February 2, 2010
New Rebate Program Offered by State
(Indianapolis)

Lt. Governor Becky Skillman today announced the opening of the Indiana Heating and Cooling Incentive Program (IHIP) that will provide rebates for the purchase and installation of Energy Star Rated furnaces, boilers, central air conditioners and heat pumps. The rebates range from $150 to $1,000 depending on the technology that is installed.
“Hoosiers with older, inefficient heating and cooling systems are watching their money literally go out the window,” said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman. “This program will bring the cost of replacing those less efficient systems within reach of more Hoosier homeowners.”

IHIP is the Indiana program that is part of the federal State Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP). Indiana received $6.1 million for the program, which will remain active until the funds are exhausted. This program will compliment the rebate or incentive programs already in place through many of Indiana’s utility companies.

“Replacing an older furnace can be expensive,” said Indiana Office of Energy Development (OED) Director Brandon Seitz. “When the IHIP rebate and any available rebate from a utility are combined with state and federal tax incentives, the final cost of a higher efficiency furnace, boiler, central air or heat pump fits into the budgets of more Hoosiers.”
Included in the rebate program:

Energy Star Rated Technology
Incentive

Gas Furnace > 92% AFUE*
$300

Gas Boiler > 85% AFUE
$500

Central air conditioner > 14.5 SEER**
$150

Heat pump (air to air)***
$500

Heat pump (geothermal)****
$1,000

The equipment must be installed by a Heating, Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) contractor licensed in the state of Indiana. OED has provided information about the program to over 4,000 HVAC installers. Consumers and installers can learn more about the program as well as download rebate forms and other materials at the IHIP Web site, http://www.INenergyefficiency.com. The Web site is also linked from OED’s Web site, www.energy.IN.gov.

Consumers without Internet access can call 800-573-3503 to have a copy of the form mailed to them.
The rebates are available to help offset the cost of a heating and cooling system purchased and installed on or after February 1, 2010 in any single family home in Indiana. To qualify, the home must be the primary residence of the homeowner. If replacing more than one technology, a household may be eligible for multiple rebates, but there are restrictions on the total rebate amount any single household may receive.

Rebate forms can be downloaded, and mailed in with the appropriate documentation regarding the purchase and installation. The rebate application must be received within 30 days of the date the equipment was purchased. Rebate checks will be mailed back to those Hoosiers who qualify within 4 to 8 weeks.

February 1, 2010
NRECA responds to Haitian earthquake disaster,
Foundation seeking donations

When news of the massive earthquake that affected Port-au-Prince and many surrounding communities in Haiti reached the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) headquarters, NRECA International Ltd. and the Foundation staff drafted an immediate plan to send a rapid response team to Haiti. The International Programs staff quickly established contact with USAID and other international and local partners to coordinate activities to help restore electricity to the island.

A four-person response team in Haiti is being led by Myk Manon, NRECA International’s most experienced electric power distribution engineer. The team was given two principal assignments: (1) to perform a rapid appraisal of the short term measures required to repair critical segments of the electric power system in Portau-Prince; and (2) to identify the emergency power requirements for hospitals, health centers, refugee camps, and other public facilities both in Port-au-Prince, and at border towns along the Haitian-Dominican frontier.

By Sunday, January 17, the team completed an initial field assessment of the Electricite du Haiti (EDH – the national electric company in Haiti). Significant damage was noted in three of the substations, while the transmission and distribution circuits sustained relatively minor damage. Focus was then shifted to reviewing power needs at principal relief centers, where efforts were again coordinated with local and international partners. Emergency generators are being installed to provide temporary power to the hospital.

The team will continue to support immediate needs in Port-au-Prince, and will begin efforts to assess emergency power needs outside of Port-au-Prince in the immediate future.

All donations made through the NRECA International Foundation’s website (www.nrecafoundation.coop) will be restricted for the Foundation’s Haiti Relief Efforts. Donations will continue funding the rapid response team currently in Haiti as well as travel for future line crews. Please consider making a donation today.

February 1, 2010
Meet YOUR board of directors at upcoming district meetings

On March 2, 4 and 9, members of Northeastern REMC will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with members of the board of directors elected from their districts.

These district meetings will give members the opportunity to learn about the latest programs and services being offered by the cooperative, how State and Federal mandates may affect the future costs of our electricity, and which system improvements are being planned in 2010 and beyond. Employees of the REMC will also be present to answer questions on topics such as energy efficiency and safety.

