Press Releases

Operation round-up grants $19,964 to eight non-profit organiations

Eight non-profit organizations received $19,964 from Paulding Putnam Electric Trust - Operation Round-Up program.  The trust money is received through monthly contributions from members who round up their electric bill to the next whole dollar.  Donations are used to distribute gifts which will benefit people in the communities served by PPE.  Below are the recipients.

Paulding Soil & Water Conservation received a $1000 grant which will allow parking lot repairs for the Black Swamp Nature Center. Many improvements have been made to the Nature Center and everyone is encouraged to take advantage of the facility and walking trails. George Carter, CEO/General Manager presented the award to Mark Holtsberry Education Specialist.

Putnam County American Red Cross received a $2500 grant which will be used to aid individuals and families impacted by disasters such as; flooding, fires and windstorms etc. The Leipsic High School Seniors were given the opportunity to present an Emergency Preparedness presentation for the Leipsic community and offered free first aid kits, LED flashlights, and Be Red Cross Ready checklists that help prepare for different disasters. George Carter, CEO/General Manager presented the award to Linda Bockrath, Red Cross Volunteer and Michelle Williams, Director of Putnam County Red Cross. The video presentation by the Leipsic High School Seniors can be viewed at http://j.mp/15wZ4c3 .

Van Wert County Fair Gospel Pavilion, received a $4000 grant. George Carter, CEO/General Manager presented the award to Jim, Marilyn and Chris Overholt. The grant money will allow the committee to book family friendly singers and Christian speakers for entertainment throughout the week of the fair. The trust receives money through monthly contributions from member’s rounding up their electric bill to the next whole dollar.

Payne St. Paul Food Pantry received a $4000 grant which will be used to purchase food and other products for the food pantry. George Carter, CEO/General Manager presented the award to Ellen Henriott pantry volunteer and coordinator.Many families in and around the Payne area are able to take advantage of the services of the food pantry each month.

Van Wert Middle School received a $1400 grant which is being used to offset some of the costs for the 8^th grade trip to Washington D.C. Students begin completing certain assignments and tasks in 6^th grade to raise their own money but may still be need additional funds. George Carter, CEO/General Manager presented the award to Darla Dunlap Assistant Principal. 

Van Wert City/County D.A.R.E. received a $1000 grant for supplies and activities which will be used to enhance the D.A.R.E. summer camp experience.  George Carter, CEO/General Manager presented the award to Chief Deputy Keith Allen.

Your opinion counts!  Please participate in our survey during the month of April.

Your thoughts and opinions about the cooperative help us to better serve you. In April, PPEC will be working with NRECA Market Research Services to complete a member satisfaction survey.

The surveys will be both by phone and E-mail, but not everyone will be contacted. If you are contacted, we would greatly appreciate a few minutes of your time to share your opinions of the cooperative.  We strive to provide all members with safe, affordable and reliable electric service.

By participating in the survey, you will help us make decisions that benefit you, your family and your neighbors.

Thank you!

All information is confidential.

Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative joins the U.S. Senate in recognizing April 18, 2013, as National Lineman Appreciation Day. The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday honoring lineworkers for their efforts at keeping power flowing.

· are steeped in personal, family and professional tradition;

· are often first responders during storms and other catastrophic events, working to make the scene safe for other public safety heroes;

· work with thousands of volts of electricity high atop power lines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to keep electricity flowing;

· must often work under dangerous conditions far from their families to construct and maintain the energy infrastructure of the United States;

· and put their lives on the line every day with little recognition from the community regarding the danger of their work.

Having problems with Power Marketers trying to get you to switch?

