Pase 6
Portland Observer
Thursday. August 30, 1973
Please don’t waste electricity
In an effort to postpone
or prevent critical power curtailments
or blackouts this winter
WE ASK
YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP
IN CONSERVING ELECTRICITY
A very serious power crisis threatens the
Pacific Northwest.
Not since 1952 has this area faced a power shortage like
this. The causes are several: an extremely low water condition
(one of the lowest in 94 years), a light snowpack, federal
budget cuts, delays in getting new thermal generation on the
line when planned, and an increasing demand for electrical
energy by customers throughout the region.
The result is that the region’s power systems cannot assure
full service to customers if present conditions continue,
or worsen. Unless there is a drastic improvement in the critical
water situation in the next three months, the region will be
13 billion kilowatt-hours short of electricity, which is
approximately the output of three Bonneville dams.
PROCLAMATION
The shortage of electricity in the Pacific Northwest has
reached the critical stage. To avert widespread shortages and
blackouts which can occur this winter, we urgently request
that utility customers throughout the region make a real
and concentrated effort to save all of the electricity they can
at this time. Such a program is an absolutely essential
move to make at this time, in an effort to avert mandatory
curtailment this winter."
Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee
representing 1W utilities in the Pacific Northwest region
HOW LONG WILL THE SHORTAGE LAST?
ALL e le c tric s y stem s in th e region a re a ffe c te d .
A ll consum ers —e v e ry w h e re —a re being asked
to help save energy.
It is estimated that the shortage of electricity in the
Pacific Northwest may last at least 20 months. However your
intense effort right now will lessen the impact of a more
stringent shortage this winter.
The power crunch worries everybody. Power systems
throughout the Pacific Northwest have joined together in a
concentrated effort to urge customers to cut down now
on the use of electricity in an effort to prevent a far
more serious system shortage later on. The problem isn’t just
here —it is everywhere.
Sooner or later, unless new generating plants,
transmission lines and other needed electrical facilities
can be built as needed without imprudent delay for
whatever reason, a scarcity of electricity and enforced
rationing will become a permanent fact of life in
this region.
Your voluntary help NOW might avert
enforced curtailment later.
Economic growth and progress will come to a halt; the
way you earn your living will be seriously affected.
Getting new power sources on the line promptly is the
only way an adequate supply of electricity to meet increasing
demands can be assured. All electric systems in the
Pacific Northwest are working hard to get this job done.
The energy you save now is vital. Here's why:
Every kilowatt-hour of electricity you use requires either some
water being released from reservoirs behind a dam or some
thermal fuel being burned to generate that power. If we can
save the water, save the fuel, until the big winter demand
occurs, we will be in much better shape to meet the need.
A kilowatt-hour saved now can be mighty important later on.
Nobody wants a forced curtailment or blackout. Jobs suffer.
People are inconvenienced. It is bad for everybody.
4
Portland
General
Electric
Company