York Electric Cooperative, Inc.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), and as such, we encourage York Electric Cooperative, Inc. employees, vendors, friends, and family to take proactive steps to enhance personal and collective cybersecurity. NCSAM is a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online.

As businesses are increasingly moving to the cloud, cybersecurity measures have never been so important.

Every York Electric Cooperative, Inc. employee can help prevent malicious cyber-attacks by establishing effective cybersecurity practices, which include digital and non-digital methods. Cybersecurity is an essential factor to the success of any business or organization and we strongly encourage collaborative efforts across all sectors.

Throughout October, YEC is committed to providing the necessary training and educational programs for all employees to further cybersecurity awareness within our organization. We will provide employees with the resources necessary to improve our cybersecurity and #BeCyberSmart while at work and home. York Electric Cooperative, Inc.'s cybersecurity and information technology teams are at the leading edge of protecting our company and our customers' data. We are only able to be cyber secure because of our collective vigilance and the work of our technology teams.

YEC is proud to participate in these National level conversations around cybersecurity and will continue to champion the NCSAM message through its mainstream and social media.

Now, therefore, I, Paul Basha, President and Chief Executive Officer of York Electric Cooperative, Inc., do hereby proclaim my commitment, and YEC's to enhancing cybersecurity and being a champion of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2019.

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

Our 2019 Coloring Contest Winners channeled their inner electrical safety skills and creative talents for our annual Linemen Gear Up for Safety Coloring Contest for first-grade students. If you are in first grade and you want to be one of our local lineworker heroes, be sure to download the coloring worksheet PDF.

All entries should be turned in by Friday, March 6, 2020.

[PDF] Linemen Safety Coloring Sheet

Download PDF 1.54 MB 103 downloads

As a proud partner in economic development, YEC has a strong tie to industries in our area. Did you know skilled workers are in demand? A ready workforce is not only coveted by industries currently in our area, but also those looking to relocate. Whether you plan to go to a four-year school or are looking at other alternatives, I urge you to consider technical college. I can promise that after attending a technical college, job placement will be easier, and your salary will be higher when you enter the workforce. Having these skills pays off. College isn't for everyone. Like your teachers, we encourage our students and their parents to think outside the box when it comes to their futures.

There are many opportunities available right at your backdoor at York Technical College and their partnerships with local high schools. It's amazing to be able to graduate with a leg up on your future career through simultaneously completing college-level course work while you are still in high school. That's why YEC is proud to sponsor the $1,000 Technical Advantage Scholarship for the third year. Applications for the 2019-2020 school year will open next month, so keep an eye out!

This month, we would like to highlight and commend Clover and York School Districts for their work incorporating a new program into their curriculum that engages and prepares students, helping to build a ready workforce. Together with York Technical College, Clover and York Schools have partnered to provide South Carolina's first lineworkers training program at the high school level. Clover Superintendent Sheila Quinn looks forward to the opportunities this program will provide students. She said, "Authentic partnerships between public schools, the technical college system, and business and industry give our students the best opportunity to make a seamless transition into the workforce. This program has the potential to become a model of that strategic alliance."

Students can learn technical and safety skills for line work like they are on-the-job, preparing them for future careers supporting the infrastructure in our area right out of school. More importantly, they will know early on if this field is the right fit for them, allowing them to make more educated decisions about their career path. Community partners, including Duke Energy, Comporium, American Safety, Williams Electric, S.C. Forestry Commission and your co-op, have come together to create a training area that will be shared by both school districts.

YEC is proud to have played a small part in this innovative learning experience, and we look forward to many other similar programs developing in the coming years. We're more than just a power company, we're locals looking out for you, your students and your future.

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

Member Comfort Update

We are excited to announce that YEC now offers mobile device payments for walk-in members at our office locations! As part of the Member Comfort Initiative, we wanted to make it as easy as possible for our members to make their electric bill payments and thought we should incorporate some of the latest technology. Forgot your wallet? No problem! Now you can just tap and go! Device support information

YEC's 7th annual Member Appreciation Shred Day set Saturday, October 5, 2019

To kick off our Member Appreciation Month in October, your cooperative is hosting its seventh annual Shred Day from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, October 5. We'll shred at our main office, 1385 East Alexander Love Hwy., York, and at the Carolina Shred office, 1682 Katy Lane, Fort Mill. YEC members can use this safe, secure way to dispose of confidential or sensitive documents. Plus, all shredded material is recycled, making Shred Day both safe and environmentally sustainable. Remember, we're locals looking out for you and your safety!

Do:

• Bring your sensitive documents for safe disposal
• Bring your documents in a box and be prepared to take the box back with you
• Limit the amount of documents you bring – we want to have enough room for everyone's documents

Don't:

• Add anything other than paper to your stack – trash, especially batteries, could start a fire
• Bring your documents in plastic bags – they will clog up the machine
• Forget to visit us on Saturday, October 5 from 9 am to 12 pm!

