FAQ

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.

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.

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.

The candidates for the YEC board of directors election can be reviewed here.

A sample ballot is available to review now.

No parking will be available at the annual meeting because it is completely drive-thru.

Each member will receive an official announcement in the April South Carolina Living magazine, as well as a registration postcard. Please keep your registration postcard and bring it with you to the annual meeting.

The Annual Meeting is a meeting of YEC’s members and a special occasion for members to participate in cooperative business and meet their cooperative leaders and employees. As a democratically controlled, not-for-profit business, our bylaws indicate we host a meeting for members to gather and vote on important matters each year. We’ve adapted the meeting to be safe for all and convenient for you by hosting registration and voting as a drive-thru experience and virtual business meeting. Each member who is present and registers receives a registration gift and will be eligible to win door prizes. Most importantly, members can exercise their cooperative right to vote in the election for seats on the cooperative’s Board of Trustees. During the virtual business meeting that will be streamed on our website and our Facebook page, our President and CEO, attorney, and Board Chairman will update you on important Cooperative business and share election results.

The annual meeting is drive-thru, so just stay in the comfort of your car. YEC employees will be there to help guide you through each step of the process to register and cast your vote.

Yes – the annual meeting will be held, rain or shine.

Each member who attends the annual meeting and registers will receive a $25 power bill credit.

Only members who attend the annual meeting, provide proper identification and their registration card are eligible to receive a registration gift, vote and be entered into the door prize drawing. 

Yes! After voting and registering your attendance, cars will have the option to loop through a special line to receive a bag of free hot dogs, limited to one bag per membership. Hot dogs will be available on Saturday, May 6, beginning at 9 a.m., while supplies last.

YEC has three grand prizes available to win at this year’s annual meeting. They include a 2014 Ford F-150 and (2) $500 power bill credits. Winners will be contacted on Monday following the annual meeting.

All other door prizes will be announced during the virtual business meeting. Winners will be contacted on Monday following the annual meeting.

The YEC annual meeting will be held in Fort Mill on Wednesday, May 3, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at our operations center at 2000 Highway 21, right across from Captain Steve’s, and at our main office, 1385 E. Alexander Love Hwy. on Saturday, May 6 from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Members may register and vote at one of these two locations. The virtual business meeting will be live online Saturday evening.

All members of the cooperative are eligible to register with a valid photo ID and their registration card. The registration card will be on the front cover of your April issue of South Carolina Living Magazine.

The door prize winners, including the grand prize winners, will be announced during the virtual business meeting. All door prizes that can be mailed will be sent directly to winners. If your name is chosen we will contact you to provide you details about your prize on Monday following the annual meeting.

We accept 12 different forms of identification for members.

YEC has been using AMR, automated meter reading, for many years. AMR allows electric systems to read meters from a remote location. AMI goes a step beyond remote meter reading because it allows two-way communication between the meter and the electric system.

The installation of the new meters will be at no cost to the member. Should we determine the meter base or service equipment is dangerous or faulty during change-out, the member will be notified and asked to call an electrician to make repairs before the new meter will be installed.

The AMI system has numerous member benefits in a variety of areas and will help prepare us for the electric power industry’s fast-paced technological advancement.

• Improves outage notification and management process.
• Provides additional metering data to better assist members with billing and service questions.
• Gives York Electric the capability to provide members with valuable usage information such as consumption patterns, outage and blink count history, and voltage information.
• Improves meter reading accuracy and provides consistent billing periods. With an AMI system, meters can be automatically set to read on the same day of each month.
• Reduces losses by identifying power theft and other problems.

YEC personnel will change out the meters. They will knock on the door of each residence to introduce themselves and inform the residents of the meter change and short service interruption. If the member isn’t home, a door hanger will be left informing the member of the meter change-out.

Yes, you will experience a short disruption of power during the meter change, normally less than five minutes.

The meters receive and store the kilowatt-hour and demand consumption, then transmits this and other data over the power lines to equipment located in one of York Electric’s substations. From the substation, the information is sent to a computer at our headquarters.

It will record kWh readings, the number of times loss of power has occurred, reverse power flow caused by meter tampering, and peak usage. It will also record the date and time of power outages.

Yes, and that’s good news for all York Electric’s members since meter tampering costs thousands of dollars in revenue each year.

No. York Electric requires members to provide and maintain reasonable access to the electric meter. This allows members or co-op personnel to either read or maintain the meter if necessary.

No. The AMI computer software is specifically written for York Electric. The substation’s communications equipment is set up by the meter model and serial number. Each meter is added to the system by its serial number and substation location. All other information and data is stored in the meter itself and is secured and sealed.

Nothing. YEC still needs access to your property for routine maintenance or emergency repairs.

No. The AMI meters operate on a polling basis (active sampling of external devices’ status by an electronic program) and do not immediately notify the co-op when an outage occurs. When you have an outage or emergency situation, you are encouraged to call us. The AMI meter will help us verify the problem. Call 1-866-374-1234 to report an outage.

Contact a Member Services Representative at York Electric by calling 803-684-4248 right away to discuss any billing concerns. The AMI meters have been tested and conform to all applicable standards and regulations.

York Electric began installing AMI meters in test areas in January 2011.

Your payment is posted as soon as we get authorization from your credit card company or bank, often immediately. Payments sent by mail will be posted when they are received.

Please contact your financial institution for help.

Other troubleshooting tips:

• Make sure your device has the minimum compatible requirements.
• Make sure your device is up-to-date with the latest system upgrades.

Do you have authentication set up on your device?

• Authentication must be enabled to use mobile device payments.

You may select one of the following options to make your monthly electric bill payment:

• Pay directly at our main office in York or at our Fort Mill branch
• Walmart– you may now pay your bill at any Walmart across the country.
  • Bring your current YEC bill or bill stub to the customer service counter and pay with cash or a PIN-based debit card.
  • To allow adequate time for processing, please check the disconnect date located on your YEC bill. Make sure you pay your bill at least 5 days prior to the disconnect notice. Otherwise, YEC cannot guarantee your service will not be disconnected. Standard 3 business day option is $0.88. Next business day option is $1.88.
  • Please retain the receipt that is provided to you for your records.
  • For payment verification, call (803) 684-4248 and provide the member services representative with the 10-digit code printed at the bottom of your Walmart cash payment receipt. Find a Walmart store near you
• Bank Draft –The account must be paid in full to begin Bank Draft.  When you sign up for York Electric’s Bank Draft program, the Cooperative will automatically deduct the amount of your bill from your checking account each month. You’ll still receive a monthly statement showing you the amount of your bill, but you’ll never have to write another check to pay your electric bill or worry about letting the payment slip your mind.
• PowerTouch – pay your bill at your convenience, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-866-374-1234. You must have your YEC account number available to make your payment. Fees Apply. Most major credit cards are accepted.
• E-check – allows you to pay your bill by entering in your checking account and bank routing numbers through York Electric’s website.
• Advance Pay – Advance Pay gives you the power to purchase electricity when you want, weekly or biweekly, in the amounts you choose rather than one monthly payment, allowing you to monitor and control your electric usage daily, weekly, monthly with a select payment plan that works for you and your budget.

Each monthly bill is the rolling average of your electric usage for the most recent 12 months. In order to have your account placed on a levelized budget billing, you need to be a member of YEC at your current residence for one year, have maintained good credit (as defined by YEC), have a zero balance, and pay your bill by the original due date each month. There is no service charge or monthly fee, so call us if you want to level it out!

This free service allows you to select a designated person that we can contact when your account goes past due. A person may request to be a designated third-party, but must have the account holder’s permission. Both the member and this person will be notified by phone or mail that the bill is past due. You can sign up to receive this service by filling out the form and returning it to our office. You may also contact member services at 803-684-4248.

By signing up for e-billing, you will no longer receive a paper bill. You will have your bill sent to your email address so you can view it and pay it online.

