Media inquiries: 800-570-5838
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2019
To maintain top quality recreation experience, PacifiCorp’s Lewis River campgrounds and day use areas modestly increase fees
ARIEL, Wash. — In order to maintain high standards at more than 500 camping and picnic sites enjoyed by more than 400,000 visitors annually on the Lewis River, PacifiCorp is increasing fees, in most cases by less than $2 per day, charged for camping and parking effective April 1.
Reservations made before April 1 will be charged at the former rates. Effective April 1, the new fees will apply for reservations or any permits issued on site. To reserve a campsite, go to: http://www.pacificorp.com/about/or/washington/lrc.html. For more information, call 503-813-6666 or email ecreation@pacificorp.com">recreation@pacificorp.com.
Specific fee increases are listed at the bottom of this document.
A tradition of recreational excellence
The Lewis River is home to PacifiCorp’s largest hydroelectric facilities, providing customers with emission-free, renewable energy. PacifiCorp, through Pacific Power, serves electric customers in Oregon, Washington and California.
As part of its federal license to operate these hydroelectric projects, PacifiCorp also maintains 14 public parks and day-use facilities along the three Lewis River reservoirs as well as sites downstream of Merwin Dam.
Facilities include 304 campsites and 268 picnic sites, fresh drinking water, hot showers, swimming beaches, boat ramps, restrooms and RV sanitation stations. These parks can be found on State Highway 503 starting approximately 10 miles east of Woodland, Wash., continuing 40 miles upstream to Swift Forest Camp. Nearly a half million visitors a year make use of these facilities.
Keeping these facilities ready for visitors means constant investment and fees are dedicated to maintaining and operating the parks. PacifiCorp charges recreation fees to offset the costs of providing the following visitor services:
- Safety. PacifiCorp contracts with the Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania county sheriffs’ offices and a private security company for security patrols.
- On-site Park Host staff available seven days a week during the summer season to ensure a well-maintained safe and enjoyable experience for all customers.
- Year-round availability of the online reservation system
- Year-round reservation and customer support staff to assist guests with their recreation planning and customer service needs
- Off-season park maintenance staff to ensure the parks are well maintained and available for the public’s enjoyment.
Fee increases are as follows:
- Cresap Bay, Cougar and Beaver Bay. Camping fee per night will increase from $21 to $23. Group camping fees will also increase from $315 to $345 a night.
- Swift Forest Camp. Camping fee per night from $18 to $20
- A $1 increase for day use parking will be implemented at all Lewis River Parks, with the exception of Cougar Park due to fluctuating water levels and the resulting intermittent inaccessibility of the boat launch. New per day, per vehicle fees are:
- Merwin Park: $2
- Speelyai Bay Park: $4
- Cresap Bay Park: $4
- Saddle Dam Park: $4
- Yale Park: $4
- Beaver Bay Park: $4
- Swift Forest Camp: $4
- Cougar Park: day use fees to remain at $3 per vehicle
- A $2 per vehicle per night increase for the PacifiCorp-managed dispersed camping sites on Yale and Swift Reservoirs, bringing the overnight parking fee up to $7 per vehicle, per night.
- The Annual Peak Season Day Use Parking Pass will be raised from $20 to $30.
“We wanted to let our guests know about these necessary fee increases as soon as possible so they can make their recreation plans with all the information available,” said Jessica Kimmick, recreation manager at PacifiCorp. “We understand that any fee change can be difficult. These adjustments allow us to cover the costs for maintaining these facilities and uphold the quality standards our visitors expect and deserve.”
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Power restored to NE Portland neighborhoods after water main break
Pacific Power crews have restored electric service to customers in NE Portland where the company temporarily cut power due to safety concerns prompted by a broken water main.
By 7 p.m., nearly all of the more than 10,000 affected customers had been restored. About 10 customers had water-related damage to their equipment that prevented service restoration. Customers with damaged equipment will need to consult a private electrician before the company can restore service.
“We want to thank our customers for their patience and our crews for their diligence,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations.
Any customer without damaged equipment, but still without power should call the company’s outage line at 1-877-508-5088.
Safety concerns from water main break prompts Pacific Power to cut electrical service to parts of NE Portland
Working with city safety officials, Pacific Power has turned off electricity to parts of NE Portland centered around NE 24th Avenue and Skidmore Street. The length of the outage is unknown at this time as the service interruption is being coordinated with the city water and safety teams as they attempt to control the flood.
