Hermiston
TRACK
Herald
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HermistonHerald.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2016
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STAFF PHOTO BY GARY L. WEST
Electrical equipment at a substation near the Umatilla Electric Cooperative offi ce on West Elm Avenue helps supply power to Umatilla
Electric and Hermiston Energy Service. HES wants to build a a new substation in the city to improve the reliability of electrical service
and reduce downtime when power outages occur.
NEW FACILITY COULD IMPROVE POWER RELIABILITY IN THE CITY
By JADE McDOWELL
Staff Writer
H
ermiston Energy Services is
recommending a rate increase
and bond refi nance to pay for
projects that should decrease
the number of power outages in
Hermiston.
HES superintendent Nate Rivera told
the city council Monday night that the
city’s electric utility was in need of sev-
eral upgrades, including a new substa-
tion and smart meters.
After two power outages so far this
month, city councilors were inclined to
agree.
“I think people are willing to pay for
less outages,” John Kirwan said.
The fi rst major project would be a
new substation called Hermiston East,
which would cover territory east of
Highway 395 that is currently covered
by the Butte and Feedville substations.
The project would include a new trans-
former and new feeders, taking the load
off of some of Hermiston’s other feeders
that are at more than 90 percent capacity
during peak load times.
Rivera said the new substation would
reduce outages and would also free up
capacity for people to be switched from
one substation to another while crews
were working to restore power.
“This would minimize the size of the
outage and get people back up faster,”
he said.
The project would cost an estimated
$985,000 and be completed during the
2016-2017 fi scal year. Rivera also rec-
ommended other maintenance projects,
including pole replacements, a switch to
LED street lights, sectionalizing the sys-
tem to reduce the spread of outages and
a more proactive tree trimming program.
“Typically the outages we see are
wind and tree related, so the more ag-
gressive we can be about that, the bet-
ter,” Rivera said.
He also recommended the adoption
See POWER, A14
STAFF PHOTO BY GARY L. WEST
An analog electrical meter measures power use on a local business for Hermiston
Energy Services. HES wants to add new smart meters that will show when power
outages occur and can also show utility customers when their peak power usage times
occur.
Survey indicates
63 percent
support for
school bond
A survey by Hermis-
ton School District indi-
cates a majority of res-
idents are in support of
the district going out for
a $104 million bond next
year.
The survey showed 63
percent of respondents
rated the bond idea favor-
ably after being told that
it would include substan-
tial security upgrades and
reduce overcrowding in
schools. More than half
of them voted in at least
three of the four past
elections.
The
results
also
showed that most com-
munity members agreed
that the most urgent pri-
orities for the district
were replacement of
Rocky Heights and High-
land Hills elementary
schools, construction of
an additional elementary
school and expansion of
Hermiston High School.
When asked to choose
between a $104 million
package or an $84 mil-
lion one that would not
replace Highland Hills,
37 percent preferred the
$104 million bond while
26 percent preferred the
$84 million. The rest pre-
ferred no bond or another
option.
Dr. Fred Maiocco, su-
perintendent, said in a
statement that the district
would continue to share
more about the district’s
challenges with growing
enrollment throughout
the summer and fall.
“This initial survey re-
sult is very favorable and
indicates the community
recognizes the challeng-
es that come with student
enrollment growth,” he
said.
Hermiston’s
second
student-built
home up for sale
STAFF PHOTO BY GARY L. WEST
STAFF PHOTO BY GARY L. WEST
Electrical equipment is stored on the
Umatilla Electric Cooperative yard on
West Elm Avenue in Hermiston.
Electrical lines lead into and out of the
substation on Elm Avenue near the
intersection with Northwest 7th Street in
Hermiston. Hermiston Energy Services
wants to add a new substation in the city.
Smoke causes motorcycle crashes on I-82
By JADE McDOWELL
and PHIL WRIGHT
STAFF WRITERS
STAFF PHOTO BY JADE MCDOWELL
Motorcycle debris lie scattered across the road in the aftermath of a crash
on Interstate 82 Monday morning.
A large, fast-moving brush fi re swept
across the Umatilla Chemical Depot
west of Hermiston Monday morning,
burning two buildings and causing a
multi-vehicle wreck on Interstate 82
that injured four people and closed the
freeway.
Fire departments from around the
region responded and worked into the
afternoon to knock down the fi re, which
burned over the top of the hundreds of
cement igloos that once held munitions.
Two buildings also were destroyed in
the blaze.
Smoke from the fi re limited visibil-
ity, causing a crash involving four mo-
torcycles, a Mini Cooper, an SUV and
See FIRE, A14
Hermiston’s second
student-built home is up
for sale.
The home was built by
Hermiston, Umatilla and
Stanfi eld high school stu-
dents — mentored by lo-
cal industry professionals
— as part of the Colum-
bia Basin Student Home-
builders Program.
It is being shown by
Natallee Turner of Uni-
versal Realty. Appoint-
ments for viewing can
be scheduled by contact-
ing Turner at 541-922-
8861.
The
2,295-square-
foot house is known as
Fieldstone #2 and is lo-
cated on the West Angus
Court cul-de-sac behind
Armand Larive Middle
School. It includes three
bedrooms and two bath-
rooms, plus an offi ce/den
that could be converted
into a fourth bedroom.
It exceeds Energy Trust
of Oregon standards for
energy effi ciency.
For a full list of the
house’s amenities, visit
hermiston.k12.or.us.
Members of the public
who are curious about the
home but not necessarily
interested in purchasing
it are invited to an open
house June 3 from 1-6
p.m. where the student
builders will be available
for questions.