This option allows you to combine your accounts that are on the same billing cycle on one bill. This feature is great for accounts with multiple meters on more than one cycle such as school districts or apartment buildings.

If a situation should occur in which you are unable to pay all or a portion of your bill, please notify member services at 803-684-4248 as soon as possible. They may be able to set up a payment arrangement to allow you more time. They may also be able to provide you with a list of help agencies that can offer additional assistance. As a not for profit, cooperative members are expected to pay the costs which they incur. We cannot disregard payments owed to an account.

South Carolina 2-1-1 is your one-stop resource for finding assistance in your local community. Use the link below to find services. Or call 2-1-1 any time – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – to find vital services in your community. You can also reach 2-1-1 toll-free at 1-866-892-9211. This service is free and is available in multiple languages.nnwww.sc211.org

Capital Credits are a benefit of membership in a member-owned utility. Each year, YEC uses the revenues that exceed operating costs as equity. These funds and borrowed capital allow YEC to serve a growing number of members while implementing the latest technology to provide the best possible service. As a not-for-profit utility, YEC later returns these revenues to the members who originally paid them in their electric bills.

Each year, our members receive Capital Credit checks. Members will receive Capital Credit checks in the mail unless the amount due to them is less than $15. If the member’s refund is less than $15, the amount will be distributed and printed on their utility billing statement as a line item credit. The amount of Capital Credits returned is determined by total revenues received over expenses for the cooperative and your total energy billings for the year. They are paid periodically with board approval after review of YEC’s financial status.

If you leave YEC’s service area, your Capital Credits remain in your name and member number until they are retired. Therefore, you need to make sure YEC has your current mailing address.

York Electric is a cooperative. A cooperative is owned by its members and does not technically earn profits. Instead, any revenues over the cost of doing business are considered “margins.” These margins represent an interest-free loan of operating capital by the membership of the cooperative. This capital allows York Electric to finance operations and, to a certain extent, construction. The utility then returns this capital to the members in later years.

You should receive an allocation notice each year after a financial audit of York Electric has been completed. During the month of May, members receive Capital Credit checks in the mail unless the amount due to them is less than $15. If the member’s refund is less than $15, the amount will be distributed and printed on their utility billing statement as a line item credit.

Capital Credits are calculated by York Electric for every member who purchased electricity during a year in which the utility earned margins. No special action is required to start a Capital Credit account. Your membership with York Electric activates your Capital Credit account.

The amount of Capital Credits you earn in a given year is based upon the amount of electricity purchased. Each member receives a credit based on a percentage for each dollar of electricity purchased.

Not necessarily. The board of trustees must authorize a refund before you receive a check. When considering a refund, the board analyzes the financial status of the cooperative and will not authorize a refund if it is not in the best interest of the membership.

No. Allocated Capital Credits may not be used to pay current bills. While your electric bill is due monthly, you will not be entitled to your Capital Credits until the board of trustees authorizes a refund. This will take place over many years, since York Electric needs the funds to grow.

The representative of the estate can have the balance of Capital Credits transferred into the heir’s name and the balance will be paid out as the board of trustees approves refunds.

Your Capital Credits remain in your name and member number until they are retired. You just need to ensure that York Electric has your current mailing address.

Over 50,000 retailers participate in the network including Walmart, Dollar General, CVS, Walgreens, Speedway, 7-Eleven, and Family Dollar. Use this interactive map to find retailers in your area.

The acceptance method is specified on the map of CheckOut retailers. The current retailers participating in the program accept both paper and digital, but it is possible for an individual retailer or even a new retailer to have legacy scanning equipment that can only accept printed barcodes. In this case, members would need to provide a printed copy.

At the time of the transaction, the retailer can cancel a payment prior to a receipt being generated. If a member requires a refund after the payment has been made, he or she will need to contact York Electric Cooperative.

No. The retailer does not have access to the balance information. The member is required to tell the cashier at the retailer how much they want to pay.

No. While the member has the ability to make multiple payments across member account numbers, they must have downloaded or printed the barcode for each of the individual accounts they wish to pay.

Yes. All members will have their unique barcode printed on the back of their billing statement.

A fee of $1.50 per transaction is charged to the member at the retail location when a payment is initiated.

Payments made at participating retailers are applied in real time to the account balance.

First, the YEC member obtains their unique barcode. The member can visit any participating local retailer to pay their bill. The cashier at the retailer scans the member’s barcode and accepts their payment. The member’s payment is posted in real-time to his or her account.

CheckOut is a convenient, new cash-based payment application allowing utility consumers to pay their bill with your utility using a CheckOut barcode and cash at over 50,000 retail locations across the country.

No. One card may be used by the entire family.

Yes. Just present your card and prescription at a participating retail pharmacy to receive a discount at the time of purchase.

The card is a free benefit of your membership in York Electric. Products and service discounts are offered by participating businesses. There are more than 100 local and regional deals and thousands of discounts offered online and nationwide. You can also use your card to save on prescriptions and receive coupons. You can see all the deals at www.connections.coop.

Yes. Just drop by any York Electric office and they will be happy to give you a free replacement card and key fob with a photo ID.

Yes, there are hundreds of free coupons available to Co-op Connections cardholders. Visit www.connection.coop.

Yes. Your pharmacy discounts are provided as part of your Co-op Connections Program at no cost. The discounts save you 10% to 60% on prescriptions at over 60,000 pharmacies nationwide, including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target and more.

Find a pharmacy near you by calling Member Services at 800-800-7616 or visiting www.locateproviders.com. Use code ‘22203’ as the group number under the “Groups” login section. Next enter your zip code and the recommended mile radius of 100 to search for providers near you.

Solar communities are groups of solar panels kept at one location. They offer members an opportunity to invest in solar energy without the cost, hassle, and installation of solar equipment on their home. The return on their investment is shown as a credit on their electric bill.

Members subscribe to the output from YEC’s community solar site for a 20-year period, choosing the number of kilowatt (kW) units for their subscription. One kW unit will produce approximately 150 kWh per month. You can add more kW units at any time, as long as they are available.

When energy production begins, you will receive a portion of the production from the solar community each month, based on the number of kW unit subscriptions on your account.

Members pay a portion of the cost per kW unit upfront, then a monthly subscription fee is charged as a line item on the electric bill. The correlating output of the subscribed kW units is credited back to the member at 10¢ per kWh. Members pay a one-time $30 administrative fee for participating in the program.

• Subscriptions Upfront Charge: $100 per kW
• Monthly Unit Charge: $12 per kW subscription
• Monthly Credit: 10¢ per kWh
• One-time $30 administrative fee

Any YEC member in good standing may participate in the Community Solar program on a first come, first served basis. This excludes residential net metering and Advance Pay accounts.

Members are subscribing to the energy produced by the solar farm in relation to the number of kW units to which they subscribe.

The overall program term is 20 years. The minimum term participation is 2 years, and requires a 30-day notice of cancellation.

A member must subscribe to at least 1 kW unit, but cannot subscribe to more than 5 kW units.

YEC’s community solar array produces approximately 50 kW per month, which is roughly equivalent to the energy used by 7 average homes in YEC’s service area. However, it is important to note that solar production will vary from month to month based on weather and time of year.

While the cost of installing solar panels on a home varies greatly from house to house, YEC has attempted to keep the Community Solar pricing in line with the average cost of putting solar panels on a home.

Yes! If your subscription produces more energy than your home consumes in one month, you will see a credit on your account, regardless of the amount.

YEC will use tax credits associated with the Community Solar program which are figured into the program’s pricing.

If the community solar arrays are damaged during a storm, members will receive a proportionate share of the energy produced by any non-damaged panels while repairs are made.

If a Community Solar member moves from one home served by YEC to another home served by YEC, the solar energy subscription moves with the member.

If a member moves out of YEC’s service area, the subscription will terminate; the upfront charge paid upon beginning the program is not refundable.