As of 4 p.m., about 10,000 customers are without power. Crews and equipment are being mobilized, but actual restoration will need to come after the flooding has been controlled. Due to the situation, power restoration will be very labor intensive and may take more time than a normal power outage.
More information will be coming to residents via direct phone calls in affected areas. Pacific Power’s outage map and its twitter account will post frequent updates. At this time the outage runs from NE 18th Avenue east to NE 47th Avenue and from NE Thompson north to Columbia Boulevard.
“We want to thank customers for their patience in this unusual situation as we work with the city,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “Safety has to come first. Flooding basements, many of which contain circuit breakers, is a major risk. We urge everyone to be cautious and we will return service as soon as we safely can.”
Media Contact: March 12, 2019
Pacific Power media line FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
800-570-5838
Pacific Power offers new Equal Payment Plan Opt-out option
Customers choosing to opt-out of the statewide meter upgrade can now select a new plan to reduce monthly fees
PORTLAND, Ore. — As part of a statewide metering upgrade designed to improve service to customers through shorter outages and hour-by-hour energy usage information, Pacific Power is providing an additional offering for customers who wish to opt out. As part of a final filing to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Oregon on Monday, March 11, Pacific Power will now offer a commission-approved Equal Payment Plan Opt-out option to help reduce monthly fees starting March 13.
“We’ve heard from customers that the fee to opt out of a smart meter is burdensome, and we have continued to look for new options,” said Pacific Power Vice President of Regulation, Etta Lockey. “This has been a collaborative process with the PUC and the Citizens’ Utility Board, and we are pleased to offer this new option to customers.”
Smart meters wirelessly deliver hour-by-hour energy usage information to customers via their online account, eliminating the need to wait for a manual meter read and a monthly bill. While only around one percent of customers are opting out of the meter upgrade, choosing to do so adds a cost to continue manual meter reads.
The Equal Payment Option reduces opt-out fees for customers from the current $36 a month to $9 a month, by reducing the number of manual reads to three times per year ($36 per reading, spread across 12 months). It also allows customers to pay a level or equal monthly amount based on a historical average of their previous bills.
The standard opt-out plan will continue to be available as well and provides monthly manual $36 meter reads and bills based on monthly usage.
Customers must select the new option by calling 1-866-869-8520. All residential customers with non-standard meters are eligible to participate. Residential customers with net meters,
time of use meters or demand registers would not qualify because it is necessary for the company to obtain routine meter reads to bill customers under those circumstances accurately.
Pacific Power’s upgrade of 590,000 meters began in January 2018 and continues through 2019. Installs are already complete for more than two-thirds of Pacific Power customers in Oregon. An opt-out option was made available during the upgrade to customers who choose to opt-out. In August, Pacific Power removed a $137 fee covering a future replacement of a non-communicative meter with a smart meter to help address the upfront financial impact of the program. This new Equal Payment Plan Opt-out option is part of Pacific Power’s continued review of opt-out fees, to ensure costs are fair for all customers.
Additional information on smart meters, including installation updates, are available at www.pacificpower.net/smartmeter. Customers can also call 866-869-8520 for help with any questions.
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About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 740,000 customers in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company works to meet growing energy demand while protecting and enhancing the environment. 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 Information about Pacific Power is available on the company’s website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages, which can be accessed via pacificpower.net.
Contact: Pacific Power media hotline: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1-800-570-5838 March 7, 2019
Pacific Power completes restoration to all Roseburg customers after extensive winter storm
ROSEBURG, ORE. – March 7, 2019 – Service was restored Tuesday evening to the remaining Pacific Power customers impacted by winter storms the previous week. Crews accessed and repaired the last few damaged power lines in remote areas outside of Roseburg after what is being called a historic winter event.
Beginning on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 24, a series of winter storms dumped record amounts of snow along the I-5 corridor from Eugene to Grants Pass. The heavy snow toppled trees and damaged power lines and equipment, which left over 42,000 Pacific Power customers without electricity.
Felled trees and deep snow shutdown sections of the interstate and made many roads impassable, impeding crew’s ability to assess the extensive damage. The hardest hit communities served by Pacific Power include Lebanon, Junction City, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Grants Pass and Medford.
