Department News
from Mark Carden

Posted by: TEC Web Team
June 2007

Energy Bill and Tax Credits

Article submitted by Mark Carden - Engineering

This month’s article is regarding tax breaks and other energy benefits that our member-owners may be interested in reading about. You can find more information regarding this topic from the U.S. Department of Energy’s website at www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm.

What the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Bill Means to you, the consumer

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), signed by President Bush on August 8, 2005, offers consumers and businesses federal tax credits beginning in January 2006 for purchasing fuel-efficient hybrid-electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and products. Most of these tax credits remain in effect through 2007.
ABOUT TAX CREDITS
A tax credit is generally more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because a tax credit reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only removes a percentage of the tax that is owed. Beginning in tax year 2006, consumers will be able to itemize purchases on their federal income tax form, which will lower the total amount of tax they owe the government.

Home Energy Efficiency Improvement Tax Credits
Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in the home can receive a tax credit of up to $500 beginning in January 2006.
Improvements must be installed in or on the taxpayer’s principal residence in the United States. Home improvement tax credits apply for improvements made between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007.

Business Tax Credits
Businesses are eligible for tax credits for buying hybrid vehicles, for building energy- efficient buildings, and for improving the energy efficiency of commercial buildings (as outlined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005).
Business credit of energy-efficient new homes. This provides tax credits to eligible contractors for the construction of a qualified new energy-efficient home. Credit applies to manufactured homes meeting Energy Star criteria and other homes, saving 50% of the energy compared to the EPACT standard. This is effective January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007.

Energy-efficient Commercial building deduction. This provision allows a tax deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings that reduce annual energy and power consumption by 50% compared to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 2001 standard. The deduction would equal the cost of energy-efficient property installed during construction, with a maximum deduction of $1.80 per square foot of the building. Additionally, a partial deduction of 60 cents per square foot would be provided for building subsystems.

Energy-efficient appliances - This provides a tax credit for the manufacturer of energy-efficient dishwashers, clothes washers, and refrigerators. Credits vary depending on the efficiency of the unit. This is effective for appliances manufactured in 2006 and 2007.

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TURTLE METER SYSTEM UPDATE

Memo from: TEC engineering department
To: All TEC Member-Owners

All the residential Turtle meter installations have been completed in Marion and Lamar. All six Tombigbee Electric Cooperative substations have been converted to the turtles system.

The turtle meter sends a low frequency signal from the meter through the power lines to a collection site at the substation; from that site we retrieved the meter readings. There are many AMR (automated meter readers) devices that are currently on the market the turtle system from Hunt Technologies is one of the most reliable and cost efficient.

If you have questions about your KWH usage the turtle system will allow you to know exactly how many KWH (kilowatt hours) you use each day. We received a new reading every 27.2 hours, so basically your meter is being read almost every day with no one coming to your house.

If you have any question fill free to contact us info@tombigbee.net or 800-621-8069.

There is also additional information about the turtle system on our web page at www.tombigbee.net in the engineering section.

Keeping you informed,

Mark Carden

News items from Mark Carden:

• Q & A with Mark Carden
• Facts you should know about power failure
• Turtle Technology is here!
• Turtle Warning!

Adequate Wiring
For Savings and Safety

Since the average American is using about twice the amount of electricity today he or she used ten years ago, yesterday's wiring may not be adequate for today's load. To operate efficiently, economically, and safely, appliances and electrical equipment require proper wiring.

Question: How do I know if my wiring system is adequate?

Answer: If your home is not properly wired for the demands you are making on its electrical system, you can tell by:

• Shrinking television picture
  Frequent blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers
  Slow-heating appliances

Question: Can inadequate wiring damage my appliances?

Answer: Yes. If wiring is inadequate, voltage is reduced and appliances and electric motors slow down, wasting electricity and possibly causing gradual damage to appliances.

Question: Suppose my wiring is inadequate. What should I do?

Answer: Deal with a reputable electrical contractor. When talking with potential contractors, ask for a list of references and contact those people before you commit to hire the contractor.

Get the most from your Appliances -- Use less electricity and reduce costs

Since electrical appliances that help you perform many of your household chores are a major part of your utility bill, wise use of these electrical servants can add up to significant savings. A good rule of thumb to follow for any electrical appliance is: Read the manufacturer's instructions.

Question: Cooking seems to consume so much energy. How can I conserve?

Answer: Maximize use of your electric oven by cooking several dishes at once that require approximately the same temperature. Select a mean or average temperature for all items. For example: if three recipes call for temperatures of 325°, 350°, and 375°, cook all three at 350° and adjust the cooking times accordingly. Freeze the dishes you won't use immediately. Saves you meal preparation time and doesn't heat up the kitchen. Check the sealing gasket on your oven door. If it's worn, it may leak heat. Use flat-bottom pans with tight-fitting lids on surface units. A small pan on a large burner wastes heat. Turn off cooking units immediately.

Question: Does opening and closing the refrigerator door really waste energy?

Answer: Yes. A little planning eliminates the constant opening and closing that contributes to energy waste and makes your refrigerator work harder. So does regular defrosting and periodic cleaning of the refrigerator's coils and condenser. A word of caution: be sure to unplug the refrigerator before cleaning. Check the sealing gasket on the door. If you can close the door on a new dollar bill and then pull it out without opening the door, you are probably wasting cold air. Clean the seal on a regular basis.

Question: Is it more efficient to wash dishes under running water or in the dishwasher?

