The telephone number Claiborne Electric members call to make payments has changed. The new payment phone number is 855-937-1782. We are asking members who pay by phone to save this number. Members who use the previous payment number will receive a message with instructions to call the new number. The new payment system is easier to use, and we are proud to offer this service to our members.

Back-to-back hurricanes resulted in multiple Claiborne Electric crews responding to recent calls for mutual aid on the state and national level.

In mid-September, six Claiborne Electric employees headed to assist South Louisiana Electric Cooperative (SLECA) in Houma with restoration efforts after Hurricane Francine made landfall in their service territory, resulting in nearly 100% of SLECA’s members being without power. Foreman Rocky Lachney, Lineman Jeffrey Langford, Lineman Ryan Beach, Lineman Josh Dupree, Lineman Andy Mills, and Right-of-Way Specialist Chris Snell responded to help restore electricity for SLECA members.

In late September, six Claiborne Electric linemen headed to Quincy, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall to assist Talquin Electric Cooperative with restoration efforts after the hurricane. Talquin Electric Cooperative serves approximately 57,000 meters spanning from Florida’s Gulf coast to the Florida-Georgia state line, including portions of Tallahassee and the surrounding areas. Crew Leader Blake Robertson, Lineman Buddy Chandler, Lineman Dillon Walton, Lineman Clay Salley, Lineman Chuck Yocom, and Lineman Paco Allen responded to help restore electricity for Talquin Electric Cooperative members.

On October 11, six Claiborne Electric employees traveled to Florida to help restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. Our crews assisted Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative with restoration efforts. Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative’s service area is north of Tampa, and they had more than 32,000 members without power. Foreman and Crew Leader Rocky Lachney, Lineman Matthew Cathey, Lineman Chuck Yocom, Lineman Bradley Patrick, Right-of-Way Specialist Sam Hughes, and Lineman Josh McLeod helped with this restoration effort.

Hurricane Francine Crew (pictured above): Chris Snell, Josh Dupree, Rocky Lachney, Andy Mills, Ryan Beach, Jeffrey Langford

Hurricane Helene Crew (pictured above): Buddy Chandler, Dillon Walton, Blake Robertson, Clay Salley, Chuck Yocom, and Paco Allen

Hurricane Helene Crew (pictured above): Buddy Chandler, Dillon Walton, Blake Robertson, Clay Salley, Chuck Yocom, and Paco Allen

On October 11, Claiborne Electric Lineman Ryan Beach completed module III of the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives’ Lineman Training School.

This school is held in Baton Rouge at ALEC’s office. The complete program consists of four modules, with participants completing one module per year. The program requires more than 150 training hours of classroom instruction, independent study, and hands-on education.

Module III includes training in advanced safety practices, metering, system power flow, advanced transformers, maps and standards, system protection, National Electrical Safety Code, advanced OSHA training, and a course on special elements.

In early October, Operations and Maintenance Managers Grub Faulk and Daniel Kimbell, along with Foremen Caleb Temple and Rocky Lachney, attended the Eaton Voltage Regulator School in Houston, TX.

The three-day school included classroom and hands-on instruction and testing. Topics covered included internal and external features, regulator theory and application, safe bypassing, controls and features, software, retrofits, tap changer maintenance, troubleshooting, and schematics.

Left to right: Foreman Rocky Lachney, Operations and Maintenance Manager Grub Faulk, Operations and Maintenance Manager Daniel Kimbell, and Foreman Caleb Temple participate in a hands-on class during the recent Eaton Voltage Regulator School.

In early January 2024, Claiborne Electric notified members of an increased cost from the Cooperative’s wholesale power provider, which was related to critically low water levels along the Mississippi River.

This dramatically increased shipping costs for coal, resulting in a force majeure event beyond Claiborne Electric’s control, and the Power Cost Adjustment factor used to calculate member bills was increased to cover the charges. As a good faith effort to lessen the burden on member bills, these increased charges, while paid in full at the time by the Cooperative, where spread over months to Cooperative members.

Claiborne Electric is pleased to announce that the force majeure costs have now been fully recovered! Members will see lower power costs through a lower Power Cost Adjustment factor on current and future months’ bills.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT SERVICES

Claiborne Electric Cooperative, Inc. (“Claiborne”) is soliciting proposals from experienced firms or professionals to provide Disaster Recovery Program Management Consultant Services in the event of named disasters affecting its service area and Claiborne Electric’s management declaring additional administrative assistance is needed.

The initial term of the contract resulting from this RFQ will be for a period of one year with the option of renewal for two additional, one-year terms. The contracted company will support Claiborne with disaster recovery efforts upon the execution of a contract task order issued in response to a declared disaster.

At its option, Claiborne may also utilize the successful respondent to manage various applications for Federal and State grant opportunities as they may arise from time to time.

A Request for Proposal can be obtained by:

• clicking here
• calling CFO Kathy Tanner at (318) 927-3504
• emailing kathy@our.coop
• downloading the RFQ package from Central Bidding, https://www.centralbidding.com

The deadline for submission of proposals is October 11, 2024.

Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses and labor surplus area firms are highly encouraged to submit a proposal in response to this RFQ.

Questions and responses related to CEC’s RFQ:

1) May proposers submit bids to Claiborne Electric’s physical address at 12525 Hwy. 9, Homer, LA 71040 with Attention directed to Kathy Tanner?

Answer: Yes, bids can be submitted to our physical address, but allow extra time for delivery.

2) Is there an incumbent? If so, who?

Answer: Yes, there is an incumbent, but we are not disclosing that information at this time.