Related News
Related News
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Upgrades to Eugene's downtown electric network continue
You may have noticed construction this week on the corner of 7th and Pearl Street. That’s because crews replaced a corroded, aging vault with an innovative, new Voltek vault. The Voltek design allows for the new infrastructure to be built inside of the existing aging vault. We’re able to install the new vault while the cables are still energized, minimizing disruption to customers and traffic while cutting construction time in half.
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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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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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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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Preparation and Resilience: How EWEB Maintained Water Service During Recent Ice Storm
Learn about the projects and people that helped EWEB keep water flowing throughout the extreme weather event.
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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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Reenergized McKenzie River Valley transmission lines allow EWEB crews to restore power upriver
On Friday, a majority of EWEB crews tackled power restoration efforts upriver, after federally managed transmission lines were reenergized Thursday.
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EWEB estimates one week to complete power system restoration
On Wednesday, EWEB crews restored power for about 10,000 customers by repairing large equipment first.
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Second round of ice and ensuing thaw prompt mass power outages
On Wednesday, all EWEB crews, who have been working nonstop since Saturday, traversed EWEB’s service territory assessing the damage and restoring transmission lines and main power feeders.
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Power restored at EWEB’s water treatment plant
Crews restored electric power at EWEB's Hayden Bridge Water Filtration Plant Monday evening, allowing operators to switch off the generators and rely again on the grid. Meanwhile, EWEB crews brace for additional outages amidst second round of ice and during the coming thaw.
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EWEB crews focusing on restoring electric service for Hayden Bridge Water Filtration Plant
With more ice forecasted for Tuesday, all EWEB crews are in the field assessing outages and restoring power.
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EWEB crews making downed lines safe and restoring power across Eugene and the foothills
As EWEB works to restore electric service to customers affected by the ice storm, the customer-owned utility is following established policies and its “hierarchy of repair” to prioritize repairs that restore electric service to the greatest number of customers.
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EWEB’s Switch to Telework Brings Many Benefits
March 17, 2021
More than 265 EWEB workers have reduced their car travel while enhancing the safety and resiliency of our community by working from home.
Like many other organizations, EWEB was forced into new working conditions in March 2020. Throughout the health crisis, school closures, wildfire and other disruptions, our staff continued to perform vital work such as responding to emergency outages, operating the 24x7 water filtration plant, and supporting an unprecedented volume of bill assistance requests.
In mid-2020, we began a gradual and responsible return to our facilities, but many staff members who have non-field or facility-based jobs have continued to work from home under temporary teleworking agreements, resulting in a mixed facility-based and remote workforce.
Recently, EWEB's executive team announced a commitment to long-term organizational mobility and telecommuting.
"EWEB's fundamental services are foundational to the health and prosperity of our customer-owners," said General Manager Frank Lawson. "Continuity of service at the quality levels expected requires the organization to be resilient, which is enhanced by creating and sustaining flexibility of infrastructure and systems, finances, and workforce and workplace."
A formal program will be launched this year that will allow employees to telework and telecommute where opportunities exist. While telecommuting may not be suitable for all positions, workforce mobility and approaching work in different ways may eventually impact field workers.
"Our experience has shown there is great potential in continuing with an expanded telecommuting program, including reducing car travel and increasing flexibility and resiliency of our workforce," said Frank Lawson. "Long term we hope to evaluate all positions for teleworking eligibility so that we are ready to respond quickly and meet our community's need for electricity and water on-demand, all the time regardless of what future emergencies may arise."