Behind the Switch
A Newsletter Edition
February 8, 2024
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We Want Your Feedback And Ideas! | |
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Welcome, members, to the second issue of CVEA's e-Newsletter. Hopefully, you reviewed the January issue and found it packed with valuable information about your cooperative. Many of you sent comments. Thank you! Keep them coming.
Have Ideas For Articles?
CVEA's goal is to meet your communication needs. If you have 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 ideas and do our best to include member suggestions throughout the year.
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New in 2024 - Coffee With the CEO | | |
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Spend Time With Jaime Matthews, CVEA CEO
Beginning this February, CVEA members will have an opportunity to visit with CEO, Jaime Matthews, over coffee or tea, share thoughts, ask questions, and get answers.
When:
Glennallen - Tuesday, February 20
Valdez - Thursday, February 22
Time: 8-10 a.m. Drop in any time!
Where: CVEA Office Boardroom
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Educational and Leadership Scholarships | |
$14,000 in CVEA Community Foundation Scholarships Available
CVEA will offer one $2,000 and two $1,000 General Scholarships, and one Youth Rally Leadership Camp Scholarship in each district in 2024.
General scholarships will be awarded to well-rounded high school seniors who plan to pursue post-secondary education through a vocational or technical school, apprenticeship training, or a college degree program.
The Idaho Youth Rally scholarship provides an opportunity for sophomores and juniors to attend a week-long industry leadership camp in Caldwell, Idaho in July, where students practice leadership, teamwork, and communication skills while learning about electric utility practices and issues.
The deadline to apply is 5 p.m., Thursday, February 15.
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Get Involved at Your Cooperative | | |
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The Co-op is Seeking Members for the 2024 Credentials and Election Committee
Members who serve on the C&E Committee are responsible for validating signatures on election ballot envelopes and counting ballots for director elections and bylaws amendments. Interested members cannot be employees, directors, candidates or relatives of these persons.
Service on the committee takes place during March and April.
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Signature Card Updates Due
Tuesday, March 13
Want your vote in the upcoming election to count? Make sure your CVEA signature card is up-to-date!
When you vote on CVEA business, such as Board of Director elections and Bylaws amendments, you are required to sign the ballot envelope. If the signature does not match the signature on the membership card on file, the vote cannot be counted!
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Scholarship Applications
Due Thursday, February 15
Educational and Youth Leadership Scholarship applications are due by 5 p.m., Thursday, February 15.
Don't miss your chance to apply!
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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 2024 Budget. One priority project, the Valdez Underground Replacement in the Dayville Road area, was incorrectly stated. The infrastructure being replaced in the area 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 the Valdez Dayville Road Overhead Replacement Project in a future issue of this e-Newsletter. Stay tuned!
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Want to win a
$50 CVEA Energy Credit?
Answer our February
digital newsletter poll
by 5 p.m., February 12.
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| What is your favorite kind of Valentine's Day heart? | | | Congratulations to Yuriann Understeller, the winner of CVEA's first-ever e-Newsletter poll in January. | | |
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CVEA Employee Spotlight
Dave Coon
| Meet Dave, who has been a part of the CVEA team for 10 years! Dave started in 2014 as the Communications & Controls Engineer and has been instrumental in upgrading controls at CVEA's various substations and power plants. Dave was key in the deployment of our upgraded Solomon Gulch Substation project. In Dave's free time he enjoys spending time with his wife Tracy, their horses, Toyota and Flash, and their dog Millie. Thanks for all you do Dave! | | |
Real - Time Outage Communications | |
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CVEA reminds members they can get real-time outage updates during large or extended outages directly on the home page at cvea.org. All Facebook updates stream automatically. Simply use the scroll bar to find what you're looking for; no Facebook account or password is required.
For those who are unable to see the full image, including the scroll bar, on our home page (pictured above), we have recently made changes to our website that have resolved the issue. We recommend you clear your browsing history. This should make the live stream viewable.
Members can also get updates by calling CVEA's emergency voicemail system at 866-835-2832, and Facebook users can get their updates on the CVEA Facebook page.
For monthly outage recaps, and other information related to outages, click the button below.
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CVEA Power Project Updates | |
Solomon Gulch Substation Relocation Project
Strategic Goal - Improved System Reliability
Project Cost - $5.75M (2022-2024)
In 2022, CVEA moved forward with the Solomon Gulch Substation Relocation Project, removing the substation from the top of the Solomon Gulch Powerhouse control room, where it was constructed in 1981-1982, following increased pressure to mitigate and/or eliminate environmental, reliability, and financial risks associated with the original design.
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Click above to watch project video | |
Photo caption: CVEA's leadership team recently participated in an informative tour of the HAARP facilities. | |
CVEA/HAARP Partnership
The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP, is a scientific endeavor aimed at studying the properties and behavior of the ionosphere. HAARP is located in Gakona, a community within CVEA's service territory. HAARP has a federal requirement to provide a minimum of 10 percent of the power they generate on site, annually, to be used for residential purposes. CVEA has been the recipient of these energy imports since November 2017. In 2022, HAARP exported 51.5 mWhs of electrical energy to CVEA's grid, saving the members $12,750.00 in fuel costs.
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Click above graphic to view brochure | |
CVEA Participated in the 2024 Alaska Power Association Legislative Fly-In in Juneau
Sharon Scheidt, CVEA Director of Communications, joined electric industry professionals from all corners of the state, in Juneau, for the annual Alaska Power Association Legislative Fly-In January 31 through February 1. Throughout the event, the co-op participated in legislative briefings, presentations, panel discussions, and one-on-one meetings with legislators and staff members. The goal of the visit was to learn about the current legislative session and discuss CVEA issues and priorities.
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Energy Efficiency and Safety Tips | |
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Energy Efficiency
CVEA reminds members that small energy efficiency habits can make a big difference. Turn off lights when not in use, start switching to LED bulbs, and don't forget to clean lights, fixtures, and bulbs. Dust absorbs up to 50% of light. For more energy efficiency tips, click below.
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Electrical Safety
Generators can be helpful during an extended power outage. In some cases, these systems can provide electricity to major appliances, lights, or possibly even an entire home or business until power is restored. It is very important to be safe when operating a generator. The Electrical Safety Foundation International recommends following several portable electric generator safety precautions to avoid dangerous situations. Click below for these and other generator safety tips.
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SmartHub Redesign Launches Valentine's Day
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SmartHub gives CVEA members more to love this Valentine's Day.
New look and navigation, same great features! Still a smart way to manage your usage and your electric bill.
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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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