A familiar sound at our house recently has been the screech of electrical gadgets sending out one last desperate distress call, as they die from another Portland General Electric (PGE) power failure. “How long will it last this time,” we wonder? Calls to PGE are infuriating, because they rarely provide essential information as to what […]
Politicians have a lot in common with magicians. Both rely on misdirection to ensure that you don’t see how the trick is performed. One magic show receiving a lot of attention right now is HB 2021, passed by the state legislature in June. HB 2021 outlaws the use of fossil fuels for new electricity power […]
Oregonians are struggling to pay their utility bills. So then why are Kate Brown and the Public Utility Commission allowing their rates to go up? Residential arrearages for all energy utilities in Oregon have increased throughout the pandemic. To be in arrears means a customer’s bill is 31 or more days past due. Total residential […]
Oregon has always been a national leader in providing clean energy to ratepayers due to our hydroelectric dominated energy portfolio. In 2018, around 54% of Oregon’s electricity use resource mix was zero-emitting. The current renewable portfolio standard(RPS) does not reflect this reality. Oregon’s RPS was established in 2007 and created a requirement for how much […]
Recent freezing temperatures and power outages in both Oregon and Texas demonstrate why going “all in” on intermittent energy resources like solar and wind power will end up costing utility customers. Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency on Saturday, February 13, due to a snow and ice storm that left up to 300,000 […]
As government-imposed shutdowns continue, more Oregonians are struggling to pay their electricity bills. Portland General Electric reported in June that arrears (when payment is 31 days past due or more) were up 41% compared to the same time last year. Economic hardship likely will persist for many people long after the COVID-19 vaccine is distributed. […]
During our late July heat wave, I was talking with a man who was sweltering, because Portland General Electric had turned off his air conditioner as part of a program to shed load during periods of peak demand for electricity. He was being paid $50 for his trouble. That may sound like a good deal […]
“The vast disparity between the rich and the poor is, in large part, designed by the disparity between those who have electricity and those who scrape by on small quantities of juice or none at all.” – Robert Bryce Electricity is at the epicenter of modern life, yet rarely does the average person consider the […]
Oregon, it’s about time we talk about nuclear power. No, I don’t mean major reactors like PGE’s decommissioned Trojan Nuclear Plant which shuttered in 1992. Rather, I’m talking about small modular reactors (SMRs) which are experiencing rapid development and receiving great international interest. Countries around the world, such as Russia and Canada, are currently exploring […]
In the name of saving us from imagined disasters, three real disasters are about to unfold that will have long term consequences for communities from tiny Corbett to the entire state of Oregon. To no surprise, the disasters will result from the incompetence and greed of those elites who determine our future. The panic over […]