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Kenergy forms new nonprofit to help low-income members

In an effort to help member-owners who struggle to pay their Kenergy bills, the cooperative recently started a nonprofit titled Operation Roundup® (OR).

OR depends on donations from members who agree to “round up” their payments to the next dollar. For example, if a bill totals $97.27, the member agrees to pay $98. The difference between the two amounts becomes a donation to help low-income members.

Using this system of giving, the average donor gives about $6 a year. Giving pennies a month is a painless way to donate to a worthy cause.

Can such small donations help anyone? When many people give small amounts, it adds up quickly. Palmetto Electric Cooperative started the nation’s first OR in 1989. Since then, that cooperative has distributed $5.7 million to help the communities it serves.

Now, Kenergy members can donate to help low-income families who live in western Kentucky. It’s easy to enroll. Simply check a box on the front of the monthly bill statement.

Those who pay automatically each month can call Kenergy’s office at 1.800.844.4832 during business hours. Member Service Representatives can enroll members in OR.

Also, one-time-only contributions are appreciated. Members may send a check made out to Operation Roundup® in the envelope with a monthly payment.

OR donations are tax deductible. Funds stay local, helping only fellow Kenergy members.

A separate Board of Directors has been established for Kenergy’s OR, which is an autonomous nonprofit.

For more information, contact Kenergy at 1.800.844.4832.

 

Kenergy payment options go dark Wed., March 30

After business hours, Kenergy members have several ways to make payments and enter meter readings — by telephone, phone app or computer.

However, on Wed., March 30, those options will go dark for at least three hours, beginning at 11 p.m.

This lapse in service is due to a scheduled system upgrade.

For more information, call Kenergy at 1.800.844.4382.

 

No opposition for 2016 director elections

The three incumbent directors whose seats are up for election in 2016 will face no opposition and will retain their board seats for another three years without an election.

Glenn Cox of Fredonia in District 1, Chris Mitchell of Clay in District 3, and Bill Denton of Henderson in District 5, are the only candidates who submitted petitions to have their names placed on the ballot.

Kenergy’s bylaws stipulate that any uncontested candidate will be declared the winner of the board seat without an election.

 

2016 Capital Credit Retirement Q&A

Read the 2016 Capital Credit Retirement Q&A to learn more about Kenergy’s return of capital credits to its membership.

Kenergy returns nearly $3 million in a capital credit retirement

HENDERSON, KY. – Kenergy’s Board of Directors voted on Tuesday, March 8, to return nearly $3 million to its member-owners in the form of a capital credit retirement.

The difference between a cooperative such as Kenergy and an investor-owned utility is that a cooperative is a not-for-profit that is owned by those it serves. At the close of each fiscal year, margins are allocated back to the membership in the form of capital credits. This allocation is based on the dollar amount of electricity members purchased during the same year.

The 2016 retirement represents net margins allocated in 1986 (50 percent), 1987 (100 percent) and 1988 (75 percent).

For this year’s retirement, current members, who bought electricity from the cooperative between 1986 and 1988, can expect a credit on their June bills. Former members who are eligible will receive checks in the mail if their portion of the retirement is greater than $5.

At this time, Kenergy continues to calculate amounts to be paid to members. After bill statements arrive in June, members with questions may call the co-op’s office.

Regarding the estates of deceased members, capital credits are retired on a prorated basis upon notification of death. Therefore, some deceased members’ estates already received their retirement for the years 1986-1988.

Since 2012, Kenergy has returned more than $13 million to its members and former members in the form of capital credit retirements.

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Kenergy hires new line tech

Kenergy has hired Jacob Throgmorton to fill a line tech position in Henderson.

Throgmorton started his duties with Kenergy on Monday, March 7.

Before coming to Kenergy, he worked for Five Star Construction Group, a line contracting firm.

Throgmorton is married to Alison Throgmorton. They have a son and daughter — 9-year-old Corben and 8-year-old Laney.

Jacob Throgmorton grew up in the Clay area. He and his family now reside in Henderson.

Co-ops launch non-partisan voter engagement program

 

By Justin LaBerge February 2016

America’s electric cooperatives have launched a non-partisan, nationwide effort to promote civic engagement and voter participation in the communities they serve.

Jeffrey Connor, interim CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, unveiled the Co-ops Vote program at the association’s 74th annual meeting in New Orleans.

“Through Co-ops Vote, we want to help our members know when elections are, what’s at stake and how to make their voices heard,” Connor said. “Who folks vote for isn’t really as important as the fact that they do vote.”

The Co-ops Vote initiative will focus on eight issues that are important to health and prosperity of communities served by electric cooperatives:

  • Rural Broadband Access
  • Hiring and Honoring Veterans
  • Low-Income Energy Assistance
  • Cybersecurity
  • Water Regulation
  • Rural Health Care Access
  • Affordable and Reliable Energy
  • Renewable Energy

“Electric cooperatives are perfectly designed to help address these important issues,” Connor said. “We can make politics ‘local’ again because civic engagement is part of our DNA.”

