Nespelem Valley Electric Co-Op

Journeyman Lineman

Kirk joined NVEC on November 28th as a Journeyman Lineman. He lived in our area as a child however, later moved away and graduated from Wenatchee High School. Kirk worked in the construction field for 4 years in New Mexico and Texas until moving back to East Wenatchee with his wife Andrea and daughter Berklie. Kirk, an avid outdoorsman, enjoys hunting and fishing. He is also a member of the Mule Deer and Rocky Mountain Elk foundations.

This table represents average monthly kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption for appliances in a household with four family members. Please remember that these statistics are averages. Every household uses varying amounts of electric energy at different times.

For residential service, NVEC charges $13 per month plus 4.7 cents per kWh used. In some circumstances a family's average cost per kilowatt-hour may be higher than indicated in the tables below.

Thermostatically controlled appliances may use more energy depending on temperature setttings. Costs based on estimated appliance "on" time.

** Operating costs do not include water heating, which can change cost per hour considerably depending on whether water is heated by gas or electricity.

Totals were gathered from the Residential Energy Efficiency Database and may not reflect all models of appliances or those with energy saving options. In addition to varying wattages on newer appliances, totals may also vary with usage that exceeds the averages. For example, many households use their televisions more than 90 hours a month and the cost would increase as a result.

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1. Keep your refrigerator temperature at 38 degrees.
2. Freezer temperature should be maintained at 10 degrees.
3. Defrost your freezer when ice or frost build up is 1/4-inch or thicker.
4. Check your refrigerator/freezer door gasket periodically for signs of deterioration.
5. Vaccum or brush the cooling coils in back of your refrigerator every six months.
6. Allow hot food to cool for no less than a half-hour before placing in the refrigerator.

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1. Use your microwave oven in place of your range oven when possible.
2. When you use your range oven, cook more than one item at a time.
3. Use flat-bottom pans for best contact with heat, with tight-fitting lids to keep steam in the pan.
4. Use smaller amounts of water for cooking; use the lowest possible heat to maintain boiling and steaming.
5. Preheat the oven only 5 to 8 minutes when baking; do not preheat the oven for broiling or roasting.
6. Self-cleaning ovens have thicker insulation and will retain heat, making them more energy efficient than regular ovens.
7. Use the self-cleaning feature on your oven only when absolutely needed.
8. Pressure cookers use much less energy than normal pots and pans.
9. Use small cooking appliances (electric frying pans, toaster ovens, etc.) whenever possible.

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(Remember, your water heater accounts for nearly one-third of your total kWh usage!)

1. When buying appliances, look at the yellow Energy Guide label and buy only energy-efficent appliances.
2. Set your water theater thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It's the law.
3. If your water heater was purchased before 1992, wrap it with an insulated blanket.
4. Install low-flow faucet aerators.
5. When using your dishwasher, wash full loads only.
6. Use "air dry" and other power-saving switches if your dishwasher has them.
7. If your clothes washer has a water-level selector, use the lowest practical level. Wash full loads only.
8. Use cold-water rinse for all loads.
9. Try cold-water wash, using cold-water detergent.
10. Line dry clothes whenever possible.
11. Clean the lint filter in your dryer before every load.
12. Check and clean the dryer venting system at least once a year.
13. Install a low-flow showerhead. You will use only 2.5 gallons of water per minute and less hot water.
14. Take showers instead of baths. Generally, showers use less hot water.
15. Repair leaking or dripping water faucets.
16. Sediment build-up in the hot-water tank reduces water-heating efficiency and costs you money. Flush sediment out twice a year.
17. Turn electricity off at the main fuse box to the water heater when you are going to be gone for three days or more.
18. Use cold water when running the garbage disposal.

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1. Turn off lights that are not needed, like in unused rooms.
2. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact flourescent lights.
3. Replace all bulbs with lowest acceptable wattages.
4. Use timers or motion detectors on lamps that are used for security lighting.
5. Use natural daylight as much as possible.
6. When possible, use one large bulb rather than several smaller ones.

