Power Lines

Hop on a huge ferry boat, and after a 20-minute ride through the choppy Lake Erie waters, you’ll arrive at the idyllic Kelleys Island, about 4 miles north of Marblehead, Ohio, and the largest American island on the lake. The island is home to about 140 year-round residents, though the population swells to well over 400 residents and 5,000 tourists during the busy summer months.

Ohio’s electric cooperatives were born out of politics. It was President Franklin D. Roosevelt, recognizing the disparity between urban life (with electricity) and rural life (without electricity), who included the Rural Electrification Act (REA) as part of his New Deal.

The 2018 hurricane season was a busy one in the southern part of the United States and, as always, Ohio electric cooperatives were decisive and quick to respond with aid to their fellow co-ops in need.

Hurricane Michael was particularly destructive as it came to shore in Florida’s western panhandle in mid-October and tore eastward through Georgia and the Carolinas before heading back out to sea.

The decisions about how to heat your home and how to fuel your transportation needs are among the most important environmental decisions you can make. Choosing options that are more efficient can not only save you money but can reduce your environmental impact, as well.

In the early days of mining gold, miners rubbed their ore against a small tablet of slate or schist — a “touchstone” to test the purity of the gold they worked so hard to bring to the surface.

It’s a shame that holiday lighting can lead to higher energy bills, but the good news is that there are strategies to let you save money without dampening your holiday spirit.

One of the best ways to save energy is by using LED lights, which consume about 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. An individual’s potential savings depends on several factors, including your electric rate and how many hours your holiday lights are turned on.

When we talk about being warm in our homes in winter, we usually think about where the thermostat is set. But sometimes, even with the heat turned up, it can still feel chilly. It turns out there’s more to winter comfort than just the indoor temperature.

Story (exerpted) and photo used by permission from the (Steubenville) Herald-Star

Bethany Schunn is a chemist by trade. In fact, she began working in the power industry in 2005 at the American Electric Power Conesville Plant chemistry lab, and eventually climbed the ranks to become maintenance superintendent there.

Fifty years ago, when two generating units at Cardinal Power Plant were first placed into operation, Buckeye Power was a newly minted generation cooperative, formed and owned by all of the electric distribution cooperatives in Ohio. American Electric Power (AEP), which built the Cardinal plant, offered a unique partnership agreement to Buckeye Power and its member cooperatives: AEP and Buckeye Power would each own one of the two units, and AEP would operate the plant — at cost — for its partner.

Kitchens and dining rooms cry out for natural light, and lots of folks consider installing skylights to bring that outside world indoors and make their living space a bit more livable.

Consumers should know, however, that skylights, even when installed properly, can impact energy bills and comfort level, so some advance research can pay real dividends.