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Jan 23 , 2012
Moscow Pullman Daily News editorial says it all
Post by Brandi Smith
Below is an excerpt from a Moscow Pullman Daily News editorial published on Saturday, Jan. 21. We want to share it with you because we take great pride in serving our customers as quickly as possible. Whether it’s in the midst of a storm or just a normal day, you can always count on the people who work at Avista to respond quickly and efficiently no matter what the weather does.
With snow, ice, power outages, remember to say ‘thanks’
Written by Lee Rozen/M-P Daily News
Odd that a snow and ice storm, downed trees and power failures can get us feeling thankful.
Living here on the Palouse gives us a lot to be thankful for.
But we think the quick response and fast recovery from the chaos of Thursday night and Friday morning deserves extra thanks.
In some places with privately owned power companies, the response might still be getting organized. But Thursday night, we were glad for every dollar we pay Avista in our monthly power bill. As the deluge of ice and snow brought down trees and branches on power lines and caused transformers to explode, Avista moved quickly and efficiently to repair the damage or route around it. And then do it again. And again. (continued/login required.)
A login to the Moscow Pullman Daily News website is required to view the whole story here. Jan 17 , 2012
A few dozen employees turned out for the Unity March in downtown Spokane on Monday, Jan. 16 in honor of diversity and to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event was well attended with thousands of people from diverse backgrounds gathering to show their support. Avista contributed to the community event by not only showing our support in numbers, but by sponsoring the keynote speaker, Rev. Stephen J. Thurston, president of the National Baptist Convention of America.
Dec 16 , 2011
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approves multi-party settlement agreement, including increase in energy assistance funding for customers
Avista received approval today from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) on the multi-party settlement agreement, concluding the company’s electric and natural gas rate requests in Washington. New customer rates will be effective Jan. 1, 2012. Avista made the requests to the UTC on May 16, 2011, followed by a multi--party settlement agreement on Sept. 30, 2011.
“Energy impacts every aspect of our lives. It’s our job to make sure customers can depend on having energy when they need it and that requires a reliable energy delivery system,” said Dennis Vermillion, Avista Corp. senior vice president and president of Avista Utilities. “We are pleased the Commission recognized the need for retail rates to reflect the increased costs necessary to operate our system.”
The approved rates are designed to provide an additional $20.0 million in annual electric revenue and $3.75 million in natural gas annual revenues to recover, among other things, increased investment in Avista’s energy system. The new prices reflect an overall electric increase of 4.5 percent in billed rates and a natural gas increase of 2.5 percent in billed rates.
Effective Jan. 1, 2012, a residential customer using an average of 977 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month would see an increase of $3.02, or 4.0 percent, for a revised monthly bill of $78.00. A residential natural gas customer using an average of 67 therms a month would see a $1.76, or 2.8 percent, increase a month for a revised monthly bill of $64.63. Avista serves more than 234,000 electric and nearly 147,000 natural gas customers in Washington.
Additional annual funding of $550,000 in direct energy bill payment assistance for limited income and senior customers will be available as a result of the UTC approval. The increase includes $370,000 in new funding for Avista’s Low Income Rate Assistance Program (LIRAP), plus $180,000 in reallocated funds from the utility’s conservation education program. In total, annual funding available for the LIRAP program to assist qualifying customers would be approximately $3.6 million for electric customers and approximately $1.8 million for natural gas customers. The LIRAP program is funded through a separate tariff.
Information on energy assistance programs and energy efficiency rebates and incentives for customers is available at www.avistautilities.com.
The UTC has requested a more detailed breakdown of executive compensation for informational purposes. Avista will provide the requested information by the February 29, 2012, deadline.
Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 357,000 customers and natural gas to 317,000 customers. Our service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.5 million. Avista’s primary, non-regulated subsidiary is Ecova, an energy and sustainability management company with more than 500 multi-site commercial and utility customers, representing more than 450,000 sites. Our stock is traded under the ticker symbol “AVA.” For more information about Avista, please visit www.avistacorp.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the company’s current expectations. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than historical facts. Such statements speak only as of the date of the news release and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, in addition to those discussed herein, all of the factors discussed in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2010 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2011.
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 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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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.
Oct 13 , 2011
Today, our Idaho customers will recieve an email from us, detailing why rates changed slightly on Oct. 1. Pasted below is the message from Avista Utilities President Dennis Vermillion.
Dear Avista Customer,
Electric and natural gas rates changed October 1. Here's why.
On the first of this month the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) announced changes to Avista’s electric and natural gas rates in Idaho. Your electric rates will decrease 2.1 percent, while natural gas rates will increase 0.3 percent. Avista doesn’t change rates on its own. The IPUC sets the rates you pay after Avista requests a change and provides the reasons for it.
As you might expect, a few increases and decreases combined to make up the final rate changes. Avista is continuing to invest in and maintain the electric and natural gas systems that serve you and because of that, some portions of your bill are increasing, but those are largely off-set by other rate components that have decreased. Learn more about the components.
Avista has agreed to keep base rates at this new level until at least April 1, 2013, although we may file for changes prior to that date. The IPUC has seven months to approve a general rate case. This doesn’t mean rates won’t change at all in 2012, as we will also continue to file annual requests to true-up the actual cost of natural gas and electricity.
We know how much any rate change impacts you and your monthly budget, that’s why we’re working hard to manage our costs while providing the safe, reliable service you expect from us.
Sincerely,
Dennis Vermillion
President, Avista Utilities Oct 05 , 2011
Avista CEO Scott Morris speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the WSU Spokane Biomedical and Health Sciences Building in Spokane’s University District. Morris was the co-chair of the Academic Health Science Center Steering Committee. Morris has said previously that such a project “in Spokane would be a catalyst for creating new and sustained growth for the entire region. The Spokane business community strongly supports this initiative and is ready to collaborate to make it happen.”
Sep 20 , 2011
Post by Dan Kolbet
Chris Drake, an Avista energy efficiency expert, joined KHQ during its noon NewsBreak, a live web stream, on Monday Sept. 19. He provides some great tips for energy efficiency in the winter.
To watch the video, click on the picture to the right, select the video“6 ways to save on your electricity bill this winter.” The video is four minutes and 30 seconds long. Sorry to send you to another website to view the video, but I can’t embed the video in its current You format.
http://www.khq.com/category/212743/newsbreaks
You'll click on this graphic when you get to KHQ.com:
Sep 19 , 2011
700 Spokane County homeowners have already benefitted from energy audit
Today Avista announced a reduction in the costs for In-Home Energy Audits for Spokane County homeowners. The energy audits, which provide specific recommendations to help homeowners make informed decisions about actions they can take to help save energy, are now available for as low as $49.
I was lucky enough to be at one of the first energy audits we conducted as part of this program. You’d be surprised about the stuff the auditors find about your home and energy usage – some stuff you might not expect.
To date, nearly 700 homeowners have participated in the program. The majority of these homeowners have taken action, based on the energy audit recommendations, to make their homes more energy efficient and thus use less energy.
The cost range for the audits, $49 to $325, depends on which funding sources the homeowners are eligible to receive. Non-Avista customers can sign up for audits and are eligible for funding through their respective city or county, but are not eligible for Avista energy efficiency funds.
Residents living anywhere within the boundaries of Spokane County can visit www.avistautilities.com/savings/inhomeaudit to watch a video about the audits, learn how much funding they qualify for and how to start the audit process.
So, why just Spokane County?
Fair question. Typically a pilot program is started on a small scale and, if successful, expanded into larger areas. Spokane County was chosen based on its size, population density and availability of trained home auditors. In addition three local Spokane based governments made federal/state stimulus funds available through their Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants. If successful the program may be expanded throughout the Avista service area.
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