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1. Seal leaks in heating and air-conditioning ducts.
2. Clean or change furnace and air-conditioning filters every two months.
3. Set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower to heat your home.
4. Turn your heat off or set it no higher than 55 degrees when you go to bed or when you are not home.
5. Close your drapes at night and open them during the day to let the sun in and warm your home economically.
6. If your home has a fireplace, keep the damper closed when you're not using it and use a glass screen to minimize the heat loss.
7. Make certain that your ceilings, walls and floors are properly insulated and have enough ventilation.
8. Install foam installation gaskets in outlets and switches in outside walls.
9. Caulk and weatherstrip windows and doors.
10. Keep your radiators and warm-air outlets clean. Arrange furniture, curtains and drapes so the airflow from heat registers is not blocked.
11. Installing skirts on mobile homes helps prevent heat loss.

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Send us an e-mail! Your thoughts, comments and ideas are important to us.

PO Box 31 - 1009 F Street - Nespelem, WA 99155
Tel: (509) 634-4571 - Fax: (509) 634-8138 - E-mail: nvec@nvec.org

50 Ways to Save Energy and Money

Reducing your energy usage is easy and will help save you money. The more energy we save the more it reduces the need for costly new power plants. Your efforts to save energy are also good for the environment.

Tips to make your home more energy-efficient and calculate your energy savings

• Heating Tips
• Lighting Tips
• Hot Water Heating, Washing and Drying Tips
• Cooking Tips
• Refrigeration/Freezing Tips

For kids only! Check out Touchstone Energy’s site just for kids on energy conservation.

Do you have a boy in your house that leaves the TV on for hours,  or a daughter who runs the hair dryer for what seems like forever? Find out just how much energy they're using in our handy Appliance Energy Use Table. (You could even charge them for it!)

We are delighted to have you as an Electric Ambassador! Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative (NVEC) is tracking several issues at the state and national levels. As an Electric Ambassador, we want you to have firsthand knowledge about these important issues facing our non-profit electric cooperative. Please contact Liz Loomis, Director of External Affairs, at (509) 634-4571 or liz@llpa.biz with any questions.

Protecting Preference

As it applies to the electric utility industry, “preference” means consumers, through their non-profit Public Power utilities, have the first right to low-cost power generated from the federal dams on our nation’s rivers. More than 60 years ago, the federal government built a system of hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers that generate power for Northwest consumers. Congress believed that this electricity belonged to the public – not private companies or individuals.

Congress granted preference status to non-profit utilities, like NVEC, to spread the benefits of the nation’s rivers on to the public in the form of non-profit rates. The power from the federal dams is marketed to customers of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and sold at just what it costs to produce. These “cost-based” rates can be significantly lower than the market price for electricity. NVEC purchases all of its power as a preference customer of BPA through 2006.

Many others want access to our low-cost hydropower. “For-profit”, or investor owned utilities (IOUs), would like to eliminate preference and privatize BPA. Regional aluminum and industrial companies, called Direct Service Industries (DSIs), want our affordable power to improve their bottom line. Politicians from high-cost power regions like California, the Northeast and Midwest want the benefits of our regional hydro system, as well. All these groups claim that non-profit utilities like NVEC have an unfair advantage as preference power customers of BPA.

Over time, BPA has signed contracts for power with the IOUs and DSIs to try and prevent a regional power war. Unfortunately, efforts to keep the peace have driven up rates for most Public Power utility consumers in the process. Our message to members of Congress needs to be clear: Consumers of non-profit utilities, like NVEC, have the first right to low-cost federal hydropower from BPA – not for-profit companies or other states. This grows increasingly important as NVEC and other non-profit utilities in the region negotiate their contracts with BPA for wholesale power supply after 2006.

Grid West

Transmission service ,–or the ability to get the power from its generation source to a utility’s distribution system for delivery to homes and businesses – makes up a portion of our electric bill as well. Historically, BPA has provided transmission services to the region’s non-profit utilities at postage stamp rates. This means the cost to deliver power – whether to Seattle, Nespelem or Wyoming – has been virtually the same. BPA currently owns 80 percent of the region’s transmission system. NVEC has a contract with BPA for transmission services through 2011.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is working to deregulate, or restructure electricity markets across the nation. FERC’s efforts would radically change the way electricity is bought and sold in our region. The vehicle to deliver deregulation to the Northwest would be through a regional transmission organization called Grid West.

