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APR I L 2021
T H E M AGA Z I N E YO U C O M E H O M E TO
Electric
collection
Discovering the
beauty of vintage
insulators
PLUS
Three options for home cooling
Bedford County turns 250
Spring has sprung
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APRIL 2021
Contents
Vol. 56 • No. 4 4 Keeping Current
Editor
News from across
Peter A. Fitzgerald the Commonwealth
Senior Editor/Writer
Katherine Hackleman 8 eature: Electric
f
collection
Associate Editor Discovering the beauty of vintage
Michael T. Crawford insulators
Layout & Design
W. Douglas Shirk 12 S mart circuits 8
production coordinator Three options for home cooling
Michelle M. Smith
Contributing Columnists 14 Time Lines
John Kasun Your newsmagazine
Anne M. Kirchner through the years
George Weigel
14a Cooperative
Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine Connection
of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published Information and advice from
monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Associa- your local electric cooperative
tion, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg,
PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 166,000 house-
holds of co-op consumer-members understand issues 16 E nergy Matters 20
that affect the electric cooperative program, their local Differences between overhead
co-ops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-
for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and tax-
and underground power lines
paying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible
for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed
in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the
18 TECH TRENDS
editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or
New nuclear energy technology
local electric distribution cooperatives.
Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.39 per 20 eature: Bedford
f
year through their local electric distribution coopera- County marks 250 years
tive. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, of history
PA 17107 and additional mailing offices. POST-
MASTER: Send address changes with mailing label
to Penn Lines, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, 22 COUNTRY KITCHEN 22
Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Spring has sprung!
Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to
month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance
of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorse- 23 power plants
ment of the product or services by the publisher or 10 of the best small trees for
any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem Pennsylvania yards
with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines,
please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box
1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves 24 Classifieds
the right to refuse any advertising.
26 Punch Lines
It’s curtains for you
27 ural Reflections
R
27
Spring is here!
ON THE COVER
Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric
Association: Chairman, Leroy Walls; Vice Chairman,
Sullivan County REC
Tim Burkett; Secretary, Barbara Miller; Treasurer, CEO Craig Harting and
Rick Shope; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley employee Diane White
© 2021 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association.
are both avid collectors
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of vintage insulators. This
without written permission is prohibited. part of the collections
shows several insulators
Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, originally used on
located at: www.prea.com/penn-lines- cooperative lines.
magazine. Penn Lines Online provides an Photo by John Zelewicz
email link to Penn Lines editorial staff,
information on advertising rates, and an
archive of past issues.
Member Of:
| APR I L 2021 3
keepingcurrent
News from across the Commonwealth
READER RESPONSE
Dear Editor,
Enjoying John
Kasun’s columns.
He is a great pick
for Penn Lines,
and I can identify
with an outdoors-
man and writer
for Game News.
Like he said about replacing Earl Pitts,
“Those are big shoes to fill.” Way to go
John, you can do it!
Would like to put in a plug for
Sullivan County Rural Electric; they do
an outstanding job. Miss Earl signing
off, AMERICAN!
Pete Newswanger, treasurer,
Keystone Sportsman’s Club, Sullivan
County Rural Electric Cooperative
“The spotted lanternfly is more than the quarantine zone should also re-
Dear Editor, a pest in the literal sense,” Redding view and sign the compliance checklist
I want to thank
said. “It’s wreaking havoc for home and for residents.
Anne Kirchner for
business owners, kids who just want to Since 2015, the department has
her Irish recipes
(March 2021). My play outside, Pennsylvania agriculture, received more than $34 million in
Irish ancestors and the economy of the state we all call state and federal funds to combat the
came to America home. Whether you think it’s your job spotted lanternfly.
in the mid-1700s. or not, we need every Pennsylvanian to New to Pennsylvania’s fight against
Going to the store keep their eyes peeled for signs of this the spotted lanternfly this spring is
and start making the Irish stew. bad bug — to scrape every egg mass, Lucky, a female
Larry Hoover — Valley Rural Electric squash every bug and report every German shepherd
Cooperative sighting. We need to unite in our ha- trained to detect
tred for this pest for our common love: spotted lantern-
Spotted lanternfly continues Pennsylvania.” fly eggs, often in
march across state The new eight counties with a places humans
Eight counties have been added to known infestation are: Cambria, Cam- can’t access. Lucky
the Commonwealth’s spotted lantern- eron, Franklin, Lackawanna, Montour, joined the department in November
fly quarantine zone, bringing to 34 the Pike, Wayne and Westmoreland. 2020 and helps to inspect businesses
total number of Pennsylvania counties Businesses that operate in or travel like nurseries, greenhouses, vehicle
in the quarantine zone, according to a through quarantined counties are fleets and log yards. She is the first dog
recent announcement by state Agri- required to obtain a spotted lanternfly in the nation trained to detect spotted
culture Secretary Russell Redding. The permit. Homeowners with questions lanternfly eggs.
goal of the quarantine is to slow the about treatment are encouraged to For more information on the spotted
spread of the invasive insect that is contact their local Penn State Exten- lanternfly, visit agriculture.pa.gov/
causing damage to forests, nurseries sion office or learn about management spottedlanternfly.
and crops. online. Pennsylvanians who live inside (continues on page 6)
4 | APR I L 2021
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by 73/4" wide
by 5" deep.
