Issue #233, June 2024

3 Tips to Keep Your Electric Bill Lower this Summer

Our Energy Experts have some tips to help you save on your electric costs this summer:

1. Cook more meals in your microwave or on an outdoor grill to help keep your kitchen cooler.
2. Run your dishwasher at night, especially if you air dry dishes to help keep steam from filling up your kitchen.
3. Use fans instead of air conditioners. Fans can make you feel cooler, but they don't actually lower the temperature in a room, so be sure to turn off the fan when you leave the room.

You can find additional tips for summer savings online.

Please Keep Your Contact Info Current

Please ensure the contact information we have for your account is current.

This helps us deliver timely information to you about your account.

Make sure your information is accurate by calling us at (503) 397-0590, or going into the settings tab in SmartHub.

You Can Help Your Community by Donating to GLOW

Our GLOW Fund provides emergency bill payment assistance to families in need all year long. Through April, we have helped 178 families in our community, providing $17,800 in assistance.

Unfortunately, our GLOW account balance is running low. You can help support families in need of assistance on their electric bills.

Charging Your EV at Night Can Help the Grid

We recommend scheduling your electric vehicle's charging times to coincide with our off-peak hours. These are Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. or 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and anytime on weekends or holidays.

This helps reduce the strain on our electrical grid, which helps us keep our rates down by mitigating costly upgrades to our electric system.

Please Keep Yourself Safe from Scam Attempts

Please be aware of potential scam attempts from people pretending to be utility employees.

We regularly receive reports from customers who have received phone calls or text messages trying to convince them that they need to make a payment immediately or their power will be shut off.

We don't do this. If you receive a call or text message like this, please hang up and call us immediately at (503) 397-0590.

PUD Pays Franchise Fees to Cities

Local cities recently received nearly $800,000 in franchise fee payments from the PUD.

In exchange for providing electricity within city limits, we are required to pay a fee to the city for the ability to use public spaces, like roads or sidewalks. This is called a franchise fee.

Customers within the city limits of Rainier, Columbia City, Scappoose, and St. Helens see this franchise fee as a line item on their bill for 1% of total charges.