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CEMCCumberland EMCThe time is right for CEMC toconsider adding new servicesRecently, we were approached bycouple of years ago, a memberofficials from CDE asking if we wouldattending our annual meetingconsider a joint project with them toasked whether Cumberland Electricprovide high-speed Internet and relatedMembership Corporation would consider offering high-speed Internet serv- services to co-op members in the ruralcommunities served byice through our electric sysCEMC.tem. She explained that inAs a precursor to thisher rural community, noproject, but without makingpractical options existed forany formal commitment,Internet access, and anCEMC has granted CDEemerging technologypermission to construct aknown as Broadband oversmall relay hub on ourPower Lines, or BPL forproperty at the Clarksvilleshort, could be the solutionCarl Wilson Jr.GeneralManagerHeadquarters building.to the problem.Cumberland ElectricHowever, there are sevBased on her interest, aMembershipCorporationeral legal obstacles that willmeeting was held in Doverhave to be eliminateda short time later at whichbefore we can pursue this project on aCEMC representatives were invited todiscuss Internet options for rural Stew- grand scale. There is a provision in statelaw that prohibits municipal electricart County. At that time, we told thesystems from providing services outsidegathering that we did not feel BPLtheir service area. Also, cooperativestechnology was a suitable solution;may not partner with a retail Internethowever, we would continue to moniservice provider who has been in thattor it and any future technologies thatbusiness for less than three years.might allow us to offer Internet servicWe have asked our statewide organies to our members.zation, the Tennessee Electric CooperaIn 2006, voters in Clarksvilletive Association, to assist us in overpassed a referendum authorizingcoming these legal barriers.Clarksville Department of ElectricityBut there is reason to be optimistic(CDE) to enter the telecommunicationsaboutthe possibilities. Our legislatorsbusiness. CDE is now stringing fiberhave obviously already seen the wisoptic cable throughout its service areadom of allowing municipal electricand expects to go online with Internet,systems to offer these services to theirtelephone and cable TV services nourban customers, so why wouldn’t it belater than December 2008.appropriate for electric cooperatives toWhile the fiber-optic cable wasoffer these same services to our ruralbeing deployed, I heard about a potenmembers?tial tenant in the Clarksville-MontGive credit to our board of directorsgomery County industrial park servedforhaving a progressive, forward-thinkby CEMC who had been asking abouting attitude and the desire to try newthe availability of these services. Thisthings to serve our members. Thisfurther convinced me that there is conappears to be a good opportunity to dosiderable interest among our membersjust that.for these services.A16Th e Te n n e s s e e M a g a z i n eCEMC Management and StaffCarl W. Wilson Jr., General ManagerJim Coode, Operations ManagerLynne Wilson, Administrative Services ManagerChris Davis, Engineering ManagerBarbara Harper, Member Services ManagerRandy Holt, Eastern Regional ManagerKevin Cain, Western Regional ManagerCEMC Co-op News EditorScott SheltonP.O. Box 3300Clarksville, TN 37043Open Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.800-987-2362Ashland City officeNicky Roberts, District Operations SupervisorClarksville officeJ.D. Bumpus, District Operations SupervisorDover officeTerry Odom, District ManagerGallatin officeAllan Cook, District ManagerPortland/White House officesHomer Mayes, District Operations SupervisorSpringfield officeLarry Richardson, District ManagerCEMC Board of DirectorsJoe H. Whitaker, Sumner County,PresidentWesley H. Aymett, Cheatham County,Vice PresidentShela K. Williams, At Large,Secretary-TreasurerJerry T. Peacher, Stewart County,Assistant Secretary-TreasurerGene E. Cook, Robertson CountyStephen E. Douglass, Stewart CountyMichael A. Mason, Robertson CountyC. David Morgan, Montgomery CountyCarrol O. Poole, Montgomery CountyTommy G. Whittaker, Sumner CountyMission StatementCumberland Electric Membership Corporationis committed to providing dependable,affordable electric service through the expertise anddedication of competent leadershipand a well-trained and responsive workforce.Cumberland ElectricMembership CorporationServing Cheatham, Montgomery,Robertson, Stewart and Sumnercounties.
