Appendix F: EWEB's Role in City of Eugene's CAP2.0

History and Implementation of Eugene’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2.0

Eugene’s Climate Recovery Ordinance

Community Goals:

 - Reduce community fossil fuel use by 50% of 2010 levels by 2030.
 - Reduce total community greenhouse gas emissions to an amount that is no more than the City of Eugene's average share of a global atmospheric greenhouse gas level of 350 ppm by 2100, which was estimated in 2016 to require an annual average emission reduction level of 7.6%.

City Operation Goals:

 - All City of Eugene owned facilities and operations shall be carbon neutral by 2020, meaning no net release of greenhouse gas emissions.
 - Reduce the City of Eugene's use of fossil fuels by 50% compared to 2010 usage.

Source: City of Eugene, Climate Recovery Ordinance

Eugene has a long history of climate action within both city government operations and the community. The city conducted its first Community Climate and Energy Action Plan in 2010. In 2014, City Council passed the first version of its Climate Recovery Ordinance (CRO), which was updated to its current form in 2016. The CRO includes 4 bold goals – two focused on the community including residents and businesses and two focused on city operations (see box).

In 2017-2018, Eugene updated its climate action plan for city operations and kicked off the process to engage the broader community to develop an update to their 2010 Climate and Energy Action Plan 1.0.

In summer of 2020, Eugene published CAP2.0. This was the culmination of a two-year process to engage with a broad coalition of stakeholders to identify and quantify opportunities and commitments to move towards reduced fossil fuel use, carbon neutrality, and climate change adaptation.

Explore this webpage: Eugene Climate Collaborative (ECC), Large-Lever Shareholders | EWEB’s Commitments in CAP2.0

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Eugene Climate Collaborative (ECC), Large-Lever Shareholders

As part of the CAP2.0 coalition building process, the City of Eugene explains on its website, “the project team focused its engagement on systems-level actors across the community, creating the Eugene Climate Collaborative Partners (ECC). ECC Partners were deliberately defined as organizations who have significant oversight and impact on community-wide fossil fuel use and emissions or can affect or alter systems that will enable the community to adapt and prepare for climate change.”[1]

ECC partners include City of Eugene, Lane County, Bethel School District, Eugene 4J School District, Lane Community College (LCC), University of Oregon, Lane Transit District (LTD), Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB), Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC), NW Natural, PeaceHealth, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce.

[1] Eugene CAP2.0, page 15, Eugene Climate Collaborative Partners. Downloaded from https://www.eugene-or.gov/4284/Climate-Action-Plan-20.

Figure 36: City of Eugene CAP2.0 List of Eugene Climate Collaborative Large-Lever Shareholders

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EWEB’s Commitments in CAP2.0

One of the guiding principles of the CAP2.0 is to “start with a foundation of commitments”. The plan records a set of voluntary commitments from participating ECC members. By documenting and quantifying the impact of these action items and commitments, our community can identify leaders and create accountability for follow-through.

EWEB submitted a series of commitments in CAP2.0 throughout the categories of Transportation, Building Energy, and Resiliency. These are summarized below with their CAP2.0 assigned action item numbering (example T38 is the 38^th action item within the Transportation section). The text in italics is directly from the CAP2.0 document. In the time since publication in summer of 2020, some items have changed and notes to that effect are listed for each section

Transportation

The table below provides a summary of EWEB’s Transportation commitments in CAP2.0.

Each of these commitments are discussed in detail in the coming sections.

 

T24 and T36: EV Market Support Initiatives

T24: EV Marketing & Awareness

COE and EWEB to increase the number of EV-centered ride and drive consumer education events. This action is scheduled to be completed between 2023 and 2025.

T36: EV Market Transformation

EWEB will focus on an evolution of targeted market transformation programs and efforts to increase EVs in the community, including dealership engagements and incentives, education campaigns, and ride and drive events. Funding for this action primarily comes from the Clean Fuels Program (CFP).

Under the Oregon Clean Fuels Program, credits associated with residential vehicle electrification are calculated by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). For EWEB, credit calculations are based on:

• Number of EVs registered in EWEB’s service area, using vehicle registration data from the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV).
• An estimate of electricity used per EV, from direct & non-direct metered data.
• The carbon-intensity of EWEB’s utility-specific average from Oregon DEQ (see Appendix E).

