 |
Mar 01 , 2010
If you happened to read the Spokesman-Review this morning, you might have seen a great article about Avista’s Sun Car and electric vehicle work along with the smiling mug of my co-worker and occasional blogger Hugh Imhof. You can check out the article here.
I’ve written about the Sun Car a few times, but it was nice to see the broad reach of the S-R to spread the word too. Here’s the deal – the car (actually two cars) are hybrid electric Toyota Priuses that have been modified to plug-in to electricity and hold a charge. The modifications roughly double car’s miles per gallon to around 90 MPG (not too shabby).
Employees of Avista have been driving the cars around our service territory in Idaho and Washington since last summer. As part of the project we installed solar panels on our company headquarters to help power the cars too. You can see a live feed of the power generated by the solar panels here.
On a personal note, I think this technology is pretty cool. Driving around in one of these cars is a different experience – it’s really quiet – but it’s also just the beginning of the electric vehicle revolution. As the price of gasoline goes up, more of us think about cutting back our driving or carpooling more. But what if you could plug in your car every night and get the juice to power your travels right from your utility? It seems like a convenient option.
Yet, from a utility perspective, it’s somewhat of a tricky prospect. These new cars will collectively take a great deal of power. While I don’t think everyone can afford to rush out and buy a brand new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle today, there will come a time when these cars become a viable (and affordable) option. Testing the cars as Avista is today ensures that we will be ready if and when our customers need us to meet their car-charging needs.
Feb 17 , 2010
|
|
|
The Reardan Wind project (site
shown above) is on hold for a few
years. | Post by Hugh Imhof
So it looks like it will be a few more years before Avista builds a new wind farm. We’ve had plans to eventually build a wind project at Reardan, but now we are pushing the timeframe back.
The decision to reschedule the project, along with any other new renewables, wasn’t an easy one to make. Avista thought that all the current stimulus and tax incentives and lower turbine prices might make this a good time to build a project, but the numbers didn’t quite pencil out. The problem is that we don’t actually need the renewables right now, and it doesn’t make sense to add all the cost (these things are very expensive) until it’s closer to the time when we do need them.
Avista is already one of the greenest utilities in the country. We get more than 60 percent of our energy from clean hydropower and other renewable resources. Our carbon footprint is among the ten smallest of all the generating utilities in the U.S.
Avista has a plan for new resources called an IRP ( integrated resource plan) that is updated every two years and looks at future resource needs. The current plan identifies that we will not need additional renewable energy until 2016. That’s because Washington has a law called an RPS (renewable portfolio standards) that requires utilities to get a certain percentage of their power from qualifying renewables such as wind or solar. Unfortunately our existing hydropower and wood waste project doesn’t count, according to the RPS. We’ve been upgrading our hydroelectric generators, which does count and helps us meet some of the RPS requirement. We’ve been buying renewable energy credits that also count toward the goals. But by 2016 we’ll need to add more qualifying renewable resource.
Until then we’ll keep evaluating potential new resources and make our decision based on the most cost effective ways to meet RPS goals while still serving our customers reliably.
Feb 11 , 2010
Avista filed a request to reduce rates back in January. This decrease centers on the removal of a surcharge. The Energy Recovery Mechanism - or ERM - was in place to recover extraordinary changes in certain power supply costs that are above or below the amount included in customer base rates.
So, what does this mean for you if you live in Washington? You will be paying less for your electricity starting Friday.
Point of clarification: This is a decrease, but that doesn’t mean Avista won’t file for other rate changes in the near future. As we noted this morning on the blog, we’re planning to file requests in Washington and Idaho for energy efficiency program tariffs. We’re also going to file general rate cases in Idaho and Washington by the end of the first quarter this year.
We’ll have all the details of these filings here on the blog when they happen.
Feb 08 , 2010
You’ll get no argument from me. The utility business and energy is pretty complicated. Not everyone understands it completely, and that’s part of the reason Avista created this blog – to keep us all ‘in the know’.
Well, the folks at ESource have created a funny and interesting video, “to learn what everyday people think about the smart grid, utility bills, and how they can save energy.”
They approached people on the street and asked them some of the common things that utility folks talk about every day. I suspect that if you’re being honest, you’d have answered some of these questions the same way.
Jan 20 , 2010
Yesterday marked the end of an 80-year era for Avista, with the release of wooden flashboards at our Nine Mile Falls Dam on the Spokane River. Watch the two-minute video to see what it looked like to release the flashboards.
