York Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Every year, YEC awards 10 $1,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarships to graduating seniors at each area high school. To apply, students must be served by the Cooperative. YEC also awards one $1,000 Technical Advantage Scholarship to a graduating senior attending York Technical College in the fall, and one $500 Work-Based Learning Scholarship to a senior participant at the Floyd D. Johnson Technology Center.

$1,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarships

Clover High School

Gillian Moses
Parents: Christy & Bradley Moses
College: Virginia Commonwealth University
Field of Study: Cinema

Fort Mill High School

Daphne Clish
Parents: Chantal & Kerry Clish
College: Clemson University
Field of Study: Engineering

Indian Land High School

Kalina Siehl
Parents: Gergana & Ralf Siehl
College: Baylor University
Field of Study: Biochemistry

Nation Ford High School

Erin Jones
Parents: Treva & Kevin Jones
College: Clemson University
Field of Study: Genetics

Northwestern High School

Mackenzie Miller
Parents: Julie & Brian Miller
College: Winthrop University
Field of Study: Chemistry

Rock Hill High School

Elizabeth Catoe
Parents: Shannon & Jeffery Catoe
College: Charleston Southern University
Field of Study: Early Childhood Education

South Pointe High School

Sydney Westphal
Parents: Theresa & Scott Westphal
College: Clemson University
Field of Study: Graphic Communications

Westminster Catawba Christian

William Kirk
Parents: Felecia & William Kirk
College: Clemson University
Field of Study: Environmental Engineering

York Comprehensive High School

Peyton Reel
Parents: Lesley & Aaron Reel
College: Limestone College
Field of Study: Sport Management

Homeschool

Logan Ferguson
Parents: Michelle & Bradley Ferguson
College: Charleston Southern University
Field of Study: Computer Science

$1,000 Technical Advantage Scholarship

Hunter Lawrence, Nation Ford High School
Parents: Kristin & David Lawrence
College: York Technical College
Field of Study: Business Administration

$500 Work-Based Learning Scholarship

Pedro Sosa, York Comprehensive High School
Parents: Maria & Juan Sosa
College: Francis Marion University
Field of Study: Engineering

Related Link:

Scholarships »

YEC employees work together as a team to get the lights back on. To give you a glimpse of what it looks like from those working on the lines, we interviewed five operations department employees. Although their job titles, skills and years of experience are different, they all have a common goal to look out for you—our valuable members.

Zack Smith, Michael Hill, Brandon Fite, Tommy Huffstetler and Matt Craven all emphasize the importance of being prepared to stay safe and focused during storm work. When asked, all of them discuss keeping their equipment in good shape, stocking their trucks with materials needed to make common repairs, inspecting their personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure it’s in working order, stocking up on water and snacks and making sure they have spare clothes, especially dry socks.

As far as equipment goes, 11-year employee Michael Hill points out that one of the most useful tools during storm recovery is a chainsaw.

“In a storm, your chainsaw can be your best friend,” Hill says, “so I always make sure it is sharp and running properly.”

Tommy Huffstetler also talks about the necessity of charged batteries and working lights since many outages occur at night.

Just like our employees look out for you, they also look out for each other. Fite, who has only been at YEC for a year, enjoyed working and learning during the last storm.

“It was a great experience,” he says. “I had a great teacher, Matt Craven, leading me and showing me the ropes. I thought it was also great to see how all the guys had the same goal of making sure our members are taken care of and happy.”

That same preparedness also applies on the home front. Smith, a 14-year employee, adds, “When we have the luxury of time to prepare, I will make sure my family is safe, has a plan and is prepared with supplies if needed because, chances are, I won’t be there with them. That helps me focus on my work when the time comes.”

Being prepared helps, but storm recovery is hard work.

“Sometimes it’s tough; you really have to dig deep. Storms can be very physically, mentally and emotionally draining,” says Craven.

While our safety programs and procedures help safeguard our employees against hazards, their real motivation to stay safe lies with being able to go home to their families and helping their neighbors.

Huffstetler says he looks forward to “going home to my family the same way I left them and helping the community in a time of need.”

Craven adds, “We are motivated to always do all that is possible for the member, but we also want to get home safely to our families. My wife and kids are always on my mind, too.”

At the end of the day, they want to get the lights back on—no matter the challenge. Smith says, “For me it’s rewarding to overcome the challenges and help people get back to normal after being without heat, AC, lights, water and so on—possibly for hours or days.”

And it helps to know, as Hill says, “When the lights are on you get to go home to your family.”