March 2, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Marjorie Kennedy Babbitt, District 3
Donald W. Dafforn, District 5
Jane Scott, District 9

March 4, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Thomas Western, District 4
Ted Hurley, District 7
Carolyn Linnemeier, District 8

March 9, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Bruce Heffelfinger, District 1
Douglas Schrader, District 2
William R. Cummings, District 6

Reservations are required. All district meetings will be held at Northeastern REMC’s office in Park 30 Business Center on US 30 in Columbia City. If you need to verify the district in which you live or who your director is, visit our website – www.nremc.com. A map is available under “About Us/Our Board of Directors”.

February 1, 2010
Checks waiting former members

If you have friends or relatives who lived in our service area in 2007 and 2008 but moved away, Northeastern REMC may have a little surprise for them.

We have checks awaiting former members who closed their accounts with Northeastern REMC in 2007 and 2008, but left no forwarding address with us. Here are the names of these individuals and businesses

If you recognize a name that appears on this list, we urge you to contact them and have them contact us directly.

Persons whose name appears on the list should contact Deanna Kissinger at d_kissinger@nremc.com or call 260-244-6111, extension 433.

February 1, 2010
Attention all students:
Time to enter 2011 student art contest

Now that the 2010 calendar is here, it's time to start thinking about the art contest to illustrate the Indiana REMC's 2011 statewide calendar!

The contest is open to students in grades K-12 whose school or family is in Northeastern REMC's service area. Students can win cash prizes and have their artwork published in this statewide calendar. See the school art teacher for details or for a complete set of rules and information please visit www.electricconsumer.com.

Artwork can be submitted by teachers, 4-H leaders or others as a group or class project, or by individual students or their parents or guardians. Match the grade the student is in during the current (2009-10) school year to the corresponding month. Students should draw or paint a picture to illustrate their assigned month.

January 7, 2010
Enhancements completed at "Shovel Ready" business park

The Whitley County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and Customer Choice Services Corporation (CCSC) today announced the completion of Progress Court, located in "Shovel Ready" certified Park 30 Business Center.

The new Progress Court cul-de-sac serves six 2.5 acre development-ready lots established to encourage small-scale product development, manufacturing, and support companies. The Whitley County Redevelopment Commission (RDC) supported road, sewer, and water improvements to serve the new sites.

"These lots are not only shovel ready, but also development ready, with underground infrastructure and storm water detention in place for the six parcels," said Gene Donaghy, VP Energy Services at Northeastern REMC.

One of the lots includes a building pad for immediate construction. Progress Court will soon feature LED street lighting, which require 50% less energy than typical light fixtures. Four other parcels, of eight to fifteen acres, are also available at Park 30, which is located adjacent to US Highway 30 between Fort Wayne and Warsaw.

"With the recent announcement of Northeast Indiana's site
certification program, this development confirms that Whitley County is also working to encourage new business growth," said Alan Tio, Executive Director at Whitley County EDC.

As announced in 2009, Qualitex, Inc. is the first company to locate at Progress Court. Qualitex is a continuation of a company started by Rick Williams in 1993 and rebranded to serve a diverse customer base. The company occupies a 10,000 square foot facility and now has eight employees.

December 15, 2009
Calling all 6th graders... Grab your sleeping bags and bug spray – Touchstone Energy Camp will be here before you know it!

What sixth grader wouldn’t love swimming, horseback riding, zip-lining, and having over one hundred new friends to hang out with?

Northeastern REMC will again be offering this fun and educational opportunity to up to four students living in Northeastern’s service area. In addition to basic camp activities children will be taught about electricity, conservation and safety. The camp is held at Camp Tecumseh, noted as being one of the most beautiful camp facilities in the country, in early June.
Application deadline is February 26, 2010.

Touchstone Energy Camp Application 2 pgs. PDF file.

December 15, 2009
Free trip to Washington, DC in June offered to high school juniors

Each year Northeastern REMC partners with the Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives to offer an outstanding educational opportunity for two 11th grade students living within Northeastern’s service area.

A free trip to Washington, DC takes place in mid-June. Last year over 1400 students from across the country converged on Washington where they learned about history, met legislators, visited numerous historical sites, and discovered first-hand the impact REMCs have on our nation’s capital. Application deadline is February 26, 2010.

Youth Tour Application 4 pgs., Microsoft Word DOC file.