• It saves customers money. Filling up an electric vehicle is cheaper than fueling a traditional car.
• The environment will benefit. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles will cut emissions.
• Energy independence. Electric vehicles reduce our dependence on foreign oil and will lead to more local jobs.

On site at our main headquarters, 1385 East Alexander Love Highway, York, SC

A lot can change in a year, but based on current fuel prices, probably 4 years. There are more models becoming available and as battery prices improve, the timeframe could shorten.

• Back in 2007, YEC began collecting data.
• YEC also collaborated with Duke on their plans and data collection; Duke energy currently has one of the nation’s largest fleets of plug-in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric cars for research and development purposes. This includes vehicles from Toyota, Tesla, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, and the Southeast’s first plug-in hybrid electric utility “bucket” truck.
• In 2013, YEC developed an overall electric vehicle plan to include beta sites for in-home chargers and special electric rates to incentivize vehicle charging on non-peak times.
• In 2014, YEC implemented an electric-vehicle rate.

Discard all food that came in contact with floodwaters, including canned goods. It is impossible to know if containers were damaged and the seal compromised. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples, and pacifiers. There is no way to safely clean them if they have come in contact with contaminated floodwaters. Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach per quart of water.

Drink only approved or chlorinated water. Consider all water from wells, cisterns, and other delivery systems in the disaster area unsafe until tested. Purchase bottled water, if necessary, until you are certain that your water supply is safe. Keep a 3-day supply of water or a minimum of 3 gallons of water per person.

Discard food that has been near a fire. Food exposed to fire can be damaged by the heat of the fire, smoke fumes, and chemicals used to fight the fire.

Food in cans or jars may appear to be okay, but the heat from a fire can activate food spoilage bacteria. If the heat is extreme, the cans or jars themselves can split or rupture, rendering the food unsafe.

One of the most dangerous elements of a fire is sometimes not the fire itself, but toxic fumes released from burning materials. Discard any raw food or food in permeable packaging — cardboard, plastic wrap, screw-topped jars, bottles, etc. — stored outside the refrigerator. Food stored in refrigerators or freezers can also become contaminated by fumes. The refrigerator seal isn’t airtight and fumes can get inside.

Chemicals used to fight the fire contain toxic materials and can contaminate food and cookware. Food that is exposed to chemicals should be thrown away; the chemicals cannot be washed off the food. This includes food stored at room temperature, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as food stored in permeable containers like cardboard and screw-topped jars and bottles. Cookware exposed to fire-fighting chemicals can be decontaminated by washing in soap and hot water. Then submerge for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach per quart of water.

No. Frozen food can thaw if it is exposed to the sun’s rays, even when the temperature is very cold. Refrigerated food may become too warm, and foodborne bacteria could grow. The outside temperature could vary hour by hour, and the temperature outside will not protect refrigerated and frozen food. Additionally, perishable items could be exposed to unsanitary conditions or to animals. Animals may harbor bacteria or disease; never consume food that has come in contact with an animal.

Rather than putting the food outside, consider taking advantage of the cold temperatures by making ice. Fill buckets, empty milk cartons or cans with water and leave them outside to freeze. Then put the homemade ice in your refrigerator, freezer, or coolers.

Never taste food to determine its safety! You will have to evaluate each item separately. If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, read the temperature when the power comes back on. If the appliance thermometer stored in the freezer reads 40°F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine the safety. Remember, you can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40°F or below, it is safe to refreeze.

Refrigerated food should be safe as long as power is out no more than 4 hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) that have been above 40°F for 2 hours.

Yes, the food may be safely refrozen if the food still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below. You will have to evaluate each item separately. Be sure to discard any items in either the freezer or the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices. Partial thawing and refreezing may reduce the quality of some food, but the food will remain safe to eat. 

Even just one extra person sharing your home can increase your energy usage and monthly bill. Check out helpful ways to save energy and money on our energy efficiency page.

Extreme temperatures can put extra strain on your heating and cooling system, which can lead to higher bills. Find helpful tips for saving energy and money on our energy efficiency page. You can also prepare for temperature changes and bill fluctuation throughout the year by signing up for Levelized Billing.

Though swimming pools and hot tubs can be a great addition for your home, their extra energy usage can quickly add up. Save energy and money by using an energy-efficient pump, using a cover when not in use and by maintaining your filter and cleaning system. Learn more about making your home energy-efficient on our energy efficiency page. 

A smart thermostat is a programmable thermostat that connects to your home’s WiFi and gives you the ability to adjust your thermostat setting to fit your schedule and save energy. Interested? Learn more about York Electric’s Smart Thermostat Program.

Yes. York Electric offers a free in-home energy audit. All you have to do is call our member services department at 803-684-4248 and tell them you are interesting in scheduling one.

The ideal setting is 78 degrees for cooling and 65 degrees for heating.

Yes, it can. You can save by using your current spotlights less, converting your current spotlights to 23 watt compact fluorescent spots, and by installing motion sensors so the lights only work when motion is detected.

Conserving energy is always a good idea. York Electric has a free 101 low-cost/no-cost home energy savings measures brochure. Visit one of our offices to pick up a copy or view and/or download here. Also, visit TogetherWeSave.com and take the home tour to learn what actions you can take to save on your energy bill.

The value of electricity remains very high. The national cost of electricity today, when adjusted for inflation, is less than what it was in 1980. Very few commodities have remained such a good value. Compared to other consumer products and services, electricity is a bargain.

They are Sharp panels and were made in Memphis, Tennessee.

Approximately 50KWH per day (on good days). On a good day, the solar panels will be able to supply the Fort Mill office and also put extra on the grid. YEC is putting all the electricity generated back on the grid instead of tying it back to the office. The panels have the potential to generate approximately half of the office’s use for a year.

The projected cost, which Santee Cooper is providing with monies generated from Green Power, is $35,449.

It’s your power, it’s your Cooperative. So, where does your electricity come from, anyway?

1. 1. Power is generated. Generation sources vary, but the majority of the power consumed by YEC members comes from coal and nuclear plants.
   2. A large transformer increases the electric voltage to travel over long distances.
   3. Electricity is sent to demand areas over transmission lines. The transmission lines serving YEC are either 100,000 volts or 44,000 volts.
   4. Transmission lines enter substations so that the voltage can be decreased and safely distributed to YEC members. YEC maintains 27 substations to serve members in 4 counties.
   5. YEC is a distribution cooperative, distributing electricity at 7,200 volts to more than 57,000 members on over 4,000 miles of energized line.
   6. Electrical voltage is stepped down again by another transformer so that it can be used to power electrical devices in your home. The standard voltage is 240.
   7. As you consume electricity, YEC measures the amount of energy you use from a meter mounted outside your home. The more you conserve energy, the more money you save on your power bill.

York Electric’s Trade a Tree Program helps members replace trees that must be removed by the co-op to ensure service reliability. York Electric’s employees involved in the co-op’s right-of-way maintenance effort will visit members’ homes to determine if trees near co-op lines need to be removed. If so, they may issue a coupon. The member will redeem the coupon at one of the participating nurseries: Lee’s Nursery and Penland Tree Farm. For more information about this program, call (803) 684-4248 and speak to one of our member service representatives.

Immediately call York Electric’s member services department at (803) 684-4248. We will send someone out to evaluate the situation. Never try to trim trees near power lines!

A dual-fuel heat pump is an electric heat pump and a gas furnace all in one. In South Carolina, where temperatures are typically above freezing, a heat pump is the most efficient way to heat your home. In those few instances when the temperature drops below freezing, a gas furnace provides heat more economically. By combining the two, you can have the benefits of both systems.

A$700 rebate for the first system and $200 for each additional system are available for installation of dual-fuel heat pumps. Rebates are subject to approval and the incentive is for the property owner only. For more information, please contact our member services department at (803) 684-4248.

If you notice that an outdoor security light installed by York Electric appears to be out or functioning improperly, please notify us immediately by using our online Security Light Outage report form or by calling our member services department at (803)684-4248.

