Dreaming Of A White Christmas?

We all do (dream of that white Christmas) but in the case of the predicted storm headed our way, it sounds more like a nightmare. Hundreds of people in Nebraska will not be able to get to Grandma's house for Christmas.

It's time to prepare. Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the emergency, the first important decision is whether you stay where you are or find another place to stay until electric service is restored. You should understand and plan for both possibilities. Dawson Public Power District cannot predict when service will be restored. Use common sense and available information to determine if there is an immediate danger. In any emergency, local authorities may or may not immediately be able to provide information on what is happening and what you should do.

We advise customers to have plenty of food and water on hand, extra batteries, flashlights and a portable radio. Kerosene space heaters and wood/corn/pellet burning stoves are nice but you should be extra cautious when using one in your home. Proper ventilation is very important.

One of the most important things to do is to check on friends, neighbors and family members affected by an outage to ensure they are ok. Our elderly may need to be transported to a temporary shelter or home. Cordless phones depend on electricity to work so make sure you have at least one phone that operates when you are without power. Cell phones come in handy but must be used sparingly to preserve the charge unless you are able to charge them in your car.

Keep Dawson Public Power District phone numbers handy.  Customers can call 1-800-752-8305 or 1-308-324-2386.  Listen to your local radio station for updates or follow us on Twitter and FaceBook for posted updates. 

Nebraska Farmers Using Twitter

One day late...but this is way cool.......



Visit http://tinyurl.com/y8twn5q to see the rest of America's Heartland: Episode 512. The Monsanto Company - http://www.monsanto.com and the American Farm Bureau Federation - http://www.fb.org make presentation of America's Heartland possible.

Profitable Hacking

I promote the use of Facebook and Twitter as a viable opportunity to communicate with our customers. It’s instant, its on-demand, and its free. However, users of social media need to be cautious about clicking on just any ole’ thing on their Facebook page.

It used to be that computer viruses attacked only your hard drive. Per the New York Times, ‘malicious programs are rampaging through Web sites like Facebook and Twitter, spreading themselves by taking over people’s accounts and sending out messages to all of their friends and followers.’

Take me, for instance; I have a couple hundred family or friends on my personal Facebook page. All of them have been given expressed permission to access my life. Who better to trust than the ones you’ve invited to be part of your network?

Often the victims lose control of their accounts after clicking on a link “posted” by a friend. In most cases, the perpetrators are hoping to profit from the referral fees they get for directing people to questionable e-commerce sites. (from the NYT)

Our email messages, traveling from computer to computer, are more likely to be stopped by antivirus or firewall software. On the Web, such measures offer little protection. It’s best if you exercise good judgment instead.

I’ve had a couple of my friends post a thing or two that raised my eyebrows. Because I know them, I could discern that this particular post was “just not them” despite the warm personal invite to follow the link. What doesn’t help is that the URL posted is a shortened link so you can’t tell where you’re going until its too late.

If you become the victim of one of these hackers, you can delete the post by going to your administrative side. Post a quick note right behind the offending post and tell your network that someone hacked your account. Change your password immediately.

FaceBook has recently updated its privacy options. Check your profile settings. Take advantage of the added security and be careful with your personal information.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager

Sensenbrenner to Tell Copenhagen: No Climate Laws Until "Scientific Fascism" Ends

Wisconsin Representative Sensenbrenner (ranking Republican on the House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming)  has the courage to go to Copenhagen and tell the U.N. that despite the promises President Obama is making, the United States will not pass any climate change laws until "scientific fascism' ends.  

FOXNews.com - Sensenbrenner to Tell Copenhagen: No Climate Laws Until 'Scientific Fascism' Ends

While the article itself is really good, sometimes the comments about the article provide great insight...even controversy.

Posted using ShareThis

Get Ready To Roll The Dice!

It’s human nature. Until something affects you directly, you change nothing about the things you do. The problem with this approach for climate change legislation is that it will be too late to do anything about it once you figure out what a bad deal it is for your family.

We want you to know that if you don’t stop cap and trade, you WILL be affected financially. Everything that uses energy will end up costing more. Let’s face it – EVERYTHING uses energy. We can’t force you to contact your Senator but we sure wish you would.

Kiplinger reports that all told, the average cost for residential, commercial and industrial users may be 50% higher than today. In areas such as the Midwest and Southeast where coal fired power dominates, a 100% hike is likely. Motorists won’t get off easy, either. With climate change legislation, gas pump prices will be about $2 a gallon higher.

Our Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says climate change legislation would “reduce the purchasing power of the middle class and slow down the economy.” Yeah, that’s just what we need right now.

There’s been talk that doing nothing is a huge gamble. Well, I think the biggest gamble is to enact legislation based on flawed scientific data. Part of the Obama administration even admits that cap and trade will not help the economy. The left seems to be willing to gamble our future on a hypothesis that cannot be proved or recreated.

If I go to the grocery store today, and one of my favorite food products has increased in price by 50%, I don’t buy it. I find a cheaper substitute or go without. I think people are going to be hard pressed to go without electricity or gasoline.   When gasoline prices were in the $4.80 range, I only drove to and from work. 

Think about it...what changes will you have to make if electricity and gasoline prices doubled?

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Is Global Warming a Snow Job?

I’ve read a few of the “stolen” emails from the scientists who purportedly tried to hide the real facts on climate change. Some reports claim the emails are taken out of context. It’s pretty hard to take statements that say “delete this email so there’s no record” out of context. Hello little red flags!

What many suspected for a long time when they couldn't replicate Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) results, and could not access the IPCC-used data, seems to be true based on the “leaked emails.”

Below is an excerpt from Climate Change Facts (one of a handful of sites that actually provides pros AND cons) and it sheds light on how facts can get distorted. Bear with me, it’s worth the read.

“Few scientists are actually involved in writing the materials, perhaps a few dozen. Usually there is one real leader, a chair or co-chair and 2 or 3 [so-called] co-chairs that are present to provide balance for the developing nations. Because of skill or language barriers they may not be greatly involved. Lead authors are usually involved in just one piece of the section or chapter. These few people…prepare the first and subsequent drafts and the Executive Summary that feeds into the “Summary For Policy Makers”, long before the draft chapters have been through national reviews. Even here, the co-chairs decide which inputs are to be accepted, or make recommendations that usually are sustained, during [mandatory] sessions. Yes, thousands of scientists review the IPCC documents, but usually [they read] only those parts that impinge on their own expertise, which is usually quite narrow.“

If you’ve ever played the childhood game called “tell-a-friend” in which one kid whispers a sentence in another kid’s ear and that kid goes to the next kid, and so on --- at the end of the game, the last kid says the sentence and finds out its nothing like the first sentence. That seems to be exactly what happens in these summary reports. And that explains why we have people who are adamant they know “the truth.”

Essentially what the policy makers read becomes vague and distorted which then becomes subject to their own interpretation or perception. It’s no wonder we’re all confused.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Public Power Districts and Cooperatives OPPOSE Senate Bill 1733...YOU SHOULD TOO!

Go to www.ourenergy.coop to voice your opposition to your senators.

On the eve of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s markup of S. 1733, “Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,” Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, indicated in a letter to Senator Boxer that the association intends to oppose the bill unless substantial changes are made.

While praising the efforts to improve the bill by several committee members, including Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tom Udall (D-NM), English expressed disappointment that even with the revisions, the plan is unfair to consumers and, in several respects, represents a step backward from the climate change legislation passed by the House in June.

