Co-ops identify available crews as statewide association coordinates response
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 30, 2019) – As forecasters predict that Hurricane Dorian will strengthen to a major hurricane as it approaches the east coast of Florida and southern Georgia, Kentucky’s electric cooperatives are preparing to assist in recovery efforts if called upon by sister co-ops in the path of the hurricane.
The mutual aid response is coordinated by Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. The statewide association of Kentucky’s 26 electric co-ops participates in daily conference calls with similar co-op organizations in southeastern states to assess potential needs and pair recipient co-ops with available crews and equipment from Kentucky.
In addition, Kentucky co-ops have also released dozens of construction and right-of-way contract crews to respond to Hurricane Dorian.
Recent mutual aid deployments by Kentucky’s electric cooperatives include:
October 2018 – More than 100 Kentucky lineworkers help Hurricane Michael recovery efforts in Georgia and Virginia.
March 2018 – 81 Kentucky lineworkers helped restore power in Virginia after Winter Storm Riley.
September 2017 – 131 Kentucky co-op workers helped restore power in Georgia after Hurricane Irma.
October 2016 – The largest mutual aid deployment in Kentucky co-op history came in 2016 when 143 lineworkers responded to Hurricane Matthew.
The top priority of each local Kentucky co-op is service to its own consumer-members. Before committing resources to mutual aid requests, each co-op ensures it has ample crews available for all local needs, including routine maintenance and emergencies.
“Cooperation among cooperatives is one of our guiding principles,” said Clarence Greene, Safety and Loss Prevention Director at Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “It’s long hours in challenging conditions, but lineworkers are wired to help people, and mutual aid deployments also provide invaluable training opportunities so these crews will be better prepared to respond to storm damage when it happens here at home.”
In addition, Louisville-based United Utility Supply Cooperative is readying supplies and has implemented its storm emergency plan, providing round-the-clock support to meet the material needs of co-ops affected by Hurricane Dorian. Today, UUS continues to make pre-storm deliveries to cooperatives in the region and is prepared to meet their needs once storm assessments are complete. UUS has also reached out to other cooperatively owned material suppliers with assurance it stands ready to assist, if needed.
Because the national network of transmission and distribution infrastructure owned by electric cooperatives has been built to federal standards, line crews from any co-op in America can arrive on the scene ready to provide emergency support, secure in their knowledge of the system’s engineering.
United Aerobotics staff inspect high-voltage transmission lines for Big Rivers Electric Corporation in Meade County RECC’s co-op territory. Photo: Stephanie McCombs
Electric co-ops battle critters, storms and hackers
Did you know squirrels, lightning and trees have something in common? They all can knock out your electricity.
Electric cooperatives work hard to keep your lights on all the time, but “limited power outages are inevitable,” says Clarence Greene, safety and loss control manager at Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “Getting power restored is important, but safety of lineworkers and the public comes first. The dangers of downed power lines need to be part of any conversation about power restoration.”
An electric utility’s basic job of keeping the power flowing 24/7 calls for maintaining a complex network of power plants, poles and wires. But it also means battling the unpredictable. Greene cites the top three troublemakers to electric reliability as trees falling on power lines and other interferences from vegetation, lightning strikes and animals going about their daily routines, especially squirrels chewing on electrical equipment.
Humans contribute to power outages as well, with vandals deliberately damaging electrical equipment and drivers crashing into utility poles.
Despite the potential problems, statistics show the percentage of time that the average American has electricity at the flip of a switch is a steady 99.97 percent.
“I don’t see big swings from year to year,” says Tony Thomas, senior principal engineer with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “If things are fairly consistent, that means the utility is operating about as efficiently as it can.”
Investing in technology
Kentucky co-ops deploy barriers, shields and other coverings to prevent critters—from woodpeckers to snakes—from compromising reliability.
“One method that many Kentucky cooperatives are using to prevent squirrels from causing outages is by installing electrostatic guards on overhead transformers,” explains Tony Dempsey, a safety and loss prevention instructor with Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “The guard emits a static charge that deters squirrels or other animals from creating a short at the point where the main line is connected to the transformer.”
Utilities operate extensive right-of-way programs to keep vegetation away from power lines. Digital software can forecast the growth of trees and other plants so that utilities can prune branches before they cause a problem.
Other software tries to manage lightning by analyzing the age and wear on the utility’s equipment, which minimizes the damage from lightning strikes by replacing it before it fails.
By far the biggest factor in reliability comes from the decades of building, maintaining and updating the massive machinery of the nation’s electric grid at power plants, high-voltage transmission lines, banks of substations and transformers and local distribution lines.
Kentucky’s electric cooperatives invest hundreds of man-hours inspecting and maintaining power lines. “This includes line inspections, breaker and transformer preventative maintenance, and right-of-way work,” says Robert Thornton, a safety and loss prevention instructor with Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, who trains lineworkers to recognize both the causes and the hazards associated with outages in order to minimize outage times.
Working out of three high-voltage demonstration trailers, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives helps train lineworkers to troubleshoot outages, including both overhead and underground equipment and devices. Vendors and electrical equipment manufacturers participate in workshops that ensure equipment is used and operated safely and efficiently.
“Kentucky co-ops have lineworkers on call every night and each weekend to respond to outages,” Thornton says.
Keeping the grid up and running calls for a lot of planning among utilities to anticipate how electricity will be used in the future. Part of that reliability planning focuses on protecting the electricity system from computer-based digital attacks.
Cybersecurity never-ending
As director of government affairs for NRECA, Bridgette Bourge is among those overseeing how digital technology affects reliability for electric co-ops and their consumer-members.
“Cyber helps a lot on reliability because it gives us the ability to monitor and know everything right away,” she says. “But whenever you increase reliability through a technology, you do potentially open up vulnerabilities as well from the security angle.”
