January 2008 Power Lines Newsletter

Download this newsletter as a PDF file.

In this issue:

• Turn your roof into a power plant
• PUD's annual audit now underway
• If your power goes out
• PUD community service and utility industry scholarships
• ENERGY STAR appliance rebates

Turn your roof into a power plant

Did you know?  You can use your roof to generate electricity or heat water for showers and laundry.  Installing a solar system at your home or business continues a great Northwest tradition - renewable energy.

The PUD’s new Choice Energy Solar program offers expert guidance, financial incentives, contractor lists and quality assurance inspections for qualifying solar hot water and electricity systems.

To learn more about Choice Energy Solar, visit www.crpud.net or contact our Energy Experts at (503) 366-5470 or experts@crpud.org.

PUD's annual audit now underway

Each year an independent auditing firm reviews the PUD’s accounting records to ensure that we are conducting business in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and that controls are in place to safeguard the PUD’s assets.  As part of the audit, customer records and billing activity are reviewed.

If you have questions about how your bill is calculated, individual line items on your bill, your billing history or your energy usage, please contact Customer Accounts at (503) 397-0590 or custsvc@crpud.org. 

If you feel that your bill was calculated incorrectly or that your account balance is not correct please write to our auditors and describe the error.  Please include a copy of your billing statement, if available. Send your letter to:
Kenneth Kuhns & Co.
570 Liberty Street SE, Suite 210, Salem, OR 97301

If your power goes out:

• Look at your electric meter.  If there are numbers in the display, then you have power to your home and you should check your breaker box or fuse panel for tripped breakers or blown fuses.
  
• If there are no numbers on the meter’s display, your power is out and you should call our Outage Hotline:  (503) 397-1844
• Turn off all electric heaters, water heaters and cooking equipment at the breaker or fuse panel.  When power is restored, you can turn these back on one at a time, in
  15-minute intervals.
  
• Turn on one porch light and one inside light.  This helps our crews know when service is restored.
• Unplug sensitive electronic equipment such as computers, televisions & stereos to prevent damage from voltage surges or spikes when power is restored.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed to minimize food loss.
  
• If your lights are very dim or very bright when power is restored, turn off the power at the breaker or fuse panel and call (503) 397-1844 to report the problem.

PUD offering community service and utility industry scholarships

Columbia River PUD is now offering two types of scholarships to graduating seniors from local high schools:

• Four $1,000 scholarships to recognize students for their  outstanding community service efforts
• Six $1,000 scholarships for students who intend to pursue a career in the utility industry

Criteria:

Applicants for either scholarship must have a minimum accumulated GPA of 2.5 and provide a copy of their SAT or ACT scores, their transcripts, and a letter of reference from a community member.

Additional Community Service Criteria:

Applicants for the community service scholarships will also be asked to explain how they have made a difference in the community and to list their community involvement activities.

Additional Utility Industry Criteria:

Applicants for the utility career scholarships must submit a 500 word essay explaining which utility career they would like to pursue and why it was chosen.  Applicants must also identify the specific program they plan to enroll in and what school they will be attending. The program must be on the PUD’s list of approved institutions and programs, which is shown on the application.

How to apply:

Applications are available in the counseling offices local high schools, at the PUD office in Deer Island and online at www.crpud.net.  Submit completed applications to: 
PUD Scholarship Team
P.O. Box 1193
St. Helens, OR 97051

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on March 14, 2008. Finalists will be interviewed in May and the winners will be announced at each school’s annual senior awards ceremony.

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance, earn a PUD rebate

We offer rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers, dishwashers and refrigerators. Rebate amounts are as follows:

• Clothes washer with electric hot water heater - $75
• Clothes washer with gas, propane or oil hot water heater - $25
• Dishwasher - $25
• Refrigerator - $25
• Freezer - $25

Contact our Energy Experts at experts@crpud.org or (503) 366-5470 for more information.

Tax credits also available

The state of Oregon also offers tax credits on energy-efficient appliances ranging from $60 to $180.  Their qualification standards differ slightly from ours - for more information visit http://www.oregon.gov/energy.