Writing on behalf of 930 electric cooperatives and their 42 million consumer members, English reiterated concern outlined in an earlier letter to Chairman Boxer that the formula for allocating emission allowances would be unfair to rural consumers in certain regions, primarily the Midwest and Southeast.

Not only does the Senate bill retain the fundamentally flawed allocation formula included in the House version, the percent of total allowances given to the local distribution companies is reduced from 30 percent to about 25 percent. According to government projections, 80 percent of the emissions reductions called for in the climate change proposals under consideration come from the electricity sector. Even with additional allowances secured for cooperatives by Senators Baucus, Klobuchar and Udall, preliminary estimates indicate cooperatives would receive 20 million fewer allowances in just the first year of the program under S. 1733.

English pointed to the bill’s attempt to protect consumers from volatility in the carbon market with a “Market Stability Fund” as an improvement over the House version, but urged the Senate to set a “clear upper limit on the cost of emission allowances.” To protect consumers, “the legislation should include a strong cost containment mechanism that guarantees prices will not rise above a certain level, such as a safety valve or ‘hard’ price collar.”

From: www.cooperative.com; November 3, 2009

The Consequences of Failure

From "The Economist" dated November 19, 2009...(www.economist.com)
_______________________________________________

Back in the Senate, fear that cap-and-trade will be painted as a murky, confusing job-killer and a bureaucratic hassle makes Democrats in conservative states nervous. They include Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu and both senators from North Dakota. Head counts fall far short of the 60 votes required to ensure passage.

The gamut of committees that the bill must pass in the Senate may yet save it, though probably at a hefty price. Barbara Boxer, the chairman of the environment committee, plans to submit her version of the bill later in September. Her starting point may be the bill that passed the House energy committee, a greener bill than the one that passed the full House. This was weakened by concessions to farmers and other giveaways at the last hurdle in order to secure House passage.

Then the Senate committees can set about adding pork. The Senate (with two members per state, no matter how empty) represents agriculture more heavily than the House. Paul Bledsoe of the National Commission on Energy Policy reckons that extra incentives to farmers, at first pared back from House bill levels, may be added in higher amounts later in the process to help bring Senate moderates on board. (Tom Vilsack, the agriculture secretary, has been busily promoting action on climate as a way of boosting farm incomes, since farmers can earn “offsets” from polluting industries by reducing their own greenhouse-gas emissions.) Read this article (www.kearneyhub.com) from a local newspaper about farmers and their concern about cap and trade promises. More support for nuclear power (nearly emissions-free, but controversial) could bring back a few centrist Republicans. Attention to natural gas—nearly absent from the House bill, but produced in 32 states—could help as well.

After Bill Clinton’s health-care reform fell apart it took 16 years to revisit the issue. Climate-change purists should bear in mind the consequences of failure. “If this bill goes down,” says Joe Romm, a senior fellow at the Democrat-leaning Centre for American Progress, “it will be a very long time before we come back to it. [And] I don’t see how the international process survives.”
______________________________________________
Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Committee Advances Cap and Trade

In December's issue of the Dawson Dynamo, General Manager Bob Heinz gives you concrete facts about the cap and trade legislation. Further, the Environment and Public Works committee advanced the cap and trade legislation in an unprecedented move. Watch this video:



Voice your opinion by going to www.ourenergy.coop and contacting your state senator TODAY!

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

SENATOR NELSON ON CAP AND TRADE

CNBC interviews Senator Nelson about healthcare but before they talk about that issue, Senator Nelson talks about cap and trade.

Climate Bill Clears Senate Committee 10-1

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - 2009 NOV 05

A Senate committee cleared its version of a climate and energy bill, despite a Republican boycott of the vote and a "no" from powerful Montana Democrat Max Baucus.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's 11-1 vote to approve the climate proposal may have little long term significance in shaping the final bill. Negotiations to shape a Senate climate bill have already moved beyond the committee and its chairwoman, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D., Calif.). Sen. John Kerry (D., Mass.) is working with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) and Connecticut independent Sen. Joe Lieberman to develop a compromise package that would give more benefits to the oil and nuclear-power industries.

The vote tally was initially given as 10-1. Democratic Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware showed up after the vote and said he would have voted "yes." The panel changed the tally to reflect his support.

Republican members of the committee boycotted the vote to protest a lack of a complete analysis of its potential economic impact. Republicans have called the Senate climate measure and a similar measure passed by the House of Representatives a "tax" that the country can ill-afford at a time of high unemployment and economic uncertainty.

It isn't clear how much progress Senate Democrats will make on the climate issue before a United Nations conference in Copenhagen in December, where global leaders are supposed to discuss a new international treaty on climate change.

Mr. Baucus's no vote highlighted the doubts among Democrats from states dependent on coal and manufacturing about the Boxer proposal.

The proposal approved by Environment and Public Works committee Democrats calls for a 20% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020. Lawmakers from coal-dependent states say that target will hurt their economies. When the House of Representatives cleared a companion measure earlier this year, it was able to win support for reductions of only 17% by 2020.

Lawmakers from some manufacturing states have told President Barack Obama that any climate bill should allow for tariffs on goods from countries that don't adopt climate policies comparable to those of the U.S.

Farm interests are also flexing their muscles as negotiations continue, pushing for bigger financial rewards for activities that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Cap and Trade COMMON SENSE

Public power districts and electric cooperatives are prepared to work with Congress to develop responsible climate change legislation.  We would like to urge congress to:

• Oppose auctioning allowances in the electricity sector
• Give allowances to retail electric utilities, based upon CO2 emissions associated with the production of electricity sold by the retail utility.
• Set CO2 caps consistent with the commercial availability of technology.
• Do not allow Wall Street speculators to set electricity rates by treating CO2 allowance as just another money-making commodity.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

When will my power be back on?

It is 1:00 a.m. and I woke up thinking about all the people who want you to tell them exactly when their electricity will be restored after an outage. We understand your need to know but

A) we usually don't have enough information to give you a definite time -- we get our info from listening to linemen talk to each other on the radio system and looking at stacks of paper that represent people who have called about outages in your area... and

B) if we ever gave you the wrong information about when power will be restored -- and it took a lot longer -- you wouldn't be very happy with your power company.

Someday we will have a "smart grid" that will tell us which people do not have electricity (even before they call) and it will probably show us exactly where all our red trucks are, but until then we make due. We don't have a map on our computer that shows exactly which lines are out and which lines are working – right now that comes from the stacks of paper. This "smart grid" thing will probably be in place within the next 4 years.

Even with the smart grid, outage restoration will require people. Someone has to drive the path of the power line and see why a breaker has turned the power off. The cause could be a tree branch that fell to the ground and is no longer a problem or it could be a car containing a mom and her kids who skidded off the road – who are safe because the breaker turned the power off. We don’t simply flip the switch without checking for the cause. It takes time to “run out the lines” and it takes time to make the repairs.

I really feel for the people affected by power outages... the elderly people who need oxygen concentrators and might get very cold, quickly... the mother at home with kids who have H1N1... the people with new babies that they just brought home from the hospital... the people who have livestock that need water. I relate. I empathize. I wish I could push a button and fix it but I can't. Fixing power lines isn't a fast thing. We put all our resources (skilled linemen and trucks) into place and work hard.

