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Nov 30 , 2011
If you’re looking for a unique gift for friends, family or your holiday exchange that will definitely be used, look no further than an Avista Housewarming Gift Certificate. Available in any amount and with no expiration date, a gift certificate can be applied to the recipient’s Avista account. Purchasing a gift certificate is easy – just complete an order form and attach it to a check or money order made payable to Avista, then mail to:
Avista
P.O. Box 3727 MSC 34H
Spokane, WA 99220-3727
To redeem a gift certificate, the recipient simply includes the gift certificate with a bill payment stub and mails them to Avista. The gift certificate and bill payment stub can also be dropped in an official Avista payment drop box.
There are no administration or processing fees associated with the Housewarming Gift Certificates. Your total gift amount goes directly to your recipient. Please allow up to five business days for processing your order form. Nov 29 , 2011
Powering Our Future Video
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The Powering Our Future event featured an interactive
game in resource planning. Participants worked in
small groups to build upon an existing resource mix
portfolio in order to meet the energy needs of their
customers over the next 20 years. |
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The purpose of the game was to educate our
customers about the complexities of the power
planning process and to help them understand how
Avista plans for our energy future while meeting
renewable portfolio standards in a cost-effective
way.
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Avista hosted another successful Powering Our Future event, the third in a series, on Thursday, Nov. 17 at CenterPlace in Spokane Valley. The evening was filled with thoughtful insight, conversation and even a game that put guests in the shoes of a power supply planner for a northwest utility company. The event required reservations, but was open to the public and free to attend.
Dick Storro, Avista’s Vice-President of energy resources, kicked off the event before keynote speaker, Jim Yost, from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council spoke about the importance of balancing the environmental and energy needs of the Northwest. Bob Lafferty, Avista’s Director of Power Supply, teed up the rest of the evening with an engaging discussion about how Avista plans to meet customers’ needs reliably and responsibly while integrating renewable resources.
The evening then shifted gears with an interactive game in power planning. Participants worked in small groups to build upon an existing portfolio of resources in order to meet energy needs of customers over the next 20 years. They were able to choose from a mix of resources such as solar, wind, coal, nuclear power, natural gas, conservation, biomass and hydroelectric power.
Once the groups decided on their preferred resource strategy, they were able to see the impact of their decisions on a computer module. The module displayed how their choices impacted carbon emissions, energy costs, the ability to meet peak demand and whether or not their preferred mix satisfied Washington State renewable energy credits.
“The interactive element of the program helped our guests understand the complexities of the power planning process,” Lafferty said. “By giving them a game to play, they were able to see the cost and environmental tradeoffs of their decisions as well as whether their choices met peak demand.”
The event was capped off with a lively question and answer session followed by a social hour where attendees were given the opportunity to mingle with speakers and Avista employees. The purpose of the event was to educate customers about how Avista plans for the future of energy while also meeting renewable portfolio standards in a cost-effective way.
Nov 22 , 2011
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KREM-2's Tom Sherry, accepts a check from Avista employees and the Avista Foundation for
Tom's Turkey Drive. Presenting the check are Avista's Scott Morris and Dennis Vermillion. |
Many of us are planning a last-minute run to the grocery store to pick up a few remaining ingredients for your favorite stuffing or grandma’s pumpkin pie. Yet for many families in our region, a Thanksgiving feast is simply not in the budget.
During these difficult times, the generosity of Avista’s employees never ceases to amaze me. This month’s focus of their giving was KREM-2’s Tom’s Turkey Drive. In a few short days, employees donated $7,820 and the Avista Foundation matched the amount for a grand total of $15,640. It’s a new record for Avista employees who have supported Tom’s Turkey Drive for several years. We presented the check to KREM-2’s Tom Sherry last week. Thanks to Avista employees, 1,042 families will sit down to a turkey dinner this Thanksgiving.
While Thanksgiving traditionally marks the beginning of the season of giving, Avista’s employees contribute their time, talent and treasure all year long – in so many ways. In 2010, Avista employees donated more than 44,000 community volunteer hours to over 600 organizations in the three states we serve. Every year, we contribute financially to United Way, March of Dimes, Project Share and many others. They donate backpacks and school supplies to students in Spokane’s schools, thousands of pounds of food to the Women and Children’s Free Restaurant and clothes to My Sister’s Closet. The list of opportunities to “give back” goes on and on.
So as we give thanks this holiday, I’d like to say, “Thank you” to Avista’s employees, whose big hearts are making a difference for the people in the communities where we live, work and play.
Nov 21 , 2011
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Whitworth student body president Eric Fullerton is
joined by Avista’s Chris Drake for a special award
ceremony. |
Whitworth’s Cornerstone Hall was one of the top
three living groups in the entire competition. Here,
students receive a $500 award to be used for non-
energy consuming dorm improvements. |
Students earn school the title of Most Energy Efficient University in 2011, via Power Down, Add Up
Pirates know how to Power Down, Add Up - at least the ones at Whitworth University do. The school celebrated October’s National Energy Awareness Month by competing in (and earning top honors for) the Avista Power Down, Add Up, energy conservation challenge between all the universities in Avista’s service territory.
Together with students from Washington State University, the University of Idaho, Gonzaga University, and North Idaho College, students recorded an estimated savings of 78,470 kilowatt hours, which is enough power to supply 2,841 homes for a day.
At the end of the competition it was Whitworth students who conserved the most energy, earning them the title of Avista’s Most Energy Efficient University in 2011.
Congratulations to everyone who participated. The energy efficiency habits learned through this challenge should serve you well for the rest of your collegiate career and beyond.
