Newspaper Page Text
Page 6C
Wed., Aug. 4, 1999, Houston Home Journal 1999 and Beyond Section
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Flint Energies
much more
than just
electricity
Special to the Home Journal
Flint Energies' new ven
tures have solidly posi
tinned this electric cooper
ative for future competi
tion and gaining them
national attention in the
electric utility industry.
The company recently
signed a memorandum of
understanding with GE
Fuel Cell Systems to be
exclusive distributor of
residential and small com
mercial sized fuel cell sys
terns in central and south
ern Georgia.
This is the first contract
between GE Fuel Cell Sys
tems and an electric coop
erative.
GE Fuel Cell Systems
and Flint Energies expect
to begin selling residential
sized systems in 2001. and
small business-sized units
by 2002. Fuel cells are
designed to provide 100
percent of electricity
requirements of a home or
small business at the point
of consumption.
These units produce a
fraction of the emissions of
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I Need a IVlore Efficient
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Flint Electric
Hint Connections
A Touchstone 4< Cooperative *&* Flint foagy StOTC
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traditional power genera
tors, are virtually noise
less. and are expected to
be about the size of a dish
washer. They will provide
an environmentally friend
ly and cost-effective energy
alternative for customers.
Another first for Flint
Energies was Fort Hen
nings announcement that
Flint would take over own
ership, operation and
maintenance of its electric
utility distribution system
June 1. 1999.
This is the first military
privatization project
awarded to an electric
cooperative. Flint began
working on the project in
1997, after Fort Benning
responded to Secretary of
Defense William S.
Cohen's initiative to priva
tize a majority of military'
utility systems by Year
2003,
These "firsts'' are just a
small part of the new inno
vations, products, and ser
vices which Flint Energies
now offers. As a reflection
of this, the company began
MAJOR CHANGES
Flint Electrical Member
ship Corporation recently
changed names to Flint
Energies to better reflect
new services such as this
appliance store in Warner
Robinsfleft). The company
also authorized a new
logo, shown on the service
truck below. (Special Pho
tos)
.
u . /
i;
B I SflHtfii. ■ I S
doing business as Flint
Energies in May. replacing
Flint Electric Membership
Corporation.
“Flint Energies better
reflects the non electric
products and services we
now offer. “ said Joe Cade.
President/CEO.
The company markets
its products ajnd services
under three brands. Flint
Electric. Flint Connec
tions. and Flint Energy
Store.
Flint Energies, incorpo
rated in 1937. provides
energy’ services to 60.000
residential, commercial,
industrial and agricultural
customers in 16 central
Georgia counties.
Flint Energies is also a
Touchstone Energy’ Coop
erative. the largest unified
electric utility network in
the United States, with
more than 560 Partners
which deliver energy solu
tions to more than 15 mil
lion customers everyday.
Y2K progress
Localfirms addressing potentialfor disaster at turn of century
Bt To ret Jolley
Home Joukjial State
The attention focused on
Y2K and the impact of the
new millennium will have on
computer and other sys
tems have captured the
imagination of the world.
Some people believe that
Y2K will force complete
shutdowns of financial insti
tutions. utilities, and busi
nesses. However, in Perry
things do not look so bleak.
According to the various
banks in town, it will be
safer to have your money in
your banking account than
under your mattress.
“The safest place for your
money is where I keep mine
here.” said CB&T presi
dent Gary Bishop. “We are
completely ready. We can
open Jan. 2 without wor
ries."
Bishop said financial
institutions are the safest
place for people to keep their
money. No one should with
draw large sums of money
in case of a failure.
“The banking industry
has the best record keeping
system in the world. If you
make a deposit on Dec. 31,
you will have it on Jan. 2,”
said Bishop.
Bank of America (former
ly Nationsßank) manager
jay Jones, concurs, “My
money will still be in Bank
of America. We are 100 per
cent compliant and it will be
business as usual."
