Hometown Heroes

When NAEC lineman Jason Johnson enlisted in the Marines in 2001, he didn’t fully understand what serving his country meant. But he learned. “The greatest men and women serve in the military,” he says. Each year on November 11, we observe Veterans Day to honor the men and women who have serves the United States…

Chasing Light

Kelly Stacy knows he can express how he feels about something verbally, but he prefers to use photographs to communicate. “You can read a whole chapter in a book, but if you see one picture it explains a lot more,” he says. A retired boilermaker, Stacy once spent his days working with construction crews to…

Planned outages

Interruptions for improvements — planned outages benefit all members Like any electric provider, our cooperative aims to make your electric service as reliable as possible. Planned power outages — though rare — help us achieve that goal. First, regular maintenance — like replacing a damaged or deteriorating utility pole or trimming trees near power lines…

Christmas art contest

Hey, kids! We want your Christmas art! Christmas is coming, and NAEC is looking for the perfect cover for its December 2020 issue of Alabama Living. Do you think you could help? If so, enter the 2020 NAEC Christmas Art Contest! Any student in kindergarten through fifth grade is encouraged to apply. The cover of…

National cooperative month

The Cooperative Difference Each October, cooperatives throughout the country celebrate National Cooperative Month. Cooperatives were created in 1936 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act. Today, there are 834 distribution cooperatives and 63 generation cooperatives serving more than 42 million people across the United States. The Benefits of Membership Cooperative members are…

ABC for students

Closing the gap Local students eligible for free internet service For today’s students, a reliable broadband connection is no longer just a helpful tool but a necessity. Students use the internet for everything from checking and completing homework assignments to seeking tutoring and doing research. In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in…

Trailblazers

Right-of-way crews clear the way for reliable power When Brandon Evans first took over as right-of-way foreman about five years ago, North Alabama Electric Cooperative (NAEC) had just changed its approach to tree trimming. For the last few years, he had worked on the crew trimming back the vegetation around electric lines by the hour.…

Farm fresh

Where to find the best local produce There’s nothing better than fresh fruits and vegetables as part of your favorite home-cooked meals. Buying local from farmers markets in your area is a great way to get healthy produce for your family, and there are plenty of options in North Alabama. Maggie Valley Berry Patch and…

Who owns what?

Where NAEC equipment ends and member-owned equipment begins When storms hit, North Alabama Electric Cooperative is responsible for repairing any damage to its equipment while members are responsible for fixing their own. But how can you tell member-owned equipment from the cooperative’s? This illustration shows which equipment connected to your home is your responsibility and…

Job hunting in the modern age

From submitting your resume to interviewing, it’s an online world Technology has changed the way we look for a job. A high-speed NAEC Fiber connection is more important than ever to making a good impression with the first round of interviews often held online through videoconferencing. Even with a crystal clear connection, it is a…