Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy: 
Welcome to the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (“WREC”) website. At WREC, your privacy is important to us, and we take the privacy of your online interaction with us seriously. Please review the following terms and conditions that govern your use of WREC’s website. Please note that your use of our website constitutes your agreement to follow and be bound by the privacy policy, legal notices and terms of use (collectively, the “Terms”). The Terms are subject to change from time to time and without prior notice to you. If you do not agree with any of the Terms, please discontinue the use of this website immediately.
WREC works to protect the integrity of its website and the Cooperative! For this reason, all text, images, graphics, photographs, video clips, designs, icons, sounds, information, data and other materials (the “content”) on WREC’s website are copyrights, trademarks, service marks or other intellectual property or proprietary rights that are wholly owned by WREC, its subsidiaries or an organization affiliated with WREC. In particular, the marks “Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Inc.” or “WREC” and WREC’s Logo are the exclusive property of WREC. You may not distribute, publish, transmit, modify, create derivative works from or in any way exploit any of the content, in whole or in part, for any purpose.
References that we make to names, marks, products or services of third parties or hypertext links to third-party websites or information do not constitute or imply our endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation of the third party. Third party information or links are made available to you as a convenience and you agree to use such third party information at your own risk. We do not monitor or control the content of any websites linked to or from our website, and therefore, we are not responsible for the content of any websites linked to our site or the terms of use or privacy practices employed by those other sites. If you should link to a third party website from WREC’s website, we strongly encourage you to review and become familiar with such third party’s website and its privacy policy.
Content on WREC’s website may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors, and we are not responsible for any reliance you may place on the content. WREC may make changes to the content and the products, services and programs described in the content at any time without notice.
We do not collect personally identifiable information about you (such as your name, address or telephone number) unless you voluntarily provide it to us via one of our online forms. We take reasonable steps to protect personally identifiable information as you transmit it to our site and to protect such information from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. You should keep in mind that no Internet transmission is ever completely secure or error-free. In particular, e-mail sent to or from this site may not be secure.
When you visit our web site, our computers may automatically collect some non-identifying information about your visit. This information can include time you spent on the site, number of pages you viewed, type of browser used or your computer’s operating system.
We reserve the right to use information we gather for our internal business or marketing uses, but we will not sell or otherwise divulge such information to third parties.
We also reserve the right to disclose any information in our possession if we are required to do so by law, or if we believe, in good faith, that such a disclosure is necessary to comply with the law, defend our rights or property or to respond to an emergency situation.
WREC’s website and its content are provided “as is” and WREC makes no warranty, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement, relating to the website or its content. WREC further disclaims any and all warranties that this website shall be operated free from delays in transmission, failure in performance, computer viruses, inaccuracies or errors in the materials, or other errors or defects. In no event shall WREC be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this website or any materials, products or services obtained via this website.
You agree to indemnify and hold WREC, its affiliates, officers, trustees, employees and agents harmless from any and all claims, losses, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or in connection with your violation of the Terms or your violation of any rights of another.
The Terms are governed by, and will be interpreted under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to choice or conflicts of law rules.
SUMMARY:
Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, INC., is committed to protecting the privacy of all users of www.wrec.net . As part of that commitment, this website privacy policy informs users:
- What personal information (otherwise known as “personally identifiable information”) is collected and under what circumstances;
- Whether the collection is voluntary or involuntary;
- How that personal information is used;
- Who that personal information will be shared with and under what circumstances; and
- The ability of the user to choose how that personal information is used, how it can be reviewed and how it can be corrected.
The term “User” refers to any individual who is accessing the www.wrec.net website.
This policy solely applies to information collected, maintained and used by WREC and does not apply to the collection and use practices of websites which users connect to through any website links available on www.wrec.net nor does it apply to any applications or advertising posted on www.wrec.net that is provided by third parties, including, but not limited to, the Co-op Connections Program. At WREC, your privacy is important to us, and we take the privacy of your online interaction with us seriously. Please review the following terms and conditions that govern your use of WREC’s website. Please note that your use of our website constitutes your agreement to follow and be bound by the privacy policy, legal notices and terms of use (collectively, the “Terms”). The Terms are subject to change from time to time and without prior notice to you. If you do not agree with any of the Terms, please discontinue the use of this website immediately.
