May 2008
Energy Edition
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Payment Center Alert Recently, two Paducah businesses have begun accepting payment for Paducah Power System customers’ electric bills. Those payment centers are Hank Brothers Hardware and the south side Wal-Mart. They accept the payments and forward them electronically to Paducah Power. While there is nothing wrong with this practice it may cause problems for customers whose bills are past due or due immediately because it could take from three to five business days for the payment to arrive at Paducah Power and be credited to their account. If a bill presented to a clerk at a payment center does not show a past due amount that is owed, the clerk cannot alert the customer to the potential for disconnect. If you have a past due amount or have received a disconnect notice you should not pay your electric bill at a payment center. It is best to make the payment at the PPS building at 1500 Broadway. When using a payment center make sure your account is current and the payment is made at least five days prior to the due date of the bill.
Other ways customers may pay their electric bills include: the drive-through window at 1500 Broadway, the drop box in the PPS parking lot, drop boxes at the old Gore’s lot in Lone Oak and the south side Kroger, over the phone with a check or credit card, by bank draft or over the internet by going to www.paducahpower.com. Payments made by internet are credited to customers’ accounts immediately. Payments put in drop boxes may take up to 24 hours to be credited to an account, depending on the time of day they are dropped in the box. If you have any questions about payment please call 575-4000 and ask for a customer service representative.
PPS Receives National Safety Award The American Public Power Association has awarded Paducah Power System one of its highest honors for reliability. At an APPA conference in Indianapolis, Indiana in April, PPS received the Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3®) platinum designation. The association gives the award to utilities that provide customers with the highest degree of reliable electric service. To earn the award public utilities must demonstrate proficiency in four key areas: reliability, safety, training and system improvement. Criteria within each category are based on sound business practices and represent a utility-wide commitment to the reliable delivery of electricity.
As I See It By David R. Clark, General Manager We have completed the installation of our Automated Meter Reading system (AMR) and it is working quite well for us. We use the AMR system to read each customer’s meter about midnight of each day and the consumption is logged into our computer system. On the billing date, that reading is taken, subtracted from the prior reading billing date and that becomes the customer’s usage for that month.
This system is very accurate and makes it easy for us to spot an abnormal reading, should one occur due to system malfunction. Previously, we used meter readers who actually read the old meters in the field and on occasion human error could occur.
Another feature of the AMR system is that it allows for time-of-use rates for time-of-use billing. Our power supplier, TVA, is now working on developing such rates that will reflect the cost of providing us electricity at various periods in the day. For instance, in the summer when TVA is straining to meet system demand on a hot day, the rates in the hottest part of the day will be higher than the rate charged during the cooler periods or the night times. This will enable consumers to make price decisions and have some control over their energy bill. Presently, all usage for residential consumers is flat rated and does not reflect a rate differential for periods of short supply as TVA experiences on hot summer days. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Paducah Power is pleased to again announce we have received the platinum designation on our latest reliability audit by the American Public Power Association. APPA sets up a criterion. If a utility scores a perfect 100 points out of 100 it will receive a diamond designation. As you can expect, only a handful of utilities in this country has achieved this. However, PPS is very close to 100, being in the mid 90s, and we received a platinum designation. RP3 stands for Reliable Provider and there are three areas that APPA audits to award a utility its designation.
When we worked with APPA a couple of years ago to develop this program we were trying to create an audit standard similar to what product manufacturers call ISO-9000. A manufacturer with an ISO-9000 designation is recognized in industry as one that can produce and manufacture quality superior products because of their adherence to a tough set of standards for manufacturers. Hence, the motivation for APPA to create a standard that we hope in future years will make us stand out from other utilities as a highly reliable power supplier.
