Regular office hours at Farmers' Electric Cooperative are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

201 West Business 36, P.O. Box 680
Chillicothe, Missouri 64601
Phone: 660-646-4281
Fax: 660-646-3569
Toll Free: 1-800-279-0496

REPORTING POWER OUTAGES

Should you lose power at your residence or business please use the following guidelines:

1) Check your breakers or fuses;

2) Check, if possible, to see if your neighbors have power;

3) Then, call 24-hour, toll-free number: 1-800-927-5334.

The FEC crew in your area will be contacted and dispatched immediately to restore your service as quickly as possible.

Download our "Getting Back On Line" primer here (985KB PDF file).

AUTOMATED ATTENDANT
The telephone lines at the cooperative office in Chillicothe are answered by an automated attendant. When you call either the 646-4281 or 1-800-279-0496 number you will hear the following: "Thank you for calling Farmers’ Electric Cooperative. To make a payment, press 9. If you know your party's extension, you may dial it now. Otherwise, dial Zero (0) or remain on the line to speak to the operator."

PHONE EXTENSIONS

• Payment 9
• Capital Credits 10
• Member Services 11
• Billing 12
• Connect/Disconnect 16
• Tree Replacement 26
• New Construction 39

To report a power outage, please call 1-800-927-5334. This toll free telephone number is manned 24-hours-a-day. You may also pay your bill any time of day by credit card, debit card or e-check at this number.

In conjunction with the PAMS program, FEC opened a 24-hour payment telephone line. Members wishing to use the telephone payment option, may call 1-800-927-5334 and use a debit or a credit card to make their payment.

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"Green Power" purchases of electricity continue to be offered by Farmers' Electric Cooperative to its members. Green power is electricity that is generated from renewable sources, such as wind turbines, hyrdopower and solar. For example, the cooperatives in the state of Missouri are currently purchasing all of the wind generation being produced in Missouri.

Electricity from renewable sources is more expensive to generate than power from coal-fired power plants. FEC members who choose to buy blocks of renewable energy will pay an additional 2.59 cents per kilowatt hour per block of 100 kWh’s per month. You may purchase more than one block of green power, or renewable energy, if you so choose.

The renewable energy is sold in blocks of 100 kilowatt hours and must be purchased on an annual basis. If you are interested in purchasing Green Power print, then fill out the coupon and return it to our office. As of November, 2008, the wind generating units in this state can provide power to about 40,000 Missouri homes, when operating at full capacity. More wind farms are expected to be constructed in north Missouri before the end of this decade and on into the future. Additional renewable technologies are being developed in which the goal is to make these types of energy sources more affordable to the general public.

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FEC's Rebate Program to Change January 1, 2010

FEC's 2010 REBATE PROGRAM
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 8, 2010

This program will be in effect until modified or terminated. Rebates will be paid to those persons whose equipment meets the following qualifications and who make application for the rebate within 90 days after the installation. Only member/owners of Farmers’ Electric Cooperative are eligible for the rebate. Member/owners applying for the rebate must agree to include the 
appliance in the Cooperative’s load management program, as well as approve a five-year electric service agreement with the cooperative. All rebated appliances must be installed in permanent facilities served directly by FEC. Mobile homes must have hitch and axles removed. Installations are subject to inspection by a representative of the Cooperative. If you have any questions please contact FEC's Member Services Department at (660) 646-4281 or 1-800-279-0496, then dial "11" when the automated phone attendant answers the telephone.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS
FEC will sell all members an American-made energy efficient 40-gallon or 50-gallon electric water heater for $275 plus tax. Each water heater must have its own electric power source and must not be coupled to any other water heater. FEC will also install the water heater for member/owners at a flat fee of $100, plus the cost of materials. Member/owners are not required to use the cooperative's installation service. Members purchasing an electric water heater from another business and applying for the rebate must purchase and install a unit 40 gallons in size or larger. FEC will reimburse the member/owner $50 for a gas-to-electric conversion or a new home installation if the Energy Star electric water heater is purchased at another business. Tankless water heaters and stock tank heaters do not qualify for a rebate. FEC will deliver water heaters to member/owners who plan to install the unit themselves or have another company install the unit for a $30¬ fee. Members who wish to purchase an 80-gallon electric water heater in an electric-to-electric replacement will pay $493.81 plus tax. Members wishing to purchase an 80-gallon water heater in a gas-to-electric conversion or new home installation will pay $275. Members are also eligible for a $50 rebate for an electric-to-electric replacement only if the new water heater is an Energy Star unit and replaces an electric water heater that did not qualify for Energy Star status. The make, model and serial number from the old unit must be provided.