Bourge says it’s routine for a co-op to receive tens of thousands of attempts each day to break into its computer network. She says NRECA cyber-reliability programs aim to help protect against a range of threats, from broad attempts to shut down parts of the electric grid, to more focused efforts to corrupt pieces of software used by electric cooperatives.
Cooperation among cooperatives is a cooperative principle. Much like traditional safety training, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives works with NRECA and other partners to share techniques for protecting utility systems from internet invaders. Cyber mutual-assistance agreements utilize teams of information technology experts in the case of a cyber incident or natural disaster.
“You will never be 100 percent cybersecure,” says Chris Hayes, chief technology officer with Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. Hayes serves as a liaison to Kentucky co-ops on information technology and cybersecurity. “The bad guys buy the same hardware and software as co-ops and other major companies to find flaws and exploit them.”
Hayes sees electric co-ops as well-placed to pay attention to cybersecurity. He says as community-based, member-led businesses, electric co-ops have a unique interest in protecting the reliability of the local community’s energy supply.
“Cybersecurity has to be a priority in everything we do,” says Hayes. “Protecting the electric grid means protecting our family, friends andcommunities.”
With the theme of “Your Neighbor, Your Energy,” Kentucky Electric Cooperatives’ 72nd Annual Meeting on November 19-20, 2018, highlighted both the important role electric co-ops play in their communities and the issues facing the cooperative program today. Co-op directors, managers and staff from across Kentucky received practical training, inspiring presentations and important updates from the energy sector.
Photo by Tim Webb
Bob Berry, President and CEO, Big Rivers Electric Corporation.
Photo by Tim Webb
Stephen Bell, director of Media and Public Relations for NRECA.
Photo by Tim Webb
Terry Boston, retired CEO of PJM Interconnection.
Photo by Tim Webb
Scott Jennings, RunSwitch PR/CNN and Joe Arnold, vice-president of Strategic Communications for Kentucky Electric Cooperatives.
Photo by Tim Webb
Michael Hodges, Washington Youth Tour Delegate from Pennyrile Electric. Photo by Tim Webb
Chase Crigler, Community and Government Affairs Director for Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. Photo by Tim Webb
Kerry Howard, President and CEO, Licking Valley RECC.
Photo by Tim Webb
Chris Perry, President and CEO, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Warren Beeler, 2018 Distinguished Rural Kentuckian honoree.
Photo by Tim Webb
Warren Beeler and Chris Perry, President and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Photo by Tim Webb
Chris Burke, former Major League Baseball player and current analyst for ESPN.
Photo by Tim Webb
Joe Arnold, Chris Burke, Warren Beeler, Chris Perry. Photo by Tim Webb
Col. Mark W. Tillman (ret.), Air Force One pilot, 2001-2009. Photo by Tim Webb
Col. Mark W. Tillman (ret.), Air Force One pilot, 2001-2009. Photo by Tim Webb
The meeting debuted the new name for the statewide association, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, and featured speakers such as a former major league baseball player, the pilot of Air Force One on 9/11 and a longtime livestock show judge who has impacted the lives of countless Kentucky youths.
“This was one of the most important events we’ve hosted,” said Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “We offered an immense amount of training for our members, which will continue to be a priority for us. Overall, the meeting highlighted the values, goals and challenges we face, and underscored Kentucky Electric Cooperatives’ mission of serving and supporting Kentucky’s electric co-ops.”
On Monday, Nov. 19, nearly 350 people representing the 26 electric co-ops served by the Kentucky Electric Cooperatives joined valued partners attending the two-day meeting at the Marriott in downtown Louisville.
The first day began with a meeting of the Kentucky Chapter of Women in Rural Electrification (WIRE) committee followed by the Annual Membership and Board Meeting.
During the Annual and Board meeting, the 2019 Kentucky Electric Cooperatives Board of Directors was elected:
Big Rivers Electric Corporation: Bob Berry, Wayne Elliott Big Sandy RECC: Bruce Aaron Davis, Greg Davis Blue Grass Energy: Mike Williams, Paul Tucker Clark Energy: Chris Brewer, Steven Hale Cumberland Valley RECC: Ted Hampton, Vernon Shelley East Kentucky Power Corporation: Tony Campbell, Alan Ahrman Farmers RECC: Bill Prather, Paul Hawkins Fleming-Mason Energy: Joni Hazelrigg, John Roe Grayson RECC: Carol Hall Fraley, Jimmy Whitt Gibson EMC: Dan Rodamaker, David Kimbell Inter-County Energy: Jerry Carter, Jason Todd Jackson Energy: Carol Wright, Phil Thompson Jackson Purchase Energy: Greg Grissom, Lee Bearden Kenergy Corp: Jeff Hohn, Chris Mitchell Licking Valley RECC: Kerry Howard, Tommy Hill Meade County RECC: Marty Littrel, Darla Sipes Nolin RECC: Mickey Miller, Linda Grimes Owen Electric: Mark Stallons, Robert True Pennyrile Electric: Alan Gates, Jimmy Futrell Salt River Electric: Tim Sharp, Linda West Shelby Energy: Jack Bragg, Jr., Pat Hargadon South Kentucky RECC: Dennis Holt, Rick Halloran Taylor County RECC: Barry Myers, Christopher Tucker Tri-County EMC: Paul Thompson, Veachel Harlan Warren RECC: Scott Ramsey, Michael McGuirk West Kentucky RECC: David Smart, Eddy Wright
During lunch, Michael Hodges, a high school senior who attended the 2018 Washington Youth Tour, sponsored by Pennyrile Electric, Hopkinsville, and was elected to the Youth Leadership Council, spoke about what a great impact the trip has had on his life.
Joe Arnold, vice-president of Strategic Communications for Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, moderated a discussion with Scott Jennings, a founding partner of RunSwitch PR and political analyst for CNN. Jennings provided analysis of the 2018 mid-term election, handicapped the 2019 election cycle in Kentucky and made some predictions about the 2020 presidential election year.
