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.

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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.

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Halloween is just around the corner. There could be a hidden terror lurking in your home. We’re talking about energy vampires — evil ghouls that suck electrical power from your appliances when you aren’t using them, taking a big bite out of your wallet.

Slay energy vampires with these four simple strategies:

1. Unplug devices

Unplug devices or appliances you don’t use often and those that are easy to reach as you’re heading out the door. Mobile phone chargers that are left plugged in after your phone is disconnected still consume energy. If you start factoring in all the other appliances and electronics that are plugged in and not in use, it’s easy to see why these energy vampires could add an extra 10 percent to your monthly utility bill.

2. Use power strips

Power strips let you toggle the power flow on and off. This means you can control the power usage of clusters of devices so that they’re not consuming electricity when you’re not at home. Using a light switch that turns power outlets on and off, if you have one, accomplishes the same end with even less effort.

An advanced power strip makes it even easier by turning off idle electronics without any additional steps from you.

One of the easiest places to use a power strip is your entertainment center. Older set-top cable boxes and DVRs in your living room are some of the most frightening energy vampires, as they’re less efficient than newer models. Some of these devices are constantly draining 25-45 watts of energy when off.

3. Curb idle time

Set your computer to sleep mode or power it down when you’re not using it. Do the same with your video game console instead of leaving it paused for a prolonged period of time.

4. Make smart upgrades

When it comes time to send your old electronics and appliances to the graveyard, consider replacing them with ENERGY STAR devices. They have a lower standby consumption than your average device and use less energy all around.

Energy vampires throughout your home could add an extra 10 percent to your monthly electricity bill.  Take a few minutes to find them and banish them for good!

Visit EnergySaver.gov for more tricks to save energy and money.

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This month, we’re celebrating YOU

October is National Co-op Month, a time when we celebrate you – our Members.

Our core business purpose is to serve as your energy provider, but the larger mission of the co-op is to make a difference in the communities we serve by providing our Members cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions.

All cooperatives adhere to the same set of seven principles that reflect our core values of service, dependability, innovation and integrity. The Cooperative Principles are essential to the co-op business model and benefit all Members of the co-op.

“Concern for community” is one of seven guiding principles that all co-ops share. Because we’re local, we understand our community’s unique needs and strive to help meet them.

We’re proud to support local youth through our Washington Youth Tour and scholarship programs. We support charitable organizations through our POWER Grants program, which provides grants to community organizations, schools, veteran’s groups, first responders, and food banks.  

The word “cooperative” is close to “cooperation,” meaning people working together towards a common goal—mutually benefitting one another and the larger community. That’s the essence of the cooperative spirit.

Above all, as a co-op we put our Members’ priorities first. As your trusted energy partner, we know that saving energy and money is important to you. That’s why we offer energy efficiency programs, such as our Tree Program and Energy Saving Workshops.

For Trico, a commitment to providing our Members with renewable energy alternatives is critical. Our website is a great resource if you’re interested in solar or electric vehicles. You can also call us if you have any questions about renewable energy.

We want to empower you to manage energy use at home. Through our SmartHub app, you can conveniently monitor and manage your energy use.

Trico is continuously examining ways to operate more efficiently while continuing to provide the highest level of friendly, reliable service you expect and deserve. After all, we’re your local co-op. We were built by the Members we serve.

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Trico Member Lisa Trott was cleaning out her garage and found a stake and a sign that says it was the first stake driven by Trico for a power pole in section 36 on January 23, 1948. The stake is signed by five men, including Trico employee Harold Roberts, who was Lisa’s uncle.

Harold started as a Staking Engineer at Trico in 1947, just two years after Trico was incorporated. He first helped take the power lines into Pinal County covering 115 miles and serving 77 Members. The first lines were then energized on July 8, 1948.

In 1950, Harold began working with a small crew on providing power to Mt. Lemmon. It took them two years to finish staking the path up the mountain due to the winter season.

“Of all the things that happened in my years with Trico, building that Mt. Lemmon line was the most memorable thing. It was a test of endurance and of the will to persevere. Anyone looking up those slopes from the valley has to realize what a super-human feat it was,” explained Harold.

By 1953, Harold, along with a crew, had taken power lines from Marana, up to the Pinal County line, and over, up the mountain, down Avra Valley, to Sells and Sasabe.

Harold retired from Trico in 1977 after close to 30 years of service. Nearly every line on Trico’s system at that time was staked by Harold and his crews.

Today, Trico’s service territory encompasses 2,346 square miles with 3,999 miles of energized line and over 46,000 Members.

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Trico is dedicated to making a difference in the communities we serve. Trico journeyman lineman Bryan English and apprentice Anthony Anaya exemplified the cooperative’s concern for community when they stopped to help a woman change a flat tire while driving down Avra Valley Road.

They parked behind her and put out cones, and then came over to help her.