With that said, during large scale power outages, sometimes the decision is made to pull the crews back in before power is restored to everyone. This is not a decision taken lightly. Many linemen tell stories about connecting “just one more” before they turn back towards the shop. The decision to stop working is made when weather conditions are bad enough that we are losing more ground than we can possibly gain by continuing to work. Sometimes the decision is made because the outage is so large that crews will be working to restore power for several days or weeks and they need rest so they can safely continue. Remember that the linemen and the people answering the phones
may be going home to a dark, cold house without power.

Nobody likes power outages. Although a young lineman may be excited to work their first big storm job, major ice storms take their toll on utility employees. Dawson PPD is prepared to handle power outages. We have the training and equipment we need. And one of the most important tools is caring about you, our customers.

Marsha Banzhaf, Public Relations Coordinator
Dawson Public Power District

Custer Power and NPPD talk Climate Change

Ron Asche is the CEO of NPPD and Rick Nelson is the general manager of Custer Public Power District.  Great interview!

WINTERY WEATHER CAUSES SOME POWER OUTAGES

Social Media is PERFECT for keeping customers updated about outages.  Yes, we know customers without power obviously cannot get online - but their family and friends can.  Plus many of the cell phones today are equipped with data plans and those phones can accept Twitter or FaceBook updates quite easily. 

PRESS RELEASE - OCTOBER 22, 2009 - 11:00 A.M.
Dawson Public Power District crews are busy restoring power to customers throughout their territory. Isolated outages have affected about 500 customers between North Platte and Smithfield. In many cases the outages have been caused by trees breaking under heavy snow and ice, sending branches through power lines.

Larger-scale outages have been reported at Bullhead Point at Johnson Lake and in a rural area south of Maxwell.

Ice and tree problems have also caused lights to blink in some areas.

“If you are experiencing blinking lights, we suggest that you unplug sensitive electronics. Report any outages by calling 800-752-8305 or 308-324-2386,” instructs Marsha Banzhaf, Public Relations Coordinator.

THIS, I didn't know....

Beef by-products enable us to use 99% of every beef animal, and these products are a part of our daily lives. Beef by-products include leather, candles, toothpaste, deodorants, crayons, textiles, cosmetics, rubber tires, insulin, high glass for magazines, asphalt, fertilizers, cement blocks, hydraulic brake fluid, car polishes and waxes, detergents, shaving cream, soaps, shampoo, paint, chewing gum, marshmallows, and the list goes on, and on, and on. Can you go a day without using a cattle by-product? (When is a Cow More Than a Cow?)  OK, I knew we had beef by-products but I didn't know (or didn't want to know) I might be putting them in my hair or on my face.

American agriculture is sustainable for the future. In the United States, 98 percent of farms are family farms. Today’s American farmer feeds about 144 people worldwide. 2009 versus 1960: 1.8 million less farms are feeding a U.S. population that has increased 61 percent. BEEF: From Pasture To Plate.  GOD BLESS our farmers and ranchers! 

Other cow facts (from cattlefacts.com):  More than 100 medicines, including insulin and estrogen, come from cattle. Cattle outnumber humans in 9 states: Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.

Open House Weather WOES

The snow started Friday night - and continued well into the next day. Dawson Power was expecting approximately 1,500 to 2,000 guests for their open house. Sadly, we had to curtail some of the outdoor activity. More than 700 brave souls came out to see our new headquarters. Dave Landis portrayed George Norris and it was a wonderful look into the past.

Check out NTVs coverage of our open house - they did a wonderful job. The link is next to this blog in the Twitter section.



We will label the open house as very successful in spite of the weather. Plenty of food and information was available for everyone.

Dawson Public Power District
today's energy; tomorrow's vision

There goes the plannning....

Months and months of planning have been put into the open house event on Saturday, October 10th. I know Marsha Banzhaf has worked on organizing and coordinating this project for well over a year. She has covered the major pieces (speakers) and the minor pieces (who will hook the straps on the bucket truck harnesses for female guests). Her logistical settings have been tested repeatedly and finally all the employee volunteers have a job to do from 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning until 4:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Lauren Daberkow and his crew have assessed and reassessed the parking situation, creating alternative plans in case things change at the last minute. Tony Hoos, Mike Zern and Connie Shively have hung pictures, cleaned, dusted, painted, mowed, trimmed, washed windows all in anticipation of a good turn out.

One highlight of the new building is all the technology built into the rooms. From smart boards that house our mapping system, to the audio visual elements in the board and meeting rooms, this place is a communication masterpiece. Imagine our surprise to find that small things don’t work the way we expected them too. Our technology coordinator, Tracy Gordon, has been spending the past three weeks tweaking things so they operate properly and it appears his tasks will be ongoing.

Our initial planning calculated that we could expect 500-700 guests on Saturday. As time has gone on…the guest list has grown to 1,500 – 2,000 people. That was before the weather report hit us last night. With temperatures in the 30’s expected, possibly accompanied by snow, our plans for the outside activities have been hampered significantly. Imagine a bucket truck ride in 30 degree weather, winds at 15 mph, and 65 feet high? No thanks. If you are inclined to brave the cold, those bucket trucks stand ready to take you high!

The employees of Dawson PPD have been part of the open house preparation from the day we moved in. There’s been something for everyone to do so that the event is successful. A special thanks to everyone who’s been helping!

We are ready to welcome our customers, our neighbors, and our professional colleagues. It seemed to us that this moment would never arrive and now it’s upon us. There have been list of lists made and while we know not everything will go according to plan, our biggest goal is to ensure our guests are comfortable, fed, and educated by the demonstrations, the presentations and the employees who help them along the tour.

JOIN US! Saturday, October 10, 2009 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

You have the Power!

Dawson Public Power District believes our customers have the power to change the future.  Please contact your elected representative today by visiting http://www.ourenergy.coop/. 

YOU are invited!

Please attend Dawson Public Power District's Open House on Saturday, October 10th. 

We are extending an open invitation to the public to view Dawson PPDs new headquarters at 75191 Road 433, just one mile south of Lexington.  The hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

A special appearance by George Norris; bucket truck rides, lunch from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m.; Louie the Lightning bug, electrical safety demonstrations, energy efficiency displays and digger truck demonstrations.

A Modern Power Grid

It will take years, but consumers of electricity will need a smarter system to keep up with the demands of the future.  Here's a short video that describes the modern grid.  While Dawson PPD cannot verify that NETL's facts regarding cost or distribution is accurate, the overall picture is one we'd like our customers to understand. 

Pick Up The Phone

While many people are comfortable with using the Internet or email to contact their state senators, there are an equal number of consumers who are not. For me, electronic communication is simple and quick.

If you would prefer to call Senator Johanns or Senator Nelson and tell them what you think about climate change legislation, here is the information you need:

Senator Johanns
Omaha Office 1-402-758-8981
Kearney Office 1-308-236-7602
Lincoln Office 1-402-476-1400
Scottsbluff Office 1-308-632-6032
Washington DC 1-202-224-4224

Senator Nelson
Omaha Office 1-402-391-3411
Northeast Nebraska 1-402-209-3595
Scottsbluff Office 1-308-631-7614
Lincoln Office 1-402-441-4600
Central Nebraska 1-308-293-5818
Washington DC 1-202-224-6551

Dawson Public Power District is encouraging our senators to take a balanced approach to climate change legislation. Read my earlier blog(s) about climate change legislation and how it will impact each one of us.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

THREE DECISIONS

First, decide:
1. Global warming is real
2. Global warming is not real
3. Global warming is exaggerated

Everyone has an opinion on this topic. Why are environmentalists adamant that temperatures are rising. Why are scientists stepping forward telling us that the data on global warming isn’t true? This giant tug-o-war has all of us wondering who’s right.

It might come down to who’s MORE right? To disregard the opinions and perception of others with whom you do not agree is not the answer. But if you had to weigh all the data, where do you stand?

The basic premise of cap-and-trade is that government doesn't tell polluters how to clean up their act. Instead, it simply imposes a cap on emissions. Each company starts the year with a certain number of tons allowed—a so-called right to pollute. The company decides how to use its allowance; it might restrict output, or switch to a cleaner fuel, or buy a scrubber to cut emissions. If it doesn't use up its allowance, it might then sell what it no longer needs. Then again, it might have to buy extra allowances on the open market. Each year, the cap ratchets down, and the shrinking pool of allowances gets costlier. As in a game of musical chairs, polluters must scramble to match allowances to emissions.

A majority of people will tell you they want a cleaner environment – it’s a responsible position to take for our future. But, no matter WHERE you stand on the global warming position, if a cap and trade program is passed by the Senate, it will cost every American more money. Utilities cannot put in the necessary equipment to reduce CO2 emissions, nor can they purchase market-based allowances, without passing those costs on to the customers in the form of higher electric rates.

Next decision:
1. How much MORE are you willing to pay for a cleaner environment?

The Congressional Budget Office says cap and trade will cost an average family of four $175.00 more each year in higher energy costs; about the price of a postage stamp per day. The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation paint a different picture. By 2020, The Heritage Foundation says it will cost the average family $1,870 per year and by 2035, that will increase to $6,800 annually. CBO took a one year snapshot of the costs while other organizations have calculated costs into the year 2035.

AGAIN, it might come down to who’s MORE right? If you had to weigh all the data, how much do you think it will cost?

Last decision:
1. What will you ask your state senator to do on your behalf?

Now…go to www.ourenergy.coop and tell them!

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

SCAM ALERT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS!

Dawson Power has been alerted that cooperative or public power district consumers in various states are receiving phone calls from fraudsters posing to be from the power district or co-op and asking the consumer to provide credit card or other financial account information and personally identifiable information over the phone. This scam is hitting utilities across the nation. There are at least two flavors of this scam -- one is to say the consumer owes on his/her account and will have service shut-off unless payment information is provided immediately. The other appears aimed more specifically at seniors. The caller claims the consumer can receive Federal stimulus dollars to pay their utility bills or some sort of a bill credit but the consumer must first provide his/her personal information (e.g. Social Security Number and utility account number).

Dawson Power consumers should not give out credit card or social security information over the phone if they are called. Please call into our office (308) 324-2386 or 1-800-752-8305 to double check the legitimacy of the call. You can pay your account online at any time or you can call after hours and be assisted by our after-hours call provider. If you are delinquent on your account, you may receive a recorded message advising you of this status if we have current contact information on your account.

There are state level resources (typically through the state attorney general’s office) as well as the Federal Trade Commission's identity theft site: www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional information is available from the FTC's main site: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/data/idt.shtm.

IN THE MAIL....

Did you know Nebraska ranks 5th lowest in the United States regarding electric rates? This is credible information from the Energy Information Administration based on 2007 rate data.

Our customers may receive a letter in the mail from our general manager, Robert Heinz, asking them to contact Senator Johanns and Senator Nelson about climate change legislation. If you are concerned with what is being proposed, we urge you to sign these cards and put them in your mailbox right away. Dawson PPD is interested in providing you with reliable, safe and AFFORDABLE electricity. Won't you please help us keep Nebraska's rates low?

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

1943 - 2009

As Dawson PPD employees begin final preparations to move to the new headquarters building, I thought I’d share a few observations. These are the things we found that rest between the dashes of 1943-2009.

Its absolute mind boggling at how much stuff can be accumulated or stored since 1943.

1. We have discovered archival documents that weave a wonderful history of Dawson PPD and will be preserved for another 100 years.

2. There are vintage versions of cameras, projectors, cassette recorders and even a labeling system that were found in storage. Some of these gadgets I don’t even recognize much less know if they “work.”

3. Formal tea sets, kitchen gadgets and decorations from when Dawson PPD strongly promoted that modern kitchen.

4. Stacks of photo albums and scrap books that I could easily get lost in and spend hours perusing.

5. Files and files of records dating back to 1943, including formal letters and cost estimates to extend services.

6. Boxes of engineering documents for system design.

7. Vintage meters and tools that are sought as collector items but will remain in our care for a future donation to the Dawson County Museum.

8. And, of course we have found the occasional “Oh, that’s where I put that” stuff.

I have to admit I’ve been fighting the urge to keep everything. To protect our customers, we have shredded over 200 boxes of files that contained customer information. For the past 3 years, Dawson PPD has been working diligently to digitize customer records so we have a file system that is easily accessed.

My grandmother used to say “the devils’ in the details” and until now, I didn’t know what that meant. It’s the small things that we are tending to now – organization, orchestration, decisions, training, and adapting to the changes we will face in a new facility. I have to give significant credit to the project manager, Scott Fagot, and our “technology guru” Tracy Gordon for their hard work to get us to where we are.

All the while we are packing; we are doing business as usual. Our planned move should not impact customer service. We will close our doors here for the last time on Friday, September 11th and open the doors to our new facility on Monday, September 14th.

We hope you will visit us on Saturday, October 10th at the open house!

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Appliance Rebates For Nebraskans

The Nebraska Energy Office today confirmed the state will be providing appliance and residential heating and cooling equipment rebates funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the state will receive $1.71 million for rebates and to operate the program, and was awarded $171,100 to the Nebraska Energy Office yesterday.

The state is expected to submit its plan for types of appliances, the amount of the rebate by appliance and how the program will operate to the U.S. Department of Energy on or before the October 15, 2009 deadline. Under the program, only ten types of appliances and heating and cooling equipment are eligible for rebates: boilers, central air conditioners, clothes washers, dishwashers, freezers, furnaces (oil and gas), heat pumps (air source and geothermal), refrigerators, room air conditioners and water heaters. States have the option of selecting some or all of the eligible appliances and equipment. All appliances and equipment must meet or exceed Energy Star standards.

Purchases of Energy Star qualified appliances and equipment prior to the start of the program in Nebraska will not eligible for rebates.

The Energy Office is consulting with electric and natural gas utilities and appliance retailers in designing the state’s program. Once the U.S. Department of Energy receives the state’s application in October, federal energy staff will review, request modifications and approve the application. How long that review might take is unknown at this time, but approval will not be prior to October 15, 2009. When the state’s application is approved, the Energy Office hopes to have a rebate program operational within 30 days.

Questions about these loans can be directed to Jerry Loos at jerry.loos@nebraska.gov or 402-471-3356.

DPPD...NPPD....It's all the same, right?

There are MANY people, including my own family, who don’t understand the difference between Dawson Public Power District (DPPD) and Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD). We work closely with NPPD on many projects with the most recent one being a joint application for stimulus grant money for smart grid services.

Dawson Public Power District serves 23,283 electric meters and maintains 5,720 miles of power lines in south central Nebraska, along the Platte River Valley. Dawson PPD was organized on February 26, 1937.

With nearly 80 employees (in 1943, we had 15), Dawson is one of the largest rural systems in the state of Nebraska. We are members of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the Nebraska Rural Electric Association (NREA). The District is guided by an elected eleven-person board of directors representing the people we serve. By the way, Dawson PPD is a not-for-profit organization.

Dawson's service territory includes all of the rural areas in Dawson and Buffalo Counties, approximately two-thirds of Gosper County, a third of Lincoln County and parts of Custer, Sherman and Frontier Counties. The district also serves several villages: Hershey, Maxwell, Brady, Farnam, Eustis, Elwood, Eddyville, Smithfield, Overton, Sumner, Miller, Riverdale, Amherst, Odessa, and Pleasanton.

Dawson Public Power District (DPPD) purchases electricity from Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) and then sells it to you. More than 70 percent of NPPD’s revenues are derived through wholesale power supply agreements like the one they have with us.

So if you hear a “PPD” in the news, check that first letter to see if its “D”PPD or “N”PPD – even “C”PPD (Custer Public Power District). Back in the good old days, many of the rural electric companies were simply called “the REA”. We love those acronyms…until they confuse people.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

A career as a lineman

Since my blog on Tuesday was about the respect our linemen deserve, I thought I'd show you a video clip of linemen being trained in central Ohio at MTC. I picked this video because it was shot this month. Dawson Public Power District would encourage our young men and women graduating from high school to consider going to lineman school.

In Nebraska, anyone interested in utility line training can look into the courses offered at Western Nebraska Community College (http://www.wncc.net/); and Northeast Community College (http://www.northeastcollege.com/).

Dawson Public Power District offers scholarships. Applications must be received no later than March 2010 (plenty of time to think about it!).

It's a great and very rewarding career. Just ask any of our linemen....

R-E-S-P-E-C-T....and linemen....

In most utility companies the great division is called “inside” versus “outside” workers. The truth is it takes all of us to make a great company.

I’ve worked in the utility industry since I was…ok, let’s just say it’s been a career that has spanned more than 30 years. Not in the same place, mind you – but always in electricity. What I know ABOUT electricity can fit on the end of my pinky. And by opposite comparison, linemen are men (or women) of few words so the ins and outs of my job could fit in the palm of their hand.

I can honestly tell you that I prefer my “inside” job over what the lineman must face outside. It’s not just battling the weather elements, but it’s also about the significant danger that those of us flipping switches in our homes probably take for granted. The first time I put on high voltage gloves and stuck my hand inside a padmount transformer, the panic that rose (in addition to the hair on the back of my neck) was nothing short of terror. My only task was to tighten a bolt but I couldn’t. It was a lesson about electricity – but it was a bigger lesson about respect.

Earlier in my career, I got to teach first aid to linemen…and as part of that, pole top rescue. In order to teach it, I had to “DO IT.” Picture a 125+ pound (we don’t need to be exact, do we?) female climbing 18-20 feet on a pole (climbing up isn’t too bad), wrapping the hand line around the 160 pound dummy, two half hitches (was supposed to be 3) remove the slack, firm grip on the fall line -- but forgot what my instructor said about wrapping the line up and around the cross arm twice (then wrap it over itself at least twice) to offset the weight of the dummy against my (lighter) weight before I cut the belt. I just threw it over the cross arm and tied it around the dummy, pretty happy with myself about those half hitches. There were 7 linemen watching me from the ground. One bucket truck poised with a lineman ready to stop a catastrophe. He wasn’t quite quick enough. The proud moment of cutting the belt came and went so quickly that I wasn’t even cognizant of flying up and hitting my knees on the cross arm braces, then the cross arm (which by the way, kept me from flying completely over the top of the pole). Later I found out the belt would have stopped me too but my thighs took a beating. The victim fell to the ground with enough force that the thud should have been heard for miles…except for my screaming.

My pride was thoroughly shattered and the howls of laughter from the linemen below only served to humiliate me further. Nicely enough, the lineman in the bucket truck quit laughing long enough to rescue me from my perched position on the cross arms. Once on the ground, I asked to do it again. Going up was a bit slower, the steps to complete the pole top rescue even slower (but this time right), and I was able to lower the victim to the ground. Linemen make pole top rescue AND climbing down a pole look easy but rest assured it is not. The next day I thought I’d been hit by a truck.

My respect for linemen is HUGE.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Smart Grid vs. Smart Home: What's In It For Me?

Not only do I work for Dawson PPD, I am also a Dawson PPD electric customer. I am able to think like a customer when I make some decisions. If you read yesterday’s blog you know I struggled with how a smart grid would benefit our customers.

Dawson PPD will start implementing a smart grid build in 2010 for our entire system that will take approximately 3 years to complete. We have applied for a stimulus grant that could pay for up to 50% of the project cost.

After our substations are upgraded, we will pilot 1,000 homes with smart grid services that will mean our customers can monitor and control their usage by changing some of the ways (or times) in which they complete tasks that require electricity.

Here’s my catch on watching my electric usage. I don’t want to be running to a monitor every 15 minutes to see if I’m using too much or using on a high peak time. If I have to do that, I won’t change a thing and will pay that higher rate. I want something (a device or notice) that will automatically change my usage pattern without impacting me significantly. My personal perspective will probably shape our business application.

There’s a big difference between Smart GRID and Smart HOME. Smart Grid is about the efficient control and transference of electricity along transmission or distribution utilities while the Smart Home is about managing your internal energy sources. GE has put together a simple video about the smart grid system and why it’s important to our future.

I already have a programmable thermostat (Smart HOME) which automatically adjusts to the times I set for when we’re home or not home. What more could I want…or need? Well, it has rained a lot and while I have an automated sprinkler system, it sure would be nice to turn it off (from ANYWHERE) when it starts raining without reprogramming it. Could my fridge keep track of what’s inside, including expiration dates and pre-order my regular groceries for pick up at my local store? The savings alone by not deviating from my confounded grocery list could be HUGE. These are smart home features, some of which are available now.

Now look at Smart GRID: Time of use (TOU) rates will be part of our rate structure in the near future. NPPD will begin a time of use rate pilot program in Chadron September 1st. In other words, if you choose to use electricity during peak times, your electricity will be measured and billed at a higher rate. This might mean I will put off running the dishwasher until after 9:00 p.m. or that I will have my heat pump and my hot water heater “controlled” by cycling them off for a few minutes every hour. Those two changes at home would probably save me lots of money.

That’s our future, my friend.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Dawson PPD Consumers & Smart Grid

For the past few months, Dawson Public Power District has been working with Nebraska Public Power District and 14 other utility systems in Nebraska to put together a joint grant application for stimulus funds designed to assist us (financially) in building a regional smart grid structure. The entire process has been an impressive endeavor in teamwork.

I’ll be honest… I struggled with the additional costs a smart grid system will impose on our consumers. However, as I’m working through the definition and expectation of smart grid services, I’m beginning to realize the benefits far outweigh the costs.

Reason #1 Whether we (as a utility or a consumer) approve of the smart grid concept or not, it is the way all utilities will be operating in the very near future. Under President Obama’s vision for our energy system, it will be imperative that a smart grid be in place that will allow each consumer to have better control and understanding of their electricity use.

