e-blast is a weekly electronic newsletter created to help provide key cooperative leaders with the latest work of your state association, news from our member electric cooperatives and progress on issues important to us all.

S.C. sends crews to help in Alabama 

Electric cooperatives in South Carolina are coming to the aid of people in storm-damaged Alabama. Today, 52 line workers from six S.C. electric cooperatives left to help restore electricity in the state, where officials expect the 162 deaths confirmed so far to rise. Crews from Aiken Electric and Laurens Electric are heading to Rainesville to assist Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative. Crews from Blue Ridge Electric and Fairfield Electric are on their way to Cullman Electric Cooperative in Cullman. And crews from Mid-Carolina Electric and Newberry Electric will assist power restoration efforts at Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative in Taladega.

Scott Bryant at Statewide is coordinating South Carolina support. "As you can imagine, it is pretty chaotic at Alabama Statewide right now," Bryant says. Outages are spread across 13 cooperatives in the northern part of Alabama, leaving more than 230,000 members without power. Bryant says there may be need for additional line crews, as well as construction crews. Co-ops that have people available should contact him at scott.bryant@ecsc.org.  

 

Related Story:

Tornadoes ravage Alabama; death toll grows   

 

EPA assessing biomass carbon footprint 

How will the Environmental Protection Agency's greenhouse gas rules apply to biomass power generators? It's a question that affects, among others, biomass start-ups in South Carolina. This week, the EPA announced it is seeking scientists to form a panel to examine the issue.  

 

In January, the EPA extended a three-year delay in applying new emissions rules to biomass generators. The EPA has said it views biomass potentially as green energy but has concerns that burning some types of biomass can result in a net increase in carbon dioxide emissions. 

 

Related Story:

Wanted by EPA: Scientists for controversial climate mission  

 

Wilson, Palmetto launch balloon promotion

Palmetto Electric CEO Tom Upshaw and Rep. Joe Wilson on board the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives hot air balloon.

There were plenty of jokes about hot air last week when Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) took a ride in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives hot air balloon near Bluffton. The balloon and its pilot, current world champion balloonist John Petrehn, were in town as part of a promotion with The Heritage golf tournament. Wilson, Petrehn and Palmetto Electric CEO Tom Upshaw were to take off at sunrise for a flight, but high winds kept the men on the ground. 

 

"That was the extent of my balloon experience, but we did get to fire up the balloon," Wilson said. "It was a festive way to welcome people to the community. A lot of very good-natured puns about hot air were made. Of course, I felt very appropriate to be there."

 

Petrehn and his balloon will make a return appearance to South Carolina next week. They'll be at the Darlington Raceway at sunrise on Saturday, May 7.