Flint News

New Flint Website Gives Look at Outage Maps in Real-Time

05/06/08

REYNOLDS/WARNER ROBINS/UPATOI/PERRY – In the latest enhancement to its website, Flint Energies is now publishing a real-time look at outages and power restoration. According to Senior Vice President Jimmy Autry, members can “See Outages” from the left side of the home page at www.flintenergies.com

“Using state-of-the-art technology, Flint Energies can now provide better insight into our power reliability and restoration efforts after a storm or other event,” said Autry. “Our implementation of a complete outage management system can now serve members even better than before.”

The outage map address is http://outage.flintemc.com:8283. Members can select individual counties to see some detail on the extent of power outages.

In the past, a member’s phone call to Flint generated individual sheets of paper which detailed every outage on the system. These sheets of paper were organized and assigned by system operations personnel. The new system generates no paper, but instead puts a dot on an electronic map where the outage has been reported by phone.

“The system operations personnel now see giant maps with outages reported and they assign crews whose truck(s) show up at the outage as they are assigned,” said Autry. “And the phone system then begins to reply to other members who are reporting that same outage, telling them the status of the restoration process.”

“Outage management is a glimpse into the future of power reliability and service,” said Autry. “We’re excited about the outage reporting maps because members without power at home can find the status of their outage using Internet service at work or even by calling a cousin in another state.”

Flint has one of the best service reliability records of any electric utility, consistently holding outage time to an average level of less than two hours per consumer per year. Autry said the reliable service average has been as low as 1.2 hours per consumer per year in recent experience.

To ensure the best service to all members after a power outage, Autry said that Flint needs an accurate phone number on each member’s consumer record in their computer.

“Members call us every day to update their phone numbers with us and we appreciate it,” said Autry. “Great service reliability at an affordable price is a Flint trademark that our members count on.”

Autry added that Flint members should also program Flint’s outage reporting number 888-354-6836 into their cell phones before they need it.

ABOUT FLINT ENERGIES

Incorporated in 1937, Flint Energies www.flintenergies.com is a not-for-profit member-owned electric cooperative that provides energy services to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural members in parts of 17 central Georgia counties. Flint has 230 employees and serves more than 250,000 Georgians through more than 80,000 meters. Flint's physical plant consists of nearly 6,200 miles of distribution line and 49 substations located within Bibb, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dooly, Harris, Houston, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Schley, Sumter, Taylor, Talbot, Twiggs and Upson Counties. The system also includes the Fort Benning military post. Flint is the seventh largest of Georgia's 42 EMCs and the 34th largest of the nation's nearly 1,000 rural electric cooperatives.

Flint Energies is also a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, part of a nationwide family of electric cooperatives exhibiting the core values of integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community. Flint’s members give their cooperative an American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) score of 83, which rates higher than most investor-owned utilities in the country.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is a uniform and independent measure of household consumption experience. As an economic indicator, the ACSI tracks trends in customer satisfaction and provides benchmarking insights of the consumer economy for companies, industry trade associations and government agencies.” The ACSI is produced by the Stephen M. Ross Business School at the University of Michigan, in partnership with the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and the international consulting firm, CFI Group.

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Flint Hosts Gov. Perdue's "Conserve Georgia" Announcement

04/28/08

REYNOLDS/WARNER ROBINS/UPATOI/PERRY – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue used a solar installation at a Middle School served by Flint Energies as the backdrop for his “Conserve Georgia” announcement on Apr. 24. The Governor’s Energy Challenge is a commitment that Georgia’s state government will reduce its energy usage 15 percent by 2020 over the 2007 energy use levels through energy efficiency or in combination with renewable energy.

Governor Perdue announced the Energy Challenge at Huntington Middle School in Warner Robins where Flint Energies installed a solar panel in the fall of 2006 to help educate students about renewable energy and its impact on the environment. The energy produced by the one kilowatt solar panel is used by the school to reduce its energy needs. Flint Energies is a charter member of Green Power EMC, which pioneered the SunPower for Schools project in Georgia.

The Houston County Board of Education (HCBOE) as a whole has saved over $7.8 million through its energy conservation plan since 1999, about one million dollars a year. The annual savings equate to 22 to 24 percent of the system’s total utilities budget. The School System is Flint’s largest key account.

Perdue also challenged Georgia’s citizens, businesses, organizations, local governments and school systems to meet the state’s 15 percent reduction goal.

“Meeting the 15 percent reduction goal will lessen Georgia’s dependence on traditional energy sources, support the economy, and improve the environment,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Undertaking this challenge to conserve energy will help ensure that Georgia’s natural resources are protected for future generations to use and to enjoy.”

“The state of Georgia will lead by example and adopt, implement, and promote energy efficiency practices and policies and by using renewable, locally produced biofuels and beanery,” he added.

The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) is directing the implementation of the Governor’s Energy Challenge. More details as well as information on how to accept the Governor’s Energy Challenge is available by visiting the “Our Energy” section of www.conservegeorgia.org

To support further development of alternative energy in Georgia, Gov. Perdue is creating an Energy Innovation Center (EIC). The EIC will enhance the economic development of Georgia by leading the commercialization of bioenergy with feedstocks grown or available within the state, furthering the generation of alternative energy and promoting energy sector manufacturing.

“The state of Georgia is quickly becoming a recognized leader in alternative energy and fuel,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Our goal is to develop a bioenergy industry that provides substantial economic benefit to Georgia and produces 15 percent of the state’s transportation fuels by 2020 from locally produced biofuels.”

Georgia’s Centers of Innovation program is charged with providing the resources and services needed to foster growth in the areas of aerospace, agriculture, life sciences, logistics and manufacturing; areas of strategic focus as designated by Governor Perdue in 2003. The program works directly with existing businesses and entrepreneurs to foster growth within each sector. The EIC will be the sixth addition to the Centers of Innovation Program. For more information about the EIC, visit http://energy.georgiainnovation.org

Flint Energies’ Touchstone Energy School Savings program, which began in 1999, has saved the HCBOE nearly $8 million in energy costs. School employees Ronny and Cliff Hutto conduct school audits randomly throughout the year to ensure energy conservation guidelines are met and to reward the best performers. Schools who meet the energy conservation guidelines are entered into a drawing for cash or breakfast awards for faculty and staff. Flint Energies contributes more than $25,000 annually for these incentives.

Flint Energies has a long history of environmental stewardship, complying with all Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) rules on fleet size and maintenance. Flint is also an active member of the Middle Georgia Clean Cities Coalition.

ABOUT FLINT ENERGIES

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