Behind the Switch
A Newsletter Edition
February 13, 2025
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Thanks to everyone who participated in the Behind the Switch - A Newsletter Edition One-Year Trivia Contest. Congratulations were given to Robyn George and Lucy Pete, both lucky winners of a $150 CVEA energy credit.
Roughly 78 people participated in the contest. Comments indicate that you had fun and learned a bit more about YOUR electric cooperative. Thank you for celebrating with us!
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The CVEA team recently updated the 2025 Legislative Brochure to include information about the Cooperative's service territory and membership, CVEA priorities, issues we we face, and policies the Co-op supports or has concerns with. The brochure is used when talking to statewide leadership, and state and federal legislative and congressional representatives.
CEO Matthews and Director Hess traveled to Juneau the first week of February to attend the Alaska Power Association Legislative Conference. We look forward to providing an update on that effort in the March edition.
View the brochure by clicking the image or button below. Stay updated on advocacy efforts by clicking the button below.
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CVEA - Powering Homes, Empowering Lives | |
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A New Look at Recruitment
Copper Valley Electric, working with local production company, Seed Media, recently created a new video, highlighting employee stories, to showcase our internal culture and what makes the Cooperative a great place to work. The video is part of a new recruitment strategy, aimed at attracting the best employees to join our team and fulfill our mission of providing exceptional service to members.
Check out our Careers Page by clicking the button below.
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Want Your Vote to Count? Make Sure Your Signature Card is Up-to-Date! | |
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When you vote on CVEA business, such as Board of Directors elections, you are required to sign the ballot envelope. If the signature on the envelope does not match the signature on the membership card on file with CVEA, the vote cannot be counted.
For residential members, if you have changed marital status, or names, or wish to add a spouse or household member, please contact CVEA to ensure those changes are reflected on your signature card. If you receive a card via email, please complete it and email it, mail it, or bring it to your local CVEA office.
Organizations, businesses, and associations usually have board members who are authorized to transact business. The person who signs the election envelope must be an authorized signer on the account. If your Board of Directors, executive officer, CEO, or other signers have changed in the past year, then it is time to update your CVEA membership card.
The deadline to update your signature card for the 2025 election is March 13, 2025.
For information on updating your signature card and necessary documents, click the button below.
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Maintenance Work at Glennallen Diesel Plant | |
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To support CVEA's strategic priority of maintaining and improving system reliability, plant operators conduct equipment inspections on a regular schedule and an as-needed basis.
A fall 2024 inspection of Unit 9, a 2.9 MW generator at the Glennallen
Diesel Plant, revealed premature cylinder wear, which led to increased
monitoring and oil samples and a third-party evaluation.
The recommendation from the evaluation was to replace 8 of the units
16 cylinder packs this year. Diesel Chief Plant Operator, Jason Shiell, and the Glennallen Diesel Plant operators replaced two cylinders, with the rest to be completed upon arrival.
This critical unit serves as the primary power source for the Copper Basin when disconnected from the Valdez district, which can occur during power outages and major repairs. According to Shiell, "the engine remains in good condition. Once these updates are complete, we can expect continued reliability until the next scheduled overhaul."
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Community Collaboration at the Solomon Gulch Hydroelectric Plant | |
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On January 28, CVEA Chief Hydro Plant Operator Kyle Anderson, along with Operator Lee Burke and Communications and Controls Specialist, Shane Gunderson, hosted students from the Prince William Sound College Millwright Program at the Solomon Gulch Hydroelectric Plant.
The CVEA team provided a facility tour and conducted a full turbine startup and system sync, emphasizing proper procedures, communication, and safety. Once online, Tern Technologies representatives, Philip Cole and Gabe Hendrix, led a lesson on vibration analysis equipment, then guided students through a hands-on field analysis.
Students gained valuable insights into industrial equipment and diagnostic techniques, while CVEA benefited from the data collected, which is crucial for turbine maintenance.
CVEA has welcomed the PWSC Millwright class for many years and looks forward to continuing this annual effort. Special thanks to Spencer Heston and Victoria Heisser of PWSC for their ongoing partnership in support of local students.
View slideshow above for photos.
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Glennallen Line Crew - Powering Through to Power the Glennallen School | |
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Finding a faulted underground cable is challenging, especially in winter when housed in conduit. When the CVEA line crew responded to a power issue at the Glennallen School in January, they discovered a failed primary underground cable and quickly readied for a long night. The crew did not yet know, but the repair would be far more difficult than they anticipated.
The school, powered by a three-phase transformer, had lost one phase. When attempting to pull the faulty cable, it broke - suggesting it was frozen in the conduit or partially direct buried.
To locate the fault, the crew used a technique called "thumping", using equipment to locate a break or fault in the circuit by sending high-voltage pulses through the cable to create an audible arc at the break. The crew can then locate the cable, mark the path with marking paint, and measure the distance to the open point where the cable has shorted out. They also listen for the pulse as the equipment "thumps" the cable. In this situation, unfortunately, the method proved difficult due to conduit echo and frozen ground.
Keeping the school powered during this repair was essential. To do this while troubleshooting, the crew initially laid a temporary jacketed primary cable on the ground. After several days without success, the team instead built a temporary overhead service to replace the faulty underground cable until the ground thaws and permanent replacements can be installed.
Despite challenging circumstances, in challenging conditions, the Glennallen line crew was able to provide a safe, temporary, reliable power solution for the Glennallen School.
