November 2023 EnergyWiseSM Tip: Electric Vehicle Charging

Buying products that bear the Energy Star label is a surefire way to save electricity around the house. But the government doesn’t require energy-efficiency labels for ovens. So it’s up to you to conserve energy as you prepare your meals. Here’s how: · Use the microwave rather than the conventional oven whenever you can. Microwaves use half as much energy as the oven and cook food faster. · Preparing a small meal? Cook it in a portable appliance like an electric frying pan, grill or toaster oven. These small appliances eat up about two-thirds less electricity than an oven’s broiler. · Cook as much of an oven-baked meal at once as possible. Variations in heat of 25 degrees in either direction will still brown your food nicely. · Skip the preheating, especially when broiling or roasting. · If you need to rearrange your oven shelves, do it before you turn the oven on. That helps you waste less heat by opening the door of a heated oven—and it can prevent burns. · Avoid opening the door while your food is cooking. · Wipe up minor oven spills with a damp cloth and use the oven’s self-cleaning cycle only for major messes. And when you need the self-cleaner, run it right after you prepare a meal when the oven is already hot. · And, of course, never use an electric oven as a room heater or to dry damp clothes.

Now that April showers have passed, it’s a good time to check your home’s electrical system. The ground fault circuit interrupters—or GFCIs—that prevent electrocution could be damaged by power surges during storms. A GFCI, which can be part of an electrical receptacle or circuit breaker, trips the circuit when it detects ground faults or leaky currents. It protects the user of electrical equipment from electrocution by shutting off the electric path to that appliance. Nearly 50 percent of the 400 electrocutions that occur each year could be prevented by using GFCIs, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International. Even when homes do have GFCIs, the foundation says, most homeowners don’t know how often to test them. You should test yours every month, and again after power surges, to check for damage. Here’s how to test your GFCIs: Push the “reset” button on the GFCI receptacle to prepare the unit for testing. Plug a lamp into the GFCI and turn it on. The lamp’s bulb should light up. Push the GFCI’s “test” button. The lamp should turn itself off. Push the “reset” button again. The lamp should turn on again. If the lamp doesn’t turn itself off when you push the “test” button, that means your GFCI is on the fritz. To fix it, call a licensed electrician.

When water gets into your laundry room—whether it’s from a broken washing machine hose or a late spring storm—your best bet is to treat it like an electrical emergency. If you know a storm is coming, it’s a good idea to unplug your washing machine, dryer and other major appliances. If a lightning strike causes a power surge, your appliances could get damaged or even ruined. If you haven’t unplugged your appliances and stormwater gets indoors, minimize your risk of electrocution by waiting for the water to recede and then shutting off the power supply. Do not do this while standing in water. Do not touch your power cords during a surge or if your appliances are sitting in water. Also, shut off the hot and cold-water supply lines. Don’t touch anything until you do that; as you know, water and electricity absolutely do not mix. Next, call an appliance repair professional, an electrician or a plumber to assess the damage to your washer and dryer. Don’t turn on your washer and dryer after they get wet, even if they have air-dried. According to Consumer Reports, turning on appliances too soon could shock or electrocute you if their interior components are still wet. It can also ruin your appliances.

It doesn’t make sense to put an air conditioning system in a garage because the cool air will leak right through the door, ceiling and walls. But you can keep the space a bit more comfortable this summer by adding insulation. Insulated walls, ceilings and doors can block the heat so it doesn’t penetrate to the inside of the garage, and they can keep the cool, conditioned air indoors where it belongs. In the winter, it can help keep the cold air out. If you need a new garage door, choose an energy-efficient model, which can reduce energy loss through the garage door by up to 71 percent, according to manufacturer Clopay.

If the air inside your house is dusty, it might mean your air conditioning ducts have sprung leaks. If you’re changing your air conditioner filter regularly, it will trap dust and pollutants that get into the indoor air so they never make their way into the duct system—or back into the air. But if the ducts have tiny holes or cracks or joints that aren’t well-sealed, dust can bypass the filter and sneak directly into the ducts. Once dust gets in there, the duct system will blow it all over the house. Dust in the ducts and in the air can raise the temperature in your home and force your air conditioning system to operate inefficiently and struggle to keep your home cool during the summer. It's well worth it to have the ducts of your air conditioning system sealed at the joints. Not only will it prevent dust from flying around your house, it could reduce your air conditioning bills this summer. The average house loses about 20 percent of its conditioned air through ducts that are improperly installed or are leaking at the joints.

