dollars in savings as the term matures, Vogt says. Customers also have the option of paying $2,695 per panel upfront and $0 per kilowatt-hour where the production essentially offsets their usage at the retail rate. With electricity prices from traditional sources forecast to increase about 3 percent a year and likely to be compounded by new federal power plant-emissions rules, Vogt says solar will become even more attractive to consumers and utilities.
Listening to Members Vogt says for Wright-Hennepin, the driving force into solar energy has been the “tremendous interest” among its 46,000 consumer-members, based on recent surveys the co-op has conducted. Minnesota’s 25-by-25 standard – 25 percent renewables by 2025 – is also a contributing factor. “There is a romance with solar, an intangible there that doesn’t exist with central-station power,” he says. “If we can tap into that, I think co-ops can be in the driver seat for an awful long time. That is something we, as an industry, better not miss.” Owen Electric Cooperative, located in northern Kentucky teamed up with the SUNDA Project, a U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored collaboration between NRECA, the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation and several co-ops to establish technical and financial guidelines and best practices for utility-scale solar installations. “What [SUNDA and NRECA] brought was a team of experts from a financial standpoint as well as from a technical standpoint,” said Mark Stallons, Owen Electric’s president and CEO. “If we did it ourselves, we would have to go to a local provider of solar energy and we would be subject to whatever they wanted to provide us with.” The Owenton, Ky., cooperative has begun work on its first solar energy project: a community solar array on a three-acre site owned by the co-op. The project, slated to be operational by the end of 2016, will be sized according to member demand. Stallons says the imperative of solar energy is to find a balance that both meets member needs and makes financial sense for the cooperative. Failure to get the solar formula right, he says, could negatively impact the relationship with members and the co-op’s bottom line and invite competition from outside sources. “Our goal is to provide all of our members with the power supply they desire, whether it is from traditional or renewable sources, and at an equitable price point that is not subsidized by other members,” he says. Vogt agrees, saying co-ops have a “natural advantage” over outside competitors that must be leveraged: “We are the trusted power supplier in our communities.” Keeping it in the Family Where co-ops like Wright-Hennepin elect to outsource the building and management of their community solar facilities, Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) looked at the expertise it already had on staff and decided to go it alone. “Think about our history: We build substations. A solar array is simple, low-voltage, on-the-ground panels, rails and racking,” says Tim Thompson, CEO of the 26,000-member
co-op. “Why would we want to pay someone else to come into our territory and build a small power plant? Doing it ourselves saves money.” LREC, based in Pelican Rapids, Minn., built its first community solar array of 96 panels, 410 kilowatts, in 2013, and it sold out quickly. All told, the co-op devoted 368 hours of labor to building the project. “We are proud that a variety of employees contributed significantly to the construction, including our linemen, electrical technician, facilities supervisor, staking supervisor, CAD technician, meter tech and warehouseman,” Thompson says. “We leveraged our skills and the equipment we already have and applied them to solar and it turned out to be a success.” The co-op sees the project as a way to maintain the longstanding bond it has with its membership. “If we don’t get in on the ground floor and build this, someone else will,” Thompson says. “Community solar has now become a part of our business.” Panels cost $1,500 each and members can use a payment plan to spread the costs over 36 months. LREC recovers all its costs – panels, labor and lost kilowatt-hour sales revenue – in the price, plus a small margin. “The new revenue coming in pays for the project,” he says. “If a third party came in and started building solar, they would really extract value.” Thompson says there’s another intangible in offering solar that you can’t put a dollar value on: member trust. “Our members really do look to us; they trust us,” Thompson says. “As long as there is member demand, we’ll keep doing it.”
‘Cooperative Solar’ Seminole Electric Cooperative is taking community solar to a new level. The Tampa, Fla.-based G&T found that among its nine member co-ops, there was high interest in developing solar power and the member co-ops wanted to find the most costeffective option to meet the demand. With this in mind, the G&T has embarked on a project that co-op officials are calling “cooperative solar.” Under the plan, Seminole Electric would build and operate a utility-scale solar project and allow member co-ops to sell the array’s output to consumers. “What we’re trying to do is provide our member cooperatives access to that solar facility at a rate structure that allows each to design a program to meet their needs,” says Lisa Johnson, the G&T’s CEO and general manager. “This approach gives them an opportunity to access an affordable solution without having to put their own capital out on the front end.” Development of the project is in the early stages, but plans are to build a 2-MW PV system on Seminole Electric property adjacent to its natural gas plant by the end of 2016. Members First In the end, the solution to the solar puzzle comes down to something co-ops have thrived on since the beginning: listening to members. Luis Reyes, CEO of Taos, N.M.-based Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, a national leader in utility solar deployments, agrees. Cooperative Connections • July 2015 13
By the Number:
A Look at Co-op Nation A
– and especially in the Dakotas and western Minnesota – America’s electric cooperatives serve some of the fastest-growing areas and some that are declining rapidly. Likewise, cooperatives serve some of the nation’s more economically prosperous areas, and some of its poorest. According to statistics from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, in Arlington, Va., electric cooperative sales growth rates generally surpass that of the total electric utility industry as a whole. This was especially true in 2013. Co-op sales growth outpaced the industry as a whole by the widest margin in 10 years. Co-ops had strong resicross the nation
By Brenda Kleinjan
14 July 2015 • Cooperative Connections
dential sales growth in 2013 and many co-ops had strong commercial and industrial (C&I) growth as well. The industry as a whole has seen five years of negative growth out of the last six years. In contrast, there were only three years of negative growth in the 58 years prior to 2008. America’s electric co-ops now serve 19 million total customers, 16.7 million are residential customers (roughly 42 million people). Co-op Nation added 218,781 new members in 2013, the most since the housing crisis of 2008. For many years, co-ops were accustomed to high consumer growth rates. From 1974 through 2007, the annual average
rate was 2.8 percent. In 2013, it was 1.2 percent. Yet, even in this environment, over 80 percent of all co-ops still had a net increase in customers. Texas and Georgia have the most co-op consumers and also added the most new consumers in 2013. In fact, 20 percent of all new co-op consumers were added in Texas. Several North Dakota co-ops topped the consumer growth chart with explosive growth ranging from 14 percent to 18 percent due to the energy resource extraction boom taking place in the Bakken formation. Much of South Dakota and western Minnesota also saw growth, as depicted in the top map at right. Although the rate of co-op member growth is down in recent years across the industry, co-ops growth is still higher than the industry as a whole. Co-ops are growing rapidly in many areas of the country (see middle map at right). In South Dakota and western Minnesota, co-ops run the gamut of moderate to high growth to zero to negative growth. 2013 consumer data for the total industry is not yet available.