“This is the type of monumental task that our personnel are trained and ready for,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “Pacific Power resources and crews were called in from Astoria, Portland, Hood River, Pendleton, Bend, Albany, Lincoln City, Coos Bay, Grants Pass, Medford, Walla Walla, WA and Yreka, CA to support the Roseburg restoration effort. After clearing downed trees and plowing some roads, crews were able to get in and assess the damage, assign crews, make repairs and restore power to thousands of customers across a wide range of our service area. It took time because some of the affected lines are located deep in forested and rugged terrain. We’re thankful that our customers understood the work we had ahead of us and for all of their support during our restoration effort.”
At the peak of restoration work, approximately 350 Pacific Power crew members and contractors worked around the clock to restore power in and around Roseburg.
All told, crews replaced approximately 125 transformers, 38 miles of lines, 260 cross-arms, 155 poles.
“As we finish clean-up work and release crews, we’ve been in close contact with Douglas Electric letting them know that additional crews and resources are available to assist with their restoration work,” said Sam Carter, regional business manager. “We’re one big community in Douglas County and this event has proven that working together gets us the best results. The entire Pacific Power team are so appreciative of the understanding, patience and support everyone has shown us through all of this.”
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Contact: Pacific Power media hotline: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1-800-570-5838 March 4, 2019
Pacific Power continues work to restore last remaining customers after a week of outages
Pacific Power crews were able to restore power to 99% of affected customers after severe winter weather last Sunday caused widespread damage to lines
ROSEBURG, ORE. – March 4, 2019 – Over 250 Pacific Power crew members and contractors worked through the weekend to restore power to nearly 3,400 customers, bringing the number of customers remaining without service to around 350 as of Monday morning. Crews will continue to work through Monday to substantially restore power to the remaining areas impacted by last week’s storm.
A week ago, approximately 42,000 Pacific Power customers from Corvallis to Roseburg were left without power after winter weather dumped heavy snow on the region, which made many roads impassable and brought down trees damaging lines. Additional resources and crews were called in from outside the area to help with damage assessment and make repairs.
“This has been a long process for our customers and crews,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “We prepare for conditions like what we’ve encountered over the past week and Pacific Power and contract crews have made a lot of progress with returning service to the majority of 42,000 customers affected by last week’s snow storms. We thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we work to restore power to those remaining customers without power.”
Higher temperatures on Sunday melted snow and created muddy terrain for crews to work through. Pockets of heavily damaged areas remain in Myrtle Creek, outlying areas of Glide and a stretch along Hwy. 138. Crews continue to remove downed trees and hike-in to access impacted lines and make repairs that will restore power to the remaining customers.
“I want to say thank you to Douglas County Emergency Management for their partnership through this event,” said Sam Carter, regional business manager. “We coordinated daily throughout the past week about warming shelter information, critical service needs and outage information. They were an invaluable resource through all of this helping to make sure we were aware of important needs and to help us communicate our progress toward restoring power.”
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Media Contact: 800-570-5838
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Steady progress as Pacific Power restores power to over 3,500 Roseburg customers
More crews join in the damage assessment and restoration efforts to repower the remaining 3,800 customers.
ROSEBURG, OREGON – March 1, 2019 – Pacific Power crews continue to make steady progress through rough terrain to assess damage and make repairs. Electricity to approximately 3,500 customers was restored overnight and throughout Friday, bringing the number of customers still without power down to less than 3,800 as of 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Beginning Sunday afternoon, Feb. 24, several winter storms brought heavy snow to the Southern Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon areas causing widespread damage and power disruption. Pacific Power crews have been working 24-hours a day since to survey damaged equipment, remove downed trees from lines, clear roads and make repairs.
“We’re at a point now where we’ve made large repairs that restored electricity for big groups of customers in the Roseburg area,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “Now we’re working on the numerous smaller outages that in some instances can take longer to restore. Especially in the harder to reach areas that are more labor intensive to access and repair; this means we will be bringing customers back on in smaller pockets.”
Close to 250 crew members and contractors are working around the clock throughout Douglas County making repairs to nearly 470 separate outage locations. Crews continue to hike-in and use snow cats to access damage in the more remote areas. Some customers might remain without power into early next week. Although Pacific Power estimates the majority will be restored by late Sunday evening.
