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Jan 20 , 2012
Events are free and provide ideas and demos to keep warm air in and cold air out
Each year our customers ask for help in managing their energy use and costs during the winter. Well, there’s an easy – and free – answer to your request. For the second year Avista is hosting Energy Fairs in select communities in our service area. The next fairs are planned for Coeur d’Alene on Jan. 28 from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Lake City Center, 1916 N. Lakewood Drive and in Spokane on Feb. 8, from 3 - 6 p.m. at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 Cook St.
The energy fairs offer a broad range of ideas and demonstrations that will help residents keep the warm air inside and the cold air outside their homes. They’re also a great way for customers to conveniently access Avista’s many services, as well as valuable community resources. Information about payment options, energy assistance and energy efficiency will be especially helpful to those struggling to pay their bills.
Fair attendees can speak with Avista staff and learn first-hand about low-cost and no-cost energy efficiency tips. They’ll see how to install such things as rope caulk, window plastic and door sweeps. And following each demonstration, Avista employees will answer questions and provide free samples of each item used in the demonstration. And we’ll have community agencies there, as well, that will provide helpful information about weatherization programs, budgeting and free tax preparation services, safety and independence resources for seniors, job search programs and more.
For the kids, and the kids at heart, Wattson, Avista’s Energy Watchdog, will guide attendees through fun, energy-focused crafts and presentations of his musical message of energy efficiency and safety. Free admission to the event includes all demonstrations, free samples of energy efficiency materials, complimentary food and beverages, and door prizes. Read more about the upcoming energy fair. 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.
Jun 15 , 2011
The world – literally – has been buzzing the past few years about sustainability. But what does it really mean in terms of how a company operates? And who cares? Well, we care. And judging from the questions we often get, we think our customers and others care too.
We talked about sustainability last year about this time as we launched our 2010 report on our sustainable business performance. In that report we shared information about how Avista’s operations impact the three legs of the sustainability stool: the economy, the environment and society.
We haven’t lost that momentum. We’ve built on it. This year’s report has a fresh perspective that we hope will give you an even better picture of what we do and why. In the 2011 report, we’re talking about how our sustainable business practices build shared value for our stakeholders as well as our company in three areas of focus: customer experiences, responsible resources and environmental stewardship.
Let me give you an example. In 2010 Avista completed installation of new, computerized spillway gates at the Nine Mile Dam, just downstream from downtown Spokane. The new system replaces our old wooden flashboard process, which had been in use since 1928. A series of community meetings engaged customers and property owners in the project, and our staff listened closely to their concerns about shorelines, water levels and wildlife, and partnered with them to achieve acceptable outcomes for all parties. The new spillway helps improve Avista’s coordination of the operation all of our Spokane River dams and allows us to operate more efficiently. At the same time we are more responsive to the needs of the community in protecting habitat and working with recreationists to improve angling and boating experiences. A win-win for all concerned.
Jun 10 , 2011
Do the safe thing and call us to verify any representatives
This morning we sent out the following e-mail to customers in and around Spokane County concerning scams and misrepresentations. This action follows complaints we’ve received from customers and two television news stories this week about insulation sales representatives making calls in the Spokane area.
Good tips to follow if you or someone you know is considering home improvement projects:
• Be aware of aggressive sales tactics.
• It’s always a good idea to get multiple bids from contractors.
• Before signing an agreement with an insulation contractor, check their Better Business Bureau rating and verify that the contractor is licensed and bonded in the state where the work is to be done.
• Work must be completed before submitting an Avista rebate application.
Here’s the e-mail:
Dear Avista Utilities Customer,
Due to circumstances that may be happening in your neighborhood we are reaching out to you with this e-mail. Avista has standard business practices to help keep you safe from scams or misrepresentations. Your trust is important to us, and we want you to be informed.
Avista does not partner with any business that goes door-to-door through neighborhoods selling attic insulation or other services, except for its Home Energy Audit contractors in Spokane County who wear Avista identification badges. Avista does not recommend any business to customers. We do offer a number of energy efficiency rebates and incentives, but we work directly with you, our customer, on those programs.