WREC works to protect the integrity of its website and the Cooperative! For this reason, all text, images, graphics, photographs, video clips, designs, icons, sounds, information, data and other materials (the “content”) on WREC’s website are copyrights, trademarks, service marks or other intellectual property or proprietary rights that are wholly owned by WREC, its subsidiaries or an organization affiliated with WREC. In particular, the marks “Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Inc.” or “WREC” and WREC’s Logo are the exclusive property of WREC. You may not distribute, publish, transmit, modify, create derivative works from or in any way exploit any of the content, in whole or in part, for any purpose.
References that we make to names, marks, products or services of third parties or hypertext links to third-party websites or information do not constitute or imply our endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation of the third party. Third party information or links are made available to you as a convenience and you agree to use such third party information at your own risk. We do not monitor or control the content of any websites linked to or from our website, and therefore, we are not responsible for the content of any websites linked to our site or the terms of use or privacy practices employed by those other sites. If you should link to a third party website from WREC’s website, we strongly encourage you to review and become familiar with such third party’s website and its privacy policy.
Content on WREC’s website may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors, and we are not responsible for any reliance you may place on the content. WREC may make changes to the content and the products, services and programs described in the content at any time without notice.
WREC’s website and its content are provided “as is” and WREC makes no warranty, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement, relating to the website or its content. WREC further disclaims any and all warranties that this website shall be operated free from delays in transmission, failure in performance, computer viruses, inaccuracies or errors in the materials, or other errors or defects. In no event shall WREC be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this website or any materials, products or services obtained via this website.
You agree to indemnify and hold WREC, its affiliates, officers, trustees, employees and agents harmless from any and all claims, losses, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or in connection with your violation of the Terms or your violation of any rights of another.
The Terms are governed by, and will be interpreted under the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to choice or conflicts of law rules.
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13
The website is not intended for children under 13 years of age. No one under age 13 may provide any personal information to the website. WREC does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 and WREC does not provide services to children. Users under 13 years of age shall not provide any information on this website or through any of its features, making any purchases through the website, using any of the interactive or public comment features of this website or providing any information about themselves to us, including user name, address, telephone number, email address, or any screen name or user name used. If WREC learns it has received personal information from a child under 13 years of age without verification of parental consent, WREC will delete that information.
COLLECTION OF INFORMATION:
We do not collect personally identifiable information about you (such as your name, address or telephone number) unless you voluntarily provide it to us via one of our online forms. We take reasonable steps to protect personally identifiable information as you transmit it to our site and to protect such information from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. You should keep in mind that no Internet transmission is ever completely secure or error-free. In particular, e-mail sent to or from this site may not be secure.
When you visit our web site, our computers may automatically collect some non-identifying information about your visit. This information can include time you spent on the site, number of pages you viewed, type of browser used or your computer’s operating system.
We reserve the right to use information we gather for our internal business or marketing uses, but we will not sell or otherwise divulge such information to third parties.
We also reserve the right to disclose any information in our possession if we are required to do so by law, or if we believe, in good faith, that such a disclosure is necessary to comply with the law, defend our rights or property or to respond to an emergency situation.
- Web server log information – This is basic information that WREC collects, including IP address, type of browser or operating system, date, time, duration of access, pages visited and links visited on the website. This information is automatically collected and may be used to help WREC improve and maintain the availability and usefulness of the website for Users. This information is used in the aggregate for this purpose and no attempt is made to identify any specific individual.
- Cookies – Cookies are another means by which WREC collects similar basic information as described at 1) above on all User visits that does not identify any specific individual and that shows how individual Users utilize the website. Cookies are bits of information collected by the web server and transferred back to the User’s computer, phone, tablet or other device to enable WREC systems to recognize such device. Users may be able to set their browsers to alert the User of the creation of a cookie and/or a means to deny acceptance of a cookie. The Help feature on most browsers will tell users how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify users when such user receives a new cookie, or how to disable cookies altogether.
- Requests for programs/services/information – To the extent a User requests programs, services, or information from, or respond to surveys conducted by, WREC through this website, personally identifiable information such as name, telephone number, mailing address and email address may be collected. Providing this personal information is voluntary, but failure to provide the requested information may preclude delivery of the product, service or information requested.
