CURRENT LIGHT
FLASHES
SEPTEMBER 2026 | VOL. 76 NO. 9 | www.westflorida.coop Graceville Office Lobby Reopens to Serve Members Come in to see our team’s smiling faces at the newly renovated Graceville location. After more than a year of construction and updates, we are pleased to announce that the lobby and drive-thru are officially open. The renovation included mold remediation and improvements designed to address moisturerelated concerns, remove moldaffected building materials, improve air quality, and create a safer and more welcoming environment. As a cooperative, West Florida Electric is different. We’re member-owned, which means our business is built around the people and communities we serve.
Providing reliable electricity is only part of that commitment. We also believe in being available when our members have questions, need help, or simply want to talk with someone face to face. That’s why having a locally owned and staffed office matters to us. When you walk through our doors, you’re greeted by people who are part of the community. 85060001 When you visit us, you can: • Make payments or get assistance with your account • Apply for new electric service or close an account • Get help with billing questions • Learn about energy efficiency measures and programs
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I nside Page 2: Take Control of Your Energy Use with WFEC’s Prepaid Power Program Page 3: Long Overdue Updates to WFEC’s Phone System Page 4: The Steps to Restoring Power
ROW U pdate WFEC Right-of-Way Crews will be cutting & trimming in the following area(s) during
SEPTEMBER: Bascom & Grand Ridge When ROW crews are trimming in your area, there may be several days between ROW cutting & clean-up crews due to inclement weather, equipment failure, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Spot your WFEC account number & earn a $25 bill credit! Shakela Dickens, Member Services Coordinator (left) and Amy Adams, Supervisor of Member Services (right), and our other member services staff are here to help you with all of your electric service needs.
Find your account number inside the articles in this publication and give us a call or send an email to clf@westflorida.coop with your name and account number to verify.
• Apply for capital credits • Speak directly with a team member about your needs or ask questions While technology continues to change the way we do business, West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC) is committed to providing convenient online tools for members who prefer to manage their accounts digitally.
However, we realize that convenience doesn’t replace connection. We will continue to preserve the personal relationships at the heart of our business model. When you want to talk to someone in person, we will be here. Whether you have a billing question, want to better understand a rate or
change, or simply need to talk through an issue, our doors are open. We are proud to serve our members face to face and be part of the communities we call home. All three of our district offices are ready to welcome you inside, and our team looks forward to seeing you soon.
Take Control of Your Energy Use with WFEC’s Prepaid Power Program For many West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC) members, managing household expenses is about having more control. That’s exactly what Nicholas Beppler of Noma has found since enrolling in WFEC’s prepaid power program a few months ago. After moving to Noma from Dothan, Alabama, Nicholas was excited to discover that WFEC offered a prepaid option. “When I moved to Noma, and I had the option, I added it because it seemed to be a lot more convenient,” he said. Since joining the program in May, Beppler has enjoyed being able to track his energy use in real time. “I can shut things off and see where I am actually using the power,” he explained. “And you don’t have a big utility bill to pay at the end of the month.” 95064002
porch light. I decided to turn it off (instead of leaving it on all the time) and see how much it saved me. I shut that off and it saved me 15 to 20 cents in just one day. That may not seem like a lot, but I can see what I saved and notice how things can add up.” He also adjusted when and how often he uses larger appliances. He said making small changes to his habits, and how and when he uses energy, makes a difference in his pocket. “You can see when there are better times to use your washer and dryer,” Nicholas said. “I try to do laundry once every three days (instead of daily), and you can see you are saving money when you change your habits.”
For Nicholas, the biggest advantage is seeing how everyday choices affect his energy use almost immediately.
Another benefit is the ability to build a routine around energy expenses. Nicholas has established a weekly budget for adding funds to his account, making it easier to stay on top of his electric costs throughout the month.
“I feel like I am saving money because I am able to monitor what I am using,” he said. “For example, my
When asked what he would tell someone who is considering West Florida Electric’s prepaid power
2 • Current Light Flashes • September 2026 • To Report Outages: (800) 342-7400
Nicholas Beppler program, his answer was simple. “I would definitely recommend it because you can control what you spend,” he said. “Who wants to wait a month (to get a bill) when you can notice your savings immediately and monitor them every day? You can really tell the difference doing it that way.” His advice for getting the most out of the program is to check your usage regularly. “You can see savings within a day,” he said. WFEC’s prepaid power program gives members greater flexibility and awareness of their daily energy use. By tracking it in real time and paying as they go, members like Nicholas are finding it easier to manage their energy costs and make informed decisions every day. To learn more about the prepaid power program, visit www.westflorida.coop.