Co-op Residential Electricity Usage Residential electricity usage is the amount of electricity used in a home on a monthly basis and is influenced by many factors. Usage rose dramatically for co-op consumers in the 1940s and 1950s when rural areas were first being electrified. It continued to rise during the 1960s and 1970s as areas that never had air conditioning began to add it. Since then, average residential usage has increased only gradually, under 1 percent per year. In fact, it declined in three of the last five years challenging utility assumptions about long-term growth rates. Compared to other types of utilities (IOUs and Municipal), co-ops have higher electricity usage. Usage in rural areas is usually higher than in urban/suburban areas. There are several reasons for this: low-density (rural) areas have fewer alternatives to electricity; natural gas and oil are either not available or more expensive so electric heating is often the only choice; higher prevalence of larger, detached homes more exposed to weather, including mobile homes that are generally less efficient. Also, farm electricity usage (for grain drying etc.) is very high. The bottom map at right shows the average kilowatt hours per month used by members at America’s electric cooperatives.
KWH Sales Growth 2013
Co-op member Growth 2013
Co-op Residential Electricity Usage 2013
Additional Facts and Figures • 93 percent of co-op customers have average household incomes below the national average. • South Dakota’s electric cooperatives serve 11 of the poorest counties in the nation. • One in six co-op members live at or below the poverty line. • The mean household income is 12 percent lower than the nation as a whole. Cooperative Connections • July 2015 15
Regional Dateline June 25 Shrine Circus Worthington, MN 605-336-1117
Events of Special Note
June 26 Shrine Circus, Yankton, SD 605-336-1117
August 21-23 Riverboat Days, Yankton, SD www.riverboatdays.com
June 27 Shrine Circus, Winner, SD 605-336-1117 June 27 Shrine Circus, Deadwood, SD 605-342-3402
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHEILA HURST
June 27 Uptown Summer Festival Watertown, SD, 605-886-3040
June 19-20 Czech Days, Tabor, SD www.taborczechdays.com
August 22 Riverboat Days Extreme Bull Riding Tour, Rodeo Arena Yankton, SD, 605-760-2153 To have your event listed on this page, send complete information, including date, event, place and contact to your local electric cooperative. Include your name, address and daytime telephone number. Information must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to your event. Please call ahead to confirm date, time and location of event.
July 5 Mr. Jefferson’s Recollections Independence Hall Rapid City, SD, 605-877-6043
July 11-12 Annual Gem & Mineral Show Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Rapid City, SD, 605-269-2015
July 18 Ranch Rodeo, Arena Murdo, SD, lori.waldron@ bankwest-sd.com
June 29 Shrine Circus, Lemmon, SD 605-342-3402
July 8 Public Reading of Declaration of Independence Noon, Independence Hall Rapid City, SD, 605-877-6043
July 14-15 S.D. All Star Games Aberdeen, SD sdallstars@hotmail.com
July 21-25 Days of ‘76 Rodeo and Parades Deadwood, SD 605-578-1876
June 30 Shrine Circus, Buffalo, SD 605-342-3402
July 9-12 Hot Harley Nights Sioux Falls, SD, 605-334-2721
July 16-19 Burke Stampede Rodeo Rodeo Grounds, Burke, SD 605-830-2083
July 24 Storybook Land Festival Aberdeen, SD artscouncil@nvc.net
July 3-5 Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate 148th Annual Wacipi Ceremonial Grounds Agency Village, SD 605-698-8217
July 10-11 Stagecoach Days Deadwood, SD, 605-578-1876
July 17-18 The Gathering of People, Wind & Water Native Art Market & Cultural Celebration Rapid City, SD, 605-716-7979
July 24-26 Honey Days, Bruce, SD
June 28 Shrine Circus, Eagle Butte, SD 605-342-3402
July 3-4 4th of July Parade, Rodeo & Fireworks Stanley County Fairgrounds Fort Pierre, SD, 605-223-7690
July 10-12, 17-19 and 24-26 Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant “By the Shores of Silver Lake” DeSmet, SD, 800-776-3594 or 800-880-3383 July 11-12 Archeology Awareness Days Mitchell, SD, 605-996-5473
July 17-18 Black Hills Corvette Classic Spearfish, SD, 605-759-4530 July 17-19 Horse & Buggy Days Sisseton, SD
July 24-26 Gold Discovery Days Custer, SD, 605-673-2244 July 26 Folk Off and Rib Challenge Renner, SD, 605-543-5071 August 2-8 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2015 Sturgis, SD, 605-720-0800