“Pacific Power customers have been immensely patient during what some local observers are calling the worst weather event in 30 years,” said Sam Carter, regional business manager. “We’re working closely with Douglas County Emergency Services and other organizations in the community to coordinate services in the areas without power. Thank you for the continued support as our crews continue to work hard getting power back on for the remaining customers.”
As the restoration continues and residents find alternate ways to heat their homes and cook food, Pacific Power reminds customers that carbon monoxide (CO) is a dangerous, odorless, poisonous gas.
Heating and cooking devices that burn fuel can be sources of CO. Follow these tips to help keep your house fire and carbon monoxide safe:
- Only use a charcoal grill, hibachi, or portable camping stove outdoors and never use them to heat your home.
- Before lighting a fire, ensure chimneys and flues are in good condition and not blocked.
- Only operate a generator and any gas-powered equipment outdoors.
- Make sure to turn off stoves to prevent a fire when the power comes back.
CO can cause severe illness and death. If you experience symptoms of headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and mental confusion; get outside and call 911.
For more safety tips, please visit pacificpower.net/outage.
Warming shelters in Douglas County are located at:
American Red Cross – Shelter
Winston Foursquare Church
540 SE Main St, Winston, Ore.
541-391-0116
Lookinglass Grange – Shelter
7426 Lookinglass Road, Lookinglass, Ore.
No cots or phones
541-420-5075
Family Fellowship - Warming center
330 NW 2nd Street, Myrtle Creek, OR
Hot meals, phone charging
541-643-4082
Customers and media representatives can track outages of any size online. Updates will be made as new information becomes available or at least hourly at pacificpower.net/outage.
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Media Contact: 800-570-5838
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
More Pacific Power crews move to hard-hit Roseburg as progress is made restoring customers in other counties
Crews will continue to move south as work is completed in Lane County to help with restoration efforts in the Roseburg area where approximately 8,000 remain without power
ROSEBURG, OREGON – Feb. 28, 2019 –Pacific Power crews continue to make steady progress in restoring power to customers in Lane, Josephine and Douglas Counties. Crews have worked around the clock to assess damage and make repairs since Sunday when the initial storm caused substantial damage and rendered critical roads impassable.
Pacific Power crews made substantial progress in restoring power to about 1,200 customers in Grants Pass, Lebanon and Cottage Grove since yesterday evening. In that same timeframe, approximately 3,000 customers were restored in the Roseburg area.
“The crews that are coming off of the work in Albany and adjacent districts will now head down to Roseburg to assist with the ongoing assessment and restoration work there,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “A lot of the work still left to do around Roseburg is in difficult terrain. Some of the damage is in remote areas where our crews are hiking in to make the assessments necessary to restore power safely.”
Starting Friday morning, 31 crews will be in the Roseburg areas to help remove trees, repair lines and other damaged equipment. The goal is to get most Roseburg area residents back in power by Sunday.
“Thank you to the businesses, to community organizations and to all the neighbors who have helped – and continue to help each other as we get through this,” said Lucas. “And thank you for the messages of support we’ve been receiving about the crews working on the lines.”
As the restoration continues, Pacific Power asks that residents concentrate on their own safety and comfort.
- Stay away from any downed power lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 immediately and then call us toll free at 1-877-508-5088 to report. Keep everyone, including pets, out of the area.
- Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. They create dangerous fumes. Also, don't use charcoal in your house or garage. If you use a fireplace or wood stove to keep warm, pay careful attention to fire hazards.
- Stay warm by wearing multiple layers of clothing. Add a hat and blanket for extra comfort. Put blankets or towels around windows and doors to help keep the heat in.
- Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Also, leave faucets dripping so water won't freeze and crack the pipes.
- As much as possible, don’t open refrigerators and freezers -they will keep food and perishables inside cold for some time when kept closed.
- Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
- If you use a portable electric generator, please do so with caution. Remember to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Generators should be outside or in a well ventilated unoccupied space. Never plug your generator into an outlet and don't connect a generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel. This can create a dangerous back feed hazard for line crews.
For more tips, please visit pacificpower.net/outage.
Warming shelters in Douglas County are located at:
Dream Center Warming Shelter
813 SE Lane Avenue, Roseburg
Roseburg Rescue Mission
752 SE Pine Street, Roseburg,
Sutherlin Community Center
150 Willamette Street, Sutherlin, OR
Winston Foursquare Church,
540 SE Main St, Winston
Yoncalla Elementary Gym,
400 First Street, Yoncalla
Drain Civic Center,
Civic Center
"A" Avenue, Drain
Customers and media representatives can also track outages of any size online. Updates will be made as new information becomes available or at least hourly at pacificpower.net/outage.
