Here’s what YOU need to know this November

Hi, I'm Hillary Knox, VP of Member Experience at La Plata Electric Association. And this is your "LPEA Wire" for November. It's November, and that means you may be getting money back from LPEA. If you were a member between 1996 and 1998, you should see a credit on your bill if less than $100 or a check in the mail, if more than $100. This is your capital credit refund. One of the many benefits of being a member of a rural electric cooperative like LPEA. LPEA gives cash back to our members each year, just before the holiday season, because that's when people need it. The return of capital credits is just one of the ways electric co-ops like LPEA are different from investor owned utilities. When you pay your electric bill, you're also investing in the cooperative and we return any margins on that investment to you every year. LPEA has returned close to $85 million in capital credits to our members in our more than 82-year history. For more details on how capital credits work, visit our website. Heads up. We've seen a recent uptick in the number of phone scams targeting our area. Scammers impersonate LPEA and threatened to shut off power if they don't receive immediate payment. These calls happen more frequently during non-business hours like in the evenings or Fridays through Sundays. Scammers use threats and urgency to pressure you into giving them your bank account number or into loading a prepaid credit or debit card. Remember that LPEA will never call and demand immediate payment over the phone like scammers do. We will always direct you to our secure pay-by-phone system. If you have any doubts about your utility bill, contact us directly. LPEA member service representatives can be reached at 247-5786, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM for clarification on any billing questions. Lastly, if you're looking for ways to help local families have a happy Thanksgiving this year, join us for our upcoming food drive. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers of LPEA will host its 14th Annual "Fill the Bucket" Food Drive on Saturday, November 20th. LPEA staff and bucket trucks will be at Albertson's in Durango and at Natural Grocers and City Market in Pagosa Springs between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM on November 20th to collect non-perishable food items and cash donations. All proceeds benefit the Durango Food Bank and Archuleta County's Food System Food Equity Coalition. We hope to see you there. And that's it for this November edition of "LPEA Wire". Join us next month with more from LPEA.

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