What's New at Rock Energy Cooperative
Retired Rock Energy director wins state honor
Stanley Dybevik, who served on the Rock Energy Cooperative Board of Directors for 40 years, received the ACE (Ally of Cooperative Electrification) Award on Jan. 17 at an awards banquet in Madison.
Share Brandt, manager of the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, made the presentation. WECA gives the ACE Award annually to a person who has performed beyond the routine call of duty in personal commitment and service to electric cooperatives.
Dybevik retired as co-op director in March 2011 after serving 40 years on the board, including 14 years as chairman.
“Rock Energy has benefitted immensely from Stan’s 40 years of service to the co-op,” Shane Larson, Rock Energy’s chief executive officer, said in nominating Dybevik for the award. "He was one of the most committed board members I have ever encountered, and I admire his ability to look into the future to see what’s best for the co-op. His loyalty, dedication and enthusiasm are greatly missed.”
On the statewide level, Dybevik was elected to a three-year term on the WECA Board in 2006. During his term, he served as vice chairman for one year and was a member of the legislative committee and the Federated Youth Foundation Board, which oversees the money used for scholarships and community projects.
When accepting the award, Dybevik said, “This is an honor that I will remember always and cherish always.”
Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
Do you know any high school juniors who are curious about how government works and want to learn more about the political process? If so, tell them to consider applying for the 2012 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Rock Energy Cooperative will sponsor two high school juniors on the June 15-22 trip to Washington. The deadline to apply is Feb. 15.
Click here to learn more about Youth Tour.
Click here to download an application.
Member Appreciation Day Brings Lots of Smiles!
A record number of people—nearly 1,000—attended Rock Energy Cooperative's Member Appreciation Day on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the co-op's headquarters. The weather was as close to perfect as possible, and smiles were seen on faces everywhere.
This year's event was special as the co-op continued its 75th anniversary celebration. In addition to the breakfast prepared by Chris Cakes pancake chefs, members enjoyed anniversary cake and a visit from CFL Charlie.
Rock Energy directors and employees host the annual event to show members how thankful the co-op is to be their energy provider.
Click here to view the photo gallery.
Choice of Power Suppliers Available
Only to ComEd, Ameren Customers
Rock Energy Cooperative members are advised to ignore any phone calls they receive from a Florida-based company called Illinois Gas & Electric Co. The company has been calling co-op members and asking them to discuss their utility services and their most recent utility bill with a company representative. This statewide telemarketing effort and other recent phone and mail promotions are aimed at customers of investor-owned utilities, such as ComEd and Ameren, to encourage them to switch energy suppliers. Illinois’ deregulation law does not apply to cooperatives or municipal utilities.
Click here to read more.
Take Charge of Energy Costs with Prepaid Option
Rock Energy Cooperative is introducing a pay-as-you-go plan, which allows you to pay for energy as you use it, the same way you buy groceries and gasoline. You have greater control over your budget because you decide how much to pay and when to pay it. Members maintain a prepaid balance in their account from which their daily usage is subtracted. When their balance gets low, the co-op alerts them that they need to add money.
Click here to read more.
Beware of Thieves Posing as Utility Workers
JANESVILLE—Rock Energy Cooperative is warning members about a thief in the area posing as a utility worker to gain access to people’s homes and then stealing valuables.
A couple in the Clinton area reported that they were working in their yard when they noticed an unmarked truck near their house. One of the men told the couple they were updating transformers and would need to turn off their electricity. Later, the couple discovered that valuables had been stolen and called police.
Rock Energy line crews always travel in trucks with the co-op logo prominently displayed on the sides. Crews also carry IDs that they will gladly show when asked.
To avoid being a crime victim, follow these steps if a utility worker comes to your house:
- Ask to see a photo ID showing that the worker is employed by the utility.
- Look for a utility logo on the truck.
- Call your utility company to verify the person’s identification. For Rock Energy, call (866) 752-4550 and our office staff will be able to tell you if a worker has been dispatched to your neighborhood.
- If you suspect that the person is an imposter, call the police immediately.
Co‐op Founder’s Son Retires After 40 Years as Director
Stan Dybevik inherited his dedication to the rural electrification movement and his
role as a political junkie from his father, J. B. Dybevik, one of the founders of Rock County Electric
Cooperative Association. Stan was about 6 years old when his father started talking about getting electricity to their house in Spring
Valley ownship, northwest of Orfordville.
“My dad went out and started organizing and contacting neighbors to see if they could get an electric
cooperative going, which of course meant nothing to me,” Dybevik, now 82, recalls. “He just told me we
were going to get lights.”
Click here to read more.
Click here to see a video tribute to Stan.
Rock Energy’s Annual Survey Hunts for Natural Gas Leaks
In the next three weeks, Rock Energy Cooperative natural gas technicians will be
surveying all 173 miles of the co‐op’s gas mains to hunt for any leaks.
Armed with a remote methane leak detector, the technicians will travel area roads and streets in a slow-moving
utility vehicle to ensure the safety and reliability of natural gas service to its members. The state-of‐the‐art detector has a range of 100 feet and sounds an alarm when any methane—the primary
component of natural gas—is detected.
Click here to read more.
Loans Available for Ground Source Heat Pumps
Did you know that one of the most promising solutions to high energy costs could be buried right in your backyard?
It's true. Ground source heat pumps, also referred to as geothermal technology, can significantly reduce energy costs while meeting a home's entire heating and cooling needs. It can even be used for water heating.
Recognizing that it might be difficult for members to fund such a project, Rock Energy Cooperative's board of directors has approved a loan program that allows members to borrow up to $7,000 for five years at a low interest rate.
Click here to read more.
Rock Energy Distributes $550,000 in Capital Credits
Rock Energy Cooperative is distributing more than $550,000 to its members in capital credits this year. Since the co-op was incorporated 74 years ago, more than $9 million has been returned to members. Capital credits represent members' economic participation in Rock Energy and distinguishes the cooperative form of business from others.
Click here to find out more about capital credits
Please Consider Donation to Project Lift Up
Please consider making a donation to Project Lift Up, a voluntary member donation program designed to help people who are struggling financially pay their energy bills. Just as the program's name implies, your contribution will help lift up your neighbor financially.
Click here to read CEO Shane Larson's More Power to You column, which explains the program
More than 377,000 co-op members from across the nation have joined the Our Energy, Our Future grassroots campaign, demanding that elected officials keep consumer interests in mind. Their voices had a major impact this summer, as the U.S. House passed a climate change bill that included more than $3 billion in rate relief for co-op consumers from initial proposals. The climate change debate, now moves to the U.S. Senate.
Click here for more information
Taking care of business
Who should you call and what happens next?
Are you moving? Have you lost power? Do you smell gas? Is this bill right? Of course you don't need to wait until you have a problem to contact us, but when you do have one, we know you want something done about it right away. Here's what you can expect to happen next:
Electrical outages
If you smell gas
Account changes
Billing questions
Call 811