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What options are available to small business customers in Oregon?
- Remain on regulated Basic Service from Pacific Power.
- Enroll in another regulated pricing option (see options below).
- Select a market-based option from Pacific Power, called Daily Market Flux.
- The opt-out window for 2008 is closed. Enrollment for 2009 will be in November 2008.
- Choose Direct Access and purchase electricity through an alternative Electricity Service Supplier (ESS).
- The opt-out window is for 2008 is closed
.Enrollment for 2009 will be in November 2008.
Under Oregon's restructuring law, small business and residential customers can choose renewable power or Time of Use. An advisory
committee made recommendations to the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC), which approved the options and their pricing.
Customers can remain on Basic Service, select a renewable power option or Time of Use at any time.
- Basic Service — This is what most customers have today and will continue with, if they do not select another option.
- Renewable Power Options
:
- Blue Sky
SM Block — This option gives customers the flexibility to purchase fixed increments (blocks) of new wind power. Each 100 kwh
block of pollution-free, new wind energy you purchase costs an additional $1.95. You can choose to purchase as much or as
little 100 percent new wind energy as you'd like. Payments go directly toward the purchase of new wind power from newly developed
wind farms, that began operation after July 1999. Sign up for Blue Sky Block.
- Blue Sky Usage — Under this option, customers purchase
all their electricity from a blend of renewable resources — new wind, biomass and solar — for only $0.0078 (less than a penny)
more per kwh than Basic Service rates. For a business customer using 1,000 kwh per month, this would add an additional $7.80 to
their monthly bill. Sign up for Blue Sky Usage.
- Blue Sky Habitat — As with Blue Sky Usage, Blue Sky Habitat customers purchase
all their electricity from a blend of renewable resources for only $0.0078 (less than a penny) more per kwh than Basic Service
rates. In addition, customers make a $2.50 monthly contribution to a nonprofit ogranization to support local salmon habitat
restoration. For a business customer using 1,000 kwh per month, this would be an additional $10.30 on their monthly bill. Sign up for Blue Sky Habitat.
- Time of Use
— Under this option, customers could save money if they shift electricity usage to off-peak hours. Electricity rates vary
by time of day, day of week and season. There is a 12-month term, a special meter is required and a monthly meter fee of $1.50
applies. There is also a conditional price guarantee for the first 12 months a customer is on Time of Use. A shift in the
time and day you use electricity is usually required to save money on the Time of Use option.
How does Direct Access work?
Two ESS's have executed the required agreements and are eligible to serve Pacific Power business customers in Oregon.
They are Sempra Energy Solutions
and Constellation NewEnergy.
Although they have not entered into agreements with Pacific Power, you can view a list of OPUC-certified ESSs
.
An Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT)
applies to ESS service. Most customers would work with their ESS to understand these charges. Please familiarize yourself
with this information and contact the ESS Relations Office with questions, by sending an email to Essinfo@pacificorp.com
.
You can review transition adjustments:
For questions about direct access and your options, you can call customer service Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
toll free at
1-800-769-3717.
What do I need to do?
Customers should become familiar with new pricing options, how the enrollment process works and which options will remain
after making a choice. Some factors to consider include:
- The opt-out window for 2008 is closed.
The next scheduled opt-out window for service in 2009, starts in November 2008.
- Consequences and risks that can result from specific options
- How and when you use power to better assess options
- Overall energy, cost and environmental objectives
- Level of acceptable risk
Multiple sites cannot be aggregated, nor can multiple meters at one site. If you make a choice on behalf of your home or business,
you’ll need to identify your choice for each individual meter.
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