Paulding Putnam Electric Co-op (PPEC) makes every effort to inform their members about issues within the Electricity Industry that may affect our members and lately we have been made aware of Power Marketers calling on our members about switching their Generation Supplier.  PPEC owns the generation we sell, making our wholesale rates very competitive in Ohio & Indiana, where coal is the primary fuel source.  These Power Marketer "cold calls" are legally supposed to be directed only at consumers of Investor Owned Utilities which are Self-regulated.  If you have any concerns about these calls to you, the Cooperative member, or wish to share your experience with these telemarketers, please contact PPEC at (800) 686-2357 and someone will be happy to assist you.

Niese Joins Board of Trustees for Paulding-Putnam EC

March 20, 2012

Beginning new three-year terms on the Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees are (from left) Ken Niese, Gerald Heitmeyer and Tim Derck

Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative welcomed approximately 700 members and guests this past weekend for the organization’s 76th annual meeting.

The meeting was held at Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative’s (PPEC) recently opened headquarters building on McDonald Pike.
Seats on the PPEC Board of Trustees in districts 3, 7 and 8 were up for election this year. Only current trustees Timothy Derck and Gerald Heitmeyer submitted nomination petitions for districts 3 and 8, respectively, and, following procedures in the co-op’s code of regulations, were announced as being re-elected by affirmation. In District 7, Ken Niese and Ronald Wagner were running for the seat and it was announced that Niese had won the election.

Saturday was the final annual meeting as a trustee for Bill Oedy who was retiring from his seat as the District 7 trustee, which he had held for 15 years. Oedy was presented with a special retirement gift and thanked the membership for allowing him to serve the cooperative through the years.

Presentations at the meeting highlighted the achievements of the cooperative in the previous year and how steps were being taken to maintain reliable service at affordable rates.

General Manager George Carter noted part of the cooperative’s mission statement includes a promise of superior customer service. Carter said the quest to provide that customer service comes in many forms, such as an aggressive tree-trimming program to minimize blinks and outages, the addition of an Energy Advisor to the staff who can help members with energy audits and providing information on how to reduce energy use, and, most recently, the introduction of the MyMeter program which allows members to track their energy use online.

“It is our goal that we live up to that promise of superior customer service,” Carter said.

Containing costs remains a priority. “Our expenses went up 2.5 percent (in 2011), which we thought was pretty good keeping that below inflation, but it's still an increase,” Carter said. “What our main concern is, is wholesale power costs. That’s what drives your rate as 72 cents of every dollar you spent went to cover wholesale power costs.”

While costs are going up, including wholesale power costs, board chairman Dr. John Saxton told the meeting that PPEC is in a good position as wholesale power suppliers Buckeye Power (serving the cooperative’s Ohio members) and Wabash Valley Power Association (serving Indiana members) have looked ahead to keep rates affordable.

“We estimate Buckeye Power, along with your cooperative, should be well supplied with affordable power until at least 2025,” Saxton said.
Saxton noted that part of what has been pushing rates is government regulations.

“We must demand this country approve an energy policy that makes sense,” he said. “Lip service is given but no action is taken. Help us keep your energy affordable — call, write, e-mail, text message (your representatives).”

Saxton also encouraged members to join Co-op Owners for Political Action (COPA), a political action committee representing the interests of electric cooperatives in Washington, D.C. “The more people it represents, the stronger it becomes,” he said.

PPEC recognized a number of the young people served by the cooperative with the announcement of scholarship and Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., winners.

Winners for the boys’ scholarships were Jeremy Schimmoeller (Fort Jennings High School), Ethan Schimmoeller (Fort Jennings) and Austin Roebke (Kalida High School). Winners for the girls’ scholarships were Katelyn Schneeg (Ottawa-Glandorf High School), April Horstman (Ottoville High School) and Kelsey Hoehn (Ottawa-Glandorf). Elise Wetli (Antwerp High School) was the winner of the at-large scholarship.

Jenna Vorst of Ottawa-Glandorf High School was recognized as the winner of the Touchstone Energy Achievement Scholarship.

Winners of the Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., were Savannah Roughton, a student at Paulding High School, and Matthew Meyerhoffer, a student at Ottawa-Glandorf High School.