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Keeping current ers were processed into rubber mulch, bears in Pennsylvania during the 2020
(continued from page 4) play turf, rubber asphalt roads, or seasons, making it the state’s sixth-best
shredded and placed in a landfill. bear harvest. The number is about
Pennsylvania Turnpike Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful officials 20% lower than 2019’s record harvest
disputes report note tires that are improperly disposed of 4,653 bears, but it is close to the
Officials from the Pennsylvania of can leach toxic chemicals into the five-year average of 3,675 bears.
Turnpike say a recent report from the soil and water, and provide breeding In 2020, the bear archery season was
insurance website Budget Direct not- grounds for mosquitoes that carry one week longer, and bowhunters set
ing the toll road has the highest cost the risk of several viruses. Piles of a new harvest record of 948, breaking
in the world is seriously flawed due to tires also run the risk of catching fire, the former record of 561 set in 2019.
basic differences in how toll highways which can further spread toxic chemi- Bears were taken in 59 of the state’s
are used, how toll rates are set and cals through smoke. 67 counties and 22 of the state’s
how travelers pay. For more about the program, an af- Wildlife Management Units in the
The report notes that a motorist filiate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., 2020 seasons. The largest bear taken
driving the 360-mile route would pay the nation’s largest volunteer-based in the 2020 seasons was a 719-pound
$123. The next two most expensive community action and education orga- male taken with a crossbow in Fulton
roads listed were the 30-mile-long nization, go to keeppabeautiful.org. County. The largest bear ever taken in
Grossglockner High Alpine Road in the state was an 875-pound male har-
Grants available for EV vested in 2010 in Pike County. The top
charging stations county in terms of the number of bears
The Pennsylvania Department of taken in the 2020 seasons was Potter
Environmental Protection (DEP) has County with 188 bears, followed by
announced $936,000 in grant funding Lycoming County with 185, Tioga
for four projects that will help expand County with 184, Clearfield with 157
electric vehicle use through the instal- and Monroe with 152.
lation of fast chargers in high-traffic
areas. DEP officials also are beginning Mandatory 10-digit dialing
the process to draft a rule that would is here for 814 area code
Austria at $45 and the 50-mile-long make electric vehicles more readily All residents and businesses in the
Rijeka Dubrovnik in Croatia at $38. available to consumers and also plan current 814 area code are reminded
The report included a route from the to release a booklet on the benefits and that mandatory 10-digit dialing for all
western edge of the state to the eastern basics of zero-emission vehicles. telephone calls begins April 3, 2021.
edge of the state and then north to DEP officials note the programs The 814 area code covers all or parts
Clarks Summit near Scranton. Offi- funded by the grant recipients are of 27 counties across Central and
cials noted it would not be likely that expected to remove 771 tons of carbon Northwestern Pennsylvania.
someone would travel that route as dioxide, 0.5 ton of nitrogen oxides, For the past several months, callers
I-80 would be the expected method of 0.3 ton of volatile organic compounds, across the area code have been able to
travel for that trip, and they also noted 186 pounds of coarse particulate mat- use the 10-digit dialing for local calls,
that 85% of turnpike drivers use E-Z ter and 51 pounds of fine particulate but the change is now mandatory.
Pass, which would nearly halve the matter from the air annually. This marks the next major step toward
cost of the trip. The projects being funded are locat- the addition of a new “overlay” area
ed in Philadelphia, Delaware County, code — 582 — which will eventually
Keep Pennsylvania Allegheny County and Bucks County. serve side by side with the current
Beautiful collects 1 million They are planned to be stops in a net- 814 area code. The new area code will
tires since 1990 work of highway segments that DEP be assigned to new numbers once the
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and its and the Pennsylvania Department of supply of available 814 numbers is
affiliates and partners have collected Transportation are helping to develop exhausted. l
and properly disposed of more than into electric vehicle corridors for
1 million tires since the program’s longer distance drivers along Inter- EDITOR’S NOTE: Bluebirds are said
inception in 1990. Most of the tires states 76, 95, 376, and 476. to love eating “meal worms,” not “mill
were collected from roadways, water- worms,” as was incorrectly stated in
ways, parks, trails, and illegal dumps Hunters take 3,608 black a column in the March issue of Penn
during coordinated cleanups, recycling bears in 2020 seasons Lines. A number of eagle-eyed read-
events, and drop-off locations. The Pennsylvania Game Commis- ers pointed out the error, which we
Some tires were recycled while oth- sion reports hunters took 3,608 black sincerely regret.
6 | APR I L 2021
The environmentally advanced UltraPole NXT with DCOI is coming. The production of the penta preservative is coming to an end December 2021. Your best choice is UltraPole NXT with DCOI with innovations that benefit utilities, linemen, homeowners and the environment.
Craig Harting
HARTING COLLECTION: Sullivan
County REC CEO Craig Harting’s collec-
tion of vintage insulators includes a wide
variety of different styles and colors.
Electric collection
Discovering the beauty of vintage insulators
O By Jessica Delfino Early history
nce a workhorse of the electric
transmission, railroad and Penn Lines Contributor The history of the popular vintage
communications (telegraph glass and porcelain insulators, now
and telephone) industries, vintage prized by antique collectors, began in
glass insulators are today found more electric lines as well as telegraph and the mid-1800s with the construction of
often in an antique shop or a collector’s telephone lines,” explains Craig Hart- the first telegraph lines that relied on
home than on a pole. ing, CEO of Forksville-based Sullivan low-voltage electric current to transmit
County Rural Electric Cooperative messages across the country. Insulators
An insulator is a safety device — a (REC) and a collector of vintage insu- in an assortment of shapes, colors and
material that prevents the flow of lators. “As voltages increased on power sizes followed as the industry grew.