This has provided EWEB with a new source of funding, separate from ratepayer funds, that EWEB can use to support and advance electric mobility within our service territory. These programs are supported via funding from the Oregon Clean Fuels Program and are not supported using ratepayer dollars. Per the Oregon Department of Energy EV Dashboard, by August 2023 EWEB has 3,993 registered EVs within its service territory.

EWEB supports electric mobility education and market transformation in several ways (T24/32, T37, and T38 below). Key 2023 EV market support initiatives included:

Figure 37:  Public Charging (kWh) at EWEB-Owned Chargers 2021-2023

• EV education and awareness events: EWEB and our community partners, such as the Emerald Valley Electric Vehicle Association, support, host, and participate at events that provide customers the opportunity to learn and experience electric transportation firsthand.

• Electric vehicle test-drive events: Through EV test-drive events, community members can test drive an electric vehicle and learn about the benefits of switching to an EV from existing EV owners. EWEB held two events in 2023 in June and October, reaching 191 drivers.

• Free charging stations: EWEB has installed free public level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at its Roosevelt Operations Center (ROC) in West Eugene. They are available for community and employee use. In 2023, these public charging stations saw a near 50% increase in usage compared to 2022. EWEB will be installing additional level 2 stations and potentially level 3 stations at ROC in 2024.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• EWEB Oregon Clean Fuels 2021 Clean Fuels Credits Revenue Spending Report (April, 2022)
• Oregon Clean Fuels Program: Electric Utilities and the Clean Fuels Program
• Oregon Clean Fuels Program: Electricity Guidance Documents
• Oregon Department of Energy Electric Vehicle Dashboard

  

T37: EV Infrastructure Incentives

T37: EV Infrastructure Incentives

EWEB to incentivize commercial and residential charging infrastructure and to support regional efforts to expand available charging network, including EWEB-owned stations at its properties. Funding for this action primarily comes from the Oregon Clean Fuels Program (CFP).

T37: EV Infrastructure Incentives

Replacing a fossil fuel-burning car with an all-electric model powered by EWEB’s clean electricity is a great way to lower a household’s carbon footprint. But to achieve the greatest environmental benefit, it is important to charge your EV at the right time. Charging an EV right after work, when power consumption is highest, increases use of fossil fuel-burning generators in the region required to meet peak demands, and leads to higher power prices and infrastructure costs.

For the cleanest power, charge your car between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Charging during off-peak times, such as late evening, helps avoid or delay costly infrastructure investments and reduce market purchases at peak energy use times. Off-peak hours also coincide with the time when some renewable power sources are at their strongest—at night when the wind blows hardest and during mid-day when the sun shines brightest.

Most electric cars and Level 2 home chargers allow users to program the charge time, making it easy to fuel up with the cleanest possible power. It is for these reasons that EWEB offers incentives on electric vehicle charging infrastructure that allows users to program their charge times.

EWEB offers electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) incentives for residential and commercial applications. These programs are supported via funding from the Oregon Clean Fuels Program and are not supported using ratepayer dollars. Incentives offered and the 2022 incentive adoption rates include:

• $500 Residential EVSE Rebates (Level 2): 262 installations completed in 2023
• $1,500 Commercial EVSE Rebates (Level 2): 32 installations completed in 2023
• $2,000 Commercial EVSE Rebates (Level 2) - Affordable Housing: 2 installations completed in 2023
• $10,000 Commercial EVSE Rebates (Direct Current Fast Charging) - Single Port: 6 installations in 2023
• $15,000 Commercial EVSE Rebates (Direct Current Fast Charging) - Multi Port: 0 installations in 2023

Figure 38: 2023 Residential EV Incentive Adoption by Month

Figure 39: Residential EV Incentive Adoption by Year 2020-2023

For the Cleanest Power:

Charge your car between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• Oregon Electric Vehicle Dashboard
• EWEB Website: EV Incentives
• US Department of Energy: Alternative Fuels Data Center Information about Federal and State Incentives

 

T38: EV Support to Underserved Communities

T38: EV Support to Underserved Communities

EWEB to explore ways to increase EV use in underserved populations through efforts and programs including partnerships with key agencies, grants, culturally appropriate outreach and education, and non-ownership models like multi-family car sharing. Funding for this action primarily comes from the Clean Fuels Program (CFP).

