News Releases
05.03.2012 Peter Hegland wins TEC's trip to D.C.
04.26.2012 Volunteers needed for state park cleanup May 5
04.11.2012 Tree trimming mishaps can lead to lights out or injuries
04.02.2012 ORU grants $3,800 to local causes
03.09.2012 Home Efficiency Expo March 22
02.22.2012 Think safety when operating a generator
01.12.2012 TEC launches Youth Tour contest
11.11.2011 TEC crew helps restore power in Wisconsin
10.11.2011 Stay safe by looking up during harvest season
10.03.2011 Power outage planned for the city of Canton
10.03.2011 ORU grants $4,000 to local causes
09.03.2011 Lineworkers head to Wisconsin
08.23.2011 Buyer beware of energy saving product pitches
05.22.2011 Crews continue to work Sunday's storm outages
For more information contact:
Brenda Tesch
Director of Public Relations
Peter Hegland win's TEC's trip to D.C.
Rushford, MN (1 p.m. May 3, 2012)—Peter Hegland, from Utica, Minn., has won an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C., courtesy of TEC. As the winner of TEC's Youth Tour Contest, Hegland will represent the cooperative on the 2012 Rural Electric Youth Tour June 16-21 in Washington D.C. He is the son of Jim and Tanja Hegland.
While meeting nationally known political figures and visiting historical sites in and around the capitol, students learn about electric cooperatives on a local, state and national level.
Contestants completed TEC’s online contest exam. Those scoring 90 percent or greater were granted interviews. A panel of judges made up of members of TEC’s Advisory Committee selected Hegland as this year’s winner.
In June, Hegland will join about 1,500 other high school students sponsored by other electric cooperatives across 43 states. Electric cooperatives have been sending students to participate in this unique program since the early 1960s. To date, over 40,000 students from rural areas and small towns all over America have participated in the Rural Electric Youth Tour.
Each year TEC hosts the Youth Tour Contest which is open to high school juniors or seniors attending one of the following high schools: Caledonia, Chosen Valley, Cotter, Fillmore Central, Hope Lutheran, Houston, Kingsland, La Crescent, Lanesboro, LeRoy-Ostrander, Lewiston-Altura, Mabel-Canton, Rushford-Peterson, St. Charles, Spring Grove, Stewartville or Winona. Home schoolers who live within the cooperative’s service territory are also eligible. For more information about TEC's Youth Tour visit www.tec.coop.
Volunteers needed for state park cleanup May 5
Rushford, MN (10 a.m. April 26, 2012)— It is time for Forestville State Park to get ready for the summer camping season. TEC is hosting a clean-up day at the park on Saturday, May 5 from 8 a.m. to noon.
Volunteers will help with prairie seeding, trail maintenance and general park cleanup. TEC encourages families, youth groups and other organizations to participate. Volunteers should plan to bring work gloves and wear appropriate clothing and footwear for outdoor work.
The project is part of a statewide effort by Minnesota Touchstone Energy cooperatives called GreenTouch in which many state parks throughout Minnesota will be spruced up the same day.
TEC rotates the location of GreenTouch Day between three state parks in its service territory: Beaver Creek Valley, Forestville and Great River Bluffs.
“The managers at our local state parks really look forward to us hosting this event. With limited budgets, it is a great way to help them get ready for the summer season,” says Brian Krambeer, TEC’s president/CEO.
After the event is over, volunteers can enjoy the remainder of the day at the park with a free day permit.
TEC provides snacks and beverages for volunteers so please contact Annie Hoiland at TEC by calling 1-800-432-2285 or emailing ahoiland@tec.coop if you plan to attend.
Getting there: Forestville State Park is about six miles south of Wykoff. Entrance to the park is four miles south of State Highway 16 on Fillmore County Highway 5, then 2 miles east on Fillmore County 118.
Tree trimming mishaps can lead to lights out or injuries
Rushford, MN (1 p.m. April 11, 2012)— The early spring-like weather has brought out lawn and garden enthusiasts. Living in an area where trees are plentiful can lead amateurs to take on tree trimming or removal projects that may be larger than what they can handle safely.
