GENERAL NEWS
June 2020: WECC REFUNDS $2.8 MILLION TO MEMBERSHIP
We are pleased to announce the Woodruff Electric Cooperative Board of Directors voted to retire $1,642,898 in capital credits for years 1986 and 2019. To make this as convenient as possible, these funds will be returned to active members as a credit directly on electric bills. This on-bill credit will be listed as “CAPITAL CREDIT REFUND.” Checks will be mailed only to those members without active accounts.
In addition to the Capital Credit refund, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas has issued a special one-time “Covid-19 Relief Credit” with Woodruff Electric’s portion amounting to $1,236,907. The Woodruff Electric Board of Directors voted to pass this one-time special credit to current, active members that are facing the unique challenges caused by this virus.
Members should notice two additional credits listed on their bill received in June, “COVID-19 RELIEF CREDIT” and “COVID-19 RELIEF KWH CREDIT.” We feel this is an excellent demonstration of Cooperative Principle #7, “Concern for Community,” being put to work for our members during these unprecedented times.
Woodruff Electric has incorporated numerous measures during the coronavirus pandemic to assist our members. We have temporarily foregone late fees and refunded the convenience fees charged with credit card or e-check transactions. WECC will continue to work with members that are affected by this virus.
As a member of Woodruff Electric, you are one of approximately 10,500 owners. This is a fundamental difference between a cooperative and an investor-owned utility. Woodruff Electric wants to do our part to ease concerns as we work together for the good of all members during these difficult times. The total refund to our membership is $2,879,805. We hope the retirement of capital credits and the special one-time “Covid-19 Relief Credit” will provide some financial relief to our membership.
Remember, we are proud to be your local energy partner!
April 2020: WECC MEMBERSHIP RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Safety is the culture of Woodruff Electric Cooperative Corporation. In joining the efforts of local, state and federal governments in protecting one another from contracting and spreading COVID-19, we are implementing lessons learned from others to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Currently, our offices and lobby areas are closed to the public. We will continue evaluating the pandemic status to determine when to reopen. We know you rely on safe, reliable electric service, and we will continue doing our best to serve you.
We will work with each of you on a case by case basis to determine what steps are needed to get through this time of crisis. Be sure to contact your local office for assistance and guidance.
Forrest City (870-633-2262) Augusta (870-347-2431) Moro (870-768-4821)
Equally important is the well-being of our employees. We are using best practices, good judgment and safety precautions to better serve you. We are also utilizing innovative ways to work together from safe spaces, including video conferencing, teleconferencing and more.
To help your cooperative and area communities reduce spreading the virus and encourage social distancing, please follow these guidelines:
- Contact our support staff and report power outages by calling 870-633-7100 or 1-888-559-6400
- General communications may be emailed to info@woodruffelectric.com
- Keep up with our latest updates by following us on Facebook.
If you wish to make a payment, please do one of the following:
- Use one of our drive-thru windows at your local office.
- Mail your payment to WECC, P.O. Box 1619, Forrest City, AR 72336-1619.
- Use our online portal at https://ebiz.woodruffelectric.com/
- Drop your payment in the night deposit box after business hours.
- Call 1-888-559-6400 to utilize our EBIZ service.
Please stay safe and know that Woodruff Electric will continue to operate and provide the highest-quality service possible for you, the members we serve. The spread of COVID-19 may necessitate changes in how we interact, but it will not change what we do. Thank you for your understanding and support.
July 2019: Woodruff Electric Cooperative Scores High in Recent Member Satisfaction Survey
During May of 2019, Woodruff Electric Cooperative conducted a Residential Member Satisfaction Survey to measure member satisfaction based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, attitudes regarding key co-op service attributes, and basic demographics. The survey also produced the co-op’s first Cooperative Attitude and Performance Score (CAPS). The survey results show that WECC had an ACSI score of an 88 and CAPS score of a 92. Both scores for Woodruff are higher than the national average.