According to Jones. Bank
of America has been work
ing on the Y2K problem
since 1995 with a corporate
wide effort to update com
puter systems and other
processes which would
affect accounts.
Bank of Perry president
Kelly Hillis stated his bank
is, also, 100 percent ready.
“Our customers have
nothing to fear. Their
deposits will be safe with
us," said Hillis.
Security Bank employee
Community leaders understand the value of
good connections. That’s why contractors, real
estate agents, manufacturers, industrial leaders,
health professionals and others who work tirelessly
to positively impact our local economy need every
advantage they can get - like the Flint Advantage™
Flint Energies’ products and services offer great
value and maximum efficiency - from dependable
pager systems and Internet access...to energy
efficient electric power and brand-name appliances.
Commercial and industrial customers can facilitate
their work lives with Flint’s consolidated billing
service - offering monthly charges from multiple
locations on one, easy-to-read bill. Plus contractors
receive special volume pricing on home appliances
and other added-value services, while real estate
agents can facilitate relocation for their clients by
applying for, transferring, or disconnecting electric
service online at www.flintenergies.com.
There are numerous ways Flint Energies can assist
you in your business’s growth & development. Call
our Express Information Line at 988.3500.
Brenda Green said they, too,
are 100 percent complaint
and customers should be
confident in keeping their
money in the bank.
Getting ready for Y2K
included identifying, fixing,
and testing programs and
equipment to ensure Y2K
compliance, ensuring ven
dors and business partners
are compliant, and keeping
updated on all new develop
ments while sharing ideas.
Brenda King, finance offi
cer for the City of Perry, is the
designated Y2K coordinator
for the city. According to
King, “We are ready."
“We had to make sure
everything was in order. We
are squared away,” said King.
According to King, when
the city moved its adminis
tration building to the reno
vated building next door, they
realized their old computer
system 36 was not Y2K com
pliant.
“We upgraded our system
with IBM AS 4005," said
King. The cost of the upgrade
was approximately $60,000,
she said.
King said unless the elec
tricity shuts down, the City of
Perry will be up and running.
And she said if they needed
to bill and collect manually,
“we could do it."
Food
rant, which offers both a buf
fet and menu service, are
southern vegetables, chicken
and dumplings, chicken and
rice, okra and tomatoes, pole
beans and new potatoes.
Desserts include cobblers
and banana pudding.
They also serve their broth
er A.B.’s famous barbecue, a
steady favorite.
Breakfast is served at
tables mostly, the sisters
say. to working men and
includes country ham, eggs,
grits, smoked sausages, bis-
As for the waste water
plant and the natural gas
department. King said,
“Someone is in the waste
water plant 24/7, and in the
gas department, they are on
call 24 hours a day.
“However, we are quite
confident our water supply
will be sufficient for our citi
zens,” said King.
The City of Perry went
through a series of Y2K
checks. According to King,
the time clocks, the comput
ers, the elevators were
checked out and approved.
However, the city is not
100 percent sure about is its
vehicles.
“They have small imbed
ded computer chips in the
engines. You won’t know if
they are complaint until
2000,” said King.
As for natural gas in Perry,
Utilities Superintendent
Harold Deal said, “Our nat
ural gas is completely manu
ally operated. Only our meter
reading equipment is com
puterized. If it fails, we can
still read it manually.”
Deal said all of the city’s
suppliers have assured the
city that they are Y2K com
plaint.
“As it stands, we won’t
have a problem," said Deal.
Continued from page 5C
cuits and more.
My Sisters’ Cafe, which is
located at 107 Perimeter
Road. Just off Sam Nunn
Boulevard in Perry, is open
from 6 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.,
and again from 5 p.m. to 9
p.m. on Monday. Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday.
On Friday and Saturday,
the restaurant is open from 6
a.m. straight through until 9
p.m., and on Sunday, a
bountiful buffet is offered
from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.