electric current to ground or other lines, then insulators needed to change, In America and across Canada, glass
conductors. Through the years, the too, as the insulators needed to get was primarily used in the early days,
insulators used in electric transmission bigger when the voltages went up.” whereas in the United Kingdom, ce-
applications have transitioned from Harting says the cooperative’s system ramics were the material of choice, and
glass to porcelain to polymer (a type of now includes a few of the old glass insu- at least one company made them using
plastic) as new technology, economics lators but most are porcelain; however, stoneware. The insulators were thread-
and availability changed. as those insulators need to be replaced less, shaped like a “bureau knob,” and
“Early electric distribution networks on the higher-voltage lines, the cooper- held in place using at first, nothing, and
weren’t super high-voltage, so small- ative is switching to polymer, a lighter later, tar as glue. Some early models
er glass insulators could be used on material that doesn’t chip or crack. had wooden caps over them. Online
8 | APR I L 2021
searches bring up some fascinating ex- clear, beautiful glass insulators down,”
amples, but most of these early samples Harting says. “I said to the linemen,
are hard to come by. Today, such links ‘Some of the members might like these.’
to the past that are both utilitarian and The linemen were grumbling among
beautiful are often spotted at flea mar- themselves as they trucked these 100 or
kets or antique shops. so pieces over to the meeting, wonder-
With any luck, the insulators were ing how many they would have to take
destined to spend their lives atop back. But people grabbed handfuls and
crossarms, sparkling like beacons in the armfuls of the insulators, and then we
morning sun. However, non-thread- got complaints that some people didn’t
Sullivan County REC
ed insulators weren’t able to stay on get one. We sent linemen out to get
their perches very well, especially in more to share.”
wet weather, and would often need to The moral of that story? Collectors
be manually reset onto their tapered would do well to make friends with
wooden poles. In 1865, Louis A. Cau- some lineworkers.
vet came up with a solution, and was STILL IN USE: Some of the vintage glass insu-
awarded a patent to produce threaded lators are still in use across the Commonwealth. Chance discovery
pinhole insulators, which became very When disposing of the glass insu-
popular. is a habit that many fall into accidental- lators through the years, it was often
Today, collectors of vintage insulators ly, or by some lucky mistake. reported that lineworkers would dig
cut across all ages and interests, but Diane White, an executive assistant holes and toss them into the ground.
many of the original collectors were at Sullivan County Rural Cooperative, Hence, many of the oldest and rarest
lineworkers. When they were assigned began collecting vintage insulators pole toppers have been covered by
to replace the aging glass insulators, when lineworkers brought some old dirt for nearly a century. Those are
some workers would keep the attractive ones they had replaced into the office discovered only by chance, or by the
ones that were made in a wide vari- one day. ultra-ambitious collector who does du-
ety of colors and styles in their early “I thought, ‘They’re pretty cool,’ so I tiful research and sets out on a recovery
days: aqua blue, cobalt blue, yellow, started looking on eBay and did some mission, shovel in hand with which to
red, green, and even purple. One rare bidding, and saw the different styles unearth them. It’s not an uncommon
batch had an accidental splash of color and colors,” White says. “I became way for a true collector to spend a sun-
mixed into the clear glass, as if some- obsessed with collecting.” ny afternoon.
one had captured a puff of dyed smoke The hobby isn’t only fun, it’s educa- Luckily, Carissa Yohn, a collector
inside the mold during the production tional. married to Zach Yohn, an electrician at
process. In taking the rescued tokens “When I started collecting, I was new Valley Rural Energy Services, a subsid-
home and sharing them with friends to the electric co-op, so I got to learn iary of Huntingdon-based Valley REC,
and family, the attraction to these old about what insulators do and how they didn’t have to go to that much trouble.
devices caught on and spread. It contin- work,” White says. “I now teach elec- She owns some vintage insulators
ues to this day. tric safety for first-graders in the local collected by her grandfather, Jacob
Harting says his lifelong fascination elementary school.” Herline.
with electricity began when a sewing One year at the Sullivan County “A majority of his collection started
machine motor hooked up to a fuse REC Annual Meeting, attendees were early on when he found them buried
box from his grandfather gave the surprised to be treated to free, vintage in the ground throughout their home
youngster a shock. As a teenager, Hart- glass insulators. place in Manns Choice,” she explains.
ing walked the railroad tracks, picked “We took a bunch of the older, After Herline’s children were born,
up a few blue-green glass insulators
that were used in railroad switches and
has been adding to his collection ever
since.
“I’ve got purples and browns; they’re
more rare,” Harting says. “The clear
ones and aqua blue ones are more
Diane White
common.”
Harting is one of those people who
began their collection intentionally, but WHITE COLLECTION: Diane White, executive assistant at Sullivan County REC, collects vintage
it appears collecting vintage insulators insulators, a hobby she began shortly after she started to work at the cooperative.
| APR I L 2021 9
resembles two mouse ears, “Beehive”
and “Pony,” among others. The term
“petticoat” is used to describe the bell
shape of many insulators, and some
are termed “double petticoat” for an
appearance of two skirts, one atop
the other. In addition to nicknames, a
Carissa Yohn
series of numbers are used to identi-
fy them — a combination of systems
created by collectors and manufactur-
ers, albeit separately concocted. The
YOHN COLLECTION:
aforementioned Hemingray 42 has the
Carissa Yohn, wife of Zach
Yohn, an employee of Valley number CD (or consolidated design)
Rural Energy Services, a 154, which was assigned by collectors,
subsidiary of Valley REC, con- but the style number, 42, was assigned
siders her collection of vintage
by Hemingray. Though this style is
insulators, above, to be very
valuable as she inherited them common, their prices range from $4 to
from her grandfather, Jacob $100 in online auctions.