In the afternoon, Terry Boston, retired CEO of PJM Interconnection, presented “Smart, Secure and Sustainable… “The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be.” In his presentation, Boston covered many of the key issues co-ops face, including Co2 emissions and cybersecurity.
Following a reception hosted by Federated Rural Electric Insurance, guests filled the ballroom for the annual banquet.
Since 1982, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives has presented the Distinguished Rural Kentuckian award to individuals who have helped improve the lives of those living in rural Kentucky. The list of previous recipients includes Gov. Bert T. Combs, Barney Arnold, Gov.Martha Layne Collins, Joe B. Hall, and last year’s honoree, Byron Crawford.
The 2018 Distinguished Rural Kentuckian honored at the banquet is Warren Beeler, an accomplished agriculture leader in the state who has worked on behalf of farmers for two decades and is regarded as one of the most experienced livestock judges in the nation.
After Beeler’s remarks, Chris Burke, who sealed a playoff series for the Houston Astros with a dramatic 18thinning home run, delivered the banquet’s keynote speech. Burke, a Louisville native, echoed Beeler’s remarks on the importance of family and how encouraging words from parents and coaches inspired him to achieve his baseball dream.
The next morning, Col. Mark W. Tillman (ret.), gave a harrowing account of what it was like to be the pilot of Air Force One during the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Tillman recounted how he flew President George W. Bush from Florida to several points across the United States on that day to keep him safe from the terrorist attacks.
The meeting wrapped with the announcement of the new co-op managers, directors and attorneys and recognition of several co-op employees for their years of service.
New Managers, Directors, & Attorneys
Richard Cobb, Director, Blue Grass Energy
Lu Young, Director, Blue Grass Energy
Tyson Kamuf, Attorney, Big Rivers Electric
Greg Carter, Attorney, West Kentucky RECC
Tim Purcell, Director, Warren RECC
Service Awards
15 Years
Joan Mouser, Trustee, Gibson EMC
Rana Buchanan, Trustee, Gibson EMC
A.C. “Happy” Cahoe, Director, Salt River Electric
Raymond Rucker, Vice President, Taylor County RECC
Ronald Bailey, Director, Tri-County Electric
Jeff Downing, Director, Tri-County Electric
Robert Moore, Director, Big Sandy RECC
Greg Davis, Director, Big Sandy RECC
20 Years
Dennis Moneyhon, Chairman, Bluegrass Energy
Don Leathers, Trustee, Gibson EMC
Paul Thompson, CEO, Tri-County Electric
Tom Saunders, Director, Fleming-Mason Energy
Dennis Barnes, Director, West Kentucky RECC
Steven Hale, Director, Clark Energy
25 Years
Lee Bearden, Director, Jackson Purchase
Wayne Elliott, Director, Jackson Purchase
30 Years
Robert Rhodes, Director, Meade County RECC
35 Years
A.L. “Buddy” Rosenberger, Director, Nolin RECC
45 Years
Michael “Mickey” Miller, CEO, Nolin RECC
Gayle Robbins, Attorney, West KY RECC
Electric reliability depends on big plans and small fixes
Next time you flip a switch and the light comes on, think about the time it didn’t in a spectacular way for nearly 4,000 Kentucky electric co-op members.
Around 1 a.m. on a day in May 2011, a snake slithered into a Berea-area substation—that’s one of those fenced-in areas full of wires and transformers where high voltage gets stepped down for use in your home.
A snake is shaped a bit like a wire, and the last act for this reptile connected a couple of conductors not meant to be connected. Metering equipment shorted out, rupturing the voltage regulator and sparking a fire that destroyed most of the equipment in the substation.
Lights came back on for the co-op members less than 24 hours later. But the snake and the substation tell a larger tale of what it takes to keep electricity flowing. That larger story is that while building and maintaining a reliable electric grid calls for billions of dollars and thousands of miles of power lines, you also have to sweat the small stuff.
To find out what it takes to make sure you have electricity whenever you want it, we went to the source of the power.
For co-op members in Kentucky, that power comes from one of three large organizations, called generation and transmission cooperatives (G&Ts), because, of course, they make sure that electricity gets generated, then transmitted to your local electric cooperative. Your local co-op is called a distribution co-op because it distributes that power to the homes and businesses in your area.
East Kentucky Power Cooperative, which is based in Winchester, supplies 16 distribution co-ops in primarily the eastern half of the state; Big Rivers Electric Corporation is the Henderson-based G&T for the three distribution co-ops along the northwest Kentucky border; and the Tennessee Valley Authority, which technically is not a cooperative G&T, but instead is a federal corporation, provides electricity to 154 local power companies in seven states, including five distribution co-ops in southwest Kentucky.
Representatives from all three tell similar stories about the enormous job of keeping the electricity flowing 24/7. And they all talk about critters—woodpeckers for Big Rivers and buzzards for TVA.
“Woodpeckers love our poles; they’re apparently delicious,” says Mike Chambliss, Big Rivers’ vice president of system operations. Big Rivers developed a mesh covering to prevent the woodpeckers from weakening the poles. TVA installs buzzard shields to keep the birds off its power lines and transmission towers.
Nick Comer, the external affairs manager with East Kentucky Power, says it began using an attachment to go around the base of a substation fence, with a lip sticking out at the top so snakes can’t crawl up, over and in.
Planning and security
Preventing interference from varmints is just part of running the electric grid, which the National Academy of Engineering calls the most important engineering achievement of the 20th century. Comer, Chambliss and Ernie Peterson, the Kentucky general manager for TVA customer delivery, all describe
their mission as providing reliable, affordable and safe electricity—and they say each of those is critically important.
