Energy resources plan subject of Dec. 16 open house

The public will have an opportunity Thursday night (Dec. 16) to learn more about the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s Integrated Electric Resource Plan (IERP), which guides decisions by the public utility about what electric power resources to buy or develop to meet the long-term needs of its customers.

An open house begins at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude at 8:30 p.m., in the North Building at EWEB headquarters, 500 E. Fourth Ave. Following a short presentation by EWEB staff, citizens will be able to ask questions about the plan and give feedback to EWEB about the plan.

A citizen working group was formed late last year and has been involved in updating the energy resources plan. The EWEB Board of Commissioners is scheduled to adopt a new resource plan on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

The working group and staff evaluated different electric power resources, looked at how much electricity EWEB should purchase from the federal Bonneville Power Administration, analyzed the risks of different resource “portfolios,” and looked at the potential effects of uncertain forces, such as climate change, on various electric resources.

For more information about the plan, go to the “Our Energy Future” section of EWEB’s web site. A copy of the draft IERP also is available on the web site.

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