Touchstone Energy© Achievement Scholarship Winners Announced

April 27, 2011
COLUMBUS – Judging for the 2011 Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives Touchstone Energy® Achievement Scholarship was held on Tuesday, April 26. Four winners of $1,675 scholarships include Aleeha Dudley of New Paris. She is the daughter of Tony and Alycia Dudley. They are members of Darke Rural Electric Cooperative. Aleeha attends National Trail High School and plans to attend Miami University where she will major in Pre-Vet Science.

Alysha Valdez is the daughter of Ruben Valdez of Paulding. They are members of Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative. Alysha attends Paulding Exempted Village. She will attend Defiance College where she will major in criminal justice.

Keilah Ketron represented Licking Rural Electrification, The Energy Cooperative. She is the daughter of Nancy Ketron of Johnstown. Keilah attends Northridge High School. She plans to attend Cedarville College where she will major in Biology.

Allison Wentling is the daughter of Todd and Dawn Wentling of Carey. She attends Carey High School. Allison plans to attend Bowling Green State University and major in special needs education/intervention specialist. The Wentlings are members of North Central Electric Cooperative.

The Touchstone Energy Cooperative brand represents a nationwide alliance made up of more than 700 local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives in 46 states.

The Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc., headquartered in Columbus, is the statewide trade association for Ohio's 25 electric cooperatives. Collectively, Ohio's electric cooperatives serve nearly 400,000 members in 77 of Ohio's 88 counties.

Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative Celebrates 75th Anniversary

March 19, 2011

Beginning new three-year terms on the Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees are (from left) Dr. John Saxton, Gerald Sorg and Gary Hayden.

PPEC’s Ohio members, talked to the members about how meeting government regulations will have an effect on wholesale rates. “We project our wholesale rates will continue to move up modestly over the next couple years, due primarily to environmental investments necessary for the long-term operation of our coal-fired generating plants, coupled with increases in costs for basic commodities such as coal, copper, steel and other necessities for operating our plants,” he said. O’Loughlin also noted how regulations being considered by the Environmental Protection Agency would have adverse affects on the final cost to members. He said the proposed rules “either ignore or distort the cost of meeting these new regulations and underestimate both the limits of current technology and the time required to make required improvements, “Those in the power generation business term this the ‘EPA compliance train wreck,” O’Loughlin said. He encouraged the members to stay informed on these issues by reading their monthly Country Living magazine and contacting their cooperative for ways they can be involved in helping the people in Washington, D.C., make the right decisions.

O’Loughlin concluded by encouraging the PPEC members to continue supporting their cooperative. “We have a commanding lead in the industry for customer satisfaction because all our efforts are directed toward getting you the best price at the highest quality. We are all in this together,” he said. Seats on the PPEC Board of Trustees in districts 1, 6 and 9 were up for election this year. Only current trustees Gerald Sorg (Dis. 1), Saxton (Dis. 6) and Hayden (Dis. 9) submitted nomination petitions and, following procedures in the co-op’s code of regulations, were announced as being re-elected by affirmation.

Paulding-Putnam also recognized a number of the younger people served by the cooperative with the announcement of scholarship and Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., winners. Winner for the boys’ scholarships were Andrew Huntsman (first place, Fort Jennings), Jared Ross (second place, Paulding) and Austin Germann (third place, Concordia Lutheran). Girls’ scholarship winners included Alaine Wetli (first place, Antwerp), Ashley Schmenk (second place, Miller City) and Katelyn Utendorf (third place, Ottawa-Glandorf). Emily Osting (Lincolnview) was the winner of the at-large scholarship. Alysha Valdez (Paulding) was recognized as the winner of the Touchstone Energy Achievement Scholarship. Winners of the Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., were April Horstman, a student at Ottoville High School, and Kelsey Hoehn, a student at Ottawa-Glandorf High School.