Issue #248, September 2025

Prep Your Home for Cold Weather Ahead of Winter

As we get closer to fall, it’s time to consider preparing your home for winter.

Here are some steps you can take now to help increase your home's energy savings when the cold weather arrives.

• Start by checking your insulation, especially in the attic. We recommend at least 12 inches of attic insulation. If you have electric heat, you may be eligible for rebates on insulation.

• Seal air leaks around doors and windows using caulking, weather stripping, or door sweeps.

• Service your heating system annually and replace furnace filters regularly. Dirty, clogged filters make furnaces work harder. This increases your heating costs and shortens the lifespan of your equipment.

Using electric heat? We can help you find more ways to save. Request a free home energy evaluation at crpud.net/request.

Celebrate Public Power Week with Us

Public Power Week is October 5-11, and we want to celebrate with you!

Please join us for our annual Customer Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday, October 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the Columbia County Fairgrounds Pavilion.

Tickets are free for Columbia River PUD customers and are limited to 500. You can pick up your ticket at our office in Deer Island.

We will draw the winning ticket for our GLOW Quilt Raffle drawing at the dinner. You don’t need to be present to win. The quilt was donated by the Columbia River Piecemakers Quilt Guild, with all funds benefiting our GLOW Fund for income-qualified customers facing emergency disconnect.

Public Power Week is an annual celebration of safe, reliable, and affordable electric service provided by not-for profit electric utilities like us throughout the country. Since 1984, we have saved Columbia County residents $194 million on their electric rates compared with the previous investor-owned utility.

Please Contact Us Before Buying an Electric Vehicle

If you are considering purchasing an electric vehicle (EV), please contact us before you do – especially if you plan to install a charger at your home.

The typical home in our service territory has a peak load of about 7 kW. Level 2 EV chargers can draw anywhere from 4 to 20 kW. That added load can adversely affect the quality of power you receive from us.

Hearing from you before adding load to your home helps us ensure our system is properly sized before you try charging your EV.

If you have questions or would like more information, call us at (503) 397-0760 or email engineering@crpud.org.

GenerLinks Keep You Connected During Outages

A GenerLink transfer switch can make it easier and safer to use an emergency backup generator during a power outage.

A GenerLink is a collar that is inserted between your electric meter and socket. A PUD service technician installs the device. Once installed, you can simply plug your generator into the GenerLink to power your home's electrical system.

The GenerLink automatically disconnects your home from the power grid when the generator is running. This lets you run appliances and electronic devices without needing to run extension cords from your generator. It also prevents the electricity generated by your generator from back feeding into our power lines, which could seriously injure or kill our linemen.

The cost for a GenerLink is currently $11 per month added to your regular monthly PUD bill. We install GenerLinks for CRPUD customers with no additional installation fee. If you would like to learn more, visit crpud.net/generlink.

Learn About Our Payment Assistance Programs

We have several programs in place to assist customers with their electric bills.

Our GLOW Fund provides emergency bill payment assistance to income-qualified customers. GLOW is funded through generous customer contributions, employee fundraisers, and surplus scrap metal proceeds. Visit crpud.net/glow to learn more about this vital program and the variety of ways you can contribute.

The Special Waiver program provides a $20 discount on the monthly Base Charge for income-qualified customers.

The Income-Qualified Senior Discount provides a $20 discount on the monthly Base Charge as well as a 10% discount on the Energy Charges for income-qualified seniors.

Our Salute to Service Deposit Waiver is for U.S. military veterans and active-duty personnel. The security deposit is waived on new residential accounts for these individuals.

Find details about all of these programs at crpud.net/assistance or call us at (503) 397-1844 to see if you qualify.

September is National Preparedness Month

Now is the perfect time to assemble an emergency kit and create a plan for you and your family in the event of a natural disaster or extended power outage.

Standard items to put in your emergency kit include:

• One gallon of water per person per day (for at least 3 days)
• A 3-day supply of non-perishable food per person (2 weeks if possible)
• Flashlight, radio, and fresh batteries
• Battery-operated clock
• Lantern or candles and matches
• Camp stove for outdoor cooking
• First aid kit & supply of prescription medication
• Blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothes
• Books, games, or playing cards to help pass the time

In addition to assembling an emergency kit, it’s important to have an emergency plan. Create one by discussing these questions with your family:

• What is our shelter plan?
• What is our evacuation route?
• Where do we meet if our home is not safe or accessible?
• How will we communicate if we are separated?

Find additional suggestions at crpud.net/kit.