MG_NL_0606

June 2006

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Member Newsletter

Middle Georgia

The Official Newsletter of Middle Georgia Electric Membership Corporation

P.O. Box 190, Vienna, GA 31092

June 2006

MANAGER'S

Comments

By Hugh Richardson

t's been five years since we installed and began oper-

ating our automatic meter-reading service. That sys-

tem has saved us vehicle cost, mileage and labor, and
has provided us with other features in addition to the
capability to read meters from our office. For instance,
we know when the power is off at each meter, which
could come in handy should a member be out of town.
We can restore power before they return so they can
find everything in their refrigerator is still OK.

We know if anyone pulls, tampers with or resets

their meter. Therefore, we strongly encourage all con-
sumers not to even consider doing either. Another
feature enables us to use this system to operate our
load-management customers, and it will be a critical
part of our plan to ensure that we have 100 percent
control of those switches this summer.

Several people have asked how this system actu-

ally works. Basically, it counts the meter disk revolu-
tions (or meter pulses) and converts that to electricity
used at the home or service. The information is sent

via power line to a
receiver in each of our
substations. That data
is then relayed via
phone line to our office to special software that
converts the data for billing.

I have been asked specifically, "How does it

travel over the power lines?" Well, it travels at a dif-
ferent frequency than our electric power, so the
receiver can pick up that data without any interfer-
ence. When explaining this, I use the analogy of a
surfer riding a wave, and so far that comparison
works every time.

Technology has truly progressed in our indus-

try. I would have never envisioned automatic meter
reading when I began here in 1976. There's no
telling what we have to look forward to in the next
30 years, But whenever we implement new technol-
ogy and someone needs to know how it works, I
will use my best analogy to explain.

Automatic meter-reading system

Middle Georgia EMC is hosting its 66th annual meeting on

Thursday, July 13, 2006

at Dooly Campground, west of Vienna.

All members of the cooperative are invited to attend.

Middle Georgia EMC's annual meeting is

approaching -- Make plans to attend!

The nominating committee will meet on Tuesday, June 13, 2006,

at 2 p.m. at Middle Georgia EMC's Vienna office.

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

EMCs sign unique renewable energy agreement

reen Power EMC, a

partnership of 28

electric membership
corporations (EMCs) in
Georgia, has
announced plans to
purchase 20 megawatts
of electricity from the
first poultry litter-to-
energy operation in
Georgia.

The electricity will

be provided by Earth
Resources Inc., which
will construct a chicken
litter-to-electricity plant
near Carnesville, about
70 miles northeast of
Atlanta. The Franklin
County plant is the first
in the state to use a
gasification system to convert poultry litter into a
useful product--electricity.

When complete, the $20 million facility will

generate enough energy annually to meet the needs
of more than 15,000 homes. Construction is sched-
uled to begin in May and the plant is expected to
be operational by summer 2007.

The 15-year power-purchase agreement is part

of Green Power EMC's mission to
research and develop renewable
energy options such as biomass,
solar, wind and low-impact hydro.

"Green Power EMC continues

to assist its members in diversifying
their energy resources and their
renewable energy portfolio," says
Michael Whiteside, president/CEO of Green Power
EMC. "This technology will benefit businesses, farm-
ers, EMC customers, residents of Georgia and the
environment."

"As we were reminded by the disruption of our

gas supplies after Hurricane Katrina, energy is a crit-
ical, and vulnerable, ingredient of our economy,"
said Gov. Sonny Perdue. "Georgia must be proactive
in developing alternative energy sources, and that is
exactly what we're seeing with Green Power EMC's

poultry litter-to-energy
operation. If this proj-
ect is successful, it has
the potential to be
replicated throughout
the state, and could
be a significant agricul-
tural solution for
Georgia's growing
energy needs."

The Franklin

County project has
attracted interest from
universities, govern-
ment agencies, utility
companies and agri-
business interests.

Georgia is the

largest poultry-produc-
ing state in the United
States and represents a

$17 billion industry in Georgia, according to the
University of Georgia.

Recently, Green Power EMC had closely moni-

tored an Earth Resources chicken litter-to-energy
research demonstration project, made possible by a
$1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture. After the prototype proved so successful,
Earth Resources made plans to construct a commer-

cial facility.

According to Abit Massey with

the Georgia Poultry Federation, this
facility will provide an additional
opportunity for poultry growers to
utilize the litter that is a byproduct
of their farms.

"In instances where farmers

have more litter than they want to utilize as fertilizer
for crop production, this technology provides an
excellent alternative," says Massey.

Additionally, there are other benefits to be

gained from chicken litter-to-energy projects. First,
the gasification technology used to convert litter into
energy produces lower emissions. Second, the ener-
gy conserved means less reliance on fossil fuels.
Finally, the process transforms the litter resource into
a valuable commodity--electricity.