“You start with the fuel source,” says Peterson, which in Kentucky is mostly coal and natural gas, as well as some hydroelectricity, nuclear power and, increasingly, solar energy and other renewable power sources. “You’ve got to get that fuel to the power plant and then the plant’s got to be able to reliably convert that fuel into electricity, and then you’ve got to have all the proper transmission equipment in place so you can get the electricity to the distribution cooperative where they have all the right transformers and wires and communications equipment to get those electrons to the individual homes, businesses and industry.”
One key to getting all that done is planning. Massive, detailed planning. Every few years the three G&Ts produce a document of more than 200 pages called an integrated resource plan. In between are annual planning sessions.
East Kentucky Power is in the middle of its several-monthlong strategic planning session, involving dozens of staff and board members. They’ll analyze and talk through markets and finances for the different fuels they use, the future of renewable energy, environmental and other regulations, the status of their power plants and what the future cost of electricity might be.
All that planning results in power being off for only about two hours a year for the average utility customer in the United States. And the trend is improving. According to one standardized measure (a measure that excludes both extremely short outages and especially long and widespread outages), the average American was without power for just 127 minutes in 2016, down from 144 minutes 10 years earlier. The number of outages per consumer declined slightly as well, from 1.33 a year in 2007 to 1.3 in 2016. The length of each of those outages declined from 109 minutes in 2007 to 99 minutes 10 years later.
That reliability doesn’t happen without a lot of work. At Big Rivers, quarterly meetings of maintenance, engineering and operations staff review and find solutions for any problems.
Richard Easton is a maintenance leadman with Grayson RECC and part of the all-important team that keeps the lights on. Photo by Tim Webb
And they make up practice problems to solve.
“You have to anticipate that things are going to go wrong,” says Chambliss. “If a car hits a pole you have to have a plan and you have to revise that plan frequently and you have to drill on that plan. You have to create scenarios and put your people to grueling exercises.”
How do they get the ideas for the grueling scenarios?
“We come up with scenarios like you have this huge rain event where the roads are flooded and closed, then just as the rain stops, you have a major windstorm,” says Chambliss. “We blow everything down and now tell people to figure out how to get the lights back on. Last year we used an earthquake.”
Physical security and cybersecurity add another ingredient to reliability. The G&Ts talk about installing cameras to prevent theft of copper wire from substations. They describe protections from the thousands of electronic threats every day to the electricity network. Reliability involves working with state, regional and federal groups, especially the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which develops and enforces standards to keep the lights on.
So electric utility reliability requires steps as big as building firewalls against internet hackers to as small as developing barriers for snakes. Entire departments are tasked with keeping trees and other vegetation away from where they can interfere with power lines.
For TVA’s Ernie Peterson, that broad and varied work and expertise is worth the attention it gets.
“I’ve spent some time on mission trips in other countries where having electric power, if you had it at all, is certainly not reliable,” says Peterson. “We’re blessed here to have electric power available to us anytime we want, truly at the flip of a switch. That doesn’t just happen.”
By Paul Wesslund, from Kentucky Living, October 2018.
LOUISVILLE (October 11, 2018) – As Hurricane Michael makes its way across several lower southeast states, it continues wreaking havoc and leaving thousands without power. Crews from 17 Kentucky electric cooperatives are on their way to Georgia to help with power restoration efforts.
Thursday morning, just one day after Hurricane Michael made landfall in Florida, the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives deployed 80 lineworkers, including construction crews, service crews and support staff, to assist in recovery.
There are now over 100 workers in Georgia and Virginia. On Monday, crews from Jackson Purchase Energy and West Kentucky RECC, left to help with restoration efforts in Virginia.
Kentucky electric cooperatives from across the state have offered their help and support. Crews from Blue Grass Energy, Clark Energy Cooperative, Farmers RECC, Fleming Mason Energy, Gibson Electric Membership Cooperative, InterCounty Energy, Jackson Energy Cooperative, Jackson Purchase Energy, Licking Valley, Kenergy Corp., Owen Electric Cooperative, Pennyrile Electric, Salt River Electric, South Kentucky RECC, Tri-County Electric, Warren RECC and West Kentucky RECC sent crews to aid in relief efforts.
South Kentucky RECC CEO Dennis Holt says SKRECC’s contract crews were released prior to the storm making landfall to be in place to deal with the turmoil left by Hurricane Michael.
“In addition to the crews, South Kentucky RECC has sent several pieces of much-needed equipment including several digger trucks, large bucket trucks, and small bucket trucks. These crews will assist at Middle Georgia EMC, if needed, or will transfer to a location that they are needed.”
Jackson Energy line techs loaded up their trucks and headed south to Flint Energies in Georgia to help with repairs from Hurricane Michael. JEC’s Superintendent of Operations Tim Wilson and Chief Operations Officer Derrick Dean met with the crews at the London District Office before they left.
Middle Georgia EMC serves approximately 4,200 members, and their Senior Vice-President Mike McGee says the assistance is very welcome.
“We at Middle Georgia are extremely thankful for the assistance from South Kentucky RECC. At this point, we just don’t know how much damage we may sustain, but here they are forecasting 150-mile-per-hour winds. We appreciate South Kentucky RECC for leaving their daily duties and making the drive here to help restore our members from damage from Michael.”
The top priority of each local Kentucky co-op is service to its own consumer-members. Before committing resources to mutual aid requests, each co-op ensures it has ample crews available for all local needs, including routine maintenance and emergencies.
Inter-County crew
“Cooperation among cooperatives is one of our guiding principles,” said Clarence Greene, KAEC Safety and Loss Prevention Director. “These deployments are long hours in challenging conditions, but lineworkers are wired to help people. Mutual aid deployments also provide invaluable training opportunities they may not get in their respective area.”
One year ago, 131 Kentucky co-op workers helped restore power in Georgia after Hurricane Irma. The largest mutual aid deployment in Kentucky co-op history came in 2016 when 143 lineworkers responded to Hurricane Matthew.