Questions? Call (803) 684-4248

What is Advance Pay? Advance Pay is a pre-pay plan that lets you pay when you want, in the amounts you want. Instead of receiving a paper bill each month, energy use is calculated daily. Advance Pay members never pay a late charge, disconnect fees or reconnect fees.

Would you like to:

• Eliminate deposits and monthly bills?
• Customize a payment schedule?
• Buy power at your convenience?
• Monitor your energy use?

If so, York Electric's Advance Pay plan may be for you!

Is Advance Pay right for me? Would it be easier for you to make weekly or biweekly payments rather than one large payment each month? If so, Advance Pay might be for you! Members interested in monitoring and lowering electricity use could benefit, too.

What if my Advance Pay account runs low? You can set up notifications by e-mail or text to notify you of a low balance, allowing time to buy power. If you do not purchase more, the meter will stop until funds are applied to your account.

Making a payment is easy, even on weekends and holidays! Once payment is received, your power will reconnect almost immediately.

How do I make payments? Set up a payment profile through our free YEC Mobile App and then pay by:

• Texting: Text JOIN to 352667, then follow the instructions to pay.
• YEC App: Pay through our free YEC Mobile App.
• Online: At yorkelectric.net.
• By phone: Call (866) 374-1234.

Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, is officially here, and forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict a "near-normal" year with nine to 15 named storms packing winds of 39 mph or higher. Meteorologists say as many as four of the storms could become dangerous Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher.

As the guardians of the state's largest utility network—more than 75,000 miles of electric distribution lines serving 1.5 million people across all 46 counties—South Carolina's not-for-profit electric cooperatives have emergency plans in place to deal with violent weather should a hurricane threaten the Palmetto State. Along with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), co-ops urge all state residents to have their own plans in place to protect friends, family, pets and property. Here are some useful resources:

SC Emergency Manager mobile app

Available for free in the Apple App Store and on Google Play, this handy app links users to every SCEMD resource they need before, during and after a storm, including evacuation and shelter maps and planning checklists. It even has a useful "tools" function that turns your smartphone into an emergency flashlight, signaling device and a GPS locator.

SCEMD.org

No smartphone? No problem. All of the app's planning resources, maps and links to the latest emergency information are available on SCEMD.org. In the case of a hurricane (or any natural disaster), SCEMD will update the site to provide the best real-time information users need.

2019 South Carolina Hurricane Guide

From both the website and the app, you can download SCEMD's 2019 South Carolina Hurricane Guide, a comprehensive 14-page booklet filled with tips and resources. To access the guide online, visit scemd.org/media/1416/2019-hurricane-guide_website.pdf.

South Carolina Living Storm Center

South Carolina Living's storm center pages are filled with information to help co-op members prepare for and survive natural disasters. Readers will find useful how-to guides on building a storm kit, evacuating with pets, staying safe when power lines are down, and how to report power outages. There's even a live, statewide outage map to track the storm damage and the status of repairs in co-op-served territories. See all the resources at SCLiving.coop/storm-center.

Source: South Carolina Living Magazine

Growing up is hard to do. You are suddenly responsible for choosing the right path for your future and paying your own bills. As a young member, you were able to enjoy safety demonstrations, career fairs and magic shows. As a young adult, you might have your first real account. That's okay—we've got your back. Membership at your local electric cooperative is made for any age because we have the resources and programs to support you and your journey. Whether you need help budgeting your bill for the first time, tips on saving energy, learning how to access your account from your cell phone, or a way to connect with your community, YEC is here to help, working with you so that you are successful.

Speaking of success, we all define the term differently. For some members, success means paying their bill each month in exchange for reliable service.

Success to you could mean recognizing a familiar voice when you call your co-op or seeing a familiar face when you enter the office each month. Others see success as a way to connect on various platforms, actively seeking ways to save energy to make a difference. That's what is great about YEC—our diversified membership. We are here for all of you and to support each of your needs, even those who are feeling the growing pains of leaving home to achieve a degree in higher education for the first time.

Nothing is better than seeing our youngest members become young adults and achieve their dreams. YEC is proud to find innovative ways to support our communities, our youth and you. What does success look like for you?

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

Member Comfort Update

Who enjoys the ease of sending a text? The good news is your co-op does, too! Just by texting JOIN to 352667, you can communicate with YEC through text messaging. After entering the START command, you can check your balance by texting BAL, pay your bill by texting PAY, report an outage by texting OUTAGE, or call the office by texting CALL. This part of our Member Comfort Initiative is about keeping it simple and empowering our members. Save our number to make conducting your business a breeze!