BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC COOP SURVEY

1
BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC CO-OP
SURVEY December 14 - 15, 2008 N 502
respondents margin of error 4.5 NOTE All
comparisons to the 2006 2007 studies are based
on the residential sample.
2
OBJECTIVES
1
To measure the image of Bluebonnet Electric Co-Op.
2
To assess member / customer satisfaction with the
Bluebonnet Electric Co-Op.
3
To measure opinions regarding alternate forms of
energy.
3
Percentage of interviews
Giddings Region 2006 18 2007 18 2008 18
Travis County 2006 19 2007 19 2008 19
Lockhart Region 2006 18 2007 18 2008 18
Bastrop Region 2006 30 2007 30 2008 30
Brenham Region 2006 16 2007 16 2008 16
4
REGION BREAKDOWN BY ZIP CODES
5
MEMBER / CUSTOMER IDENTIFICATION
Q7. Do you consider yourself to be...
2007
2006
2008
7
6
6
2
1
1
1
1
lt.5
Unsure / refused
Neither
Both
6
AGE DEMPGRAPHIC BY RESPONDENT DESCRIPTION
7
NAME AWARENESS LEVELS (Ranked by Positive plus
Negative )
Positive / Negative Ratio
9.61
4
2006
86
9
1
Bluebonnet Electric Co - Op
9.71
3
2007
87
9
1
10.91
2008
87
8
5
lt.5
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NAME AWARENESS LEVELS (Ranked by Positive plus
Negative )
Positive / Negative Ratio
9.61
4
2006
86
9
1
Bluebonnet Electric Co - Op
9.71
3
2007
87
9
1
10.91
2008
87
8
5
9.11
2006
64
7
21
8
L.C.R.A., Lower Colorado River Authority
8.11
2007
57
7
26
10
5.61
2008
56
10
25
9
Know / Positive
Know / Negative
Never heard of
Know / No opinion
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NAME AWARENESS LEVELS (Ranked by Positive plus
Negative )
Positive / Negative Ratio
2.21
28
13
The Texas Public Utility Commission, the states
regulatory oversight agency
27
32
1.61
23
14
35
27
2.21
26
12
32
30
8
2.71
9
80
3
Ercot, Electric Reliability Council of Texas
5
1.31
14
78
4
8
2.01
9
79
4
Know / Positive
Know / Negative
Never heard of
Know / No opinion
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WHY NEGATIVE IMPRESSION OF BLUBONNET
Q1X. And in your own words, please describe why
you have a negative impression of Bluebonnet
Electric Co-Op.
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RATING YOUR ELECTRIC SERVICE
Q5. Which of the following best describes how you
would rate your electric service?
2008
2007
2006
0
lt.5
Unsure / refused
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WHY RATE ELECTRIC SERVICE THIS WAY
Q5X. And in your own words, please tell me why
you rate your electric service this way.
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DESCRIBE THE RATES YOU PAY
Q6. Would you describe the rates you pay for
electricity now as too low, too high, or about
right?
2008
2007
2006
71 Mem.
50 Cust.
26 Mem.
47 Cust.
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GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTRICITY
Q8. Please tell if you get information about
electricity from ... ( answering Yes )
Member
Customer
2008
2007
34
34
33
The newspaper
34
34
34
36
35
36
Television news reports
40
45
38
78
86
76
Your electric bill
78
82
77
18
19
17
The Bluebonnet Electric Co-op website
17
21
15
70
74
69
The Texas Co-Op Power Magazine
74
83
70
38
46
35
Talking with friends and family
46
44
46
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INTERNET ACCESS I
Q9. Do you have computer access to the Internet
at your place of residence, at your place of
employment, both places or neither place?
55-64
65
18-44
45-54
30
Home
39
38
17
27
7
Employment
8
1
12
11
37
Both places
36
14
60
44
25
Neither
18
48
12
18
Unsure / refused
0
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INTERNET ACCESS II
Q10. At your home, do you have a high speed
connection through a cable or wireless service or
do you have dial-up?
