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Mar 04 , 2011
Earlier this winter when it was really, really cold outside, I took a tour of Avista’s Post Street Sub with local freelance photographer Nicole Hensley. Nicole was seeking an inside look at this historic building. Most people refer to it as the Washington Water Power building, because of the big green letters on the roof. We were taken on an insider’s tour by Avista Chief Operator Dave Brown. Nicole got some great photos of the historic elements of the building and I encourage you to thumb through them above and visit her website. I grabbed some video as well, you can see that below. Post Street is still a working piece of Avista’s electrical grid, but most everything you’ll see in the images and video are no longer in service, but preserved for history’s sake.
Details on the Post Street Sub
Energy generated at Avista's Monroe Street and Upper Falls power plants is transmitted via large underground cables to the Post Street Substation, where it is distributed throughout the company's electrical system. Serving as the control center for Monroe Street and Upper Falls, this building houses personnel who oversee both plants.
Constructed in 1909, the Post Street Substation has also served as a warehouse and sheltered streetcars. Powered by electricity from Avista's hydroelectric facilities, streetcars were a popular form of Spokane-area transportation from the late 1800s until they were removed from service in 1936.
Designed by the famed architect Kirtland Cutter, this Romanesque brick structure with large, recessed arch windows is an excellent example of Spokane's early industrial architecture.
The four ornate iron domes, or cupolas, which once graced the corners of the substation roof, were donated to the U.S. government during the World War II scrap metal shortage. Post Street stands today as a prominent part of Avista's "living history."
Mar 02 , 2011
charge video
Today the Spokesman-Review published an article about Avista’s plan to upgrade our three electric vehicle charging stations in Spokane. Check out “Plugged into the future.” We’ve got one at Avista’s HQ on Mission, one at Spokane City Hall and the last one is at the Steam Plant downtown.
The plan is to upgrade the stations from 120 volts to 240 volts, speeding charge time and convenience. As more electric vehicles find their way to our streets, stations like these are likely to become more common.
The video above is from last April when the stations were first installed. Thought you might like another look.
Feb 25 , 2011
Snow vid
Don’t forget to clear a path to your meters too
I got a lot of grief last November when I posted a video about clearing a path to your meter using my snow blower. Why did I use it when I only had a tiny little strip to clear? What a wimp, right? To selfishly vindicate myself I created the video shown above yesterday morning before work. Here’s the work that I didn’t show.
Can you snowblow your driveway in less than a minute?
Got a video or pics of your meters (cleared of snow)? E-mail them my way. And don’t forget to clear a path to your meters (even if it is February and it really shouldn't be snowing anyway.) Feb 07 , 2011
Drafts video
You paid to heat it, you might as well keep it. Stopping drafts around the windows and doors of your home can greatly improve your comfort and hopefully reduce your energy use. Watch the video for some simple tips.
Jan 11 , 2011
Viewer’s Choice judging is underway in Avista’s Every Little Bit video contest. High school students from throughout Avista’s service territory created more than 60 videos about energy efficiency.
The deadline for voting to tomorrow at midnight!
Videos can be given one to five stars from viewers and this voting will be used to decide a Viewer’s Choice winning video – and Apple iPod prizes to the winning team.
If you have a few minutes in your day, go to www.everylittlebitvideo.com and take a look at these creative videos. And be sure to rate the videos you watch. Is there a five-star video out there?
The video contest encourages local students to think about energy and efficiency in creative ways and showcase them on video.
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. Nov 29 , 2010
Meter video
Post by Dan KolbetOver the last few weeks as snow dumped on the Inland Northwest, I’ve been urging customers to clear a path to their meters. Time to walk the talk. On Saturday morning I tweeted the above video of yours truly clearing a path to my utility meters. We recieved about 6 inches of new snow at my house that morning, on top of the 4-6 inches we had from earlier in the week.
I have the nifty advantage of a snow-blower to get the job done, but the path doesn’t have to be perfect. Just enough room to get someone in front of it without having to move mountains. And speaking of mountains – for heaven’s sake, don’t pile your snow on top of it! This might happen on accident too, so be aware. When today’s snow turns into tomorrow’s icy slush, it just might slide off your roof and onto you meters. So keep a look out.
Nov 23 , 2010
We created this Infrastructure video, shown below, last March when we filed for rate adjustments in our General Rate cases in Washington and Idaho. Now that both cases have come to their respective conclusions, this video serves as a good reminder of what you're paying for with the adjusted rates.
Infrastructure video Nov 23 , 2010
We created this Power Supply video, shown below, last March when we filed for rate adjustments in our General Rate cases in Washington and Idaho. Now that both cases have come to their respective conclusions, this video serves as a good reminder of what you're paying for with the adjusted rates.
Power Supply video
Nov 17 , 2010
Potlatch video
Post & Video by Dan KolbetYesterday I met up with several Avista electric line crews restoring power near Potlatch, Idaho. This video shows the clean up and restoration effort along Hwy 95. The audio quality is really pretty poor, sorry about that – but it shows just how windy it was out there even hours after the main storm had passed. At one point my camera even blew over – go figure.
When I left the site last night, new steel poles had been delivered and were being erected. Avista estimates that power should be restored to the majority of customers in the area by this evening, but smaller pockets of customers may remain without power. Avista crews will continue to work until all customers have been returned to service. Customers are urged to contact Avista late this evening at 1(800)227-9187 if their power has not been restored, as there may be damage to nearby power lines, which has yet to be reported.
Shelter opened in Potlatch for residents without power
The City of Potlatch, Idaho has opened a warming shelter in the city for area residents who remain without power from Monday night’s wind storm. The shelter is located at Eastern Star’s Rebekah Hall on Pine Street in Potlatch. Avista is partnering with the City of Potlatch and Latah County Disaster Services to coordinate this effort.
The shelter is heated and will offer food and beverages to those in need. The shelter opened early Wednesday morning and is tentatively scheduled to remain open until at least 8 p.m. tonight. For more information about the shelter, please contact Sandy Rollins, Latah County Disaster Services at (208)883-2265 or (509)330-0676.
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