News Archive

High electric bills can cause you to break a sweat if you don’t take steps to save energy and limit your electricity use. However, there are simple and easy ways to save on your electric bill. Visit www.membersfirst.coop/summer-energy-efficiency-tips and www.hoecoop.org/energysavingtips for home cooling tips.

The large outages from last evening have been restored. Due to damages from last night’s storm, HOEC crews will be making repairs to a damaged pole. To safely make these repairs, electrical service will have to be interrupted; this will affect approximately 340 HOEC members in the Thayer area this morning. Due to the nature of these repairs, we cannot give an estimate on restoration time. We appreciate your patience as we work to safely address the situation.

This is at the intersection of E Hwy and KK Hwy earlier tonight. Our crews are having to navigate floods, high winds and several downed trees as they check out lines and work to restore power.

You may notice your electric bill being higher in the summer months due to extreme temperatures. Although the temperature is out of your control, there are many day-to-day things that you can control to help reduce your energy use. The next time you are doing laundry, keep these energy efficiency tips in mind to save: Laundry Tips.

HOEC has received reports of pole inspectors who are entering property without respect. The description has been of a white van. Please be advised, this is NOT HOEC. Our pole inspectors travel in red trucks and our contractors are generally in white trucks, not vans. HOEC employees should always have an employee ID they can show you, and/or you can call the cooperative office to verify they are who they say they are.

July is National Grilling Month! Cooking outside can save energy. By using a grill instead of your oven or stove, you can lower energy consumption and keep your home cooler. Plus, grilling is a fun and delicious way to enjoy the great outdoors! Learn more ways to save energy and money: www.membersfirst.coop/energy-efficiency.

The Sho-Me Power substation in Winona just had mechanical failure and the Sho-Me Power crews are in route. This impacts members in the Birch Tree to Winona area.

Weather forecasts are calling for extreme temperatures and heat indexes today. We’re issuing a PEAK ALERT and encouraging HOEC members to reduce their electricity usage from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The extreme heat and longer run time on HVAC units could set a peak that affects power costs in the future.

We request that you use these ideas to minimize your household’s electric usage:

For nearly a century, America’s electric grid has lived up to its reputation as a one of the world’s greatest technological marvels, capable of delivering power to millions of residents and businesses safely, affordably, and - most important - reliably. But lately, that reliability has been called into question, with new government regulations forcing the disorderly closure of always-on power plants in favor of renewables, and demand exceeding supply during critical times in several regions of the country.

If severe weather joins you on your next fishing trip, head for shore and take shelter: https://safeelectricity.org/lightning-safety-practiced-every-time-storms/.