CONSUMER UPDATE

July 2011 Consumer Newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

• GEUS Cable and Internet 10 Years Old and Still Growing
• GEUS Electric Rates Among Lowest in State
• GM Notes
• New GEUS Consumer Services Center
• Tom Darte Energy Center
• TPPA AWARD PRESENTED TO GEUS GENERAL MANAGER, DAVID McCALLA

GEUS Cable and Internet 10 Years Old and Still Growing

More channels and faster Internet is what GEUS customers requested. So, GEUS was happy to respond to the requests. To ensure customer satisfaction, GEUS added several requested channels, and increased Internet speeds.

Three popular channels requested by consumers were recently added to the channel lineup. Channel 139 is now RFDTV. This channel provides family programming dedicated to farming, equestrian and rural lifestyle, and traditional country music. You will also find Fox Business News on channel 128. This financial news channel delivers real time information that impacts both Main Street and Wall Street. Another new addition, Boomerang channel on 124, features the classic cartoons such as the Flintstones and the Jetsons. This fun channel is well known by the baby boomer generation. GEUS customers will find great entertainment in these newly added channels.

Look for more speed on both commercial and residential Internet. GEUS now offers three new levels for residential; 10 mbps download with a free 5 mbps turbo boost, a 30 mbps download, and a 50 mbps download. Commercial Internet has also been increased to download speeds as high as 20 mbps. GEUS is dedicated to providing fast and reliable Internet service.

GEUS Electric Rates Among Lowest in State

GEUS’ 2009 electric rates were among the lowest in the State according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration. A recently released report by the American Public Power Association compared rates throughout the nation of municipally-owned utilities (MOU) to member-owned coops (COOPS) and to investor-owned utilities.

GEUS had the 8th lowest overall rates of utilities providing power to residential and commercial\industrial consumers in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). ERCOT manages the flow of power to 85% of the State thru 207 electric providers consisting of 72 MOUs, 68 retail electric providers (REP) supplying power in deregulated territories and 67 COOPS.

The report compared the overall cost\kWh for each State-wide category. GEUS’ 7.4 cents\kWh was substantially less than the 8.6 cents MOU, 10.1 cents COOP & 10.8 cents REP averages.

“We are very pleased to rank as one of the lowest cost electric providers in Texas”, said David McCalla, GEUS General Manager. “The electric generation resources that GEUS now has in place and our ability to purchase power from the wholesale market at times when market prices are below our production costs should allow GEUS consumers to have competitive electric rates for many years to come”, added McCalla. A full copy of the Department of Energy report can be accessed at http://www.publicpower.org/files/Excel/RevenueperkWh2009.xls

GM Notes

Dear Consumers,

We are very pleased to inform you of two new additions to GEUS’ operations. The first addition is the Tom Darte Energy Center, a new state-of-the-art generating plant that utilizes environmentally clean, fast start engines that are 30% more efficient than our legacy generating units. Fast-start capability allows this resource, which came online in summer 2010, to respond quickly to volatile wholesale market power prices. With this new ability to self-provide energy that is less costly, GEUS consumers will be protected from market price spikes and will see lower fuel costs.

The other significant addition is the new Consumer Service Center at 2810 Wesley Street that opened in November 2010. This facility has allowed consumer service personnel to be consolidated at one location to offer improved service to our consumers. Our Cable and Internet service personnel will also be located at the new center to handle service needs of our Cable and Internet customers. We think you will find that the design of this new center will allow for more efficient and responsive service than what we could offer at our previous locations. Please drop by and visit the new facility.

The common thread in the new additions is our focus on consumers. Lower fuel costs and better consumer service will be the results.

We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.

David McCalla
GEUS General Manager

New GEUS Consumer Services Center

The former Post Office at 2810 Wesley is the new home to GEUS Consumer Services offering customers a centralized location to make payments or get assistance with their utility accounts.

This One Stop Shop allows customers to get assistance with most of their utilities at one location.

“The new Consumer Service Center was designed with the safety, comfort and privacy of our consumers in mind”, said GEUS General Manager David McCalla. “We are confident that the new facility will allow our consumer service associates to offer efficient and responsive service to all water, sewer, garbage, electric, cable TV and Internet consumers”, added McCalla.

Tom Darte Energy Center

The GEUS family and members of the community recognized Tom Darte for his contributions in helping us fulfill our mission in providing reliable electric service at competitive rates. This state-of-the-art energy center is named after Tom Darte to honor him for his unending devotion to serving our community and making a difference in a time of a rapidly changing energy environment. His accomplishments will have a positive impact on the quality of life now and for many years to come.

A 20-cylinder natural gas-fueled, internal combustion engine drives each electric generator. The Finnish company Wärtsilä, one of the premier manufacturers of reciprocating engines/generators in the world, supplied the engines and generators. The engines/generators, weighing 151 tons each, are not bolted to the floor; instead, they are mounted on 20 spring packs to avoid transferring any vibration to the floor.

TPPA AWARD PRESENTED TO GEUS GENERAL MANAGER, DAVID McCALLA

The Texas Public Power Association (TPPA) recognized GEUS General Manager David McCalla for his service to TPPA and its member cities. Recipients are honored for their substantial contributions toward the prestige of public power and the attainment of its goals.

In McCalla’s 22 years with GEUS, he has served as Engineering Supervisor, Assistant General Manager and General Manager since 2006. Mr. McCalla represents our community as a member of the TPPA Board of Directors, the TPPA Industry Policy Task Force, and has represented municipal utilities statewide on the ERCOT Technical Advisory Committee, Wholesale Market Committee, and other engineering groups. He is a member of the Texas Municipal Power Agency Planning and Operating Committee. Under his leadership, GEUS dedicated a new engine plant to provide peaking power for the benefit of Greenville consumers and the renovation of the former Post Office at 2810 Wesley to be GEUS’ new Consumer Services Center.

Presenting the award to GEUS General Manager, David McCalla, (center) are TPPA Executive Director, Mark Zion (left), and David McMillan, TPPA President and General Manager, Floresville Electric Light & Power.

GEUS Welcomes (back) Newest Board Member: William C. Smith

He is well known for his contributions to GISD and has been awarded Most Worthy Citizen, PTA Lion Heart Award, Texas Life PTA Member Award, and GISD Key Communicator Award. His community activities have included serving on the board of directors for Hunt County Community Health Clinic (1977-81), Clean Greenville (1989-2004), Greenville Electric Utility (1989-1993) and the Boys & Girls Club of Hunt County (1999 – present).

He is married to Cheryl Scott Smith and they have two children, Cassandra Wilson (Greg) and William Lamont Smith (Sheronica ). They are proud grandparents of four lovely grandchildren; Jayden Lee (13), Jayla Wilson (8), Taj Smith (8) ,Savian Smith (3).

More Variety & More Video on GEUS Cable TV