What’s Inside Cotton Electric employees bring new life to classic vehicles page 11
Oklahoma co-ops co-sponsor 2023 SKIE Awards page 6
The
Prioritize heart health with a balanced eating plan page 15
Current
A Publication of Cotton Electric Cooperative Inc.
“The Current - Informing Our Members Since 1957” VOLUME 66
February 13, 2023
NUMBER 6
New outage reporting will soon be available for members
C
otton Electric members will soon receive a text message welcoming them to the co-op’s new two-way texting communication. This new system will allow members to report outages and receive updates through text messaging. TextPower allows members to receive and send texts to Cotton Electric during outages. Members will be able to text “Out” to our office number, 580-875-3351, to report an outage. “With everything we do, we want to serve our members the best we can,” said Jennifer Meason, Cotton Electric CEO. “Responses to our recent member survey indicated that 45% of responding members prefer text communication, and we appreciate their feedback. As part of our efforts to improve communication, we are excited to offer another option for our membership to notify us when their power is out and receive updates during outage situations.” Members who have their current mobile numbers listed on their Cotton Electric account will be automatically opted in to receive outage text updates. The cell phone numbers tied to their meter accounts have been linked to the outage software. The software analyzes the database during an outage and sends texts to affected members. To make sure the co-op has up-to-date contact information, members can make changes through SmartHub or by calling the Member Services department.
For members who want to opt out of the texting system, text “Quit” at any time to discontinue outage text updates. New members will be opted in automatically but will have the same ability to opt out if desired. If Cotton Electric verifies an outage in your area, members who stay opted in will receive a text message stating the co-op’s awareness of an outage situation. If an estimated time of restoration is determined, it will be sent through another text. When reporting outages, members who have multiple accounts will be asked to verify which account number is without power by responding with the letter that corresponds to the correct account number listed. If the correct account is not listed, text “Other.” If members have more than 10 accounts with Cotton Electric, they will need to report their outage through SmartHub or by calling 580875-3351. It’s important that members know the meter that each account number is connected to. For example, a member may have meters serving a home, barn or a fence charger in a different location. It’s vital for our Dispatchers to know the exact account without power so line crews can respond quickly and efficiently. Members will receive a text when the outage has been restored. However, if your power is still out after you
8:30
580-875-3351
OUT Which account: (a) XXXXXXXXXX? Reply other, or a.
A RE: Acnt: XXXXXXXXXX: Thanks. Your outage has been reported.
Continued on page 7
(pictured to the right) An example of how members will be able to report outages through Cotton Electric’s new two-way texting communication.
Make sure Cotton Electric has your cell phone on file
Power Cost Adjustment Calculated The power cost adjustment now being applied to bills mailed after February 1, 2023, is $0.01509 per kWh.
On a member’s average bill of 1,300 kilowatt hours (kWh), this will amount to a charge of $19.62 on the February bill.
January 2023 Temperature Extremes
Did You Know?
Day High Low Avg. 16 72 43 58 17 69 39 54 18 65 43 54 19 57 30 44 20 62 26 44 21 61 40 51 22 51 26 39 23 52 21 37 24 43 33 38 25 49 30 40 26 52 26 39 27 58 23 41 28 65 34 50 29 47 23 35 30 24 19 22 Source: srh.noaa.gov/oun/ 31 29 20 25 Average Daily High: 59 Average Daily Low: 30
Cotton Electric office will be closed Monday, Feb. 20 for Presidents’ Day. Emergency calls will be answered at 580875-3351 or 800-5223520.
Day High Low 1 76 34 2 74 40 3 56 30 4 54 26 5 59 23 6 69 32 7 54 33 8 58 25 9 69 26 10 80 28 11 78 37 12 57 30 13 56 23 14 65 26 15 64 36
Avg. 55 57 43 40 41 51 44 42 48 54 58 44 40 46 50
Contact Us
Do you have a story idea for The Current or do you need to place an ad? If so, let us know. We can be reached at 580-875-3351 or by email at TheCurrent@ cottonelectric.com. You can also drop us The next issue of The a line at Cotton ElecCurrent should arrive in tric Current, 226 N. mailboxes on March 13, Broadway, Walters, OK 2023. 73572.
Mission Statement Our mission is to safely deliver reliable and affordable power, provide excellent member service, and improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.