Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 30, 1981)
emerald Vol 83, No 3 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Tuesday, June 30, 1981 BPA increases raise local electricity rates By HEIDI SWILLINGER Ot th* Enwratd Eugene residents can expect to pay 24 5 percent more for electricity after Aug 1. says Eugene Water and Electric Board rates manager Garry Kunkel Currently the average customer who uses 1,500 kilowatt hours pays a monthly bill of approximately $30 But if the EWEB board passes the proposed increase at its July 6 meeting the average resident will pay $38 The rate hike — the second since Oc tober of 1980 — is a result of upcoming increases implemented by the Bonneville Power Administration Kunkel says The BPA which supplies 75 percent of EWEB s power will charge EWEB $6 7 million more over the next year begin ning July 1 General Manager Keith Parks says the BPA rate hike will result in a $1 1 billion overall increase which includes • $350 to $500 million in annual costs to serve residential and rural customers • $188 million to cover short-term power purchases under the regional power act • A VO-percent inflation rate $291 million to aid the financially floundering Washington Public Power Supply System nuclear plants • $390 million to pay back federal in vestment costs Parks says the BPA hikes will result in a 66 percent overall increase for EWEB "Ours was the highest," he says adding that the average increase for other public utilities was only 59 percent In an unrelated matter, the EWEB board voted last week to spend $250,000 over the next 18 months on a site permit for a coal-fired plant in Washington EWEB has until the end of 1982 to decide whether or not to buy a 1 5 percent share of the project at a cost of $50 million "Currently, we re exploring the pos sibility," says Ken Rmard, director of operations and engineering In a year’s time, we may decide the cost is too great ” The plant, which would begin opera tion m 1987 at the earliest, could provide about 8 percent of EWEB's electricity, says Rmard Currently. EWEB relies on the BPA for three-fourths of its electricity Hydro electric plants on the McKenzie river generate another 18 percent while the rest is supplied by publicly owned utilities in Washington The BPA has a certain amount of generation which will only go so far," Rmard says They can't supply load growth Some utility other than Bon neville has to build the generation " Rmard estimates EWEB users will pay about 10 percent more every year to meet rising energy demands. "Any new power whether or not it's coal, will cost more money The average user wifi see a doubling of power costs every four or five years ” The coal plant will be built in Creston, Wash by the Washington Water Power Company It's going to be a fair-sized plant,' Rmard says It could have quite an effect on the local community of Creston " Though he says that burning of fossil fuels such as coal contributes to air pollution, Rinard says of the proposed plant. "There's going to be certain mounts of air pollutants (carbon dioxide, sulfur), but they're relatively minor." Fees, fines-foes of fun; hold on to your shorts! By ANN PORTAL 04 th» Emaratd The University has printed a work that never will be a best-seller, but it's a fine pamphlet, nonetheless As a matter of fact, the unbound codex is 57 pages of fines, fees, penalties, service charges and ‘ etc " charged by the University It now stands revised and ready for the 1981-82 school year And the list proves, with 47 department headings. 41 sub-headings and in numerable sub-sub-headings, that the hapless student who has lost a library book, misplaced a physical education towel and overparked the car has only just begun to taste the ticket Not surprisingly, the University has some interesting fines and fees buried among the mundane For example, consider charges for damaged or missing athletic equip ment " Summer athletes probably should know that lost yellow shorts are going to cost $8 — $2 more than green shorts Green and yellow tops are the same price, however Locks are more expensive than jocks by 4 cents, but according to the list, athletic department jocks” are less than half the price of physical education "supporters ” Speaking of locks — don't forget your chemistry locker key It costs 25 cents every time "student fails to bring own key " Find some unusual specimens this summer that you want stored? The Oregon anthropology museum offers an alternative to a shoebox in the closet — $50 (minimum) per storage drawer Living in a residence hall is "a pretty good deal,' says a recent University housing advertisement But remember that "weekend guests’’ cost $3, per night Carrying food out of the dining room can set you back $10 And keep in mind late Friday nights that returning furniture to the lounge costs $10 and cars parked on lawns, sidewalks or any area where such parking causes actual or potential damage to natural or lands caped features” is another $10 If all the fines and fees are driving you crazy, perhaps you can help out a poor psychology student who's paying a $246 special fee for examination and as sessment of brain damaged person” — volunteer your time Photo by Bill Wack Because it’s dirty Steve Parker, aided by Ron Over meyer, struggles for the summit of a Parr Tower chimney in an effort to scrape off some of the grime and soot that has built up over the years The two residents of the University co-op volunteered their time as part of an over-all effort to rennovate and clean several student housing complexes