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Media Contact: 800-570-5838
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Solar projects across Pacific Northwest set to receive $1.2 million in funding from Pacific Power Blue Sky participants
PORTLAND, Ore. — Feb. 28, 2019 — Thirteen solar projects in towns across Oregon, Washington and California will receive funding from Pacific Power customers who participate in the Blue Sky Block renewable energy program.
Blue Sky grants will fund up to $1.2 million for renewable energy projects in 2019, bringing more than 1,055 kilowatts of new solar-powered energy online. Since 2006, Pacific Power Blue Sky Block option program participants have helped fund the installation of 113 community-based projects.
“We are proud to facilitate this partnership between the funding recipients and our Blue Sky Block participants,” said Berit Kling, Pacific Power program manager. “These solar projects raise the profile of renewable technologies in these communities and will have lasting benefits through reducing their carbon footprint.”
Blue Sky is a voluntary program that empowers Pacific Power customers to match all or part of their energy use with renewable energy -- reducing their carbon footprints and driving demand for new renewable energy in the West. Through the Blue Sky Block option, participants also support qualifying, renewable energy projects for community-serving organizations such as schools, community centers and arts organizations. Previous projects funded include wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, low-impact hydro and wave technologies.
Blue Sky funding awards cover up to 100 percent of the capital costs to install qualifying, new renewable energy systems for non-residential sites in Pacific Power’s service area. Renewable energy projects that demonstrate strong environmental, economic and educational benefits to the community are selected annually through a competitive evaluation process. Projects receiving funding this year range from a large 265 kilowatt rooftop solar array at Phoenix High School in Phoenix, Ore. to a 40.2 kilowatt roof and ground-mounted solar installation at the Dorris Lions Club in Dorris, Cali. to a 97.81 kilowatt solar project for the Yakima Housing Authority in Yakima, Wash.
“The Blue Sky program offers Pacific Power customers a simple and powerful way to live their values, reduce their carbon footprint and support renewable energy,” said Kling. “Unlike most green power programs, Blue Sky goes beyond the purchase of renewable energy credits to help fund additional smaller energy projects for organizations in our communities. Through projects such as these, Blue Sky Block participants are powering a better future for local communities.”
2019 Blue Sky funded projects include:
Portland Metro / Columbia Gorge
Do Good Multnomah – Portland, Ore.
Solar, 45.79 kilowatts
St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County – Portland, Ore.
Solar, 10.5 kilowatts
Providence Brookside Manor – Hood River, Ore.
Solar, 53.90 kilowatts
Central Oregon
City of Bend – Bend, Ore.
Solar, 129.60 kilowatts
Willamette Valley
Albany Boys and Girls Club – Albany, Ore.
Solar, 171 kilowatts
Oregon North Coast
Astoria Co-op Grocery – Astoria, Ore.
Solar, 57.4 kilowatts
Southern Oregon
Glide Rural Fire Protection District – Glide, Ore.
Solar, 60.55 kilowatts
Love Abounds Foundation – Grants Pass, Ore.
Solar, 81.26 kilowatts
Pacifica: A Garden in the Siskiyous – Williams, Ore.
Solar, 25 kilowatts
Phoenix High School – Phoenix, Ore.
Solar, 265 kilowatts
The FISH of Roseburg – Roseburg, Ore.
Solar, 17.5 kilowatts
Washington
Yakima Housing Authority – Yakima, Wash.
Solar, 97.81 kilowatts
California
Dorris Lions Club – Dorris, Calif.
Solar, 40.2 kilowatts
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About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 740,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company works to meet growing energy demand while protecting and enhancing the environment. 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. Information about Pacific Power is available on the company’s website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages, which can be accessed via pacificpower.net.
Power restoration on track in Mount Shasta area
Mount Shasta, Calif.—Pacific Power crews continue to work in harsh conditions to restore power to about 200 Mount Shasta area customers who have been without electrical service for three days. At one time, more than 600 customers were out.
Additional crews have come to the area from parts of Oregon to assist local Pacific Power crews.
“It has been a challenging few days here in Siskiyou County,” said Monte Mendenhall, regional business manager for Pacific Power. “But with the additional crews and some moderating weather, we hope to have everyone fully restored by Thursday evening.
