September - Lynches River Electric Cooperative

Co-opConnection
Is America ready for the electric car?
surrounded the 2011
release of electric vehicles by two
prominent automakers. The Chevrolet
Volt and the Nissan Leaf
were hailed as “the future
is now” cars that would
usher in a new era of
energy independence and
technological innovation for
the United States.
One question asked a lot
about electric cars is their
effect on the environment. Because
you plug them in just like any other
appliance—creating more work for
power plants—will we really prevent
carbon emissions? According to the
Electric Power Research Institute, a
Palo Alto, Calif.-based consortium,
the short answer is yes. Despite the
extra load, various airborne emissions
will decline with the onset of electric
cars. Each region of the country will
see reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions over several decades, thanks
in part to technologies that decrease
carbon dioxide emissions from power
plants. In addition, electric cars could
actually help electric cooperatives if
consumers plug them in at night. That
helps the system run more efficiently
because power costs and demand are
at their lowest.
However, the costs may still be
prohibitive for most Americans.
The Cooperative Research Network
estimates that payback in terms of
MUCH BUZZ
gasoline savings would take about a
decade (depending on your driving
habits). And if you want the car to
charge up quickly (instead of the
usual four to eight hours or so with
a regular 110-V outlet), you’ll have to
install a higher-voltage outlet at your
home. Besides the cost of having the
220-V outlet installed—which one
cooperative wholesale power provider
estimates to be about $2,000—your
home’s wiring may need to be
updated to accommodate it. The costs
add up.
Whether an electric car suits you
also depends on your lifestyle, how
much you drive, and whether you
want your vehicle to have fancy
amenities that use more electricity.
Cities across the country are
attempting to do their part—electric
vehicle charging stations are springing
up at various locations here and
there. We have one at our office in
Pageland. But barriers, including cost,
limited driving range on a charge, and
easy access to chargers, still inhibit
widespread use.
As with any new concept you
have to start somewhere and electric
vehicles are no different. I look
forward to progress in electric vehicle
technology.
David A. Altman
President and CEO
Leigh Smith
PO Box 308
707 South Arant St.
Pageland, SC 29728
Phone (843) 672-6111
or 1-800-922-3486
www.lynchesriver.com
Automated Outage System
675-LREC (5732) or
1-866-675-LREC (5732)
Office Hours
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Monday–Friday
David A. Altman
President and CEO
Trustees:
Eric L. Horton
Chairman, District 1
Myrtle L. Faile
Vice Chairwoman, District 2
Steve Chewning
Secretary/Treasurer, District 7
Theresa S. Hicks, District 3
Mike Crawford, District 4
Scott Croxton, District 5
Daryl Faulkenberry, District 6
Randolph Mackey, District 8
John T. Blackwell
Member-At-Large
Remote Payment Sites
Chesterfield
Piggly Wiggly Market of Chesterfield
1303 West Boulevard
(843) 623-6590
Kershaw
Quality Appliance
407 South Hampton Street
(803) 475-2302
Lancaster
The Energy Center, Inc.
667 Lancaster Bypass 9 E
(803) 283-6148
Co-op Connection Editor
Leigh C. Smith
leigh.smith@lynchesriver.com
The Chevy Volt charging at Lynches River Electric Cooperative’s charging station. The Volt travels the
state visiting South Carolina co-ops to spread the word about electric cars.
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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2012 | scliving.coop
Lynches River News
Utility bill scam warning
TAKE ACTION!
Send us your email address
President Obama does not want to pay your electric bills
Cooperative
is warning members of a billing
scam designed to steal your personal
information. Identity thieves are
preying on utility customers across the
country telling them President Obama
wants to help pay their electric bills.
Following weeks of 100-degree
temperatures and higher electric
bills as a result,
vulnerable utility
customers are
falling victim to
this scam. The
old adage, “If
something sounds
too good to be true,
it probably is,”
definitely applies here.
Members should be alert to phone
calls, fliers, social media and text
messages claiming a new federal aid
program will pay their utility bills.
Victims are given a bogus bank routing
number to pay their bills, in exchange
Lynches River Electric
Today, we have many critical
issues that need your attention.
Unfortunately, the Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposals
take our nation’s energy and
environmental policy in the wrong
direction. The EPA’s plan affects the
next generation of power plants and
reduces America’s fuel diversity.
Electric cooperatives support
a comprehensive energy and
environmental policy that embraces
all fuels (nuclear, natural gas,
renewable and coal), maximizes
energy efficiency, and emphasizes
the development of technologies
that continue to improve our
environment.
If you would like to help, join
Lynches River Electric and electric
cooperatives across the nation by
sending messages on issues that may
affect your co-op to your elected
officials.
Share your email address to
participate, and messages will be
sent to you when necessary about
important issues. You may be asked
to enter your information and send
provided form letters. Call Lynches
River Electric Cooperative at
675-3213 or 1-800-922-3486 ext. 213
with your email address or email
leigh.smith@lynchesriver.com.
for providing their Social Security
numbers and bank credentials.
By the time victims of the fraud
find out the vouchers are worthless,
they are left owing their utility bill,
and possibly a returned check fee as
well as a late payment charge. Even
worse, their identity has been stolen.
The most important thing to
remember is to
never give out
your personal
information—
Social Security
number, banking
information,
credit card
number, etc.—to
a stranger.
If you think you’ve been contacted
by someone claiming to be part of a
program to pay utility bills, contact
law enforcement immediately.
If you have questions or concerns, call Lynches
River at 672-6111 or 1-800-922-3486.
Attention members
Leigh Smith
Lynches River to host open house
Members are invited to tour the new Lynches River Electric Cooperative office
located at 707 S. Arant St. in Pageland.
Tours will be conducted from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27.
Please call our office at 672-6111 or 1-800-922-3486 (toll free) if you have
questions or need more information.
Look for your Official Annual
Meeting Notice on the front cover
wrap of the October issue of South
Carolina Living magazine. Be sure to
tear off the entire bottom section
of the cover wrap. Bring this official
registration card with you along
with a photo ID to the Annual
Meeting to register and enter the
prize drawing.
Registered members DO NOT
have to stay for the prize drawing
to be eligible to win.
scliving.coop | SEPTEMBER 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING
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