Author: Jennifer Cummings

At Horry Electric Cooperative, we’re proud of the role we play in bringing the light to the communities we serve. We love the opportunity to get to know our members better and hear about the great things members are doing in our area. Through the months of June and July, we need your help!

We know our service territory is filled with unsung heroes who are helping those in need and empowering their neighbors. These are the members that inspire our commitment to community and we want to celebrate them.

If you are inspired by someone making a difference in our community, the #WhoPowersYou contest is your chance to honor them and tell their stories. Anyone can nominate a neighbor, but nominees must either be a cooperative member, live in a residence served by an electric cooperative or be making a positive impact in a community served by the cooperative.

Horry Electric will choose a local winner, who will win a prize of $500. The local winner will then have a chance at being named the 2022 South Carolina #WhoPowersYou Hero and receive a $2,500 grand prize. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges based on the impact they have on our community.

You can nominate a local hero by visiting ecsc.org/WhoPowersYou, where you’ll be asked to share a photo of your nominee and answer three questions about how they are making difference in their community.

All entries must be submitted by July 31, 2022.

Hurricane Season is here and now is a great time to prepare for a weather-related outage. Members can stay connected during an outage by adding a cell phone number to their account. By doing this, members will be automatically opted in to Horry Electric’s MyOutage program. This fast, convenient outage text alert program provides a convenient way for members to report outages. Members can also request status updates regarding their outage.

How does it work? The MyOutage number is 1-844-369-2767. Save this number to your contacts and text “OUT” to report an outage or “STATUS” for an update.

During the month of June, any member who adds a cell phone number to their account to participate in MyOutage will be automatically entered into a prize drawing for one of five $50 electric bill credits! Existing MyOutage participants will also be entered in the prize drawing. Members have until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, June 30 to enroll. The winners will be announced in early July. 

Add a cell phone number and update your contact information online by clicking here. You can also log in to the MyEnergy Online portal or call 843.369.2211.

All member accounts are eligible to participate.  The contest rules are outlined below.

Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc.
MyOutage Sign-Up Competition & Prizes
Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions

1. No Purchase or Entry Fee Required.

2. Timing. The MyOutage Sign-Up Competition & Prizes (“Promotion”) begins at 12:01 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on June 1, 2022, and ends at 11:59 PM ET on June 30, 2022 (the “Promotion Period”).

3. Overview. This promotion is a submission contest solely intended for members of Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc. (“Cooperative”) who add a cell phone number to their account to be automatically opted in to the MyOutage program during the Promotion Period. Interested parties (the “Entrant” or “Submitter”) may be:

a)     an individual member of the Cooperative (“Entrant”), or

b)     an individual member entering on behalf of a legally-registered organization or association that is a member of the Cooperative (“Submitter”).

Entrants and/or Submitters may sign up for MyOutage, and five randomly selected Entrants will be awarded a $50.00 (USD) bill credit on their next bill from the Cooperative.

4. To Enter. Entrants and/or Submitters may enter online by clicking here, visiting MyEnergy Online to sign up in the member portal, or by calling us at 843.369.2211 during regular business hours. Entrants and/or Submitters must enter only one submission per email address. Entries submitted in violation of the contest entry rules will not be considered [be void]. All entries become the property of the Cooperative and will not be returned. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on June 30, 2022, the official end date of the Promotion Period.

5. Eligibility. Entrant and/or Submitter must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at time of entry, and the Entrant and/or Submitter must be a member of the Cooperative.  The following are not eligible to participate: a) officers, directors, and employees of the Cooperative; and b) the immediate family members (spouse, parents, children, siblings, and their respective spouses) of Cooperative employees and household members with whom they may reside (whether related or not); existing members of the Cooperative who are currently signed up for MyOutage. This Promotion is void outside of South Carolina and is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

6. Judging Criteria. Five winners will be randomly drawn from all properly submitted registration entries by July 8, 2022.

7. Prize Awarding. The give winners will be randomly selected and announced on or about July 8, 2022 from among all eligible entries received. The five winners will be notified by phone that the credit has been applied to their respective accounts.

8. Prizes/Odds. There will be five (5) prizes awarded: five $50.00 (USD) statement credits on the member’s next bill from the Cooperative. Odds of winning will be based on a random drawing from the total group of eligible submissions.