After January 1, 2007, FEC will provide service to repair malfunctioning water heaters for a flat fee of $40, which includes the cost of parts, on water heaters purchased through the cooperative after the January 1 date. Water heaters that were obtained by the member prior to the January 1, 2007 date will still be under the free maintenance agreement until that unit is deemed irreparable.

ADD-ON HEAT PUMPS (DUAL FUEL SYSTEMS)
Electric heat pumps added to a fossil fuel (propane or natural gas) system to provide cooling and partial heating. Must have a set point of 25 degrees. Rebate for the Add-On Heat Pump system will be as follows: 14.5 SEER and higher will be $150 per ton. FEC will control only the cooling side of the heat pump during the summer load management program.

GEOTHERMAL (GROUND SOURCE) HEAT PUMPS
Unit must meet federal guidelines for energy efficiency. Specific installation guidelines apply to receive the rebate. Installation must be sized to the heating load of the structure. Horizontal loop length will be a minimum of 600 feet per ton, with the exception of the use of a slinky loop, which will be sized a minimum of 700 feet per ton. Vertical loops will be 180 feet of vertical bore per ton. Rebate schedule is $600 per ton and is not brand specific. Replacement of a GSHP with a second GSHP will qualify for a $150 per ton rebate. The GSHP will be installed with a Delta T of 80. A Manual J calculation will be used to support the Delta T. FEC will control only the cooling side of the heat pump during the summer load management program. Attic insulation must be have at least an R-45 value to receive the rebate.

ENERGY STAR APPLIANCES
FEC will rebate the purchase and installation of the following Energy Star appliances: Energy Star Dishwasher, $50; Energy Star Clothes Washer, $100. A copy of the receipt, which includes the appliance model and serial number, as well as information which will verify or allow FEC to verify the Energy Star rating.

Application for rebates must be completed and signed before the rebate monies will be issued.

Download our Water Heater rebate application form here.

Download our Dual Fuel Heat Pump rebate application form here.

Download our Ground Source Heat Pump rebate application form here.

Specific guidelines do apply. Contact Member Services with questions!

Energy Star label on some electric appliances can be misleading
October, 2009 Rural Missouri

There is an advertising campaign underway that is attempting to mislead readers by adding the Energy Star label to its product. The product is entitled The World Famous Heat Surge Miracle Heater. The heater is actually made in China and the mantle and hearth are allegedly made by the Amish community.

The Energy Star label is available for purchase by manufacturers for the purpose of providing buyers with information that will save them money on their energy bills. However, when the Energy Star label is applied to a portable electric heater, it is important to remember that every portable electric heater on the market today has the exact same efficiency...100 percent.

Full size electric furnaces are also rated as 100 percent efficient. However, electric furnaces are considered expensive to operate. If electric furnaces are considered expensive to operate, why is it a portable electric unit with the same efficiency is considered inexpensive to operate? Doesn’t make sense does it? The manner in which the companies promote portable electric heaters is extremely misleading.

Their approach to saving you money is to place the portable electric heating unit in the room where your thermostat is located. The companies then tell you to turn your thermostat down to as low as it can go and let the portable unit heat your home. When you turn your thermostat down to its lowest setting, you must understand that the rest of your house will become very cold, because the main heating system in your home has essentially been turned off. If you add additional portable electric units throughout your home you must remember this is an expensive form of heat. For example, the efficiencies of heat pumps are all in excess of 300 percent until outside temperatures drop under 20 degrees. Whenever you use multiple heating appliances, it is more than likely you are going to add to your energy bill. Remember, if something sounds to good to be true, it probably is.

