As February brings the heart of winter to southern Illinois, it’s a time when we all appreciate the warmth of home and the reliability of the power that keeps it that way. With Valentine’s Day upcoming, it’s also a reminder of the strong connections we share with family, friends and our cooperative community. At Clay Electric, our commitment to you is unwavering. 

We’re grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us as we continue building infrastructure improvements. Our ongoing work to enhance system reliability is paying off, with fewer and shorter outages even as we navigate the challenges of winter weather. Forecasts suggest we could see colder snaps and potential snow in February, so preparing now ensures you’re ready for whatever comes.

Here are some timely tips to help you stay safe, warm and efficient:

• Thermostat settings: Keep it at 68°F when home and lower it when away or asleep. Programmable or smart thermostats make this easy and can save on your bill.
• Circulate warm air: Run ceiling fans clockwise on low to push warm air down from the ceiling.
• Seal drafts: Check windows, doors and outlets for leaks — weatherstripping and caulk are inexpensive fixes that prevent heat loss.
• Safe use of space heaters: These can be helpful but are energy-intensive (often 1,500 watts — equivalent to running multiple appliances). Keep them on flat surfaces at least three feet from anything flammable, and never leave them unattended or running while sleeping.
• Generator safety: If using a portable generator during outages, operate it outdoors only, away from windows and doors, to avoid carbon monoxide dangers. Never connect it directly to your home’s wiring without a proper transfer switch.
• Outage preparedness: Stock flashlights, batteries, bottled water and nonperishable food. If you depend on electric medical equipment, keep backup power charged and let us know about your needs — we prioritize those accounts during restorations.

Our dedicated linemen and staff stand ready 24/7, braving the cold to keep the lights on. While we work hard to minimize interruptions, winter storms can happen, and your patience and understanding mean the world to us.

Speaking of our dedicated staff, our forestry crew will be working on the Iola substation’s south feeder. They’ll be clearing rights-of-way of dangerous trees to improve reliability. We expect them to be working generally in the area south of Iola, north of Hickory Hill Lane, east of Farina and west of U.S. Route 45. Their work area will be highlighted on the map included in this section.

Don’t forget to search for your member number in the center section of this magazine. Three lucky numbers are hidden each month in Clay Electric News — if yours is there and you call us, you’ll earn a $5 credit on your next bill!