In 1928 Avista began installing the five-foot high, hand-built flashboards at the top of the face of the dam, extending the normal dam height to 63 feet (without the flash boards its 58 feet). Later, the flashboard height was doubled to a total height of 10 feet. Flashboards are installed annually in four sections: two upper and two lower. Yesterday we released the two upper sections, and we’ll release the remaining sections later this spring, for the final time.
The flashboards, constructed with sheets of plywood and solid wood beams, allow operators to hold back more water in the forebay for power generation when river levels are lower. They are installed each summer and removed in late winter or early spring, as river levels begin to rise again.
Beginning this summer, Avista will replace the wooden flashboards at Nine Mile with an automated spillway that will give operators the ability to raise and lower the height of the spillway as needed. This new spillway, required under our FERC Spokane River Project license, will allow us to maintain the reservoir pool at a more constant level throughout the entire year, partly because it eliminates the need to lower the reservoir each summer to install flashboards.
Just a reminder – if you’re out on the river for any reason, be careful. High river levels, run-off from recent storms and the flashboard release have resulted in extra debris in the water, especially downstream from Nine Mile Dam. The video shows a few rather large trees and other items floating down the river.
Jan 11 , 2010
Avista customers in Washington will see an overall 7 percent decrease in electric rates if the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approves a recent request to lower rates. The new rate would take effect February 12 if approved by the WUTC.
This decrease centers on the removal of a surcharge. The Energy Recovery Mechanism - or ERM - was in place to recover extraordinary changes in certain power supply costs that are above or below the amount included in customer base rates.
“The surcharge was mainly caused by below-normal hydroelectric conditions and higher natural gas prices for thermal generation in previous years,” said Kelly Norwood, Avista vice president of state and federal regulation, in a media release today. “The combination of a decline in natural gas prices, near-normal hydroelectric conditions in the past year, and the collection of prior-period costs now allows us to eliminate the surcharge.”
Requests to lower rates, such as this one, take considerably less time to approve than increase requests. (We filed it last Friday, Jan. 8). The WUTC has up to 11 months to approve rate increase requests. The WUTC issued a decision on Avista’s most recent Washington general rate case on Dec. 22, 2009. That rate case, which was originally filed in January 2009, resulted in a 2.8 percent increase in electric rates and 0.3 percent increase in gas rates.
Idaho electric customers might be asking, “What about us?” Idaho doesn’t use the ERM mechanism like Washington, but rather uses a similar mechanism called a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA). The Idaho PCA was adjusted with a general rate case ruling effective August 1, 2009. Read, “ Multiple Idaho rate adjustments result in slight increase.” The PCA portion of that ruling was a 4.2 percent decrease. Dec 23 , 2009
Yesterday the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) issued a decision on Avista’s electric and natural gas general rate case. I wrote a post about this pending decision on Dec. 18., noting that this case has been in the works since Jan. 23, and discussed the activities in the case since it was originally filed.
In the news release announcing the decision yesterday, the WUTC said it approved a 2.8 percent increase in annual electric revenue, or $12.1 million a year, and a 0.3 percent natural gas increase, or $557,000 in additional revenue.
In addition, the commission authorized deferred accounting treatment for the Lancaster power plant which would equal approximately $12 million. Avista will have the opportunity to recover these costs in a future rate case.
A partial settlement agreement between Avista and interveners in the case was reached on Sept. 4 that reduced Avista’s original electric request from $69.8 million to $38 million, mainly because of decreased power supply costs.
The decision document is 148-pages and we didn’t get it until late Tuesday afternoon, so our rates folks are still reviewing it. Watch this blog for more information about your rates and feel free to e-mail us with any questions. Dec 22 , 2009
We sent out this media release earlier today and I wanted to make sure everyone saw it. We lower the water level at Lake Spokane – I’ve always called it Long Lake – every year, but if you own property out there or know someone who does, you should start getting prepared.
Avista to Begin Lake Spokane Drawdown
-Water level to drop up to a foot per day
Avista Utilities will start to draw down the water level at Lake Spokane (Long Lake Reservoir) the week of December 28, 2009. It is expected that the reservoir will be lowered up to one foot per day for a two- to three-week period, dropping the level of the lake 13 to 14 feet below its maximum summer elevation of 1,536 feet.
