A publication of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives

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Mailbag May 2021

WRITE US ! 

We welcome signed letters of less than 250 words.

May 2021

Bill Sherrod, Editor

COOPERATIVE LIVING DELIVERS

When you guys deliver, you really deliver. I could never tell you how much I enjoyed reading the article “The School on the Hill” in the February issue of Cooperative Living. If more people would do writings like these, I believe the world would be better off.

– Betty Huckstep, Bumpass, Va.

‘WELCOME ITEM IN THE MAILBOX’

I thoroughly enjoyed the informative story and the whimsical, heartwarming artwork sprinkled on the pages of the article, “Nature’s First Song of Spring,” in your March-April issue. I am wondering where else Anne Dellinger’s artwork may be found? The arrival of Cooperative Living is always a welcome item in the mailbox. Many thanks for your work in getting these issues to us!

– Sandi Hentz, Stephens City, Va.

‘GEM OF LOCAL INFO’

I don’t usually write letters to magazines, but I felt compelled to let you know how much joy your magazine brings to me.

I have been a resident of the Shenandoah Valley for 15 years and have always enjoyed this publication because it gave me insight into what is going on in my community.

I have cut and saved many articles, as well as, recipes and visited several of the on-the-road places and restaurants. The Iris Inn has become a favorite place to get away from it all, and I have suggested it to many folks. I also have a folder on day trips which have included several of your “out of the way” places of interest.

Your magazine is a gem of local info and a welcome relief from all the depressing news we face daily. Thanks for being there and continue the good work!

– Wendy Pieper, Strasburg, Va.

HOMESCHOOL MOM THANKFUL

Thank you for the articles “Out of Many, One” and “The School on the Hill” in February’s Cooperative Living magazine! I homeschool my 10-year-old son, David, and these articles provided us a week’s worth of learning, additional research and discussion as we both learned about contributions from so many individuals of African American descent. We have a great appreciation for all those who have given much to help so many along the path.

– Kelly Snyder, Manassas, Va.

BEST PART OF THE MAGAZINE

I’ve been meaning to write for a while to share how much I enjoy Cooperative Living and reading it cover to cover each month. I’ve learned so much local history, met so many good-hearted people — which reminds me of our great fortune being Americans and Virginians.

What’s the best part of your magazine? It’s your executive editor, Richard Johnstone. He writes like an angel, always informing, never preaching or boring. He sums up in two columns what the magazine is about that month, and makes you want to read the whole thing and maybe do a little research as well. Thank you so much.

– Barbara Leonard, Locust Grove, Va.

A WIN?

In the October issue of Cooperative Living, I read an article regarding the battery storage project at Rappahannock Electric Cooperative. “The battery will provide enough power for 1,000 homes for 8 hours.”
I didn’t see any reference to the cost of the project.

The summer month peak load and temperature hours typically occur during the hours of 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. The typical Virginia home has at least one air conditioner running during that timeframe.

Assuming that only half of the homes have central A/C units, the average home would use 1,600 watts of electricity each hour during the peak time. The battery installation must be capable of providing 1,600 watts times 1,000 homes = 1.6 mwh of electricity. Over 8 hours, a total of 1.6 mwh times 8 hours = 12.8 mwh.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration indicates that the average utility scale battery system runs around $1.5 million per mwh of capacity. The battery installation would cost approximately 12.8 mwh times $1.5 million/mwh = $19.2 million dollars.

Does the REC own the unit? There is probably some guaranteed “hourly usage” which would be at the high demand and high $/mwh cost timeframe. Don’t forget that the batteries have to be recharged.

I guess that the benefit to the REC is to “ride the green wave” and also delay/defray the cost of infrastructure construction.

I guess that’s a win?

– Frank Amatangelo, Stephens City, Va.

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Correction in the February issue:

The name of the Robert R. Moton High School in Maryland was misspelled as Morton in a caption of a photo found on page 15. We regret the error.