EWEB recognizes that not everyone has equal opportunity to purchase a new or used electric vehicle, either due to upfront cost of the vehicle or due to charging challenges, among other barriers. EWEB seeks to offer electric mobility and transportation programs that help bring equitable access to the technology.

These programs are supported via funding from the Oregon Clean Fuels Program and are not supported using ratepayer dollars. Current equity-focused initiatives include:

• Electric Vehicle Car Sharing: In 2023, EWEB continued to partner with Forth, a non-profit organization supporting vehicle electrification to implement an electric car sharing program called GoForth CarShare in Eugene. Forth offers similar programs throughout Oregon. The goal of the GoForth CarShare program is to provide access to affordable all-electric cars to test drive and use for errands, shopping, or appointments. Working in connection with St. Vincent de Paul, Lane Transit District, and the City of Eugene, EWEB and Forth provided three car share vehicles, including one at an affordable housing site to offer low-cost electric mobility and charging. The first 4-hour ride with GoForth CarShare is free. Recurring rentals are $4/hour. See the table below for program-to-date usage information. The program launched in 2022 and data below runs through end of January 2024. EWEB plans to expand the electric vehicle car sharing program throughout 2024.

• Electric Mobility Community Grants: Grants can be up to $25,000 and can be awarded to tax-exempt, academic, or public institutions in the Eugene community. In 2023, eight grants were awarded – see table below for selected entities. Special consideration was given to projects that advanced electric mobility in underserved communities or with a defined equity component to their program, including areas without ample access to public charging.

• Electric Bicycle Rebates: EWEB offers a $300 e-bike incentive to increase access to more affordable, zero-emission electric bikes and support our community’s commitment to transportation electrification, and active transportation options.

GoForth CarShare User Data Since Program Inception
Location	Miles Driven	Trips	Users
Saint Vincent de Paul Affordable Housing: Iris Place	9,391	3,389	29
Lane Transit District: Santa Clara LTD Station	5,630	1,583	29
City of Eugene: Broadway South Parking	3,049	714	17

Figure 40: Eugene GoForth CarShare User Information since program inception (early 2022 through January 2024)

 

2023 Transportation Electrification Community Grant Winners
Community Entity	Project
City of Eugene	Cargo E-Trike
Eugene Science Center	Electric Outreach Vehicle
Friends of Trees	Pedal Powered Planting
HIV Alliance	Utilizing Electric Mobility for Healthcare Access
Homes for Good	W.A.F.E.R. (Weatherization Auditor Fleet Electrification Redesign)
Lane County	Charging Toward Autzen Stadium
Looking Glass Community Services	Center Point School PHEV
University of Oregon	University of Oregon Level 3 EV Charging Station Plan

Figure 41: EWEB Transportation Electrification Community Grant Recipients, 2023

 

Figure 42: EWEB e-Bike Rebate Program Participation by Month, 2023

 

Links and Relevant Resources:

• Forth Website: GoForth Car Share Information
• EWEB Electric Mobility Grants
• EWEB E-Bike Rebates

 

T40: EWEB Owned Fleet GHG Reduction Goals

T40: EWEB-Owned Fleet GHG Reduction Goals<

LCC, Lane County, and EWEB continue to invest in fuel efficient motor pools. Public agencies are focused on purchasing electric vehicles when practical and high efficiency hybrids or diesels when necessary. These vehicles require less maintenance and have lower operating costs than the vehicles they are replacing.

From 2010 and 2023, EWEB reduced its GHG emissions from owned fleet vehicles by 66%.

