Engaging Students
In 2018, SVEC sponsored 10 local high school students on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Florida Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Tallahassee. Grace Jackson and Christian Rodriguez were part of that group and went on to represent the cooperative at the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., where they had the opportunity to visit national landmarks and meet Florida lawmakers.
The Easier, The Better
In the past year, SVEC launched a new and improved website that makes it easier for members to find important cooperative news and information. The site contains a live-chat function and on-line forms that make doing business with the co-op more convenient. Member convenience was also the purpose behind the installation of a new 24-hour, drive-thru payment kiosk at the co-op’s office.
Improving Reliability
The cooperative implemented its Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS). ADMS automatically detects the location of an electrical fault, automatically performs switching to isolate the fault, and then reroutes the flow of electricity to restore power to consumers who are out but who are not in the section of lines where the fault is located. The entire process reduces the amount of time many members are without power.
Helping Neighbors
The Suwannee Valley dodged the worst of what Hurricane Michael had to offer, but some of our neighbors did not. As soon as repairs on our system were complete, a 16-man crew left for Southport to help Gulf Coast Electric with its repairs. After staying a week, a second 10-man crew relieved them to continue restoration efforts.
Energy Diversity
SVEC’s wholesale power provider, Seminole Electric Cooperative, generates electricity from a diverse array of resources. In 2018, nine percent of that energy came from renewable resources like solar, hydropower and combustion of solid waste and landfill gas. That percentage will only continue to grow in coming years as both renewable energy and natural gas make up for the closure of one of Seminole’s coal plants.