NVEC is opposed to deregulation and Grid West because it would raise rates for Northwest electricity consumers. Grid West would take control of the region’s existing federal and private power grid. In addition, it would change how power prices are regulated, and induce utilities to purchase electricity transmission rights on the open market. Practically speaking, it might push energy sales into the short-term, price-volatile market and away from the predictable and low-cost long-term transmission contracts that have been the norm in the Northwest. The changes would also open the Northwest power system to the same type of market abuses that astronomically increased power costs and led to California’s deregulation failure in 2000.

Saving Salmon

Currently, about 20-25 percent of your electric bill goes toward restoring salmon runs impacted by federal hydroelectric projects. Since passage of the Northwest Power Act in 1980, BPA and its customers have spent more than $6 billion on fish and wildlife.

There continues to be upward pressure on BPA to increase the amount it spends for such programs. As costs have increased, so have electric rates for consumers and a region with a struggling economy.

A good example of wasteful spending is a practice called “summer spill”, where dam operators spill water through the dams in an attempt to help juvenile salmon migrate to the ocean. Summer spill is the most expensive and least effective program available, costing ratepayers $77 million per year and helping less than 100 endangered fish.  Reducing summer spill and using a portion of the money for more effective actions – such as capturing predators of juvenile salmon – is a win-win for fish and ratepayers.

Everybody wins when we balance the need for affordable electricity with a sustainable environment. Throwing more money at a problem doesn’t always mean better results. The region needs to come together immediately over the proposed summer spill reductions and stop the expensive cycle of litigation, which continues to drive up costs for electricity and fish restoration efforts. A move away from simply increasing spending for fish and wildlife, and towards a more results-oriented approach is in the best interest of both fish and ratepayers in the region.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is the national service organization dedicated to representing the national interests of electric co-ops and the members we serve.

The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) provides funding resources for many electric co-ops throughout the country.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) provides leadership and capital to upgrade, expand, maintain, and replace America’s vast rural electric infrastructure.

Federated Rural Electric Insurance Corporation insures your co-op's assets, such as electrical lines, poles and machinery, in the case of disaster or other misfortune.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) sells power to NVEC at wholesale rates. As an electric co-op, we resell the power to our members at cost. That's just one benefit of being part of our non-profit, rural electric cooperative!

BPA provides an online database of over 550 companies offering various energy-related services. This is a free service to the companies listed, but without any endorsement or promise of work.

Northwest Power Works, a growing coalition that represents more than 1.3 million customers and businesses in the Pacific Northwest, is opposed to the federal government’s proposal to bring California-style electricity market restructuring and further rate increases to the Northwest.The coalition is working closely with ratepayers, community leaders and public officials to raise the visibility and understanding of the new federal threat to our region’s electricity system.

The Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) represents and serves 160+ consumer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. NWPPA provides education seminars, public and industry information, timely issue forums and a collective voice for coordinated government relations.

The Public Power Council (PPC) represents the common interests of consumer-owned utilities in the Pacific Northwest. Their objective is to enhance the competitiveness of consumer-owned utilities and their ability to serve their communities. PPC works to ensure access to reliable, low-cost and environmentally sound power. PPC acts as a forum to identify, discuss and build consensus about energy and utility issues.

The Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association (WRECA) exists to provide an effective and coordinated voice for Washington's electric cooperatives at the local, state and national levels. Through this association, the people of Washington's rural electric systems work together to enhance the future of their communities and our state. Contact them at 1050 Capitol Way South, Suite A, Olympia, WA 98501 (360) 357-6048.

Northwest Requirements Utilities was formed in 1995 to represent the interests of customers that place all or much of their loads on BPA. NRU represents the interests of its members on issues associated with BPA, primarily the supply of wholesale power from the federal-based system and the transmission of power over the BPA network and third-party facilities. The organization currently has 41 members in six states--Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and California. Contact them for more information at 825 Northeast Multnomah, Suite 1135, Portland, OR 97232 (503) 233-5823.