As the restoration continues, Pacific Power asks that residents concentrate on their own safety and comfort.
- Stay away from any downed power lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 immediately and then call us toll free at 1-877-508-5088 to report. Keep everyone, including pets, out of the area.
- Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. They create dangerous fumes. Also, don't use charcoal in your house or garage. If you use a fireplace or wood stove to keep warm, pay careful attention to fire hazards.
- Stay warm by wearing multiple layers of clothing. Add a hat and blanket for extra comfort. Put blankets or towels around windows and doors to help keep the heat in.
- Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Also, leave faucets dripping so water won't freeze and crack the pipes.
- As much as possible, don’t open refrigerators and freezers -they will keep food and perishables inside cold for some time when kept closed.
- Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
- If you use a portable electric generator, please do so with caution. Remember to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Generators should be outside or in a well ventilated unoccupied space. Never plug your generator into an outlet and don't connect a generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel. This can create a dangerous back feed hazard for line crews.
For more tips, please visit pacificpower.net/outage.
Contact: Pacific Power media hotline FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1-800-570-5838 Feb. 27, 2019
Pacific Power crews continue to make progress in restoring customers in Lane, Douglas counties
More than 200 crew members are at work in the area where 14,000 customers remain without power
ROSEBURG, OREGON –Working throughout the day, but hampered by snow-clogged roads and a massive amount of damage, Pacific Power crews restored electrical service to nearly 6,000 more customers in the Willamette Valley and Roseburg areas.
“We are getting close to restoring the last of the customers in the Willamette Valley communities such as Cottage Grove and Lebanon where fewer than 650 customers remain without power,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “Overnight, we will be moving additional crews and resources to Douglas County to concentrate on this area of widespread damage.”
By midday Feb. 28, more than 200 crew members will be at work in Douglas County, removing trees and repairing lines and other damaged equipment. Even with this concentration of effort, snow on the ground and weather conditions make for slow-going. While significant progress is expected both Thursday and Friday, some customers in remote areas or sections with especially heavy damage may not get their power back on until Sunday morning.
“The patience and support our crews have seen in the community have been great,” said Sam Carter, regional business manager for Douglas County. “It has been a lot to endure, but as I talk with people from around the county, it looks like neighbors are helping each other get through it.”
As the restoration continues, Pacific Power asks that residents concentrate on their own safety and comfort.
- Stay away from any downed power lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 immediately and then call us toll free at 1-877-508-5088 to report. Keep everyone, including pets, out of the area.
- Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. They create dangerous fumes. Also, don't use charcoal in your house or garage. If you use a fireplace or wood stove to keep warm, pay careful attention to fire hazards.
- Stay warm by wearing multiple layers of clothing. Add a hat and blanket for extra comfort. Put blankets or towels around windows and doors to help keep the heat in.
- Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Also, leave faucets dripping so water won't freeze and crack the pipes.
- As much as possible, don’t open refrigerators and freezers -they will keep food and perishables inside cold for some time when kept closed.
- Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
- If you use a portable electric generator, please do so with caution. Remember to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Generators should be outside or in a well ventilated unoccupied space. Never plug your generator into an outlet and don't connect a generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel. This can create a dangerous back feed hazard for line crews.
For more tips, please visit pacificpower.net/outage.
Warming shelters in Douglas County are located at:
- Dream Center Warming Shelter
813 SE Lane Avenue, Roseburg
- Roseburg Rescue Mission
752 SE Pine Street, Roseburg,
- Sutherlin Community Center
150 Willamette Street, Sutherlin, OR
- Winston Foursquare Church ,
540 SE Main St, Winston - Yoncalla Elementary Gym,
400 First Street, Yoncalla - Drain Civic Center,
Civic Center
- "A" Avenue, Drain
Customers and media representatives can also track outages of any size online. Updates will be made as new information becomes available or at least hourly at pacificpower.net/outage.
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Pacific Power continuing restoration work on Montavilla area outage
Portland, Ore—Pacific Power crews are continuing to restore power to about 4,000 customers in the Montavilla and Mall 205 areas of SE Portland after a transformer issue at a substation caused an outage at 4:11 a.m.
Crews are working to re-route power and currently estimate that the work will be completed by 6 p.m. and customers will be restored at that time.