Yes. Overhead lines can be changed to underground for a fee at the request of the member. In order to determine how much it will cost, one of our engineers will need to come to your property to evaluate the situation. Please contact our member services department at (803) 684-4248 to schedule an appointment.

York Electric Cooperative awards ten $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors each May. You do have to be a member of YEC to compete for this scholarship. Students must have average or above-average grades and submit an essay. The downloadable application is available here. Applications can also be picked up at high school guidance offices.

The WPCA is used to “adjust” the amount charged to members when the price of fuels to generate electricity spike and fall over time. Fuel cost adjustments can be additions or subtractions depending upon how much York Electric’s wholesale power provider had to pay for generation fuels. It is not a fee to pay for fuel for York Electric’s vehicles.

Member Services Department: 803-684-4248

Email

York Electric Cooperative, Inc.
P.O. Box 150, York, SC 29745

Drop by: Any local member services office

Your Green Power charge will be listed on your monthly electric bill as an additional line item.

Usage rate: Your residential rate plus $3 for each 100kWh block of Green Power.

Taxes and Fees: You must also pay all applicable federal, state, and local taxes as well as any applicable fees.

• $86.50 2004 monthly electricity cost
• $ 3.00 Green Power premium
• $89.50 Total

Rates are set by York Electric’s Board of Directors and are subject to change.

York Electric Cooperative purchases power for our member-owners from Santee Cooper. The Power Content Label shows the resource mix projected for this year from Santee Cooper.

There is no termination fee.

The Green Power Program is voluntary. You can cancel or change your participation in Green Power at any time. There is no contract length.

None.

There are currently 6 landfill methane gas facilities in South Carolina at Horry Solid Waste Authority, Lee County Landfill SC, LLC, Richland County Landfill, Anderson Regional Landfill SC, LLC, Georgetown County Landfill, and Berkeley County Landfill. The landfills have a combined total installed capacity of 30 MW. Also, there are 3 Green Power Solar demonstration projects in the state at Grand Strand Solar Station in Myrtle Beach, SC, Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC, and The Technical College of the Lowcountry in Bluffton, SC. With 28 school-based, solar power sites throughout the state, we’re doing more to than spearheading the effort to convert sunlight into clean, pollution-free electricity for all of our customers. We’re educating tomorrow’s leaders about the opportunities and limitations of solar power. We are also exploring applications for smaller wind turbines onshore, and in November 2010, Santee Cooper made history as the first utility to install a wind turbine and connect it to the grid. The 2.4 kW Skystream wind turbine is located oceanfront in North Myrtle Beach.

South Carolina’s Green Power plant collects methane gas that would normally be released into the atmosphere – gases that possibly contribute to global warming – to be used as “green power” fuel.

Renewable resources produce little or no air pollution or waste. Better yet, some of them actually reduce air pollution and benefit the environment.

Green Power is electricity generated by renewable resources like the sun and methane gas that is found in landfills. These resources are replenished naturally. Green Power is generated by Santee Cooper and distributed by electric cooperatives across the state.

Green Power provides you a direct opportunity to help our environment by supporting electricity generated from renewable power sources. By voluntarily participating in the Green Power program, you and York Electric are proving your commitment to community by helping improve the environment.

Each 100 kilowatt-hour block will add a mere $3 to your monthly electric bill. One block (100 kWh) is approximately 10 percent of a typical household’s monthly energy use. There is no equipment to buy, and you won’t have to change your lifestyle one bit. You can sign up for as many blocks as you like, knowing that you are doing your part in helping the environment and making renewable resources and facilities a reality.

All revenue from the sale of Green Power is reinvested in future development of renewable energy resources such as solar energy and educational projects such as Solar Schools.

The renewable energy that you will be purchasing is not directly routed to your home, but by subscribing you are helping to support the purchase of additional clean energy and encouraging more investment statewide in environmentally friendly ways to generate power. For every environmentally-friendly kilowatt hour purchased by cooperative members, one less kilowatt hour is being purchased from other less environmentally friendly sources such as coal-based energy.

By trapping methane gas and turning it into useful energy, your electric cooperative is helping to rid the environment of a dangerous greenhouse gas. Fortunately, as fuel, the gas is a renewable energy and has no waste. What’s more, for just 2 dimes a day Green Power has the environmental impact of not driving a car for almost 3 months. (Source: EPA greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator using 200 kWh/month for the state of South Carolina.)

Honor Flight of South Carolina is part of the Honor Flight Network, which takes World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to see and experience the National World War II Memorial. A chartered flight takes the vets to our nation’s capital for a one-day tour. In addition to visiting the WWII memorial, veterans see the Korean, Vietnam and Iwo Jima memorials and monuments. The veterans are special guests at Arlington Cemetery where they observe the Changing of The Guard at the Tomb of The Unknowns.

The next scheduled Honor Flight, sponsored by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, will depart Columbia, S.C. on April 11, 2012. The flight leaves Columbia by 8 a.m. and returns around 8 p.m.

Any American veteran who served in the armed forces during World War II who has not previously been on an Honor Flight. Preference will be given to members of electric cooperatives and their families, but all veterans are urged to apply.

Electric co-ops in S.C. have donated the money to make this trip possible.

There is no cost to veterans. The flight is funded through donations by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives.

Yes. Arrangements can be made for most special needs, including wheelchair bound and oxygen dependent individuals. Several physicians will be on the flight to assist the veterans throughout the day. We encourage all veterans to apply.

No. However, veterans may have a guardian. Guardians are the caretakers of the veterans for the day. Spouses are not permitted to be guardians, but other family members are.

Yes. A child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or other family members or friends are encouraged to apply to be guardians.

You may mail in the application printed in the January edition of South Carolina Living Magazine, or you can apply online at scliving.coop.

Yes. The flight will depart from the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. You will be responsible for your own transportation to and from the airport.

There is room for approximately 100 veterans on the flight.

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Honor Flight personnel will contact you soon after your application is received.

Yes. There will be another Honor Flight in May of 2012. We will do everything we can to make sure you are a part of that trip. Honor Flight’s goal is to give every WWII veteran the chance to participate.

Make your check payable to: Honor Flight of SouthnnMail Check to: Honor Flight of South Carolina P.O. Box 292421 Columbia, SC 29229

Veterans will enjoy a tour of Washington, D.C., and visits to the WWII, Korean, Vietnam and Iwo Jima memorials and monuments. The WWII veterans are also special guests at Arlington Cemetery, and they observe the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

There is no deadline; we will accept applications until the plane is full. However, please submit an application at your earliest convenience to ensure you have a spot on the flight. A family member is welcome to submit an application on your behalf if you are unable to do so.

You may visit honorflightsc.com, or contact Betsy Hix with The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc., at betsy.hix@ecsc.org or (803) 739-3024.

Please contact your financial institution for help.

Other troubleshooting tips:

• Make sure your device has the minimum compatible requirements.
• Make sure your device is up-to-date with the latest system upgrades.

Do you have authentication set up on your device?

• Authentication must be enabled to use mobile device payments.

• Samsung Pay – Fingerprint, PIN or iris
• Apple Pay – FaceID or fingerprint
• Google Wallet – Fingerprint, PIN, pattern or password
•  

Learn more by visiting the appropriate support sites here:

• https://www.samsung.com/us/samsung-pay/compatible-cards/#bank
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204916
• https://pay.google.com/about/banks/

• Samsung Pay
• Apple Pay
• Google Wallet

Any walk-in members in our York of Fort Mill office locations who have a compatible device.

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.

Our Mobile Apps are native Apps that can be downloaded and installed on your compatible mobile device, while a Mobile Web App is a web portal that runs directly in the mobile browser on your smart phone or other mobile device. The native Apps give you secure access to maintain your account information, to view your bills and your payment history, to manage your alerts and reminders, and to make payments on one or more accounts directly from your mobile device.