Because the national network of transmission and distribution infrastructure owned by electric cooperatives is built to federal standards, line crews from any co-op in America can arrive on the scene ready to provide emergency support, secure in their knowledge of the system’s engineering.
Providing critical materials
In response to Hurricane Michael, Kentucky-based United Utility Supply Cooperative is loading a tractor-trailer with utility supplies for use by affected electric cooperatives in Alabama and the Florida panhandle.
With its main warehouse and headquarters at 4300 Champions Trace in Louisville, UUS also has warehouses in several other states, including Alabama. UUS personnel will assist with the delivery of critical supplies to affected co-ops.
UUS has implemented its storm emergency plan, providing round-the-clock support to meet the material needs of co-ops affected by Hurricane Michael.
In advance of the hurricane, UUS also made pre-storm deliveries to cooperatives in Alabama.
Every day, lineworkers across Kentucky are out in remote areas of the state doing what it takes to keep the power flowing to more than 1.5 million people served by electric co-ops. Once a year, however, a select group of these lineworkers come together for two days of competition like no other, the Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo.
On Sept. 13-14, 125 lineworkers representing 17 of Kentucky’s electric co-ops converged on the Murray-Calloway County Fairgrounds to compete in the 14th annual rodeo.
“It’s about teamwork, it’s about camaraderie and it’s about showing off the skills these linemen have learned,” says David Smart, president and CEO of West Kentucky Rural Electric, which hosted this year’s event.
Blue Grass Energy was the big winner, sweeping the overall individual journeymen category and taking first in the overall team category. Tim Hembree, a journeyman lineman from Blue Grass, placed in the top three in eight categories.
“The Kentucky’s Lineman’s Rodeo is an opportunity for linemen to demonstrate their commitment to safety while showcasing their skills,” says Mike Williams, president and CEO of Blue Grass Energy. “I’m very proud of the hard work and dedication to safety that not only our lineworkers, but all linemen demonstrated while participating in this event.”
The Lineman’s Rodeo was created by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives to promote safety for co-op linemen around the state. The training and skills of these linemen are part of the mission of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives, to provide a high level of electrical services at the lowest possible price through a local, consumer-owned form of business.
“Training for the rodeo has really helped our younger guys,” says Randy Meredith of Nolin RECC, which will host the 2019 rodeo. “They improved in safety and they improved in their technique. So, it was a real win, win situation.
Seven senior individuals, 36 individual journeymen and 36 apprentice lineworkers competed in these events: Capacitator De-Energize, Line De-Energize and Armor Rod & Tie. There were 31 teams from the 17 co-ops that competed in the OCR Changeout, Line Replacement and Underarm Disconnect competitions. Individuals and teams competed in the “Hurt man” competition, which focuses on following the correct procedures in the event someone needs to be rescued after coming into contact with a live wire.
Jason Isaacs, a lineman for Blue Grass who competed for the first time, says the experience was one he plans on repeating.
“It was nerve-racking, but it was a great experience,” he says. “With everyone watching, you just want to do good.”
First place, Senior Hurtman: Gerald Lakes, Jackson EnergySecond place, Senior Hurtman: Mark Hutchinson, Grayson RECCThird place, Senior Hurtman: Michael Nethery, Shelby EnergyFirst place, Senior Capicitator De-Energize: Mark Hutchinson, Grayson RECCSecond place, Senior Hurtman: Michael Nethery, Shelby EnergyFirst place, Senior Line De-Energize: Michael Nethery, Shelby EnergySecond place, Line De-Energize: Lance Moore, Warren RECCFirst place, Armor Rod & Tie: Gerard Lakes, Jackson EnergySecond place, Senior Armor & Tie: Mark Hutchinson, Grayson RECCThird place, Senior Armor Rod & Tie: Lance Moore, Warren RECCFirst place, Individual Journeyman Hurtman: Jon Tillery, Jackson EnergySecond place, Individual Journeyman Hurtman: Tim Hembree, Blue Grass EnergyThird place, Individual Journeyman Hurtman: Royce Baker, Jackson EnergyFirst place, Individual Journeyman Capacitator De-Energize: Kevin Vance, Clark EnergySecond place, Individual Journeyman Capacitator De-Energize: Tim Hembree, Blue Grass EnergyThird place, Individual Journeyman Capacitator De-Energize: Geoffrey Beck, West Kentucky RECCFirst place, Individual Journeyman Line De-Energize: Jeremy Rayborn, Jackson EnergyThird place, Individual Journeyman Line De-Energize: Jon Tillery, Jackson EnergySecond place, Individual Journeyman Armor Rod & Tie: Tim Hembree, Blue Grass EnergyThird place, Individual Journeyman Armor Rod & Tie: Royce Baker, Jackson EnergyFirst place, Apprentice Hurtman: Tommy Parks, Fleming Mason EnergySecond place, Apprentice Hurtman: Justin Staniford, Grayson RECCFirst place, Apprentice Capacitator De-Energize: Trevor Evans, Owen ElectricSecond place, Apprentice Capacitator De-Energize: Tommy Parks, Fleming Mason EnergyFirst place, Apprentice Line De-Energize: Tommy Parks, Fleming Mason EnergySecond place, Apprentice Line De-Energize: Brandon Miller, Owen ElectricThird place, Apprentice Line De-Energize: Ryan Ray, Nolin RECCFirst place, Apprentice Armor Rod & Tie: David Cotton, GibsonSecond place, Apprentice Armor Rod & Tie: Trevor Evans, Owen ElectricThird place, Apprentice Armor Rod & Tie: Brandon Miller, Owen ElectricFirst place, Team Hurtman: Thomas Waltman, Tim Hembree, Adam Mink, Blue Grass EnergySecond place, Team Hurtman: Marlon Coffey, Jon Tillery, Brent Johnson, Jackson EnergyThird place, Team Hurtman: Tony Bach, James Juett, Charlie