9. Terms/Conditions.

a)     By signing up, Entrant warrants and represents that he/she is a member of a South Carolina Electric Cooperative;

b)     By signing up, Submitter warrants and represents that he/she registered a legally-registered organization or association that is a member of the Cooperative;

c)     The Cooperative reserves the right to disqualify any submission at any time in the event the Cooperative determines, in its sole discretion, that the submission is inappropriate, not in keeping with Cooperative’s image, or that an Entrant or Submitter has not otherwise complied with these Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions;

d)     By claiming a prize, the winner agrees that the Cooperative, and its officers, employees, members, affiliates, agents, and advertising and promotional agencies, [do not have any] have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind related to participation in this Promotion, or from acceptance or use/misuse of any prize offered;

e)     Acceptance of a prize shall constitute the winner’s agreement that the Cooperative or its agent(s) may use and/or display the winner’s name, address (city, state only), likeness, entry (and content) and/or prize information, without limitation, for promotional purposes, without further consideration, except where prohibited by law;

f)     You agree to release Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other social media platform and acknowledge that this promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other social media platform;

g)     All taxes on prizes (if applicable) are the sole responsibility of the winner;

h)     Prizes are not transferable or assignable, except to a surviving spouse, or at the sole discretion of the Cooperative.

10. Direct Marketing. By entering the Promotion, Entrant acknowledges that he/she may receive various marketing or other information from the Cooperative or its affiliated member electric cooperatives regarding their products or services. If an Entrant does not desire to receive this information, an Entrant may opt out by calling 843.369.2211 or emailing Service@horryelectric.com

11. Sponsor. Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc., 2774 Cultra Road, Conway, SC 29526.

Void outside of South Carolina and wherever prohibited or restricted by law.

The April 2022 edition of South Carolina Living magazine has been uploaded to horryelectric.com! This edition is the OFFICIAL NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEMBER MEETING and it includes a special cover wrap with more important details!

The magazine is being delivered to ALL Horry Electric members.

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 April 2022 edition has six pages dedicated to important Annual Member Meeting information, including: 

• CEO Column– Important Annual Member Meeting information you need to know, including registration requirements.
• Official Notice of the Annual Member Meeting: Details on the Annual Member Meeting early Drive-Thru Registration, prize drawings, and registration gift.
• Capital Credits: Co-op returning $4.1 million in capital credits to members (expected by the end of April).
• Board of Trustees: Meet the Board of Trustees.
• Meet the candidates: Read more about the trustee candidates.
• 2021 Financial View: A breakdown of the numbers; Comparative operating statistics.

Bradford Pear trees are known for having pretty blossoms, but also for their foul odor. These trees are not native to the United States, but can be spotted throughout South Carolina. They also pose a threat to our system during storms. Bradford Pear branches are known for breaking during storms and causing outages.

Homeowners have the opportunity to cut down their Bradford Pear trees and replace up to five for an equal number of free, healthy, native, replacement trees through the Bradford Pear Bounty. This is a collaboration between Clemson Extension and the South Carolina Forestry Commission.

Horry Electric will not cut down Bradford Pear trees for members, unless the tree is in our right-of-way area and on the schedule for our trimming cycle. Property owners are responsible for tree removal.

These are the participation requirements from Clemson Extension’s website:

• Pre-registration is required, once available.
• Only the property owner can register and get the trees.
• Any South Carolina resident can participate in the program.
• Property owners are responsible for tree removal.
• Take a photo of yourself with the cut tree (a selfie, if you will) and bring it to the exchange event.
• Replacement trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. If your preferred replacement tree is not available at the time of distribution, you will be provided with a healthy alternative. Specific tree species cannot be reserved ahead of the event.

Horry County’s exchange date is set for Saturday, March 5 from 8 a.m. until noon at 200 Laurel Street in Conway. For more information, click here.

Pay your bill on time every month without having to write a check through the Horry Electric Bank Draft program. Members can sign up for the easy, safe and convenient way to pay their electric bill.

When a member signs up, Horry Electric will begin automatically drafting their checking or savings account for the amount of their monthly electric bill on the due date. Members will still continue to receive statements showing their kWh use and the amount due, but will not have to write a check or visit the office. There are also no convenience fees.

During the month of March, any member who signs up as a new participant in the Bank Draft program will be automatically entered into a prize drawing for one of five $50 electric bill credits.