Welcome! The Electric Ambassador program is a grassroots effort to enlist support from our members in shaping public policy. This special program also offers you an opportunity to learn more about Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative (NVEC) and the electric utility industry.
As an Electric Ambassador, you have the opportunity to inform and educate legislators and opinion leaders on issues that affect our community and the future success of our non-profit, rural electric cooperative. Being an Electric Ambassador is easy, and lets you to be as involved as time will allow.

As an Electric Ambassador, you receive these benefits:

• POWERLINE, a newsletter covering the grassroots movement, energy issues and other electric cooperative communities in Washington state.
• Live From Olympia, a legislative update of issues that your electric cooperative is following at the state level when the legislature is in session.
• Briefings on issues affecting the electric utility industry.
• Invitations to receptions with elected officials sponsored by NVEC.
• Public thanks and recognition during NVEC’s Annual Meeting.

As an Electric Ambassador, we encourage you to:

• Support the goals and objectives of your non-profit electric cooperative.
• Learn more about the benefits of buying electricity from a Public Power utility.
• Provide feedback on NVEC programs and services.
• Write, call or email your elected officials about legislation affecting electric rates, power supply, or member service. (Don’t worry, we will provide you with all the background information you need on an issue!)

Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative (NVEC) meets with our elected officials on a regular basis to express our concerns about deregulation and other issues that might impact rates – but it’s not enough. Elected officials want to hear from our members – you, the voters. The more voters they hear from, the more they will pay attention to what we are saying.

If NVEC is to fight for affordable rates, we need your help. We invite you to participate in the Electric Ambassador program. Electric Ambassadors are members who volunteer to contact their elected officials when legislation is being considered that could affect rates, power supply or member service. It’s also a great way to learn more about your non-profit, rural electric cooperative. As an Electric Ambassador, we will provide you with information about important issues for NVEC, timely newsletters, as well as opportunities to meet with your elected officials. You are never under any obligation, but we hope you will help when the time comes. To sign up, please contact our office at (509) 634-4571  or send and email with your name and address to info@electricambassadors.com.

• Program Description
• NVEC Electric Ambassador Issues Briefing

For safety and to minimize disruptions to utility services, you need to call and have any utility lines that might be in the area of work marked. Doing so avoids damaging power lines or worse, injuring yourself. A representative from the utility that might be affected by your construction will mark the approximate location of their underground lines.

Why should you call before you dig?

1. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE! Many things lie buried beneath the ground. Power lines and gas lines are two of the most deadly.
2. IT COULD SAVE YOUR PROPERTY! Fire or explosion from a damaged gas line, erosion from a broken water line, disease from a broken sewer line or simply the inconvenience of losing your phone or cable TV service due to a cut power line.
3. IT COULD SAVE YOU MONEY! It doesn't cost anything to call in a "locate request." With one quick telephone call, all utilities in your area will be notified to come and mark the location of their lines. However, if you damage a utility line and did NOT call for a locate request, you may be liable for up to three times the actual amount of the damage. Some high-capacity telephone lines carry up to one million dollars per minute in calls!
4. IT'S THE LAW According to RCW 19.122, anyone digging deeper than twelve inches must call for locates two business days before they dig. This holds true for private property, city, county, state or federal lands and railroad right of way. In addition to damages and civil penalties, anyone who ignores this law may also be subject to penalties from the Department of Labor and Industries.

I'm ready to call, what information do I need and who do I call?

Contractors working on local projects should call the "One Call" service at 1-800-424-5555 two days in advance for locate services. Individuals working on local projects should notify NVEC at (509) 634-4571. In both cases, someone should notify either "One Call" or NVEC with this list of pertinent information.

• Job Location
• City
• County
• Has the proposed dig site been outlined with white paint?
• Foreman's name and number
• Nature of work
• Permit number (if required)
• Date and time work will begin
• Company name, address and telephone (fax if available) doing the work
• Caller name and number
• Who is work being done for

NVEC works closely with the phone companies (US WEST, GTE, CenturyTel), the cable companies (TCI and Falcon), the Colville Tribe units (forestry, fire management, public works, Indian Housing authority), COE & USBR and all governmental groups to help provide our members with services wherever and whenever they need it.