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
We do not share information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Any information collected and retained by WREC through this website will not be released to third parties except as indicated below:
- Any information needed by a vendor or professional service provider (e.g., NRECA, a law or accounting firm) to perform services for Touchstone Energy® will be disclosed to such vendor or professional service provider. Such vendor or professional service provider will be required to observe the same privacy protections that apply to this website, and they will not be allowed to sell User information.
- Any necessary information will be disclosed to any appropriate internal or external authorities in order to 1) identify and pursue remedies against Users who attempt to damage, misuse, or otherwise interfere with the operations of this website, or 2) to otherwise protect WREC or NRECA’s legal interests.
- WREC may aggregate information collected on the website, such as views or clicks, and share with third parties for WREC business purposes.
- Any necessary information required to respond to appropriate requesting authorities, including but not limited to, properly issued search warrants, court orders, or subpoenas. WREC may also disclose User personal information to enforce the Terms of Use to this website.
INFORMATION SECURITY
WREC has implemented commercially reasonable technical, administrative, and physical security measures in order to protect personally identifiable information against loss, unauthorized access, destruction, misuse, modification, and improper disclosure.
As a critical part of these security measures, WREC monitors any and all communications and data traversing the site. That monitoring may include actual content of those communications and data as necessary.
While no information is absolutely safe in an electronic environment, by implementing commercially reasonable security, WREC has taken appropriate steps to secure information collected, retained and used.
CHANGES TO WEBSITE PRIVACY POLICY
From time to time, WREC may revise this policy to reflect changes in the law, changes in our programs or services, changes in our practices regarding the collection and use of personal information, to reflect new features or technologies of www.wrec.net , or otherwise in the discretion of WREC Updated versions of the policy will appear on the website. WREC encourages all Users to review this policy periodically so that they are up to date on the most current policies and practices. The last date this policy was revised is the effective date set forth above.
Legal Information:
Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WREC) is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative and The Touchstone Energy® name and logo design, Co-op Connections® name and tagline “The Power of Human Connections®” are federally registered trademarks and may not be used without permission. Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WREC) name and logo design are federally registered trademarks and may not be used without permission.
This website features registered and nonregistered trademarks and copyright protected content. The Touchstone Energy® name, logo design and tagline, “The Power of Human Connections,” are federally registered trademarks and may not be used without permission.
Statement of Non-Discrimination:
Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Inc., is the recipient of Rural Development funding assistance from the Rural Utilities Service. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or (3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. WREC Contact: Kristina Walzak, WREC’s Manager of HR, Job training & Safety. Email: kwalzak@wrec.net Phone: 352-567-5133 x 6310
Terms and Conditions – Payment and Reconnection Requests:
1. Application
These Terms and Conditions apply to all service classifications and all reconnection requests, including residential, commercial, industrial, irrigation, temporary, seasonal, landlord, tenant, master-metered, governmental, and other accounts, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, tariff, service rules, bylaws, policies, and contractual arrangements.
By submitting a payment, requesting service reconnection, authorizing restoration of electric service, clicking or checking an acknowledgment, confirming authorization by telephone, or otherwise proceeding with a reconnection request, the member/customer acknowledges and agrees to these Terms and Conditions. A person acting for an account holder represents that the person is authorized to act for the account holder and to bind the account holder and the service location to these Terms and Conditions.
2. Defined Terms
[Service Point/Point of Delivery] means the point at which the Cooperative’s facilities connect to the member/customer’s facilities and at or beyond which the member/customer assumes responsibility for the further delivery, control, use, condition, operation, protection, and maintenance of electric service and customer-owned facilities. If the Cooperative’s tariff, service rules, bylaws, membership agreement, standards, or applicable law defines this term differently, the controlling definition shall govern.
Customer-Owned Facilities means all wiring, conductors, service equipment, panels, breakers, switches, fuses, outlets, appliances, equipment, devices, motors, pumps, heaters, HVAC equipment, cooking equipment, electronics, generators, transfer switches, protective devices, and all other facilities, loads, apparatus, or installations located on the member/customer’s side of the [Service Point/Point of Delivery], whether owned, leased, occupied, operated, or controlled by the member/customer, a tenant, a landlord, an occupant, or any other person.
