Going Paperless Reduces Co-Op Cost and Yours!
Did you know that 85% of our members still receive paper bills? Postage and printing cost add up. Choosing to go paperless with our E-Bill option is way to help reduce cost as well as to receive your bill in timely manner.
 
Costs associated with mailing bills are on the rise. Members joining together in the cooperative spirit to select paperless billing, goes a long way in helping provide cost efficient service. As a non-profit entity we are always looking for opportunities that benefit our members. We encourage all member to give E-Bill a try. Its quick, easy and reduces clutter. And it saves money!
 
Bill and electronic notifications offer many features, like helpful reminders so you won’t forget to pay on time. Paperless payments are secure and often more convenient than dropping a check in the mail. Smart device users can even pay right from their phone with our free secure App, which also has a handy button for reporting outages. It’s like having your electric cooperative in the palm of your hand.
 
To sign up, just create an online account on our Account Services Portal.
 
Then follow these steps:
 
  1. Visit the Bill Notifications page located under the Billing & Payments.
  2. Under Bill Method, set your delivery method to E-Bill.
  3. Confirm the email address of where you want the bill sent.
  4. Click the Save Changes button.
  5. Visit the Manage Alerts page located under the My Account tab to sign up for Payment Notifications such as Due Date Reminders, and Payment Alerts to receive reminders by email or text. 
 
As a cooperative, we are better together. We hope you’ll consider paperless billing. And if you have questions or need help getting set up, give us a call Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 903-763-2203.
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Safety Tip of the Month
August 11th is National Safe Digging Day, also known as 811 Day. The observance reminds anyone considering an outdoor project to get underground utilities marked before digging. Doing so is free and easy; simply call 811 at least two full business days prior to starting a digging project.
 
If you don’t take the time to call before you dig, you could become one of the people in this statistic: Someone digs in an unmarked yard and strikes an underground line every nine minutes in the U.S., on average, according to safeelectricity.org. Striking an unmarked power line can lead to fines, serious injury, a power outage and even death.
 
People are tempted to skip calling in advance because they think striking a buried line won’t happen to them. They assume they won’t dig too deep or that they’ll be lucky. But underground lines are unyielding. Their path is unpredictable, and hitting one can happen with one strike of a shovel or other tool.
 
Examples of projects that require locating utilities include putting up a fence, installing a mailbox post, building a deck or patio, and planting trees and shrubs; however, this is not an all-inclusive list. Any project that breaks ground requires that underground utilities be marked.
 
After submitting a request, underground lines will be marked by their respective utilities; however, locators do not mark private lines such as service to outbuildings, underground sprinkler systems or a gas line to a grill. Private lines are the responsibility of the property owner.
 
If you’re only digging in a small area of your yard, you can outline the area in white spray paint or with white flags to ensure that only that part of your yard will be located and marked.
 
There are five steps to safer digging:
  1. Mark the proposed dig area with white paint or flags.
  2. Call 811 or visit texas811.org to submit your locate request before you dig. There is no charge for the service.
  3. Wait the required amount of time (typically two business days).
  4. Respect the markers and do not move any flags.
  5. Dig with care. Avoid digging on top of or within 18–24 inches on all sides of utility marks, which may mean moving your project to another part of your yard.
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

An easy way to save energy is to seal air leaks and holes where plumbing pipes run through walls in your home. You can also check wall-mounted cabinets for plumbing holes or air gaps in the back. Fill any holes or gaps with spray foam. Wear protective gloves and use a damp rag for cleanup.