Overhead Electrical Wiring Hazards

One of the most potentially hazardous electrical situations on construction sites is accidental contact with overhead or underground wiring. Protection from contact with overhead wiring is provided best by ISOLATION or distance. The covering on some overhead lines is weatherproofing; it is not intended to provide insulated protection from contact. This plastic coating may become brittle, making it easy to crack and fall off.

Operators of equipment like backhoes, dump trucks, bucket trucks, concrete pumpers, booms and cranes and installers of manufactured homes should be especially conscious of overhead wiring. The hazard of contact is also posed to workers on scaffolding or those handling and moving any type of long tools or equipment like sections of metal pipe.

Before you begin any construction or installation work within 10 feet of an overhead electrical line, you should check your state laws, regulations, guidelines and federal standards. These precautions should always be taken to help insure a safe work site. Please contact NVEC with any questions or concerns at (509) 634-4571 

Membership

Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative (NVEC) is a non- profit member cooperative serving approximately 1,500 homes, farms and businesses throughout Okanogan County. We sell power only to the members of our cooperative. To become a member you must sign an application in which you agree to be bound by the rules and regulations of NVEC.

Under current regulations, you are required to pay a $225 membership fee, of which $200 is applied to your account after one year of payments made in full and by the due date each month. If you decide to leave the co-op, $5 will be refunded to you as well. The remaining $20 is an account set up fee and is non-refundable. If a person has more than one account, only one membership fee is required.
 

New Account Requests

You may apply for electrical service by coming into our office during regular business hours. Our office hours are 8am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. You can call us at (509) 634-4571 or stop by the office at 1009 F Street directly behind Jackson's Service Station in Nespelem.

Fees     

Other fees my apply under special circumstances.

Rates & Line Extensions

Residential service costs are a $15 Facility Charge per month plus .063 cents per kWh used.
NVEC contributes the first 83 feet for any single phase, residential line extension. The member is responsible for the rest of the cost of any additional new line extension at $18 per foot. Security lights are $350 to install and $6 per month thereafter.

Three phase loads--such as commercial and irrigation accounts--are calculated on a case-by-case basis. Contact our office to determine rates and line extension charges that would apply to your electric service needs.

As an electric cooperative, we are regulated by a local board of trustees that sets rates and policy for our utility. This is called local control and is very important to our success as a co-op. Thanks to local control, we have the ability to respond to member concerns through a variety of special programs. If you would like more information about any of the programs listed below, contact the co-op office at (509) 634-4571, or by e-mail at nvec@nvec.org

Budget Billing

The winter and summer months usually mean higher utility bills for our members because more power is used to heat and cool our homes. If this is a problem for you, consider our Budget Billing program. Budget Billing averages your home's usage of electricity so you pay the same amount every month. Sign up for this program begins in the spring.

Electric Ambassadors

Signing up for the Electric Ambassador program adds you to the list of more than 400 members who support NVEC, our rural electric cooperative! As an Electric Ambassador, we send you information about some of the issues we are facing at the local, state and national levels. In turn, we ask our Ambassadors to contact our elected officials to express their opinion about our rights to affordable, reliable power and the highest level of member service. There is never any obligation to participate in this program and you may ask for your name to be removed from the mailing list at any time.

Health Fair

In addition to providing affordable power, we are concerned about the health and well-being of our members. Accordingly, we have planned an annual Health Fair to coincide with our Annual Meeting, held the first Friday in October. This past year was a great success with more than 100 members taking advantage of the services provided, such as flu shots, blood pressure and diabetes testing. We look forward to seeing you in October!

Youth Energy Seminar (YES)

The Youth Energy Seminar, sponsored by the Nevada Rural Electric Association, introduces participating sophomores and juniors to rural electrification, and contributes to their development as productive individuals and future leaders. For four days, students learn about the history of cooperatives, the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), and participate in running their own electric cooperative. Any sophomore or junior living in a home supplied power by NVEC can apply. Applications are usually due in the spring. Candidates are selected by the board of trustees for NVEC.

