February 2004

Storm Stats

Considering what our crews were up against, they did really well during the storms of late December and early January.
     We received the first outage call December 29 at 1:26 am. Over the next 23 hours and
29 minutes, 1,038 customers were without power for some period of time.
After restoring service to all our customers, one of our four-member crews assisted Consumers Power Cooperative with some of their repairs January 1–3.
The ice on January 5 and 6 resulted in a few scattered outages affecting a total of about 60 customers, with the longest outage lasting around three hours. On the evening of January 7, there was an outage at 9:50 pm as a result of limbs and trees falling on lines in the Eola Drive area. There were 1,563 customers affected, with power restored after one hour and 40 minutes.
     To summarize the eight days of snow and ice; a few customers were without power for several hours, with the longest single outage being 20 hours and 30 minutes. However, the majority of customers had power restored within a few hours.
     The next several days were spent removing limbs from individual service drops, restoring service to customers who had to repair their meter bases (see related article inside) and responding to reports of down or low lines (mainly cable TV and telephone lines).
While we continue to inspect our electrical system, we could use your help. If you’re aware of any low power lines, limbs on electrical lines or damaged Salem Electric equipment, please contact our office (se@salemelectric.com or 503 362-3601). Any information you can provide, such as specific location or address would be very helpful.
     Many people have asked us how our system performed so well compared to reports they heard about other utilities. A number of things contribute to our reliability:

• An aggressive tree trimming program

• A reliability-based system design to avoid equipment overload

• Multiple service routes to provide power to customers and,

• Regular system inspections and maintenance schedules

     Some of our customers seemed surprised that Salem Electric was open during the bad weather. If you think about it, that’s when we’re needed the most. Whether it’s the crews restoring service, someone answering the phone, talking with the media or dispatching our line crews, all of our employees are dedicated to the same goal…. keeping the lights on.
     If you were one of the customers without power, we hope the inconvenience was minimal. 

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 Heat Pumps

Just what is a heat pump? Well, to put it in simple terms, heat pumps work on the principal that heat exists in the air, soil, and water outside your home. The heat pump doesn’t create heat like conventional heating systems. It moves heat into your home in the winter (heating cycle), and cool air into your home in the summer (cooling cycle).
     In the spring and fall months, with cool mornings and warm afternoons, the heat pump can automatically switch from heating to cooling.
     There are three types of heat pumps: air source, ground source and water source. Air source are by far the most common heat pump installations in our area, due to their lower installation cost.

Heat pumps have several advantages:

• Generally cost less to operate than all other conventional types of heating systems.
• Operates at a high-efficiency with no flames, fumes or chimneys.
• Filters are available to remove mold and mildew, which is helpful for those with allergies.
• Provides a more constant, even temperature, without the temperature swings common to other heating systems.
• Maintains comfortable temperatures year around.
• Heats and cools the home.
• Transfers heat already in the environment.
• Can provide supplemental water heating.

     Whatever heating system you install, you should maintain it regularly. With a heat pump, air filters should be cleaned or replaced regularly and debris should be cleared from around the outdoor unit to allow proper air flow. Have a contractor perform a periodic service of the system, and consider an annual service agreement.
     Heat pumps are typically the most efficient conventional method of heating and cooling your home. To assist you with the installation cost of an approved heat pump, Salem Electric will pay a rebate of $750, or loan you up to $5,000 at 5% interest. This program is only available to existing residential customers, not homes under construction.
     You must contact our office before you purchase your system to sign the proper forms.
     If you would like more information on our Heat Pump Program, please contact our Member Services Department.

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SE Employees Raise Funds to Help Others



The employees of Salem Electric collected over $400 through fundraising projects and employee donations to help a family during the holidays. The money was put to good use, buying food and gifts for our sponsored family. Planning for employee fundraisers is currently underway to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, which will be held this summer.

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Opal Creek Habitat
Provided by For the Sake of the Salmon

Salem Electric’s Salmon-Friendly customers will be giving some help this winter to the Opal Creek Wilderness and Scenic Recreation Area, home to threatened chinook and steelhead. Areas within and adjacent to the Opal Creek area have been increasingly impacted by Scotch broom.
     “Scotch broom is an invasive plant that takes over disturbed areas, especially along roadways. It damages the ecosystem by displacing native plants,” said Steve Wise with Friends of Opal Creek. SE Salmon-Friendly customers will provide some funds to help remove Scotch broom from the area and on a ranch that Friends of Opal Creek is restoring to native vegetation. The money will also help replace the invasive Scotch broom with native plants in sections next to a stream that feeds into the Little North Santiam River.
     "We want to make sure that the streamside land is healthy with a good variety of native plants and proper shading to keep the stream cool. Getting rid of the Scotch broom is one of the keys to making that happen," said Wise. In addition to being good for salmon, keeping the stream healthy is important for the City of Salem. The Little North Santiam River provides about a fifth of Salem's drinking water.
     Friends of Opal Creek will work with volunteers and several youth groups to get the work done this winter and next spring.
    "This is a great project in a very special location," said Betsy Kauffman with For the
Sake of the Salmon, SE’s partner in the Salmon-Friendly donation program.
     The Opal Creek Wilderness and Scenic Recreation Area is the largest contiguous area of intact low elevation old growth forest that remains in Oregon. With its towering groves of 500 to 1000-year-old trees, Opal Creek's ancient rainforest is a remnant of the forests that once blanketed the Pacific Northwest. The forest has received international attention and is enjoyed by over 50,000 visitors each year. The wilderness area is about an hour east of Salem.
     The Salmon-Friendly program is combining forces with a similar program at Portland General Electric to contribute $4,268 to the project. That contribution is being matched by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Community Restoration Center for a total contribution of $8,535. The project is also receiving support from
the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Paul G. Allen Forest Protection Foundation.
     If you would like to contribute to the Salmon-Friendly program, contact Salem Electric.
     For more information about the project or the Opal Creek area, contact Friends of Opal Creek at 503-897-2921 or visit their website at www.opalcreek.org.

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Whose Responsibility?
SE-Owned or Customer Equipment

When there’s damage to your electrical service, our goal is to restore your power as soon as possible. There is often some confusion as to who is responsible for what.
     With an overhead service, the weatherhead, mast or pipe (including wires) and the meter base belong to the customer. The service wire, up to the weatherhead and the electric meter are the property of Salem Electric.
     Code prohibits our line crews from working on the customer’s equipment. However, the homeowner or a licensed electrician can make these repairs. Once the repairs are made, and inspected by the proper code authority, we can reconnect the service.
     If you must have your meter pulled, to make repairs, please contact us or a licensed electrician who can pull the meter after contacting our office.

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SE Scholarship

Salem Electric (SE) is offering ten $1,000 college scholarships for the next school year. The Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) is administering the program. To apply for the SE scholarship:

• Visit the OSAC’s website, www.OSAC.state.or.us, and apply on-line or print an application;
  
• Call OSAC at 1-800-452-8807 x7395; or Contact SE.

SE Scholarship Eligibility:

• The primary residence of applicants must be served by SE
  
• Applicants may be either high school graduates (including home-school graduates) or GED recipients and must be planning to enroll in a full-time (12 hours), under graduate or graduate course of study at an eligible institution.
  
• SE staff, board members and their immediate family members are not eligible for the scholarships.

The deadline for applying is March 1, 2004.

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