(asked of n341 respondents with internet access)
64
37 65 yrs 41 lt30K
6
69 18-44 yrs 72 80K
1
28
Other
Unsure / refused
Dial-up
High-speed
Q11. Is your personal email message inbox that
you use at home typically
62
5
4
3
26
No message inbox
Unsure / refused
Open during the main hours of 9 to 5
Open almost all the time
Open only when you decide to check it
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INFORMATION WOULD LIKE TO SEE
Q12. Regardless of how often you access the
Internet, please tell me in your own words the
type of information you would like to see
Bluebonnet Electric Co-op make available to its
member customers through the Internet?
37
21
21
16
15
10
51 M lt55 21 F 55
9 F lt55 30 F 55
1
General info about Co-op
Nothing / read magazine
Rates / billing
Other
Dont use internet
Conservation tips / alternative energy
Maintenance Issues / Future Plans
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BLUEBONNETS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Q13. Which of the following best describes the
level of involvement Bluebonnet Electric Co-op
has in your community?
Member
Customer
31
46
26
Very involved
30
45
24
38
30
41
Somewhat involved
40
38
40
8
3
9
Not that involved
11
6
13
9
5
10
Not at all involved
7
4
8
1
Other
lt.5
13
Unsure / refused
12
2008
2007
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DESCRIBE WAYS BLUEBONNET IS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY
Q14. Please tell me in your own words some of the
ways in which Bluebonnet Electric Co-op is
involved in your community?
2008
2007
45
35
28
27
24
15
13
10
Events information
Donations programs
Donations programs
Electric service
Other
Electric service
Events information
Other
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WIND GENERATED ELECTRICITY
Q16A. Are you aware that you can request
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to provide you
with wind generated electricity for an additional
five dollars per one thousand kilowatt hours of
electricity you use? ( Yes)
19
13
12
10
9
9
Total Sample
Lockhart
Bastrop
Giddings
Brenham
Travis
Q16B. If your electric bill for one thousand
kilowatt hours of electricity generated by coal
and natural gas was 120, would you be extremely
likely, very likely, somewhat likely or not
likely to pay 125 for the same amount of
electricity generated by wind?
28
23
23
13
13
20 Cons. 38 Lib.
24 Cons. 22 Lib.
33 Cons. 14 Lib.
10 Cons. 20 Lib.
Extremely likely
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not likely
Unsure / refused
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AWARENESS OF INCREASING RATES
Q17. Are you aware your electric provider raises
its electric rates to recover any increase in
fuel costs, such as natural gas, that is used to
produce electricity?
88
80
75
73
63
Total Sample
Member / both
Customer
80K per yr
lt30k per yr
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ELECTRICITY GENERATION PREFERENCE I
Q15. Which of the following methods of how
electricity is generated do you prefer most?
10
Coal fired
4
20
Nuclear power
15
40
Natural gas
15
8
Wind or Solar
50
2
Other
2
Note The response wind and solar was volunteered
in the 2007 study and read by the interviewer in
2008
6
No difference
5
14
Unsure / refused
9
2008
2007
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ELECTRICITY GENERATION PREFERENCE I
Q15. Which of the following methods of how
electricity is generated do you prefer most?
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ELECTRICITY GENERATION PREFERENCE II
Q18. If you knew that nearly half of electricity
is generated using natural gas, and that the
price of natural gas used to generate electricity
is unstable, with any increased costs in natural
gas prices being passed on to customers, which
method of how electricity is generated would you
prefer most?
17
Coal fired
10
31
Nuclear power
17
24
Natural gas
10
10
Wind or Solar
54
75 Lib.
45 Cons.
3
Other
2
Note The response wind and solar was volunteered
in the 2007 study and read by the interviewer in
2008
2
No difference
1
14
Unsure / refused
2008
2007
6
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ELECTRICITY GENERATION PREFERENCE II
Q18. If you knew that nearly half of electricity
is generated using natural gas, and that the
price of natural gas used to generate electricity
is unstable, with any increased costs in natural
gas prices being passed on to customers, which
method of how electricity is generated would you
prefer most?
