March 2004

New Program For Our Members
ENERGY STAR Home Lighting Products

Salem Electric members can now take the next step in residential lighting efficiency by installing ENERGY STAR rated hard-wired light fixtures and receive a $15 rebate.
     As you may know, ENERGY STAR rated lighting fixtures combine high performance, attractive design and the highest level of energy efficiency to save money and energy. Many people are familiar with ENERGY STAR rated compact fluorescent bulbs which we sell at our office and are available at many retail outlets.
     Some people may be familiar with compact fluorescent fixtures such as table lamps and torchiere floor lamps. However, ENERGY STAR rated hard-wired fixtures, including ceiling-mounted, wall sconces, suspended fixtures and outdoor fixtures, have not been as available as other fluorescent products. These are hard-wired fixtures, in other words, the entire fixture is replaced by removing the old one and attaching the new one to the ceiling or wall. They’re available at many home improvement and lighting stores.

Advantages:

• Lasts 10,000 to 20,000 hours. This means with regular use (3.5 hours per start) you won’t need to change the bulb for several years.
• Distributes light more efficiently and evenly than standard fixtures.
• Saves approximately 75% of the energy with the same light output as a standard fixture.
• Operates at a much lower temperature than a standard fixture.
• Outdoor fixtures can come equipped with a dusk-to-dawn photo cell.

Program Eligibility:
New and existing Salem Electric residential customers with single-family or multi-family homes eligible

Criteria

• Fixture must be hard-wired and ENERGY STAR rated.

Incentive

• $15 per ENERGY STAR rated fixture, not to exceed 50% of the fixture cost.
• Maximum five fixtures per residence.

     Complete the coupon below and return it with your receipt. Your account will be credited with the rebate amount.

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Japanese Visitor

Hiroshi Inoue, Chief Research Associate with the Japan Electric Power Information Center, visited with Salem Electric staff to learn more about our Member Assistance Program. Hiroshi will include the information he gathered in his study for the Japanese government.

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SAFETY FIRST
Don't Go Near The Utility Lines!

Each year people are injured or killed in accidents involving electricity; many involve CB or TV antennas. The tragic thing is that these accidents can be prevented. Salem Electric attempts to place power lines in a safe location, but we need your help. Take time to notice where electric lines are BEFORE doing any work around them. Antennas for televisions, CBs, or ham radios should be located where they cannot fall across electric lines. Also remember to never use a metal ladder when working near electric lines.
     Kites can also be a hazard, never fly a kite around electric wires. A wet kite string can conduct electricity and cause fatal accidents. Avoid using kites that include products containing metal, foil, or tinsel because of their conductivity.

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New Director Appointed

At a special board meeting on January 27, 2004 , the Salem Electric Board of Directors appointed Joe Van Meter to fill a vacant position on the board; his term will expire in May 2006. Living in Keizer since 1970, Mr. Van Meter and his wife, Karen, have three grown children. He is currently the Training Director for the Oregon Youth Authority at the Oregon Juvenile Justice Training Academy .
     Joe’s interests as a Salem Electric board member include exploring affordable renewable energy options and continuing to provide low cost and efficient electric service.

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Who Are Those Guys?

Since 1988, Salem Electric has contracted its meter reading services with Public Utilities Service, owned and operated by Mike Gallagher. Each month, Mike, Gary, and Chris
read nearly 17,000 meters for Salem Electric.
     We aren’t saying these guys are perfect, nobody is, but over the last two years they’ve read 390,226 meters with an accuracy rating of 99.8%. Other than a few days in January 2004, when they were unable to read meters due to the snow and ice, this dedicated team is out daily, rain or shine. While they make every effort to read your meter accurately, misreads do happen. So we have a system in place that allows us to check meter readings that are out of line with the previous month and the same month the previous year. This means that we can usually catch a misread before it’s included on your bill.
     If you think your meter has been read inaccurately, please contact one of our Customer Service Representatives and we’ll check it out. Remember, there are many variables when it comes to energy usage such as weather, changes in the number of occupants and usage habits, to name a few.
     Also, poor meter access can result in problems for our meter readers. Locked gates, protective dogs, overgrown bushes and storing items which block full view of the meter can all affect the accuracy of the meter reading. Please make every effort to provide clear, safe access to your meter. It makes our job easier and allows us to use our time more efficiently.

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Deregulation Update

We’ve all heard about the headaches caused by the deregulation of the electric utility industry. But did you know that California, deregulated in 1998, has the highest average electric prices in the nation? They’re followed by other deregulated states: Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey.
     Salem Electric is a member of the Public Power Council (PPC), which represents our interests in matters related to power supply. The PPC tracks issues throughout the world and what follows are excerpts from one of their recent reports on the international effects of electric utility deregulation.

International Dereg News:
Ontario — This province, the most populous and the biggest power user, is in a world of hurt. The Conservative party brought Deregulation to Ontario in May ’02, only to have ratepayers scream “uncle” three months later when prices tripled.
     The house of cards collapsed within six months, and the Conservative government imposed price caps. The Liberal party won the election last October—and Liberals are trying to figure out how to cope with a power supply that can’t meet demand during peak summer months. The energy minister is thinking that investors might sink money into new power plants if he offers them long-term contracts for the output. “Ontario appears poised to repeat the power experience of California. We are in a power crisis and are likely to get stuck with crisis prices,” says one official.

Great Britain — Scottish Power (the owner of PacifiCorp) is accused of “milking dry” customers where there is little or no competition while offering lower prices where there is competition.

Singapore — The city-state tip-toed into deregulation on 1/1/04. Power companies are required to sell 70% of their power to retailers under “vested” (fixed price) contracts, with the price based on the average fuel oil price over the past three months. Power companies are making high profits from retailers, which in turn are passing the high prices on to customers.

New Zealand — This country, having entered deregulation 10 years ago, suffers from periodic power shortages and price spikes. The Employers & Manufacturers Association top dog complained about the two shortages in the past three years, as well as the recent collapse of the main North-to-South Island transmission line. That outage, he says, was expected to cause a 20-cent/kWh price spike, not the $1.00/kWh spike that ensued.
     Meanwhile, a government report issued last month cleared retailers of any price gouging since deregulation arrived. Critics of the 11-page document point out that while retailers may not be making tidy profits, their parent companies —the power marketers—are.

Here in Oregon:
     Deregulation of private (investor-owned) utilities was enacted in March of 2002, with non-residential customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power being the only customers with a choice of a power supplier.
     Salem Electric’s board has been opposed to deregulation since discussions in the early 1990s largely due to what they saw as no benefit to the customer and a potential increase in the cost per kWh.

     For more information on deregulation, visit our website salemelectric.com and click on “deregulation.”

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