TEC wants to make sure individuals are aware of the dangers of tree trimming, especially near power lines.
“If you find yourself questioning whether or not you can take off tree limbs or a whole tree near a power line without coming in contact with it, it is best to give us a call,” says Chad Chaffee, TEC’s vice president of system operations. “Electricity provides us with great benefits, but it is also very unforgiving should you come into contact with an energized power line.”
TEC’s lineworkers are specially trained to work around power lines.
Chaffee says TEC members might not realize that the cooperative will come out and de-energize a power line during normal business hours at no charge if there is a concern in removing a tree.
“Members just need to give us advance notice so we can plan for employees to be there,” Chaffee says. “We really want to encourage members to call if there is any doubt about safety.”
Tree-trimming amateurs that have a mishap with electricity could end up with the lights out and the situation only gets worse from that point. The individual will receive a bill from TEC to restore a power outage caused by their accident. In addition, the job could prove to be disastrous if the individual comes in contact with the power line. Severe injury and even death could occur.
“All it takes is a little pre-planning to ensure tree trimming is done safely around power lines,” Chaffee states.
If you receive your electricity from TEC and would like to schedule to have a power line de-energized to remove tree limbs, please call 1-800-432-2285.
ORU grants $3,800 to local causes
Rushford, MN (3 p.m. April 2, 2012)— The Operation Round Up Trust Board met on March 9 and donated $3,800 to the following worthy organizations:
- $800, Local Food Shelves Participating in Minnesota FoodShare Month, to help purchase food for residents in need. The amount is divided equally between eight food shelves.
- $500, National Child Safety Council, to help purchase educational safety materials for the Fillmore County public schools by the local police departments.
- $500, Let’s Go Fishing – Winona Chapter, to purchase supplies for fishing outings.
- $425, Project Fit Families, to help purchase educational materials for the Project Fit Families Fitness Fest.
- $425, JEM Movie Theatre, LLC, to put towards the purchase of a digital projector.
- $250, City of Caledonia, to help with their community pool improvement project.
- $200, Lanesboro Local, to purchase supplies for the Local—The Better Way of Life program.
- $200, Habitat for Humanity Winona-Fillmore Counties, to help with the Harmony home building project.
- $200, Bundles of Love, to help purchase supplies for diaper bag bundles which are given to needy families in Houston, Fillmore and Winona counties.
- $200, Houston Community Food Basket, to help with the application costs for achieving 501c3 status.
- $100, Appleseed Community Theatre/Healthy Community Partnership, for purchasing supplies for a Youth Theatre Camp in La Crescent.
Operation Round Up is funded by donations made by members of Tri-County Electric Cooperative who voluntarily have their electric bill rounded up to the next dollar. About 1,200 members currently participate with the average of $6 a year per member. It truly shows that small change can make a difference. To learn more about Operation Round Up visit www.tec.coop.
Free Home Efficiency Expo March 22
Rushford, MN (1 p.m. March 9, 2012) — TEC is joining with its neighboring cooperatives, Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative and Hawkeye Rural Electric Cooperative, to host the Home Efficiency Expo, March 22 from 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the Nob Hill Supper Club, 2955 U.S. Hwy. 52 in Decorah.
There is no charge for the event and it is open to the general public, builders and contractors. The expo allows attendees to talk one-on-one with 18 representatives from manufacturers of energy efficient building materials, windows, doors, heating and air conditioning systems and lighting systems.
Four mini educational sessions begin at 6 p.m. and will last for 30 minutes each. Topics include: new painting options, heat pump water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and proper window installation.
Nob Hill Supper Club is five miles north of Decorah along Hwy. 52. No preregistration is required. More detailed information is available online at www.tec.coop or by calling TEC at 1-800-432-2285.
Think safety when operating a generator
Rushford, MN (3:30 p.m. Feb. 22, 2012) — A generator can be a valuable piece of equipment to keep appliances working during a power outage. However, before you buy or operate one, you need to be aware of the safety concerns surrounding generators.