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MORE PAY PER MONTH FOR GREEN SOURCES
Q19. Which of the following best describes how
much more you would be willing to pay per month
to receive electricity generated from green or
environmentally friendly sources such as wind or
solar energy?
40
Nothing
42
20 Lib.
49 Cons.
26
Five percent
33
18
Ten percent
14
27 Lib.
10 Cons.
7
Fifteen percent
6
1
More than fifteen percent
lt.5
2
Other / depends
2
6
Unsure / refused
3
2008
2007
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MORE PAY PER MONTH FOR GREEN SOURCES
Q19. Which of the following best describes how
much more you would be willing to pay per month
to receive electricity generated from green or
environmentally friendly sources such as wind or
solar energy?
28
CONSIDERED INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS OR A WINDMILL
Q20. Have you ever given serious consideration to
installing solar panels or a windmill to generate
some of your own electricity?
43
45
Yes
53 Male lt55 35 Female 55
45
54
50
No
51
3
Maybe / depends
5
3
0
Unsure / refused
1
1
2008
2006
2007
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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Q21. Sustainable Energy is defined as providing
energy so that it meets present day needs without
compromising the energy needs of future
generations. Having heard this definition, do
you favor or oppose Sustainable Energy?
81
32
Somewhat
Strongly Favor
49
59 18-44 yrs 37 65 yrs
Strongly
10
9
Favor
Unsure / refused
Oppose
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IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
36
45
14
2
2
34
42
20
4
1
23
33
30
5
9
22
38
28
10
3
23
37
28
5
7
Extremely important
Very important
Not important
Somewhat important
Unsure
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LESS USE FOR LOWER RATES I
Q27. Version X If you were offered a lower rate
or could save money on your monthly bill, would
you be willing to act on information provided by
Bluebonnet encouraging you to lower your
electricity use such as increasing your
thermostat and indoor temperature in the summer?
Version Y Would you be willing to act on
information provided by Bluebonnet encouraging
you to lower your electricity use such as
increasing your thermostat and indoor temperature
in the summer if you were offered a lower rate or
could save money on your monthly bill?
Version X 87 Version Y 88
87
Yes
No
7
Maybe / depends
4
Unsure / refused
1
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LESS USE FOR LOWER RATES II
Q28. Peak Usage is defined as those times when
electricity demand is highest, such as when
people wake-up and in the early evening. Would
you be willing to shift or reduce your
electricity consumption if Bluebonnet offered you
rates that varied depending on whether it was a
peak or off-peak usage part of the day?
78
Yes
13
No
Maybe / depends
6
Unsure / refused
3
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LESS USE FOR LOWER RATES III
Q29. (Version Y If it saved you money,) would
you allow Bluebonnet to automatically lower your
electricity consumption during times of high
usage by communicating directly with your homes
thermostat?
Ver X
Ver Y
39
31
47
Yes
46
54
39
No
Maybe / depends
8
8
8
Unsure / refused
7
7
6
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LESS USE FOR LOWER RATES IV
Q30. And would you allow Bluebonnet to
automatically lower your electricity consumption
during times of high usage if you knew you could
override the system controls at any time to use
whatever thermostat settings you wanted?
Ver X
Ver Y
67
62
72
Yes
21
24
18
No
1
2
1
No difference
Maybe / depends
6
8
5
Unsure / refused
4
4
4
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LESS USE FOR LOWER RATES V
Q31. Would you be willing to share in the
up-front cost of the equipment to allow for the
automatic reduction of electricity consumption at
specific times, (Version X knowing you would be
saving money on your monthly bills / Version Y
knowing your up-front cost would be recovered in
the first year through lower monthly bills)?
lt30K
80K
Ver X
Ver Y
41
50
33
37
46
Yes
33
26
41
35
31
No
Maybe / depends
20
20
24
23
17
Unsure / refused
5
4
2
5
6
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HOME ENERGY AUDITS
Q33. If yes or maybe in Q32, ask How much
would you be willing to pay to have a Bluebonnet
representative come to your home and conduct an
energy audit for you? (Note 44 not asked this
question)
Q32. If Bluebonnet Electric Co-op offered home
energy audits, would you like to have one done at
your home?