By: NPPD Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer

A springtime tune-up can prevent your air conditioning system from going on the fritz later, when the weather is so hot that you won’t want to be without the a/c for even a few hours. It typically costs less than $150 to have a professional inspection of your system, and it’s well worth the money. Some contractors offer an annual preventive maintenance agreement, which will cost a few hundred dollars a year and typically includes a fall and spring inspection of your HVAC system and discounts on repairs and equipment. A better deal most often is to pay as you go for individual inspections. Either way, your cooling system will get attention from a qualified, licensed service technician who is trained to spot problems that most homeowners overlook. The tech might even alert you if a small repair now will prevent your family from sweltering this summer during an a/c breakdown.

Southwest Public Power District located in southwest Nebraska, has an opening for the position of Engineering Technician. Duties include, but are not limited to, assisting in the maintenance of the District’s geographic information system (GIS), system planning and improvements, and implementing technology as required to improve the distribution systems. The District operating hours are a compressed work schedule with every other Friday off. This position requires passing a pre-employment drug and alcohol test. Southwest Public Power District offers an excellent wage and benefit package, including paid vacation, sick leave, paid health insurance, and funded retirement plan. Southwest Public Power District is an equal opportunity employer. Southwest Public Power District’s headquarters office is in Palisade, Nebraska. The region’s schools, small communities, and recreational opportunities make it a great place to live and raise a family. Interested individuals must email a resume, including job training and three references to: Gary Hanken – garyh@swppd.com . Position will be open until filled. Job Description as follows: SUMMARY The Engineering Technician will work with the System Engineer to meet the goals and duties of the Engineering Department. Assists in the maintenance of the District’s geographic information system (GIS), in planning for new loads and system improvements, and implements technology as required to improve the planning design of the distribution system. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Within the limits of approved board policies, operating guides and procedures, assumes responsibility and has commensurate authority for the following activities: A. Obeys all safety rules, policies, and procedures. B. Assists with system planning studies, engineering, metering, and staking. C. Provides necessary GIS data, drawings, and assistance required by employees to aid in the planning, design, analysis, installation, and maintenance of the electric distribution system D. Have working knowledge of and ability to use the following systems in use by the District: Meridian/CIS; AMI; GIS; OMS; Staking; and work order system. E. Perform updates and maintenance of the SCADA system as directed. F. Prepares specialized map files, spreadsheets and database applications to provide technical support and analysis. G. Be available for load management duties as needed. H. Answers telephone calls in a courteous and efficient manner; operates radio between office and field personnel as directed. I. Know the District policies and procedures. J. Performs other duties as necessary or assigned. JOB REQUIREMENTS A. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: A high school diploma or general education degree (GED) is mandatory. At least one year related administrative or equivalent utility experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience is also required. Experience in dealing with the public is desirable. B. JOB KNOWLEDGE: The following knowledge and skill levels are needed to fulfill the requirements of this position: Must possess a working knowledge of electrical principles; Knowledge of construction/staking units; and legal land descriptions. Training can be provided in identified areas of weakness. This position requires the ability to multi-task, learn various software packages used by the District, and have GIS/drafting/mapping experience. C. COMPUTER SKILLS: This position requires the ability to use office equipment such as computers, printers, copiers, plotters, calculators, fax machines, and two-way radio equipment. The employee must have a working knowledge of basic computer programs, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access and Outlook). This position also requires the use of industry-specific programs, for which training will be provided. It is beneficial for the employee to have experience working with databases and file systems. D. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: Valid Nebraska driver’s license. Additional training and certificates necessary to perform utility line work as needed. E. PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Night, weekend, and/or holiday work may be required.

Nothing spoils a fun day of Easter egg hunting like an accident involving electricity. Here are eight tips for hiding eggs safely: · If you’re hiding some of the eggs indoors, steer clear of electrical outlets, plugs, light sockets and extension cords. · Outdoors, avoid placing eggs near air conditioning units, low-hanging overhead wires or in trees near electric lines. · Pick up anything on the ground that the children could trip on. They’ll be focusing on finding eggs, not their footing. · Same goes for holes and uneven patches of ground in your yard. · Place eggs well within the boundaries of your lawn. Don’t put them close to the street or driveways. · Bushes are great hiding places for eggs—and also for bees, snakes and other critters that you won’t want your children near. · Avoid bushes that are thorny or have recently been sprayed with pesticides. · Hide your eggs no more than two hours before the hunt so they don’t spoil.