The native Apps also allow you to register your accounts to receive push notifications for account milestones, such as an approaching or a missed due date. Push notifications are not available through a Mobile Web App.

Our mobile apps are supported on the following platforms:

Yes! All critical information is encrypted in every transaction run through the Apps, and no personal information is stored on your mobile device. However, mobile devices do offer you the ability to store your login information for apps installed on the device. If you choose to store your login information, any person who has access to your mobile device can access your account.

Our Mobile App is designed to give you fast, secure account access so you can easily manage your electric service no matter where you are. You can view your balance, pay your bill, report an outage, track your usage, modify and maintain your alerts and reminders, and stay connected with us via Facebook, email, or phone.

Once the app is installed, you can search a map for the nearest office location and receive push notifications regarding your electric service all on your smart device.nn 

Simply look for our name in the App Store or in the Android Market. In the Android Market, if you can’t find our App, that likely means your phone is not supported.

Our Mobile Apps are supported on the following platforms:

• iOS (iPhone, iPod touch, and/or iPad
• Android

No. Our Mobile App is completely free to download and install.

Yes. Once you’ve logged in, you’ll be directed to a list of all of your accounts. To see the details for a specific account, simply select that account and the details will display above the list of accounts.

If you only have one account, the details for that account will show up as soon as you log in.

Yes. From the list of accounts, either select the option to pay all accounts, or select specific accounts for your payment. You can also make a payment to a single account by selecting the payment option when that specific account’s details are displayed.

The information you see in the Mobile App is shown in real-time, so it’s always accurate. However, if you keep your Mobile App open for an extended period of time, you should refresh the page by selecting a new option in order to ensure the information is still current.

Our App will display PDF versions of your available bills using the PDF reader you have on your smart device. We support and recommend the Adobe PDF reader for the best results on Android devices. On Android devices, if you do not have the Adobe PDF reader already installed, our App will prompt you to install it from the Android Market to ensure you are able to display and view your PDF bills correctly.

The first time you launch the App after installing it on your mobile device, you’ll be asked whether or not you want to enable push notifications for our App on your device. Select OK to enable push notifications. Next, be sure to select each individual account and enable the “Notify” option for every account you want to receive push notifications on this specific device.

If you have our App installed on multiple devices, don’t forget to enable push notifications for your accounts on each device, as the push notification settings for each account are device-specific.

You do not have to log in to view addresses or maps to our office locations or even to get our contact information. Simply open the App and use the “Locations” link at the bottom of the login screen.

• York County Planning & Development requires businesses (that are not located within city limits) to obtain a power letter and/or building permit. This is needed by the county to evaluate the use of your business, and the location’s zoning and building codes.
• There is a power letter guide within the application. If you are not able to determine if your business requires a letter, then please contact our Member Services Department at 803-684-4248 (Monday Friday 8 am-5 pm).
• Please contact York County Planning & Development at 803-909-7200, and they will inform you on how to obtain a power letter.

If you are opening a business in an existing building, there are some things you should know about York county’s building & zoning regulations.

[PDF] York County: New or Relocating Business Guidelines

5 MB

• Business owner’s driver’s license
• Federal Tax Identification Number
• Power letter and/or building permit (dependent on your business location’s municipality or county)

• Existing Locations: Security deposits are determined based on the location’s previous average monthly bill.
• New Construction: Security deposits are determined based on the location’s transformer size.

• $25.00 Service Activation Fee (Non-Refundable)
• $5.00 Membership Fee
• Security Deposit (paid by cash, check, credit card, or money order)

Please apply as soon as you are able. The timeline will depend on whether your business has all the supporting documents. If your business’s location requires a power letter and/or building permit, we will not be able to start service until you have sent the approval letter to YEC.

Members of YEC are required to pay a one-time, non-refundable membership fee of $5 and a service fee of $25. A security deposit of $295 may be required, depending on the applicant’s credit history, for residential service.

Residential Accounts – If no credit history with YEC exists, the cooperative will charge the $295 deposit. However, there is a way to waive the deposit for residential service. YEC verifies the identity of new members through Online Utility Exchange; this process also generates a credit check. If the identity check meets YEC standards, then the deposit may be waived.

Commercial Accounts – Deposits must be paid on commercial accounts. Credit checks are not accepted for commercial accounts. Contractors building several homes are allowed to have one deposit for several accounts, provided these accounts are kept current.

Residential Accounts – Residential deposits are refunded, if an excellent payment history (as defined by YEC) is maintained, for 12 consecutive months. The deposit is automatically credited to the bill when the member meets the above-mentioned qualifications, or it is applied towards the final bill. If there is any remaining deposit owed to the member, a check will be mailed; therefore, it is important for YEC to have your forwarding address.

Commercial Accounts – The deposit is applied to the final bill.

It depends on the circumstance; therefore, YEC does not promise construction completion dates. If line construction is necessary, YEC requires a minimum notice of 10 working days. In order to begin service the following is required: county permit, service order request, meter base installed, signed underground form, and member application. Failure to provide these documents may delay the process. Connection for services, other than temporaries and agricultural uses, must have power authorization before YEC can set the meter. Other factors to consider when requesting service:

• Weather can cause delays in the construction process.
• Services in subdivisions do not take as long to connect because the primary service is already installed.
• A new home, that hasn’t had power before, may need to have right of way obtained or cleared. Also, poles may need to be set in order to get service to the home.

New permanent residential services, including mobile homes, are not charged for secondary underground service. Underground service can be installed upon request for barns, wells, shops, storage buildings, and other non-permanent residences, but a charge will be incurred by the member. This charge is determined by YEC’s engineering department. Changing existing overhead service to underground will incur a higher charge. Underground service lines are more expensive to install than overhead services, but do not require as much maintenance.

Operation Round Up is a voluntary contribution on your electric bill which adds a few pennies each month. The most you could ever donate in a year would be $12, but most members’ donations are around $6 per year. These pennies are added together from all our participating members, and York Electric’s Trust Board makes grants to non-profit agencies who are serving needs in our community. Since 2000, York Electric’s members have raised approximately $2.3 million, and we now have 62% member participation.

Contact local Help agencies. Download the Agency Help list PDF here

We make it easy. Sign up by calling our member services department at 803-684-4248, and we’ll simply round your electric bill up to the next highest dollar each month. The extra change – an average of only 50 cents a month or $6 a year – is your contribution to the program. If you wish to discontinue your contributions at any time, simply contact YEC.

Contributions to Operation Round Up are tax deductible. In January and February, your utility bill will have a summary of the contributions you made to Operation Round Up during the previous year.

After each quarterly meeting, our website is updated with the current disposition statement. Also, we periodically publish updates about Operation Round Up in South Carolina Living magazine.

The discounts save you 10% to 60% on prescriptions at over 56,000 pharmacies nationwide, including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and more.

Your pharmacy discounts are provided as part of your Co-op Connections® program at no cost.

This plan is not insurance; it is a pharmacy discount offer. The card provides immediate discounts at the pharmacy. Upon presenting your card to the pharmacist, you will pay the lower of a discounted price or the pharmacy’s regular retail price. There are no forms to fill out and no limit to the number of times you can use the card. These discounts are available only at participating retail pharmacies.

Your card cannot be used in conjunction with insurance. However, use your card to purchase prescriptions not covered by your insurance plans at a discounted rate.

The Co-op Connections card is accepted at over 60,000 retail pharmacies nationwide, including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and more. You can find participating pharmacy locations at www.locateproviders.com.

Yes. You will receive the best price available to you through this program at the pharmacy. On occasion, pharmacies will price a particular medication lower than the discount rate provided by the card. If that occurs, you will receive the lower price.

Yes. If you know the name, strength, and quantity of the medication, you can find the discounted price of the medication by visiting www.rxpricequotes.com.

Drug prices are different from pharmacy to pharmacy. Even chains have different prices in their stores depending on the population they are servicing. Additionally, manufacturers’ drug prices change periodically.