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GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) are the ultimate in heating and cooling your residence or business. The geothermal system capitalizes on the Earth’s constant 55-60 degree temperature to provide inexpensive heating and cooling. The system uses three main components: the heat pump unit, which is installed indoors, the pipe loop buried in the Earth, and the pump to circulate fluid through the loop.

Ground Source Heat Pumps are:

• Safe: No fumes or combustible gas.
• Efficient: Over 350% efficient!
• Ecological: Works with Mother Nature, conserving natural resources.
• Low Maintenance: Installed indoors and protected from summer and winter temperatures. Piping is warranted for 50 years.
• Long Lifespan: The average lifespan of a GSHP is 27 years.

Here is a list of ground source heat pump installers.

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DUAL-FUEL SYSTEMS

If the constantly changing price of propane has you ready for a change, it's time you installed a dual-fuel heating and cooling system.

During an average winter, with a dual-fuel system you only have to purchase one tank of propane, so you can fill your tank when propane is at its lowest price—avoiding the wild price swings that are so common and so expensive with propane. At Farmers' Electric Cooperative, we don't raise our electric rates when you need us the most. Our goal remains the same: to provide our member-owners with rate stability as well as safe, reliable electric service.

AOHP & Dual Fuel Installers:

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SURGE PROTECTION

Protect your investment with our surge program.

Farmers' Electric can provide a system of surge protectors and arrestors that will protect your valuable appliances from voltage "spikes" and lightning strikes. Contact FEC's offices to have your surge protection package installed or complete the attached Lease agreement and send it along with a $30 refundable deposit to the cooperative. We will install the main unit at the meter within a few working days and will deliver the remaining devices at that time. Please read the lease carefully. The charge for the service is $4.95 per month, and it is included in your monthly bill the same way a security light is billed.

If you have questions about the program, contact Joe Hardie at the cooperative.

Click here to view and/or print our Lease Agreement! (pdf file)

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LOAD MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Farmers' Electric's Load Management Program allows the member/owner to take an active role in helping to keep electric rates as low as possible. The Load Management Program is operated through your cooperative’s SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system.

Through the use of the SCADA system, FEC can rotate water heaters, as well as air conditioners and the cooling side of heat pumps, off and on. This "controlling" or management of the cooperative's system load lowers the electrical demand the Farmers' distribution system places on its power supplier, Associated Electric Cooperative. By lowering its system demand, FEC reduces its power bill, which directly impacts your electric rate.

Load Management through The Switch Team
One of the most effective means for reducing peaks and lowering systemwide demand is through energy management. Feasibility studies have shown that energy management can save your cooperative millions of dollars over the next decade, but this depends upon the cooperative efforts of everyone. By participating in your cooperative’s Switch Team Program you can make a difference in the future of your electric rates for years to come.

Residential homes are considered the greatest source of potential reductions in peak energy demand. They are the largest contributors, as a whole, to the daily peak late in each day when water heating, air conditioning and electric heating demands are the greatest. These units place the greatest demands for electricity during peak periods, yet they are the most easily managed. By allowing your cooperative to control your electric water heater and your air conditioner or the cooling side of a heat pump, you are taking an active role in helping to maintain your current electric rate for as long as possible.

How does The Switch Team work?

A radio signal is sent from our main office to Communication Carrier Units (CCU's) in each of our substations. The CCU interprets the signal and sends the signal through the power lines from the substation to your home. The Switch receives the signal from the power line and is activated. A typical peak alert averages three hours in length. FEC averages about three peak alerts a month over a 12-month period.

Water heaters are usually controlled in a rotation scenario. For example: Group A and B may be turned off for one hour before being turned back on while Group C and D are rotated off for a period of time.

Air conditioners and heat pumps are controlled differently. The compressor is controlled 7 1/2 minutes in each 30-minute period. The Switch is attached to the unit’s thermostat wire, which allows the fan to blow the cool air that is already in the house until the 7 1/2-minuted time period has elapsed.

FEC does not control the heating side of heat pumps, furnaces or any other appliance in a member's residence or business.