In 2023, EWEB had a fleet of 419 active pieces of equipment. Of that, 233 were vehicles (including pick-up trucks, dump trucks, bucket trucks, etc), there were 69 units of power operated equipment, and 117 trailers. The fleet size increased nearly 7% in 2023 over 2022 and 18.5% since 2020. EWEB’s GHG reductions have been driven by a switch from fossil to renewable biofuels. The biggest impact has come from switching from fossil diesel to renewable diesel (R99) since 2015. Other gains in recent years have come from increased use of E85 ethanol vehicles. While EWEB has invested in electric passenger vehicles, the COVID-19 pandemic depressed EWEB’s use-case for passenger vehicles. In 2023 EWEB purchased its first two Ford Lightning all-electric pick-up trucks. Electric technology is not as mature for the other heavy-duty vehicle applications that make up the remainder of EWEB’s fleet.

Figure 43:  EWEB GHG Emissions from Fleet Vehicles, 2010-2023

Figure 44: EWEB Fleet Fuel Consumption by Fuel Type, 2010-2023 (Gallons)

Figure 45: EWEB Fleet Fuel Consumption 2010-2023 (Gallons)

 

Building Energy

The table below provides a summary of EWEB’s Building Energy commitments in CAP2.0.

Building Energy
Action Item #	High Level Description	Details from CAP2.0
Guiding Policy	EWEB’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)	EWEB’s IRP helps EWEB understand the resources, technology, and infrastructure that will be needed to meet customers’ future electricity needs. EWEB’s ongoing electricity supply planning effort is aimed at optimizing power resources, assets, infrastructure, and customer products and services so that EWEB can continue to serve the community with clean, affordable, and reliable power, consistent with the values of EWEB’s customer-owners.
B8	EWEB owned facility GHG reduction goal*	EWEB is implementing adopted GHG reduction goals, which call for EWEB to reduce our net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from operations relative to 2010 levels by: 25% by 2020 50% by 2030 Achieve carbon neutrality from our operations by 2050
B9	Electrification Study	EWEB to complete an Electrification Impact Study in 2020-2021. The study will explore the impacts of widespread electrification on our community. In this study, EWEB will hypothesize various electrification scenarios and assess potential impacts to power supply, demand, local infrastructure, and community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
B10	Energy Efficiency	EWEB working with community partners to support building upgrades with incentives for smart electrification and energy efficiency.
B11	Limited Income Programs	EWEB and NWN limited income assistance programs and energy conservation education programs, which provide eligible customers with rebates and incentives to lower and pay their bills.
B12	Load Growth via Conservation	EWEB’s commitment to conservation includes meeting all new base load growth through acquiring conservation rather than new energy resources. Each year, the utility targets between 1.4 and 1.6 MW for acquisition, dedicating appropriate budget and human resources to those targets.
B13	Advanced Metering Infrastructure	Once fully deployed, EWEB’s advanced metering program will facilitate demand side management programs with customers to reduce energy use during peak periods. EWEB has begun consumer education on the value of reducing energy use during peak periods and plans to develop programs to help consumers shift energy use off-peak through a combination of technology and pricing signals.

*Text for B8 has been updated since CAP2.0 was published to reflect EWEB’s current goals for GHG reduction from internal operations per EWEB’s Board-approved Climate Change Policy, SD15.

 

Guiding Policy: EWEB’s Integrated Resource Plan

Guiding Policy: EWEB’s Integrated Resource Plan

EWEB’s IRP helps EWEB understand the resources, technology, and infrastructure that will be needed to meet customers’ future electricity needs. EWEB’s ongoing electricity supply planning effort is aimed at optimizing power resources, assets, infrastructure, and customer products and services so that EWEB can continue to serve the community with clean, affordable, and reliable power, consistent with the values of EWEB’s customer-owners.

EWEB updated its IRP in July 2023. An Integrated Resource Plan is a long-term planning process to identify EWEB’s energy needs and the best resource options to meet those needs. There are two main components to a standard IRP:  an Energy Resource Study that relies on modeling and analysis and public input to provide a 20-year look at future portfolio options and a nearer-term (2-5 year) Action Plan. Best resource options will be identified in accordance with EWEB’s organizational values.