An investigation into the cause of the outage is underway, but the priority is to get power back on to customers.
Pacific Power thanks customers for their patience during this outage as cold, windy conditions persist in the area.
Contact: Pacific Power media hotline FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1-800-570-5838 Feb. 26, 2019
Pacific Power crews restored 14,500 customers from widespread snow-caused outages in Roseburg, southern Willamette Valley
150 crew members are at work in Douglas County focused on repairing lines in hard-hit county where more than 20,000 customers remain without power
ROSEBURG, OREGON –Working throughout the day, Pacific Power crews restored electrical service to nearly 14,500 customers in the Willamette Valley and Roseburg. On the afternoon of Feb. 25, more than 42,000 Pacific Power customers were without service due to a quick-hitting snowstorm that dropped more than a foot of heavy wet snow on the region.
“Our crews are making steady progress restoring customers despite being hindered by recent road closures and tough weather conditions,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “That said, we still have a lot of our customers, especially in Douglas County, who will be spending another night without power. We appreciate the patience we have seen from customers who understand that our crews are facing some very challenging obstacles due to downed trees as they work to repair a tremendous amount of damage.”
At this time, 150 crew members are at work in Douglas County, where approximately 20,000 customers remain without power. In the Willamette Valley communities of Cottage Grove, Lebanon and Junction City another 150 crew members are restoring the approximately 3,500 customers currently without power there.
In Douglas County, the crews continue to repair transmission lines and substations first so that when local lines are repaired, restoration to large numbers of customers will then be possible. Pacific Power is still working toward providing solid restoration estimates for customers.
As the restoration continues, Pacific Power asks that residents concentrate on their own safety and comfort.
- Stay away from any downed power lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 immediately and then call us toll free at 1-877-508-5088 to report. Keep everyone, including pets, out of the area.
- Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. They create dangerous fumes. Also, don't use charcoal in your house or garage. If you use a fireplace or wood stove to keep warm, pay careful attention to fire hazards.
- Stay warm by wearing multiple layers of clothing. Add a hat and blanket for extra comfort. Put blankets or towels around windows and doors to help keep the heat in.
- Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Also, leave faucets dripping so water won't freeze and crack the pipes.
- As much as possible, don’t open refrigerators and freezers -they will keep food and perishables inside cold for some time when kept closed.
- Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
- If you use a portable electric generator, please do so with caution. Remember to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Generators should be outside or in a well ventilated unoccupied space. Never plug your generator into an outlet and don't connect a generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel. This can create a dangerous back feed hazard for line crews.
For more tips, please visit pacificpower.net/outage.
Warming shelters in Douglas County are located at:
- Dream Center Warming Shelter
813 SE Lane Avenue, Roseburg
- Roseburg Rescue Mission
752 SE Pine Street, Roseburg,
- Sutherlin Community Center
150 Willamette Street, Sutherlin, OR
- Winston Foursquare Church ,
540 SE Main St, Winston - Yoncalla Elementary Gym,
400 First Street, Yoncalla - Drain Civic Center,
400 W. Ave, Drain
Customers and media representatives can also track outages of any size online. Updates will be made as new information becomes available or at least hourly at pacificpower.net/outage.
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Contact: Pacific Power media hotline: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1-800-570-5838 Feb. 25, 2019
Heavy snow causes widespread outages in Roseburg, southern Willamette Valley
Pacific Power crews are working to restore power to approximately 42,000 customers and have called in additional support from outside of the area
ROSEBURG, ORE. – Approximately 42,000 Pacific Power customers from Corvallis to Roseburg are without power due to winter weather conditions. Additional resources and crews have been called in from outside the area to help with restoration. Given the extensive storm-related damage to power lines, the number of repairs that are necessary, and the fact that storm conditions persist, Pacific Power is working to provide estimated times for restoration, but customers currently without power should plan to remain so until at least Tuesday morning.
Communities experiencing significant outages as of 3:30 p.m.:
- Cottage Grove: 4,994 customers
- Lebanon: 3,706 customers
- Junction City: 1,037 customers
- Roseburg: 31,154 customers
Crews have been working non-stop since the storm began early Sunday afternoon, assessing damage and making repairs. However heavy snow continued into Monday causing falling trees, road closures and damage to power lines. Crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power.
In the Roseburg area, there are two warming shelters now open. Pacific Power is working with the Red Cross to potentially open more shelters in Douglas County this evening and will share that information as it becomes available.
