BEND, Ore. — When the City of Bend’s police department asked its investigations captain to round up a sustainability program, Sandi Baxter brought in Pacific Power’s Blue Sky Block wind power.

“It may not be traditional for governmental agencies to participate, but we believe it’s time for us to step forward and reduce the impact we have on the environment,” Capt. Baxter said.

The City of Bend Police Station elected to tie 10 percent of its energy use to renewable wind power through Pacific Power’s Blue Sky Block program. It buys 67 blocks per month for its police station, putting it at the program’s Champion level.

Blue Sky Block is one of three renewable options Pacific Power offers its Oregon residential and business customers. Each helps spur renewable power development and brings additional amounts of wind energy into the power system — in addition to the renewable energy Pacific Power already acquires for its customers. Blue Sky Block is sold in 100-kilowatt hour blocks for $1.95 each.

“We’re part of a citywide effort the City of Bend is making to implement sustainable practices,” Baxter said. “The Blue Sky Block program is one we think will contribute to cleaner air.”

Renewable energy has a much lower environmental impact than traditional methods of electricity generation. Renewable power produces lower levels of air pollutants, wastewater, smog and acid rain, and can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The police station’s Blue Sky purchase has the same environmental benefit of taking 13 cars off the road for a year or planting 31 acres of forest.

Over the years, the cost of wind power has declined. When introduced in 2000, Blue Sky cost $4.95 for a 100-kilowatt-hour block. Today, a block costs just $1.95.
    
Since 2002, renewable power sales in Oregon have been helped by Oregon’s Electricity Restructuring law, which has given customers greater choice in how they purchase their electricity.

More than 16,000 Oregon’s Pacific Power customers currently choose from three renewable power options:

Blue Sky Block — This option gives customers the flexibility to purchase fixed increments (blocks) of new wind power for an additional $1.95 per block. Payments go directly toward the purchase of wind power from newly developed wind farms.

Blue Sky Usage — Under this option, customers purchase all their electricity from new renewable resources — a blend of new wind, biomass and solar — for only $0.0078 (less than a penny) more per kwh than Basic Service rates.

Blue Sky Habitat — As with Blue Sky Usage, customers purchase all their electricity from new renewable resources — a blend of new wind, biomass and solar — 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 organization to support local salmon habitat restoration.

“PacifiCorp offers its customers some of the highest-quality green power options in the nation,” said Diane Zipper, director of green power programs at Renewable Northwest Project.  RNP is a regional nonprofit organization promoting wind, solar and geothermal resources.  “As more people become aware of these offerings, we hope they will express their support for clean energy by signing up.”

Pacific Power ranks among the nation’s top five companies for renewable energy sales and customer participation in green pricing programs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). In Oregon, 15,229 customers were enrolled in one of the company’s three renewable options at year’s end.

Customers who want to sign up for a renewable power option can call Pacific Power at
1-800-769-3717 or visit www.pacificpower.net/bluesky .

Media inquiries: newsdesk@pacificorp.com