Tree Tip Did you know that adding landscaping to your home may add up to 27% more value to your house? Here are some helpful hints to get you started. -Choose the right plant for the purpose you have in mind and the space you have. For shade in your lawn choose a larger tree that is also sturdy. To increase aesthetic value, look for a graceful form, showy foliage or flowers. -Avoid weak, wood, fast growing trees. Trees such as Bradford pear, silver maple, Lombardy poplar and Siberian elm are susceptible to wind and ice damage. -Don’t plant large trees near power lines, sewer or water lines. Source: Paducah Tree Advisory Board
Electrical Safety Month May is National Electrical Safety Month, a good time to highlight some safety issues that affect our employees and customers. Safety is critical to our line crews who work with electricity every day. They wear protective equipment; rubber sleeves and gloves, hard hats and safety glasses. The equipment is monitored and replaced if it becomes damaged or worn. They attend monthly safety classes and follow strict safety policies at all times. Line crews also practice pole top rescue skills they would use to bring an injured coworker down from a power pole.
Aside from electricity, one of the big dangers PPS crews face each day is traffic. Crews often have to park their trucks on the side of the road in order to reach power lines. They are careful to mark their work area with cones or signs but drivers sometimes still stray into the work zone. According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet during the last five years more than 4,400 people have died in work zone crashes and 200,000 people were injured. PPS urges its customers to slow down when driving near work zones. Keep a safe distance between your vehicles and the workers and their equipment. Also, stay alert and minimize distractions such as cell phones.
Prairie State Progress Despite heavy rainfall in March and April, work on the Prairie State Campus continues on schedule. The site is in Washington County, Illinois, about forty minutes south of St. Louis. Contractors are currently grading the site, setting rebar and pouring foundations.
The first power generating unit is scheduled to be on line in 2011. The second is expected to go on line about a year later. The plant will serve Paducah Power System, Princeton Electric and dozens of other utilities throughout the Midwest. PPS Employee Returns from Iraq Paducah Power System welcomes back lineman Greg Hunerkoch who recently served nearly a year in Iraq. He returned to work April 21. Several sheriff’s deputies and PPS bucket trucks escorted Hunerkoch into Lone Oak March 15 when he returned from Iraq.
Service Anniversaries Christy Hagan 1988 Jill Vaughn 1996 Michael Benton 1996 Jason English 2002 Bob Pierceall 2005
Reminder: Paducah Power System will be closed Monday, May 26th for Memorial Day.
June Tree Trimming Farley, Lone Oak
May 2008 Recipe Mexican Burgers
1 ½ pounds ground beef 1 Tablespoon chili powder ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon salt 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese
Combine ground beef and seasonings; form into eight thin patties. Place cheese slices in center of 4 of the patties; cover cheese with remaining patties and press edges together. Make sure cheese is fully covered and edges are sealed. Grill until done.
April 2008 Recipe No Peek Chicken
6 chicken breasts 1 ½ cups milk 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 pkg. onion soup mix 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 stick of butter or margarine ½ cup water 2 cups instant rice
Melt butter in bottom of baking ban. Heat soups and milk together. Add rice and water, pour into baking dish. Place chicken breasts on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle onion soup mix over chicken. Cover lightly with foil and bake two hours at 300 degrees without looking.
March 2008 Recipe Beef and Biscuit Casserole
1 pound ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 small can green chiles, drained 2 teaspoons chili powder ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 1 can of 10 refrigerated biscuits 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (divided) ½ cup sour cream 1 egg, slightly beaten
In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion; drain. Add chiles, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and tomato sauce. Simmer while preparing biscuit crust.
Separate each biscuit into two layers. Press ten biscuit layers over the bottom of an ungreased 9 inch square baking dish. Combine ½ cup cheese, sour cream and egg. Remove meat mixture from heat, then stir in sour cream mixture. Spoon mixture over biscuit dough. Arrange remaining biscuit layers over the top of the meat mixture then sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until biscuits are nicely browned.
February 2008 Recipe Crock Pot Chicken and Corn Chowder
1 can cream of potato soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can whole kernel corn, drained 1 cup diced chicken or 2 cans chunk chicken 1 cup chicken broth ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper 1 can chopped mild green chilies ½ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1 cup milk
Combine all ingredients except milk in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add milk and cook for about 30 minutes longer, until hot.
