January 2023
All Expenses Paid Trip of a Lifetime
High school students can apply for an action packed all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. sponsored by Wood County Electric Co-op.
 
WCEC is committed to empowering the communities we serve. Of course, that mission includes providing electricity, but it’s so much more than that. We also invest time and resources into improving our members’ quality of life. That means investing in tomorrow’s leaders. One of those ways is by sponsoring one student to attend the Government-in-Action Youth Tour, a weeklong, guided trip to Austin and Washington, D.C.
 
Texas’ electric cooperatives sent their first Youth Tour delegation to Washington in 1965. The group of 58 deserving teens joined their peers from across Co-op Country to explore the capital, meet with their congressional representatives to discuss important issues and broaden their view of the world. Since then, more than 4,500 Texas students have gone on this unforgettable trip.
 
WCEC is sponsoring one high school student from our service area to participate in the 2023 Youth Tour on June 11-19.
 
The winning delegate will meet in Austin with more than 150 other teens from across rural Texas and then fly to Washington, D.C., for a fun-filled week of adventure and inspiration. They will visit with congressional leaders, see national monuments and historic sites, tour Smithsonian Institution museums, go on a boat cruise on the Potomac River, and rally with others from across the nation for a day of stirring speakers.
 
To become part of this enduring legacy and represent WCEC on Youth Tour, applicants must:
 
  • Be a high school sophomore or junior.
  • Be a dependent of a WCEC member with permanent resident status in the co-op’s service area.
  • Submit an official application available, along with a short essay.
  • The approximately 500 word essay should be on just one of the seven principles of electric cooperatives. Your story should be used to demonstrate why electric cooperatives are unique and a critical part of the communities they serve. These principles can be found on wcec.org
 
Applications are available at wcec.org and must arrive at WCEC by Friday, February 17, 2023. They can be submitted electronically at [email protected], dropped off or mailed to Co-op headquarters at 501 S. Main Street, Quitman, TX, 75783.
 
For more information about Youth Tour, visit TexasYouthTour.com
Falling Temperatures Can Cause
Larger Than Expected Bills
We all have our favorite season. Some people love the frigid temps that winter brings while others prefer the dog days of summer. While we don’t all agree on the season one thing we can agree on is that larger than expected winter bills are never welcome. 
 
While there isn’t much we can do to change the temperature, there are some actions to take now to avoid the surprise of a larger than expected electric bill later.
 
ADJUST HOW YOU PAY YOUR BILLS NOW
 
Levelized Billing - With this plan, members can even out payments to avoid billing spikes during the coldest and hottest seasons. When you sign up for Levelized Billing, you’ll be billed the average amount over your previous twelve month history. Payments are made automatically from your bank account and they will be close to the same amount each month, so it’s easier to budget. Anyone who has been a co-op member for at least a year and has a zero current balance is eligible for the plan. To learn more about Levelized Billing and to make bill-paying easier and more convenient, call our Member Services Department at (903) 763-2203 to get signed up.
 
SmartPower - If members elect this pre-pay method, large bills can be transferred and paid out over time. With prepay, there are no deposits, no big monthly bills ever, and no late fees. Members simply add credit to their account when it’s convenient for them and their budgets; daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. And, they can do it 24/7 via the website, the bill pay App, by telephone, or in person at our office.
 
EMPLOY SOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES
If your electricity bill tracks up and down with the weather extremes, investing in insulation may offer long term payback on both winter and summer bills. Another way to keep your warm air inside is to seal air leaks around windows and doors. A well-maintained HVAC system also saves money because it works more efficiently, so annual inspections and tune-ups are always recommended.
 
Another tip to conserve on kWh usage is to maintain a 68 degree temperature when you are at home and active; but when sleeping or away, lowering the thermostat a few degrees. Typically, the coldest hours are after midnight so lowering the temperature even just a few degrees, while you are tucked under the covers and sleeping, can cut usage quite a bit.
 
WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO RECEIVE A LARGER THAN EXPECTED BILL
Receiving a larger than expected bill can be upsetting. If you ever have questions about your bill or have difficulty paying it, reach out to our member services department by calling 903-763-2203. We can help you look at options like SmartPower or levelized billing to see if one of those would be right for you. We can also schedule a home energy audit to help you better understand your usage. Sometimes an energy professional can spot a cause for high kWh usage that homeowners were not even aware of.
 
At WCEC we want to help our members control their usage and their bills. As a cooperative, we’re in this together with our members. 
Safety Tip of the Month
New Year, New Resolution
Protecting your family from electric shocks, tripping haz­ards and house fires is easier than losing 20 pounds or quitting smoking. So, make it your New Year’s resolution No. 1, by following these 10 simple suggestions.

1. Inspect your outlets. Loose-fitting plugs can surprise someone with a shock or start a fire. If your wall plate is broken, replace it so wires won’t be exposed. And insert plastic safety caps into unused outlets if your family includes young children.
2. Make peace with plugs. If a plug doesn’t comfortably fit into an outlet, don’t force it. Try a different outlet. And never remove the grounding pin (third prong) so a three-prong plug will fit into a two-prong outlet.
3. Be careful with cords. They’re not designed to last forever. Toss frayed or cracked cords. And never run them under carpets or rugs, where continual wear and tear from foot traffic could damage them—exposing you to fire from overheated wires.
4. Pack up extension cords. They’re fine for connecting strands of holiday lights together and helping decorations reach plugs during December. But come January, pack them up and store them. Extension cords are designed for temporary use.
5. Watch your wattage. The lightbulbs in your lamps and overhead fixtures should match the specifications on those fixtures. A bulb with wattage that’s too high can overheat.
6. Find no fault. Ground-fault circuit interrupters are a must in every outlet in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room, garage and outdoors. If water could touch electricity, you need GFCIs on every outlet in the room.
7. Fuss with your fuses. If you don’t know whether your fuses are the right size for the circuit they’re protecting, call an electrician, who can make that assessment.
8. Adjust appliances. If a circuit trips every time you plug in your hair dryer or if your coffee maker has ever shocked you when you plugged it in, you either have a faulty appliance or an overloaded circuit. An electrician can identify and solve that problem.
9. Watch the wiring. Faulty electrical wires start many house fires. If you hear popping or sizzling sounds behind the walls or if light switches feel hot, do not use those fixtures or switches until a licensed electrician has replaced them.
10. Get what you need. Unless you live in a brand-new house, you could be using more electricity than the builder intended. Call an electrician to determine whether your home needs more electrical capacity.
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month