“Generators are responsible for tragic carbon monoxide and electrical accidents every year,” says Mark Zweibohmer, compliance and training coordinator at TEC. “Those who plan to use generators need to understand the risks involved with them and how to properly use them before even purchasing one.”
Generators can be either temporary or permanently installed. A permanent generator is wired into a house by a qualified electrician using a transfer switch. A transfer switch prevents a generator from feeding electricity back into overhead lines, which can be deadly for linemen.
A temporary generator is powered by gasoline and should not be attached to a circuit breaker, fuse, or outlet. Before ever purchasing a generator you need to know the wattage required to run the appliances you will attach to the generator. You also need to know the surge power, which is the power it takes to turn an appliance on.
Once you have purchased the proper generator, follow these tips from TEC and Safe Electricity to properly operate your generator:
- Read and follow all manufacturer operating instructions to properly ground the generator. Be sure you understand them before hooking up the generator.
- Never operate a generator in a confined area, such as a garage. Generators can produce numerous gases, including toxic and deadly carbon monoxide. They require proper ventilation.
- Generators pose electrical risks especially when operated in wet conditions. Use a generator only when necessary when the weather creates wet or moist conditions. Protect the generator by operating it under an open, canopy-like structure on a dry surface where water cannot form puddles or drain under it. Always ensure that your hands are dry before touching the generator.
- When you refuel the generator, make sure the engine is cool to prevent a fire, should the tank overflow.
- There should be nothing plugged into the generator when you turn it on. This prevents a surge from damaging your generator and appliances.
- Be sure to keep children and pets away from the generator, which could burn them.
- Shut down the generator properly. Before shutting down a generator, turn off and unplug all appliances and equipment being powered by the generator.
- Remember maintenance between uses. It is also a good idea to inspect the fuel and oil filters, spark plug, oil level and fuel quality and to start the generator on a regular basis before an emergency situation occurs.
A properly used generator provides the convenience of running important appliances in a prolonged power outage without creating safety risks. For more information on electrical safety, visit TEC’s website, www.tec.coop, and click on the “Education” tab.
TEC launches Youth Tour contest
Rushford, MN (10 a.m. Jan. 12, 2012) — Area junior and senior high school students have until Feb. 20 to take part in a contest to win an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. to attend the 2012 Rural Electric Youth Tour June 16-21, courtesy of TEC.
The tour is a fast-paced leadership opportunity to see what helps make America tick. The trip includes tours of several historic monuments and museums, visits with Minnesota’s political leaders and the opportunity to learn more about electric cooperatives on a local, state and national level. Karissa Meyer, from Caledonia High School, was sponsored by TEC in 2011. She was one of about 1,400 high school juniors and seniors that participated in last year’s event.
The contest is open to high school juniors or seniors who attend one of the following high schools: Caledonia, Chosen Valley, Cotter, Fillmore Central, Hope Lutheran, Houston, Kingsland, La Crescent, Lanesboro, LeRoy-Ostrander, Lewiston-Altura, Mabel-Canton, Rushford-Peterson, St. Charles, Spring Grove, Stewartville or Winona. Home schoolers who live within the cooperative’s service territory are also eligible.
To enter the contest, students must complete the Youth Tour exam online at www.tec.coop. The exam portion consists of 25 questions regarding electric cooperatives, plus a short essay. All answers to the questions can be found within TEC’s website. Students scoring a 90 percent or higher on the exam will be scheduled for a brief interview in March with judges from TEC’s advisory committee. The advisory committee chooses the winner and an alternate for the trip.
Exams must be submitted to TEC by Feb. 20 to be considered for the contest.
TEC crew to help restore power to snowy Wisconsin
Rushford, MN (8:30 a.m. Nov. 11, 2011) — A two-person lineworker crew from TEC is en route to Rosholt, Wis. to assist Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CWEC) in power restoration efforts.
A storm that blanketed the area with heavy snow on Wednesday caused trees to fall into power lines and break poles. Andy Prinsen and Davin Thompson, both of Rushford, have volunteered to help get the remaining 3,000 people who are without power back on line.