For more information about EWEB’s 2023 IRP base-case results and additional analysis, please see Section 3.3 in the Climate Guidebook above or see the links below.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• EWEB Website: Integrated Resource Plan
• IRP Fact Sheets:
  • Is Solar a Good Fit for Our Community’s Energy Needs?
  • How can EWEB’s IRP Incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?
  • What are Considerations Around Utility-Scale Storage in EWEB’s Future Portfolio?
  • IRP Next Steps: How and When Will EWEB Acquire New Resources?
  • Planning for Long-term Carbon Reduction Goals in the IRP

 

B8: EWEB-owned facility GHG Reduction Goal

B8: EWEB-Owned Facility GHG Reduction Goal

EWEB is implementing adopted GHG reduction goals, which call for a reduction of Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from operations relative to 2010 levels by:
- 25% by 2020
- 50% by 2030
- Achieve carbon neutrality from our operations by 2050

EWEB has been tracking our internal greenhouse gas emissions annually since 2009, in accordance with industry best standards and the World Resources Institute Greenhouse Gas Protocol. EWEB’s Climate Change Policy (SD15) set specific GHG reduction goals for EWEB’s internal operations (see box).

While there has been annual variation in emissions over time due to several factors, EWEB has met its 2020 goal of 25% reduction over 2010 baseline emissions consistently since 2014.  In 2020, emissions dipped below the 2030 goal of 50% reduction compared to our 2010 baseline, but some of those reductions were temporary due to the COVID-19 pandemic and work-from-home orders.  In 2023, EWEB is pleased to report our emissions once again fell below the 2030 50% emissions reduction goal. In 2023, EWEB is reporting aggregate emissions reductions of 54% compared to 2010 baseline performance.  The decrease in emissions between 2022 and 2023 is due to lower fleet emissions due to utilization of renewable fuels, lower natural gas emissions due to the sale of the headquarters building in June 2023, no recorded refrigerant or industrial gas recharge in 2023, and a lower electricity emissions factor, as calculated by Oregon DEQ for EWEB in 2022.

For more information about EWEB’s internal GHG inventory results, please see section 6.2 above.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• EWEB’s website: Our Commitment to the Environment
• March 7, 2023 Regular Board Meeting: Climate Guidebook Part 2:  GHG Inventory and CAP2.0  

 

B9: EWEB Electrification Study

B9: EWEB Electrification Study

EWEB to complete an Electrification Impact Study in 2020-2021. The study will explore the impacts of widespread electrification on our community. In this study, EWEB will hypothesize various electrification scenarios and assess potential impacts to power supply, demand, local infrastructure, and community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In early 2020, EWEB’s management and Commissioners agreed to develop a better understanding of the impacts of electrification on EWEB’s future planning efforts. EWEB’s first electrification study (November 2020), focused on the potential impacts of electrification without analyzing the costs to customers choosing to electrify. The Phase 2 report published in 2021, built on that initial analysis by considering the economics of electrification from multiple perspectives.

For more information about EWEB’s Phase 1 and Phase 2 Electrification Studies, please see Section 3.2 in the Climate Guidebook above or see the links below.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• EWEB Website: EWEB is Exploring the Impacts of Widespread Electrification in our Community
• EWEB Electrification Study – Phase 1 Report (Oct 2020)
• EWEB Electrification Study – Phase 2 Report (Nov 2021)

 

B10: EWEB Energy Efficiency Initiatives

B10: EWEB Energy Efficiency Initiatives

EWEB working with community partners to support building upgrades with incentives for smart electrification and energy efficiency.

One way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy use is to improve energy efficiency within buildings. This is especially true for energy that uses fossil fuels. EWEB works with customers to complete over 1,000 energy efficiency projects per year. The highest number of projects are in the residential sector, due to the proportionally higher number of customers, yet the largest energy savings per project is in the commercial and manufacturing sectors.

Figure 46: EWEB Energy Efficiency Projects by Customer Type, 2017-2023

The impact of energy savings from projects in the commercial and manufacturing sectors is typically higher than that the residential sector, due to the proportionally higher energy usage. These projects are much larger and involve much more intense energy use than residential projects. This is true for both electricity and natural gas.