They speak for everyone at YEC when they say they want to get the lights back on as soon as possible.

YEC understands many members have been affected by the recent storms in our area. During Easter weekend, approximately 25% of our membership, across our entire service territory, experienced an outage. This is the largest amount of damage we have seen in more than 10 years. We appreciated your patience as we worked to make repairs, restoring power to all accounts by the next day. As our crews work to safely repair damages from severe weather, we want our members to understand the work we do ahead of time to prepare and what it takes to get your lights back on. Vice President of Energy and Delivery Denny Lynn offers insight on storm work and life on the line.

What is the biggest challenge we face when we have a storm?

Lynn: We face many challenges during and after a storm. Challenges include staying safe in storm damaged working conditions and finding access through the damage to our facilities. Above all, we want to make sure our employees are protected and stay safe. There is also a struggle of balancing our strong desire to restore service quickly with ensuring the safety of our employees, making sure they receive proper rest and nutrition. It is also challenging to determine how to best utilize our available YEC resources to best serve our members, as well as acquiring other assistance and resources from other cooperatives and contractors.

What precautions do we take to prevent storm damage?

Lynn: YEC is proactive in annual preventative maintenance on all aspects of the electric distribution system. From our aggressive right of way schedule, to maintenance and upgrades to facilities on all parts of our system, we always have storms and excellent service in mind. YEC stays on an annual maintenance process, constantly working to make the electric distribution system stronger and better.

Why do some repairs take longer than others?

Lynn: Repairs that take longer are often due to the extent of the damages and the problems of access to lines and facilities. Our employees are well trained and proficient in performing restoration in difficult situations and challenging conditions, but these situations of extensive damage and difficult access do extend restoration times occasionally. Many people are involved when a storm hits.

Can you describe the teamwork that takes place at YEC?

Lynn: Every department and every employee of YEC is actively involved in the restoration process after a major storm hits. We all have a predetermined role that is part of the overall storm response plan. There is a great deal of support work that goes on behind the scenes, including food planning and preparations, answering calls and inquiries from members, coordinating the procurement of materials, continued maintenance and repairs of equipment, communicating with members on our restoration efforts, lodging for out of town crews offering assistance and organizing financial resources to pay for materials. I’m sure I haven’t listed each role played by our team, but you can see there are many key areas that are not readily seen on the forefront of the overall restoration effort.

Describe the hazards that come with storm work and YEC’s safety culture.

Lynn: Storm restoration work on an electric distribution system is filled with hazards of every imaginable sort. Large downed trees on power lines, safely handling and working with high voltage, working high in the air on equipment and climbing high voltage poles—all in adverse weather conditions, among debris, while being physically and mentally tired. The hazards often seem overwhelming to us, which is why we work so hard every single day, all year long, to provide everything that our employees need to perform our work safely and efficiently. This includes proper tools, well-maintained equipment, proper training, sound communication, good safety processes and procedures, a well built and well maintained electrical distribution system and, most of all, a strong culture of good safety habits, processes, procedures and protocols that protect our employees. We appreciate the consistent support from our board of directors to continue this culture of safety and education.

How do you approach storm damage? How do you decide what gets attention first?

Lynn: Our initial reaction and response in a storm situation is to quickly assess exactly what is “out” and what areas have been affected. That assessment is typically being done as YEC personnel are reporting to work. All electric utilities perform restoration efforts in a similar fashion. First, we work to restore main lines or feeders and main circuits, thus restoring service to the most members at one time as quickly as possible. Taps, or lines off the main feeders and circuits are assessed and repaired next. Performing restoration efforts in this manner has proven, time and again, power is restored faster for the entire electric system and all affected members.

Mending the Mess

YEC linemen documented the hazards they encountered before mending the mess to get the lights back on for members as quickly and safely as possible.

We realize a lot of our community has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Whether you have been out of work or have been personally affected by the virus, your co-op wants to help. A new program, Give $5, offers an opportunity for members to donate $5 or more on their electric bill for one or two months to help other YEC members in need— and YEC will match the donation up to $100,000.

This program was designed to provide a collective place to give. Many who want to offer a helping hand don’t know how to help or where to give. YEC saw an opportunity to partner with those who are willing and able to donate funds to make a difference and lift up those who have fallen on hard times. This crisis was unplanned, unimaginable and unprecedented, but together we can persevere and come out stronger.