Reason #2 If a cap and trade system is passed by the Senate, even with significant modifications, consumers will need to be able to control usage in order to reduce their electricity costs. Consumers will not be interested in controlling their usage unless it is a simple, easy to understand process.

Reason #3 System reliability will improved based on our ability to detect problem areas before they become outage areas.

Reason #4 Line loss can decrease significantly. Line loss is the amount of electricity “lost” through the system based on resistance on the line (or other line interferences). Interference can be detected through a smart grid system. Reduction of line loss can save thousands of dollars each month.

Reason #5 The bigger picture means our generator (NPPD) can more effectively monitor statewide loads. It allows them to better manage their generating options.

Reason #6 A smart grid system will modernize our electric grid to improve economic and national security. (DOE-GRID 2030)

The request for stimulus funding was $63 million dollars total. Of that, about $9 million was for Dawson PPD. The Department of Energy (DOE) could fund up to 50% of our total request. For those utilities who know that smart grid services will be required in the near future, this is our way of possibly saving 50% of the cost by having the funds granted by DOE. Funding announcements will be made in mid to late October.

Thursday’s blog (What’s In It For Me) will tell our customers how a smart grid could directly affect them.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Responsible climate change legislation.....

U.S. Action Alone Will Not Impact World CO2 Levels

When questioned by Senator Inhofe (R-Okla) during a meeting of the Environmental and Public Works Committee....Energy Secretary Chu and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson had their own comments about climate change. Administrator Jackson testifies that "U.S. action alone will not impact world CO2 levels."

China passed the U.S. in 2006 to become the largest CO2 emitter, and India will soon overtake Russia to become the third largest emitter. China is now responsible for 21% of the world’s emissions according to Climate Research News in October 2008. The United States runs a very tight 2nd to China.

On July 8, 2009, the G8 agreed to try to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius and cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent, but it failed to persuade China and India to join a bid to halve world emissions. (Reuters; July 8, 2009)

Even if a worldwide agreement made sense, an agreement without China, India and other developing countries can be counterproductive. It could actually mean more, not less, carbon-dioxide emissions. With massive increases in energy costs for the United States, Europe and Japan, energy-intensive manufacturing will move to countries without limits. (Washington Times; July 10 2009)

Read Senator Inhofe's white paper entitled "Global Warming 'Concensus' in FreeFall".

Analysis of Cap and Trade by NRECA

WARNING! WARNING!

Imagine my surprise one evening, while surfing away, a program suddenly announced that I had 61 Trojans and they were causing great damage to my computer. Did I want to fix them now? Well, duh. (You thought I was going to talk about cap and trade, didn’t you?) There were two buttons to choose: “Remove Virus” or “Cancel.” The notification looked like the one I typically get from my virus protection software. In the background an active scan was being conducted and the problems inside my computer were doubling indicated by red numbers. Instinctively I moved my mouse to “Remove Virus”. I hesitated only long enough to ask myself “Why didn’t my virus program advise me when the first Trojan hit instead of waiting till I had 61?”

I consider myself to be a very savvy computer user. In fact, co-workers and friends often consult me on computer stuff or I’m asked to “fix” a computer problem. I’m online frequently whether at work or at home. Most computer users do not do the suggested maintenance on their computers; but I do. Not backing up computer files or keeping definition files updated for virus protection is a very common problem. Something wasn’t right here.

I chose “Cancel” instead and decided to run a manual scan of my computer. Instead of shutting down, the program popped up with another dialogue box that said “Are you sure? You will be putting your computer at serious risk by not removing viruses NOW.” This wasn’t my program’s typical response.

A deeper look at the screen showed the URL from some website I’d never heard of yet it strongly resembled my virus protection program. Had I not hesitated, I may have opened up my computer to a REAL problem. Whether this was a virus in disguise, or a software company using horrible measures to sell their product, something was not right. I tried to use the X in the upper left hand corner and the program wouldn’t close down. Every time I clicked “Cancel” it had another doom-and-gloom forecast for my files.

I can see how easy it would be to react to this type of announcement. No one wants a virus invasion so the most natural thing would be to select “Remove Virus.” I almost did, my husband would have, and so might you. If you know you have updated virus protection, don’t REACT….just close down the program and do a manual scan. If the program refuses to close, dump your temporary internet files, and then shut your computer completely down. You can boot it back up and should be free and clear of the invading malware. Don't be fooled!

Happy Computing!

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

A Cap-And-Trade Con?

Well, I was going to write about cap and trade again...but I think Bill O'Reilly really brings the definition down to a level we all can understand.... (please excuse the GOP advertisement at the end of the broadcast...I couldn't remove it....)



Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

PEE POWER! (Are you kidding?)

Yellow is the new green, apparently. I found this farfetched but researching it was ‘ap-pee-ling’. The University of Ohio has been working on alternative energy options and has identified urine as a good source for hydrogen molecules.

Using a nickel-based electrode, the scientists can create large amounts of cheap hydrogen from urine that could be burned or used in fuel cells. “One cow can provide enough energy to supply hot water for 19 houses,” said Geradine Botte, a professor at Ohio University developing the technology. “Soldiers in the field could carry their own fuel.”

By attaching hydrogen to another element, nitrogen, Botte and her colleagues realized that they can store hydrogen without the exotic environmental conditions, and then release it with less electricity, 0.037 Volts instead of the 1.23 Volts needed for water.

Botte's current prototype measures 3x3x1 inch and can produce up to 500 milliwatts of power. However, Botte and her colleagues are actively trying to commercialize several larger versions of the technology.

For livestock farmers who are required by law to pool their animals' waste, large scale prototypes could turn that urine into power within six months.

Now, lest you think this type of power is way off into the future, think again. Batteries using this technology are on the shelves in AA and AAA sizes in Japan. It can be recharged with a variety of liquids including urine and other precious bodily fluids, is supposed to last 10 years, and pumps out 500 milliamp-hours (mAh), which is equivalent to zinc-carbon batteries but a third of what an alkaline does.

I sure hope a user of this battery recharges them in the privacy of their bathroom.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Sources: Treehugger.com and MSNBC’s Technology news.

Electric Linemen Make A Difference

In this short film, we hear directly from the linemen that have traveled near and far to rebuild electric lines and lives with the NRECA International Foundation. In their own words, we hear what it has meant to them personally to have been able to bring back lights and hope to thousands of people living in rural, developing countries.



These are heroes we seldom hear or read about.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Big Brother and Electricity

After HR2454 passed the House floor, I was watching various interviews about the intent of the bill as well as the ramifications of passing this legislation.

I was very surprised to hear a couple of reporters talk about the implementation of smart grid services as a way to monitor and control individual customer usage. The comments indicated electric utilities would become “big brother” and if you used too much electricity, we would contact you and caution you about your energy usage (turning us into the electricity police).

I’ve been in the utility industry for over 30 years. There will never be a time that I can foresee in which we will tell a customer that we’re intently watching them. Granted, we spend a lot of effort asking customers to improve energy efficiency, but those instructions are designed to help them save money on their bill.

I don’t know of any other industry in which the product provider actually wants the customer to BUY LESS. There’s a method to our madness. We only have to pay for the power we buy from the wholesaler based on how much electricity our collective customer base needs. Think of it as demand on inventory and our shelves are purposely kept empty. The infrastructure we have in place (poles, lines and meters), allows instant transport. Our linemen fix the shelves or build new shelves and that accounts for a significant part of our operational expense. Again, the only time you pay operational expenses is when you use electricity.