Nov 11 , 2011
Local Avista crews helped erect the flag pole, bring power to site
Over the past several years the Deer Park Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3067, with the assistance of Avista and several other groups has worked to build a memorial for Armed Forces personnel. The colorful new memorial, called the Veterans of Foreign Wars / Deer Park Memorial was unveiled today at Bluebird Park in Deer Park in front of a crowd of honored veterans, families and even young children with the day off from school.
Avista assisted the project by helping erect the flag pole and bringing overhead power to the location for lighting and other needs. Avista Utilities and Frank Binder, Deer Park District Manager, were thanked by Deer Park and VFW officials for their dedication to the project.
As today is Veterans Day, it’s certainly fitting to unveil this wonderful memorial.
On behalf of all Avista employees, we salute our United States Armed Forces. Thank you for your service.
Listen to VFW Commander Thomas Tradewell’s speech at the memorial dedication. A bugle-player performs Taps, as the audio ends. (The audio begins just a few sentences into Commander Tradewell's speech).
Audio player
Nov 10 , 2011
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Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a
hands-on exercise in energy resource planning with
real-time feedback on the impact of their decisions. |
Hydroelectric. Wind. Biomass. Natural gas. Coal. Conservation. What mix of power resources will best meet customers’ need for energy throughout each day, each year and into the future? Find out this and more at the next installment of Avista’s Powering Our Future event series that has been taking place since 2010.
At the event, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a hands-on exercise in energy resource planning with real-time feedback on how your decisions could impact customer costs, carbon emissions and Avista’s ability to meet customers’ need for reliable energy supply.
Avista planning experts will shed some light on the process of balancing energy resources with customer needs, cost, and federal and state mandates and regulations.
Don’t miss out on this one of a kind event scheduled for Thursday, November 17 from 4-7 p.m. with an optional social hour following the event from 7- 8 p.m.
Nov 10 , 2011
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Joe Brabeck, manager of Avista’s Home Energy Audit
Program on camera with KHQ's morning show,
discussing Avista and energy efficiency. |
Some days start a lot earlier than others. This morning between 5:00 and 6:15 a.m., Avista’s own Joe Brabeck, manager of Avista’s Home Energy Audit Program, shared tips with KHQ’s Matt Rodgers on low-cost ways to make your home more energy efficient this winter. Because making sure that the warm air you heat stays in your home is important to everyone, here’s what you can do:
1. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs lights.
2. Set back the thermostat at night or when at work to 68 degrees. For convenience, install a programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust the temperature for you. If you have a heat pump, look for a programmable thermostat that is compatible with it.
3. Check the furnace filter every month and change it when dirty. Pleated paper filters remove finer particles and need more frequent changing.
4. Keep the hot water tank set to approximately 120 degrees.
5. Seal air leaks around doors, windows and behind light switch plates and outlet covers. If you can see daylight through a crack/gap, you are losing heat from your home.
6. Take advantage of the radiant heating of the sun by opening curtains/blinds on the south and west side of the house on sunny days. Close drapes on cold, cloudy days and at night.
Nov 08 , 2011
Noxon video
The last turbine to be upgraded at Noxon Rapids Dam was removed from service on Oct. 19, 2011. Avista's Brandi Smith interviewed project engineer P.J. Henscheid on the big day. See the video above.
The removal of the turbine is part of a $45 million project to upgrade four original generating units with newer, more efficient technology. The project started in July 2008 and is on schedule to be finished by spring 2012.
Nov 07 , 2011
Avista employees rescue stranded shopping cart, remove rusted blight from Spokane River
When Avista’s Ben McArthur saw an unsightly blight in the middle of the Spokane River, near the Hamilton Street Bridge, he didn’t ignore it like the thousands of others who passed by it every day. He and his co-workers took action. A red grocery store shopping cart had found its way onto a small island in the middle of the river. No one is sure exactly how it got there. Low water levels made it stand out.
McArthur and friends would have none of it. McArthur contacted fellow employee Celene Olgeirsson who just happens to be the President of the Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club. As an experienced kayaker Olgeirsson had the right equipment and knowledge to do the heavy lifting in the water and ensure the safety of all involved.
McArthur and Olgeirsson, with the help of another Avista employee, Ray Burnham, spent a lunch hour near the end of October on the project. On a crisp, clear day, Olgeirsson glided out to the island and attached a rope to the cart, while those on shore pulled it in. The whole deal took only 45 minutes.
Avista employees do an annual volunteer river clean up near the Mission Campus and regularly find large discarded items on Avista’s adopted mile of the Centennial Trail – shopping carts, tires and furniture included. Rarely do items make it so far into the river.
McArthur returned the cart to store employees, who promised to properly dispose of the wreckage.
Kudos to McArthur, Olgeirsson and Burnham for bettering the Spokane River for the community.
* Editors note: River users should be sure to follow all posted safety warning and closure signs on the water and especially near hydroelectric facilities. For more information about safety in the river and near dams, click here. Nov 04 , 2011 slideshow
Last evening more than 350 individuals stopped by Avista’s Energy Fair at the West Central Community Center in Spokane. Fairgoers were treated to energy efficiency demonstrations and provided free samples to get their home projects underway this heating season. It’s time to keep the warm air in and the cold air out.
Community agencies: SNAP, Second Harvest Food Bank, Money Management Int. and WorkSource were on hand to provide information.
Avista customer service representatives met with customers on site and discussed any account or billing questions.
Kids of all ages learned about energy, energy efficiency and safety from Wattson, Avista’s Energy Watchdog, who sang and danced his way into their hearts.
A hearty meal was also provided through Christ Kitchen.
Events like this are free to the community, but often are invaluable for our customers. Similar events, which are staffed by Avista employees, have been held previously in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and Clarkston. Stay tuned to the blog for the next event in early 2012.
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