Long Overdue Updates Made to WFEC’s Phone System Members calling West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC) may notice a few changes. The cooperative recently upgraded its phone system to improve call handling and enhance our members’ experience. As part of this upgrade, callers may notice new menu options and updated features. To reach the cooperative, call (800) 342-7400. When prompted, select: Option 1: To make a payment. This will connect you to our automated payment system. Please have your account information available. Option 2: To report an outage. Option 3: To reach the Bonifay district office. Option 4: To reach the Sneads district office. Select O to speak to someone and # to repeat the menu options. The new phone system, RingCentral, replaces an outdated platform that was costly to maintain and offered limited security and management capabilities. The upgraded system provides improved call routing, enhanced security, centralized administration, and better tools for managing call volume, especially during outages. As part of these improvements, we encourage members to make sure we have their current cell phone
number on file as well as landline numbers. Keeping your contact information updated will allow you to take advantage of new communication features, including automatic outage text alerts which will let you know when a power outage is occurring at your location and send you updates about that outage. This additional feature will be made available to members soon. Phone numbers can be updated by logging into accounts online or contacting our member services team. Please note that our cooperative’s direct district office phone numbers are no longer in service and will not connect you to us. The district office numbers were not transferred to the new system so calls can be centralized using West Florida Electric’s main number. This reduced the number of separate phone lines and services that needed to be maintained and monitored, it lowered monthly costs and eliminated the need for members to call multiple numbers to reach us. To contact WFEC from now on, you will only need to remember one number: (800) 342-7400.
As with any new technology, there may be occasional issues as the transition continues. But rest assured, we are actively working to make the new system more user-friendly and easier to navigate, and we appreciate your patience as we work through the remaining kinks to improve your experience. 87769003 We apologize for any inconvenience the new system updates have caused.
R ecipe of the M onth Cornbread Cakes Submitted by: Lena Green Submit your event by email clf@westflorida.coop. Visit the link below to view a list of events. Find this recipe and more: www.westflorida.coop/recipes
3 • Current Light Flashes • September 2026 • To Report Outages: (800) 342-7400
The Steps to Restoring Power
WFEC Board of Trustees
When a major outage occurs, our crews restore service to the greatest number of people in the shortest time possible – until everyone has power.
1. High-Voltage Transmission Lines These lines carry large amounts of electricity. They rarely fail but must be repaired first. Our generation and transmission cooperative, PowerSouth, is responsible for these repairs.
DAVID TATUM
TIM ALFORD
JACKIE POOSER
JOHN ADAMS
DAVID CORBIN
GEORGE C. OWENS
RANDY BUSH
LANCE MEDLEY
MYRON HUDSON
WILL MELTON
District 1/President
District 2
2. Distribution Substations Crews inspect substations, which can serve hundreds or thousands of people. Our crews work on our side of the distribution substations and PowerSouth works on the lines they own, which serve these stations.
District 3/Treasurer
District 4
3. Main Distribution Lines Main lines serve essential facilities like hospitals and larger communities.
District 5/Vice President
District 6
4. Individual Homes and Businesses After main line repairs are complete, WFEC repair lines that serve individual homes and businesses.
When major power outages occur, WFEC line crews follow a specific restoration process designed to restore power to the greatest number of people as quickly as possible. The first priority is repairing high-voltage transmission lines. Although these lines rarely fail, they are critical components to the electric grid, so they must be repaired first. Our generation and transmission cooperative, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, is responsible for these repairs. Next, crews inspect and make repairs to distribution substations, which receive power from transmission lines and distribute it to hundreds or thousands of co-op members. WFEC and PowerSouth crews both work on these (PowerSouth repairs the transmission lines that feed into the substation and WFEC crews repair the distribution lines, which flow out of the substation). 109506001 Once substations are operating, crews move on to repairing the main distribution lines that deliver electricity to neighborhoods and essential facilities such as hospitals and other critical services. After these larger lines are restored, utility workers focus on the smaller lines that connect individual homes and businesses to the grid. By restoring power in this order, utilities can safely and efficiently return service to the largest number of customers before addressing isolated outages affecting individuals. 4 • Current Light Flashes • September 2026 • To Report Outages: (800) 342-7400
District 7
District 9/Secretary
District 8
Interim Executive VP & CEO
Notifications Statement: Notice is hereby given that the West Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., Board of Trustees regularly meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 1:00 PM, unless special circumstances warrant a change. If a change is warranted, it could include changing the time or date of the meetings. It is best to verify the details by calling (800) 342-7400. If you would like to address the Board of Trustees, please consult Board Policy 114 (located on the co-op website).
This Institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.