GHG emissions are measured in Metric Tons (MT CO₂e). The below line graph shows CO₂ savings from electric energy efficiency projects completed between 2017-2023. The overlaid bar graph comparatively demonstrates savings in MWh from efficiency projects in each sector. Note that carbon savings is proportional to energy savings but also varies due to the estimated emissions factor per MWh of energy savings, which varies from year to year. EWEB used the EPA eGRID Non-Baseload Emissions Rate for the Northwest Power Pool (NWPP) in these calculations. EPA eGRID calculated emissions factors every two years until 2018 so for the chart below, 2017 is calculated using EPA eGRID emissions factors for 2016.  Also, a new emissions factor for 2023 has not yet been released, so 2023 is calculated using the 2022 most recently available emissions factor.  

Figure 47: Energy and Carbon Savings from EWEB Efficiency Projects, 2017-2023

 

B11: EWEB Limited Income Programs

B11: EWEB Limited Income Programs

EWEB and NWN limited income assistance programs and energy conservation education programs, which provide eligible customers with rebates and incentives to lower and pay their bills.

Affordability is one of EWEB’s stated values. We understand the financial challenges customers are facing, and we want to find solutions to help customers pay their bills.

Any customers struggling to pay their bills should call EWEB at 541-685-7000 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday.

EWEB offers the following programs for customer financial support:

• EWEB Customer Care Program
• Community Partner Care Program
• Income-based Efficiency Rebates and Loans

Additionally, EWEB works with government partners to administer additional support through the following:

• Limited Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Limited Income Home Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)

EWEB Customer Care Program

Income-eligible customers can apply for bill assistance once per calendar year. Those who qualify will receive a $280 bill credit. Social security numbers are not required on the application, as legal status is not an eligibility criterion. Applications for Customer Care open on the first business day of each month and funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis until fully committed for the month.

Figure 48:  EWEB Customer Care Program Results, 2022-2023

EWEB Customer Care (ECC) finished the year relatively on target with the planned allocation of $1.5M. The 2023 working budget for ECC was $1.2M but has been increased to $1.3M for 2024.

The pacing of Customer Care activity was relatively consistent with higher numbers of customers applying in the first quarter as the program year renews. Consistent with 2022, EWEB was able to maintain continuous access to bill assistance through the end of the year. Even given a slight increase in ECC spending in 2023 compared to 2022, administrative fees for income verification in 2023 were just $80k (25% under budget), representing an overhead cost of 6% of the total benefit distributed.  

In addition to the Customer Care Program, EWEB collects community donations via the Energy Share program for funds to support customers who have difficulty paying their bills, and to supplement Customer Share’s budget to assist additional customers.  In 2023, the funds collected from Energy Share amounted to $99,000 with 1,614 customers receiving assistance.  These customers do not have the same eligibility requirements as the Customer Care Program.

Figure 49:  EWEB Customer Care Funds Allocated in 2023

Community Partner Care Program

Electricity is an essential service that enables local organizations to provide safe housing for those experiencing homelessness or extended outages. In addition to existing housing disparities, climate change is impacting our community beyond severe cold weather events. Extended fire seasons, hotter days, and air quality events impact the unhoused community disproportionally and will demand a larger community support system that targets resources outside of Warming Centers.

This is an opportunity for EWEB to proactively assist organizations that are on the front lines of providing services during a crisis or year-round. Beginning January 2023 eligible organizations can apply for EWEB bill credits to cover 10% of annual EWEB utility charges with a grant cap based on duration of operations.

Qualifications

• Organizations must have 501(c)(3) status and be able to provide proof upon request.
• The facility's primary focus must be assisting the unhoused population.
• The facility must have at least one year of energy consumption data.
• Part-time facilities are defined as those who operate as a crisis or emergency housing shelter for less than 120 days per calendar year.
• Full-time facilities are defined as those who operate a crisis or emergency housing shelter more than 120 days per calendar year.

Assistance is in the form of a bill credit, issued no more than one time per account per calendar year. Awards will be determined by 10% of the previous year's total utility charges, with caps based on duration of operations.

Launched in 2023, through Q2, EWEB served more than 16 Community Partner entities for a total of $12,437.

