There will be an increase in HU’s Electric rates effective October 1, 2017. HU’s residential customer charge will increase by $1.00 per month and the energy charge will increase by $.0005 per kWh. The monthly increase for our average residential customer, who uses 1,217 kWh per month, will be $1.61. HU will also pass through a TVA rate increase in the electricity it buys from TVA. This increase for our average residential customer will be $1.84. The combined monthly increase to the average HU residential customer will be $3.45.
Author: heronco
Know Your Board Members
Standing (left to right) Ferrell Vest, Terry Phillips
Hartselle Mayor Randy Garrison and the Hartselle City Council recently appointed retired General Manager Ferrell Vest to the vacant seat on the HU Board of Directors, and reappointed Terry Phillips to another term.
New Faces at Customer Service Window
HU is excited to have two new faces in our Customer Service Department: Sarah Standridge and Carla Wigginton both joined our team in July.
Sarah Standridge is a cashier. Sarah’s background in banking and retail sales has provided her the skills to make an immediate, positive impact to our Customer Service Department. She recently obtained her Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration from Calhoun Community College in August 2017, and intends to further continue her education in the future. Sarah resides in Trinity with her two-year old son, Zion. We are so pleased to have Sarah as part of our team.
Carla Wigginton is a part-time cashier. Carla’s background in retail sales and food service, along with her kind personality and patience, provides her great skills to assist our customers. Carla grew up in Somerville, is a 2013 graduate of Brewer High School, and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management at Calhoun Community College. We are proud to have Carla in our Customer Service Department.
Street light on the blink? Let us know!
Street and outdoor lights go out – it’s a fact of life. Bulbs burn out, wires get frayed, and photocells get old. We want to keep street and outdoor lights working as they should, but we can’t fix lights that are out if we don’t know about them.
Street and outdoor lights should come on as it gets completely dark, and go off at dawn. If you see a light that is off at night, or on during the day, please report it. Lights that are on during the day possibly have a bad photocell, and are costing HU money.
To report a street or outdoor light problem, call Hartselle Utilities Customer Service at (256) 773-3340 or email inquiries@hartselleutilities.org. Please provide the following information:
- Your name, address and phone number, in case we have questions.
- Is the light not working at all, blinking, cycling on and off, or on all the time?
- Is it a street light or an outdoor light on a customer’s property? Street lights face toward the street, while outdoor lights will be on a property and possibly pointing toward a building or house.
- If it is a street light, is it in front of an address? If so, what is the address? If not, what street is it on, and what is the nearest home or business address and the nearest cross street? Are there any landmarks that can help pinpoint the pole?
- If it is a street light, in addition to the above, what is the pole number?
- If it is an outdoor light, what is the property address, and where is the pole located on the property?
Hartselle Customers 10th in TVA Area for Energy Savings
Utilities residential,
business and industrial
customers participated in
TVA’s EnergyRight Solutions
program last year, saving a
total of 825,840 kWh.
At the September 18 Board Meeting, representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recognized Hartselle Utilities for placing 10th in the TVA service area – out of 154 local power companies – for overall program savings in the EnergyRight Solutions program, compared to the utility’s electric sales.
Hartselle Utilities was recognized for helping TVA exceed energy efficiency and demand response goals for the ninth straight year through its participation in the EnergyRight Solutions program.
“Hartselle Utilities provides the staffing, promotion and resources to ensure that customers are aware of and can participate in energy effi ciency measures to save on electric bills,” said Cindy Herron, vice president of EnergyRight Solutions for TVA.
“Really, it is our customers who took advantage of the program and won the award,” says Hartselle Utilities General Manager Bob Sittason. “We promoted the EnergyRight program, but we can’t make people sign up or follow through.”
TVA’s EnergyRight Solutions includes eScore, which helps homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes by choosing to install one or more energy efficiency upgrades based on expert recommendations. Participants in the program are eligible for rebates.
Forty Hartselle Utilities customers participated in eScore last year, and saved over 27,400 kWh. Twenty-five customers performed household self-audits, for 18,200 kWh in savings. Hartselle residents also participated in the EnergyRight Solutions heat pump and Energy Start Manufactured Homes programs.
Three business and industrial customers participated in the EnergyRight Solutions for Business and Industry, with 754,773 kWh in savings.
