Charging Education With Electric Vehicles by Mel Coleman

Messengerthe

A monthly publication of North Arkansas Electric CooperativeVolume XLVIII, No. 4 - April 2013

Operation Round Up 2013 Scholarship Application now available online at

www.naeci.comAll graduating seniors

seeking higher educationare eligible to apply.Deadline to apply is

Wednesday, April 19th.

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Changes to Extension of Facilities Policy Effective April 1, 2013

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative will be implementing changes to the Extension of Facilities Policy effective April 1, 2013. These changes, which have been approved by the Arkansas Public Commission, include the following: 1. Line extension deposits will be refunded at an amount equal to 20% of actual energy bill used over that year. Any deposit not refunded after five-years will be for forfeited. 2. NAEC will no longer extend service to an extension between 1,320 – 2,640 feet at one-half the cost of the line on permanent residences. These types of extension will require a charge of an extension deposit. NAEC will still extend service to any “permanent” residence or installation within the 1,320 feet of an existing line without charge of an extension deposit. Additionally, the surge program offered by North Arkansas Electric will now supply two outlet protectors for any member that signs up for surge after April 1, 2013. NAEC will no longer install a secondary arrestor at the transformer.

Students from across Arkansas will compete in the 10th Annual Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas Electric Vehicle Rally at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds on Friday, April 19. Currently, 27 schools in Arkansas have the electric ve-hicles. Students will participate in competitions designed to test their knowledge level and their vehicle’s performance. During the day-long competition, students showcase the knowledge they have gained from an electric vehicle-based curriculum and display their driving skills. The students test the acceleration, braking and handling of the vehicles they built. The contest is weighed heavily on academic skills. Here are a few questions (and answers) from past quiz bowl competitions. • A device that uses two coils and an iron core to change the voltage across an object or material is a ________. Answer: Transformer • In a DC motor, the ___________ conducts current from the brushes to the armature. Answer: Commutator. • If you double the speed of an object, you increase its kinetic energy by a factor of ______. Answer: Four • He discovered that when a current-bearing wire is held near a compass the needle is deflected. Answer: Who was Hans Oersted. Did you know the answers? Many of the students did and will! The competitors work hard to prepare for the rally and take the competition very seriously. They gain a great level of knowledge and practical understanding of electric vehicles, physics, mathematics and other academic areas. The Electric Vehicle Program motivates students to be excited about learning and exploring, both in academic and hands-on settings. It shows how real-world applica-tions of classroom instruction can accelerate the learning process. Although the students and teachers are very competitive, they have shown a great deal of sportsmanship and perfect manners over the past 10 years. Often-

Did you know that approxi-mately 65 percent of online adults use social media sites to network daily. As such, North Arkansas Electric Cooperative has joined this new form of communication and is reaching out to its members. The spring storm season is approaching and North Arkansas Electric Cooperative is in constant contact with the National Weather Service in Little Rock and Tulsa. The cooperative is making every effort to keep members informed of inclement weather that could cause power outages through its Twitter and Facebook pages. Other infor-mation such as planned outages and upcoming events will also be posted/tweeted. Follow us on Twitter @NorthAR-Electric. "Like" us on Facebook by searching "North Arkansas Electric Cooperative" and looking for our blue and red logo. This is just one more way we try to keep members informed and provide exceptional member service.

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AverageDailyHigh: 49.24 compared to 53.75 in 2012 AverageDailyLow: 28.43 compared to 31.17 in 2012 TotalRainfallAmount: 4.13" compared to 2.49" in 2012 WarmestDay: Feb 10th, 68.3 degrees at 3:30 p.m. CoolestDay: Feb 1st, 12.4 degrees at 7:30 a.m.

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Right-of-Way Locations

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative abides by seven cooperative principles. The first principle of voluntary and open membership describes how cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination. As a member-owned cooperative, we want your input. If you have questions, comments or concerns regarding the operation of North Arkansas Electric Cooperative, please send them to Messenger, P.O. Box 1000, Salem, AR 72576, or e-mail us at info@naeci.com. Names will be withheld upon request, but all letters should be signed. All letters will be considered for publication in the Messenger or Rural Arkansas Magazine. We appreciate your support these past 73 years and look forward to serving you in the future.

We Want Your Response

Visit us online at www.naeci.com April 2013, Volume XLVIIl, No. 4, Page 2

Asplundh Tree Trim Crews:Center, Kings Mill and Hardy areas

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19th Annual Parade of HomesFriday, May 17th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday, May 18th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

The Twin Lakes Home BuildersAnnual Home ShowFriday, April 5th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, April 6th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.To be held at the Baxter County Fairgrounds

Admission is $1 or a canned good to be donated to the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas

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Keep energy efficiency in mind as the ground thaws and you plan spring landscaping. Properly selected and planted trees, shrubs,

and bushes can create a wind break that lowers home heating bills in the winter and insulates your home year-round. Before you start,

check on the right plants and techniques for your climate at EnergySavers.gov.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

times parts are borrowed, ideas are exchanged, trophies are shared and, ultimate-ly, friendships are developed. North Arkansas Electric Cooperative has worked with local schools and instruc-tors as part of our cooperative’s ongoing commitment to the communities we serve. The Electric Vehicle Program is just one of the ways your local electric cooperative works to support education throughout the year. To learn more about the program and the 2013 Electric Cooperatives of Arkan-sas Electric Vehicle Rally, go to http://www.aecc.com/community. See you at the track!

North ArkansasElectric Cooperative

will be at the KTLO Senior Expo/BRMC Health FairWednesday, April 24th

7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.Thursday, April 25th

7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Baxter County

Fairgrounds.Admission is free andopen to the public.

Come and visit NAEC and learn more about energy efficiency and our Personal Emergency

Response Systems.