Posted on: 02-27-2013 at 6:09pm
He was described by many as a big teddy bear. His unmistakable laugh made others smile. His selfless passion for others is the epitome of the Stream Energy and Ignite spirit.
In May 2012, the Stream Energy family lost one of its longest-tenured and most-loved family members when Alfonso ‘Paco’ Garcia lost his nine-month battle with esophageal cancer.
His witty personality never let up through his final days – joking with friends, visiting with co-workers in the office and continuing to bring smiles to the faces of everyone he knew.
His spirit and willingness to fight and find happiness in each day was unrelenting. As a member of Associate Support, Paco enjoyed helping others better their lives.
To commemorate the positive impact Paco had on our Stream Energy and Ignite family, this past weekend Ignite unveiled the Alfonso “Paco” Garcia Assist Award at Ignition 2013.
This award will be conferred each year on a worthy Ignite Associate who embodies Paco’s spirit of servant leadership and unselfish dedication to helping others. These are the Associates who speak with their actions, through the care and attention they place on lifting others up.
For 2013, Presidential Directors Donny and Sue Anderson were selected as the inaugural recipients in honor of their efforts to lift up their fellow Ignite Associates through training, motivation and leadership.
Posted on: 01-28-2013 at 8:23pm
By Marketing Communications Editor Brian Hale
Losing weight. Quitting smoking. Becoming a better person. These are all common statements every January when talk of new year’s resolutions comes about.
For the month of January, gym memberships spike and cigarette sales dip. But as the calendar progresses further into each year, gym memberships and cigarette sales often return to normal as “resolutionists” begin returning to old habits.
So what resolution can you commit to keeping for the rest of the year that will better your conscience and your wallet? How about committing to using less energy?
The summer months often create havoc on both utility grids across the nation as well as consumer wallets. But consuming less energy during peak times is better for both the environment and your bank account.
So what can you do to keep this year’s resolution?
There are a number of ways, and you likely won’t notice much of a difference on your lifestyle or comfort.
First, get a programmable thermostat. Program the thermostat to retain a higher temperature during the summer and a lower temperature during the colder months. Set the thermostat to reach your desired setting approximately 30 minutes before you return home so you enter into a comfortable home.
Secondly, during peak hours during the summer (usually between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.) avoid running large appliances such as the washer and dryer, dish washer and oven. This will create less demand on the energy grid and a lesser probability of rolling blackouts (created by too much demand and not enough electricity).
Lastly, look for any type of credit or discount available to you in your home’s service area and take advantage. These are often government-sponsored credits or rebates available to you for helping reduce your energy usage. To look for savings options, visit www.energy.gov/savings to see what is available in your area.
By committing to reduce your energy usage in 2013, you can save money, lower the probability of rolling blackouts, reduce stress on your electric grid during peak times, satisfy your conscience by doing something beneficial for the environment and keep your new year’s resolution.
Will you keep your resolution in 2013?
Posted on: 08-26-2011 at 12:33pm
We care about our customers’ safety and satisfaction. As we enter hurricane season, weather-related emergencies become more likely. We encourage all customers to be prepared, by having the emergency contact numbers handy so you’ll know who to call in case of an outage.
Please see below for the emergency contact numbers for your area. Take precautions now to be safe and secure.
Maryland
Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) Customers
Report emergencies immediately, including downed power lines, by calling 1-877-778-2222.
Potomac Electric Power (Pepco) Customers
Report emergencies immediately, including downed power lines, by calling 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662).
Pennsylvania
Duquesne Light Customers
If you have an electric emergency, call Duquesne Light immediately at 1-888-393-7000.
They are available 24/7 to answer your emergency call.
MetEd Customers
If you have an electric emergency, call MetEd immediately at 1-888-544-4877.
They are available 24/7 to answer your emergency call.
PECO Customers
If you have a electric emergency, call PECO immediately at 1-800-841-4141.
They are available 24/7 to answer your emergency call.
PPL Customers
Report emergencies immediately, including downed power lines, by calling 1-800-DIAL-PPL (1-800-342-5775).