“The winter storm season is just beginning. You never know when the tables might be turned and we may be the ones needing the help,” says Chad Chaffee, TEC’s vice president of system operations. “It is great to have our guys willing to help out others in these situations.”
Prinsen and Thompson are expected to spend a day or two working in CWEC’s service territory before complete power is restored.
Stay safe by looking up during harvest season
Rushford, MN (12:15 p.m. Oct. 11, 2011)— TEC would like to remind area farmers to use caution near power lines during harvest season.
“We’ve had three incidents in the last week with farm machinery coming in contact with power lines,” says Chad Chaffee, TEC’s vice president of system operations. “Fortunately, there have been no injuries.”
Each year on average 62 farm workers are electrocuted in the U.S. with many more injured, according to Labor Department statistics. The most common equipment involved in power line accidents are portable grain augers, oversized wagons, large combines and other tall equipment that come into contact with overhead lines.
Farm operators, family members and farm employees are urged to take these measures:
- Use a spotter when moving tall loads near power lines.
- Inspect farm equipment for transport height and determine clearance with any power lines under which the equipment must pass.
- Make sure everyone knows what to do if accidental contact is made with power lines.
What should you do if contact is made?
It is almost always best to stay in the cab, call for help and wait until the electric utility arrives to make sure power is cut off. Even if a power line is on the ground, there is still potential for the area nearby to be energized. Stay inside the vehicle unless there is fire or imminent risk of fire.
In that case, the proper action is to jump—not step—with both feet hitting the ground at the same time. Jump clear, without touching the vehicle and ground at the same time and continue to shuffle or hop to safety keeping both feet together as you leave the area.
Overhead lines are not the only worry
Pole guy wires are grounded to the neutral, but when one of the guy wires is broken, it can cause an electric current disruption. This can make those neutral wires anything but harmless. If you hit a guy wire and break it, call the utility to fix it. Do not do it yourself. When dealing with electrical poles and wires, always call the electric utility.
Power outage planned for the city of Canton
Rushford, MN (1 p.m. Oct. 3, 2011)— The city of Canton will experience a power outage on Wednesday, Oct. 5 starting at 4 a.m. Last week’s high winds damaged equipment at the city’s substation. Tri-County Electric Cooperative will be replacing a damaged transformer and says it should take about one hour to complete the job.
Operation Round Up grants $4,000 to local causes
Rushford, MN (1 p.m. Oct. 3, 2011)— The Operation Round Up (ORU) Trust Board met Sept. 9 and granted $4,000 to the following organizations:
$1,000, Good Shepherd Child Care Center, Rushford, Minn., to help purchase new cabinets and a countertop.
$950, Semcac, for the organization’s heating assistance program.
$450, Southeast MN Education and Resource Center, St. Charles, Minn., for the organization’s heating assistance program.
$400, Bluff County Learning Center, Hokah, Minn., to support positive recognition opportunities for at-risk students.
$300, Salvation Army of Fillmore County, to help support assistance programs for residents of the county.
$300, Friends of the Houston Public Library, to help purchase books for its 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program.
$300, Harmony Community Healthcare, to help purchase a public address system.
$200, Rushford-Peterson High School Drama Club, to help with the purchase of a new lighting system.
$100, Gifted and Talented Students Grades 4-6 at St. Charles Schools, to support a recycling program.
Operation Round Up is funded by donations made by members of Tri-County Electric Cooperative who voluntarily have their electric bill rounded up to the next dollar. About 1,200 members currently participate with the average of $6 a year per member. It truly shows that small change can make a difference. To learn more about Operation Round Up visit www.tec.coop.
Lineworkers head to Wisconsin to aid in power restoration
Rushford, Minn. (2:30 p.m. Sept. 3, 2011)— TEC sent four lineworkers to Friendship, Wis. earlier today to assist with power restoration efforts following a storm that rolled through Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative's (ACEC's) service territory. At one point ACED, which has 36,000 members, had 10,000 without power.
