York Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Electric Vehicles are becoming more popular as our members and electric consumers across the country become more aware of the way electricity is consumed. According to a study completed by the Edison Electric Institute, the United States reached 1 million electric cars on the road in 2018. Another 1 million will be on our roads by the end of next year, and up to 18 million by 2030. The innovation, energy-conscious design and economical model is here to stay. It's no surprise that we've seen an increase in EV investments in our area and your co-op has noticed.

YEC is proud to introduce a new electric vehicle (EV) incentive program to help support our members' decisions to decrease their carbon footprints and modernize their means of travel. Signing up for one of our EV rates and installing a Level 2 charger will provide members with a $200 incentive while helping your co-op shift power costs to off-peak times, when fewer members are using power. If you have an EV or are considering a purchase, please reach out to YEC's Energy Services Representative Brent Clinton. He can help sign you up and answer your questions as part of YEC's commitment to always be your trusted energy advisor.

Purchasing an EV is an intentional investment in a cleaner, brighter future which is like-minded to how your co-op strategizes for what is to come. We are dedicated to creating sustainable opportunities that will carry YEC and our members into the future by studying smart solutions to improve your quality of life. Although we are still likely to have roads, a ride in the DeLorean would prove YEC's continued promise to serve you in the same member-focused, forward-thinking way we have for the past 80 years. To the future and beyond!

Sincerely,

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

Every year, YEC awards 12 $1,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarships to graduating seniors at each area high school. 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.

Both Scholarships

• Deadline: Friday, March 19, 2021
• Must be a high school senior to apply

Touchstone Energy Scholarship

12 - $1000 Scholarships:

• Must be a member of YEC
• Write an essay on how businesses can better connect with younger generations

Technical Advantage Scholarship

1 - $1000 Technical Advantage Scholarship:

• Must attend a technical college to study a trade
• Write an essay on Ready SC: The importance of a ready workforce

More information and online applications

For the fifth year, we will be honoring all active and former members of our armed services who bravely protect our freedom.

Please visit the outside drive-thru lane, where payments are accepted, at either of our York or Fort Mill office locations with your DD-214, military ID, or proof of your enlistment on Veterans Day.

As a token of our appreciation for your service and sacrifice, we will provide a small gift and a $20 power bill credit.

To keep you and our employees safe, we will be completing the transactions outdoors. Simply pull up in your car to our outside drive-thru lane and a member of our team, wearing appropriate protection, will assist you. Save the date for Wednesday, Nov 11! We look forward to seeing you!

October is earmarked to celebrate cooperatives. YEC feels the best way to do this is to show the impact of giving back as part of the cooperative principle, "concern for community." With the help of our generous members, we have been able to help our community through three main channels this year:

• Operation Round Up, funded by members—$200,000 in 2020 donations, with total giving equaling more than $3.1 million since 2000.
• Give 5, funded by members and matched by YEC—$26,000.
• The Burrell Foundation, funded by members, YEC employees and our community—$5,000.

Follow us on social media to learn more ways to be involved!

Do we owe you?

Your membership with YEC carries value even after you move.

Check out our unclaimed capital credit listing to see if you or someone you know is on the list. The money is yours and we want to get it to you!

If you see your name, please contact our member services department at (803) 684-4248 so that we can process your account.

See where we are trimming

Maintaining rights of way around power lines is a year-round job. Keeping lines clear of vegetation helps prevent service interruptions. Then, when outages do occur, our crews have easier access to get your lights back on.

Right-of-way schedule for the remainder of 2020

We appreciate your patience and understanding as crews work.

Member and employee safety is a priority here at York Electric. That is why, during this National Suicide Prevention Month, your co-op wants to do its part in raising awareness about mental health. As part of the electric power industry, we are no stranger to hard work and extreme conditions. Each day, our lineworkers risk their lives and leave their families behind to provide reliable electricity for our members. Our office employees work to communicate with members regarding their service and, sometimes, are spoken to unkindly. The physical and mental stress, exhaustion, and fatigue that results from this work is even further increased during outage situations.

There is no denying that continued exposure to these draining factors takes a toll on the body and mind. To help address this, York Electric offers employee safety and wellness programs designed to address all aspects of physical and mental health, including 24/7 counseling services. We also strive to create a supportive environment that promotes trust and compassion between coworkers, who are more like family.

Our concern for mental health does not stop with our employees. We care about your health and wellbeing as a member of YEC. Especially during difficult times like these, York Electric wants you to know we have your back and that help is available. If you or someone you love are ever struggling with mental health, we urge you to use resources like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.

Suicide is preventable and we can all do our part to help stop it. Learn more about mental health, warning signs of depression, and what help is available by visiting the Suicide Prevention Resource Center website. Remember, York Electric Cooperative is always looking out for you.

For nearly ten years, York Electric has been able to keep rates flat for members. We've worked hard to invest wisely in the future of your cooperative, maintaining financial stability so that outside factors don't impact your monthly rates. We consider this success a joint effort because you've also played an integral role in keeping power affordable with programs like Beat The Peak.

Since we started Beat The Peak in 2018, South Carolina cooperative members have collectively helped their co-ops save $618,195 in power costs. This effort not only helps reduce the need to build additional power generation facilities, but also helps maintain low rates. When electricity's demand is the highest, or when the most people are using the most power, generation of electricity costs more. Think about driving your car. Putting your car in motion from a stoplight or going uphill requires more power from your engine, which uses more gas. Helping your co-op offset the predicted peak times is like coasting downhill, increasing your miles per gallon and saving your co-op money. Just by simply receiving an alert when YEC predicts a peak in demand to occur and offsetting your power use by adjusting your thermostat or waiting to do household chores really makes a difference.

Choose When You Use Electricity

 
To date, York Electric has 6,535 members signed up for Beat The Peak alerts, resulting in an overall savings of $105,325 just for our co-op. The more members who are consciously shifting their electric use, the more impact we can have on keeping power costs low. Similarly, we have 292 members participating in our new smart thermostat program. As an addition to the Beat The Peak program, members who sign up and install an ecobee smart thermostat will automatically have their thermostat adjusted to accommodate for predicted peak energy use times. The best part is, we automatically pre-cool your house in the summer and pre-warm your house in the winter so that you don't feel any discomfort.

With the help of technology, we're looking out for you and keeping your bottom line a priority. Sign up for peak alerts at BeatthePeak.com and purchase a smart thermostat from YEC here. Together, we can be the winning team. Thanks for being the most valuable players and holding down power costs.

Sincerely,

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

York Electric Cooperative cancels Annual Meeting

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the York Electric Cooperative Board of Directors and management team has decided to cancel the 2020 Annual Meeting of Members. Please save the date for our 2021 Annual Meeting on Saturday, May 8.

To continue prioritizing the health and safety of our members and employees, York Electric Cooperative also will not host the following community events:

• Member Appreciation Shred Day
• Member Advisory Committee Meeting

Additionally, we will modify our annual Veterans Day Celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2020. Look for details regarding this event in the November/December edition of South Carolina Living magazine.