Youth Programs

NVEC recognizes that our kids are key to the future success of our community. As a result, our trustees have taken an active financial role in supporting local youth programs with both time and funding. A few of the programs we have supported include 4-H, youth basketball, Junior Rodeo, town clean-up, career days and job shadowing opportunities for kids.

Journeyman Lineman

Scott grew up in Okanogan County and is a graduate of Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska with an Associate Applied Science degree and a completion certificate from its Utility Line worker program. He began working for NVEC as a journey lineman in 2004. Scott graduated from the Omak High School where he was the FFA Officer and was the Okanogan County Fair tractor-driving champion for four years running. Scott is a Washington Cattleman Association member.

To read more about Scott:

http://ruralite.org/archive/2004/10/c-5 pp 25 october_2004.pdf

Journeyman Lineman

Ed Hartbarger came to work with NVEC as a journeyman lineman in April 2003. Ed is a graduate of Bonners Ferry High School and Boise State University Electrical Line worker Program in Meridian, Idaho. Ed and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Jessica and Tyler. Ed, an avid outdoorsman, enjoys hunting, fishing and horseback riding.

To read more about Ed:

http://ruralite.org/archive/2004/07/c-5 p 8 july_2004.pdf

Line Superintendent

Bob is a graduate of Coulee Dam High School and Eastern Washington State College with a degree in teaching. He has worked as a laborer, carpenter and on the dam projects along the Columbia river. In 1978, Bob started as an apprentice lineman for the town of Coulee Dam, joining NVEC as a journeyman lineman in 1981. In addition to keeping the power on, Bob serves as a local Town Councilman for the town of Coulee Dam. In 1980, Bob married Candi, a dental assistant who is now enjoying retired life. They have one brilliant daughter, Amanda, who is a Kindergarten school teacher in West Seattle.  

Billing Specialist

Stephanie joined NVEC as a Billing Specialist in the fall of 2008. She brings over 20 years of business administration experience to the position. Stephanie moved to Electric City with her husband, Ty Tipps who grew up in this area and still has family here. She enjoys wine tasting and is especially fond of Washington wines, riding horses, boating, NASCAR and assisting Ty at the race track where he races the NW Pro 4 Truck circuit.

To learn more about Stephanie: 

http://RURALITE.org/archive/2011/March_2011/c-5 p 4-5 mar 2011_2011.pdf

Office Manager

Cortney began working for NVEC as the Office Manager in 2006. She previously was employed at the Credit Union in Coulee Dam for 8 years as a loan officer. She is a graduate of Lake Roosevelt High School. Cortney spent five years living in California pursuing further education but now she's "home." Cortney grew up in Electric City and currently lives in Elmer City with her husband, Jimmer. She enjoys camping, boating, reading, riding motorcycles, and watching her 12-year old twin boys, Matthew and Cameron, participate in sports.

To read more about Cortney:

http://ruralite.org/archive/2007/03/c-5 pp 4-5 march_2007.pdf

http://ruralite.org/archive/2007/05/c-5 pp 4-5 may_May 2007.pdf

General Manager

Laura moved to Nespelem in 1977 when she married her cowboy, cattle-ranching husband Gary. She started working for NVEC the same year as an office assistant. Since April 2005 she has served as our General Manager. Laura and Gary have two children, Kelly and Tyson. Kelly graduated from Washington State University and is now married and settled in Pendleton, OR. "Ty", a calf roper who loves rodeo and skiing, is working on residential construction in Wenatchee, WA. Laura spends her spare time with her family and friends, skiing and traveling to rodeos to watch Bucking Bulls that Gary raises.

To read more about Laura:

http://ruralite.org/archive/2005/04/c-5 pp 25 april_2005.pdf

NVEC employs seven people in good-paying, family-wage jobs. In turn, our employees give back  by getting involved in our community. NVEC employees serve on their local city council, volunteer fire departments, Junior Rodeo, church groups, help in our kids' schools and with other youth groups as well. Many of our employees are lifelong residents of the Nespelem area. If you need to speak with someone, contact the co-op office at (509) 634-4571 or by email at nvec@nvec.org

• Laura McClure, General Manager
• Cortney Tillman, Office Manager
• Stephanie Tipps, Billing Specialist
• Bob Poch, Line Superintendent
• Ed Hartbarger, Journeyman Lineman
• Scott Vejraska, Journeyman Lineman
• Kirk Truscott, Journeyman Lineman

NVEC Employment Application

NVEC Statement of Non-Discrimination

District 9, Vice President

When not participating in NVEC activities, Ike served as a line foreman for US West until his retirement in 2002. Ike has served on the NVEC board of trustees since 1995. Ike and his wife Janet live on the same land, located halfway between Coulee Dam and Chief Joseph Dam, that was homesteaded by Janet's father in the late 1940s. Both Ike and Janet have raised their kids with an active involvement in their local 4-H club called the Big Goose Kids. 

District 8

A native Washingtonian, Al was elected to help guide our co-op into the 21st century. In one respect, he is probably one of the most knowledgeable trustees elected to the board in a long time. Al's experience is in the field as a line foreman, where he has spent the last two decades out on the lines before retiring in January of 2002, making sure the people served by the Douglas County PUD enjoy reliable and consistent energy service.

Al and his wife Karma are very involved in their community, having served on their local school board, organized a youth basketball program and coached softball and team roping. Al and Karma have lived across the river in Bridgeport since 1980. They have two children, Shane and Shelbie, and 3 grandchildren, Honistee, Madisen and Dylan. Al enjoys all outdoor activites but especially team roping, hunting and fishing.

District 7

Gilbert was elected to the NVEC Board at the 2006 Annual Meeting of Members. He is a self-employed contractor who performs wild-land fire protection during the summer months that grew up in the Nespelem Valley. Charlene, his wife, works for Mid-Valley Hospital in Omak. A father of 6 grown children, Gilbert is also a grandfather of 9. When he finds free time, he is usually outdoors fishing, hunting, snowmobiling or driving ATVs. 

District 6 President

Pat has worked for the Colville Confederated Tribes as a Colville Tribal Logging Service Manager for 20 years.

Pat grew up in the area and has 4 children. In his spare time, you may catch him hunting, fishing or even auto-racing.

District 5

Monte was elected to the NVEC Board at the Annual Meeting of Members on October 3, 2008. He works as a Copier Maintenance Service Manager and lives in Nespelem with his wife, Debbie. They have 4 children and 2 grandchildren. In addition to his service to the NVEC Board, Monte dedicates his time to the Veteran Post 114 and the Military Honor Guard. He enjoys running in fun runs, doing wood work, playing chess and fishing, hunting and camping.

District 4

Dorothy is the longest-serving trustee on the NVEC board, including a term as Vice President from 1997-98. Dorothy is a member of the Shoshone-Paiute tribe and well-known for being an active community member. She currently manages the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for the Colville Tribes. She is actively involved in the Head Start program and the Nespelem Junior Rodeo Association (NJRA). She rodeoed in High School in her home town of Fallon, Nevada and likes to see the self-confidence that young people gain from rodeoing. Dorothy is married to her high-school sweetheart, Steve. They have four beautiful children.

District 3

Marty and his father Lloyd own Olbricht Telco LLC, providing telephone services to businesses such as NVEC. He is married to Wendy and they have a daughter and a son.

District 2

Ralph was elected to the Board of Trustees in October 2011 and has been a member of NVEC since 1987. Ralph and Linda live in Elmer City and have three grown kids together - Heidi, Sam and Peter. Ralph graduated from Central Washington University where he received a BS: Mathematics and a MAT: Math Education. Ralph is currently a teacher at Lake Roosevelt High School where he teaches Science and Math as well as coaching Wrestling. Besides coaching he enjoys old trucks, computers and technology and volunteering for the Elmer City Fire Dept. Ralph looks forward to the opportunity to serve NVEC and it's members.

District 1

Cindy is well-known as owner and operator of the popular CR Lumber Company in Delano. Cindy has worked hard to make this a successful enterprise and we are quite proud of her. Cindy graduated from Lake Roosevelt High School the first year it changed its name from Coulee Dam High. Cindy currently lives in Lone Pine where she is also the President of the Lone Pine Water System. She is well-known in the community as a straight shooter and good person to work with on complex issues our co-op faces. In Cindy's spare time she enjoys gardening and reading.

Meet Your Board of Trustees!

One of the benefits of being a member of NVEC is our ability to elect a local board of trustees from our community to set policy and rates for our co-op. This is called local control and is very important for us to continue providing you with affordable, reliable power and the highest level of member service.

Elections for trustees are held every year during the Annual Meeting, which is the first Friday in October. The Board of Trustees meets the third Tuesday of each month, usually at the co-op office. If you need to contact your elected trustees, call the co-op office at (509)-634-4571 or send them an email at nvec@nvec.org

• Cindy Corpe  (District 1)
• Ralph Rise  (District 2)
• Martin Olbricht  (District 3)
• Dorothy Palmer   (District 4)
• Monte Joseph  (District 5)
• Patrick Morin Jr.  (District 6 President)
• Gilbert Desautel Jr.  (District 7)
• Al Preugschat   (District 8)
• Ike Nelson  (District 9, Vice President)

1st Principle: Voluntary and Open

Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

2nd Principle: Democratic Membership

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. Members have equal voting rights -- one member, one vote.

3rd Principle: Members' Economic Participation Empowers Co-op

Members contribute equally to and democratically control the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. They usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following: developing the co-op by setting up reserves, investing in new capital to better serve the members or by reimbursing members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative and by supporting other activities approved by the membership.

4th Principle: Autonomy and Independence

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.

5th Principle: Education, Training and Information

Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public -- particularly young people and opinion leaders -- about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

6th Principle: Cooperation Among Cooperatives

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

7th Principle: Concern for Community Control

While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies adopted by their members.

Before the Rural Electrification Act, tiny communities like Nespelem, Elmer City, Lone Pine, Belvedere, Koontzville, Disautel, Cameron Lakes and others were in the dark. Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative (NVEC) serves the western area of the Colville Indian Reservation in southeast Okanogan County--all the areas no other utility would serve. Almost half our co-op members are members of the Colville Confederated Tribes.

The Colville Confederated Tribes, descendants of 12 Native American Bands, hold an annual 4th of July celebration near Nespelem and recently celebrated 125 years on this reservation(1872-1997). Nespelem is also the burial place of Chief Joseph, the great Nez Perce leader who vowed to "fight no more forever."

Founded in 1939, NVEC began operations as one of the Bonneville Power Administration's first customers in 1941 with 34 miles of line and 140 consumers. Today, NVEC serves just over 1,500 co-op members over 405 miles of line. That is less than four meters per mile, making NVEC the smallest co-op in Washington state.

Mission Statement

Our MISSION is to provide all our members with affordable, reliable power and the highest level of member service. To accomplish this objective, we have established the following GOALS:

Affordable Power
Be good stewards of our members' money by remaining within budgetary constraints. Explore opportunities to reduce costs for our members.

Reliable Power
Implement an aggressive maintenance and construction program. Respond promptly to outage alerts.

Highest Level of Member Service
Be more visible and responsive to our members and the community as a whole. Implement policies and procedures as determined by our trustees that our members elect. Honor all commitments and promises made by NVEC and its employees. 

Welcome to Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative!

We are delighted that you have taken the opportunity to visit with your member-owned, rural electric cooperative today. Throughout this site you will find helpful information about our elected trustees and staff members; who to contact with questions you might have; the history and mission of our electric co-op; the issues we are following; and, special programs we offer to you, our members. 

Power Outages

In the past five years, our power has been on 99.9% of the time! However, there are circumstances outside of our control such as weather and equipment failure that can cause power outages. If you experience an outage, take the following steps to ensure power will be restored to your home or business quickly and safely.

Check your fuses and breakers in your switchbox panel.

Report an outage to NVEC at (509) 634-4571 day or night. Please give your name, address, time of the outage and any unusual weather conditions. If the outage occurs outside the regular business hours (M-F 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) your call will forward to an answering service. An on-call employee will be paged to respond to your outage or emergency.

STAY AWAY from downed power lines, trees entangled in lines and broken utility poles.