Individuals in photo above: l-r, Morgan Dinsmore, Sonny Dinsmore,
Earth Resources Inc.; Jeff Murphy, president/CEO, Hart EMC; Gov.
Sonny Perdue; Michael Whiteside, president, Green Power EMC;
Stone Workman, USDA Rural Development state director; Chairman
John Bulloch, Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.

Green Power EMC

June 2006

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Back then ...

he marble floors of the U.S. Capitol
are well-worn from rural electric

co-op statewide delegations carrying
grassroots messages to lawmakers dur-
ing their annual legislative conference.

Historically revered as a power-

ful political force, National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association
(NRECA) and its member co-ops are
known for their determination in pur-
suing and achieving legislative goals,
not so much through power and
influence, but by mobilizing
groundswells of popular support.

The tradition that began during

the movement's formative years contin-

Myth:

Setting your thermostat back during the day

doesn't save money because your heating sys-

tem has to work so hard when you get home

to cool the house down (or warm it back up).

Rule of thumb:

Depending on the climate where you live and the
efficiency of your home, including levels of insula-
tion, you should be able to set your thermostat
back several degrees for eight hours a day, which
will reduce the number of times your heating or
cooling system needs to cycle on during the day--
and that saves significant energy.

It's true that when you come home and

adjust your thermostat, your heating or cooling
system will run for a longer period of time to get
your home back to its optimal temperature. But
you'll still save more energy (and money) over the
eight hours your system worked less intensely. So,
go ahead and set your thermostat back.

Recommendation:

Turn your thermostat back
several degrees every
night and when you leave
home. Better yet--install
a programmable thermo-
stat. It will remember to
turn the thermostat up
and down based on your
schedule, so you'll never
have to remember. This can save you about
$100 each year.

Remember, your energy bill is one bill that

you CAN control. In 2005, the average house-
hold spent almost $1,900 on home energy bills.
You can save 10 to 50 percent each year by
making smart energy choices.

For more ways to get rid of the energy hogs
in your home, visit www.energyhog.org and
start saving money and energy today.

Don't be an Energy Hog

ues today--that of bringing back-home
strength in support of local issues to
the forefront. Grassroots co-op leaders
do this by testifying before congres-
sional committees, visiting members in
their offices and strategizing with
NRECA staff. In May 1981, as thou-
sands of rural electric folk trekked
through the halls of Congress, a sena-
tor was said to remark, "Looks like
every third person on the Hill today is
wearing a rural electric button."

--Source: "The Next Greatest Thing:

50 years of Rural Electrification

in America"

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Board of Directors

Don Wood

President

Johnny Noble

Vice President

Kay West

Secretary

Ronnie Youngblood

Treasurer

John David McCall

Director

Jerry F. Rhodes

Director

Royce Conner

Director

Ronnie Fleeman

Director

David Dunaway

Director

Davis and Forehand

Attorneys

Staff

Hugh Richardson

General Manager

Lisa Laney

Executive Secretary,

Newsletter Editor

Randy Kent

Office Manager

Mike McGee

Manager of Operations

and Engineering

Vienna Area (229) 268-2671

Rochelle

(Day) (229) 365-2263
(Night) 1-800-342-0144

Hawkinsville

(Day) (478) 892-3436
(Night) 1-800-342-0144

Office Hours

Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

(Branch offices closed from

12-1 p.m. daily)

Closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

There is a dispatcher on call 24 hours

a day for your convenience.

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Years of Service Recognition

Employees celebrating an anniversary in May 2006 include the following:

Bobby Easom

, Middle Georgia EMC's staking technician has been employed here

for 30 years;

Johnny McGlamory

, one of our line crew leaders, has been here for

28 years;

Marquies Fields

, first class lineman, has been working for Middle

Georgia EMC for 12 years.

hat foul smell coming
from the laundry

room might not be your
child's stinky gym clothes.
Unpleasant odors could
be a warning sign that
your home's electrical
wiring needs attention.

Shoddy home wiring

contributes to 35,000 fires
and 300 deaths every
year, especially in older houses, estimates the National Fire Protection
Association. Decades-old circuit breakers, switches, receptacles, outlets,
cords, plugs and light fixtures might not be equipped to operate today's
appliances.

Further, the American Society of Home Inspectors says improper

wiring is the second most common problem in home inspections. Inspec-
tors blame inadequate overload protection and amateur-installed wiring.

If you smell burning metal or plastic, it could be time to replace

your electrical system. Other symptoms of a sick system are:

Shocks. Good, modern systems are grounded so that you will be

protected from shocks and injuries.

Flickering or dimming lights. Loose connections may be the

cause.

Wobbly plugs. The prongs on today's appliances slip out of out-

dated outlets. Replace the outlets.

Hot or discolored receptacles, switch plates, cords or

plugs. If they're too hot to touch for more than five seconds,

they're probably overloaded or malfunctioning.

What's that smell?

Check the wiring

What's that smell?

Check the wiring