“They told me to put my tools down and that they would handle it for me,” Lillee Soriano posted on the Avra Valley Community Facebook page. “They got the car up and lug nuts off, but my rim was stuck on the rotor. Luckily, they had a pry bar and were able to get it off. They put the donut on. I thanked them multiple times for taking the time out of their day to help me. It almost brought me to tears. I have never experienced something like that in my life. Just pure kindness.”

Caption: Trico apprentice lineman Anthony Anaya changes a flat tire for a member of the community.

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Every June, Trico and electric cooperatives across the country send local high school students to spend a week in the nation’s capital as part of the Washington Youth Tour (WYT).

Throughout their week, students meet with elected officials, explore museums, visit historical monuments, and develop friendships that last a lifetime! Highlights of the trip include a tour of the Capital Building, meeting with Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, Mount Vernon, a Washington Nationals baseball game, the Marine Corps Museum, the White House, and a riverboat ride.

“I had such a fun time, thank you so much for this opportunity,” said Rachel Weisbrod, who attends Tucson High School. “My favorite experiences were the boat ride and the Nationals game.”

WYT ignites a passion within students to look at the world with a fresh perspective and create change in their communities. Participating in WYT is an awesome way to learn about our great nation, develop leadership skills, gain a better understanding of electric cooperatives, and make friendships that will last beyond the week.

Trico is accepting applications for the 2023 WYT. High school juniors who are the dependent child of a Trico Member are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2022.

Learn more at www.trico.coop/washington-youth-tour/.

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Here at Trico, we are proud to offer summer internships that provide quality, practical work experience to college students.

Through this program we’ve seen previous interns become full-time staff at Trico. Our interns are an essential part of bringing Trico’s mission to life, and we are excited to see what they will accomplish in their future careers.

For interns Mark Smalling, Rylee Schull and Austin Cathers, the past few summers have been a great learning experience.

Mark assisted the Designers with field staking and Engineering in documenting and sending out as-built drawings. He also learned the internal workings, purpose and operation of single phase reclosers from Journeyman Substation Technician Bill Roethle. Bill said he enjoyed working with Mark, and said Mark is a great student and learns fast. Mark is currently a student at Pima Community College working towards his associate’s degree in Science.

“Working for Trico has helped me see that I have an interest in power engineering and I intend to transfer to ASU to study that,” Mark said. “I’ve really enjoyed coming in here every day over the summer. It’s given me the time to learn from my fellow employees and it’s a good opportunity to give back to the community.”

Rylee is a senior at Grand Canyon University majoring in Marketing and Advertising. She has been a valuable asset to Marketing and Communications, helping with social media and other marketing projects, including writing and gathering content for the Livewire newsletter and checking different websites to make sure their information about Trico is up to date. She also created a brochure and fact sheet about Trico for employees and Members.

“I have learned so much in the past four years and it has been such a great experience for me,” Rylee said. “The experience that I’ve gained here at Trico has been exceptional and I’ve worked with exceptional people who have taught me so much about how to have a job and life, how to do marketing and communications. It’s been a wonderful time.”

Austin is attending the University of Arizona majoring in Computer Science. He said he has enjoyed working in IT.

Information Systems Supervisor Robert Duke said Austin “has been a valuable member of the IT team and while we’re excited for him to continue his education we will miss his contributions until he returns.” Austin worked on computer updates, started new computer builds, and assisted IT in their software, hardware and network troubleshooting.

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Want to lower your home energy bills and be more environmentally friendly? Here are 10 simple ways to reduce energy waste, at home and at work:

1. Make the switch to LED. LEDs last at least 25 times longer and consume up to 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs. By switching five of your home’s most frequently used bulbs with ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs, it’s possible to save $75 on energy costs annually.

2. Seal those leaks. On average, heating and cooling account for almost half of a home’s energy consumption. Take simple steps like caulking windows, sealing leaks and sliding draft guards under your doors to save up to 20% on heating costs.

3. Heat and cool efficiently. Don’t waste money heating or cooling an empty home. Install a programmable thermostat and in colder weather schedule your home’s heat to lower when you are away or asleep, and increase when you are returning home or waking-up. In warm weather, schedule the thermostat to raise the temperature when you are away or asleep, and lower it at other times.

4. Maintain your HVAC system. Make sure to clean or change your filters regularly. A dirty filter will slow down air flow, making the system work harder and costing you more money. Consider getting a tune-up.

5. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR® windows can cut heating and cooling costs by as much as 30% compared to single-pane windows, while increasing indoor comfort and lessening fading of home furnishings.

6. Turn the electronics off. That sounds easy, but too often we forget and leave electronics plugged in that are not in use. A power strip can help turn off multiple items at once.

7.Winter tip: Invite the sun in. Open curtains/shades on your west-and south‑facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and save 2%–12%.

8. Summer tip: Close blinds and shades. Excess sunlight will make it harder to keep your home cool and comfortable. During the day, keep your blinds and shades closed to prevent warm air from building up in your home.