Colligan, Owen ElectricSecond place, Team Line Replacement: Jeremy Rayborn, Royce Baker, Kris Cunigan, Jackson EnergyThird place, Team Line Replacement: Kyle Strunk, Derek Bell, Jason Isaacs, Blue Grass EnergyFirst place, Team Underarm Disconnect: Thomas Walton, Tim Hembree, Adam Mink, Blue Grass EnergyThird place, Team Underarm Disconnect: Tony Bach, James Juett, Charlie Colligan, Owen ElectricFirst place, Team OCR Changeout: Thomas Walton, Tim Hembree, Adam Mink, Blue Grass EnergySecond place, Team OCR Changout: Tony Bach, James Juett, Charlie Colligan, Owen ElectricThird place, Team OCR Changeout: Kevin Vance, David Dennis, Christopher Keyton, Clark EnergyFirst place, Senior Overall: Michael Nethery, Shelby EnergyThird place, Senior Overall: Mark Hutchinson, Grayson RECCFirst place, Overall Individual Journeyman: Tim Hembree, Blue Grass EnergySecond place, Overall Individual Journeyman: Thomas Walton, Blue Grass EnergyThird place, Overal Individual Journeyman: Derek Bell, Bluegrass EnergyFirst place, Overall Apprentice: Tommy Parks, Fleming Mason EnergySecond place, Overall Apprentice: Brandon Miller, Owen ElectricThird place, Overall Apprentice: Brett Alder, Warren RECCFirst place, Overall Team: Adam Mink, Tim Hembree, Thomas Walton, Blue Grass EnergyThird place, Overall Team: Michael Nethery, Brandon Keyton, and Tyler Workman, Shelby Energy
Every day, lineworkers across Kentucky are out in remote areas of the state doing what it takes to keep the power flowing to more than 1.5 million people served by electric co-ops. Once a year, however, a select group of these lineworkers come together for two days of competition like no other, the Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo.
On Sept. 13-14, 125 lineworkers representing 17 of Kentucky’s electric co-ops converged on the Murray-Calloway County Fairgrounds to compete in the 14th annual rodeo.
“It’s about teamwork, it’s about camaraderie and it’s about showing off the skills these linemen have learned,” says David Smart, president and CEO of West Kentucky Rural Electric, which hosted this year’s event.
Blue Grass Energy was the big winner, sweeping the overall individual journeymen category and taking first in the overall team category. Tim Hembree, a journeyman lineman from Blue Grass, placed in the top three in eight categories.
“The Kentucky’s Lineman’s Rodeo is an opportunity for linemen to demonstrate their commitment to safety while showcasing their skills,” says Mike Williams, president and CEO of Blue Grass Energy. “I’m very proud of the hard work and dedication to safety that not only our lineworkers, but all linemen demonstrated while participating in this event.”
The Lineman’s Rodeo was created by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives to promote safety for co-op linemen around the state. The training and skills of these linemen are part of the mission of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives, to provide a high level of electrical services at the lowest possible price through a local, consumer-owned form of business.
“Training for the rodeo has really helped our younger guys,” says Randy Meredith of Nolin RECC, which will host the 2019 rodeo. “They improved in safety and they improved in their technique. So, it was a real win, win situation.
Seven senior individuals, 36 individual journeymen and 36 apprentice lineworkers competed in these events: Capacitator De-Energize, Line De-Energize and Armor Rod & Tie. There were 31 teams from the 17 co-ops that competed in the OCR Changeout, Line Replacement and Underarm Disconnect competitions. Individuals and teams competed in the “Hurt man” competition, which focuses on following the correct procedures in the event someone needs to be rescued after coming into contact with a live wire.
Jason Isaacs, a lineman for Blue Grass who competed for the first time, says the experience was one he plans on repeating.
“It was nerve-racking, but it was a great experience,” he says. “With everyone watching, you just want to do good.”
Expansion emphasizes partnership between industry, Kentucky’s electric cooperatives and state government
Kentucky electric cooperative leaders are cheering an announcement by the Nucor Corp. that it will invest $650 million to nearly double its steel-making capacity at a plant in Gallatin County served by Owen Electric Cooperative.
“We are thrilled Nucor has chosen to invest and create additional jobs in Kentucky,” said Mark Stallons, president and CEO of Owen Electric. “All parties have been committed to developing a close working relationship in order to develop solutions that satisfy each organization’s expectations. Nucor has been an excellent partner.”
Leaders of Owen Electric Cooperative, which serves the mill, and East Kentucky Power Cooperative, the wholesale energy provider to Owen Electric, worked closely with Nucor officials to support the phase II expansion, which is expected to add another 70 jobs.
“We would like to thank Governor Matt Bevin, our local officials, East Kentucky Power Cooperative and Owen Electric, our teammates and the entire community for their support,” said John Farris, vice president and general manager, Nucor Steel Gallatin. “The project will allow us to better serve our automotive and value-added customers.”
Kentucky offers the lowest industrial electric power rates east of the Mississippi – one of its many attractive features for manufacturers. That played a role in Nucor’s decision, as the mill is a major electricity customer and the phase II expansion will create significant additional demand.
East Kentucky Power Cooperative President and CEO Anthony “Tony” Campbell welcomed the decision.
“Nucor’s decision to bring high-quality jobs to Kentucky is wonderful news. This emphasizes the critical importance of affordable, reliable energy for Kentucky’s industries to compete in the global economy,” Campbell said. “Nucor is an important partner for Owen Electric and EKPC, and we are proud of our longstanding relationship.”
