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GEMC’s Phillips Honored with Community Broadband Award

FBA Recognizes Gibson EMC’s and Gibson Connect’s Charles Phillips

TRENTON, Tenn.—  The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) recently awarded the Dr. Charles Kao Award for Community Broadband to Charles Phillips, Gibson Electric Membership Corporation VP of Technical Services and Gibson Connect VP of Operations.  The award recognizes individuals, organizations, or companies that honor Dr. Kao’s innovation and connect communities with fiber optic technology.  In its communication, the FBA said Philips is receiving the award in recognition of his work with Gibson EMC and Gibson Connect to build a fiber network throughout the cooperative’s 12-county service area.”

“We are delighted to award Charles Phillips with this honor,” said Fiber Broadband Association President and CEO Gary Bolton. “In a time when connectivity is more important than ever, we commend Charles’ commitment to providing high-speed internet to his community through state-of-the-art fiber broadband.  Congratulations to Charles and the entire Gibson EMC cooperative.”

In his time with Gibson EMC, Phillips has worked extensively with neighboring utilities to create an interconnected regional fiber network that connects 20 distribution systems. This network of independently owned and maintained fiber systems has provided the backbone for a high-speed and low latency network for intra- and inter-utility traffic, as well as inter-utility fiber contracts.

“We are extremely proud of Charles and we appreciate his excellent leadership as Gibson EMC and Gibson Connect work to provide reliable, high-speed internet access to our consumer-members,” said Dan Rodamaker, President and CEO of Gibson EMC and Gibson Connect. “Making this essential service available creates exciting opportunities for our members and communities,” said Rodamaker, “and Charles has been instrumental in the successful implementation of this project.”

Phillips has been with Gibson EMC since 1997.  In addition to his role in the broadband buildout and telecommunications business, Phillips also manages the cooperative’s technical services division.

Gibson Connect is a wholly owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of Gibson EMC formed to provide high-speed internet access to Gibson EMC’s members.  Gibson EMC is a local, not-for-profit, member-owned and member-controlled cooperative serving almost 39,000 homes and businesses in eight west Tennessee counties (Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion and Madison) and four west Kentucky counties (Carlisle, Fulton, Graves and Hickman).

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Middle Tennessee Electric announces new renewable green energy option

100% renewable electricity for homes and small businesses

No doubt about it – renewable green energy options are important to an increasing number of people around the globe.

“We want to give our members more options when it comes to purchasing renewable energy, and we’re excited to add Green Switch 100 to our offerings,” said MTE’s Distributed Energy Resources Coordinator Tim Suddoth.

According to Suddoth, Green Switch 100 gives residential members of the cooperative as well as small businesses in rate classes GSA-1 and GSA-2 the option to offset 100% of their monthly electric usage with renewable energy at a low cost.

“For an extra one cent per kilowatt hour, we will do all the leg work to ensure that your monthly energy usage is offset by renewable energy, generated right here in the Tennessee Valley,” reported Suddoth. “So, if you used say 1,350 kilowatt hours of electricity for the month, it would only cost $13.50 to ensure those 1,350 kilowatt hours would be sourced from Valley renewables.”

The mix of renewables, Suddoth says, includes 80% solar, 10% wind and 10% biogas generation, all produced by TVA in the Valley and Green-e Energy certified.

“It is easy, low-cost and local. For people who would like to support green energy in the area yet don’t want to make a long-term commitment, Green Switch 100 is a great option.”

Suddoth explained there is no contract to sign and customers can cancel at any time.

MTE is partnering with TVA and only one other utility out of 153 local power companies in the Valley – Knoxville Utilities Board. Currently, Green Switch 100 will run as a 12-month pilot program to see how it goes.

“We’re hoping the pilot is a success and that Green Switch 100 becomes a permanent part of our menu of renewable energy offerings. We’re always looking for ways to meet our members’ requests for renewable green energy, and we believe this is one of the best options offered for renewable energy,” said Suddoth.

To get signed up or learn more, Suddoth says to visit www.mtemc.com/GreenSwitch100, or you can email him at [email protected].

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Keeping the holidays safe

The holiday season is special because it’s a time when families and friends gather to share meals, gifts, love and laughter. But the season also comes with the need to take extra precautions so that the holidays don’t turn tragic. 

Holiday lighting and decor help add to the festive atmosphere and brighten up cold winter nights, but they require some extra care. 

  • When you pull your holiday lights out of storage each year, be sure to check the cords and plugs for any cracks or other damage. If there are any bare or frayed wires, discard the entire cord. Damaged wires create a significant hazard for electric shock and fires. 
  • Make sure all your lights work, and connect the strands before stringing them on your tree, house or elsewhere. Don’t adjust the strings while plugged in once they are in place. Also make sure they have been tested by Underwriters Laboratories (look for a UL label). 
  • If you are using lights outdoors, make sure they are rated for outdoor use. Use a three-prong, grounded extension cord to connect them. Two-prong extension cords are for indoor use only; never use them outdoors. 
  • Do not leave lights on and plugged in when you go to sleep or leave home. 
  • LED lights are a better option because of their longevity as well as the fact they burn much cooler than other types of lights. Make sure the bulbs are not resting directly on tree branches or other surfaces. 
  • If you have a live tree, be sure to keep it watered so it doesn’t dry out and become an increased risk for fire. If you choose an artificial tree, make sure it is rated as flame-resistant. 
  • If you have pets or small children, make sure cords and easily ingestible decorations are out of their reach. 
  • Do not place cords under rugs or doors, and don’t run them through windows.  
  • Do not overload outlets or circuits.  

By adhering to these safety tips, you’ll help ensure your holiday season is as safe as it is festive. 

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Four ways Santa saves energy in his workshop

The holiday season is finally upon us, and Santa and his elves have been especially busy as they gear up for their biggest night of the year.  

It’s no secret that Santa is known for running an efficient workshop — how else could he make all those toys in time for Christmas Eve? Rumor has it that one way Santa ensures an efficient workspace is through energy-saving measures.  

Here are four ways Santa saves energy in his workshop. 

  1. Unlike the rest of us, Santa leaves his decorations up year-round. By using LED holiday light strands, he’s able to save on his monthly energy bills. LED holiday strands can last up to 40 seasons, which make them a great option for any festive home.  
  2. Santa requires power tools to make a year’s worth of new toys. That’s why he insists on using cordless power tools with the Energy Star rating. According to energystar.gov, if all power tools in the U.S. used Energy Star-rated battery chargers, 2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved — that’s equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.7 million tons!  
  3. Mrs. Claus loves to keep warm by the fire in the evenings, and Santa knows one of the best tricks to ensure fireplace efficiency. While a fireplace can keep a small area of your home cozy and warm, it can also pull heated air from the room through the chimney. That’s why Santa always closes the fireplace flue when a fire isn’t burning.  
  4. Santa also saves energy by using power strips. They’re ideal for workshops, craft nooks, game rooms and other spaces in your home. With one simple switch, you can conveniently control several devices and electronics that are plugged into the power strip.  

This holiday season, let’s take a page from Santa’s book and remember to save energy when possible. With these four tips, you’ll be well on your way to savings (and, hopefully, Santa’s “nice” list!).  

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