Single Inlet EV Charging is Here

Big names in global car manufacturers have announced a common method for charging electric vehicles. The companies are in agreement with a common charging technology for use on electric vehicles in Europe and the United States. The new method will provide special convenience by enabling car owners to charge their EVs using AC or DC from a single inlet. The charging system will allow for both alternating current and faster direct current charging on the same port. Another feature of the new system is that the charge can be done in faster time; a battery charge will take only 15 to 20 minutes.

Local Economy Gets Better

Electricity use is closely tied to the state of the economy, and I'm pleased to announce some very positive news based on EWEB's First Quarter 2012 sales figures. Total retail consumption increased by 2%, over 2011 consumption. Residential consumption was up 1% from Q1 of last year. General Service and industrial sales, with the exception of Hynix, were up by 3.1% and are at the highest level since 2008.

WiFi Thermostats

As technology marches on, even thermostats have been affected. Now you can buy a "wifi thermostat" (or "ip thermostat", "internet thermostat", etc) which will allow you to control your thermostat settings remotely, be it from a computer or even your iPhone! I suppose some people may utilize this technology to hang out in bed in the morning before turning up the heat with their phone, but these devices are really handy for the frequent traveler, landlord, or anyone who owns a vacation home. While a programmable thermostat has already made many people's lives easier (and cheaper), a thermostat with wireless capabilities takes things to a whole new level. Now, while a wifi thermostat is cool and affordable for many, it is still a relatively new technology. Before buying one of these gadgets yourself, make sure you understand how things work. http://www.squidoo.com/wifi-thermostat

Energy Efficiency

If you, or someone you know are in the market for a new TV check out The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance's (NEEA) website for which TVs use the least energy and where to find them in your state: http://energyefficientelectronics.org/

As you may know, televisions are the fastest-growing consumer of residential power in the Northwest - there are more of them, they are on more hours, they have more devices attached to them - and those screens just keep getting bigger!

(And if it's not a TV you are in the market for - the site also lists the top ten most energy efficient refrigerators, dish washers and several other appliances and electronics.)

Senate Concurrent Resolution 13

76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2011 Regular Session

Enrolled

Sponsored by Senators EDWARDS, PROZANSKI, Representatives BARNHART, HOLVEY, HOYLE, NATHANSON

   Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board, Oregon’s largest consumer-owned utility, will celebrate its 100th year of operations on March 11, 2011; and
   Whereas in 1908 Eugene voters approved $300,000 in bonds to purchase and reform the local private water utility following a typhoid fever epidemic; and
   Whereas the Walterville Hydroelectric Plant on the McKenzie River was constructed in 1911 to power pumps and ensure adequate water pressure, leading to the sale of surplus power to Eugene and the subsequent acquisition of the local private electric utility; and
   Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board has invested in clean, affordable and reliable electricity through projects such as Leaburg Dam, the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project, the Federal Columbia River Power System, and the Foote Creek, Stateline, Klondike and Harvest Wind Farms; and
   Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board made an early commitment to energy conservation in 1976, having weatherized over 42,000 homes since then and annually investing five percent of retail revenues in conservation programs; and
   Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board has saved its customers almost 500 million kilowatt hours of power usage through its robust conservation efforts; and
   Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board has earned several local, regional and national awards for best-tasting and cleanest water from the McKenzie River; and
   Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board adopted a “Customer Care” program in 1986 to provide a wide range of assistance to low-income customers having difficulty paying their utility bills, helping on average 4,000 customers annually; and
   Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board in 2009 and 2010 invested more than $10 million back into the community to help customers affected by the economic downturn pay their utility bills; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:

   That we, the members of the Seventy-sixth Legislative Assembly, in legislative session assembled, recognize, honor and celebrate on behalf of all Oregonians the 100 years of dedicated service of the Eugene Water & Electric Board to the customers to whom it provides safe, clean and reliable water and electricity; and be it further
   Resolved, That a copy of this resolution shall be presented to the Eugene Water & Electric Board of Commissioners.

Adopted by Senate March 14, 2011
Robert Taylor, Secretary of Senate

Peter Courtney, President of Senate

Adopted by House May 5, 2011
Bruce Hanna, Speaker of House
Arnie Roblan, Speaker of House

No Radioactivity Detected in Eugene's Water Supply

Question: Is there any radioactivity in Eugene's water resulting from the meltdown of the three nuclear reactors in Japan?

Answer: The Oregon Health Division collected water samples on behalf of EWEB, Springfield Utility Board and two other local water suppliers on Thursday, March 24. They collected samples from the river at Leaburg, in the raw water coming into EWEB's water treatment plant, in the finished water stream at the output of the plant, and in a sample taken from a location within the distribution system. The results were all "non-detect." They measured for Iodine 131 and 129, Cesium 137 and Strontium 90.

Here’s another good one that was valid in April of this year:

"The estimated biological effect from the trace amounts of radiation (iodine 131 and cesium 137) currently detected in Oregon from the events in Japan is less than .00016 millirems. To put this into perspective, a person would need to be exposed to this level all day, everyday for more than 100 years, to equal the exposure from one chest X-ray."

Another comparison is a cross-country flight which exposes a person to 5 millirems. A person would have to be exposed to the reading in April every day for 85 years to get an equivalent exposure.

Celebrating a Century of Service

EWEB is commemorating a significant milestone in 2011: The 100th anniversary of the utility's creation. Since the very first meeting of the Eugene Water Board on March 11, 1911 (the utility's name was changed in 1949), EWEB's vision has been to serve its citizen-owners with reliable electricity and healthy, clean water. Today, EWEB is the largest public utility in Oregon, providing nearly 200,000 people and businesses with electricity and water. http://www.eweb.org/centennial