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APPLIANCE ENERGY USE

How To Figure Appliance Energy Usage

The first step in determining the energy your appliance uses is to examine the serial plat located on the bottom or the back of the appliance. Let's say the serial plate lists the power use at 200 watts and you used the appliance eight hours last month. Just multiply the number of watts times the number of hours you used the appliance.

In this case, you would multiply 200 times eight hours (1,600) This gives you the number of watt-hours for that appliance. Divide the number of watt-hours by 1,000, which gives you a kilowatt hour measurement (Remember, one kilowatt equals 1,000 watt-hours). Then multiply your answer times the costs of each kWh.

Here’s how it should look:

200 watts X 8 hours = 1,600 watt-hours
1,600 watt-hours = 1.6kWh
1,000
1.6 kWh X .08 (cents) = .13 cents

At times, the wattage won’t appear on the serials plate. Instead, the serial plate will have the number of amps the appliance uses. In this case you need to convert amps to watts to calculate the kilowatt hours. This is easily accomplished with the following formula:

Give the office a call today and ask for the "Home Appliance Energy Usage" brochure.

HOME ENERGY AUDIT

Sign up now for a home energy audit and save money every day. (July, 2010)

Home Energy Audits Will Reveal Problem Areas in Residences
Full energy audit fees are halved for Farmers’' Electric members; Lowering your energy usage is our goal

On October 1, Farmers'  Electric Cooperative began offering a service to its members that will result in lower energy usage at the residence if FEC recommendations are followed. Home energy audits, which are a thorough examination of a residence that reveals where energy efficiency weaknesses exist, will continue to be offered to FEC members at a discounted price.

FEC members may also take advantage of the cooperative’s new Incentive Plus Program and receive 50% of the cost of their energy efficiency efforts up to $500.

"There are two ways in which members can lower their monthly energy usage," explained Steve Shoot, FEC Manager of Member Services. "Members can make changes in their lifestyle, such as lowering thermostats in the winter, or they can spend a little money to make their home more energy efficient. It's best to do both." Adding insulation, caulking around doors and windows, replacing older heating and cooling systems, replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, and replacing old inefficient appliances with Energy Star appliances are just a few ways in which members can become more efficient in managing the energy usage in their home.

It is important to note that FEC already offers rebates to its members on specific heating and cooling systems, as well as several Energy Star appliances and water heaters. The Incentive Plus Program is not designed to provide further assistance in purchasing these Energy Star appliances. The program is designed to assist in the purchase and installation of, for example, insulation in attic and wall areas.

FEC already offers its members free CFL light bulbs through its Light Bulb Swap Program. [NOTE: If you have a burned out compact fluorescent light (CFL) or one that has been broken, you can drop them off at the FEC office in Chillicothe, and we will dispose of the CFL. We have purchased CFL disposal containers and we are making them available to FEC members.]

The Blower Door energy audit is an excellent tool in which you can determine where the energy robbing leaks are in your home. Plus, our employees will also perform at 75-point walk-through examination of your house. While FEC employees will examine the home in its entirety, they will also use a blower door to precisely locate all of the areas in the house in which air infiltrates your home. The Blower Door with Duct Blasting energy audit takes the overall audit of the home one additional step. The duct blasting equipment is used to determine if there are any leaks in the ductwork of the home, which can be a major waste of heating and cooling energy.

Following the home energy audit, a computer program is also generated for the member to provide specific recommendations as to how they can improve the energy efficiency of the home. If all of the recommendations are completed by the member/homeowner, they become eligible to receive the Incentive Plus Program funds. Contact Joe Hardie or Stan Hayward to schedule your home energy audit at 646-4281or 800-279-0496 before winter arrives.

The Department of Energy's web site lets you perform your own home energy audits: http://hes.lbl.gov/. This site will allows you to determine energy costs and any changes that could be made to improve your home's efficiency.

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SECURITY LIGHTS

Security lighting for your peace of mind...

Dusk-to-Dawn lights are available for installation on FEC poles.

