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Central Dispatch CGEMC Newsletter | August 2022

building tomorrow, together

Vision from a progressive board of directors, efforts from dedicated employees, and confidence from members like you, drive us to build the best tomorrow possible. We do this while holding true to our mission of providing the highest quality services at the lowest practicable cost. I am excited to share progress from our 2021 initiatives and preview some upcoming activities.

Construction on a system-wide fiber-to-the-home network commenced in June 2021. We celebrated the first connection to this network in late September. Nearly 13,000 Central Georgia EMC (CGEMC) service locations now have affordable gigabit-speed broadband available, and this network will reach almost 20,000 locations by the end of 2022! These efforts will not stop until all CGEMC members have this same fiber network access.

Building tomorrow together doesn’t stop with fiber. The year 2021 consisted of building over 40 miles of new electric facilities and nearly 1,500 new services. We continued building the number of carbon-free resources in our energy portfolio. Our natural gas subsidiary, Fuel Georgia, continued building its customer base, helping offset electric operating expenses for CGEMC members.

Though all of this building doesn’t come without a price, Central Georgia EMC has worked diligently to keep rates affordable. As a result, for the 10th consecutive year, CGEMC ranked among the three lowest-cost electric providers in all of Georgia.

Without you, our members, none of these accomplishments would be possible. We thank you for your confidence in the board of directors and employees to build tomorrow together for all CGEMC members.

2022 Annual Meeting
CGEMC Happenings

Welcome new employees

We have several new faces at CGEMC! Timothy Poole is our Director of Engineering. Logan Brake, Ryan Franklin, and Daryan Ingram have joined our Distribution team. We are excited to welcome them!

WE ♥ OUR RETIREES!

CGEMC was honored to host its retired employees for a special brunch. It was great to see so many familiar faces!

broadband update

Fiber-to-the-home update

Empower the Student In Your Life With Fiber Broadband!

Fiber internet from Connect, powered by Central Georgia EMC, will allow your student to return to school in style! Get ready for the school year with lightning-fast internet that will enable you to work hard on schooling during the day and play hard at night with endless entertainment options. This state-of-the-art fiber network will open the door for a more connected future for our students.

Enhancing education with fiber internet will allow students to:

  • Utilize online learning tools.
  • Save money by accessing online textbooks.
  • Video conference with no buffering and lag.
  • Download and upload files at the same high speeds.

The possibilities are endless with fiber!

Check availability and learn more at www.conexonconnect.com/centralgeorgiaemc. You can also call Connect at 1-844-542-6663 if you would rather speak to someone on the phone.

understanding your cgemc bill

Central Georgia EMC (CGEMC) wants to help you understand how your bill is calculated. The three main components of a CGEMC bill that nearly all members have in common are Usage, Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment, and Taxes. The Usage category is comprised of the applicable monthly service charge (to cover account administration, power distribution, capacity, and other related expenses), plus the appropriate charge per kilowatt-hour of energy.

The Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment is designed to recover excess costs associated with generation fuel and, ultimately, the cost of electricity delivered to CGEMC members. CGEMC delivers energy that is generated using a variety of fuel types. The price of some of these fuels is usually low and consistent, while the remainder varies in cost (similar to other commodities). The Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment listed on your bill may vary in response to power cost fluctuations.

No one enjoys paying taxes, but they are necessary in today's world. Energy sales are taxed at the local and state levels. Local tax rates vary by the county in which electric service is delivered, while the current state tax rate on electricity sales is 4%. Taxes are itemized on your CGEMC bill by type.

In addition to the components described above, your CGEMC bill may have line items for other products or services like yard lights, surge protection, or participation in Operation Round Up. If you ever have questions about your CGEMC bill, our friendly customer service team is available to serve as your trusted energy adviser.

holiday closing

The Central Georgia EMC office will be closed Monday, September 5. In the event of a power outage, please call our 24-hour automated system at 770-775-7857 or 1-800-222-4877 for an immediate response. System Operators are on duty to assist you.

System Inspections

CGEMC has contracted with Cappstone Energy Group LLC to perform system inspections in Henry county. Cappstone Energy Group LLC technicians will have signs on their vehicles (pickup trucks and UTVs) identifying them as CGEMC contractors. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact CGEMC at 770-775-7857.

plug into solar

Cooperative Solar block sales are on the rise! Summer days provide longer production hours, and our solar field additions offer increased reliability. Cooperative Solar allows you to reap the benefits of clean energy by adding affordable and renewable solar power to your monthly energy mix. Even renters can participate!

Cooperative Solar is available in 1-kilowatt (kW) blocks at an affordable $19 per month, per block. Best of all, you will receive a credit on your monthly bill for kilowatt-hours (kWh) generated by your solar energy block(s). Request your blocks today!

Call 770-775-7857 or 1-800-222-4877 to learn more about adding solar energy to your monthly energy mix.

In July, the Central Georgia EMC Foundation awarded $12,260 in grants to charitable organizations in our territory.

Qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations in our service territory are invited to submit an application to the Central Georgia EMC Foundation.

Through Operation Round Up, our members support local organizations with a mission to make our communities even better places to live, work, and dream big. By simply rounding up your monthly electric bill to the next dollar, you can join in! Our pennies add up to make BIG CHANGE!

Qualifying organizations are invited to submit an application to the Operation Round Up Foundation. The Foundation Board will review grant requests and administer the funds, based on the merit of each grant application and available funds.

co-op connections deals

Save On Summer Fun With Co-op Connections!

This summer make sure to check out our exclusive travel deals so you can reach your dream destination for less. You can save on:

  • Flights
  • Hotels
  • Cruises
  • Car rentals
  • And more!

Visit www.connections.coop to sign up. This is a free benefit of your membership with Central Georgia EMC.

Add Your Local Business

Local businesses are invited to join the Co-op Connections program! Click the link below. It is simple and free!

a smarter way to Beat the heat

Hot weather can equal more electricity use. Smart home gadgets can help you create a more energy-efficient home and save electricity year-round.

Did you know that smart thermostats can save you 10-20% on heating and cooling expenditures, which are a primary source of household energy use?

Also, LED lightbulbs use at least 75% less energy and can be dimmed or turned off remotely to save even more energy.

Add smart plugs and smart power strips to help cut standby power use (when appliances use energy even when turned off), and you will be ready to beat the heat!

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Recipe of the Month

Submit your original recipes to marketing@cgemc.com. Published recipes receive a $20 bill credit!

Do you have the cgemc mobile app?

It's free and easy to use! Download the CGEMC Mobile App today!

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Credits:

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