CAPS Score: 92 – The highest CAPS score of cooperatives with similar size is 93, so Woodruff Electric is near the top when compared to other similar sized cooperatives with a score of a 92.
ACSI Score: 88 – Woodruff Electric’s ACSI score is higher than the nation co-op average, Entergy, investor-owned-utility and municipal utility averages. The top two key drivers for the ACSI score were 39% provides reliable electric service and 28% delivers good value for the money.
We’d like to thank our members for helping us score a “88” in the recent American Customer Satisfaction Index. This is an increase from our ACSI score in 2013. Even though ACSI recognizes “customer” satisfaction, Woodruff Electric members are, in fact, “owners.” That’s an important distinction. And it’s why we strive to provide a level of service that’s second to none.
April 2019: Woodruff Electric Cooperative Dedicates Solar Array with Wildlife in Mind
WECC Builds 1-Megwatt Solar Array with Today’s Power, Inc.
LITTLE ROCK & FORREST CITY AR — April 9, 2019 — Woodruff Electric Cooperative Corporation (WECC) headquartered in Forrest City partnered with Today’s Power, Inc. (TPI) to complete a 1-megawatt solar array in Forrest City, AR.
“The board at Woodruff Electric is dedicated to providing our members with reliable electricity in a cost-effective manner,” said Michael Swan, CEO of Woodruff Electric. “Our board recognizes the benefit that solar gives our membership both today as we commission our solar project, but also in the future.”
The project features one of the most advanced single-axis tracking system in the country, containing 3,876 panels covering approximately eight acres of land. The solar site is located near Woodruff Electric’s headquarters. The system consists of 1.4 MW of DC installed and 1.0 MW of AC inverted. All the energy produced by the 1-Megawatt solar facility will be consumed locally. Woodruff Electric provides electric service to approximately 19,849 members across Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, St. Francis and Woodruff counties.
“Partnering with Woodruff Electric on this project has been extremely gratifying for TPI. Knowing the benefit this project will bring to their members for all to share in the benefits from the renewable energy produced by the solar array is what being a cooperative is all about,” said Michael Henderson, President of TPI.
This is the 20th project that TPI has developed in the state of Arkansas with others in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Colorado and Tennessee. “Solar and storage, once thought of as the future of energy in Arkansas, is now the present and will add great value to local economies “says Henderson. “This solar array allows each solar string to track the sun and generate at maximum efficiency every hour of the day. It’s truly a show place for east Arkansas and the members of Woodruff Electric.”
According to Woodruff Electric Cooperative CEO Michael Swan, the cooperative chose to partner with TPI because of the reliability that has been demonstrated over the last four years to meet the energy needs of other electric cooperatives in Arkansas.
“Partnering with local communities, such as Forrest City, to bring utility-scale solar to our service territory and demonstrating the feasibility and affordability of using solar power in east Arkansas is just part of providing concern for community and more value to be a cooperative member,” said Swan.
In addition, this partnership between Woodruff Electric and Today’s Power will not only provide renewable energy to the members of Woodruff Electric, but Quail Forever will provide a habitat important to pollinators and wildlife within the region. The Quail Forever Chapter will be planting wildflower and native warm season grass seed, coordinating procurement of planting equipment, providing volunteer planting labor, and involving the local 4-H group of students during the establishment and monitoring process as part of the QF youth pollinator habitat program. Quail Forever will also provide a management plan for the utility’s maintenance and operations program.
Today’s Power, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based utility service cooperative owned by 17 Arkansas electric distribution cooperatives. Today’s Power, Inc. offers turn-key solar photovoltaic systems, energy storage systems, electric vehicles and charging stations for all sizes and applications.
Woodruff Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Forrest City, is a member-owned electric utility. Woodruff Electric serves electric power to more than 19,000 homes, farms, and businesses in parts of Woodruff, Prairie, Monroe, Cross, St. Francis, Lee, and Phillips counties in eastern Arkansas. The District offices are located in Augusta, Moro and Barton.
