eCurrents

Public Power Month Highlights Benefits of Customer-Owned, Nonprofit Utilities

More than 2,000 community-owned public power utilities energize the economies, homes and schools of nearly 50 million customers in 49 states with people, not profits, as the priority.

Every October, Public Utility Districts, Municipal Utilities and Electric Cooperatives across the country recognize Public Power Month to celebrate the many benefits of nonprofit, customer-owned electricity providers. They set the national standard in infrastructure investment and system maintenance, reliability and planning to meet the energy needs far into the future. We work to control operating costs, maintain system affordability, and keep customer satisfaction high.

Public utilities offer financial assistance to help customers get their utility accounts back on track, incentives to reduce energy waste and offer the services and support local businesses of all sizes need to grow.

As a public power utility district, created in 1938 by a vote of the people to provide at cost electricity and water to Clark County, Clark Public Utilities is governed by a three-person board of elected commissioners and regulated by Washington State laws for public utility districts. For more than 85 years, this utility has always put the customer first and now delivers at-cost electricity to nearly 235,000 customers, and water to about 40,000 customers.

This unwavering commitment to putting customers first is a point of pride for the employees of Clark Public Utilities.

Trimming Trees Prevents Power Outages

You can help prevent power outages by reporting trees and other vegetation that may be growing too close to overhead lines or near utility equipment.

Customer reports of trees growing through or around power lines help our teams of trained arborists identify trees that pose a threat to primary power lines, and will trim back vegetation in these cases at no charge. If you know of a location where utility tree-trimming efforts are needed, submit a tree trimming request using the online form or contact Customer Service at 360-992-3000.

Now’s the Time to Make Your Heating System Winter Ready

Don’t wait until a really chilly night to fire up your home heating system for the first time this fall. Use these remaining warmer days to make sure your system is ready for the cooler months ahead.

Fall is ideal for scheduling inspections and maintenance to ensure your home stays comfortable all winter long. Some upkeep can be done by a handy property owner, while other work is best left to a professional.

Zonal heaters, like wall or baseboard heaters, can be easy to dust off for a clean start to heating season. Heat pumps and furnaces require more routine maintenance to perform efficiently, effectively and to last well into the future. In terms of maintenance, the average person can replace the air filter on a furnace with ease. The same is true for cleaning the particulate filters on the indoor unit of a ductless heat pump. That work will go a long way toward improving your home’s indoor air quality and ensuring that your system is running efficiently. If a filter is clogged, the unit won’t be able to move the proper quantity of air through the system. When that happens, performance suffers and you could end up paying for energy that doesn’t improve comfort.

Beyond filter replacement, it’s best to call a professional who can spot issues some may miss. A well maintained system will cost less to keep your home warm this winter.

Green Lights Program Supports Renewable Energy

Green Lights is a voluntary Clark Public Utilities program that provides customers an opportunity to support regional renewable energy development through the purchase of renewable energy credits. Each Green Lights “block” is $1 and represents a 100-kilowatt-hour carbon offset through regional renewable energy credits. Customers can participate at any level and choose to start or stop at any time.

Green Lights is offered in partnership with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and supports wind, solar and other forms of clean, renewable power in our region.