Currently, these shelters are open in Roseburg:
Dream Center Warming Shelter
813 SE Lane Avenue, Roseburg 97470
Open at 6pm
Roseburg Rescue Mission
752 SE Pine Street
Roseburg, OR 97470
Pacific Power encourages customers to report outages by calling 1-877-508-5088 or text OUT to 722797. Text STAT to 722797 to check the status of your outage. Customers and media representatives can also track outages of any size online. Updates will be made as new information becomes available or at least hourly at pacificpower.net/outage.
To ease the inconvenience of power outages and assist crews in restoring power, Pacific Power suggests the following tips and safety precautions:
- Stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 and report the outage to Pacific Power at 1-877-508-5088.
- Don’t drive over downed power lines.
- Turn on your porch light. After crews complete repairs, they patrol the area of the power failure to see if any lights are still out
- Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Also, check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
- If you have power at this time, keep mobile devices charged so that may be used in an emergency. Before anything happens, download the Pacific Power app to your smart device so you can have information readily available.
Pacific Power also thanks customers in advance for their patience as we work to restore power. Crews make every effort to keep outage durations to a minimum and to restore power safely and quickly.
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Media Contact: February 21, 2019
Lisa Scholin, 503-320-9379 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pacific Power to host smart meter workshops for Clatsop County customers
Two events will provide helpful information about Pacific Power’s metering upgrade for area customers
ASTORIA, Ore. — As part of the rollout of smart meters in Clatsop County, Pacific Power is hosting two customer workshops to share information about the upgrade. Smart meter installations are taking place in the region now through May and are part of a statewide rollout of 590,000 new meters which began in January 2018 and continues through 2019.
“Pacific Power has a 100-year history of serving local communities by powering our customers’ lives both at home and at work. We are upholding that commitment by upgrading our metering technology to smart meters, and by supporting our communities through this technology upgrade,” said Alisa Dunlap Pacific Power’s regional business manager for Clatsop County. “This upgrade will provide customers with greater insights into their energy usage while helping us deliver faster more responsive service, and we will provide additional information about these benefits at our upcoming community events.”
The workshops will begin with a presentation by Pacific Power, followed by an opportunity for customers to talk one-on-one with Pacific Power staff, gather information, and see demonstrations. Information on energy efficiency and renewable energy options will also be available. The events are free to attend and will be held during the following dates and times. Appetizers and drinks will be provided.
Seaside Workshop – Tuesday, March 5 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location: Seaside Brewing Co., 851 Broadway St., in Seaside.
Astoria Workshop – Wednesday, March 6 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location: Fort George Brewery, Lovell Showroom, 1483 Duane St., in Astoria.
Customers seeking additional information on the workshops and smart meters are encouraged to call 866-869-8520 for help with any questions. Additional smart meter information is available at www.pacificpower.net/smartmeter.
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About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 740,000 customers in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company works to meet growing energy demand while protecting and enhancing the environment. 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 Information about Pacific Power is available on the company’s website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages, which can be accessed via www.pacificpower.net.
Pacific Power Media Statement Regarding Josephine County’s Ordinance
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — February 21, 2019 — Last week, the Josephine County Commission enacted rules to limit utility fees related to metering upgrades. Pacific Power seeks to provide clarity to our customers about the impact of these new rules.
Josephine County’s recent adoption of an ordinance related to smart meters and the newly-enacted rules are the subject of ongoing litigation initiated by the Public Utility Commission of Oregon. This means there is still uncertainty on whether Josephine County’s existing ordinance and new rules can be legally enforced by Josephine County.
Until a resolution has been reached, we are under legal obligation to charge the approved opt-out tariffs determined by the Public Utility Commission to all customers throughout our Oregon service territory on a non-discriminatory basis. This ensures all Oregon customers are subject to the same rates.
We urge customers in Josephine County who have opted out of the upgrade to continue to pay applicable fees, in order to stay current on their account and avoid disconnection for non-payment and additional fees to reconnect.
We also encourage any customers who might need assistance to pay their bill to contact us, so we can discuss options with them and guide them to programs that can help.
Customers can contact Pacific Power by calling 866-869-8520 with any questions. Additional information is available at www.pacificpower.net/smartmeter.
Media Contact: Pacific Power Media Hotline, 1-800-570-5838