Winter 2023 Generator

More documents

Recommendations

Info

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Steve Heesacker Chairman Bob Cerv First Vice Chairman Jim Donoghue Second Vice Chairman Mike Fleming Secretary Dick Tooley Treasurer Rich Aerni Alan Drozd Chris Langemeier Larry Zach EXECUTIVE STAFF Neal Suess President/CEO Walt Williams Vice President, Accounting & Finance/CFO Todd Duren Vice President, Corporate Services Korey Hobza Vice President, Engineering Dan Hellbusch Vice President, Operations The Loup Generator is published quarterly as a service for Loup employees, families, friends, and associates. For feedback, story ideas and submissions, contact: Stacy Wemhoff Communications Coordinator 402-562-5711 swemhoff@loup.com Communities receive more than $1.6M Loup Power District officials recently delivered lease payments totaling more than $1.6 million to area communities. Each of these communities owns their electric distribution systems. These payments compensate them for the use of those systems for the third quarter of 2022. Communities use the funds for a variety of public projects. Fight the winter chill and save energy We all have our favorite season. Some people love crisp, cool weather and bundling up under a favorite blanket, while others prefer the warm temperatures summer brings and all the fun outdoor activities that go with it. But there’s one thing we can all agree on: high winter bills are never fun. Here are some tips to help you manage your home energy use and keep winter bills in check. The payments were: Columbus — $1,232,382.74 Platte Center — $10,743.15 Monroe — $8,544.47 Tarnov — $1,422.77 Creston — $5,804.40 Humphrey — $28,541.28 Lindsay — $45,774.88 Cornlea — $1,756.01 Newman Grove — $19,955.51 Duncan — $17,400.11 Fullerton — $38,204.93 Genoa — $27,063.72 1. MIND THE THERMOSTAT. This is one of the easiest ways to manage your home energy use. We recommend setting your thermostat to 68 degrees (or lower) when you’re home. When you’re away for an extended period of time, try setting it a little lower — there’s no need to heat your home when you’re away or sleeping and less active. 2. BUTTON UP YOUR HOME. The Department of Energy estimates that air leaks account for 24–40 percent of the energy used for heating and cooling a home. Caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors is another simple, cost-effective way to increase comfort and save energy. If you can feel drafts while standing near a window or door, it likely needs to be sealed. 3. USE WINDOW COVERINGS WISELY. Open blinds, drapes or other window coverings during the day to allow natural sunlight in to warm your home. Close them at night to keep the cold, drafty air out. If you feel cold air around windows, consider hanging curtains or drapes in a thicker material. Heavier window coverings can make a significant difference in blocking cold outdoor air. 4. CONSIDER YOUR APPLIANCE USE. When combined, appliances and electronics account for a significant chunk of our home energy use, so assess how efficiently you’re using them. Belgrade — $3,950.17 Richland — $2,541.36 Howells — $20,526.03 Leigh — $15,624.36 Clarkson — $21,796.13 Albion — $55,231.07 Cedar Rapids — $14,640.57 Primrose — $1,648.76 Petersburg — $11,169.31 St. Edward — $20,629.42 Total — $1,605,351.15 For example, if you’re running the dishwasher or clothes washer, only wash full loads. Look for electronic devices that consume energy even when they’re not in use, like phone chargers or game consoles. Every little bit helps, so unplug them to save energy. 5. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. If you’re still feeling chilly at home, think of other ways to warm up beyond dialing up the thermostat. Add layers of clothing, wear thick socks and bundle up under blankets. You can even add layers to your home! If you have hard-surface flooring, consider purchasing an area rug to block cold air that leaks in through the floor. If you’re taking steps to save energy but continue to see major increases in your bills, give us a call at 402-562-5718 or check out our energy calculators at loup.com. Winter months often bring some of the highest energy bills of the year. By being proactive about saving energy, you can increase the comfort of your home and reduce monthly bills. 2 | GENERATOR
president’s message Board of Directors goes from 10 members to 9 As you may be aware, the District will see a distinct change in our Board of Directors next year. Effective with the new year in 2023, the District will go from a ten-member Board of Directors to a nine-member Board of Directors. Why did this happen? It was due to the change in the distribution of people in the District’s four-county service area from the 2010 Census to the 2020 Census. As the District’s Board and management started to look at the 2020 Census figures, it became clear that the District needed to go to a nine-member Board to keep an even population between District subdivisions. The populations in the District’s two largest cities —Columbus and Schuyler — are growing at a rate much faster than the rest of the District. Many areas of the District outside of Columbus and Schuyler actually decreased in population from 2010 to 2020, which caused an even greater shift in the population numbers. As the Board members started to review the data, it became very clear that the western part of the District’s operating area (specifically Boone County Petersburg and Nance County) would be unable to support a director from each county. Instead, the counties needed to have one director from Boone and Nance County. In the November election, Board member Alan Drozd defeated Board member Ross Knott for this seat. In the other races involving District subdivisions, Director Jim Donoghue and Director Larry Zach were victorious in their reelection bids. With that, we at the District will say goodbye to Director Ross Knott from Petersburg. Director Knott has been on the District Board since 2017 and served as Board Chairman in 2021. He brought a wealth of knowledge to the District with his involvement in the banking industry and his vast knowledge of ranching in the panhandle areas of Nebraska. The Loup Power District Board of Directors has always brought a wide variety of business understanding to their positions and this has made the District Board very unique. This is one of the main reasons that I have enjoyed working at Loup Power District — I get a better understanding of different industries from people who are leaders in those industries. We want to wish Director Knott, his wife Danielle, and the rest of his family the best of luck in their future endeavors. They will be missed as part of the Loup Power District family. NEAL SUESS President/CEO ALAN DROZD Albion Newman Grove Lindsay Cornlea Humphrey Creston Leigh Clarkson Howells Primrose Cedar Rapids St. Edward STEVE HEESACKER Tarnov Platte Center BOB CERV Belgrade Genoa Monroe JIM DONOGHUE Columbus Richland Schuyler Duncan Fullerton LARRY ZACH MIKE FLEMING DICK TOOLEY RICH AERNI CHRIS LANGEMEIER 1=1 WINTER 2023 | 3
Page 1: GENERA OR a publication of Loup Pow
Page 5 and 6: Cheap chargers come with safety con
Page 7 and 8: WINTER 2023 | 7
Page 9 and 10: REY JARECKI Carpenter/Utility Loup
Page 11 and 12: Staying Safe Lineworkers have a diz

Winter 2023 Generator

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?