Answer: A dishwasher is far more efficient if used properly. Run the dishwasher only when full, and use the cycle recommended by the manufacturer. Use only dishwasher detergents as other cleaning agents can clog the washing action. Keep the filter screen clean. Use the air dry feature rather than heat dry to help reduce costs.

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Turbo Turtles!

The TS2 is an exciting new automated meter-reading system that brings the power of consumers data to Tombigbee Electric!
The TS2 allows us to communicate simultaneously with each individual consumer, which gives you more reliable service.

With ultra narrow bandwidth technology the TS2 Turtle Meter revolutionizes powerline carrier AMR systems.
TS2 is designed to provide the ultimate in flexibility, presenting endpoint data that can easily be imported into a variety of utility applications.

Tombigbee will be installing these new TS2 Turtles in Marion and Lamar counties beginning in 2004 with the White House, Winfield and Guin communities. The Hamilton area installations will begin in early 2005.

Imagine the benefits Tombigbee EC can enhance with better customer services through accurate billing and usage information, reduced system outages with improved system planning based on specific load profiling as well as improved maintenance capabilities and the ability to provide quick identifications of outages and a swift response to restore service.

At Tombigbee... We're POWER and so much more!

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Source: October 1996 Report: U.S. Home Heating Fire Patterns and Trends Through 1994 by National Fire Protection Association. * Based on saturation of electric and gas water heaters. There are twice as many gas water heaters as electric throughout the United States.

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Facts You Should Know About…
the Northeast Transmission Failure

In light of the recent events that our fellow citizens in the Northeast experienced we, at Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, would like to address the following question that was asked of us the day of the NE blackouts.
We hope that you find this information both helpful and comforting.

QUESTION: Could a major blackout happen to us?
ANSWER: From Tombigbee Electric's Engineer, Mark Carden

It's very unlikely. Tombigbee does not believe that it is likely that we would have such a large scale, cascading event. The Southern Company & TVA has various types of generating plants that use coal, water and natural gas which would help alleviate the possibility of such a widespread outage. The Southern Company & TVA has also built a transmission system to meet and project the demands for current and future growth.
Historically, the Southeast region has never experienced an electrical blackout of this magnitude. The Southeast electrical grid is recognized as one of the most reliable in the country.

A word from Steve Foshee - General Mgr of Tombigbee Electric

1) The problem in the Northeast was with the failure of the transmission system to begin with which caused the wide spread outage. Then the distributions system had difficult coming back on due to the massive load of all the customers' air conditioning coming on at one time.
2) In contrast, the transmission system in the Southern United States is much stronger because the lines have been updated more often. In additions, Southern Company and TVA in our area own the transmission system.
3) Tombigbee's distribution system is much stronger than just a few years ago. In other words, if the power does go out we have built lines generally large enough to be restored even though everyone's air conditioning comes on at one time. We have also invested heavily into the protective systems that will handle the load.

If you have any questions about this topic please feel free to phone us or email your questions to Info@Tombigbee.Net

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! TURTLE WARNING!

If you live in Lamar County you may have wondered why the electric meter at my house has a red glow under the glass. Well the answer is you have a turtle meter. When you see the red light inside the meter it is transmitting the amount of electricity that is being used. We have just about completed installing the turtle meters in Lamar County. There are some areas in Lamar County that will not have the turtle meters yet. This is in the areas around River Road, Pine Springs, and Detroit areas. These meters are one way that we can better serve our consumers. If you have any questions please feel free to call.

Tombigbee Electric Cooperative has installed a new automated meter reading transmitter in your electrical meter. The transmitter is called a Turtle and fits under the glass cover, it will read your meter automatically and send the KWH information back to the utility through the power lines. Tombigbee Electric Cooperative will be installing Turtle transmitters in 3,000 customer meters over the next three to four months. For a printable description of this new service please tap on the link below:

TURTLE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. - (PDF)

The most obvious advantage you will enjoy from the new Turtle system is better service. Tombigbee Electric Cooperative will not have to come to your home to read your meter or estimate your usage. The daily in flow of information also makes billing more accurate and opening and closing meter accounts more timely. A daily usage profile of exactly how much power you use, the daily peak, the date of highest peak, and other information will verify how much power you use and when. For a visual look at the tables below.

Using this new meter reading technology will help us serve you better and make it possible to continue offering you the most favorable rates.

If you have any questions please call 800-621-8069 Ext 28, or 205/468.3325 - Ext 28.

Thanks Mark Carden, Engineering

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Turtle Technology is here!
#1 - TURTLE TRANSMITTER The Turtle Transmitter is a small circuit board that installs into standard meters. It measure kilowatt-hour usage by counting the revolutions of a meter disk. This data is time-stamped and transmitted continuously across your utility's power lines.
#2 - TRANSMISSION SYSTEM The Turtle transmission system employs Ultra_Narrow Bandwidth Technology which allow the signal to travel unimpeded through power lines. The packets of information sent by a Turtle transmitter arrive continuously at the substation.
#3 TURTLE RECEIVER The Turtle receiver is a data collection device installed at the substation that 'listens' for each Turtle Transmitter assigned to the substation. Each receiver is capable of 'hearing' up to 2880 Turtles simultaneously, storing the informtion it hears, and sending it on to your utility's central office.
#4 TURTLE HOST SOFTWARE Meter signals are transmitted to your utility's central business office over cellular or standard telephone lines creating a historical database from which your bill is generated each month based on your actual usage.
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Engineering - Mark Carden
mcarden@tombigbee.net
205/468.3325
Ext. 228