Herline. Left: Adams Electric Some items are much more difficult
Cooperative staff make unique
to come by, such as the earliest mid-
decorations from vintage insu-
lators for an employee recog- 1800s telegraph insulator models.
nition event. The National Insulator Association
(NIA) started in 1973 with the purpose
of encouraging telephone, telegraph
Adams EC
and power insulator collecting. At their
shows, people can trade or buy new
he began collecting insulators made insulators. The Hemingray 42, an pieces for their collections, learn about
in their birth years or other dates that aqua-colored telegraph pin insulator the hobby, share stories and photos,
were special to him. Yohn selected a introduced in 1921 and discontinued or find out more about the history of
portion of her grandfather’s collection in the 1960s, is one of the most widely insulators. According to their website,
when given an opportunity to take found glass insulators in America. the group has more than 9,000 mem-
some of her grandparents’ belongings. Some are still located atop ancient, bers worldwide. It was around the
“The grandchildren were allowed to often bowing, wooden poles along time that the NIA was founded that
take what we wanted and those insula- remote rural stretches. Hemingray amassing these relics privately began to
tors stuck out to me — the bright col- said the design helped condensation gain widespread momentum. Count-
ors and just the importance they had to more easily roll off that particular style less local collector groups were started,
my grandfather made me want to keep thanks to “drip points,” or small dots some of which are still in operation
them,” she says. “It’s amazing to me of rounded glass along the insulator’s today, and many books and websites
how beautiful they truly are. Something bottom ridge, but historians surmise were written discussing in deep detail
that you’d think would be so delicate is that was just a nice-sounding line used the different types, colors, and materi-
actually so strong.” to sell their products, and with great als used.
The purpose of the range of colors results. Though these deep sea green In addition to telegraph, telephone,
used in the vintage glass insulators is a models are radiant, in most cases, their and power insulators, people addition-
mystery. One assumption is that several commonality negatively affects their ally collect glass insulators from electric
companies shared poles, so they would value. However, flat-bottomed 42s lack- fences, lightning rod insulators, and
color code the glass. Another is that the ing in drip points or 42s in an unusual radio insulators, among others. Each
glass factories that made the insulators color can still fetch a high price in the has its own unique set of qualities and
would use whatever color glass they right market. appeal.
happened to have on hand after com- Whether the collector’s fancy is elec-
pleting another project. Still another Serious collectors tricity, glass, the assortment of dramatic
is that the colors have no meaning Most insulators have nicknames colors, the design elements, the history
whatsoever. that collectors use to identify them. associated with the objects or some-
Hemingray, a company that made They tend to reflect what the insulators thing more personal, it’s a hobby that
many glassware products, is well- resemble, and include “hoopskirt,” simply seems to have something for
known for having made millions of “Mickey Mouse,” which has a top that everyone. l
10 | APR I L 2021Last State Restricted Silver Walking
Liberty Bank Rolls go to state residents
Residents of the shaded states
listed on the map below
get first dibs on last
remaining Bank
Rolls loaded with
U.S. Gov’t issued
Silver Walking
Liberties dating
back to the early
1900’s some
worth up to 100
times their face
value for just the $39
minimum set for state
residents - all other state
residents must pay $118 per coin if any
remain after 7-day deadline
“It’s a miracle these State Restricted Bank Rolls IMPORTANT: The dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking
even exists,” said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin and Cur Liberties sealed away inside the State Restricted Bank Rolls have never been
rency Treasurer for the National Mint and Trea
sury.
searched. Coin values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees, but
For the next 7 days the last remaining State any of the scarce coins shown below, regardless of their value that residents
Restricted Bank Rolls loaded with rarely seen U.S. may find inside the sealed Bank Rolls are theirs to keep.
Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties are actu
ally being handed over to residents of 49
states who call the National TollFree
Hotlines listed in today’s newspaper
publication.
“I recently spoke with a retired
Treasurer of the United States of
America who said ‘In all my years as
Treasurer I’ve only ever seen a hand
ful of these rarely seen Silver Walk
ing Liberties issued by the U.S. Gov’t
back in the early 1900’s. But to actually
find them sealed away in State Restrict
ed Bank Rolls still in pristine condition is
like finding buried treasure. So anyone lucky
1916-P 1919-P 1921-S 1938-D
enough to get their hands on these Bank Rolls
Mint: Philadelphia Mint: Philadelphia Mint: San Francisco Mint: Denver
had better hold on to them,’” Lynne said. Mintage: 608,000 Mintage: 962,000 Mintage: 548,000 Mintage: 491,600
“That’s because the dates and mint marks Collector Value: $55 Collector Value: $32 Collector Value: $80 Collector Value: $60
of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Lib $265 $515 $800 $160
erty Half Dollars sealed away inside the State
Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. RESIDENTS IN 49 STATES: COVER JUST $39 MINIMUM PER COIN -
But, we do know that some of these coins date clear
back to the early 1900’s and are worth up to 100 IF YOUR STATE IS SHADED BELOW CALL: 1-800-997-8036 RWL1450
times their face value, so there is no telling
what U.S. residents will find until they sort If you are a resident of one of the shaded
through all the coins,” Lynne went on to say.
“Rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued silver
states shown left you cover just the $39
coins like these are highly sought after, per coin state minimum set by the National
but we’ve never seen anything like this Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen rarely seen
before. According to The Official Red U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberty
Book, a Guide Book of United States
Coins many Silver Walking Liberty Half half dollars worth up to 100 times their
Dollars are now worth $115 $825 each in face value for just $585 and that’s a real
collector value,” Lynne said. steal because all other residents must pay
“So just imagine how much these last re $1,770 for each state restricted bank roll.
maining, unsearched State Restricted Bank
Rolls could be worth someday,” said Lynne. Just be sure to call the National Toll Free
The only thing readers of today’s newspaper Hotlines before the deadline ends 7 days
publication need to do is call the National Toll from today’s publication date.
Free Hotlines before the 7day deadline ends. ■ R1022R-1
NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM
SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A
DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, PO BOX 35609, CANTON, OH 44735 ©2020 NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY.smartcircuits
Three options for home cooling
By Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen
D
ear Pat and Brad: My wife
and I have been in our
1,500-square-foot home with
no air conditioning for 10 years now,
and we’re tired of it! What options
should we look into so we can stay
cool this summer? — Kyle.
Dear Kyle: It’s the right time of year
to think about how to stay cool this
summer. There are a few low- and
no-cost cooling strategies, like using
ceiling fans to keep air moving, turn-
ing off unused electrical devices and
appliances, and blocking direct sun-
light with window coverings. If you
live where the summer evenings are
cooler, you can let the outside air in
late at night or early in the morning,
then seal up the home to keep that air options available. Evaporative cooling or heat pump unit. This is a good
from leaking out. units can be less expensive than tra- option if the ductwork is sized prop-
If that’s not enough, you can install ditional A/C, but don’t buy one until erly and doesn’t leak, and if ducts are
air conditioning (A/C). Below are three you do the research to determine how in unheated attics or crawl spaces that
common options for home cooling. well evaporative cooling works in your are insulated.
Please be aware that costs are highly local area. Whatever you choose, make As always, you can save energy and
variable as your location and the sure it is rated for the size of the space money by purchasing Energy Star®-
amount of space you want to cool will you are cooling. rated appliances and collecting a few
vary widely. quotes from licensed contractors.
Ductless mini-split We hope this information on home
Window units/portable heat pumps cooling options will start you on the
cooling A ductless mini-split heat pump has path to a more comfortable home this
Window A/C units or portable A/C a compressor outside the home that’s summer. l
units are the lowest-cost approach. connected to air handler units in as Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of
Portable units can be moved from many as four rooms. Each room’s tem- Collaborative Efficiency write on energy
room to room and come equipped perature can be controlled separately. efficiency topics for the National Rural
with a length of duct to exhaust hot air Ductless mini-splits are an especially Electric Cooperative Association, the
out a nearby window. Window units good choice for homes without forced national trade association representing
are mounted in a window opening air ducting systems or with leaky or more than 900 local electric coopera-
and cool one room. The efficiency undersized ductwork. Heat pumps can tives. From growing suburbs to remote
of portable and window units has also be a supplemental source of heat farming communities, electric co-ops
improved over the years, but none of in the winter. serve as engines of economic develop-
them are as efficient as most central ment for 42 million Americans across
A/C units or a mini-split heat pump. Central cooling 56% of the nation’s landscape. For addi-
Window units have been around for If your home has forced air heating tional energy tips and information, visit
a while, but now there are portable ductwork, it can be used for an A/C collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips.
12 | APR I L 2021SM
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Your Newsmagazine Through the Years
2011
2001
Under the farm-
land preservation
program, farmers sell
development rights
to a land preservation
board or the state on
the condition that the
property remains as
farmland in perpetuity.
1991
Electricity has been
immortalized on
postage stamps
around the world.
Almost every country
has honored some
aspect of the
electrical industry
on at least one of its
stamps.
D
ubbed the “farm system,” minor league baseball has helped
players develop their skills for the major leagues for well
over a century. As of 2020, eight minor league teams 1981
spread across Pennsylvania were affiliated with major league Rural electric distribu-
teams and two others were independent. Prior to 2020, annual tion lines span some
attendance at the minor league games was estimated at 2 million. of the roughest terrain
in Pennsylvania. For
The minor league season has traditionally gotten underway in this reason, aerial
April, and it often has included between-inning entertainment vegetation control on
and special promotions along with the game itself. Those activ- cooperative rights-of-
ities include such things as mascot races, giveaways or T-shirts way is used by most
thrown into the crowd. The trick for minor league clubs has been cooperatives.
to find ways to entice casual fans and families into games. One
way they do that is the price, which often is a better value than
taking a family out for other activities.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, caused delays and cancel- 1971
lations across the major and minor league teams, and there are National Rural Electric
changes in the works this season as well. In an effort to allow for Cooperative Asso-
more social distancing, the 2021 Double-A and Class A seasons ciation convention
have delayed starts until after major league players and Triple-A delegates work toward
a common goal:
players depart from camp. Also, during the offseason, some
providing dependable,
restructuring took place affecting minor league teams, with the economical power pro-
number of teams operating under the organizational umbrella of duced in the cleanest
a major league team being reduced across the country. manner possible.
14 | APR I L 2021cooperativeconnection
REA Energy
From the President & CEO
Cooperative, Inc.