50
Yes
21
Nothing
Yes, it were free / no cost
10
9
1 to 25
33
No
Maybe / depends
6
8
26 or more
Unsure / refused
1
Unsure / refused
18
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LOWER RATES TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESS
Q34. (Read this sentence in Version Y A
sustainable grid is achieved through
interconnected and interdependent communities
that have quality educational opportunities, an
educated workforce, job opportunities, health
care, retail and commercial expansion, and an
overall quality of life.) If the situation
presented itself, would you want Bluebonnet
Electric Co-op to offer lower rates in order to
attract new business and jobs to the area?
2008
2006
2007
3
3
3
Unsure / refused
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TEXAS CO-OP POWER MAGAZINE
Q35. Do you receive Texas Co-op Power Magazine?
( Yes)
89
85
82
2007
2006
2008
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WHAT USUALLY DO WITH THE MAGAZINE
Q36. Which of the following best describes what
you usually do with the magazine?
2008
2006
2007
46
40
37
28
27
27
37 Mem.
36 Mem.
42 Mem.
12
12
10
7
6
25 Cust.
23 Cust.
21 Cust.
4
1
1
lt.5
Unsure / refused
Dont read it at all
Just glance at it
Read some articles
Read all of it
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MAGAZINES USEFULNESS
Q37. Please tell me to what extent you feel Texas
Co-op Power Magazine is a useful source of
information about what is going on with
Bluebonnet?
2008
2006
2007
29
28
27
25
24
23
21
20
17
32 M
33 M
26 M
9
9
7
7
6
3
2
17 C
13 C
14 C
1
1
Very useful
Somewhat useful
Neutral
Not useful
Unsure / refused
Useful
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TEXAS CO-OP MAGAZINE
Q38. And would you like to read articles on any
of the following subjects ...
76
73
A.
Electric generation issues
69
83
79
B.
Environmental issues
73
87
88
C.
Ways to conserve energy or improve energy
efficiency
82
59
D.
Regional policy issues
55
56
79
E.
Local community news
79
71
73
F.
Monthly calendar of events
66
64
2008
2006
2007
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CONCLUSIONS
82 of the respondents say they have a positive
impression of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative (8
negative), and 88 of the respondents would rate
their electric service above fair, 47 rating
their service excellent.
1
Respondents in the Brenham region (93) have a
slightly higher positive impression of Bluebonnet
Electric Cooperative than those respondents who
live in Travis County (82).
2
Similar to the 2007 survey results, respondents
who consider themselves members and respondents
who read more of the Texas Co-Op Power magazine
have a slightly more positive impression of BEC
than those who consider themselves customers or
who read less of the magazine.
3
More than two-thirds of the respondents,
including five-sixths who consider themselves
members, believe Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative
is somewhat or very involved in the community.
These numbers have increased slightly from the
2007 survey. 85 of respondents who read all of
Texas Co-op Power think BEC is somewhat or very
involved versus 52 of those who dont get or
receive the magazine.
4
43
CONCLUSIONS
Electricity generated from sources other than
coal is of interest to respondents.
Although, 42 dont want to pay extra for
environmentally friendly generated electricity,
nearly half will pay between five and
ten percent more per month.
5
When it comes to Sustainable Energy, 81 of the
respondents favor it defined as providing energy
so that it meets present day needs without
compromising the energy needs of future
generations. Also, at least 85 of respondents
consider each element of Sustainable Energy at
least somewhat important.
6
87 of the respondents say they would act on
information provided by BEC encouraging them to
lower their electricity use if it meant lower
rates, while 78 would shift or reduce use during
peak times. When offered to automatically lower
consumption by BEC, 67 of respondents would be
willing if it meant they could still override
the system controls on their thermostat.
7
Half of the respondents say they would like to
have a home energy audit, however only one in
six respondents say they would be willing to
pay anything for an audit.
8