3. Processing and Timing of Reconnection
A payment or reconnection request may be processed automatically through the Cooperative’s systems. Completion or acceptance of payment, or submission of a reconnection request, does not guarantee immediate restoration of electric service.
Reconnection is subject to verification of payment, account status, applicable deposits, fees, safety requirements, accessibility, system conditions, operational requirements, and applicable law, tariff, service rules, bylaws, policies, and regulatory requirements. Additional processing time may be required. In some cases, a field visit, inspection, repair, meter exchange, equipment replacement, or other operational action may be required before service can be restored.
If the account is eligible for reconnection, electric service may be restored remotely, automatically, through advanced metering infrastructure, or by field personnel at any time after the payment or reconnection request is processed. The Cooperative may not provide additional notice of the exact date or time of reconnection.
4. Member/Customer Responsibility Before Reconnection
The member/customer is solely responsible for ensuring that the premises and all Customer-Owned Facilities are in a safe and proper condition to receive electric service before requesting reconnection or authorizing restoration.
Before requesting reconnection, the member/customer should turn off, unplug, disconnect, or otherwise secure all appliances, devices, equipment, and loads that could start, operate, energize, overheat, arc, leak, fail, cause fire, cause smoke damage, cause water damage, damage equipment, injure persons, or cause any other loss when electric service is restored. This includes, without limitation, stoves, ovens, ranges, cooktops, space heaters, water heaters, HVAC equipment, refrigeration equipment, pumps, motors, power tools, electronics, generators, transfer equipment, and any other customer-owned load or device that may operate when electric service is restored.
If the member/customer is not present at the premises, has not inspected the premises, cannot safely inspect the premises, has not confirmed that appliances and devices are turned off or otherwise secured, or has not confirmed that the Customer-Owned Facilities are safe to receive electric service, the member/customer assumes all risk associated with requesting reconnection under those circumstances.
5. Reconnection May Energize Customer-Owned Facilities Without Warning
The member/customer understands and agrees that reconnection of electric service may energize Customer-Owned Facilities without further advance notice. Equipment or appliances left in the “on” position, energized loads, improperly connected equipment, defective or damaged wiring, unsafe premises conditions, lack of protective devices, improper generator connections, or other conditions on the member/customer’s side of the [Service Point/Point of Delivery] may result in property damage, fire, smoke damage, water damage, equipment damage, food spoilage, loss of use, personal injury, or other loss.
The Cooperative cannot determine from its meter, automated systems, remote connect/disconnect functions, distribution facilities, field observations, or other Cooperative equipment whether appliances, devices, wiring, panels, generators, transfer switches, or other Customer-Owned Facilities are turned off, properly installed, properly maintained, code-compliant, or safe to energize.
6. No Inspection, Approval, Warranty, or Assumption of Duty
The Cooperative’s acceptance of payment, processing of a reconnection request, operation of a meter, remote reconnection, field visit, inspection, or restoration of service does not constitute an inspection, approval, certification, warranty, or representation that the premises or any Customer-Owned Facilities are safe, properly installed, properly maintained, code-compliant, or suitable to receive electric service.
Any inspection, field activity, meter work, or other action performed by the Cooperative is solely for the Cooperative’s operational, access, and safety purposes. The Cooperative assumes no duty to inspect, maintain, repair, disconnect, secure, supervise, or protect Customer-Owned Facilities or premises conditions on the member/customer’s side of the [Service Point/Point of Delivery].