Income-based Efficiency Rebates and Loans

The best way to reduce your overall utility bill is to use less energy and water. Efficient appliances and weatherization upgrades can help. EWEB’s rebate and loan programs support efficiency investments. Income-qualifying customers may be eligible for expanded rebates or loans to upgrade home systems (HVAC, water heating, windows, and insulation). Qualifications are as follows:

• Qualification is based on household income and size. View the income guidelines. Total household income includes gross income for all adults over the age of 18, including roommates.
• Documented qualifying income level for the previous month is required.
• For owner-occupied homes, only the qualifying account holder's primary residence may qualify. For rentals, the tenant must be income qualified and be the current EWEB account holder.
• Maximum aggregated income-based rebates are $10,000 per customer (recipient) and $8,000 per premises (residence) over a 10-year period. Each individual product may have a limit as well.
• Applications may be denied for closed accounts, abusive behavior toward EWEB, tampering with any EWEB property, or any evidence of fraud.
• Income-based efficiency rebates & loans are for homes with existing electric heating and water heating.

Rebates and Loans are available for the following energy efficiency products:

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) & Low Income Home Water Assistance Program (LIHWA)

In addition to EWEB's Customer Care Program, customers may also qualify for the federal LIHEAP and LIHWAP programs. Under LIHEAP, EWEB distributes federal money to limited income households for home heating and energy bills and payments can be applied to electricity, gas, wood, pellets, and propane.  The LIHEAP program year begins the first working day of November. Funds are distributed on a monthly cycle until depleted. Under LIHWAP, EWEB distributes federal money to limited income households for water bills.

In 2023, between LIHEAP and LIHWA, EWEB distributed $1.7M of federal money to over 3,116 customers.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• EWEB Income-Based Assistance Programs
• EWEB Income Assistance Income Eligibility
• March 7, 2023 Regular Board Meeting: State of the Utility Address & Prior Year-End Operational & Strategic Goals Report – See page 16 of 119 of PDF
• EWEB Community Partner Care Application

 

B12: Load Growth via Conservation

B12: Load Growth via Conservation

EWEB’s commitment to conservation includes meeting all new base load growth through acquiring conservation rather than new energy resources. Each year, the utility targets between 1.1 and 1.6 aMW for acquisition, dedicating appropriate budget and human resources to those targets.

Over the last 13 years, EWEB’s load has remained fairly constant, with a peak in 2017 at 2.454 million MWh and a low in 2020 of 2.261 million MWh, presumably due to consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Compared to the 2010 baseline, 2023 total load has gone down 3.6%, while commercial/industrial load had gone down 7.8% and residential load has gone up 2.7%.

The Commercial and Industrial category includes all three sizes of General Service customers, contract customers, street, and private lighting accounts, and EWEB’s internal electricity consumption as a customer of the electric utility.

Figure 50: Chart - EWEB Annual Retail Electric Sales (MWh) by Customer Category, 2010-2023

Figure 51: Table - EWEB Annual Retail Electric Sales (MWh) by Customer Category, 2010-2023

 

B13: Advanced Metering Infrastructure

B13: Advanced Metering Infrastructure

Once fully deployed, EWEB’s advanced metering program will facilitate demand side management programs with customers to reduce energy use during peak periods. EWEB has begun consumer education on the value of reducing energy use during peak periods and plans to develop programs to help consumers shift energy use off-peak through a combination of technology and pricing signals.

EWEB seeks to provide customers with better service, build a more resilient community, and create a cleaner energy future. Achieving these goals requires modernizing our community's power grid and water distribution network. As a part of this effort, we are upgrading our electric and water meters to smart meters (also known as advanced metering infrastructure or AMI).

AMI can deliver better service to EWEB customers through the delivery of four core benefits:

1. Smart meters help protect property by detecting water leaks. EWEB can notify customers about a potential water leak long before they would otherwise become aware.
2. Smart meters help EWEB respond faster to restore power during an outage and can help prevent future outages by giving the utility better insight into system performance and health.
3. With smart meters, customers don’t need to wait for an EWEB representative to come to their home or business to start, stop or transfer service. Many of these services can be done remotely.
4. Customers with smart meters no longer need to provide a meter reader access to their property each month. Smart meters greatly reduce the need for billing estimates that are occasionally needed when a meter reader cannot manually read a meter due to weather or other unforeseen events.