Under the right (extreme cold) weather conditions, the drawdown is expected to help with control of Eurasian milfoil, an invasive weed found in many area waterways. The drawdown also allows for repair and construction by property owners along the lake shoreline.
Property owners and lake-users are reminded to make any necessary preparations, including removing boats from the water and securing docks and boathouses for low-water conditions.
Water levels are subject to change due to a variety of factors, such as weather or equipment problems at the Long Lake dam. Lake users should always be alert to signs of such changes and exercise the highest level of personal caution and safety when using the waterways.
Updated reservoir level information is available by calling Avista's recorded Lake Information Line at (509) 495-8043.
Dec 10 , 2009
We’ve recently added a new feature to the Avista Utilities website that allows you to report a power outage. Of course, you’ve always been able to call our 1-800-227-9187 customer service number to report an outage, but many people like quick web interactions and we’re serving that need.
“Several years ago, when we were planning what to offer on the web, we looked at the E Source survey results info to determine what customers want on a site,” said Systems Business Analyst Janna Leaf. “Customers clearly indicated to E Source that they want the ability to report an outage on the web. So it's always been our intention to offer the service to our customers, and I believe this will be a great option for our customers.”
In today’s age of technology, it simply makes sense to be able to report an outage on the web.
The new feature offers the same self service options as the current telephone outage reporting system. The customer goes here and reports the outage using an address, phone number or account number. The information provided must match an Avista customer with electric service. We’ve also placed safeguards on information to ensure privacy.
You also get the opportunity to provide detailed outage information, such descriptions of what you saw or heard such as “saw arcing wire” or “heard loud bang” to better assist dispatchers.
Another feature with reporting an outage includes the option of a call back request if there is a change in resolution time or when power is restored. You can also view maps of your area to see how many outages are around you.
No power, no access right?
We all know you can’t use your desktop computer if your power is out. With today’s wireless culture, the new outage reporting function serves the needs of customers who prefer instant online communication and are wireless. The person making the outage report could also be a third party reporting on behalf of the customer.
Reporting an outage on the web is a great option for customers with internet on a mobile phone or wireless laptops. The site may not work on all mobile browsers. In that case, the 1-800-227-9187 number is the best bet.
Another good example of reporting an outage online is when a child comes home after school and there is no power, they can call a parent who can report the outage from their computer or phone.
Avista strives to keep in step with the technology that is being used by our customers. Having the option to report an outage online is another step forward in the right direction.
Nov 12 , 2009
Earlier this week I received an e-mail from an Avista customer named Steve who wanted to know about time of use rates. Coincidentally on Wednesday we had a similar question and answer published in e.view, an Avista employee publication. The info, provided here by Communications Manager Hugh Imhof is good stuff, so – here’s a Q and A about smart grid, peak power usage and time of use rates.
Question: I have been hearing a lot about smart grid technology and how the utilities will have the ability to turn off appliances especially during times of peak power usage. How do I found out when Avista's peak power usage hours are in my area? Thank you!
Answer: Smart grid technology will mean a number of different things for the electric system. Mainly it is a way to provide automation, using two-way communications within the grid, in order to increase efficiency and reliability, thereby reducing the need for new generation resources.
There is technology involved that would allow customers to monitor and better understand their usage and adjust it for greater efficiency and a savings on their bill. If customers allow us to, the utility will also have the ability to send signals to the home to reduce demand during heavy load periods (extreme weather conditions for example). This could mean turning the thermostat up or down a couple of degrees, or turning off the water heater for a couple of hours… something along those lines. By doing this we reduce overall demand and don’t have to buy expensive power on the market.
Peak loads (when electric use is high) generally occur in the morning and evening hours, before and after normal work times. Loads are lowest in the middle of the night.
In some regions utilities have what is known as “time of use” rates. This allows customers to shift their heavy usage to times when the rates are lower, i.e. late at night when demand is low. This kind of rate structure exists in areas where there is a big differential in what the utility must pay to obtain power between high load and low load periods. This mainly applies where they use a lot of coal-fired generation.
Northwest utilities, like Avista, are mainly hydro based and even though market power prices may vary greatly, there is not a big difference in the cost of generating power at different times of day. Avista has enough of its own resources that we don’t usually need to purchase market power during low load times. Someday, as our mix of generation facilities changes we may have time of use metering. For now we do offer a lot of other ways customers can reduce their energy use. Check out www.everylittlebit.com for more.
|
|