7. Assumption of Risk; Release; Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, tariff, service rules, bylaws, policies, and contracts, the member/customer assumes all risk of loss, damage, injury, cost, expense, claim, or liability arising out of or relating to reconnection, restoration of electric service, or energization of the premises after the member/customer submits payment, requests reconnection, authorizes restoration, or otherwise proceeds with a reconnection request.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Cooperative, its trustees, officers, employees, agents, representatives, contractors, successors, and assigns shall not be liable to the member/customer, any occupant, tenant, landlord, property owner, invitee, licensee, insurer, subrogated insurer, or any other person or entity for any loss, damage, injury, cost, expense, claim, or liability arising out of or relating to any of the following:
appliances, devices, equipment, motors, pumps, heaters, stoves, ovens, ranges, cooktops, electronics, generators, transfer equipment, or other customer-owned loads left energized, turned on, connected, defective, improperly installed, improperly maintained, or unsafe at the time of reconnection;
Customer-Owned Facilities or premises conditions on the member/customer’s side of the [Service Point/Point of Delivery];
unsafe, defective, damaged, deteriorated, non-code-compliant, tampered-with, or hazardous conditions at or on the premises;
the absence, inadequacy, failure, or improper installation or maintenance of surge protection, overcurrent protection, motor protection, generator protection, transfer equipment, smoke alarms, fire suppression systems, or other protective devices;
the member/customer’s failure to be present at the premises before or during reconnection;
the member/customer’s failure to turn off, unplug, disconnect, or otherwise secure appliances, devices, equipment, and loads before requesting reconnection; or
fire, smoke damage, water damage, appliance damage, electronics damage, motor damage, pump damage, equipment damage, food spoilage, loss of use, business interruption, lost profits, lost revenue, consequential damages, incidental damages, indirect damages, special damages, punitive damages to the extent permitted by law, or other property-related or economic loss associated with restoration or reconnection of electric service.
This assumption of risk, release, and limitation of liability includes claims alleging the Cooperative’s ordinary negligence in processing, scheduling, performing, delaying, denying, or completing reconnection or restoration of electric service. This provision does not apply to the extent a loss is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by the Cooperative’s gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, intentional misconduct, or other conduct for which liability may not be limited under applicable law.
The member/customer releases and discharges the Cooperative, its trustees, officers, employees, agents, representatives, contractors, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, costs, expenses, actions, and causes of action covered by this Section, except to the extent liability may not be released under applicable law.
8. Indemnity
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the member/customer shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Cooperative, its trustees, officers, employees, agents, representatives, contractors, successors, and assigns from and against any and all third-party claims, demands, damages, losses, costs, expenses, liabilities, proceedings, actions, and causes of action, including attorneys’ fees and costs, brought by or through any occupant, tenant, landlord, property owner, invitee, licensee, contractor, insurer, subrogated insurer, governmental entity, or any other person or entity, arising out of or relating to Customer-Owned Facilities, premises conditions, energized loads, appliances or devices left on or unsafe, customer-owned generators or transfer equipment, the member/customer’s failure to secure the premises before reconnection, or the transmission, delivery, restoration, reconnection, or use of electricity on the member/customer’s side of the [Service Point/Point of Delivery].
This indemnity includes third-party claims alleging the Cooperative’s ordinary negligence, but only to the extent such claims arise out of or relate to Customer-Owned Facilities, premises conditions, energized loads, appliances or devices left on or unsafe, or the transmission, delivery, restoration, reconnection, or use of electricity on the member/customer’s side of the [Service Point/Point of Delivery]. This indemnity does not apply to the extent a claim is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by the Cooperative’s gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, intentional misconduct, or other conduct for which indemnity may not be required under applicable law. For governmental customers, this indemnity applies only to the extent permitted by applicable law.
9. Unsafe or Hazardous Conditions
The Cooperative reserves the right to deny, delay, suspend, disconnect, or refuse reconnection of service if the Cooperative knows of, observes, or reasonably suspects an unsafe, hazardous, inaccessible, tampered-with, damaged, defective, non-code-compliant, or otherwise unsuitable condition, including any condition that may endanger persons, property, Cooperative facilities, the public, other members, or Cooperative personnel.
The Cooperative’s decision to reconnect service does not waive this right and does not constitute a determination that the premises or Customer-Owned Facilities are safe.
10. No Restriction on Lawful Appliance or Fuel-Source Use
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions prohibits or restricts the lawful ownership, installation, or use of any appliance, device, equipment, or lawful energy source. These Terms and Conditions address only the member/customer’s responsibility to ensure that the premises and Customer-Owned Facilities are safe to receive electric service at the time reconnection is requested, authorized, and performed.
11. Agreement to Terms
By proceeding with payment, requesting reconnection, authorizing restoration, clicking or checking an acknowledgment, confirming authorization by telephone, or otherwise submitting or authorizing a reconnection request, the member/customer acknowledges that the member/customer has read, understands, and agrees to these Terms and Conditions and accepts responsibility for ensuring that the premises and Customer-Owned Facilities are safe to receive electric service.