Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (March 14, 2018)
10A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL MARCH 14, 2018 Are you ready? D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS Smart meters on the way to Cottage Grove Pacifi c Power is bringing smart meters to resi- dents and businesses of the Cottage Grove and Junc- tion City areas, replacing thousands of aging electric meters About 11,000 new meters will be installed in the area which includes Cottage Grove, Creswell, Junc- tion City, Harrisburg, Coburg, Monroe and other un- incorporated areas. In all, Pacifi c Power will replace 590,000 meters in communities across the state from now through fall 2019. The new smart meters will: * Instantly track outages, meaning faster service response and shorter outages overall. * Let customers view their power usage hour-by- hour, so they can adjust their activity to reduce both their carbon footprint and bill. * Provide businesses with detailed usage report- ing which will help them cut costs and make invest- ments in items that help their business grow. * Update the grid to work more effi ciently and better integrate renewable power sources. "Installing smart meters is a key step toward the power grid of the future here in Oregon and our cus- tomers throughout the state all benefi t," said Sam Carter, Pacifi c Power's regional business manager for the area. "By vastly improving our meter tech- nology, we can deliver power more reliably and shorten outages, save costs, and allow for better management of renewable sources." More than 70 million smart meters have been in- stalled nationwide, which means half of all house- holds in the U.S. have them. Smart meters are a key component to updating the energy grid originally built for technology from 100 years ago. They also help Pacifi c Power hold down operating costs, im- prove customer service and reliability while main- taining the highest standards of security and custom- er privacy. Access to daily energy usage information will be available to customers via a secure website. This near real-time energy usage information will let cus- tomers better understand what is driving their elec- tric bills and help them make decisions that can save energy and money. This capability will come about six weeks after a new meter is installed. "We are connecting our small communities throughout Oregon in a way that improves the reli- ability and effi ciency of the grid, both at home and at work," said Carter. "With smart meter technology now mature, proven and available at competitive prices, we can deliver the benefi ts without any addi- tional cost to customers." Here's what customers can expect during the in- stallation process: * Customers will be notifi ed before installation through the mail and will receive detailed informa- tion about the new smart meters. Reminder calls will be made to customers as their scheduled installation date approaches. * Pacifi c Power's authorized installer, Aclara, will arrive between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to make installa- tions. Installers will drive vehicles and carry badges that identify them as an authorized contractor of Pa- cifi c Power. Unless an electric meter is inside, they will not need to enter customer homes. * During the installation, Pacifi c Power tech- nicians will remove the old meter, install the new meter, restore service and verify the new meter is working properly. This process will require a brief power outage (less than fi ve minutes). The techni- cians will leave a door hanger to let customers know they were there, and successfully installed the new smart meter. * Pacifi c Power will manually read the newly in- stalled smart meters for as long as it takes to confi rm everything is working correctly. After meter instal- lations are complete in the area, meter reading will happen remotely. * Approximately six weeks following the instal- lation when all area installs are complete, customers can sign in to their Pacifi c Power account to access the newly available usage data. Customers can sign up for their web account here. If customers have any concerns, have not received the proper series of notices or have any reason to think a notifi cation is not legitimate, customers should hang up and call Pacifi c Power's customer service at 1-800-221-7070 immediately to verify whether they are scheduled for an installation. Additional information, including installation up- dates are available at www.pacifi cpower.net/smart- meter. Customers can also call 866-869-8520. EPUD warns bills may climb again PALLE TIZED DRY FIREW OO IN STO D CK! Weather Impact on Energy Charges for an Actual EPUD Customer $250 $200 48° F 48° F $15.13 46° F 46° F 44° F 41° F 37° F $150 $100 37° F Family owned and operated for over 47 years. $200.67 $180.21 $168.99 $154.38 $50 $115.15 $108.15 $93.69 $107.38 $0 Dec Jan Feb Usage Charge (2016 - 2017) SPRING Mar Usage Charge (2017 - 2018) Tiered Rate Impact (2017 - 2018) Tune-Up The above graph shows the average temperature and compares the monthly bill each month from the year before to the current bill. The graphic is avail- able online at cgsentinel.com. By Caitlyn May Emerald People’s cmay@cgsentinel.com Utilities District (EPUD) customers may be seeing another large bill. Customers’ March bill (which covers the month of February) should be arriving if it hasn’t already but EPUD offi cials are warn- ing that the possible increase is not attribut- ed solely to the new tiered rates set in place last April. In early February, the company issued a statement apologizing for December’s high bills. “Over the past month, many of you have voiced concerns about high electric bills and the tiered rate structure that was imple- mented in April 2017,” General Manager Scott Coe wrote. “Your phone calls, emails and public statements helped us realize we did not adequately prepare you for the im- pact this structure could have on bills during winter months. We also did not clearly communicate why we felt this was the right thing to do.” The company, however, has since been clear that the tiered system is not soley re- sponsible for the higher rates. “It’s the temperature,” said EPUD’s pub- lic relations coordinator Patty Jo Angelini. “Customers saying their bills have doubled, it’s just not possible,” she said. The average temperature in December was 45.3 degrees. In January, the average temperature was 36.8 meaning that Febru- ary’s bills were set to be higher despite the tiered rate which assigns a higher price per kilowatt hour for households that use more power. Customers who use between one and 600 kWh will pay .0696 per kWh, a one-cent re- duction in comparison to the previous rate. Those who use between 601 and 1,800 kWh will remain at the current rate of .0796 per kWh and those who exceed 1,801 kWh will Your place for Power Lawn & Garden Equipment 5%* off or no interest if paid in full within 12 months on select Lawn & Garden items over $299 with qualifying SEARS Card* *Exclusions may apply. Off er Valid thru 8/4/18 ** Subject to credit approval. Minimum purchase requirement may apply. May not be combined with other Sears card discounts. Excludes Sear Commercial One accounts. Off ers subject to change without notice. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-6:00pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm pay .1089. “Some of the increase is due to the tiered rate change but the majority of it is the tem- perature. We had a cold February,” Angelini said. “The bills in March will be higher.” In a sample bill, December saw a $141.90 charge. January’s bill for the same anony- mous customer paid $242.55. “The average temperature went down but the bill did not double,” Angelini said. EPUD is providing several options for customers unable to pay their higher bills including a free energy audit which Ange- lini says can often cut a power bill in half. The utility has also waived late fees and offered an extended enrollment period for its Equal Payment program that allows cus- tomers to pay the same dollar amount every month by averaging the prior year’s bill. For more information, or for specifi c questions about a bill, contact Angelini at (541) 744-7440. We’ll make sure your system is running eff ectively and effi ciently. Call for details and an appointment today, and beat the spring rush! Complete Heating & Cooling System Service Reasonable Rates • All Work Guaranteed Slam dunk. Combine Home & Auto. Home Pride Painting and Repair LLCC Over 30 years of experience Schedule Now For Spring and Summer Interior and Exterior Painting Only $99* Matt Bjornn, Agent 1481 Gateway Blvd Cottage Grove, OR 97424 Bus: 541-942-2623 www.bjornninsurance.com Save up to $894* a year with the right combination of home and auto. It’s just another way I’m here to help life go right. ™ CALL TODAY. Call us for a Free Quote! “We do small remodels, home repairs and decks! * Average household savings based on 2016 national survey of new policyholders who reported savings by switching to State Farm ® . Serving Lane & North Douglas Counties 541-735-0089 ccb# 217560 118 Gateway Blvd., Cottage Grove (Next to Bi-Mart) • 541-942-7377 1701297 State Farm, Bloomington, IL Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster. • Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions. • Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home. • Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster. For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center. South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506 Twitter: @southlanefi re Facebook: southlanecountyfi reandrescue
