MEL COLEMAN CEO
Shift Timing, Shift Savings
Small changes lower usage during peak usage times
As we settle into the heat of July, our homes naturally use more electricity. Air conditioners run longer, refrigerators work harder, and daily routines — from cooking dinner to doing laundry — often overlap during the warmest parts of the day. That’s also when the demand for electricity across our community is at its peak, typically from 3 to 7 p.m. when most people return from work.
At North Arkansas Electric, our top priority is delivering safe, reliable and affordable power whenever you need it. But during peak energy hours, when homes and businesses all require more electricity at the same time, the grid faces added pressure. On the hottest days, that strain can be significant.
The good news is that small changes at home can make a meaningful difference.
Think of our electric grid like a highway system. During rush hour, traffic is heavy, congestion builds and everything slows down. But when drivers adjust their schedules, even slightly, it helps ease the bottleneck. The same principle applies to energy use.
By shifting some of your high-energy activities to off-peak hours, like doing laundry later in the evening, running the dishwasher before you go to bed or cooking meals earlier in the day, you’re helping spread out demand. That reduces pressure on the grid during those critical peak hours.
Lower energy use during peak hours with these tips:
• Take advantage of smart technology. A programmable or smart thermostat can automatically adjust your home’s temperature when demand is highest, helping you stay comfortable while using energy more efficiently. Even a small adjustment of a few degrees during peak hours can make a difference.
• Make simple swaps in the kitchen. Using a slow cooker, air fryer or outdoor grill instead of the oven keeps your home more comfortable and reduces the need for additional cooling during the warmer parts of the day. And when it comes to laundry, air-drying clothes or spacing out loads can cut down on both energy use and indoor heat.
• Turn on fans. They can help you feel several degrees cooler, allowing you to raise your thermostat setting without sacrificing comfort.
These actions may seem small on their own, but together, they add up. When many members make mindful choices about when and how they use electricity, it helps reduce peak demand, eases strain on the grid and supports more stable energy costs for our local communities.
That’s the cooperative difference. As a member, you’re not just a customer — you’re part of a community working together to power our future. Every effort you make contributes to a stronger, more reliable grid and helps keep electricity affordable for everyone.
Scholarship applications due April 1
program awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to local graduating high school seniors each year. In 2024, 15 students were awarded $1,000 scholarships, and three students were
NAEC is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 scholarship program. The application is
became a trailblazer as the first woman on the NAEC Board of Directors and spent the past two
include a transcript and two letters of recommendation — with at least one from a nonschool employee who is not a relative.
Youth WinnerAdult Winner
To be eligible for the scholarship, high school seniors must graduate at the end of the 2025 school year, and their parents or legal guardians must be NAEC members. Applicants also must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale through the first semester of senior year. The scholarship must be used to attend an accredited institute of higher learning on a full-time basis. For more information, please contact Tori Moss, NAEC marketing and commutmoss@naeci.com
LIHEAP helps qualified with electric bills
The federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides help for qualifying members with their energy costs during the summer and winter months.
Members can help fund future scholarships by enrolling their accounts in Operation Round Up. Volunteers allow their electric bills to be "rounded up" to the next dollar each month. Call (870) 895-3221 to join today!
LIHEAP is administered by community action agencies, not North Arkansas Electric Cooperative. In NAEC’s service area, those are Northcentral Arkansas Development Council
their county for more information. (See sidebar below.)
Winter assistance should be available in January. Applications are accepted by community action agencies on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funds are available.
ensures the bill is paid on time each month. It also eliminates the cost of a stamp or time spent in the drivethrough lane.
The amount of LIHEAP help available varies based on a person’s income, number of people living in the home, type of energy source and other factors. Businesses are excluded from receiving LIHEAP.
Northcentral Arkansas Development Council
nadcinc.org
Automatic bank draft is an electronic transfer from your checking or savings account to NAEC’s each month. On or about the 14th of every month, the amount of the bill is deducted from your account.
Fulton County — (870) 895-3628
Izard County — (870) 368-4329
Sharp County — (870) 994-7353
Stone County — (870) 269-5427
To enroll your account(s) in auto bank draft, call (870) 895-3221 or visit an NAEC office during regular business hours.
Ozark Opportunities
ozarkopp.org
Baxter County — (870) 425-5118
Marion County — (870) 425-5118
CONTACT NAEC (870) 895-3221
info@naeci.com
PAY/VIEW BILL naeci.com ▶ Account Login
REPORT OUTAGE (870) 895-3221 (844) 335-4461
NAEC App naeci.com ▶ Outage Viewer
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Sending an automated call when your home is going to be part of a planned outage or mailing a capital credits check are only two of the many reasons why NAEC might need to contact you. It's important to keep a current mailing address and at least one phone number and email on file. To update or check your contact information, call (870) 895-3221, visit an NAEC office or submit a form available at naeci.com/contact-naec
FOLLOW NAEC Facebook.com/NorthARElectric Happy Independence Day! NAEC offices will be closed July 3. A dispatcher will be on duty, and personnel will be on call. Report an outage via the app or (870) 895-3221.
Enroll in automatic bank draft by calling NAEC at (870) 895-3221. The free service ensures the electric bill is paid on time each month and eliminates the cost of a stamp or time spent visiting an NAEC office.
Facebook.com/NorthARElectric High school juniors have until March 5 to submit an application for Youth Tour, an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia June 14-20. Download the application at naeci.com.
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative’s fiber subsidiary NEXT, Powered by NAEC donated $1,000 to each of the 12 school districts in the co-op’s service area for the second year in a row.
“The ‘Fuel the Future’ campaign’s aim is to help students have what they need to learn, grow and thrive,” said Cortney Varner, NEXT’s director of marketing and business development. “From meal balances to backpack programs and school supplies, every contribution helps lighten the load for local families.”
Area businesses joined the campaign and donated an additional $3,000. NEXT thanks the following partners: FNBC, Danfoss, Lakeview Auto Sales and Century Bank of the Ozarks.
Districts that received funds included: Calico Rock, Cave City, Cotter, Highland, Hillcrest, Izard County, Mammoth Spring, Melbourne, Mountain Home, Norfork, Salem and Viola.
NEXT, Powered by NAEC employees present Hillcrest students and employees with $1,000.