Let’s go back to that ‘big brother’ theory. Honestly, I can hardly track my own electric usage much less use my 8 hour work day to track yours. There isn’t anyone in our office who is remotely interested in how much electricity you (individual residential) use or don’t use. The only exception is irrigation customers and those customers choose whether or not they want to be controlled based on financial incentives.

The whole idea of monitoring usage is for YOU to control what you use. All we want to do is provide affordable electricity in the safest manner possible.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Here's Your Crystal Ball

Microsoft jumped in to the Smart Grid field this week with its announcement of Microsoft Hohm (a combination of the word “Home” and “Ohm”), a service for analyzing home energy use and offering suggestions to increase efficiency and conservation.

The service starts with local and national averages, but customizes its suggestions based on information input by the user. Hohm uses analytics provided by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the US DOE to suggest areas where the user might be able to reduce energy use. In the future, MS plans to have Hohm incorporate data from advanced meters. Hohm is also touted as helping utilities measure and meet their regulatory requirements for conservation and energy efficiency, and eventually to help reduce power consumption during peak hours.

Currently, the service is in beta form, but will launch with four utility partners on the West Coast.

MS and Google’s entries into the residential energy management sector are beginning to reveal the potential that access to energy consumption information has for the future. This goes beyond simply selling ad space when you log in to view your home energy use.

Imagine that these companies could not only show you your electricity use, but also your gas use and car use (through tools like MS Sync). They could then begin to construct a semi-complete carbon footprint for you. Paired with carbon offset projects that companies like Google are pursuing, they could begin mounting a vertically integrated operation for measuring and mitigating your carbon impact. This might be a good fit with the cap and trade system that is currently being discussed by the Congress.

Source: SmartGridNews.com - June 29, 2009

And I quote....(on climate change debate)

With great interest…and amusement, I was able to watch part of the three hour debate on the House floor regarding the Climate Change and Energy Policy Act of 2009 (HR 2454). After listening to pros and cons from congress people all over the United States, how on earth can people possibly discern which direction is best? I work in the utility industry and I pay attention to this stuff because it will affect our customers.

I decided the best way to share pros and cons would be to pass on some of the comments I heard from congressional leaders during the general debate. To the best of my ability I wrote down some of their comments verbatim but obviously could not include their entire dialogue.

**********
R-California Dana Rohrbacher
“Wake up America! This bill will cause great damage to the American people in the name of phony science.”

D-North Carolina G.K. Butterfield
“Save the planet. You can call this a carbon tax all you want, but you are wrong. This is historic legislation that needs to move forward. Built into this bill is a 15% safety net for the poorest in America. It will cost the American tax payer 48 cents per day.”

R-Tennessee Marsha Blackburn
“This is not an energy bill, it is a tax bill. Tennessee will lose 33,000 jobs in 2012 alone. The impacts of this bill will shut down small businesses and residential customers will pay $3,100 in new taxes every year.”

D-Massachusetts Richard Neal
“This bill will make America less dependent on foreign oil. It’s a difficult decision but it makes those tough choices for our children.”

R-Nebraska Lee Terry
“Omaha Public Power District did some calculations for me and they tell me that it will cost OPPD customers $74 million by 2012 and by 2030, the cost will be $414 million.”

D-Maryland John Sarbanes
“The United States is a sleeping giant; this bill will create a new framework so ordinary citizens can jump into opportunities.”

R-Oklahoma Tom Cole
“This is a flawed cap and tax legislation. It will add $3,000 to consumers' energy costs. Residents in rural areas will be disproportionately affected.”

D-California Jerry McNerney
“I’ve seen firsthand new development in technology. Long term prosperity is at hand. It is long past the time for us to pass this legislation to give us a more efficient grid.”

R-Alabama Spencer Bachus
“This will create a multi-trillion dollar derivatives market based on carbon offsets. And it gives us permission to discharge CO2. If you think the sub-prime lending market was hard to believe, wait till you see this.”

D-Ohio Betty Sutton
“This bill is not perfect but no bill is. The status quo is not acceptable. This is a jobs bill. We need to keep acting till we get it right.”

R-Iowa Tom Latham
“We have the most onerous regulations in the world. See this present (bright yellow box with a blue ribbon) says ‘To China From U.S. Congress’. [opens box and pulls out a hard hat that has stamped on it ‘American jobs’] Seventeen thousand jobs will be lost in Iowa by 2012. This bill destroys hope.

D-Iowa Bruce Braley
“This is a defining moment in our country’s history. How will we look into our children’s eyes and answer ‘Where were you when we needed climate change legislation?’ This will not cost us jobs, it will create jobs in green energy.
**********

The Republican congressman from Texas who led the opposition said “David Sokol, the CEO of Mid-American Energy who provides energy to the mid west, says this bill will raise utility rates across the nation and it will cost his residential consumers $110.00 per month.”

Even though I attempted to give readers both sides through the words of congressional leaders, I believe this legislation will cause grave hardship for every American.

Each side gives their own facts and as I listened, I wondered where they got their information. The common thread in support of this legislation was that it would reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which has affected me indirectly most of my life. I’ve done my own research and I oppose this bill. There was a common thread against this legislation – the loss of jobs and the overall cost to the American family. That, my friend, affects me directly.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

What's a smart grid?

The term is shorthand for a set of automation and telecommunications technologies and processes that, when properly integrated and supported, will enable utilities to communicate with other utilities, with their customers and with the devices that deliver electricity. The smart grid will include new technologies in the bulk power system, the electric distribution system, at the customer meter and in the customer’s home or business. Vast amounts of data will be communicated instantly and without human intervention. The data exchanged along the smart grid will include power usage, price and conditions of the various system components.

The benefits of a smart grid include:
• The ability to increase energy efficiency at the consumer level and on the electric transmission and distribution systems.
• The ability to reduce power consumption during peak hours and shape the load.
• Provide more information for consumers about power prices.
• Facilitate interconnection of small generation resources, including renewable resources such as wind and solar.
• Reduce the frequency and impact of power outages.

It’s important to realize that not all of the technologies needed for a true smart grid exist yet and that developing the smart grid is a gradual process. Appliance manufacturers are beginning to place chips in home appliances so the appliances receive signals from the utility through the advanced meters. To move toward a smart grid, public power districts and cooperatives are installing advanced meters that allow two-way remote communications. Rural utilities are also investigating and installing smart devices in distribution substations and along transmission lines.

Source: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; Our Energy Our Future

Tornados Last Night....Video is amazing!

Storm chasers Matt Chatelain, Curtis McDonald, Daniel Betten and Brandon Lawson documented multiple tornados from close range during the June 17, 2009 tornado event in southwest Nebraska! Included are tornadoes west of Grand Island, NE (near the end) and the damaging Aurora, NE tornado.

I was going to write about more political things, especially since Nancy Pelosi is pushing hard to have the climate change policy heard on June 19th. That's tomorrow. However, in light of the severe weather last night, the safety issue seemd more pressing to me.

If a tornado has reached the ground, you can probably count on the fact that there will be downed power lines. We're asking everyone to not assume the line is dead...it probably isn't. Don't go near them. Call us (or the local utility affected by the downed lines).

This video is awesome....and I have no idea if it made the main stream media here in Nebraska.

Cut Your Electric Bill in HALF! Really! Really?