Call 1-866-374-1234. York Electric encourages you to call our 24-hour ‘PowerTouch’ outage reporting system so we can quickly locate where the problem is occurring and send crews out right away. Any detailed information you can supply about the outage is very beneficial in the troubleshooting process. Note: Before reporting the outage, YEC recommends that you first check your main breakers in your electrical panel.

YEC uses an automatic phone answering system to handle power outage reports. If your correct phone number is on file with our office, your phone call can be handled more efficiently. Having the correct contact information also allows us to make any follow-up calls to you about electric service problems. If your phone number has changed since you signed up for your electric service, please contact our member services department at 803-684-4248.

This depends on the amount of damage sustained and current conditions. Field personnel must complete a damage assessment before any reliable estimate can be made.

Momentary outages occur when a disturbance on the line is detected. These disturbances could be caused by a lightning strike, a squirrel or tree branch contacting the line, or a downed line or outage in a nearby area, etc. If a fault or short circuit occurs on a power line, a device called a recloser opens to stop it and then quickly closes. This device allows power to continue flowing through the line with only a brief interruption of service rather than causing an extended power outage. Although the process is quick and usually temporary, it may cause your lights to blink. If the short circuit continues, the recloser will operate or ‘trip’ three times before eventually stopping the flow of electricity and causing a power outage. This process protects the lines from damage by cutting off power to the affected section of the line and isolating the problem until it can be repaired.

Causes of Power Outages & Blinks

Some neighborhoods get electricity from several different circuits, so you may notice your lights are out, but your neighbors have power. In such cases, the problem could be originating from your house’s electric line, a particular tap line, a main feeder line, or at the substation. For us to determine where the problem originates, it is extremely important that you call 1-866-374-1234 and report the outage with your exact street address and correct phone number.

This may be an incidence of partial power. At this point, members should unplug large/major appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, air conditioners, etc., as this could cause a power fluctuation and result in another outage. Once lights are bright, indicating full power has been restored, it is safe to plug in major appliances.

During times of multiple power outages, YEC concentrates our initial restoration efforts in the areas and on the power lines that restore electricity to the greatest number of people in the shortest period of time. We place emphasis on vital community services, emergency services, and public safety. Please be patient, and we will restore your electric service as soon as we possibly can.

Many people think that the loud noise they heard was the sound of a transformer exploding, due to lightning or other extreme conditions. This was probably not the case. The noise could have been a fuse blowing. YEC’s power lines use fuses in a similar manner to the way you use fuses in your home. These fuses protect parts of our distribution system when severe weather strikes. The noise can be substantial leading many people to think something has exploded. When reporting an outage, it is very helpful when you tell us you heard a loud noise because it helps us isolate the location of problems on our lines.

Some smoke alarms are powered by AC (alternating current) and use a battery backup. When these units lose power momentarily they may chirp several times to inform you they are on backup power or are returning to main power. For more information, review the manufacturer’s documentation on your type of alarm.

You should first refer to your disaster plan and call your home health nurse and physician. You should notify your family and/or friends and call EMS especially if your situation is life threatening. YEC reminds members who have extreme critical health needs that require a continuous power source during an outage, to make arrangements before the crisis to relocate to a place where those needs can be met. Another option is to make personal arrangements for a generator to hook up to machines that have to be kept running. Generators should never be hooked into a home or business’ electric circuit. Generators should only be connected directly to critical care machines or other appliances.

In a major storm, assume you may be without power for some time. Turn off electric appliances (like an iron or stove) so you won’t create a safety hazard when the power is turned back on. Remember to include air-conditioning among appliances you turn off. Never report hazardous situations by e-mail. Always call the office at 1-866-374-1234 so we can respond immediately!

Check for water saturation of your ceilings and light fittings inside and outside. If wet, call us immediately. If there is no obvious damage to your light fittings, turn off all but one light. Check the lighting circuit’s fuse or circuit breaker operation at your switchboard. Turn off your main switch and replace the fuse. Turn the main switch again. If the fuse blows, call YEC.

If you receive a tingling sensation from any electrical appliances, turn off the electricity immediately. Do not make contact with or let anyone else near the suspected appliance and call YEC.

Lights being dimmer than usual, hot plates slow to cook, and motors failing to start are all indicative that there might be a problem in the high voltage system. If you observe any of these in your home, turn appliances off and unplug them. Leave a minimum of lights on (such as a fluorescent) and call YEC.

If you notice unusual periodic variations in the normal brightness of your lights – sometimes very bright, sometimes dull – call us. These are symptoms of a potentially hazardous situation. Turn off all your motors and appliances, and leave a minimum of lights on.

Restoring power after widespread outages is a big job that involves more than simply throwing a switch or removing a tree from a line. The main goal is to safely restore power to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible. In order to accomplish this, the process begins with a damage assessment of the co-op’s lines and facilities by employees who have been specifically trained to accomplish those tasks. The assessment allows YEC to direct its resources (both labor and materials) to areas where they are needed the most.

If there is damage to power plants, switchyards, or transmission lines, those facilities must be repaired by our power supplier before we can restore your service. Transmission lines seldom fail, but they can be damaged by storms. Tens of thousands of people could be served by a single high-voltage transmission line. When those facilities are working, problems in your co-op’s electric distribution system can be corrected.

Substations are repaired first. When a major outage occurs, the local distribution substations are checked first. If the problem can be corrected at the substation level, power may be restored to a large number of people. YEC has 24 substations on its system and there are over 3,500 miles of distribution lines which are routed from the substations.

Distribution lines are repaired. Main distribution supply lines are checked next, if the problem cannot be isolated at the substation. These supply lines carry electricity away from the substation to a group of members, such as a subdivision. When power is restored at this stage, all members served by this supply line could see the lights come on, as long as there is no problem farther down the line.

Individual services restored. The final supply lines, called service lines, carry power from the transformer on utility poles or underground transformers outside houses or other buildings. Line crews fix the remaining outages based on restoring service to the greatest number of members. Sometimes, damage will occur on the service line between your house and the transformer on the nearby pole. This may explain why you have no power when your neighbor does.

If you experience a power outage and have already checked your main breaker, you should always alert YEC of your location. Please report your power outage by calling PowerTouch: 1-866-374-1234, texting OUTAGE to 352667, using our mobile app, or logging in to our Member Services portal.

We encourage members to use 1-866-374-1234 whenever they have an outage, but especially during widespread outages. This automated system can take many more calls than our employees. An outage notification with all the pertinent member and electric distribution system data needed to restore your power is recorded within seconds in our operations center. It is extremely important for YEC to have your up-to-date telephone number – the one associated with your co-op account. Having your correct phone number will allow YEC to dispatch crews as quickly as possible.

Call any time you have a power outage. We are here to serve you. Once you report the outage, try not to call YEC or the automated outage line again unless you have an emergency. Be assured our crews are doing everything possible to restore your power as soon as possible. Unnecessary calls prevent those who have not reported their outage from getting through to report their outage. Also, duplicate calls can generate multiple outage records for the same location.

If you have medical equipment necessary to sustain life or avoid severe medical complications, it is important to notify YEC and follow the proper steps to be listed as a Special Needs Priority Account. Please click here to learn more. YEC urges members who are dependent on electricity for medical reasons to have a disaster plan and make arrangements before a crisis to relocate to a place where those needs can be met. In the event of an outage, always remember to notify your family and/or friends and call EMS, especially if your situation is life threatening.

Listen to emergency recommendations provided by lead agencies such as local emergency management, civil defense, Red Cross, or police. Follow their recommendations.

YEC does not de-energize facilities because of anticipated damage such as flooding, ice or high winds. The disconnect devices on electrical equipment remain energized until a storm causes them to operate as designed and shut off current.

It probably is because before service may be restored to you and your neighbors, work must be completed at another location.