Our field employees always wear an Avista photo identification badge and often wear Avista apparel and drive clearly marked Avista vehicles. Employees typically do not need access to a home or business unless the customer has contacted us about a specific problem or program. Also, employees do not phone or e-mail customers asking for confidential information.
If you are contacted by someone representing themselves as Avista, you can call us any time at (800) 227-9187 to verify the identification of an employee and the purpose of the contact with you. You can also contact us at www.avistautilities.com for additional information.
Thank you,
Avista Utilities
May 02 , 2011 Customers continue benefiting from rebate and incentive programs to reduce energy use
Avista natural gas customers in Washington and Idaho could see a decrease in their natural gas rates beginning July 1, if the public utility commissions in the two states approve the company’s request to reduce the natural gas portion of the company’s tariff-funded energy efficiency rebate and incentive programs.
The decrease is being requested to true-up the amount of funding for the program with the amount paid out in natural gas rebates and incentives to participating customers. The request is part of Avista’s annual report to Washington and Idaho regulators regarding the funding of the company’s energy efficiency programs. Avista has not requested to change the current electric energy efficiency tariff.
Natural gas customers in Washington would see an overall 2.9 percent decrease, or $1.66 a month decrease for residential customers using 67 therms, if Avista’s request is approved. Idaho natural gas customers would see an overall 4.2 percent decrease, or $2.41 a month decrease for a residential customer using an average 63 therms, if approved. These tariff adjustments have no impact on company earnings.
"Customers want to save energy, and they look to us for energy efficiency expertise as well as rebates and incentives,” said Patrick Lynch, Avista’s director of energy solutions. “Making efficiency improvements is a smart choice that helps customers reduce their energy use and reduce the amount of future energy generation required to meet growing energy needs.”
Last year customers in Avista’s three-state service area received over 42,000 rebates and incentives totaling almost $19 million The energy savings are enough to power over 5,700 Inland Northwest homes for a year and serve 3,100 homes with natural gas for a year, or almost 69,000 megawatt hours and 2.3 million therms of natural gas.
Of the rebates paid in 2010, over 28,000 were to Washington customers totaling $13.1 million, over 12,000 rebates to Idaho customers totaling $4.8 million, and Oregon customers received 2,400 rebates totaling $956,000. The most popular energy and cost-saving measures for residential customers included purchasing Energy Star ® appliances, installing high efficiency natural gas furnaces, and upgrading windows and insulation. The average residential rebate for single family homes was $131.
Approximately $1.5 million was provided for weatherization for qualifying low-income customers in Washington and $465,000 for Idaho customers. An additional $25,000 was provided for conservation education for Idaho customers.
Information on energy efficiency rebates and incentives Avista offers for residential, commercial and low-income customers is available at www.everylittlebit.com, along with other energy-saving information.
Dec 22 , 2010
Powering our Future video
Creating a sustainable energy future will take all of us working together, bringing new ideas to the table and sharing in a new era of securing, delivering and using energy. Over 250 people gathered in Spokane Valley for the event.
Questions about the event or any of the topics? E-mail us. Dec 16 , 2010
At issue is how energy assistance funds are credited to customer accounts
Earlier today Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission issued a news release regarding Avista and its application of energy assistance grants, or pledge monies, to the accounts of customers who have been disconnected for non-payment. Below is our news release, sent out at 4 p.m. today, that provides a few explanatory details on the subject.
News release
Avista Reviewing Commission Notice of Non-Compliance
At issue is how energy assistance funds are credited to customer accounts
SPOKANE, Wash. – Dec 16, 2010, 4:00 PST: Avista is reviewing the notice it received today from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) stating the company is considered in violation of certain state consumer protection rules primarily relating to the application of energy assistance grants, or pledge monies, to the accounts of customers who have been disconnected for non-payment. The company was assessed a $62,100 fine.
“Avista and the UTC share a common concern for our customers and both want to help them avoid an interruption in their service because of non-payment,” said Vicki Weber, Avista’s director of customer service. “All energy assistance grants customers receive are fully applied to their account - that fact is not in question by the UTC. We believe that certain aspects of the rules are unclear, and we look forward to working with commission staff in order to avoid future misunderstandings.”