Farmers' will install and maintain a 175 watt Mercury Vapor (MV) light on a meter pole or transformer pole at your location. The installation is free. The light is installed in front of the meter and does not contribute to the member's electric bill. The member pays $8.00 per month to have the light. The cooperative is responsible for any repairs that may become necessary, including bulb replacement and photocell replacement.

Key Benefits

• Have security lighting around your home from "dusk-to-dawn".
• Pay a flat rate for the lighting service.
• No initial cost or maintenance costs that would be associated with self-owned lighting.

Contact us for more information!

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NET METERING

Missouri's Net Metering and Easy Connect Act requires retail electric suppliers to make net metering available to customers who have their own electric generation units. However, these units must meet specific criteria. For example, to qualify for net metering the electric generation units must be powered by a renewable resource. Net metering is simply the member receiving credit for the electricity they generate in lieu of receiving electricity supplied by the electric utility, in this case, Farmers’ Electric Cooperative.

Net metering provides members with the security of a grid connection with FEC and compensation for any excess power produced by the member's renewable power source for any electricity placed into the grid. FEC has a net metering agreement for interconnection with a distributed generation source.

Net metering will be made available to customers on a first-come, first-serve basis until the total rated generating capacity of the net-metering systems equals five percent of the FEC's single-hour peak load during the previous year.

Click here for provisions on net metering...

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PRE-PAY METERING AVAILABLE TO FARMERS' ELECTRIC MEMBER-OWNERS (PAMS)

FEC members may pre-pay for any electricity they use. This payment option will allow members to choose their own payment schedule, purchase electricity when it is convenient, and monitor their daily usage. Plus, the member can avoid paying a deposit when they first sign up for FEC membership; or, if they have an existing deposit, this will be applied to their bill. Once the deposit has been used up, the member moves to the pre-payment option for the rest of their electrical needs.

"This program gives members another option," said Steve Shoot, Manager of Member Services for FEC. "The member becomes more responsible for the usage at the meter." Shoot said members who participate in the program would not receive any penalty fees for late payments or high fees as a result of a disconnected meter. It is the responsibility of the member to remember to make their payment before the pre-payment funds expire.

Members who sign up for this option will be able to check their account balances daily, as well as their account kilowatt hour usage. The program, known as PAMS, Prepaid Account Management System, will also send out an alert to each member whenever the account drops to a specific monetary level, which is chosen by the member.

The member has the choice of contact method, as well. The member can be contacted by e-mail or by telephone. In conjunction with the PAMS program, FEC has opened a 24-hour payment telephone line, too. Members wishing to use the telephone payment option, may call 1-800-927-5334 and use a debit or a credit card to make their payment. Members do not have to be signed up for the PAMS program to take advantage of the telephone payment method, Shoot said.

Paying your bill may also be done online.

BILL PAYMENT OPTIONS
Farmers' Electric members have a number of options in which to make their bill payment. Several hundred members have already taken advantage of being able to pay online. Members may also pay by telephone 24 hours-a-day by calling 1-800-927-5334. FEC members also have additional options, including automatic bank drafting, levelized billing, credit card payments and more.

For any member to pay online they must register with FEC. This protects the identity of any individuals account. The application can be found here on our web site. Members can also receive the application by contacting the cooperative office, and it will be e-mailed, faxed or mailed to you.

Members paying online or through the new telephone payment program may use a credit card, debit card or e-check. Also available to members is the no-deposit pre-pay metering option, which allows the member to choose their own payment schedule, purchase electricity when it is convenient and monitor their daily usage.

Pay Online: FEC members may use online services to make a payment with a debit or credit card or E-check, check out their capital credit allocations over the years, look at their billing records for the previous 12 months, and more. Members must complete this application to enroll in the e-Business program. Download and print the application, then just follow the directions / fill in the blanks and mail or fax it back to the office in Chillicothe.

Members will need to create a password and use their account number (or member number) to gain access to their personal records. Members may also be able to store their credit card information with only the last four numbers of the card being visible so they don't have to look up the number every time they use the e-Business program. The e-Business Member Login is protected by SSL technology, verified by Geotrust.