Related News
Related News
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Community members can test out climate-friendly e-bikes at E-Bike Expo on Saturday
EWEB encourages Eugene residents to ride into summer on clean, accessible e-bikes, with a $300 e-bike rebate.
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EWEB Hosts Dinner to Appreciate Customers of the McKenzie River Valley
EWEB hosted a customer appreciation dinner at the Walterville Community Center on Thursday, May 23, in place of its yearly upriver Board meeting. The event allowed customers, EWEB Commissioners, and staff to share a meal and openly discuss topics most relevant to the McKenzie Valley community.
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EWEB bids a fond farewell to College Hill Reservoir and prepares for modern drinking water storage tanks
Several hundred Eugene residents came together on May 30 for a Farewell Celebration at EWEB’s College Hill Reservoir before demolition and construction to build modern drinking water storage tanks begins later this year.
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Tips to stay cool while saving money this summer
June is quickly approaching, and that means summer weather is just around the corner. Before you turn up the air conditioning and see an increase in your utility bill, try these tips to prepare your home for warmer weather to keep your home cool.
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EWEB offering additional energy efficiency supplement to qualified customers
Current EWEB residential electric customers may qualify to double their energy efficiency rebates with a limited time supplement.
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EWEB opens application for 2024 Electric Mobility Community Grants
Grant awards of up to $30,000 to cover costs associated with electric mobility projects.
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The Big Freeze 2024: After Action Report
Winter 2024 was one for the records books, and we'll look back on it for years to come and say, "That was a doozy!" The back-to-back January Ice Storms caused widespread damage to EWEB’s service territory, affecting approximately 38,000 customers. Preliminary repair costs were over $8 million, and additional repairs to transmission lines are still required.
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Fixing the Unseen: Water Pipeline Replacement in Unincorporated Eugene
Learn more about EWEB's methods for monitoring and replacing aged water pipelines.
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New tanks come online as EWEB modernizes water system
New drinking water storage tanks are one of several investments to ensure that EWEB can meet critical community needs in the event of an earthquake.
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Celebrate Earth Month by taking charge of your home's energy use
This Earth Month, learn how you can reduce your energy usage to help protect our planet and reduce carbon emissions.
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Spring Cleaning? How about Spring Emergency Preparedness!
Spring is officially here and that means the plants are blooming, the sun is (sometimes) shining, and the grass is green! We've had our fair share of severe weather already, but spring weather is notoriously unpredictable. While you're in the midst of spring cleaning and garden care, consider completing these emergency preparedness tasks.
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EWEB General Manager Delivers 2024 State of the Utility
General Manager Frank Lawson delivered his address at the March 5 public Board of Commissioners meeting
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State of the McKenzie Watershed
EWEB’s Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP) team says the McKenzie River continues to be an excellent source for drinking water.
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Nine days without power: My ice storm story as an EWEB customer and employee
While beautiful and peaceful, buying a home on the edge of the forest and surrounded by trees has its tradeoffs. Moving “upriver,” I knew there would be more threats to prepare for, including Mother Nature’s seasonal surprises.
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EWEB achieves power restoration milestone over the weekend
Crews have so far restored power for 92% of customers who originally lost power at the height of the ice storm.
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No Price Increase Again in 2021
January 13, 2021
EWEB's 2021 budget keeps prices steady once again, marking the fifth year in a row of no price increase for customers. The utility's budget of $331 million includes operation and maintenance of the electric and water systems that serve more than 200,000 people in Eugene and parts of Springfield and the McKenzie Valley, as well as customer bill assistance, energy efficiency incentives, school grants, drinking water source protection, and renewable energy programs.
"This past year has been difficult for our community, and I'm pleased that EWEB is able to deliver on our promise to bring affordable power and water to our customer-owners," said EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson. "I'm proud of our staff who continue to work hard to keep costs down and operate efficiently even as new challenges arise."
EWEB's residential electric rate will remain at 9.1 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2021, keeping it competitive with other northwest electric utility rates and below the national average of 13.6 cents/kWh.
Electric and water prices for EWEB customers have not increased since 2016.
Although economic conditions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced utility revenue, we have been able to maintain sustainable spending levels by reducing costs, refinancing debt, increasing efficiencies, and reprioritizing select capital projects.
Investing in our community
While customer prices have remained steady for six out of the last seven years, we've continued to invest in energy efficiency incentives, bill assistance programs, and infrastructure projects for improved reliability. Last year, we expanded payment assistance programs to allow more customers to qualify and delivered over $1.5 million in bill assistance to more than 5,000 customers, many of whom suffered pandemic-related job losses. Spending in 2021 to support a new customer portal and meter infrastructure upgrades will improve the customer experience and help EWEB respond more effectively to water leaks and power outages. The 2021 budget also includes funding for emergency water stations to provide potable water in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
The 2021 infrastructure spending levels of $51 million for electric and $21 million for water are part of 10-year planned investments of $335 million (electric) and $244 million (water) respectively. As we move forward, we will work with the EWEB Board of Commissioners to understand the benefits and impacts of further expanding our infrastructure investments.
"We continue to be guided by our core values to provide safe and reliable drinking water and electricity, be responsible stewards of resources, and adhere to our commitment to serve our local community," said Frank Lawson. "The 2021 budgets position EWEB to maintain financial resiliency, rise to whatever challenges 2021 may bring, and continue efforts to enhance customer confidence."
*While water prices for EWEB customers remained flat, our wholesale water customers such as the city of Veneta and the River Road and Santa Clara Water Districts saw a slight increase in 2020 and a slight decrease in 2021.
**Tualatin Valley Water District serves Beaverton, portions of Hillsboro and Tigard.