REGION
Thursday, November 24, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
Thanksgiving electricity surge keeps BPA busy
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
Thanksgiving & Black Friday business hours
Thanksgiving morning is a time
to crank up the oven and get cooking
on that turkey, pumpkin pie and all
the trimmings for a delicious holiday
feast.
And while the big meal may
result in a few bulging waistlines, it
almost certainly will cause a huge
bulge in electricity demand.
Bonneville Power Administration
is bracing for the surge, driven by
millions of people across the North-
west who will be busy in the kitchen
Thursday boiling potatoes, baking
casseroles, steaming veggies and, of
course, prepping the all-important
turkey.
Electricity use on Thanksgiving
tends to peak around 9 a.m., compared
to 7-8 a.m. on most weekdays,
according to BPA. The overall load
is also much higher — usage during
Thanksgiving a year ago topped out
at 8,527 megawatts, versus just two
days earlier when the morning peak
reached 8,000 megawatts.
One megawatt of electricity
is enough to power 800 average
Northwest homes, meaning the
additional 527 megawatts used on
Thanksgiving morning is enough
juice for 421,600 homes.
“We do see some variations
during normal weekdays, but this is
a pretty significant rise,” said BPA
Contributed photo
The Thanksgiving surge in power demand is caused by the
concerted cooking that begins around 9 a.m.
spokeswoman Sarah Burczak.
The real shock, however, comes
later in the evening, Burczak said. On
a typical November weekday, BPA’s
regional load sees a second evening
peak in electricity use. Thanksgiving,
however, bucks that pattern.
By midday, Thanksgiving loads
begin to wane and stay low for the
rest of the day. Last year, the evening
peak was just 7,250 megawatts
compared to 8,100 megawatts two
days earlier. That 850 megawatt
difference is enough for 680,000
average homes.
Burczak calls it the “tryptophan
drop-off,” as cooking is likely done
for the day and everyone begins
nodding off early.
“It’s one of those things we can
speculate, but we don’t have a real
solid answer,” she said.
In order to account for the fluc-
tuation, BPA has operators working
around the clock to watch electricity
consumption and make adjustments
as needed. Utilities do their best to
pre-schedule for the holiday demand,
but if things change, BPA can make
real-time power purchases and keep
more than 15,000 miles of transmis-
sion lines in balance.
“Most of the year, electricity usage
follows typical seasonal patterns but
severe weather and special events
can always present different, even
dramatically different, realities,” said
Elliott Mainzer, BPA administrator
HERMISTON
Wal-Mart: Open 24 hours
Bealls: Open noon to 1 a.m.,
Thursday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
Friday
GameStop: Closed Thurs-
day, Open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday
Northwest Farm Supply:
Closed Thursday. Open 7:30
a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday
The Home Depot: Closed
Thursday. Open 6 a.m. to 9
p.m., Friday
Sears: Open 6 p.m. to 10
p.m., Thursday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday
Rite Aid: Open 8 a.m. to
5 p.m., Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9
p.m., Friday
Bi-Mart: Closed Thursday.
Open 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday
PENDLETON
Wal-Mart: Black Friday wrist-
bands handed out at 4 p.m. on
Thursday, shopping starts 6 p.m.
Pendleton Woolen Mills:
Closed Thursday. Open 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Friday
Walgreens: Open 8 a.m. to
10 p.m. Thursday and Friday
D & B Supply: Closed
Thursday. Open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday
Maurices: Closed Thursday.
Open 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday
Western Auto: Closed
Thursday. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday
Rite Aid: Open 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., Thursday. Open 7 a.m. to
10:00 p.m., Friday
Bi-Mart: Closed Thursday.
Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday
and CEO. “This is a time of year
we are even more thankful for the
many men and women across the
Northwest, at utilities big and small,
who work diligently to keep power
flowing so the rest of us can enjoy
our holiday traditions.”
BPA is the federal power marketer
that sells wholesale electricity from
31 federal dams to electric utilities
in Oregon, Washington, Idaho,
Montana and parts of Nevada.
Locally, the Umatilla Electric Coop-
erative buys most of its wholesale
power from BPA.
In all, BPA markets about a third
of the electricity consumed in the
Northwest and operates three-quar-
ters of the region’s high-voltage
transmission grid.
———
Contact George Plaven at
gplaven@eastoregonian.com
or
541-966-0825.
Three apply for Port of Umatilla commissioner
Blanc, Mabbott and Tovey seek seat
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
Three candidates have
applied to fill the soon-to-be
vacant seat of John Turner
on the Port of Umatilla
Commission.
Turner, who is preparing
to take over as Pendleton
mayor in January, will resign
from the port commission
in December. His term runs
through May 2017.
Robert Blanc, Tamra
Mabbott and Dave Tovey all
submitted letters of interest to
join the port, which is respon-
sible for expanding trade and
economic development in the
region. The candidates met
with the port commission
Tuesday to discuss their
qualifications for the job.
Blanc is a graduate of
Whitman College in Walla
Walla, and spent 25 years
working for Pioneer Imple-
ment Corp, the family-owned
John Deere dealer started by
his father. That company sold
to RDO Equipment in 2004,
and Blanc currently works
as a financial advisor for
Edward Jones in Pendleton.
“I have a deep appre-
ciation and a good under-
standing of what agriculture
and agribusiness means
to economic development
throughout
Umatilla
County,” Blanc wrote in his
letter to the commission.
Mabbott is the current
planning
director
for
Umatilla County. She said
her involvement in economic
development and land use
planning would be an asset
to the port, and believes
the county and port share a
common mission.
“I see a very clear nexus
between what the county
does and what the port does,”
Mabbott said.
