You have probably seen Hill County Electric’s crews out in the field or working on power lines. It is no secret that a lineman’s job is tough, but their job is essential and must be done, often in challenging conditions. Linemen are committed to their career. It is not just a job; it is a lifestyle. The long hours and dangerous conditions present every day can take a toll. Their job is listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S. During severe weather events that bring power outages, HCE’s linemen are usually the first ones c...

In previous magazines, HCE has provided information on Demand Rate/Metering. For informational purposes, HCE is going to start displaying a kW Demand component on your monthly bill. It will appear side by side with your Monthly Usage if you are a Residential, Annual or Small Commercial account. What is Demand? Simply put, energy is the amount of power you consume, while demand measures your impact on the grid to deliver that power. Demand refers to the maximum amount of electrical power that is being consumed at a given time, as opposed to...

For the shortest month of the year, February is packed with holidays like Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day and to a few lesser known “national” days like National Tater Tot Day and even National Tortilla Chip Day ’d like to recommend another national holiday and this one is not just for February. For Hill County Electric Cooperative (HCE), every day is Cooperative Member Day. Here are few reasons we love serving our members: The co-op wouldn’t exist without our members. HCE exists to serve you, our members. Members are the reason we wer...

I would like to congratulate HCE Board Trustees Leslie Smith and Nick Siebrasse on receiving their Credentialed Cooperative Director certificates from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Being elected to serve on any Board is more than just attending meetings. The electric cooperative industry faces new challenges daily. Board members are required to constantly increase their knowledge of the electric utility industry. It is also important for Trustees to have knowledge and understanding of the cooperative principle...

Safety is our number one priority at Hill County Electric (HCE). Our days without a loss time incident number are well over a year. HCE’s focus on safety comes from our Safety, Loss Control and Compliance Specialist, Todd Solomon, our employees and management team. After 30 years of dedicated service to HCE and Triangle Communications, Todd has announced his plans to retire. Todd and his wife began working at HCE and Triangle Communications in 1991 as groundskeepers which also included inside office maintenance. While working for HCE and T...

Winter is coming whether we like it or not. One thing we can do is be prepared to stay safe and warm during winter storms. Everyone at HCE cares about your safety and we want everyone to be prepared. Our service is very reliable, but events out of our control can still cause outages. The extreme temperatures we face along Montana’s HiLine during the winter months can be dangerous. Heavy snow and ice can result in downed power lines. During these situations, HCE’s crews work as quickly and safely possible to restore power. The safety of our ...

CEO Message Safety Tips for Fall Home Maintenance Fall is in the air and with the change in seasons comes fall home maintenance. While fall cleanup is part of owning a home, safety is an essential part of working around the house. Here are a few tips to avoid slips, trips, falls and muscle strains: Ladder Safety. Before using a ladder to clean gutters or trim trees, look it over to make sure there are no defects or loose parts. Ask a friend or family member to hold the ladder while you are working. Keep one hand on the ladder and avoid rea...

Hill County Electric (HCE) is prepared for any kind of weather, and we urge our members to stay safe around electricity when they are working in the fields and when storms happen. Storms can happen during the heat of summer or the middle of winter. Along the Hi-Line in Montana we should be prepared for any kind of weather. After a July thunderstorm blew down a few poles, I wanted to remind everyone to be safe around power lines. One pole blown down during the storm was held off the ground by power lines that were still energized resulting i...

On July 2, 2015, Hill County Electric (HCE) started to receive energy from a 5.3 kW Solar Array that we installed on our campus. Six years later this Solar Array has produced 47,500 kWh or an average of 7,916.6 kWh per year. According to the manufacture this kWh production has avoided 33 tons of CO2 or 5.5 tons of CO2 per year. At HCE’s current net metering retail rate 47,500kWH equates to $4,869 or $812/year. We installed the panels to help our members and employees understand the pros and cons of making the investment in a residential sol...