When prompted, press 1 for “electrical emergency.”
Texas
Oncor (TXU service area)
888-313-4747
(Oncor can link to five different phone numbers with your ESID to speed restoration when you call to report outages. Call 888-313-6862 to set it up.)
CenterPoint (Reliant service area)
800-332-7143
AEP Central (CPL service area)
866-223-8508
TNMP (First Choice service area)
888-866-7456
AEP North (WTU service area)
866-223-8508
Georgia
If you smell gas, quickly get away from the area. When you can no longer smell the gas, call Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) at its 24-hour emergency number: 1-877-427-4321 (outside metro Atlanta) or 770-907-4231 (in metro Atlanta).
Or, call 9-1-1 if you can’t remember the AGL number.
Visit www.safegas.org for more gas safety tips.
Be Prepared: Hurricane Irene
The Weather Channel classified Irene a powerful storm capable of causing extraordinary affects in the Northeast. This storm is real. It is large and very powerful.
Stream Energy recommends heeding all government warnings and advisories.
We’re dedicated to assisting our customers in weathering the affects of this dangerous storm. Although evacuations to areas out of the direct path of the storm are advised, here are a few steps to help you prepare for Hurricane Irene as it approaches.
Have a Storm Kit
This includes everything from a week’s worth of canned food, flashlights, batteries, bottled water, sleeping bags and pillows, personal hygiene items, a battery-operated radio and first aid supplies. When weathering a dangerous storm, it’s best to be over prepared.
Keep Local Emergency Numbers Handy
Not only does this include 911, but also your energy company, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and your insurance company. Having these numbers handy will provide great assistance after the storm has passed.
Stay Informed
Local news stations, as well as The Weather Channel are providing round-the-clock, real-time updates on television as well as their websites. Stay informed with the most current information on the storm’s projected path and intensity. Remember, this storm is very large and capable of causing “extraordinary affects” for millions of people along the eastern seaboard.
Government websites also provide very useful information for helping prepare for weather emergencies. Here is a list of a few helpful websites that offer more information on how to be well prepared for Hurricane Irene:
http://www.ready.gov
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
http://www.cdc.gov
http://www.weather.gov
Posted on: 04-13-2011 at 10:11am
By Stream Energy Director of Market Research Mike Rowley
One of the most confusing subjects for our customers and independent associates alike are the terms Green, Clean and Renewable.
Green is a defined term that may or may not mean clean. In the State of Texas, for instance, Green is a legal term that includes solar, wind, geothermal (using underground heat to create electricity) and Biomass (burning residential waste, farm and dairy waste and manufacturing waste that is not toxic in nature). Biomass green electricity can also come from the burning of tree trimmings and brush. High-efficiency natural gas generators that pollute less than a regulated limit can also be qualified as a “green” generation source.
Clean is generally not a legal term, but it implies that the process for creating electricity creates no pollutants at all.
Renewable is a term used for electricity generation that has a fuel that will never be depleted. Combustible trash from a landfill is considered a fuel source to which we will always have access. In the lumber industry there is an inordinate amount of bark and wood shavings that cannot be used to manufacture other useful products. Burning this waste is considered renewable and green; but because it is burned, it will most likely produce some sort of airborne pollutant, so it does not qualify as clean.
The methodology for green and renewable energy generators to collect on the added value of their product is called the renewable energy credit (REC). When a generator produces electric energy, it sells that energy in the same market as any other generator of electricity. However, green/renewable generation is awarded a REC for every megawatt of power it produces to recognize the cleaner energy it produces. So, every time green or renewable energy is produced, its RECs are sold into a market designed to reward the green/renewable generator for not polluting. Stream Energy purchases these RECs to supply our customers who want a green product so that our customers can feel confident that they are truly making a positive impact on the environment.
Simply put, when you purchase Stream Energy’s green and clean product, you are incentivizing the electricity industry to make electricity with renewable energy sources and to build more green and clean electricity generators to make even more renewable electricity.