Tim Anderson, of Lanesboro, Tyler Eide, of Rushford, Dennis LeFebvre, of Caledonia and Randall Ashbacher, of Caledonia arrived at their destination around 8 a.m. The crews plan to be there for two days.
"Immediately following the flood of 2007 Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative sent a number of small bucket trucks for us to use until we could replace the ones that where damaged by the flood. We truly appreciated that act of kindess," said Chad Chaffee, vice president of system operations.
Electric cooperatives have a history of working together to help get the power back on.
"Even though it is the holiday weekend, we had employees ready to help our cooperative family when they need it most," Chaffee said.
Just the day before (Friday, Sept. 2) TEC had about 500 members without power for several hours due to a storm that caused trees to fall into power lines. Chaffee says all circuits were back up around 3 p.m.
Buyer beware of energy saving product pitches
Rushford, Minn. (3 p.m. Aug. 23, 2011)— An invitation for a free breakfast, lunch or dinner to listen to a presentation on energy saving products may sound harmless, but it can lead to the purchase of products that don’t live up to the hype.
TEC has received calls from its members asking about companies sending postcard invitations in the counties of Fillmore, Houston and Winona. The postcard claims the products produce significant residential energy savings.
Some of the products being promoted are reflective radiant barriers and power factor correction devices. Each product has an actual place that it is used in construction or electrical systems, but the demonstrations create conditions in your home that do not normally exist.
Radiant barriers are more effective in hot climates than in cool climates. A reflective radiant barrier offers little energy savings to a home in a northern climate that is already insulated. According to the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Division of Energy Resources website, “radiant barriers are generally not worth the investment in terms of energy savings. Field tests by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory suggest that attic radiant barriers are not an effective way to reduce heating or cooling loads in Minnesota.”
With the power factor correction devices, the first and primary fact is that residential electric meters measure and bill on kilowatt-hours, not power factor. There is no power factor penalty for residential homes, so there is no measurable savings for a homeowner to correct power factor.
What TEC recommends:
- Check out claimed energy savings before spending hard earned money.
- Use caution when looking for simple solutions to complex heating and electrical situations.
“Something that has an application in a factory or for cooling in very hot climates may not offer any savings to a homeowner in Minnesota,” says Brad Pecinovsky, TEC’s member services director. “As a non-profit, member-owned cooperative, we really are looking out for the best interests of our members,”
Pecinovsky says the best place to start reducing energy use is with low-cost measures and the co-op has a number of helpful guides available at its office or online at www.tec.coop.
Crews continue to work on Sunday's storm outages
Rushford, MN (9:20 a.m. May 23, 2011)— TEC crews worked overnight to get power back to members who suffered outages at the hands of Mother Nature during yesterday's storm. Currently about 16 members continue to be without power.
At its peak, the co-op had about 4,500 members without power. A total of eight substations were out due to damage to Dairyland Power Cooperative's transmission lines that feed power into the substations. Those substations included: Cherry Grove, Fountain, Granger, Henrytown, Lewiston, Peterson, Spring Valley and Stockton.
Power to the substations was restored at about 6:30 p.m. At that time, TEC had about 500 members without power. Crews concentrated on power line problems in isolated areas of its service territory. One area was west of Harmony and north of Granger. Another targeted spot was a line south of the Valley High Addition and west of Hokah. Power to most individuals was restored early this morning around 3 a.m. About 16 members still are without power. Some of those members are serviced south of Greenleafton which is attached to a Dairyland transmission line that lost about 30 poles. TEC crews are working to get the remainder of the system back online by late afternoon or evening.
"I'd like to thank the membership for their patience as our crews continue to work to get those last individuals back online," said Chad Chaffee, TEC's vice president of operations. "We have a dedicated group of guys who have been working hard to get the power back on."
Chaffee says this is the co-ops's most significant power outage since the flooding of 2007. The cooperative has about 40 broken poles.
TEC urges members and the public to take caution near downed power lines and broken poles.
"Once we have everyone online, crews will focus on the cleanup process and be removing damaged line and poles," said Chaffee. "Cleanup of the system could take several weeks."
