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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 2017)
REGION Tuesday, November 28, 2017 East Oregonian Page 3A Real-time energy market eclipses $100M milestone Additional utilities set to join By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian Three years after launching a fully automated, real-time energy exchange market with California util- ities, PacifiCorp announced earlier this month the project has surpassed $100 million in total savings for customers. Bob Gravely, PacifiCorp spokesman, added the market is also making it easier for the company to integrate renew- able resources such as wind and solar power onto the elec- tricity grid without suffering hiccups in reliability. Pacific Power serves approximately 17,847 customers in Umatilla County. The Western Energy Imbalance Market was born Nov. 1, 2014, through an agreement between PacifiCorp and the Cali- fornia Independent System Operator, allowing them to share power across jurisdic- tions to match supply with demand. That means if there is an overabundance of solar energy in California or a surplus of wind blowing in the Columbia River Gorge, that electricity can be sent automatically where it is needed most at the lowest possible cost. Since its launch, six util- ities covering parts of eight western states have joined the market, including Portland General Electric and Puget Sound Energy. Another two utilities, Idaho Power and Powerex Corporation in Canada, are scheduled to join next year, followed by Seattle City Light, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and Los Angeles Department Photo by Scott Eastman, contributed by PacifiCorp As part of its Energy Vision 2020 plan, PacifiCorp would invest $118 million over three years to upgrade the Leaning Juniper wind farm in Gilliam County with longer blades and new technology. of Water and Power in 2019. The bigger the market grows, the more options and flexibility will become avail- able, Gravely said. “It’s really kind of changing the way energy is distributed around the region,” he said. Energy imbalance markets are not a new concept, with the exception of the California ISO, Gravely said they have been slow to catch on in the western U.S. Under the energy imbalance market, a central operator manages and distributes electricity generated at multiple utilities and power plants, which can be mixed and matched over a wide map. In the past, Gravely said utilities filled gaps in their electrical grid by picking up the phone and making power purchases from the trading room floor, but with the development of more inter- mittent sources of energy — namely wind and solar — that system was becoming increasingly impractical. “As we got more wind and solar where things fluc- tuate more frequently, it was becoming harder and harder for grid operators to use this old system,” Gravely said. Now, the California ISO uses a system of computers to track the same information, but can make transactions automatically every five minutes. PacifiCorp still owns its own transmission lines and makes its own decisions on where and when to generate power, but the energy imbal- ance market allows them to pick and choose from a greater field of low-cost sources. For example, if California solar farms are generating more electricity than local utilities can use, PacifiCorp can take that power on the cheap and scale back generation at its own power plants, which provides savings for customers. By running coal and natural gas plants more efficiently, Gravely said PacifiCorp was also able to lower carbon emissions by 12 percent in 2016. “It’s enabling more renewable energy to take the place of other resources that have fuel costs, like coal and gas, and that also create emissions,” Gravely said. The renewable energy industry is also touting the economic and environmental benefits of the energy market. According to a report released Monday by the Wind Energy Foundation, along with the Portland-based Renewable Northwest, the total benefits to all participating markets is nearly $250 million over three years. “The rapid expansion of the EIM across the West shows that increased regional coordination really can capture the inherent value of the diverse resources and weather patterns across our interconnected grid,” said Rachel Shimshak, executive director of Renewable North- west, in a statement. That could play a big role for PacifiCorp and PGE moving forward, as the Oregon Legislature passed a bill in 2016 doubling the companies’ renewable energy mandate to 50 percent by 2040. Environmental groups are calling for a carbon cap in Oregon as early as the 2018 legislative session. The proposal would place a limit on greenhouse gas emissions, charge companies and utilities for exceeding the limit and reinvest the money in clean energy projects. PTC uncertainty A potential wind farm upgrade in rural Gilliam County may be in danger after the House tax bill called for lowering federal tax credits for wind projects. As part of its Energy Vision 2020 plan, PacifiCorp would invest $3.5 billion in the company’s existing wind fleet across Oregon, Washington and Wyoming, fitting turbines with longer blades and new technology to increase output and extend the life of facilities. One of those projects would include the 67-turbine, 100-megawatt Leaning Juniper wind farm near Arlington. But Gravely said the project could be in jeopardy after a provision in the latest tax bill lowers the Production Tax Credit from 2.4 cents per kilowatt-hour to 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour for projects not yet under construction. If the credit is reduced, Gravely said it would be unlikely that Energy Vision 2020 would move forward. For Gilliam County, that would mean losing 59 construction jobs and up to $1.2 million in added annual property taxes. The Senate’s version of the tax bill, however, would keep the Production Tax Credit intact before being phased out in 2020. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, has said the Senate plans to tackle energy tax credits in a separate bill before the end of the year. Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat and staunch supporter of renewable energy, said the wind industry has proven to be an economic boon for many Eastern Oregon communities, and the House proposal to lower the Production Tax Credit is both frustrating and outrageous. “If we want to spur job creation, we should invest in the industries of the future, like wind energy, not in further lining the pockets of the powerful and privileged,” Merkley said in a statement. “The D.C. leadership is trying to ram this bill through in the next two weeks, so now is the time for Oregonians to make their voices heard if they disagree with this egregious tax scheme.” Rep. Greg Walden, Oregon’s lone Republican congressman, voted yes on the bill. A spokesman did not return messages for comment. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. PENDLETON HERMISTON Local white supremacist faces charges after five years on the lam Former high school athlete returns to treat sports injuries By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Joshua Edward Teel of Pendleton spent five years avoiding the criminal charges stemming from his white supremacists gang activity. Now he is back in the Umatilla County Jail. Teel, 28, ran with a pack of white supremacists in 2012 in Pendleton Teel that harassed and assaulted an African-Amer- ican man, according to Pendleton police at the time. He pleaded not guilty August 2012 to misdemeanors of harassment, second-degree criminal mischief and tampering with physical evidence and felonies of riot, third-degree robbery and two counts of first-degree intimi- dation. Intimidation is a hate crime in Oregon. Teel also faces misde- meanor charges of assault and harassment stemming from a confrontation with another man in late October 2012. Umatilla County Circuirt Court records show Teel did not make it to a hearing for that case in December 2012, and Circuit Judge Christopher Brauer issued a warrant for his arrest. Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts said Teel was “living/imprisoned” in Florida. “Recently, we received infor- mation that Teel was in route to Oregon,” Roberts said. “We followed up on information provided, located, arrested and lodged Teel.” Teel’s Face- book page shows he was in Jacksonville, Florida, and was in a relationship with a woman and has children. His updated profile photo on Oct. 11 shows his many tattoos, including the Nazi swastika on his elbow. Some of the posters on his page espouse white supremacists and Nazi statements. Teel has been in the Umatilla County Jail, Pend- leton, since Oct. 26. Circuit Judge Eva Temple set his bail at $100,000. His next court appearance is Dec. 4. ——— Andrew James Hendrickson, 24, of 46119 Iskit Lane, Pendleton, pleaded not guilty Friday to second-de- gree rape, second-degree sodomy and three counts of first-degree sexual abuse. The Umatilla Tribal Police Department investigated the case in 2015, according to circuit court records, which at the time led to a Umatilla County grand jury indictment and a warrant for his arrest. Hendrickson also has a Facebook page, and in August he posted he lived near Charlottesville, Virginia. He claimed on the page to have attended Blue Mountain Community College and to work in social media, video production and marketing for Bible-based organizations. Circuit Judge Christopher Brauer set Hendrickson’s bail at $1 million. His next court hearing is Dec. 12. FREE Community Education Event! ABC’s of Medicare Helping you through the Medicare Maze November 30, 2017 (We’ll buy the coffee!) The Saddle Restaurant @9:00 AM Roosters Restaurant @5:30 PM Terry Becktold www.thecottageonline.com Call to Plateau Indian Artists Josephy Center for Arts and Culture With a major grant from Oregon Community Foundation’s “Creative Heights” program, the Josephy Center will select a Plateau Indian artist to give his or her work a place in the city of Joseph. The grant includes an artist’s award of $25,000 and funds for art casting and construction. Submissions due Jan. 15, 2018. For details or questions contact: Rich Wandschneider 541.432.0505 rich.wandschneider@gmail.com 403 N. Main St. Joseph, OR 97846 www.josephy.org want to give that same pain relief and encouragement to others.” Scott said his perspec- tive as an athlete will help him better understand patients with injuries from sports, biking, running, weightlifting and blue- collar jobs. He will be part of a comprehensive pain management program, joining physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Jon Groner, M.D., and medication manager Julie Hughes, FNP. He is taking new patients at Good Shepherd Medical Group at 600 N.W. 11th St. in Hermiston. To make an appointment call 541-567- 5305. Please Come Join Us at this Jewelry • Purses • Clothing • Candles & Much More! Mon-Sat 8am-8pm • Sun 12pm-5pm A Hermiston graduate is returning home to join Good Shepherd Medical Center as its newest chiro- practor. Christopher Scott, D.C., said in a news release that he wanted to come back to his home town to “give back to the community that Scott has given me so much over the years.” “I want to be a role model for our high school and college students, and others, but encouraging them to set goals and helping them achieve their dreams,” he said. Scott said during his time as a Hermiston High School and college athlete he received numerous sports injuries. “I played running back in high school and college football and ran sprints and pole vaulted during track season,” he said. “I remember after a motocross injury, being in so much pain and hardly being able to walk. A local chiropractor helped relieve my pain and encouraged me to keep riding, so I did. I Sponsored by the Pendleton Insurance Center/Farmers Insurance Group owned by Craig & Sue Christianson We Have the Perfect Gifts! 541-567-4305 • Hwy 395, Hermiston East Oregonian Sr Health Care Specialist 541-276-0367 terry@PendletonInsuranceCenter.com Open enrollment is October 15th - December 7th Looking for a fun, no-pressure way to learn more about Medicare? Join us at an upcoming event! We’ll answer any questions you have about Medicare and explain the benefi ts of the plans. Debbie Alger Sr Health Care Specialist 541-276-9356 debbie@PendletonInsuranceCenter.com AUTO • HOME • RENTERS • LIFE • BUSINESS • MOTORCYCLE • RECREATIONAL CALL 541-276-3919 1902 SW FRAIZER AVE • PENDLETON, OR