Tovey is the executive
director for the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation, but said he
would serve the port strictly
as a private citizen. He high-
lighted his accomplishments
overseeing tribal develop-
ment since 1986, especially
at Wildhorse Resort &
Casino and Tamástslikt
Cultural Institute.
Tovey said it is imperative
the region continues to work
together.
“I think we’re doing a
lot of great things in this
county,” he said.
Kim B. Puzey, general
manager at the port, said the
commission should be ready
to appoint Turner’s replace-
ment at the next meeting Dec.
13. Applications for the posi-
tion are still being accepted,
and can be sent to P.O. Box
879, Umatilla, OR 97882 or
by dropping it off at the port
office, 500 Willamette Ave.
in Umatilla.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
PENDLETON
Tree festival builds community through holiday fun
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
With the theme of
“Building a New Tomorrow,”
the Pendleton Festival of
Trees is doing just that.
Presented by St. Anthony
Hospital, money raised from
the event will go toward the
remodel project of its former
urgent care clinic, which
will be the new home of
the Pioneer Relief Nursery.
Another nonprofit orga-
nization will benefit from
the center’s move — the
Pendleton Warming Station
will take up residence in the
building being vacated by
the relief nursery.
“I personally appreciate
the community support,”
said Barb Ceniga, Pioneer
Relief Nursery executive
director. “We are making
a difference, I see it every
day.”
The relief nursery, Ceniga
said, helps fill the gap for
families in need. The organi-
zation seeks to stop the cycle
of neglect and child abuse
through early intervention,
education and essential
support services.
The Festival of Trees
kicks off with a gala event
Friday, Dec. 2 beginning at
6 p.m. with the silent auction
opening and tree viewing at
Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini
A young man looks at a Charlie Brown-themed
Christmas tree during Family Day activities at a past
Festival of Trees. Pendleton Convention Center. This
year’s event is Dec. 2-3.
the Pendleton Convention
Center, 1601 Westgate. At 7
p.m., heavy hors d’oeuvres
and a no-host bar will be
available. The program
features live entertainment,
a hospital foundation presen-
tation and the live auction.
Tickets are $30.
Up for auction are a
handful of large trees and
more than a dozen small
trees that are magnificently
decorated. In addition, an
array of gifts will be scat-
tered around the trees, which
come with the winning bid.
“They all have their own
theme,” Ceniga said. “They
are all very unique.”
In addition, the Hawkins
family created the special
community tree, which
is called, “The Holiday
Harvest: Hawkins Style.”
Also, themed gift baskets
created by different hospital
departments will be avail-
able for bid.
The
fun
continues
Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. with Family
Day. Thanks to a generous
donation from Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, admission
is free.
When
children
and
families enter the conven-
tion center, they will find
numerous creative activities
to engage in. Everything
from making ornaments and
face painting to pictures with
Santa and live entertainment
will set the tone for the
holiday season.
Members of Ceniga’s
staff and board of directors
have supported the Festival
of Trees over the years.
However, beginning last
year as partners in organizing
the event, they have taken
a larger role in the festival.
Ceniga said that has provided
additional opportunities to
connect with the public.
“It’s been a chance for us
to reach out and thank the
community,” she said. “It’s
just a really nice time to say
thank you for supporting our
organization in supporting
families in need in Pend-
leton.”
For more information
about the festival, call
541-966-0528
or
visit
www.sahpendleton.org/
foundation. For more about
Pioneer Relief Nursery, call
541-215-1017.
———
Contact
Community
Editor Tammy Malgesini at
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4539
fl y walla walla.
it works!
Photo contributed by Oregon State Police
Two men are charged with poaching this trophy
mule deer buck in Wheeler County.
Two men charged after
poaching trophy buck
East Oregonian
FOSSIL — Two men
face charges for poaching a
trophy mule deer buck near
Fossil in Wheeler County.
Erland Suppah Sr., 69, of
Warm Springs, and Oscar
Finley, 40, of Wapato,
Washington, were cited
for illegally shooting the
buck on private property
from the highway during
closed season. An investi-
gation was completed by
the Oregon State Police,
Wheeler County Sheriff’s
Office and Warm Springs
Department of Natural
Resources.
Suppah is charged with
unlawful taking of a buck
deer during closed season,
hunting on enclosed lands
and hunting within a
prohibited area. Finley is
also charged with illegal
poaching and hunting on
enclosed lands without
permission.
The deer was seized as
evidence by authorities.
PENDLETON
Skippers restaurant to return
East Oregonian
Skippers has steered its
way back to Pendleton
Dave’s Chevron owner
Toni Walters said her 220
S.W. 12th Street gas station
and convenience store will
add the fast food seafood
chain to its deli.
Walters said Dave’s
Chevron’s
wholesaler
also supplies Skippers
franchises and invited her
to add the restaurant’s
offerings to her inventory.
Walters accepted and is
excited to offer cod, halibut,
clam chowder and other
Skippers favorites at Dave’s.
The basic layout of
Dave’s Chevron won’t have
to change to accommodate
Skippers, but Walters said
she will add seating to meet
the needs of restaurant goers.
Skippers
franchises
used to have locations in
both Pendleton and Herm-
iston, but those spaces
have long given way to
other restaurants.
THANKSGIVING SAVINGS
Friday Nov 25th, Sat. Nov 26th 10-4
Monday Nov 28th 8:30-5
20 % off
STOREWIDE
30 % off
All Clothing
40 % off
All Happy Canyon Clothing
50 % off
Clearance
wallawallaairport.com
Daily Alaska Air Flights To/From Seattle
Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Gift Store
Excellent Connections
M-F 8:30-5 Sat 10-4
1114 Court Ave Pendleton
FREE PARKING
tasteandtote.com
541-276-2553
Shop online www.leterbuck.com