Issue #230, March 2024

Hydroelectricity Powers the Region Reliably

As extreme weather events continue to stress the electric grid, we are fortunate to be able to rely on the Columbia River to continue generating enough electricity for our region.

The 31 dams that make up the Federal Columbia River Power System operate reliably during extreme and dangerous weather events to ensure the lights and heat stay on.

About 85% of the power you use is generated by hydroelectric dams. Another 10% is from the Columbia Generating Station nuclear plant, meaning the electricity you use in your home is about 95% carbon-free.

Columbia County is the Ideal Place for EVs

With our clean, affordable electricity, Columbia County is an ideal location to own an electric vehicle (EV).

If you have a round-trip commute of 50 miles per day, you're likely spending around $120 per month on gas. With our current electric rates, that same commute would cost you about $20 per month driving an EV – an annual savings of around $1,200.

Learn more about the cost of driving an EV on our website.

Budget Pay Amounts Updated this Month

If you are currently enrolled in our Budget Pay program, you may see a change in your bill this month.

Every year we review your usage for the previous 12 months. We use this data to set your monthly Budget Pay amount for the next 12 months.

Accounts are reviewed in February, and changes for the coming year are applied in March.

Please note, Budget Pay customers who receive LIHEAP assistance will be taken off of Budget Pay. Once their credit balance reaches $0, affected customers will be able to re-enroll in Budget Pay at any time of year. To rejoin Budget Pay, please call us at (503) 397-0590.

Learn About Our Payment Assistance Programs

We offer several different options to assist our customers:

• Our GLOW Fund provides emergency bill payment assistance.
• The Special Waiver provides an $18 discount on the monthly Base Charge.
• The Income-Qualified Senior Discount provides an $18 discount on the Base Charge and a 10% discount on the Energy Charges.
• The Salute to Service Deposit Waiver waives the deposit for US military veterans and active duty personnel.

We Continue to Replace Electric Meters

We are in the third year of a five-year project to systematically replace all of the electric meters in our service territory.

If we haven't done so already in the last two years, we will be replacing your electric meter at some time in the future. When we replace it, we will need to briefly shut off your power. We will attempt to notify you prior to replacing your meter.

Here is some additional information about this project.

Please Stay Safe and Call Before You Dig

Please remember to call 8-1-1 before beginning any digging projects.

This is a free service that provides locates to help keep you safe from digging into underground utilities. Please call to request locates at least three business days before beginning your excavation work.

Donate Blood at CRPUD on March 27

You can help save a life by donating blood.

We are hosting an American Red Cross blood drive on Wednesday, March 27, from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in our Community Room.

You can sign up to donate online.

Each unit of blood collected can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of many more.