A new website, vote.coop, offers co-op members information on the voter registration process in their state, dates of elections, information on the candidates running in those elections, and explanations of the eight key issues the campaign aims to address.

In keeping with its non-partisan goals, the initiative will not be endorsing specific candidates for office.

Mel Coleman, president of NRECA and CEO of North Arkansas Electric Cooperative, said the program would help ensure the voices of rural Americans are heard.

“We want to make sure our government knows that rural America matters,” Coleman said. “This campaign isn’t about divisive, partisan issues. It’s about real people in real places facing real challenges. It’s about our co-ops living out the principles of our movement: concern for community and democratic control.”

Connor cited partisan gridlock in Washington, the explosive growth of money in politics and the effects of gerrymandering as important reasons for launching the program. In 2014, 318 of 435 House races had a margin of victory of 20 points or more[1], and 30 House candidates – 16 Democrats and 14 Republicans representing 11 states – didn’t even face an opponent in the general election[2].

[1] https://ballotpedia.org/Margin_of_victory_analysis_for_the_2014_congressional_elections

[2] http://atr.rollcall.com/elections-2014-running-unopposed-congress/

Three directors to be elected in 2016

Prior to Kenergy’s Annual Membership meeting to be held on June 14, individuals will be elected to represent Districts 1, 3 and 5.

A ballot listing the qualified candidates in a contested district election will be mailed in May to each Kenergy member residing within the district.  Members will also have the option to vote online.

Seats up for re-election are:

  • District 1, which is represented by Glenn Cox, includes all of Lyon and Caldwell counties and that portion of Hopkins County west of Highway 109 and the area south of Highway 70 in Crittenden County.
  • District 3, which is represented by Chris Mitchell, includes all of Webster County and that portion of Hopkins County east of Highway 109.
  • District 5, which is represented by Bill Denton, includes the area of Henderson County east of the Pennyrile Parkway and east of that portion of Highway 41 that runs to the north of the Pennyrile Parkway.

Any 15 or more members may make nominations of eligible persons for district director.

Such nominations shall be by signed written petition and shall be submitted to the corporation not less than 110 days prior to the Annual Meeting.  Only members eligible to vote in a district are authorized to sign a petition nominating a member from that district.  Directors shall be elected only from nominations by petition.

It is not a requirement to use a petition form prepared by Kenergy; however, anyone wishing to do so may request one by contacting Debbie Hayden at 270-689-6101 or email at dhayden@kenergycorp.com.

The petition must be submitted to the cooperative by 4 p.m. on Feb. 25.  Thereafter, if the petition is valid, the name of the nominee will be posted.

Pole inspections

A contractor named Alamon will start pole inspections the week of Feb. 15.

Inspectors will begin their work in Kenergy’s Owensboro District.  Poles located near these substations will be inspected:  Horse Fork, Masonville, South Dermont, Utica and Nuckols.

In Marion, the Crossroads poles will be inspected.

In Henderson, poles on the Little Dixie, Sebree and Weaverton substations will be inspected.

About four to six individuals will conduct inspections.  They are expected to knock on doors before entering property.  However, if no one is home or answers the door, they will continue with their work.

These crews will pair up to treat poles.

Alamon vehicles will have Kenergy magnetic stickers.

Crews will also use all-terrain vehicles to do pole inspections.

Clean Power Plan ruling welcome news for Big Rivers, Kenergy

Big Rivers Electric Corporation, the generation & transmission cooperative owned by Kenergy and two other distribution cooperatives (Jackson Purchase Energy Corp. and Meade County RECC), is applauding a Supreme Court ruling on the Clean Power Plan. In a 5-4 vote announced earlier this month, the court agreed to temporarily halt the enforcement of federal climate change regulations until legal challenges are resolved.

The move is a major victory for Kentucky and 28 other states, plus a number of utilities and energy groups, who have filed appeals to stop the regulations. They believe the EPA’s Clean Power Plan oversteps the law and would be harmful to the affordability and reliability of electricity in the U.S.

The ruling is also welcome news to your power provider. Big Rivers is able to keep electricity rates low by using coal for nearly all of its power generation. Coal is a reliable fuel source readily available in our region, allowing us to significantly save on transportation costs.

The Clean Power Plan will have a substantial impact on coal generation due to its aggressive limits on carbon emissions. If the regulations were allowed to proceed, electric cooperatives, like Big Rivers, would be forced to make costly decisions on whether to retire power plants prematurely, undergo extensive renovations or switch to alternative fuel sources. Any of those changes would cause electricity rates to rise for Members and lead to a serious loss of good paying jobs in our community.

“The Supreme Court ruling to temporarily stop the regulations comes at a crucial moment,” said Big Rivers President and CEO, Bob Berry. “Without the stay, Big Rivers may have taken expensive and irreversible steps to meet the Clean Power Plan, only to have the rule overturned later in the legal process.”

Big Rivers will continue to work with lawmakers and our stakeholders to reduce or mitigate the negative impact this unnecessary regulation may have on your electricity cost.