Members have until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 31 to sign up. You can sign up by logging in to the MyEnergy Online portal, or by calling (843) 369-2211 to speak to a member service representative during regular business hours. Members can also sign up via our free HEC mobile app.

The winners will be announced in early April. 

The contest rules are outlined below.

Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Bank Draft Sign-Up Competition & Prizes
Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions

1. No Purchase or Entry Fee Required.

2. Timing. The Bank Draft Sign-Up Competition & Prizes (“Promotion”) begins at 12:01 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on March 1, 2022, and ends at 11:59 PM ET on March 31, 2022 (the “Promotion Period”).

3. Overview. This promotion is a submission contest solely intended for members of Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc. (“Cooperative”) who currently are not registered for Bank Draft but who register for Bank Draft during the Promotion Period. Interested parties (the “Entrant” or “Submitter”) may be:

a)     an individual member of the Cooperative (“Entrant”), or

b)     an individual member entering on behalf of a legally-registered organization or association that is a member of the Cooperative (“Submitter”).

Entrants and/or Submitters may sign up for Bank Draft, and five randomly selected Entrants will be awarded a $50.00 (USD) bill credit on their next bill from the Cooperative.

4. To Enter. Entrants and/or Submitters may enter online by visiting MyEnergy Online to sign up in the member portal, by calling us at 843.369.2211 during regular business hours, or by clicking here. Entrants and/or Submitters must enter only one submission. Entries submitted in violation of the contest entry rules will not be considered [be void]. All entries become the property of the Cooperative and will not be returned. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on March 31, 2022, the official end date of the Promotion Period.

5. Eligibility. Entrant and/or Submitter must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at time of entry, and the Entrant and/or Submitter must be a member of the Cooperative.  The following are not eligible to participate: a) officers, directors, and employees of the Cooperative; and b) the immediate family members (spouse, parents, children, siblings, and their respective spouses) of Cooperative employees and household members with whom they may reside (whether related or not); existing members of the Cooperative who are currently registered for Bank Draft; members with poor credit. This Promotion is void outside of South Carolina and is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

6. Judging Criteria. Five winners will be randomly drawn from all properly submitted entries by April 8, 2022.

7. Prize Awarding. The five winners will be randomly selected and announced on or about April 8, 2022 from among all eligible entries received. The five winners will be notified in writing that the credit has been applied to their respective accounts.

8. Prizes/Odds. There will be five (5) prizes awarded: five $50.00 (USD) statement credits on the member’s next bill from the Cooperative. Odds of winning will be based on a random drawing from the total group of eligible submissions.

9. Terms/Conditions.

a) By submitting an entry, Entrant warrants and represents that he/she is a member of a South Carolina Electric Cooperative;

b) By submitting an entry, Submitter warrants and represents that he/she registered a legally-registered organization or association that is a member of the Cooperative;

c) The Cooperative reserves the right to disqualify any submission at any time in the event the Cooperative determines, in its sole discretion, that the submission is inappropriate, not in keeping with Cooperative’s image, or that an Entrant or Submitter has not otherwise complied with these Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions;

d) By claiming a prize, the winner agrees that the Cooperative, and its officers, employees, members, affiliates, agents, and advertising and promotional agencies, [do not have any] have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind related to participation in this Promotion, or from acceptance or use/misuse of any prize offered;

e) Acceptance of a prize shall constitute the winner’s agreement that the Cooperative or its agent(s) may use and/or display the winner’s name, address (city, state only), likeness, entry (and content) and/or prize information, without limitation, for promotional purposes, without further consideration, except where prohibited by law;

f) You agree to release Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other social media platform and acknowledge that this promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other social media platform;

g) All taxes on prizes (if applicable) are the sole responsibility of the winner;

h) Prizes are not transferable or assignable, except to a surviving spouse, or at the sole discretion of the Cooperative.

10. Direct Marketing. By entering the Promotion, Entrant acknowledges that he/she may receive various marketing or other information from the Cooperative or its affiliated member electric cooperatives regarding their products or services. If an Entrant does not desire to receive this information, an Entrant may opt out by calling 843.369.2211 or emailing Service@horryelectric.com

11. Sponsor. Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc., 2774 Cultra Road, Conway, SC 29526.

Void outside of South Carolina and wherever prohibited or restricted by law.