For More Information Contact:
Joe Harwood, 541-685-7471
Eugene Water & Electric Board

Feb. 2, 2011

EWEB seeking citizens for energy advisory panel

The Eugene Water & Electric Board is seeking applicants for a community advisory panel that will be convened to help guide the utility as it plans how to meet the area’s future energy needs.

The advisory panel will work with EWEB staff to create an Integrated Electric Resource Plan, which will serve as a roadmap to guide future energy decisions. The primary purpose of the planning effort is to set a strategic path for electric resource acquisition over the next two decades, and to identify actions for the utility to take over the next five years.

The plan will seek to minimize risks in acquiring new electricity and delivering power by using a framework that takes into account the environmental, social and economic impacts of the different resource choices.

Future challenges include the impacts of potential climate change legislation, fuel price instability, economic recession that softens power prices, the ability to finance new generation projects, and integrating the growing volume of variable wind energy into the regional electric grid.

As a public utility, development of a resource plan with broad community input is essential. EWEB is seeking an advisory panel that will bring a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences together to make recommendations on key issues that include:

• Preferred strategies to meet future energy needs, including conservation, renewable and distributed generation, short- and long-term power purchases, and the implementation of new technologies.
• An examination of the risks and opportunities in serving forecast customer demand while maintaining the capacity to handle new industrial loads resulting from economic development initiatives.The potential trade-offs associated with different resource choices and whether those trade-offs conflict or align with community values.

EWEB anticipates the advisory panel will hold monthly meetings from March through October 2011, with an approximate time commitment totaling 50 hours.

The utility is seeking representation from residential and business customers, and encourages those with an interest in renewable energy, conservation strategies, economic development, new technology, social justice and environmental issues to consider applying.

Community members who would like to be considered for the panel should submit a brief letter of interest that describes why they would like to participate in this project and any relevant experience or perspectives that could contribute to the panel. Letters should be addressed to the utility at 500 E. Fourth Ave., Eugene, 97401, or e-mailed to ierp@eweb.org. If interested, please respond by Friday, Feb. 18. Learn more about the 2011 IERP and advisory panel