REA
ENERGY
Ensuring reliability as
One of 14 electric cooperatives
serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey
power supply tightens
By Chad Carrick, MBA, CFPC, President & CEO
REA Energy Cooperative, Inc. You expect reliable and affordable rolling power interruptions or black-
75 Airport Road • P.O. Box 70 electricity from your electric coopera- outs — so-called “max-gen” events.
Indiana, PA 15701-0070
724-349-4800 • 800-211-5667 tive, so how does your co-op deliver on In those cases, supply simply can’t
Ebensburg District Office that promise? keep up. In the Midcontinent region
127 Municipal Road A complex network of electricity comprised of 15 states, there were six
Ebensburg, PA 15931 generators and tens of thousands of max-gen events from 2006-2016. Since
814-472-8570
Website: www.reaenergy.com miles of electrical lines work togeth- 2016, there have been 15, including
Email: reaenergy@reaenergy.com er to ensure that enough electricity three last July and August alone.
Staff is available on the coldest winter Simply, that’s because power plants
Barry Baker morning and during the hottest, most that generate electricity are being
Indiana Operations Manager humid dog days of summer. closed faster than new producers
Erin Bauer
ACRE Coordinator What happens when the demand come on-line. In most cases, tradition-
Shane Cribbs for power overwhelms the ability to al large-scale power suppliers such
Network & Systems Manager provide it? That’s a particularly vexing as coal and nuclear plants are being
Dave Daugherty
Safety & Right of Way Manager question given the transition taking closed and replaced by alternatives
Jeff Dishong place in how electricity is produced on a much smaller scale. And this gap
Ebensburg Operations Supervisor and shared across this network. is closing more quickly despite the
Lisa Gardill
Accounting & Finance Manager The key to meeting the energy needs development of new natural gas-fueled
Stacy Hilliard, CCC, CKAE so essential to your quality of life is power plants.
Communications & Marketing Manager balancing electricity supply with de- As more electric utilities pursue
Local Pages Editor
Chris Masterson mand. While that may sound simple, zero- or low-carbon initiatives by 2035
Reliability Supervisor there is a complex web of facilities and and beyond, this challenge will grow
Patrick McAndrew organizations that work together to more complex. So, what’s the answer?
Manager of Engineering
Bryon Roland make it happen each day. Electric cooperatives and others
Purchasing & Facilities Manager Regional transmission organizations in the energy sector will continue to
Brendan Short coordinate, control and monitor the develop renewable options and pursue
Right-of-Way/Forestry Supervisor
Renee Spalla electric grid across several states in a new technologies. But absent new
Supervisor of Consumer Services region. Think of them as energy traffic large-scale alternatives and advances
Chris Weller managers on an interstate highway in energy storage, the stalwarts of
Load Management Supervisor
system, regulating the number of cars today’s energy fleet — coal and nuclear
Outages & Emergencies
1-800-332-7273 — in this case, electricity — and their energy facilities — must continue to
724-463-7273 destination. operate in many regions. In some, they
Office Hours Even so, on some days there is an remain the most cost-effective options
Indiana Office: 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. imbalance in that system that leads to for producing electricity. l
Ebensburg Office:
7 - 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Monday - Friday
| APR I L 2021 14area energy cooperative, inc
Thank a lineworker on April 12
If you were asked to associate an image or a person with REA
Energy, I bet you would picture a lineworker. Among the most visible
employees of the co-op, lineworkers work tirelessly to ensure our
community receives uninterrupted power 24/7.
“Lineworker” is listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in
the U.S. This is understandable as they perform detailed tasks near
high-voltage power lines. Regardless of the time of day, having to
brave stormy weather and other challenging conditions, lineworkers
must climb 40 feet in the air, often carrying heavy equipment to get
the job done.
Being a lineworker is not a glamorous or easy profession. It takes
years of specialized training, ongoing education, dedication, and
equally important, a sense of service and commitment. How else can
you explain the willingness to leave the comfort of your home to tackle
a challenging job in difficult conditions when most are sheltering com-
fortably at home? This dedication and sense of service to the commu-
nity is truly what sets them apart. That’s why we set aside the second
Monday in April to celebrate and recognize the men and women who
work around the clock to keep the lights on.
Our dedicated lineworkers are proud to represent REA Energy, and
they deserve all the appreciation and accolades that come their way
on Lineworker Appreciation Day.
On April 12, and any time you see a lineworker, I hope you’ll join me
in thanking them for their exceptional service.
Emergency Rental/Utility Assistance Program (ERAP)
WERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AFFECTED BY COVID-19 AND BEHIND
ON RENT OR UTILITIES? IF SO, YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE.
The goal of the program is to provide ELIGIBLE families and individuals financial assistance for rent and
utilities including:
k rent
k rental arrears
k utilities and home energy costs
k utility and home energy costs arrears
k and other expenses related to housing
**All assistance requested must be related to COVID-19 issues.**
Apply online on COMPASS (compass.state.pa.us).
The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to eligible households to pay rent, rental
arrears, utilities, utility arrears, and other related housing expenses incurred due, directly or indirectly, to
COVID-19. There are specific eligibility requirements including income eligibility requirements.
Renters, landlords and utility providers can apply. Applications can be accessed online on COMPASS at
compass.state.pa.us. For those who do not have access to a computer, you can contact your county’s
Community Action Program for assistance. When contacting them, please refer to the Emergency Rental and
Utility Program.
14b | APR I L 2021Know what’s below:
Steps for safe digging
Spring is just around the corner, and there’s
never been a better time to get outside and enjoy
the fresh air. Perhaps you’re making plans for a
new garden or a lawn makeover. However you’re
planning to revamp your backyard oasis, remem-
ber to keep safety in mind for all projects — es-
pecially those that require digging near under-
ground utility lines.
