More Power to Us!
Help Beat the Power Crunch
We’re Not Just Blowing Hot Air - Green Power is Here to Stay!
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YOUR LIGHTS COME ON WHEN YOU FLIP THE SWITCH,
but do you know
where that power comes from? Much of it comes from our very own power plant
in the area bounded by Glenarm Street, Fair Oaks Avenue, State Street and
the Pasadena (110) Freeway. You’ve probably driven by the plant many times,
but have you ever really taken a look at it?
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, in celebration of Public Power Week,
you’ll have an opportunity to sneak a peek at Pasadena’s power plant. Guides
from Pasadena Water and Power will explain recent renovations to visitors,
who will receive PWP giveaways, conservation tips and additional information.
With two new 45-megawatt combustion turbines, the power plant will give
PWP more flexibility in meeting the needs of electric customers, help reduce
the strain on our system when demand for power is high (especially during
summer months), make Pasadena less dependent on market prices and statewide
transmission lines for imported energy, and provide emergency backup during
unexpected outages. The upgraded power plant will also provide a cleaner way
of generating power, reducing nitrous oxide emission rates by 98% as compared
to the old equipment that has been replaced.
For more information about the Oct. 10 event, including where to park and
enter, call the PWP AnswerLine at 744-6970.
Public Power Week, from Oct. 5 to 11, recognizes the economic, social and
environmental contributions of all community-owned utilities, which provide
reliable power at low cost while remaining accountable to the community and
not private investors. About 40 million Americans in 49 of the 50 states receive
electricity from more than 2,000 public power systems nationwide, which are
owned by the communities they serve. No matter their size or location, all
public power systems have the same goal - to provide low-cost, reliable and
efficient electricity to customers.
Public Power Week was created in 1987 to educate Americans about the unique
benefits of community-owned, locally controlled electric utilities. PWP is
a prime example: since 1906 we have provided safe, reliable power, low rates
and prompt, exemplary service to the Pasadena community.
Photo: Mike Mashall Photography
POWER HAS BEEN TIGHT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
First, our ongoing
drought has made water conditions less than ideal. Because water is a key
ingredient for generating electricity, power plants in the western U.S. from
which we purchase energy don’t have as much to sell. At the same time, new
environmental regulations have caused PWP to retire two of our power generating
turbines.
That’s why we’re gearing up to make sure the power keeps flowing. We’re
focusing on maintaining the equipment we do have and operating it as effectively
as we can under the new regulations.
And, of course, we’re stressing the crucial need for conservation. Pasadenans
have always heeded the call when asked to reduce their usage voluntarily,
and PWP is here to help in any way we can. New links have been added to
www.PWPweb.com,
giving you a list of conservation ideas as well as online energy use audits.
And PWP continues to offer valuable rebates to customers who purchase Energy
Star® appliances and other products, shade trees, whole house fans and
energy-efficient fans.
You can’t beat the power of teamwork! Here are some tips you can use to
help conserve energy:
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The easiest and most effective way to save energy
is to shut off unnecessary lights and equipment - and, when possible, switch
your energy use to off-peak hours: before noon and after 7 p.m.
-
Always look for the Energy Star® label when you buy new appliances.
Energy Star models maximize energy efficiency and often have PWP-sponsored
rebates.
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Refrigerators use more electricity that any
other kitchen appliance in your home. And old refrigerators can use twice as
much power as new, energy-efficient models. Recycle and replace them.
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If you have central air conditioning, set your thermostat to 78F or higher.
You use 3% to 5% more energy for each degree your air conditioner is set below
78. And remember to schedule air conditioner “tune ups” and clean or replace
filters regularly.
-
Try compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. They provide warm, natural,
flicker-free light and use 75% less energy, on average, than incandescent
bulbs. And they last considerably longer, too.
For more tips on beating the power crunch, visit
www.PWPweb.com or
call the PWP AnswerLine at 744-6970.
WHAT IS PASADENA’S NEWEST POWER SOURCE? The answer, my friend, is
blowin’ in the wind. Pasadena Water and Power recently signed a long-term
agreement to buy a six-megawatt share in the High Winds generation facility
now under construction in Solano County in Northern California.
 Unlike electricity generated by fossil fuels, green power uses wind, solar
and biomass (renewable organic materials) that are abundant and result in
little or no emissions. PWP also purchases renewable energy from hydroelectric
facilities in Azusa and from Hoover Dam in Nevada.
Considered the largest project of its kind in California, High Winds will
include 81 state-of-the-art, 328-foot-tall windmills in the Montezuma Hills
near the Sacramento River. Pasadena will receive power on a continuous basis,
independent of wind patterns, and will be able to rely on this power 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. This will make it easier to predict expenses and
plan our citywide energy supply - even during the peak periods of summer.
Also participating in the High Winds project are the cities of Anaheim,
Azusa, Colton and Glendale, all of which operate community-owned utilities
and are members, as is Pasadena, of the Southern California Public Power
Authority (SCPPA). Working through SCPPA, the five cities jointly negotiated
contracts for a total of 30 megawatts of the green power project’s 150-megawatt
output.
Green power is available to all PWP residential and business customers for
an extra energy charge. For more information, call 744-4005.
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