Like your co-op, this is a program you can trust. Each dollar raised will be collected at YEC, recorded and appear as a tax deduction for the donating member. Furthermore, these dollars will be disbursed to four of the largest help agencies in our area to distribute to members to help pay their electric bill.

We know many of you are currently out of work and that you might benefit from this program. The first step is to contact our member services team so that we can help you manage your account. Our team is only a phone call away, ready and willing to help. If you are already behind on your payments or anticipate a financial crisis because of the virus, give us a call at (803) 684-4248.

We’re local people looking out for you. Our team is committed to helping you navigate these uncharted waters, one step at a time, while providing you with affordable, reliable energy.

Sincerely,

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

Although our board of directors deemed it unsafe to host our annual meeting this month, I still have positive updates to share. As we continue monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, we will communicate plans for our annual meeting to all of you, including voting on your trustees, bylaw amendments and single-member districts. For now, I bring you the good news in print until it is safe to be together in person.

Your co-op is in great shape

We were able to retire the largest amount of capital credits at one time in our history to you in April 2020. Members received refunds totaling $2 million and, hopefully, this money came at a time when extra cash was needed most. The co-ops of South Carolina are working together to make sure the Santee Cooper deal is the best it can be for our members. We will not have a rate increase in 2020, and we do not plan to see one within the next two years.

New services provide benefits

As promised, we have continued working to find a way to bring high-speed internet to the unserved and underserved areas of our territory. We know this is key to keeping everyone connected to the world, and we want to do our part to help. We've also rolled out new energy services programs, offering technology at a lower cost for you. Learn more about the benefits of our whole house generator program and ecobee smart thermostat programs. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we are always looking out for you and researching new ways to enrich our communities and improve the quality of life in our area. Because of you, we have been able to give $3 million back to help those in need through our Operation Round Up program. We have also continued to be a vital part of economic development efforts in our area so that our members have more job opportunities.

I say all of this with gratitude for our membership, our communities and our employees. Local men and women here at YEC care about you and your families. Their dedication and determination to serve you is why we were able to respond to 99.75% of outages in 2019 within an hour of the first report, no matter the weather conditions or time of day.

These are just a few ways YEC continues to prove that we have your back and will always set the bar high to deliver reliable, affordable electricity to you. Thank you for another great year!

Sincerely,

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

A hearty handshake. A slap on the shoulder. Maybe even a warm hug. You don't usually associate these types of behaviors with a business meeting. That is, unless you're talking about York Electric Cooperative's Annual Meeting. It's what makes us different bringing members, employees, trustees and our community together to engage with one another and participate in the business of their cooperative. Having such an event has always been an important part of serving you and thanking you for your membership.

Unfortunately, right now, the very things that make our annual meeting so special create an even greater risk to the communities we serve. York Electric's 2020 Annual Meeting of Members is suspended to prevent further spreading of the coronavirus.

Although unprecedented, this decision by your board of trustees is consistent with York Electric always putting safety first. The trustee election, bylaw changes and cooperative business that needed to be done on May 9, 2020 can be accomplished at a time when it's safer for us to be together again.

As you may know, these annual meetings are part of cooperatives' DNA and are required to happen as written into our bylaws. But a pandemic has no use for bylaws. Statutes and regulations don't make sense if following them is harmful for the people those rules are meant to protect. For example, YEC has limited personal contact with members, suspended account disconnections, increased social distancing for meetings, and increased employee communications detailing the signs of COVID-19 and guidelines to help prevent spreading germs in the office.

[PDF] 2020 Proposed bylaw changes

5 MB 52 downloads

Although it has not been necessary yet, York Electric may adjust its office hours or even temporarily close. We strongly encourage you to visit this webpage, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or just simply call our member services team at (803) 684-4248 to receive the latest information on how our services have changed.

In the meantime, we're doing everything we can to prevent the spread of the virus. Our offices are routinely cleaned and disinfected. Our employees, especially those who interact with the public, adhere to strict personal hygiene guidelines and have been instructed to stay home if they are feverish or do not feel well.

As you practice social distancing or self-isolation, let me remind you of our remote account management services. With YEC's Member Portal, you can pay your bill, create a payment arrangement, request service orders, or report an outage on your desktop computer or using our mobile app. Our free YEC Mobile App also provides these services, along with our opt-in texting at 352667. If you haven't already, now is a good time to take advantage of them. Please call us if you need assistance.

YEC is always looking out for you, so I remind you all to stay in safe spaces, practice healthy habits and stay informed. We want to help you and our community stay well.

Sincerely,

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer