Decking the halls doesn’t have to take a toll on your energy bill or put your home at risk.

Here are some easy ways to save energy this holiday season:

• Use an automatic timer to manage energy used by outdoor holiday lighting and other electric décor.
• Did you know LED holiday lights use about 80% less energy than incandescent string lights? Make the switch to LED holiday lights. LEDs are energy efficient, brighter and cool to the touch.
• Even if the weather isn’t all that frightful, the fire truly is delightful! Remember to close the damper when you’re done using the fireplace.
• Countertop appliances use less energy than larger appliances, so use them when you’re preparing a smaller feast.
• Turn down the thermostat before guests arrive for holiday parties. Heat from your kitchen and a house full of people will keep your home warm.
• Smart plugs reduce standby energy use and can be automated to create a more efficient home for the holidays! Set up timers for your Christmas tree, winter villages and decorative lighting this season and start saving.

Trico is a non-profit, electric cooperative, and one of the ways we serve our Members is returning Capital Credits. This year the Board of Directors approved the retirement of $4.25 million in Capital Credits. We are proud that this is Trico’s 13th straight year retiring Capital Credits. 

What are Capital Credits? When Trico’s revenues exceed its cost of operations, a profit (margin) is created. Trico allocates its profits to its Members in the form of Capital Credits. Annually, when the Cooperative’s financial condition permits, Trico pays, or retires, a portion of the allocated Capital Credits.

This month, Trico will retire Capital Credits totaling $4.25 million, consisting of $4.1 million from Trico and $150,000 from the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative. Members will see their Capital Credit Retirement on their December bill. Active accounts will see a Capital Credit Retirement posted as a credit on their bill. Inactive accounts will receive a check for a refund over $10. If a Member moves or no longer has service, Trico must have their current address to send capital credit notices and retirements in the future.

We work hard to provide service in a cost-effective manner so we can return Capital Credits to our Members. Since 2010, Trico has returned more than $32 MILLION to its Members. That’s money that stays in our local communities.

The bottom line, Capital Credits are just one of the many benefits of being a Member of Trico! We hope this brightens your holidays.

Learn more about capital credits at www.trico.coop/capital-credits. If you have additional questions about your Capital Credits, contact us at 520-744-2944, ext. 1510, or by email at capitalcredits@trico.coop.

At Trico, we believe that connection powers our purpose. This connection brings us together as a community – with the understanding that we can do more together than we could do by ourselves.

One way we support our Members and the communities we serve is through The Trico Electric Charitable Trust (Trust). Since 1996, the Trust has donated over $900,000 to local community organizations, schools, veteran’s groups, first responders, and food banks.

In 2022, the Trust awarded $70,000 in POWER Grants to non-profits providing critical services in southern Arizona. Those grants would not be possible without contributions from our Members who participate in Operation Round Up (ORU), so we thank those Members who choose to “round up” their monthly bill payment to the next dollar.

The Arivaca Human Resource Group, which provides daily meals and emergency food boxes to clients within the community, received a $5,200 POWER Grant in the spring. The organization wanted to purchase a small walk-in refrigeration unit along with shelving from the Sahuarita Food Bank but could not afford it. With help from our lender CoBank, which matched Trico’s grant, they were able to purchase the refrigeration and freezer unit.

“This is something we have desperately needed in order to store food we use for the daily meals we serve and for the emergency food boxes we provide for our community members in need,” President Rick Vogel said.

See the graphic at right for more ways the Trust is helping the communities that Trico serves.

Why contribute to Operation Round Up?

For less than $1 per month, you can make a difference in the community. ORU is an easy way to give back to your community because all donations stay local. The most you will donate is about $12 a year, and your donations are tax deductible.

Sign up by December 31, 2022 for a chance to win a $100 bill credit. Visit www.trico.coop/operation-round-up or call us at 520‑744‑2944.

How POWER Grants are making a difference in our community:

ARIZONA BURN FOUNDATION

The Arizona Burn Foundation, which received a $7,400 POWER Grant, partners with local fire departments to install free smoke alarms in low-income and high-risk areas across Arizona to keep communities safe. “Your kindness means so much to parents, caregivers, burn survivors and children in the burn community.” —Catherine Sebesta.

YOUTH ON THEIR OWN

The YOTO Program received $2,500 to provide basic needs, financial assistance, guidance, and support services to Tucson/Pima County’s students experiencing homelessness with the goal of high school graduation. “Every day I meet kids whose lives are better because of the generosity of organizations like yours. They have a fighting chance to finish high school and plan for the future because you showed them that you believe they can succeed.” – Fred Rodriguez, Youth On Their Own

SISTER JOSE WOMEN’S CENTER

The organization received $5,000 to provide a cooling center for women experiencing homelessness during the extreme heat. “Your donation will have a transformative impact on the lives of the women we serve. Contributions like yours, make an immeasurable difference and open up a path to a sustainable existence for our guests. Thank you for taking on this vital and rewarding work with us.” – Jean Fedigan, Sister Jose Women’s Center

FRIENDS IN DEED

The Green Valley nonprofit received a $2,500 grant to provide transportation to senior citizens going to medical appointments. “Since Friends In Deed operates entirely on donations, we are very appreciative of your generosity. These funds will be helpful in assisting with operations of our Transportation Program, which provides rides to Green Valley seniors to medical appointments, including the expenses of operating our wheelchair vans for those who require a wheelchair trip. Thank you for your generosity.” —Jan Morgan, Operations Manager at Friends In Deed.

ARIVACA HELPING HEARTS

The organization received an $8,500 POWER Grant and used the funds to repair a swing bridge, install a fence around the playground and to purchase physical education equipment at San Fernando Elementary School in Sasabe. “This makes their playground equipment usable again. It’s nice to know the students at San Fernando are safe on the playground.” —Michelle Davis, Grant Coordinator

CEO COLUMN:

I believe Trico is at an important stage in our growth and development, as changes in the industry, advances in technology, and changes in our Members’ needs shape the work we do today and in the future.

When I imagine the future of Trico, here is a what I envision:

I see a fully automated power delivery network that monitors and ensures a two-way flow of electricity and information between Trico, our generation sources and the end use appliance/equipment.

I see this system having distributed intelligence, coupled with broadband communications and automated control systems, enabling real time market transactions (prices/rates) and seamless interfaces among people, buildings, businesses, generation sources and our network. Our systems will sense, communicate, and operate bi-directionally.

I see faster detection of outages, automatic responses to them in some cases, and rapid restoration will improve the reliability and security of the grid.

I see more electricity use by our Members as they decarbonize their homes, businesses, farms, ranches, and transportation modes, choosing electricity over gas, propane, gasoline and diesel. Regarding vehicles, I see most of the Trico fleet being electric by 2030.

I see that while we are connected to regional transmission networks, and ultimately to the national backbone, more power from distributed energy systems (co-op and member-owned) flows to and from other Members first, and then to the regional network, depending on supply and demand conditions.

I see Trico’s Members having the ability to customize their electricity supply to suit their individual needs for power in terms of cost, environmental impacts, levels of reliability and power quality. This includes having long since moved away from a one-sized fits all business model to one where we are offering different levels of renewables, types of renewables, location of renewables, so that we can tailor services to individual Members.

In 2030, who better than our Member’s trusted local co-op to meet their needs and wants, just like we have been doing since 1945.

Ultimately, I see Trico enabling a more prosperous, healthier, and secure quality of life. This gets back to our mission – to make a difference in the communities we serve by providing our Members cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions.

As we reach the end of 2022, all of us at Trico would like to thank our Members. We are privileged to serve our community and look forward to a bright future together.

Nationwide, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities use the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help Veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities.

Each year, Veterans compete in a local creative arts competition. The competition includes categories in the visual arts division that range from oil painting to leatherwork to photography. In addition, there are categories in writing as well as the performing arts of dance, drama and music.

Trico donated $1,300 to the Casas Adobes American Legion Auxiliary Unit #73 to buy supplies for a local creative arts competition held on September 16.

“We want to thank Trico for the wonderful gift to our Veterans,” said Karen Borth, Casas Adobes American Legion Auxiliary Unit #73 secretary.

Local creative arts competition first place winning entries advance to a national judging process and first, second and third place entries in each category are determined. Selected gold-medal-winning Veterans are invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival hosted by a different VA facility each year.

The 42nd National Veterans Creative Arts Festival will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, April 10-17, 2023. The festival culminates with a stage performance, writing exhibition and gallery-style showcase of artwork.