Restoring power to homes and businesses is a top priority for York Electric Cooperative, but the safety of our members and employees always comes first – and it’s more important than ever to be cautious during extreme weather conditions. For workers in bucket trucks or attempting to climb poles and towers, high winds are very dangerous. Once a storm passes and winds drop to less than 30 miles per hour, we will safely begin diligently working on outages and bringing you power as quickly as possible.

There could be several reasons: Fuses or circuit breakers in your home could have tripped; trees could have fallen on your service; the transformer that serves you could have a blown fuse or other damage; the primary line could be de-energized because of damage; many YEC lines have more than one wire and your transformer may be the only one connected to the wire that is “dead”.

Once damage to major lines has been repaired, YEC will work on lines serving individuals. At that time, we will determine if an electrician should fix the damage or if we can. Generally speaking, YEC will repair problems up to the weatherhead on overhead service and up to the meter on underground service. Past these points, an electrician is needed.

You could have a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse in your home’s electric panel, resulting in partial service. If so, reset the breaker. You may also have a broken connector or wire at one of the service leads to your house. If so, call 1-866-374-1234. Please take a moment to watch our video, How to Check Circuit Breakers.

You can’t! Consider all cables and wires energized, whether electrical, cable television or telephone. After a storm any wire can be energized if it falls or gets wrapped around an energized line, whether a few feet or a block away. If a line is in water, there is even more reason to be cautious. Consider it and the water energized. Learn more with our electrical safety videos.

Start by learning about generator safety with our handy instructions.

Connecting a portable or recreational vehicle (RV) generator to home wiring can cause safety problems. Ideally, appliances should be directly plugged into a generator. If you must hook the generator to the main electric panel, it is very important to disconnect your home from YEC’s electrical system first. If not disconnected, power can flow from your generator into outside utility lines and kill or injure crews working on the lines – even some distance away. You could even injure a neighbor if power from your generator flows along common lines to another house.

When electric service is restored to your area, disconnect your generator before turning on power to your home. If you don’t, the generator can be damaged. When using a generator, make sure it has proper ventilation. It should only be operated outside. Remember the generator’s rated wattage is a function of the number of appliances it will power. The wattage of lights or other appliances run off the generator as a total should not exceed the rated wattage of the generator. The manufacturer’s recommendations must be followed for proper usage and load. If you have any doubts, consult a qualified electrician.

One of our top priorities will be to remove trees and debris that have damaged electrical equipment and are preventing service restoration. Members should not attempt to remove or trim foliage within 10 feet of a power line. If a tree or tree limbs have fallen on a power line or pulled it down, do not attempt to get close to the line. If the line is sparking, call YEC at 1-866-374-1234 and report a downed line.

Learn more with our electrical safety videos.

Once your service is restored every effort will be made to keep it on. Keep in mind, however, that as we repair other parts of the system, some interruptions may be required. In addition, YEC works closely with county, city and state agencies. At their request, we may have to interrupt a circuit if there is a fire or some other emergency. And during ice storms, it is not uncommon for the weight of ice on the line or surrounding trees to cause power lines to break. If the storm continues, a crew may restore your power, and then, with the further accumulation of ice on the lines, your lines may break again.

No. Since YEC has no control over damage done to facilities during storms or other natural disasters, members at large could not be expected to pay for any individual member’s food that might spoil due to storm damage and resulting from electric service interruptions. Remember, electrical disturbances that cause you damage are likely to cause your cooperative damage too, but on a much larger scale. One lighting strike, for example, can cause equipment failure to your cooperative costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Therefore, we do all we can to reasonably protect the electric system. You must do your part by protecting your own equipment from any storm damage or loss of power.

Learn the ABCDs of food handling and storage in an emergency with our handy Keeping Food Safe guide.

No. YEC maintains and operates facilities in a manner calculated to provide safe and reliable service. During abnormal weather, we make every effort to provide continuous service, but cannot be responsible for complete or partial failure or interruption of service, or for fluctuations in voltage from causes beyond our control. Just prior to a storm, and during early stages of restoration, members may wish to turn off or limit use of electronically sensitive and/or nonessential appliances.

Overhead services are more exposed to ice, high winds and flying debris. Underground facilities are subject to flooding. Damage to an overhead transformer is often easier to find. Damage to a pad mounted transformer serving underground cable may not be readily visible. Underground lines are susceptible to damage from digging and trenching equipment. And the cost of installing and maintaining underground conductor over hundreds of miles of sparsely populated rural areas would result in an enormous increase in the cost of electricity to you.

YEC’s service territory includes some 3,500 miles of electrical distribution line in a four-county region. Restoration time, therefore, depends to a large degree on how many different lines are significantly damaged. Severe damage to transmission systems would have the most disabling effect on restoration efforts.

Restoring power to homes and businesses is a top priority for York Electric Cooperative, but the safety of our members and employees always comes first – and it’s more important than ever to be cautious during extreme weather conditions. For workers in bucket trucks or attempting to climb poles and towers, high winds are very dangerous. Once a storm passes and winds drop to less than 30 miles per hour, we will safely begin diligently working on outages and bringing you power as quickly as possible.

YEC works hard to update the local news media on the overall progress of restoration efforts affecting the area. YEC issues information releases to the news media regarding restoration progress during major power outages. We also post live outage updates and restoration progress on our Facebook Account. Checking YEC’s website and social media Pages via battery-operated web devices are the best ways for you to be informed of storm restoration progress. Be sure to have an emergency kit, equipped with a battery-operated radio and fresh batteries, so you’re ready in case of a major power outage.

If damage from a storm exceeds our capability to restore service in a reasonable time, we will request crews from other cooperatives. Electric cooperatives work together to assist one another in times of need. In areas not affected by the storm, only a minimum crew will be left to handle calls. Members should expect routine service request calls such as security light repairs or meter connects to be delayed due to the storm.

Restoring power to homes and businesses is a top priority for York Electric Cooperative, but the safety of our members and employees always comes first – and it’s more important than ever to be cautious during extreme weather conditions. For workers in bucket trucks or attempting to climb poles and towers, high winds are very dangerous. Once a storm passes and winds drop to less than 30 miles per hour, we will safely begin diligently working on outages and bringing you power as quickly as possible.

Before calling to report an outage:

• Check all circuit breakers or fuses to help determine if your service outage might be the result of a household problem. Learn more in our video, How to Check Circuit Breakers.
• Call a licensed electrician if you have significant water damage in your home that might make it unsafe or if the meter outside your home or any of the piping and wires on the wall of your home looked damaged.

ROW refers to the corridor or pathway an electric line follows, whether it’s along the road or through the woods. ROW provides utility crews with access to lines for improvements, maintenance, and repairs. It also provides an operational safety zone between the electric lines and trees, buildings, etc. On the majority of its lines, York Electric holds easements that give it the right to clear land 15 feet from either side of the wire.

A clear ROW minimizes outages, improves power quality, reliability, and safety.

• Causes power outages
• Causes lights to blink
• Obstructs visual inspections, making repairs difficult and costly
• Blocks access for maintenance and repairs, causing delays
• Wastes electricity by drawing it to the ground
• Becomes a fire hazard
• Becomes a safety hazard for utility workers and members
• Children and adults should never climb, trim, or touch trees that contact power lines!

The ROW is cleared by cutting, trimming, mowing and where permissible, applying herbicides. In most cases, all shrubs, brush and trees are removed under primary (main), overhead power lines. They are also removed, as and around secondary, low-voltage power lines that bring power from the transformer to your meter. Cutting and trimming are done by trained, professional utility tree trimmers using specific and proven standards typical to the industry.

York Electric’s ROW maintenance program balances the preservation of natural habitats against the service reliability needs of our members and the safety needs of the general public. In fact, it can actually benefit the ecosystem and other natural environments. ROW maintenance efforts create open areas that encourage the growth of wildflowers, ferns, grasses, flowers, berries, and other low-growing shrubs.