January 2008 Recipe Tortilla Soup 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (1 pound) package frozen pepper and onion stir fry mix 3 Tablespoons ground cumin 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 3 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chili peppers, drained 4 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth Salt and pepper to taste 1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn 12 ounces tortilla chips 1 cup shredded cheese
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Stir in the pepper and onion stir fry mix, garlic and cumin and cook until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and chili peppers. Pour in the broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Mix corn into soup and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve in bowls over equal amounts of tortilla chips and top with cheese. May also top with diced avocado.
December 2007 Recipe Sugar Plum Cake ¾ cup butter 1 ½ cups chopped pecans 1 ¾ cups sugar ½ pound dates, chopped 4 eggs 3 ½ oz. coconut 4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup chopped candied orange slices 1 cup buttermilk 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 2 Tablespoons grated orange peel
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. In a separate bowl, mix orange slices, pecans, dates and coconut. Sift half the flour over candy mixture. Add remaining flour, soda and buttermilk into creamed butter and sugar. Stir in lemon juice and orange peel Mix in candy mixture. Fill floured and greased tube pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven. Cool for a few minutes, then remove cake from pan. Poke holes in cake with skewer and spoon glaze for hot cake.
Glaze-Mix 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup orange juice and 2 teaspoons grated orange peel. November 2007 Recipe Ham and Potato Soup
3 ½ cups peeled and diced potatoes 1/3 cup celery 1/3 cup finely chopped onion ¾ cup diced cooked ham 3 ¼ cups water 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon granules ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white or black pepper 5 Tablespoons butter 5 Tablespoons flour 2 cups milk
Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly until thick (about 1 minute). Slowly stir in milk and continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick (about 4-5 minutes). Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.
October 2007 Recipe Easy Hamburger Soup
1 pound ground beef 1 large can tomatoes 1 medium onion, diced 2 (12 ounce) cans V-8 1 can cream style corn 1 large can mixed vegetables Salt and pepper to taste
Brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for at least an hour or put in crockpot on low all day.
September 2007 Recipe Maque Choux 2 bags of sweet corn (or fresh) 1 large can diced tomatoes (or fresh) ½ sweet onion, diced ½ stick butter Heavy whipping cream salt Pepper Creole seasoning
Saute onion in butter until nearly clear. Add corn, tomatoes and seasonings (to taste). Simmer 20-30 minutes. Add cream to preferred consistency. Simmer until heated through. May serve over rice. This is best when made with fresh corn and tomatoes.
August 2007 Recipe Strawberry Toffee Ice Cream Pie 12 sugar cones, finely ground 5 Tablespoons unsalted melted butter 2 Tablespoons sugar
Mix the cone crumbs, butter and sugar until crumbs are moistened. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 6-8 minutes, until crisp. Cool.
1 pint strawberry ice cream, softened 1 cup toffee bits 1 cup whipping cream, chilled ½ cup powdered sugar ½ teaspoon almond extract
Spread half of the ice cream across the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing top with spatula. Sprinkle ½ cup of the toffee bits evenly over the ice cream. Repeat with the remaining ice cream and toffee bits. Place the pie in the freezer while you mix topping.
Combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar and almond extract and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Remove the pie from the freezer and spread topping on the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely set, at least three hours.
July 2007 Recipe Cucumber Stuffed Tomatoes
6 medium tomatoes 1 medium cucumber, chopped 1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 clove garlic left whole 1 tablespoon parsley dash of salt
Core tomatoes and cut a thin slice from the bottom of each tomato to prevent tipping. Remove pulp from tomatoes, drain and reserve. Refrigerate tomato cups for at least two hours. Finely chop tomato pulp; drain. Stir in cucumber, mayonnaise, garlic, parsley and salt. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving remove garlic from mixture and scoop mixture into tomato cups. *May add a small can of shrimp to the mixture or garnish with small shrimp.
June 2007 Recipe Sweet & Smoky Barbecue Sauce 1 bottle (14
ounces) ketchup Place all the ingredients in a large heavy saucepan and whisk to mix. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer the sauce, uncovered, until thick (about 30 minutes) stirring often to prevent scorching. Transfer the sauce to clean glass jars and place a sheet of plastic wrap under the lid before closing the jar. This sauce will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator. Makes 3 cups.
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