CEMCCumberland Electric Membership CorporationCEMC to celebrateTVA drops rate on Jan.70th anniversary in ’08fuel cost adjustmentCumberland Electric Membership Corporation opened forbusiness on March 3, 1938, which means in a couple ofmonths, your cooperative will be 70 years young.Six months after opening, the first contract was let for theconstruction of 300 miles of line to serve the earliest members of the cooperative. Then, on Dec. 1, CEMC began distributing electricity to 600 customers acquired from the Kentucky-Tennessee Light and Power Company.It was not until March 19, 1939, that the first CEMC meterwas set at the home of W.C. Jackson, a Cheatham Countyfarmer and vice president of CEMC’s first board of directors.As word spread of the coming of electricity, many more ruralfamilies paid the 5 membership fee to bring lights into theirhomes.From those humble beginnings, CEMC has grown into oneof the largest electric cooperatives in Tennessee, serving nearly 90,000 members over approximately 8,500 miles of line.While much has changed in the electric utility industrysince the days of CEMC’s beginning, especially in technology, our commitment to providing each member with reliableservice at an affordable price has not wavered.Do you remember when electricity first came to yourhome? We would love to hear your story! Call Scott Sheltonat 800-987-2362 and share your memories.Happy New Year from the Tennessee Valley Authority!Effective Jan. 1, 2008, there is a change in the formulaused to calculate TVA’s quarterly fuel cost adjustment topower rates. The change is designed to smooth fluctuations inthe fuel cost adjustment from quarter to quarter throughoutthe year.The fuel cost adjustment for the three-month period beginning Jan. 1 will be about half theamount for the quarter ending Dec. 31.Because the fuel cost adjustment is aper-kilowatt-hour charge, amounts thatconsumers will save depend on theamounts of energy they use. Accordingto TVA, typical savings on consumers’monthly power bills could range from 1.40 to 2.70 in thefuel cost adjustment portion of their bill.In July 2006, the TVA board of directors approved theimplementation of a fuel cost adjustment mechanism to adjustTVA’s wholesale rates up and down as costs for generatorfuels such as coal and natural gas and electricity TVA purchases from other suppliers rise and fall.The FCA amount adjusts quarterly based on the differencebetween TVA’s budgeted fuel cost for the quarter and the mostrecent forecast amount if the forecast is higher or lower thanthe budgeted amount.FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS — The first meeting of the CEMC board of directors was held April 25, 1938, at the courthouse inClarksville. From left are W.L. Taylor, North Robertson County; Marable McFall Jr., South Montgomery County; J.D. Dickerson,South Sumner County; R.M. Felts, South Robertson County; O.L. Howell, North Stewart County; Brady E. Lee, North Sumner County; W.C. Jackson, Cheatham County; and M.C. Northington, North Montgomery County. Not pictured is George Nolen, South Stewart County.Visit us online at www.cemc.orgJanuary 200817
CEMCCumberland Electric Membership CorporationCEMC offering college scholarships to highschool seniors, Washington, D.C., trips for juniorsAre you or a member of your family planning on goingto college next fall? If so and you/they are a highschool senior, Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation would like to help pay the way to higher learning!Citizen-Scholar Scholarship ProgramCEMC’s scholarship program is designed for studentswho will be graduating from high school this coming spring.Ten students will be chosen to receive a one-time award of 1,000, which may be used toward their freshman yearexpenses such as tuition, textbooks, lab fees or otherrequired classroom materials. The program is coordinatedthrough each school’s senior guidance counselor.To be eligible, applicants must meet the followingrequirements: Must be a graduating high school senior (minimum 3.0cumulative GPA) whose parent(s) or guardian(s) is amember of and receives electric service from CEMC attheir primary residence. Be enrolled or plan to enroll as a full-time student at anaccredited Tennessee college, university or trade schoolby fall 2008. Western Kentucky University and MurrayState University are eligible out-of-state institutions. Must submit a completed application, including two reference letters: one from a teacher or other school official and one from another community leader. Must write an essay of at least 300 words as part of theapplication. A panel of retired school teachers willDr. James Snider, guidance counselor, and Joseph Hasty ofSpringfield High School look over the application requirements for a CEMC Citizen-Scholar Scholarship.18Th e Te n n e s s e e M a g a z i n ejudge the essays on the basisof content, composition,grammar and neatness.The deadline to apply is Feb.20, 2008. Children ofCEMC/TECA/TVAemployees/directors/attorneysare not eligible to apply.Washington Youth TourWriting ContestA fabulous week-long trip toour nation’s capital awaits 12 local high school juniors whowrite the best short stories in the Washington Youth TourWriting Contest. Expenses will be paid by CEMC and theTennessee Electric Cooperative Association, but as an addedincentive, the top three writers in the state will be awardedcollege scholarships valued at 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000.Last year, 132 Tennesseans were among more than 1,400high school students from across America who visited theunforgettable sites of Washington, D.C. Included were meetings with members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation.This year’s trip is June 13-19.To enter, students must write a short story on the subject“Electric Cooperatives: Energizing Our Communities.” Stories must not exceed 900 words. Students interested in thetrip only and not the scholarship opportunities may submit afive-to-eight-minute PowerPoint presentation, video orspeech on the same topic.Participants must be high school juniors whose parents orguardians are members of CEMC and receive electric service from CEMC at their primary residence. CEMC has conducted presentations about the program to various juniorhistory and English classes, but the contest is open to all eligible students throughout our service area whether they hadaccess to a presentations or not. This includes home-schoolstudents. Presentations may be scheduled through Jan. 31. Ashort video on the 2007 Washington Youth Tour, producedby the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, isavailable for viewing on the CEMC Web site —www.cemc.org.The deadline to enter is Feb. 20, 2008. Trip winners willbe notified by letter in April. TECA will announce the winners of the three scholarships during the trip.Complete contest rules are contained in the booklet shownabove and available at area high schools or by contacting theCEMC Member Services Department at 800-987-2362.