SC Stay Plus was created to assist S.C. households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds are made available to South Carolina under the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and South Carolina Act 17 of 2021. Federal funds for rental and utility assistance in the amount of $272 million have been made available to South Carolina.

Assistance is available for households in which one or more individuals meet the following criteria:

• Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19; and
• Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and
• Has a household income at or below 80% of county median income adjusted by family size

If you feel you qualify, visit schousing.com/Home/SC-Stay-Plus to access the online application and to learn more. You can also call 803-336-3420 or toll-free at 1-800-476-0412.

The United States Congress approved this financial aid to help those who were struggling to pay their bills, in this case for utility customers who are behind on their electric bills. Every state was allocated an amount for such a program as this. If South Carolina does not use its allocation, the funds may be reallocated to other states.

Some prepay members will receive their assistance over multiple months. For example, if you qualify for $600 in assistance, but your average monthly electric purchase is $200, your assistance will likely be spread across three months with a $200 payment each month.

Any YEC residential members who have a reliable WiFi internet connection in their home.

An ecobee3 lite will be discounted to $85 for YEC members, and an ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control will be discounted to $145 for YEC members.

Whomever you choose. After the thermostat is installed and we verify the signal, YEC will reimburse you $75 towards your installation cost. You will also be required to provide your receipt.

Members who purchase a smart thermostat will need to participate in at least 60 percent of peak events throughout the year to receive $100 after one year. If you continue to participate in 60 percent of peak events, you will also receive $50 yearly.

It’s easy to get started.

1. Complete and sign the participation agreement (PDF download below) and bring it into our York headquarters or Fort Mill office to purchase the thermostat of your choice; see options below.
2. Or apply online here

[PDF] YEC ecobee Smart Thermostat Agreement

762 KB

If you already have an ecobee, please fill out the application here. If you already have a Sensi Thermostat, please fill out the application here.

York Electric’s smart thermostat program gives members the opportunity to purchase an ecobee smart thermostat at a discounted rate. Members can also bring their own ecobee or Sensi Thermostat. By participating in the program, members will agree to allow the cooperative to control the thermostat during peak periods.

1. You must be a member of York Electric;
2. You must sign the participation agreement;
3. You must have an internet-connected, Wi-Fi enabled home.

A smart thermostat is a programmable thermostat that connects to your home’s WiFi and gives you the ability to adjust your thermostat setting to fit your schedule and save energy.

York Electric members can purchase the ecobee3 lite and/or the ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control. Both have digital touchscreen displays and both can be controlled and scheduled using a computer or device (phone or tablet).

The ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control has Amazon Alexa built-in. It is voice-activated and has many of the features that come with Amazon Echo devices. The ecobee also comes with an added room sensor to provide more effective cooling and heating.

About 5-6 times per month, the thermostat will be adjusted remotely based on system-wide peak periods.

The events will be 4 hours total, which includes a one-hour pre-cool/pre-heat period and three hours of peak-saving adjustment. The control will follow this pattern:

Pre-cooling/pre-heating: +/- 2 degrees
First hour: +/- 2 degrees
Second hour: +/- 3 degrees
Third hour: +/- 4 degrees

SUMMER EXAMPLE

If you normally have your thermostat set to 75, a typical control event beginning at 3 p.m. would look like this:

3:00-4:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 73
4:00-5:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 77
5:00-6:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 78
6:00-7:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 79
After 7 p.m.: Thermostat returns to 75, control relinquished

WINTER EXAMPLE

If you normally have your thermostat set to 67, a typical control event beginning at 6 a.m. would look like this:

6:00-7:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 69
7:00-8:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 65
8:00-9:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 64
9:00-10:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 63
After 10 a.m.: Thermostat returns to 67, control relinquished

You’ll be notified of control during peak times on the device’s display with an option to override. You can override control up to 40 percent of the time. If you were to exceed 40 percent, a member is not eligible for participation credit per year.

When the cooperative purchases power, energy at those peak hours is more expensive. The more we can cut down on how much energy is used during those periods, the lower our power bill will be. We will use that savings to hold down costs for our members.

Not at all. The sun’s energy is a great, clean resource which we should utilize.

Every year the cost of solar energy systems decreases. Even with these decreases, the cost justification is heavily dependent upon government tax credits. Presently payback ranges between 9 and 12 years, but this could change drastically if incentives were to increase or decrease.

Yes! If your subscription produces more energy than your home consumes in one month, you will see a credit on your account, regardless of the amount.

Come by one of our offices or call our member services department at 803-684-4248 for specific details and pricing.

Standard text messaging rates will apply.

HELP – provides you with the contact information to our member services team and our website.

STOP – opts you out of future messages.

BAL – provides the current balance on your account.

PAY – will process payment by connecting to your online payment profile. Please note, you must add a payment profile on the online Member Portal before this feature will work.

OUTAGE – will report a power outage at your location.

CALL – provides the phone number to contact our member services team.

Reply STOP to cancel and opt-out at any time. Message and data rates may apply.

Log on to our Member Portal to update your account information.

First, make sure your cell phone number is populated in the mobile number option on your member profile. All data is pulled from what we have on file, so be sure to keep it current. Next, simply text JOIN to 352667 and follow the prompts. If your cell phone number is already in the database, you will need to text START to begin receiving alerts. Reply STOP to cancel and opt-out at any time. Message and data rates may apply.

Momentary outages occur when a disturbance on the line is detected. These disturbances could be caused by a lightning strike, a squirrel or tree branch contacting the line, or a downed line or outage in a nearby area, etc. If a fault or short circuit occurs on a power line, a device called a recloser opens to stop it and then quickly closes. This device allows power to continue flowing through the line with only a brief interruption of service rather than causing an extended power outage. Although the process is quick and usually temporary, it may cause your lights to blink. If the short circuit continues, the recloser will operate or ‘trip’ three times before eventually stopping the flow of electricity and causing a power outage. This process protects the lines from damage by cutting off power to the affected section of the line and isolating the problem until it can be repaired.

Causes of Power Outages & Blinks

Approximately 1,500 of the 3,500 miles of line YEC has are underground. The majority of new lines we install annually are underground, and we see this trend continuing as this has become the norm for new residential and commercial developments.

While we do replace some overhead lines with underground service throughout the year, it would be too much of a financial impact on the membership to replace our existing 2,000 miles of line underground. It is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and would take more than 10 years to complete. The impact on the rates we charge you, our members, would be tremendous. YEC’s linemen are extensively cross-trained in all areas of operation. It would not have a negative impact on them.

YEC is committed to building high-speed fiber internet networks as soon as South Carolina electric-cooperatives receive federal funding. Other SC electric cooperatives committed to doing so include Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Santee Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative.

The minimum requirement for ceiling insulation is R-30, but the recommendation is R-38-49. Proper insulation can cut energy costs by as much as half! Also, consider insulating outside walls, attics, spaces between floors, around heating ducts and pipes that are exposed to the elements. Insulate nooks and crannies such as wall outlets, gaps in siding and around the foundation, and holes around pipes, ducts, and exhaust fans.

Electric cooperatives were first formed in the 1930s when it became evident that established power companies were not ready to supply power to people living in rural America. The federal government established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to lend money for the construction of power lines outside population centers. Farmers and other rural residents formed cooperatives to borrow money from the REA and construct the needed lines.

YEC was founded in 1941 by a group of farmers and businessmen who realized that the only way to bring electric power to rural York County was to do it themselves. In March of 1941, 553 strong, these citizens began an endeavor that would change rural living in this area forever.

YEC’s capacity to supply dependable and affordable electric power also opened our rural areas to commerce and industry. New and diversified businesses came to the countryside, providing jobs, products, and services.

Since 1941, YEC has been an active community partner and a dynamic force in the area’s economic development. We continue to serve the homes, farms, and small businesses in our rural areas, but we now also serve a growing number of residential, commercial, and large industrial accounts in York County’s expanding population centers.

York Electric’s service territory continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas in the United States.