Author: horryelectric

Horry Electric is working hard to encourage members to go paperless and sign up for E-Bill with a limited time offer to new participants.  “A member who qualifies and successfully signs up as an E-Bill participant between July 1 and 11:59 PM on July 31, 2020, will be automatically entered into a prize drawing for one of ten $50 electric bill credits,” says Danny Shelley, executive vice president and CEO.   The bill credits will be awarded to the winning entrants on Monday, August 3, 2020.   Contest rules are outlined at the bottom of this blog post.

Signing up for E-bill makes paying your electric bill easier. “This means no more trips to your mailbox for your electric bill,” says Shelley. “It’s a green, easy, secure and convenient way to receive your bill.”

When a member signs up, Horry Electric will begin automatically sending your monthly electric bill to the email address associated with your account.

The limited-time offer is for NEW participants only. All member accounts are eligible to participate.  The contest rules are outlined below.

The best way to sign up is to visit MyEnergy Online. Members may also call Horry Electric during regular business hours at 843.369.2211 for more information.

How to sign up online or via the HEC Mobile app:

1. Log into MyEnergy Online
   • You will need your account number and password to sign in
2. Click the “My Account” tab
3. On the drop-down menu, select “E-notifications”
4. Select “E-Bill”
5. Select the account you’d like to sign up for E-Bill notifications and click “Continue”

PLEASE NOTE: An email address is required to sign up for E-Bill.

This year marks the first Virtual Youth Experience, a week-long web conference sponsored by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives, designed to bring together high-achieving high school student from across the state to meet with various local, state and national leaders.

The 2020 Washington Youth Tour and Cooperative Youth Summit summer trips were cancelled due to COVID-19. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina created this virtual experience as an alternative where students could still participate in an unforgettable experience.

Students kicked off the experience with an introduction to cooperatives. On Monday, June 22, students spoke with S.C. Supt. of Education Molly Spearman.

On Tuesday, students got to speak with Dr. Linda Bell, the state’s chief epidemiologist. She answered questions from students regarding what a “new normal” is going to look like in the state.

“The ‘new normal’ in South Carolina, and across America, is the use of masks almost everywhere we go, while maintaining social distancing,” said Bell. “People, especially young people, need to understand that social interaction is actually possible under the new ‘normal.'”

Governor Henry McMaster also spoke to the student about the spread of COVID-19 across South Carolina.

“We know a lot more about the virus than we did in the beginning,” said McMaster. “Those who are really endangered by the disease are the older generation. Knowing what we know now, we are going to have to develop a way to keep the virus from spreading to the older generation.”

You can view highlights from Dr. Bell’s dialogue here.

You can view highlights from Gov. McMaster’s dialogue here.

Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spent time with students on Wednesday. Scott, one of only three African Americans in the U.S. Senate, took a question from Emily Rabon, a rising senior at Aynor High School, regarding the removal of Confederate monuments across the nation.

“I think we should be very careful of our strong desire to purge all reminders of how evil the heart can be,” said Scott. “I think instead of tearing down statues, I’d like to see more statues of people other than Martin Luther King, Jr. – who happened to be African American. I’d love to see statues of Rosa Parks, Booker T. Washington and Washington Carver. There are so many people in the African American community who we know so little about.”

Sen. Graham also took a question from Lando Leyva, a student from Hilton Head Island High School, about the issue of race and policing.

“We’ve got to admit we have a problem in policing,” said Graham. “I think most cops are great, but we need to change our system to reinforce the idea that police officers need to look more like the communities they police. We need more minority officers, we need better training and we have to impress upon cops that deadly force is available, but it should be your last resort.”

You can view highlights from Sen. Scott’s dialogue here.

You can view highlights from Sen. Graham’s dialogue here.

Students also spoke with Cindi Scoppe and Avery Wilks of The Post and Courier.

Rev. Charles Jackson and Rep. James Clyburn spent time with the students on Thursday.

Jackson, senior pastor at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, spoke to students about the importance of developing community and positive race relations.

“Those of us in the church might want to do some serious soul searching as it relates to race and racism in our lives,” said Jackson. “Is there something in our own lives – in our own hearts – that might keep us from being a loving person towards those of a different race? I encourage these young people to develop relationship with those around them who might of a different prospective or a different race… It’s all about developing a sense of community.”

Clyburn, who represents South Carolina’s sixth congressional district and is the third-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, spoke to students about finding common ground.

“I have a philosophy that I try to live by, that is if the distance between me and my opponent is five steps, I don’t mind taking three of them,” said Clyburn. “I never mind meeting someone more than half way.”

Students were also encouraged to hear of Clyburn’s advocacy for the expansion of accessible and affordable rural broadband. Clyburn described high-speed internet as an essential component of bringing rural America into the 21st century.

You can view highlights from Rev. Jackson’s dialogue here.

You can also view highlights from Rep. Clyburn’s dialogue.

