
Electric Outage: 1-844-484-2300
Water Emergency: 541-685-7595
EWEB Main: 541-685-7000
As part of EWEB's relicensing requirements for the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project, we are reducing the risk of birds colliding with electricity.
Find Out MoreAs a public utility, it is important EWEB check in with customers to see how we are performing. We invite you to share your feedback and opinions.
Find Out MoreOn April 12, EWEB dispatched a two-person crew with a bucket truck to assist with repairs and restoring electric service for Columbia River Public Utility District, which serves customers in Columbia County, north of Portland.
Find Out MoreEWEB is moving forward with analyzing four options to remediate the Leaburg Canal, ranging from full decommissioning to complete restoration, with two options in between.
Find Out MoreAs a public utility, owned by the people of Eugene, it’s important for us to be open and transparent with our customer-owners. The following State of the Utility Address, delivered by General Manager Frank Lawson at the March 1 EWEB Board meeting, highlights key events, accomplishments and challenges of 2021.
Find Out MoreHere in Eugene, where we are fortunate to have one of the cleanest power portfolios in the nation, electrification presents opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support climate recovery goals.
Find Out MoreEWEB is offering new programs to help Eugene electrify its transporation sector - tackling our largest source of carbon emissions
Find Out MoreJust as high winds with gusts of more than 30 mph arrived in the Oregon Cascades early Thursday, EWEB has completed aerial trimming around its Carmen-Smith transmission line using a helicopter with saw attachments to trim branches and treetops.
Find Out MoreAs part of our routine monitoring efforts, EWEB conducted a bathymetric survey of Trail Bridge Reservoir in May 2021 and found unusual depressions. EWEB conducted follow-up inspections with a remotely operated underwater vehicle along with dye testing by divers in early June 2021. Based on the dye tests, the two larger depressions are actively taking water and are considered sinkholes. Subsequent dye testing and geophysical investigations in July and August indicated that there is no concentrated seepage flow through or under Trail Bridge Dam.
Find Out MoreUnlike for-profit utilities who serve their investors, EWEB and other public power providers are community-owned and do not operate to earn a profit or benefit stockholders. Our prices are based on the costs to serve our community with safe, reliable water and electricity.
Find Out MoreAt EWEB, we factor climate change into almost everything we do. As Eugene’s publicly-owned utility, we strive to fulfill our roles reducing our community’s carbon footprint, optimizing our use of clean energy, and helping our watershed adapt to a warmer climate.
Find Out MoreWe are ready to deal with the stress that extreme heat may place on our electric system. We encourage customers to be prepared, stay cool and hydrated and practice safety by developing an emergency plan and checking in on neighbors.
Find Out MoreTo help prevent tree-related electrical outages and mitigate wildfire risk, we proactively prune trees and remove brush year-round to help keep our equipment clear. Each year, crews trim more than 300 overhead line miles of vegetation to minimize falling trees and branches to avoid outages and increase the reliability of the electric system.
Find Out MoreEWEB is now accepting applications for the 2021 Greenpower Grants, worth up to $50,000 each to fund high-impact projects that increase the use of renewable energy sources, the adoption of emerging technologies, clean energy education and/or reduce or offset our community’s carbon footprint.
Find Out MoreAs Texas struggles to restore electricity to millions, locals may be wondering if a similar crisis could happen here, and what utility operators and individuals can do to prepare for unprecedented weather events.
Find Out MoreMuch of the major Carmen Smith powerhouse generating equipment has been in service since 1963, and is operating beyond its expected life span. In late 2016, EWEB submitted an updated relicensing application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for review, and while we expect that it will take the rest of 2017 and possibly part of 2018 for FERC to complete and issue the new license, some modernization work is moving forward.
Staff recently completed the overhaul of the powerhouse gantry crane. The gantry crane is necessary for moving large equipment into and out of the powerhouse. The weight of the major powerhouse equipment planned for replacement ranges from 40 tons up to 140 tons. The next big piece of work is replacing two failing turbine shut-off valves.
The turbine shutoff valves at the Carmen Powerhouse stop water flow to the turbines, protecting the equipment from damage and allowing periodic inspection of, and repairs to, the turbines. Recent testing revealed that the existing 55-year-old valves leak at a rate of approximately 3,400 gallons per minute. Because of this, inspection of the turbines has not been possible for three years.
The new replacement valves were forged in Italy and assembled in Switzerland. They will be shipping overseas soon and are expected to arrive on the project at the beginning of June. A plant outage is necessary to accommodate the valve replacement work. The intent is to dewater the power tunnel/penstock system and be ready to start demolition activities shortly after the valves arrive at Carmen.
In addition to modernizing and replacing equipment at the Carmen Powerhouse and elsewhere throughout the hydroelectric generation project, we will make significant improvements to fish passage facilities and habitat, and upgrade Trail Bridge and Lakes End campgrounds. In order to complete the project safely, we closed public access to Trail Bridge and Lakes End campgrounds, the Trail Bridge Reservoir boat launch and Smith Reservoir. Read more about the five-year closures.
The Carmen plant remains valuable as a carbon-free generation resource that can ramp up and down to meet customers' peak energy needs. In other words, Carmen operates when our community needs power the most and when buying that power on the wholesale market would be most expensive. We expect to invest approximately $100 million modernizing the project and making the habitat and recreation improvements.
4200 Roosevelt Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97402
800-841-5871
541-685-7000
Open Monday-Friday
Phone hours: 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.