CEMCCumberland Electric Membership CorporationSix advance in CEMC apprentice program;Gallatin’s Trey Harrison ‘tops out’Five linemen and one substation technician recentlyadvanced in their careers at Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation based on recommendations from the cooperative’s Apprentice Committee.One lineman, Trey Harrison of the Gallatin District, hasreached the top rung of the ladder in the lineman profession,attaining the title “journeyman lineman” after five years ofutility experience. Linemen entering the profession start off asfirst period apprentices and then move up to the second period,third period and fourth period before “topping out” as journeymen. The advancements are not automatic — candidates mustdemonstrate proficiency in climbing skills and written testsbefore moving on to the the next level.Congratulations to these outstanding employees!Jimmy Smith advanced to the position offourth period apprentice lineman inCEMC’s Springfield District. Smith hasbeen with CEMC for six years.SmithShawn Butler advanced to the position ofthird period apprentice lineman afterthree years’ service in the Clarksville District.ButlerKevin Casey advanced to the position ofthird period apprentice lineman. Caseyhas been with CEMC’s Clarksville Districtfor four years.CaseyStephen Fitzhugh, who works out of theDover District, has advanced to the position of third period apprentice lineman.Fitzhugh will celebrate his secondanniversary at CEMC in May.FitzhughJoe Jackson advanced to the position ofsecond period apprentice substation technician. Jackson has been with CEMC forfive years.Trey Harrison of the Gallatin District has advanced to the position of journeyman lineman after five years’ employment atCEMC.Visit us online at www.cemc.orgJacksonJanuary 200819
CEMCCEMC supports planfor energy efficiencyAnational plan to improve energy efficiency across theboard was recently released by a group of more than 60electric industry leaders. Cumberland Electric MembershipCorporation, represented by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), has programs already in placethat will help meet the plan’s goals.The National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency aims toimprove the efficiency of all homes, schools, businesses, governments and industries by 2025. Though a monumental task,it is estimated that doing so could lead to 100 billion savedon national energy bills and substantial reductions in carbonemissions.“Increased use of energy efficiency can help lower the costof rapidly rising energy bills,” said John Holt, NRECA’s representative on the plan’s leadership group. “It’s also one ofseveral electric co-op solutions to reduce greenhouse gasemissions.”CEMC has developed several resources to help its members achieve better energy efficiency and keep electric billslow: Heat Pump Program — Install a new heat pump with alow-interest loan, which can be paid back on your electricbill. New Homes Program — We’ll assist in the planning ofyour energy-efficient, all-electric new home and pay youa cash incentive to boot! Water Heater Program — Replace your old waterheater with a new electric unit and receive a 50 credit onyour bill. Levelized Payment Program — By averaging your past12 electric bills, you can eliminate spikes and pay nearlythe same amount each month.The electric utility industry as a whole has made greatstrides in improving efficiency over the past 15 years, savingnearly 750 billion kilowatt-hours in electricity as a result —enough to power more than half of the homes in the UnitedStates for a year.The action plan will continue to increase efficiency andcreate savings. It was released during a November nationalmeeting of state public utility commissioners in Anaheim,Calif., facilitated by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S.Environmental Protection Agency.NRECA is the national service organization that representsthe nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumerowned electric cooperatives, which provide electric service to40 million people in 47 states.CEMC is a distribution electric cooperative serving morethan 87,000 member-owners in Cheatham, Montgomery,Robertson, Stewart and Sumner counties.20Th e Te n n e s s e e M a g a z i n eCumberland Electric Membership CorporationThis project helps keepthe lights and heat onCan you imagine facing these cold winter days and nightswithout electricity to light and heat your home? Forsome in this community, that’s the reality dictated by circumstances often beyond their control.Fortunately, help is available. Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation participates in Project Help, which provides energy assistance distributed through charitable agencies. The funds come from donors who contribute an extradollar or two on their electric bills each month.Signing up is easy. Simply check the box on the back ofyour bill, indicate how much you wish to contribute and sendthe form in with your payment. Your donation will be used inyour local community to help an eligible recipient pay his orher electric bill.Participating agencies are Mid-Cumberland CommunityAction Agency (Cheatham and Sumner counties),Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Action Agency,Highland Rim Community Action Agency (Stewart County)and Cooperative Outreach for Personal Emergencies (Robertson County).LOWER YOUR ENERGY BILLTop 10 low-cost steps you can do this winter1. Caulk and weatherstrip around windows and doors tostop air leaks. Seal any gaps in floors and walls aroundpipes and electrical wiring.2. Change filters monthly. Install a “filter whistle” to letyou know when to change them.3. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact flourescents.4. Repair air leaks and seal and insulate heating systemductwork.5. Add insulation to your attic, crawl space and any accessible exterior walls.6. Install an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostatappropriate for your type of heating system and set it at68 degrees for heating.7. Look for the ENERGY STAR label when replacinglarge or small appliances.8. Wrap your water heater with insulation or install aninsulating blanket.9. Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads andrepair leaky faucets.10. Use power strips for home electronics and turn themoff when equipment is not in use.
In 2006, voters in Clarksville passed a referendum authorizing Clarksville Department of Electricity (CDE) to enter the telecommunications business. CDE is now stringing fiber-optic cable throughout its service area and expects to go online with Internet, telephone and cable TV services no later than Decemb