Figure 52: Advanced Metering Infrastructure Deployment by Utility, as of March 25, 2024

In October of 2021 supply chain constraints caused EWEB’s smart meter installations to be reduced for Water and halted for Electric. As of March 25, 2024, AMI has been deployed to a total of nearly 78% of Water Utility customers, and nearly 83% of Electric Utility customers with an overall deployment rate of nearly 81%. EWEB expects to be finished with AMI installation for electric by August 2024 and for water by mid- to late-2025. 

Resiliency

The table below provides a summary of EWEB’s Resiliency commitments in CAP2.0.

Resiliency Action Items
Action Item #	High Level Description	Details from CAP2.0
Guiding Policy	Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan	The Eugene-Springfield Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) in partnership with the City of Springfield, Oregon, EWEB, Rainbow Water District, and the Springfield Utility Board (SUB). An update to the NHMP is expected to be completed in 2020 and is scheduled to be updated again in 2025. Actions R1-R8 provide link back to the NHMP. This is not an exhaustive list of items in the NHMP that will help Eugene achieve its climate goals, but rather a sample of the types of actions that will be needed to help the community adapt to the impacts of climate change.
R20	Emergency Water Stations	EWEB is installing emergency water stations at schools and public spaces around the region, with a goal to have at least five stations around the community. There are three stations that are operational and two more that are now under development with completion slated for the end of 2020. A new site on City property in south Eugene is now under exploration as a potential sixth emergency water station.
R21	Pure Water Partners Program	MWMC partnership with EWEB in Pure Water Partners program, a new initiative designed to reward landowners who protect high quality land along the McKenzie River. The program assists EWEB in protecting water quality and helps avoid future water treatment costs.

 

Guiding Policy: Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan

Guiding Policy: Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan

The Eugene-Springfield Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) in partnership with the City of Springfield, Oregon, EWEB, Rainbow Water District, and the Springfield Utility Board (SUB). An update to the NHMP is expected to be completed in 2020 and is scheduled to be updated again in 2025. Actions R1-R8 provide link back to the NHMP. This is not an exhaustive list of items in the NHMP that will help Eugene achieve its climate goals, but rather a sample of the types of actions that will be needed to help the community adapt to the impacts of climate change.

For more information about EWEB’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, please see Section 5.3 in the Climate Guidebook above or see the links below.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• City of Eugene Emergency Plans: Eugene Springfield Multi-Jurisdictional Emergency Operations Plan, Eugene Springfield 2020 Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, Oregon Resiliency Plan, and Neighborhood Radio Communications Response Guide
• Lane County, Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management
• Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan for Lane County, 2018-2023
• Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan for Oregon, 2020-2025 - Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development

  

R20: Emergency Water Stations

R20: Emergency Water Stations

EWEB is installing emergency water stations at schools and public spaces around the region, with a goal to have at least five stations around the community. There are three stations that are operational and two more that are now under development with completion slated for the end of 2020. A new site on City property in south Eugene is now under exploration as a potential sixth emergency water station.

EWEB is making investments to prepare, replace and maintain our community's water system.

We are working with community partners to develop an emergency water supply program that includes several permanent distribution sites located throughout the community using groundwater wells, as well as mobile water trailers. As of September 2022, five sites are operational:

• Prairie Mountain School - 5305 Royal Ave.
• Howard Elementary School - 700 Howard Ave.
• Eugene Science Center - 2300 Leo Harris Parkway
• Lane Events Center/Fairgrounds - 796 W 13th Ave.
• Sheldon Community Center - 2445 Willakenzie Rd.

Two additional sites are planned—near Churchill High School and near Roosevelt Middle School.

Figure 53:  EWEB Emergency Water Station Map

Links and Relevant Resources:

• EWEB Emergency Water Stations

 

R21: Pure Water Partners Program

R21: Pure Water Partners Program

MWMC partnership with EWEB in Pure Water Partners program, a new initiative designed to reward landowners who protect high quality land along the McKenzie River. The program assists EWEB in protecting water quality and helps avoid future water treatment costs.

For more information about EWEB’s Pure Water Partners Program, please see Section 5.5 in the Climate Guidebook above or see the links below.

Links and Relevant Resources:

• EWEB Pure Water Partners Program
• EWEB Website: Fire Recovery and Watershed Restoration
• 2022 EWEB State of the Watershed Report