A surprise rock star on the Friday agenda turned out to be Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, drummer for Hootie and the Blowfish. He met with Virtual Youth Experience students to discuss mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sonefeld faced challenges with anxiety and depression, including substance abuse, after finding fame in the early 1990s.

“It’s incredibly important to acknowledge those anxieties and those fears,” said Sonefeld. “For a long time I stuffed them under by bed… I used unhealthy things to make myself feel better. It’s so important to acknowledge them by talking to your parents or a psychologist. We have these anxieties and we have to get them out.”

Sonefeld also spoke of his hope for the future during this unprecedented time.

“One of the biggest challenges in life is figuring out we have options and being willing to use them,” said Sonefeld. “It’s tough because you have dreams, whether you’re 16 or 66, you have dreams and it’s only your responsibility to adapt. It’s an inside job.”

You can view highlights from Sonefeld’s dialogue here.

A total of 79 students – all rising high school juniors or seniors – participated in the Virtual Youth Experience. These students represent 19 electric cooperatives across South Carolina.

Horry Electric Cooperative has been selected to participate in a 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic Response Evaluation. This is a national survey conducted by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), an organization that represents electric cooperatives across the country.

Horry Electric members will be randomly selected to participate in the online survey. If you are selected, you will receive an email invitation with a link to the survey.

The survey begins Monday, June 22, 2020 and will be open for approximately two weeks. It will collect data on how members feel Horry Electric responded to the pandemic crisis. The data will help gather a national snapshot of co-op performance across the network.

The survey is consists of 24 questions.

PLEASE NOTE: This survey is confidential. Members will not be asked to buy anything, nor will their name/email be added to any kind of mailing list.

As a cooperative member, you have a say and your opinion matters to us. We appreciate our members taking the time to participate in this survey.

The June 2020 edition of South Carolina Living magazine has been uploaded to horryelectric.com!  It will be delivered to mailboxes of subscribing members soon!

The main part of South Carolina Living magazine, which can also be found online includes the usual recipes, plus a few feature articles about interesting people and places in our own state!

The June 2020 edition has six pages dedicated to local news about your co-op.   Highlights include: 

• CEO Column– Coronavirus response continues; Lobbies reopening and how Horry Electric is working to get back to business.
• Home Energy Advisor pinpoints ways to save: Horry Electric’s online tools are available to help members monitor their energy use and find ways to save money and energy.
• Restoring service after the storm: How Horry Electric works to restore power after a major outage.
• ‘I’ll say it a thousand times – It’s a blessing!’: a continuation of our series on the Local People Serving You at Horry Electric: Carluss King.
• Summer youth trips go virtual: Annual trips cancelled due to COVID-19; How students will still have an unforgettable experience.

The May 2020 edition of South Carolina Living magazine has been uploaded to horryelectric.com!  It will be delivered to mailboxes of subscribing members soon!

The main part of South Carolina Living magazine, which can also be found online includes the usual recipes, plus a few feature articles about interesting people and places in our own state!

The May 2020 edition has two pages dedicated to local news about your co-op.   Highlights include: 

• CEO Column– Tough times for all; we’re here for you and we are continuing to look out for you
• Various co-op news: Military Appreciation Month; A special thank you to our members; Beat the Peak gift card contest

Horry Electric is extending the deadline for Bright Ideas grant applications due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The new application deadline for 2020 is August 31, 2020.

“Due to the uncertain times we’re living in, we want to give our teachers extra time to complete their applications,” said Toni Gore, coordinator of the Bright Ideas program.

Bright Ideas is a grant program designed to provide funding for innovative classroom-based educational projects.

Bright Ideas grants are intended to fund projects outside normal public school funding parameters and can be made available to all disciplines in grades K-12 in Horry County. A school may submit an application, and teachers are limited to one application per year. $1,000 is the maximum amount teachers can apply for.

“We encourage any teacher in the district to apply! We would love the opportunity to help fund any project a teacher may want to do for their classroom,” says Gore.

Anyone interested can apply online through our website.

Horry Electric is working hard to encourage participation in our FREE Bank Draft program with a limited time offer to new participants.  “A member who qualifies and gets successfully signed up as a Bank Draft participant between May 1 and 11:59 PM on May 31, 2020, will be automatically entered into a prize drawing for one of ten $50 electric bill credits,” says Danny Shelley, executive vice president and CEO.   The bill credits will be awarded to the winning entrants on June 1, 2020.   Contest rules are outlined at the bottom of this blog post.

The Bank Draft program makes paying your electric bill easier. “You can pay your bill on time, every time – without having to write a check,” says Shelley. “It’s the easiest, safest, most convenient and least expensive way to pay your electric bill”.

When a member signs up, Horry Electric will begin automatically drafting the checking or savings account for the amount of the monthly electric bill the following billing period.”You’ll still get statements showing the kWh use and the amount due, but you won’t have to write a check, come to the office, or pay a visit to the night deposit box after hours,” explains Shelley, adding that the amount due is drafted on the bill due date.  “The other big benefit,” he continues, ” is there are no convenience fees!”

