SCAM ALERT
Please be aware of door-to-door utility scammers! If someone claims to be from a utility company:
- Do not share personal information
- Contact your utility office using the official number from their website
If you are suspicious of a utility scam, please call our office at 307-245-3261. Stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Irrigation Innovation: Introducing New Peak Hours
As we enter the irrigation season, High West Energy aims to keep our members informed about recent changes to our Time-of-Day irrigation rate. For those utilizing this rate, we are excited to announce an extension of off-peak usage by two additional hours. The updated peak window now spans from 1 pm to 9 pm from Monday to Saturday, with Sundays and Tri-State's predetermined holidays classified as off-peak. These holidays include Memorial Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
Kindly note that our updated rates are now in effect. We encourage you to reach out to our office for a discussion on the options that may be most suitable for you. Additionally, detailed information about the new rates is available on our website at www.highwest.coop.
Members enrolled in the current Time-of-Day irrigation rate will remain at this rate unless you contact us to request a rate change. If you would like to put an account on the Time-of-Day rate or switch to our traditional irrigation rate, please call our office before March 28th. The Time-of-Day rate is designed to help flatten or lower our peak power demand, which helps to lower our bill to Tri-State. We have found that in the past, the peak was affected by Time-of-Day accounts. The best way to ensure our peak is lowered is to model how we are billed by our power supplier. We highly recommend you call our office so we can discuss what might work best for you. As a reminder, the Time-of-Day irrigation season is April 1, 2024, through Oct 31, 2024, and the traditional irrigation season is May 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024.
If you wish to switch to our flat rate or if you're experiencing any challenges with your existing rate, please contact us, and we'll gladly assist you in making the necessary changes. You can call the office at (307)245-3261 and speak with one of our Member Service Representatives or email us at billing@highwest.coop. Please include your name, account, meter number, and contact information. If you do not contact our office by March 28th, your account will remain at the same rate that the account was at last season.
Lights On: Navigating the Steps to Efficient Power Restoration
Power restoration is a critical process that follows power outages caused by various factors such as severe weather, equipment failure, or other unforeseen events. The goal of power restoration efforts is to quickly and safely bring electricity back to affected areas, minimizing the impact on communities, businesses, and individuals. At High West Energy, we strive to serve our members and communities by providing safe, reliable, and competitively priced energy and services. When your power goes out, our number one priority is ensuring you are safe and then restoring your power.
There are critical steps in the restoration process during an outage. First, transmission towers and power lines must be inspected before other parts of the distribution system are inspected. When multiple substations are down due to transmission issues, thousands of homes could be without power. This is why it is critical to begin outage restoration on transmission lines first that feed distribution substations. Next, the line crews check three-phase feeders out of the substations to identify and address any potential issues. If the issue goes beyond the main three-phase feeders, our line crews then move to single-phase lines completing the power restoration process.
There are multiple ways you can report an outage. You can contact our office directly at 307-245-3261 or use our IVR system by dialing 833-619-0867. When reaching our office, please provide your name, service address, meter number, account number, and a reachable phone number. In the event of a widespread outage, phone lines may be busy, so continue calling to connect with a representative or use our IVR system. You can also check our outage map on our website under “Outage Center” to see if we are aware of the outage and it has been posted. Additionally, take advantage of this moment to verify that your contact information with High West Energy is current to enhance the quality of our responses during potential outages. When you contact us, our system automatically identifies your account if we have up-to-date contact information. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your information is regularly updated.
After reporting the outage, take precautions to safeguard your appliances. Turn off large appliances, space heaters, water pumps, and any other devices to prevent overloading your electrical circuits when power is restored. Additionally, disconnect sensitive electronic equipment, such as computers and televisions, to avoid potential damage from power surges.
Ensuring your safety is our greatest priority in the event of an outage, and we encourage you to be prepared. As a certified Generac dealer, High West Energy offers the expertise of certified technicians who can install whole-house generators. It is crucial to never connect a generator directly to your main electrical panel, as the power generated could potentially flow back onto the power line, posing a risk of injury to you or our High West employees. Proper safety measures must be taken. Generators can also be valuable investments, especially for individuals relying on medical devices such as ventilators or apnea monitors, where outages could have life-threatening consequences. Our commitment is to provide reliable solutions and ensure your safety during challenging situations.
Furthermore, it's essential to have a well-thought-out strategy for managing an outage and to keep an emergency kit easily accessible. This kit should encompass items such as flashlights, additional batteries, matches or lighters, a battery-powered charger, a first-aid kit, water, nonperishable food, and blankets. When storms are anticipated, ensure that your electronic devices are also fully charged.
Our line crews work very hard to restore power and ensure our members are taken care of; however, outages can occur at any moment, and it is very important to be prepared, especially during the winter months.
Recipe of the Month
Feta Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:
- 1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt and ground black pepper for taste
- 2 cups crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, for about 11 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft and have released their juices, for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and immediately add to the pan of tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and toss to coat. Add feta cheese and basil, and thoroughly stir. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
*Recipe from www.allrecipes.com
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