Most of us never think about the electric,
gas, water and other utility lines buried below
the ground, but hitting one of these lines while
digging is not the reminder you’ll want — trust
us! REA Energy reminds all members who are
planning a digging project to call 811 at least
three business days before you start. Or you can
submit a request online at call811.com/811-In-
Your-State. Here’s how the process works:
After you call 811 or submit your request
online, all affected utilities will be notified of your
intent to dig. It may take the utilities a few days to
get to your request, so please be patient. The af-
fected utilities will send someone out to mark the
buried lines with paint or flags. Before you break
ground, confirm that all the utilities have respond-
ed to your request. If you placed your request by
phone, use the process explained by your 811
call center representative. If you submitted your
request online, refer to your 811 center ticket to
confirm everything.
By taking this important step before you break
ground on your project, you can help protect
not only yourself but our community. Disrupting
an underground utility line can interrupt service,
cause injuries, and cost money to repair, so re-
member to call 811 first and know what’s below.
Right-of-way management/facility construction news
REA Energy contractors will be completing tree-trimming work in the following areas in April:
k C ontractor crews from Penn Line Tree Service will be trimming the rights-of-way of the Amsbry and Smith-
port Substation areas, in addition to emergency maintenance areas.
Notification of work will be made to members in the areas affected. Contractors will perform all right-of-way
work per REA Energy specifications. All contractor employees will carry employee identification cards and
their vehicles will display their company name.
If you have any questions, call 724-349-4800, or view the specifications at reaenergy.com.
| APR I L 2021 14crea energy cooperative, inc
Recent changes to REA Energy’s bylaws
At a recent meeting of the board of directors, following changes/additions (in red) were made:
ARTICLE I, Memberships
Section 5. Grant of Easements. Each member of the Cooperative, by becoming a member and by dealing with the
Cooperative, grants the Cooperative such easements upon, over or under such member’s lands for purposes of erecting,
maintaining, repairing and servicing all such lines, facilities, equipment, including communications and related infrastruc-
ture as may be necessary or convenient in order to provide electric or other services to any members. Each member agrees
to execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Cooperative a Right-of-Way Easement to provide electric service to any mem-
bers in such form as may from time to time be used by the Cooperative, a copy of which shall be available at the office of
the Cooperative.
ARTICLE III, Directors
Section 2. (a) Qualifications and Tenure. At each annual meeting of the members, directors shall be elected by and
from the members of the Cooperative to serve until the expiration of their respective terms, or until their successors shall
have been qualified and elected, subject to the provisions of 12 of Article III. Directors shall be elected to staggered four-
year terms. No member shall be eligible to become or remain a director who:
(i) shall have ceased to be a member of the Cooperative; or
(ii) is in any way employed by or financially interested in any business or enterprise which is in competition with any
business or enterprise of the Cooperative; provided that this provision shall not apply to any member of the Board of Di-
rectors who is in office as of the date of adoption of these revised By-laws, and that ownership of less than one percent of
the outstanding stock of a publicly traded corporation shall not constitute such a prohibited financial interest; or
(iii) is or was an employee of the Cooperative or any of its subsidiaries, or any other electric cooperative or association;
or is a close relative of a director or employee of the Cooperative; or
(iv) has not received electric service and all electric energy from the Cooperative at such member’s primary residence for
a minimum period of one continuous year immediately preceding election; or
(v) does not primarily reside in the represented district; or
(vi) has not paid any balance due the Cooperative, or its subsidiary, within 90 days after billing during the previous one-
year period; or
(vii) has been convicted of theft of services from the Cooperative; or
(viii) has not submitted a written application for membership in the Cooperative bearing his or her signature for their
primary residence; or
(viiiix) is not at least eighteen (18) years of age; or
(ixx) has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, a felony or a crime of moral turpitude;
(xi) is employed by an electric company within the service territory; or
(xii) holds or is seeking the candidacy in an elected public office of any governmental body or political subdivision; or
(xiii) is not a natural person; or
(x) has not obtained and maintained the following, or its equivalent should a certification no longer be available, within
the time specified, unless excused by the Board upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote and for good cause shown:
Your Board of Directors
Michael J. Bertolino Wayne Farabaugh Robert P. Neese Sandra Dill Tom Beresnyak Anthony Enciso Thomas Aurandt John R. Learn J.R. “Rick” Shope
Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary/Treasurer District 9 District 1 District 7 District 4 District 6 District 2
District 3 District 8 District 5
REA Energy is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
14d | APR I L 2021energymatters
Differences between overhead and
underground power lines
By Paul Wesslund
W
henever a hurricane, wild- $93,000 and $5 million per mile of
fire or other natural disaster line, depending on the type of ser-
causes a widespread power vice and the terrain. The study also
outage, people tend to ask a logical included a survey that found 60% of
question: why don’t they put the power respondents said they would be willing
lines underground? It’s one of those to pay up to 10% more on their energy
questions that seems to have an easy bills to have their power lines buried.
answer — until you start looking at The actual cost, however, would be
the details. more than 100% higher, and with that
information, more than 75% of the
The debate over “undergrounding” survey respondents said “no.”
power lines comes with lists of pros Converting to underground lines
and cons on each side. But one of could also mean higher expense to
those cons tends to drown out the homeowners who might have to
others — cost. When people hear that install different electrical equipment to
burying power lines could more than accommodate the new connections.
