Electric Power in Central Oregon
Electric users rely on a diversified supply of low-cost, wholesale power generated both by hydroelectric and ther
mal natural gas power plants. As part of the Northwest electric grid, high capacity 230 Kv looped electric transmission lines provide bulk electricity to Central Oregon. Reliability, a major concern in today’s and the future age of computers and information technology, is outstanding in the region.
Three electric utility companies serve the region. Pacific Power (888-221-7070), a publicly-owned utility, serves the urbanized areas of Central Oregon. CEC, or Central Electric Cooperative (541-548-2144), is a customer-owned utility with over 31,000 accounts and 3,880 miles of electrified lines. CEC serves the City of Sisters, the predominantly rural parts of the tri-county region, and four Eastern Oregon counties. Midstate Electic Cooperative (541-536-2126), also a customer-owned utility, has over 18,000 accounts with 2,250 miles of line; it serves Sunriver and La Pine in southern Deschutes County; Crescent, Gilchrist, and Chemult in northern Klamath County; and Fort Rock and Christmas Valley in Lake County.
In terms of electric rates, the latest available information is from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, released December 2008, and reports through September YTD. Across all sectors, the national average is 9.79 cents per kilowatthour, compared to Oregon's overall rates at 7.27 cents per kilowatthour. Industrial users will see even greater favorability in Oregon. Nationally, industrial users paid 6.88 cents per kilowatthour through the first three quarters of the year, while industrial users in Oregon averaged 4.97 cents per kilowatthour -- 28% lower than the national average and 52% lower than nearby California for industrial power users.
2008 Electric Rates by Sector
(September YTD; numbers expressed as cents per kilowatthour) |
|
| State |
Residential |
Commercial |
Industrial |
All Sectors |
| Arizona |
10.34 |
8.95 |
6.71 |
9.21 |
| Colorado |
10.16 |
8.72 |
6.63 |
8.68 |
| Idaho |
6.93 |
5.64 |
4.56 |
5.64 |
| Montana |
9.15 |
8.47 |
6.46 |
8.03 |
| Nevada |
11.86 |
10.14 |
8.28 |
10.05 |
| New Mexico |
10.00 |
8.65 |
6.46 |
8.38 |
| Utah |
8.38 |
6.77 |
4.68 |
6.60 |
| Wyoming |
8.09 |
6.63 |
4.47 |
5.64 |
| California |
14.45 |
13.07 |
10.28 |
13.01 |
| Oregon |
8.54 |
7.55 |
4.97 |
7.27 |
| Washington |
7.55 |
6.73 |
4.78 |
6.60 |
| U.S. Total |
11.29 |
10.31 |
6.88 |
9.79 |
Source: Energy Information Administration, EIA-826 "Monthly Electric Sales and Revenue Report
with State Distributions Report", released December 11, 2008