Since Governor Matt Bevin took office in 2015, one out of every four dollars invested by economic development projects in Kentucky has been in Kentucky Touchstone Energy Cooperative territory served by East Kentucky Power Cooperative. That figure does not include even more investments in areas served by Big Rivers Electric and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
“Nucor is doing incredible things at its Kentucky steel mill,” Bevin said. “We are excited that, after a substantial investment in 2017, the company has decided to move forward with its phase II project and create additional job opportunities for the county and surrounding communities.
“The steel and primary metals industry are a driving force behind the commonwealth’s surging economy, and this announcement reflects the distinct advantages we have to offer engineering and manufacturing companies. Nucor is certainly a major player in this industry, and we are grateful for their commitment to continue forging success right here in Kentucky,” Bevin continued.
This second phase will increase the mill’s annual capacity from 1.6 million tons of coiled sheet steel to approximately 3 million tons. As well, it will allow the mill to produce coils up to 73 inches wide.
In May 2017, Nucor announced its phase I project; construction of a new building and installation of galvanizing and pickling lines. That phase, expected to open in the first half of 2019, represents a $176 million investment creating 75 full-time jobs. The two phases position the mill to produce substantially more, wider and value-added products, suitable for a broader range of manufacturers and products.
“This investment is another major component of our planned strategy for long-term profitable growth,” said John Ferriola, Chairman, CEO and president of Nucor. “Together with the new galvanizing line, this expansion increases our presence in the important Midwest market, specifically in the automotive, agriculture, heavy equipment, and energy pipe and tube sectors.”
Nucor purchased the former Gallatin Steel Co. from Gerdau SA and ArcelorMittal in late 2014 for approximately $780 million. The mill currently employs 465 people.
In Kentucky, Nucor and its affiliates employ approximately 2,000 people and include Nucor Steel Gallatin, Steel Technologies LLC, Republic Conduit, and Harris Rebar. Nucor also owns the David J. Joseph Co. and its six subsidiary River Metals Recycling facilities across the state, which collect and recycle scrap metal.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Nucor Corp. is North America’s largest recycler and the nation’s largest producer of steel and steel products. The company employs more than 25,000 people at about 200 facilities primarily located in the US and Canada, including several wholly owned subsidiaries.
The company has three segments: steel mills, steel products and raw materials. Nucor’s products include, carbon and alloy steel – in bars, beams, sheet and plate, hollow structural section tubing, electrical conduit, steel piling, steel joists and joist girders, steel deck, fabricated concrete reinforcing steel, cold finished steel, steel fasteners, metal building systems, steel grating, wire and wire mesh.
Founded in 1955, Nucor Corp. traces its roots to 1905 when Ransom E. Olds, Oldsmobile’s creator, left his company after a stockholders dispute. He formed REO Motor Co., which evolved into the Nuclear Corporation of America, and ultimately became Nucor in 1971.
How to keep hackers out of your home so you can enjoy the internet
Cyber criminals are only getting better. They don’t need any help.
If your online password is 1-2-3-4, or you click on links in your Facebook feed without being sure where they lead, it’s time to click your inner “refresh” button for some system maintenance.
Electric cooperatives across Kentucky and the nation are marking National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October with reminders to members.
Co-ops protect the private information of members and ensure hackers don’t tamper with the reliability of the electric grid, but consumers have a lot at stake, too. Think about losing all the photos on your smartphone or having bank or credit card information stolen from your computer.
“Cyber criminals attack the easiest targets for the least amount of work,” says Chris Hayes, chief technology officer for the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives.
“That’s why consumers are twice as likely to be attacked than companies,” Hayes explains. “Consumers can take a few basic steps to reduce their risk of becoming a target and to protect their information.”
Mix it up
Don’t use the same password or password reset questions for multiple online accounts.
Hayes warns that hackers often target less important accounts to get access to the account information of more secure accounts. Prevention methods such as two-factor authentication can be set up to prevent unauthorized access.
“Your fantasy football league could be used to pry open your checking account,” Hayes says.
Just hang up
“A computer or software company will never call you to let you know you have a virus or issue with your computer,” Hayes says. “Scam artists call and say your computer has a virus, and then try to walk you through steps to clean it up. That typically involves installing an actual virus or convincing you to pay for something where they steal your money.”
Attachment issues
Do not click on any link or attached files unless you know where it will take you.
A lot of the computer hacking problems you hear about in the news result from people clicking on links or attached files that infect their computers or mobile devices. Emails are often disguised to look like they are coming from your best friend, so simple diligence can be extremely beneficial.
Hayes suggests the best method is to verbally confirm with the sender that they sent the email and attachment.
Prevent defense
Install and use virus protection, but remember it’s not a failsafe. With modern viruses and spyware, anti-virus cannot be solely trusted to protect your data.
Don’t put that in your mouth,you don’t know where it’s been
Be cautious with USB flash drives.
“Never use flash drives that you find or are given from unknown sources,” Hayes says.
“Viruses can be loaded on the drives and then left in public areas for the unsuspecting user who picks up the drive and plugs it into their computer. Be wary of plugging into public computers. Online cloud storage is a great alternative.”
Calling for back up
Make sure you have a current copy of everything on your computer or mobile device. Every few weeks, transfer the contents to an external storage system that is stored in a separate location. Even better, consider a cloud-based system as your primary, which automatically backs up daily, and an external backup drive as your secondary.
What if your computer or phone was lost or stolen? Recent computer attacks involve ransomware that locks your computer and threatens to delete or prevent access unless you pay a ransom to the hackers. The FBI does not recommend paying a ransom to the adversary unless all other options have been exhausted and it is absolutely necessary. Paying a ransom does not guarantee the victim will regain access to their data.
Weakest link
Secure all your internet-connected devices by keeping them up to date with the most recent software updates and make sure each device has a secure password. Hackers have started invading wireless printers and baby monitors that work through the internet. These devices tend to have extremely weak, preset passwords that you probably don’t even notice. Any internet-connected device is vulnerable—smart TVs, cameras, voice-activated speakers, thermostats, video games, fitness bracelets, internet-connected refrigerators, and light bulbs.