9. Clean your clothing efficiently. A washing machine spends 90% of its energy to heat water. Consider using cold water instead. In addition, try to run full loads as much as possible, because the machine uses roughly the same amount of energy regardless of the load size.

10. Clean up your dishes efficiently. Avoid the “rinse hold” cycle and skip heated drying – simply open the door at the end of the washing cycle and let the dishes air dry!

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In November, you will have the opportunity to vote in the mid-term elections for two open seats on the Arizona Corporations Commission (ACC). One of the jobs assigned to the ACC by Arizona’s constitution is to regulate the rates of utility public service corporations, like Trico.

While these races may not be top-of-mind for most Arizonans, they are vitally important to ensuring affordable rates, dependable service, and sustainable energy supply. I want to encourage all Members to take time to research this year’s candidates, understand the issues, and vote.

As a cooperative, our Members elect a local Board of Directors to govern the affairs of Trico. However, it is the ACC, and not the cooperative, that has the final authority over issues related to the rates Trico charges. In some cases, this can include decisions on the type of power generation that can be built, the programs we can offer, and Trico’s energy prices.

Trico is large for a cooperative, but we are much smaller than Arizona’s investor-owned utilities. There is, of course, a cost to complying with the rules and regulations established by the ACC, and with a smaller staff this can be a heavy burden. We are appreciative that the ACC has often recognized that our size, connection to our Members, and locally elected Board makes us different, and provided us with a certain amount of flexibility and latitude.

We are strong advocates for local control, and we encourage you to support candidates who appreciate and acknowledge the unique benefits of the cooperative business model, and that support practical, flexible solutions for the diverse communities that we serve.

Our industry is changing quickly, and we work hard to balance reliability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. An example is Trico’s active investment in renewable generation resources that can reduce emissions and produce savings. We have a goal to reduce our carbon emissions by 50% by 2032, and a plan to do so in a way that ensures reliability and affordability for our Members. That plan involves a balanced approach incorporating several types of generation resources, including needed dispatchable generation, to ensure the transition to renewables is efficient and timely, and also safe and reliable.

We take pride in our commitment to serve our Members, and the fact that our Members vote to elect our Board. Cooperatives across the country know that the democratic process works best when people do their research, understand the issues, and make their voice heard by voting. Please make a plan to vote in November, and as always thank you for being a Member of Trico.

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The Trico Charitable Trust has awarded a total of $35,000 to nine non-profit organizations providing critical services in southern Arizona. The grants are part of Trico’s POWER Grants program and are awarded twice a year to charities throughout southern Arizona.  

Nonprofits are selected through an application process and reviewed by a seven-person committee made up of Trico employees, employee-members, and Board Members.

The following organizations received a grant in June 2022:

• Angel Heart Pajama Project – Provides new pajamas to abused or neglected children ages infant to 18
• Arivaca Coordinating Council/Arivaca Human Resource Group – Provides daily meals, emergency food boxes and related activities to clients within the community
• Arivaca Fire District Auxiliary – Purchase fire-rescue saws/blades for use by Emergency personnel when forcible entry to structures or vehicles is needed to suppress fire or rescue persons
• Ayuda Smiles, Inc. dba Smiles for Veterans – Helps veterans in need with access and payment for critical dental care
• Friends in Deed – Provide transportation in personal vehicles and wheelchair vans for senior citizens going to medical appointments. They also have weekly blood pressure clinics
• Marana Unified School District Food & Clothing Bank – Provides students and their families in need with non-perishable food, clothing, toiletries, small household items and community resources
• Mt Lemmon Firefighters Foundation – Purchase two cutoff saws to be used to gain access to patients trapped in vehicles
• Sister Jose Women’s Center – Provide a cooling center for women experiencing homelessness during the extreme heat
• Youth on Their Own (YOTO) – Provide basic needs, financial assistance, guidance, and support services to Tucson/Pima County’s students experiencing homelessness with the goal of high school graduation

Since 2008, the POWER Grant program has awarded $735,000 in grants. The categories for spring were Food and Basic Needs, Housing, Health and Mental Care, and Fire and Emergency Response. In October, Trico will be accepting applications from organizations that provide the following services: Education, Substance Abuse Prevention and Support, Arts and Literacy, and Childcare and Development. 

The Charitable Trust is funded by Operation Round Up, which allows Trico Members to “round up” their monthly bill payment to the next dollar. The money contributed goes to a variety of worthy causes throughout our service area. Past donations include food banks, fire departments, schools, youth groups, veteran’s groups, and more. 

How Can You Contribute?

• Round up your bill to the nearest dollar
• Have a small amount added to your bill. It can even be just $1-2 dollars a month
• Make an annual one-time contribution of any amount. All gifts are welcome

No matter which option you choose, your gift is tax deductible. If you wish to participate, call (520) 744-2944 or go to the Operation Round Up page here.

Angel Heart Pajama Project family wearing new pajamas.

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