Lean times understandably motivate people to explore money-saving options. At what cost, however, might that pursuit of savings come?

Customers wanting to lower their electric bills most likely already know the sage advice about insulating their homes, investing in Energy Star appliances, and unplugging devices they are not using. But isn’t there a quicker, easier way? What about investing in one of those “magic boxes or cylinders” that promises to slice home electricity costs by up to 50%? Here’s a heads up. If a product sounds too good to be true on the energy-savings front, it probably is.

Numerous products fall into the deceptive and ineffective category. One to achieve significant notoriety is the Xpower Energy Saver. Forum Trading Inc. was collaborating with several other companies to sell a $200 cylinder they claimed consumers could plug into the wall to trim electricity consumption by 25%, and extend the life of household appliances.

Engineers at the University of Texas at Austin concluded that the Xpower could produce no more than a 0.06% reduction in electric use in an average house. Laboratory tests revealed that the product is an ordinary capacitor. Capacitors are usually employed in electronic circuits to store energy or differentiate between high- and low-frequency signals.

Saving energy is not as simple as plugging a device into an outlet or a meter. Utilities invest millions of dollars every year into researching the latest energy efficient and renewable energy options on the market. Dawson Public Power District offers energy audits, weatherization tips, rebates and other assistance to customers seeking answers about energy efficiency.

In today’s economic climate, marketers have found a niche offering a range of products that they promise will deliver quick and easy energy savings. The soundest advice to follow in this climate is: BUYER BEWARE. Instead of wasting money on schemes that fall short, Dawson PPD customers looking for answers are encouraged to call us so we can help you find ways to cut your energy usage.


Source: Cooperative Research Network; Elizabeth McGowan, Energetics Inc.

Top Lobbyist

There’s strength in numbers. That’s the conclusion of The Hill newspaper, which recently cited NRECA CEO Glenn English as one of the top lobbyists among Washington, D.C. associations. “English runs a group with broad grassroots power,” The Hill said in its May 21 edition, which pointed out that the chief executives of trade associations have to strike a balance among hundreds of members and then effectively convey that on Capitol Hill.

“Complicating the effort for trade group CEOs, however, is that not all of their members see eye to eye on things,” the paper said. “One has to constantly preach the benefits of sticking together to companies that may be competitors on another playing field.” English knows his way around the legislative process as a former 10-term congressman from Oklahoma.

He said the grassroots strength of NRECA is what truly makes it stand out. “Electric co-ops represent the interests of 42 million people in 47 states. There are very few groups that have such a broad base. “In this case, I am the representative of the recognition earned by the NRECA staff, statewide managers and the membership at large,” English said. “When we work together for a common purpose, elected officials must take our members into account.” A few other former congressmen also made the list, including Dave McCurdy of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and Dan Glickman of the Motion Picture Association of America.

– Steven Johnson, Electric Coop Today, June 5, 2009

Are we talking to the Cheshire Cat?

When Alice in Wonderland came to a fork in the road, she asked the Cheshire Cat which way she should go. His answer: “That depends on where you want to go.” And with that, the cat disappears and leaves only the grin. I think it looks a lot like Henry Waxman’s grin as HR2454 heads to Congress.

Some proposals (American Clean Energy & Security Act 2009) will freely allocate allowances to electric utilities which may affect electricity prices. Waxman-Markey allocates allowances to local distribution companies, which are subject to cost-of-service regulation even in regions with restructured wholesale electricity markets. So, electricity prices would likely be affected by these allocations [Robert Stavins, The Energy Collective]. The Waxman-Markey legislation seeks to address this problem by specifying that the economic value of the allowances given to electricity and natural gas local distribution companies should be passed on to consumers through lump-sum rebates, not through a reduction in electricity rates, thereby compensating consumers for increases in electricity prices, but without reducing incentives for energy conservation.

The electricity sector will receive 35% of the allowances, representing 90% of current utility emissions. Local electric distribution companies, whose rates are regulated by the states, will receive 30% of the allowances, which they must use to protect consumers from electricity price increases.

The whole point of cap and trade legislation is to raise the price of energy derived from fossil fuels, in order to wean consumers from their (alleged) addiction to cheap gas and electricity. Don’t take our word for it; the Institute for Energy Research article can quote from the president himself to make the point: (Barack Obama January 2008). Click here to watch video. The summary for the allowance allocation goes to GREAT LENGTHS (even titling it CONSUMER PROTECTION) to explain how it will protect consumers against the economic harm created by the Waxman-Markey bill. “GRIN” No cat. J They admit this bill will raise electric rates (and the costs in other energy sectors).

According to Glenn English, CEO of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, “The renewable energy provisions have been improved significantly in the bill as have the efficiency provisions. Including temporary free allowances in the bill is a step in the right direction to protecting electric cooperative consumers from unnecessarily increasing electricity bills, but the formula for allocation of allowances among industry segments needs to be equitable. The Committee adopted the formula developed by big investor owned power companies but that formula does not treat electric co-op consumers fairly. And, while the emission caps in the bill have been lowered somewhat, we agree with many members of the committee who believe they are still overly aggressive in the early years of the program and will need to be adjusted.”

On April 24, 2008, OMB Director Peter Orszag stated in testimony (to the Senate Committee on Finance) that regardless of whether the government auctioned off allowances or gave them away, electricity rates will still increase significantly based on any cap and trade system.

While improvement has been made in the bill, we urge you to contact your legislator so that HR2454 isn’t a slam-dunk. Insist that your representative take a hard stand on the formula for allowance allocation. Listen to your local utility’s concerns. This isn’t about us; we have to pass the costs on to consumers. This is about you and which fork in the road you want to take.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District

Electronic Communication….not much good without electricity

Years ago, when I first started at Dawson Power, it was difficult to communicate quickly with multiple media outlets and customers to provide them with timely information. Our regular monthly newsletter is still written 6 weeks in advance of publication. We rarely used television to convey a message because our service territory spread(s) across 5,000 square miles and local stations were pricey and not available on satellite until recently. Our primary media source was KRVN 880 AM because they had a strong presence in our entire service territory (discovered by surveying our customers). Farmers and ranchers in this area depend heavily on KRVN to keep them "informed".

There's a standard joke in the electric industry about using electronic means to communicate with our customers. Why bother; they don't have electricity so they can't watch television or go online. Waiting for the weekly paper to tell them what happened isn't an option. The radio is a wonderful media tool but you have to be tuned in at just the right time. We are faced with a challenge and today people demand more from us.

Here's my take, while you might not have electricity (at that moment); someone you know does or you might access web or messages through your cell phone. Or you can call us. Someone answers our phone 24 hours a day seven days a week. When the power comes back on, you can go to our FaceBook page or Twitter and find out what happened.

So why do we Twitter, Blog and use FaceBook as a connectivity piece to our customers? These types of communication pieces give you instant information WHEN YOU WANT IT. When you choose to follow us on Twitter, you will see that we don't throw out 140 characters every 10-15 minutes simply because we can. No, we use Twitter every day but sparingly so it contains information we think is important to you. Blogs, like this one, give our customers an opportunity to talk back. FaceBook "friends" can have more details about the power district and the type of work we do, how we do it and what's going on that could affect your rates. FaceBook lets us use pictures, stories, videos and updates with a few quick clicks of a mouse.

We are a company moving forward to serve you. Today's energy, tomorrow's vision.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager
Dawson Public Power District