What’s the matter with kids today?
Instruct children not to share information such as birth dates, ID numbers, vacation plans, accounts, and passwords.
“Kids frequently share Netflix accounts, which may have the same password or information as other accounts,” Hayes says. “Learn to use parental control options on your hardware and software.”
To learn more about National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and to view additional cybersecurity tips, visit StaySafeOnline.org.
The following list of tips is not inclusive. Always refer to the manufacturer’s guide that came with your portable generator.
Read and adhere to all manufacturer’s instructions for safe operation. Professionally and permanently installed standby generators are actually a safer and more reliable option than portable generators because they are mounted a safe distance from your home and run directly from a fuel source.
Never plug a generator into a wall outlet or directly into your home’s wiring. Contact a licensed electrician to install a properly rated power transfer switch. This protects you and your appliances and protects co-op workers from shock while restoring power.
Ensure your generator is properly grounded.
Never, ever use a generator indoors—even with windows open—or in an enclosed area, including never in an attached garage, carport, basement, crawlspace, or any other enclosed or partially enclosed area—even if it’s ventilated.
If you must use a generator, install a carbon monoxide detector and test batteries monthly. Carbon monoxide (CO), which is odorless and invisible, can build up to lethal levels in a matter of minutes.
Locate the generator where fumes cannot filter into your home through windows, doors, vents, or other openings.
Start the generator first before connecting appliances.
Make sure the generator stays dry during operation, and never touch electrical equipment with wet hands. Water and electrical devices don’t mix. To prevent shocks or electrocution, the generator must be kept far away from water or precipitation. Operate it on a dry surface under an open structure.
Turn off generators and let them cool down before refueling. Never attempt to refuel the generator while it’s running or hot. Gasoline and its vapors may ignite if they come in contact with hot components or an electrical spark. Turn the unit off and allow it to cool down first.
Store fuel in a properly labeled safety container, in a secure location outside of living areas and away from the generator or other fuel-burning appliances. Local laws may restrict how much fuel you can store and where you can store it. Check with your local fire department for details.
Locate the generator where fumes cannot filter into your home through windows, doors, vents, or other openings-even 15 feet is too close. Carbon monoxide (CO), which is odorless and invisible, can build up to lethal levels in a matter of minutes. If you must use a generator, install a carbon monoxide detector and test batteries monthly.
Turn off all equipment powered by the generator before shutting it down.
Always have a fully charged fire extinguisher nearby.
Practice proper maintenance procedures between uses. Refuel it with treated fuel from the generator before putting the unit away. It’s also a good idea to inspect the fuel and oil filters, spark plug, oil level, and fuel quality. Start the generator on a regular basis to make sure it’s running properly.
KAEC Safety Director Clarence Greene’s: What to know before, during, and after you buy a portable generator
What do I think about when shopping for a portable generator? Most portable generators will not power your whole house or all appliances at once. You may need to rotate important loads like refrigerators, lights freezers and heaters to keep from overloading a generator. Keep in mind that you may also have to assemble the unit.
What will a 6000-watt generator cover? This size would be limited to powering a couple portable heaters, refrigerator, lights and TVs or computers not the whole house.
What’s important when choosing between a battery-start and a pull-start generator? The pull-start generator requires a hard pull, such as starting a lawn mower. A battery-start generator requires you must have a charged battery to start the generator.
What are some of the fuel types of generators? A 4- cycle generator burns normal lawn mower gas; a 2-cycle generator, which include some smaller generators, requires a gas-oil mix; propane and natural gas generators require pressurized gas (such as your heating system) and are usually built-in or permanent-type generators.
Where do I store my generator? Store it in a dry location that is easy to get into position to supply power during an outage, fueled up with fuel that has storage treatment. Regularly start it and monitor its operation and keep enough fuel available to run the generator several days. Also, store a large drop cord that is generator compatible to run your appliances.
Where do I locate my portable generator? I have my temporary power supply generator parked in a safe place, close to where I will operate it in case of an outage. I usually wait a few hours to determine the utility’s electric restore time by checking their website and watching news for severity of storm or outages before starting the generator.
Do I need a generator for this outage? Before starting the generator, check with your local electric co-op whenever possible, for restore information about your location. You may be on a critical line that is restored sooner than normal, or you may be in a remote location that will take longer to repair power service.
What other things do I need to think about? Other than just starting it, you need to check fuel, check oil, get it in a safe place to run, and bring UL-rated, heavy-duty drop cords through a window or dedicated entrance point to supply power to selected appliances.
How long should I run it? You will need to decide if you are going to run it all the time, or only run it a few hours a day to conserve fuel and preserve home atmosphere
Can I wire it directly into my electrical wiring of the house? ABSOLUTELY NOT. DO NOT plug it directly into a regular wall outlet or wire it into your home’s wiring. It could send high voltage to the repair persons working on your line. Use a licensed, professional electricity to hook up your generator. This means you will need to plan in advance to install a portable or standby generator.
Where do I place the generator? Place it somewhere safe from theft, such as chained to something. Place it away from windows, vents, flus, and furnace intakes, and away from combustibles like leaves, wood piles, garbage cans, etc.
I have some lights on watching KET and my lights flicker. Why? Maybe it is out of fuel. Check fuel and refuel after it cools off, check oil level, then restart. Check the manual for how long it will run on a tank of fuel.
Once the power is back on, what do I do? I give it a few minutes to make sure the local electric co-op power is on, then turn off all equipment powered by the generator before shutting the generator down. Service it soon afterward, refuel it with treated fuel, store it, and store your cords nearby where you can find them in the time of need.
Remember, the generator power can still shock, burn and kill you if handled wrong. Never cut corners when it comes to safety!