When an energy assistance grant is received for a customer who has had a service interruption for non-payment, Avista applies the funds to the customer’s past due amount - including prior balance - to help bring the account balance to zero. Prior balance is the dollar amount, excluding deposit amounts owed, the utility has billed to the customer for the energy they have already used and for which the utility has not received payment at the time the service was disconnected for nonpayment.
At issue is whether energy assistance grants should be applied only to current and future amounts billed since the service was reconnected, or whether assistance grants should also be applied to past due amounts.
“Avista has a long history of care and support for our customers,” Weber said. “Through Avista’s tariff-based Low-Income Rate Assistance Program (LIRAP), approximately $3.3 million in energy assistance is available annually for qualifying customers and approximately $1.7 million for natural gas customers. Additionally, $2 million in assistance is available to help qualifying customers improve the energy efficiency of their homes through Avista’s low-income weatherization program.”
In the fourth quarter of 2010, Avista shareholders also contributed $425,000 to Project Share, a program which provides emergency energy assistance to qualifying households that have exhausted other avenues of aid, regardless of the fuel used to heat the home. Recipients of Project Share assistance do not have to be Avista customers.
The notice and associated fine are a result of an audit conducted by the UTC on randomly selected Avista customers who had their electric and/or natural gas service disconnected between Oct. 15 and 31, 2009, because of non-payment. Avista was one of five regulated electric and natural gas utilities in Washington State that were similarly audited.
Avista has up to 15 days to pay the $62,100 fine, request a hearing to contest the violations or request a reduction in the fine.
Nov 09 , 2010
Wind and solar video
At the end of each video a sharing menu appears, making it simple and easy to get the word out
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At the end of each video this menu appears with several
options for sharing, including e-mail, Facebook, Twitter,
Google, Blogger, Wordpress and more. | Post by Dan Kolbet
Thousands of you have already browsed Energy On The Street, our interactive customer engagement video project where we get answers to your most pressing questions. Earlier this month we added six new video Q&As, featuring topics such as rates, generation, rebates, renewables and bills. Today, 18 videos are available for you to view.
You can help spread the word about Energy on the Street by watching your favorite video and sharing it. Here’s how it works – at the end of each video a black and gray menu appears on screen with several options for sharing. (It looks like the image above). You can share the link through e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Blogger, Wordpress and more.
Nov 08 , 2010
Powering Our Future Slideshow
Click on the slideshow above to view images from Powering Our Future: Choices, Opportunities and Costs. These 23 photos capture much of the interaction and discussion during the event.
The interactive energy event was held in late October in Spokane Valley, drawing more than 200 attendees from Washington and Idaho. As part of our ongoing effort to engage customers and communities, we talked about forces at play in the energy industry, renewable energy, the role of energy efficiency, and more.
If you'd like to see captions with the images, click here. Oct 22 , 2010
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Videographer Duane Regehr, Limited Income Program Manager Chris
McCabe and Communications Manager Dan Kolbet pause for a
photo between Energy on the Street takes. | Post by Dan KolbetToday was a great day. We recorded eight new question and answer videos for Energy on the Street, our interactive customer project that helps get you answers to your most pressing questions about energy. I plan to have a new batch of edited videos on our Energy on the Street page by early November.
Trying to schedule a number of employees to record answers on the same day is a bit tricky, but thankfully everyone was willing and happy to make today fit their schedule. This morning I was a bit worried about the shoot while driving into work – it was raining and I’d planned to record the answers outside. Thankfully, the sun peaked through the clouds at just the right times and allowed our Avista experts to answer your questions without getting soaked!
Today we tackled questions about rates and pricing, wind and solar power, time of day metering, PUDs and investor-owned utilities and more.
We also recorded our first Avista expert responding to a question that was e-mailed to us by a customer through our conversation@avistautilities.com inbox. If you’ve got additional questions for us, send us an e-mail, we’d love to get you an answer.
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