Media Hotline: 800-570-5838
Pacific Power is preparing for summer’s heat
PORTLAND (June 24, 2022) – As temperatures approach triple digits across parts of the Pacific Northwest this upcoming weekend, Pacific Power is preparing to face higher demands on the grid from both record temperatures and increased customer need.
“We’ve taken steps for grid hardening, in particular since last summer, to prevent overloading at the substation level,” said Erik Brookhouse, vice president of operations for Pacific Power. “We are confident about our network’s readiness for this summer.”
Pacific Power takes steps each day to keep electric service reliable for its customers by monitoring which substations and circuits have the highest use, identifying any potential trouble spots and implementing solutions within a day.
“Understanding the climate and customer needs help us provide reliable electricity during this season,” Brookhouse said.
At the end of each summer, Pacific Power reviews how the electrical system performed, and last year identified 49 projects that were completed prior to the 2022 summer season. Examples of projects include:
Engineers and power system operators keep a close eye on area weather forecasts as well. Electric systems are sensitive to temperature, so the conditions that impact the electric system the most come during consecutive days when 100-degree highs are coupled with nighttime temperatures that do not cool below 70 degrees. “Customers can also take steps to manage their energy use during the summer peak season,” said Brookhouse. “We have simple tips, programs and incentives for customers to increase their energy efficiency at home and in the workplace, particularly during the summer months.”
Customers can also take steps to manage their energy use during the summer. To see a full list of energy-saving tips, visit the company’s website. Among the top energy-saving recommendations for summer are:
More electric energy information is available on Pacific Power’s website at: www.pacificpower.net.
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington, and California. It is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing 2 million customers with value for their energy dollar through safe, reliable electricity. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
# # #
Media Contact: 503-813-6018
Pacific Power files for power cost true-up tied to volatile 2021 energy prices
PORTLAND, Ore., (June 16, 2022) — Pacific Power has filed its annual Power Cost Adjustment Mechanism (PCAM) with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. The PCAM trues-up the actual costs of power from 2021 to the estimated costs that were put into rates at the beginning of 2021. The request varies by customer type, but in total averages to a 4.0 percent, or $15.9 million, increase in costs to customers.
“We know that 2021 was a difficult, volatile year for energy prices in the West,” said Matthew McVee, vice president of regulatory policy and operations. “The past year saw a record heat dome in the Northwest and unseasonable cold snaps. Our 10-state footprint and diverse sources of power generation allowed us to weather these extremes. However, the spike in the cost of electricity we needed to buy on the market to serve customer needs, the drop in hydropower generation caused by the long-term drought, and prices for natural gas, which is used in some of our generating plants, still exceeded projections.”
Pacific Power was able to offset some of these costs and impacts to customers due to its participation in the Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM). The EIM enables access to even more low-cost, zero-carbon energy across the entire Western U.S. market while reducing emissions and increasing reliability.
In 2021, Pacific Power provided its Washington customers with $9.3 million in savings through its participation in the EIM. Those incremental savings are passed through to customers in the PCAM, but even these impressive savings were insufficient to completely offset the increases caused by market prices.
To lessen the impact of this cost increase on customers, Pacific Power is seeking to spread the impact of the 2021 energy price increases over the next two years. The PCAM rate request will be reviewed by the Commission. As part of this request, Pacific Power is proposing that the PCAM rate adjustments take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
Additional June rate filings
Helping Customers Manage Higher Energy Costs
If you need assistance managing your energy costs, contact us toll free at 888-221-7070 and we can set up an equal pay plan or put you in touch with local resources to help you:
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. Our goal is to provide our customers with value for their energy dollar, and safe, reliable electricity. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
Media contact: 1-800-570-5838
Pacific Power offers rebates to Oregon customers for installing electric vehicle charging
New rebates up to $3,000 for homes, apartments and businesses
PORTLAND, Ore.—June 2-- Pacific Power customers can charge their electric vehicles faster and get money back under a new set of incentive rebates now available for those installing Level 2 chargers at their home or workplace.
For residential customers, Pacific Power’s new pilot program offers a rebate of up to $500 capped at 75 percent of the total project costs, which can include the charging equipment, permits and any required electrical work. Income-qualifying residential customers earn higher rebates of up to $1,000 with no percentage cap for the total project cost.
Workplaces and organizations can earn rebates for making electric vehicle charging available for their customers, employees or tenants. Businesses can get up to $1,000 per port installed capped at 75 percent of the total project costs, which can include the charging equipment, permits and any required electrical work. Multifamily housing property owners or managers also qualify for $3,000 per port installed capped at 75 percent of the total project costs.
To qualify for all rebates, charging equipment must be on Pacific Power’s approved lists. These pilot programs are currently only available to Oregon customers.
Since 2018, Pacific Power has made it easier for drivers to choose electric by partnering with communities and businesses to install electric vehicle chargers across Oregon. In addition to the charging equipment rebates, Pacific Power also offers electric mobility grants and free technical assistance for organizations to install electric vehicle charging. The program provides a feasibility analysis for electric vehicle technology charging options, cost and best practices for siting, installing and managing equipment.
To apply for rebates, grants or technical assistance, customers can visit pacificpower.net/ev.
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. Our goal is to provide our customers with value for their energy dollar, and safe, reliable electricity. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 1.9 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
As summer draws near, here are tips to prepare for wildfire season
Pacific Power is providing actionable tips and guidance as fire season approaches
PORTLAND, Ore. (June 1, 2022) — As weather transitions to summer, Pacific Power is encouraging customers to prepare for wildfire season. Fire-weather conditions, such as severe drought combined with summer windstorms or active wildfires, could lead to safety-related power outages.
“We’re building our system to be more resilient long term – for all seasons and weather conditions – providing value to our customers for decades to come,” said Curtis Mansfield, senior vice president of power and delivery. “We’re investing nearly half a billion dollars across our system in wildfire mitigation strategies over the coming years. This includes round-the-clock reporting of weather conditions; rebuilding portions of the grid with equipment upgrades; and using technology to monitor the system, while increasing inspections and vegetation maintenance on our lines.”
Even as electric providers partner with federal, state and local agencies to plan and get ready for wildfire season, preparedness is a shared responsibility. Helpful information is available to help every customer take steps to plan ahead and be ready for wildfire-related power outages.
Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Webinar
Pacific Power invites you to learn more about its wildfire mitigation plans during a wildfire safety and preparedness webinar on June 13, 2022, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Company representatives will share progress on wildfire safety work including system hardening, enhanced vegetation management practices and expanded situational awareness. There will be a Questions & Answers session after the presentation. Questions can also be emailed to wildfiresafety@pacificorp.com.
Stay in the know
Customers can take steps to make sure that they receive wildfire-related information.
Make an outage kit
Have a plan
Information, resources and checklists
###
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. Our goal is to provide our customers with value for their energy dollar, and safe, reliable electricity. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 1.9 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.