Please note that it may take a few days to process a request, so continue to pay the bill until “Bank Draft” appears on the statement you get in the mail.

The limited-time offer is for NEW participants only and Advance Pay participants are not eligible to participate.  The contest rules are outlined below.

The best way to sign up is to visit MyEnergy Online. “We will be creating a couple of videos to demonstrate how to sign up via mobile app or desktop and we will share those as soon as they are ready,” says Shelley. Members may also call Horry Electric during regular business hours at 843.369.2211 to learn more about getting signed up.

How to sign up mobile app version and desktop version.

The April 2020 Annual Meeting edition of South Carolina Living magazine has been uploaded to horryelectric.com!  It was delivered to the mailboxes of all Horry Electric members on record as of the end of March. This edition contains IMPORTANT information concerning the Annual Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Please read Page 4 thoroughly.

The main part of South Carolina Living magazine, which can also be found online includes the usual recipes, a list of festivals and events, plus a few feature articles about interesting people and places in our own state!

The April 2020 edition has 10 pages dedicated to Annual Meeting news from your co-op.   Highlights include: 

• CEO Column: Annual Meeting countdown; Slight adjustments needed. IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
• Official notice of Annual Meeting: Official notice of Annual Meeting; Agenda; Registration map; Grand prize/gift information.
• Capital Credits: Co-op returning $3 million in capital credits to members by end of April.
• 2019 Financial View: A breakdown of the numbers; Comparative operating statistics.
• Board of Trustees: Meet your Board of Trustees; Read more about the board candidates up for re-election.
• Notice of proposed bylaw amendments: Members to vote on changes to work toward compliance with a governance law passed by the  S.C. General Assembly in 2019.
• Various co-op news: How to navigate the MyEnergy Online portal; Apply now for Jenny Ballard W.I.R.E. scholarship; Update your information.

Horry Electric is working hard to encourage participation in our FREE Bank Draft program with a limited time offer to new participants.  “A member who qualifies and gets successfully signed up as a Bank Draft participant between April 1 and 11:59 PM on April 30, 2020, will be automatically entered into a prize drawing for one of ten $50 electric bill credits,” says Danny Shelley, executive vice president and CEO.   The bill credits will be awarded to the winning entrants on May 1, 2020.   Contest rules are outlined at the bottom of this blog post.

The Bank Draft program makes paying your electric bill easier. “You can pay your bill on time, every time – without having to write a check,” says Shelley. “It’s the easiest, safest, most convenient and least expensive way to pay your electric bill”.

When a member signs up, Horry Electric will begin automatically drafting the checking or savings account for the amount of the monthly electric bill the following billing period.”You’ll still get statements showing the kWh use and the amount due, but you won’t have to write a check, come to the office, or pay a visit to the night deposit box after hours,” explains Shelley, adding that the amount due is drafted on the bill due date.  “The other big benefit,” he continues, ” is there are no convenience fees!”

Please note that it may take a few days to process a request, so continue to pay the bill until “Bank Draft” appears on the statement you get in the mail.

The limited-time offer is for NEW participants only and Advance Pay participants are not eligible to participate.  The contest rules are outlined below.

The best way to sign up is to visit MyEnergy Online. “We will be creating a couple of videos to demonstrate how to sign up via mobile app or desktop and we will share those as soon as they are ready,” says Shelley. Members may also call Horry Electric during regular business hours at 843.369.2211 to learn more about getting signed up.

How to sign up mobile app version and desktop version.

Lineworkers serve on the frontlines of our nation’s energy needs, and on April 13, 2020, Horry Electric, along with other electric cooperatives across the country, will honor the brave men and women who work hard to keep the lights on. We will also celebrate National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18.

Line crews work 24 hours a day – 7 days a week – 365 days a year. They work around the clock, sometimes in difficult and dangerous conditions, to keep power flowing to our local communities. Whether they’re restoring power after a major storm or maintaining critical infrastructure to our electric system, lineworkers are at the heart of our cooperative.

When a storm hits, they set aside their personal priorities because Mother Nature doesn’t work around holidays, vacations or birthdays. A service-oriented mentality is one of the many admirable characteristics of an electric lineworker.

Horry Electric is proud to honor over 60 lineworkers that maintain over 5,200 miles of power lines across our service territory of Horry County.

To honor them, Horry Electric will be posting some of their faces across our social media platforms! You’ll see pictures of our linemen in their work atmosphere, but you’ll also get to see some fun pictures! Lineworkers are truly a group of people who genuinely love what they do.

We invite all co-op members to take a moment and thank a lineworker for the important work they do. As much as our lineworkers would love to give you a high five or a fist bump, we ask that you keep social distancing in mind during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, honk your horn the next time you drive past a line crew working or roll your window down and yell “hello!”

On April 13 and April 18, you can use #ThankALineworker on social media to show your support for the brave men and women who power our lives.