To participate in the EnergyRight Solutions program, call 1-855-2eScore (1-855-237-2673) or visit www.2eScore.com to schedule an eScore evaluation or for a list of local members of TVA’s Quality Contractor Network.
Grilling Fire Safety
Outdoor grilling is one of the most popular ways to cook. But, a grill placed too close to anything that can burn is a fire hazard. Here are some tips from the Hartselle Fire Department to help keep you and your family safe:
- Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.
- The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area, and keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children.
- Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
- Never leave your grill unattended.
- Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.
- If you use a starter fluid for a charcoal grill, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to a fire.
New Meter Reader
HU welcomes Kevin Pope, our newest meter reader.
Kevin joined Hartselle Utilities from McKee Foods, where he was an independent distributor for the Little Debbie® snack food brand. His experience driving a route and using handheld computer equipment makes him an ideal candidate, says HU Personnel Officer Carol Kirby. “We believe his experience will make for a smooth transition, and we are excited to have him,” she says.
Kevin lives in Vinemont with his wife and young son.
Automatic Bank Draft: The Easiest Way to Pay Your Utility Bill
Are you tired of writing a check to Hartselle Utilities each month? Or have you ever left town and then realized you forgot to pay your utility bill? By enrolling in our Bank Draft Plan, you will never have to worry about late utility bills again – and it will save you money on postage or trips to HU.
How does it work? It’s simple: the amount of your bill is automatically deducted from your bank account on the day it is due each month. The transaction will appear on your bank statement as a payment to Hartselle Utilities.
You still receive your utility bill each month, and your due date does not change. The message “Paid by Bank Draft” will appear on your bill.
To enroll in the program, complete an enrollment form and bring it or mail it to HU along with a voided check. It takes about two minutes to enroll, there is no charge, and you can cancel at any time with a phone call.
Bank Draft Enrollment Forms may be downloaded and printed from our website at www.hartselleutilities.org. For more information, call HU at (256) 773-3340 or send an email to Customer Service at
inquiries@hartselleutilities.org.
Line Clearing Planned for Southwest Section of System
Tree limbs and branches are common causes of power outages, especially during storms. Hartselle Utilities has a rotating five-year plan to monitor trees and vegetation near power lines, and to clear anything within ten feet of the lines.
In late summer and early fall, HU crews and contractors will clear lines south of Nance Ford Road and Penn Road and west of Highway 31. They will place notices on doorknobs to let customers know that they will be in an area.
If you receive a notice – a bright orange door hanger from Hartselle Utilities – and have trees on your property near electric lines, it is likely the trees will be trimmed or removed. To understand the work intended for your property, call (256) 773-3340.
Avoid the Pruning Zone: Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place
Planning to add trees to your yard this summer? Planting a tree brings many benefits, including shade, privacy, cleaner air, and noise reduction, but choosing the wrong tree can create higher maintenance costs. Where you plant your tree is just as important as the type of tree you plant. At maturity, will its canopy reach overhead lines, or will its roots impact sewer pipes?
Planting the wrong tree for a particular spot – for example, a white oak that will grow to 80 feet tall with a 70-foot canopy underneath a power line – will create an ongoing need for corrective pruning, and the tree will be more prone to disease and structural issues as a result.
Before selecting your tree, make sure you know how tall, wide and deep it will be at maturity. A good source of information is the National Arbor Day Foundation’s online Tree Guide, at arborday.org.
If you are planting within 30 feet of power lines, choose a tree with a mature height of less than 20 feet tall. Flowering dogwoods and crabapple trees, for example, won’t get tall enough to interfere with Hartselle Utilities’ power lines.
Trees with a mature height of over 40 feet should be planted at least 60 feet away from power lines, according to National Arbor Day Foundation guidelines. This will minimize damage to power lines from trees knocked down during bad weather.
Finally, before you dig anywhere in your yard, call the Alabama 811 hotline. After getting the details about your project, the Alabama 811 center will send notifications to all utility service providers
which may have wires or pipes in the ground near your site. At Hartselle Utilities, a Locate Technician will visit the site within 48 hours to mark the location of underground utilities in the area, if any.
If you have a tree in your yard that needs to be pruned repeatedly to keep it away from power lines, HU will cut it down for you at no charge. To request that a tree be removed, call HU Customer Service at (256) 773-3340.