Here in Eugene, we are fortunate to have one of the cleanest power portfolios in the nation, with almost no electricity sourced from fossil fuels.
In 2024, EWEB’s electricity supply was 94% carbon-free — one of the cleanest in the nation.
Hydropower
Our beautiful northwest rivers not only support diverse recreation, vibrant farms, and abundant fish and wildlife. They also are our primary source of clean, reliable and affordable energy.
Hydroelectric plants are a carbon-free generation resource. Because it's fueled by water, the Northwest's hydroelectric power base does not produce air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to hydropower, the region is able to avoid the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 10 million cars. That means we're all breathing easier thanks to the clean air benefits of hydropower.
Nearly 80% of Eugene's power comes from hydroelectric projects, mostly from the Bonneville Power Administration. BPA markets wholesale electrical power from 31 federal hydroelectric projects in the Northwest. Learn more about hydropower in the Northwest.
Besides BPA, EWEB customers own or co-own three hydropower projects on the McKenzie River — Carmen-Smith, Leaburg, and Walterville — and Stone Creek, on the Clackamas River.
Bonneville Power Administration
BPA is a federal agency that sells energy from 31 hydroelectric projects in the Northwest, on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, as well as the Pacific Northwest’s sole nuclear power plant, the Columbia Generating Station. Energy from BPA makes up about 80% of EWEB’s energy supply.
Energy from BPA’s system is among the least expensive available. Federal law gives community-owned, nonprofit utilities in the Pacific Northwest, such as EWEB, priority access to BPA’s low-cost hydropower, which largely comes from dams that were built between the 1930s and 1970s. This hydropower enables EWEB to charge customers rates that are significantly lower than other utilities in the region.
BPA’s hydropower system also enables to EWEB to maintain a power supply that is both more than 90% carbon-free and flexible enough to meet swings in customers’ energy demand.
In 2025, EWEB signed a new contract with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) that runs through 2044, securing access to between $2.5 and $3 billion worth of energy.
Learn more
Other resources
Beyond hydropower, EWEB's portfolio includes resources we own or co-own, as well as power we purchase through contracts.
Our owned or co-owned resources include the Harvest Wind Project and the International Paper biomass and natural gas facility. We also contract for power from the Klondike III and Stateline wind farms, Seneca Biomass, and consumer-owned solar installations in our community.
Together these resources complement our hydropower foundation and help ensure a diverse, resilient energy supply.
Wholesale power sales & services
As a utility, EWEB utilizes the wholesale market to balance resource output with customer needs. As such, EWEB may, from time-to-time, have surplus wholesale electric energy to sell. In addition to internal management, EWEB provides wholesale trading and scheduling services for external parties looking to balance their portfolio.
Helpful contactsRelated Programs
Energy planning
We're working to ensure Eugene has reliable, affordable, clean power now and in the future.
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Our Climate Guidebook
Learn how we are implementing our Climate Change Policy and how EWEB's work intersects with climate issues.