View slideshow above for photos.
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Holly Auble
Holly began her employment with CVEA in July 2017 as the Customer Service Representative and has since earned two promotions. Her current role is Senior Accountant. She is a highly valued and trusted member of the accounting team, consistently working diligently behind the scenes on tasks ranging from member billing to capital credits.
Her extensive knowledge of both accounting and customer service makes her an invaluable resource for her peers and CVEA's members. Always ready to share her ideas, Holly plays a key role in improving the department's efficiency.
In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with her family in the side-by-side exploring Alaska, fishing, and cooking.
Holly's supervisor, Lindsay Malone, had this to say, "Holly is amazing and takes care of everything so seamlessly that I never have to worry."
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Don't Be Fooled By Energy Scams | |
Manage Your Account With SmartHub | |
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There are many reasons to love SmartHub this Valentine's Day and every day!
Sign up for SmartHub to access your CVEA billing account and usage information 24/7!! View current and past statements, pay your bill, set up autopay, and check your energy usage from your computer or mobile device at anytime, anywhere!
Ready to get started? Register in CVEA's SmartHub portal by clicking the button below, or download the SmartHub app in the App Store or Google Play.
Have questions or need assistance? Contact customerservice@cvea.org.
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Love Your Financial Future This Valentine's Day | |
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Valentine's Day can be more than chocolates and flowers - it is a perfect time to focus on your future. While chocolates may satisfy today's craving, smart money moves have the potential to benefit you for years to come.
Here are a few tips from Homestead Advisors, courtesy of NRECA:
- Start a long-term relationship with your savings by setting up automatic transfers into an emergency savings or retirement account on payday; by treating savings like a regular bill, you might remove the temptation to spend that money elsewhere
- Maximize your employer's retirement matching program - it is free money for your future; that is a benefit you don't want to leave on the table
- Create a financial legacy by teaching young people about the value of saving; when children learn these habits early, they may get a head start on their lifelong financial journey
Give your future self a reason to smile. Every dollar you save today may be a love note towards your financial success.
This financial wellness tip is provided by Homestead Advisers, a financial services company established over 30 years ago to help meet the investment needs of communities within the National Rural Electric Cooperative (NRECA) family. Homestead Advisers provides a range of investment advisory services, including financial planning, and also serves as the investment adviser for the Homestead Funds, a family of registered mutual funds. Homestead Advisers Corp., a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of NRECA.
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Energy Efficiency and Safety Tips | |
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Tips For Saving in Your Work Space
If you have a home office, look for opportunities to save energy in your workspace.
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Use ENERGY STAR®-rated equipment, which consumes up to 50 percent less energy than standard models
- Set equipment like printers and scanners to automatically switch to sleep or energy-saver mode when not in use; in addition to saving energy, the equipment will stay cooler, which will help extend its life
- Use efficient lamps for task lighting and replace older bulbs with energy-saving LEDs
Source: energy.gov
For more energy efficiency tips, click the button below.
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Electrical Safety For Your Home Office
Do you have a home office or work from home? Follow these electrical safety tips to keep you and your home safe from electrical hazards:
- Avoid overloading outlets
- Unplug appliances when not in use to minimize the risk of shock or fire
- Regularly inspect cords for damage
- Only use extension cords on a temporary basis
- Never plug a space heater or fan into an extension cord or power strip
- Ensure cords do not become tripping hazards; never run under rugs/carpets or doors
- Keep papers and other potential combustibles at least three feet away from space heaters and other heat sources
- Use proper wattage for lamps/lighting
Wherever you work, it is important to work safe.
Click the image above for infographic. Source: esfi.org
For more electric safety tips, click the button below.
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January Newsletter Correction | |
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The January issue of Behind the Switch - A Newsletter Edition contained an article regarding priorities within CVEA's 2025 Budget. Two priority projects, the Valdez Underground Replacement in the Dayville Road area, and the Valdez Underground Replacement in the Duck Flats area were incorrectly stated. The infrastructure being replaced in the areas is overhead, not underground. We apologize for this error and any confusion it may have caused.
We look forward to providing a more detailed outline of these projects in a future issue of this e-Newsletter. Stay tuned!
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AK Energy Authority NEVI Workshop Cancelled | |
The Alaska Energy Authority's NEVI workshop to discuss electric vehicle infrastructure needs, scheduled for February 26 in Valdez, has been cancelled. | |
We Want Your Feedback And Ideas! | |
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Have Feedback on the e-Newsletter or Ideas For Articles?
CVEA's goal is to meet your communication needs. If you have feedback or topics you would like to see included in a future issue of Behind the Switch - A Newsletter Edition, send us an email by clicking the button below. We will review thoughts and ideas and do our best to make adjustments and include member suggestions throughout the year.
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Member Comments and Questions | |
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Copper Valley Electric wants to know what members have to say, and our team is on hand to answer questions you may have.
If you have comments or questions on any CVEA topic, email Customer Service by clicking the link below.
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CVEA has excellent opportunities for qualified applicants. View current job opportunities posted on the CVEA website. | |
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Copper Valley Electric Association | info@cvea.org | 907-822-3211 | www.cvea.org
Mile 187 Glenn Highway, PO Box 45, Glennallen, AK 99588
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Stay up to date on our Facebook page or visit us at cvea.org | |
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Copyright © 2023 Copper Valley Electric Association, All rights reserved.
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