double their electric bill, well, that Some people do have underground
tends to end the discussion. service. One estimate places that
Trevor Eichelberger, Valley REC
When a state experiences a major number at two out of every five util-
power outage, it often appoints a com- ity customers. In some cases, utili-
mission to study ways to reduce the ties are placing new electric service
chances of another major outage. And underground, even though that cost
the results of those studies are often is more expensive as well. It can cost
the same, citing undergrounding lines three times as much to build new
as prohibitively expensive. underground service compared with
But states keep studying whether overhead lines. About 20% of the
to bury power lines, and people keep HIGH-WIRE ACT: Winter weather can cause money spent on new electric service
asking about it because power out- problems with above-ground electric lines, but construction of distribution lines goes
ages are expensive too. In fact, they’re installing all power lines underground isn’t always for underground projects.
estimated to cost the U.S. $150 billion feasible. While underground service is
annually. often impractical, utilities are finding
Wouldn’t burying power lines save ing a problem up in the air can be a other ways to increase reliability, by
some of that money? lot easier (and faster) than locating using modern smart grid technology
It’s true that undergrounding lines and digging up the exact spot of an and drone patrols, as well as more
would protect them from wind, fire, underground malfunction. old-fashioned tree trimming. l
ice and tree branches. But there are Also, underground power lines Paul Wesslund writes on consumer
more reasons. There wouldn’t be poles aren’t completely safe from natural and cooperative affairs for the National
for cars to crash into or overhead lines disasters. They’ve been known to get Rural Electric Cooperative Association,
for squirrels to chew up. It would also overwhelmed with flooding, and dig- the national trade association represent-
keep poles and wires from getting in ging or other construction can slice ing more than 900 local electric cooper-
the way of the natural scenery. into underground service. But again, it atives. From growing suburbs to remote
But overhead lines have their own really all boils down to cost. farming communities, electric co-ops
advantages. While underground lines A 2012 study by the Edison Electric serve as engines of economic develop-
are less prone to damage, when some- Institute estimated that burying exist- ment for 42 million Americans across
thing goes wrong, finding and repair- ing power lines would cost between 56% of the nation’s landscape.
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Limitations apply.techtrends
New nuclear energy technology
By Maria Kanevsky
W
hen we think about car- ing nuclear energy even more afford-
bon-free sources of energy, able and competitive than it already is.
solar energy and wind NuScale Power is one of the most
energy typically come to mind. How- prominent U.S. companies currently
ever, there is one type of carbon-free developing SMR technology. The com-
energy that has seen less attention pany is planning to build the first SMR
in recent years, and that is nuclear complex in the U.S. by the end of this
energy. While solar and wind energy decade. Before that happens, there are
both depend on weather conditions, still several issues that the company
nuclear energy can be generated at any needs to address on safety and design
time, making it a reliable and steady SUSQUEHANNA POWER: Interest in build- after having their technology reviewed
ing large-scale nuclear power plants like the
source of energy. Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, co-owned
by the Nuclear Regulatory Commis-
by Pennsylvania and New Jersey electric coop- sion. Several other companies are also
Even though nuclear energy is one of eratives through Allegheny Electric Cooperative, developing their own SMR technology,
the safest forms of energy generation, Inc., is not high currently. However, there is an including TerraPower, X-Energy, Hype-
alternative form of nuclear energy being planned
many people immediately question its rion Power Generation and Terrestrial.
that takes up much less space, and reduces
safety, thinking back to high-profile construction costs and time: small modular These companies are also still in devel-
incidents. Along with public image, reactors (SMRs). opment stages, hoping to deploy proj-
high upfront costs and lengthy con- ects in the next decade or so.
struction times have also made it less location, and then to ship them to dif- With all this in mind, it’s important
attractive to build new nuclear plants in ferent areas nationwide. Their small to note that SMRs are not yet fully
the U.S. over the last several decades. size also means they can be located in operational. A great deal of the current
Interest in building large-scale areas that otherwise wouldn’t be able to technology only exists as a computer
nuclear power plants likely won’t support an entire nuclear power plant, model and hasn’t been built into a
return. However, there is an alternative like a remote town or a mining area. By physical project. More testing and cer-
form of nuclear energy that takes up stacking or placing several SMRs side tifications must be done before we will
much less space, reduces construction by side, the total energy output can be see any commonplace SMR technology.
costs and time, and could be even safer: customized depending on the needs of Despite this, there’s great promise in
small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs the surrounding community. They can the flexibility and affordability that
are nuclear reactors that only generate even be used alone or combined with SMRs can bring to the electric grid.
up to a certain amount of energy and other renewable energies, making them There’s no way to know how viable
are designed with a modular function- more flexible. SMR technology will be once it is fully
ality. As the name suggests, they are A huge benefit of SMRs is that they developed, but with potential to revi-
also smaller in size, and each module have much lower upfront costs com- talize nuclear energy, this technology is
can be linked together to create a larger pared to a large nuclear power plant. something to watch. l
nuclear plant. SMR technology could According to one study, SMRs could Maria Kanevsky writes on consumer
solve many of the issues that have been be somewhere between 15% to 40% and cooperative affairs for the National
holding back nuclear energy, and it has cheaper than a traditional nuclear Rural Electric Cooperative Association,
the greatest potential out of any tech- power plant that provides the same the national trade association represent-
nology to bring back the nuclear energy amount of electricity. While costs for ing more than 900 local electric cooper-
industry. nuclear energy have remained steady atives. From growing suburbs to remote
The size of SMRs allows them to over the last few decades, costs for farming communities, electric co-ops
be small enough to fit in trucks for renewable energies such as solar and serve as engines of economic development
transportation, making it much easier wind have significantly decreased. So for 42 million Americans across 56% of
to mass produce the modules in one SMRs could be a game-changer in mak- the nation’s landscape.
18 | APR I L 2021You can also read
