UMATILLA ELECTRIC
AUGUST 2024
Generations of Cooperative Service
Page 4
Fun at the Fair!
Page 29
National Hydropower Day Is Saturday, Aug. 24
McNary Dam construction began in 1947, and the dam became fully operational in 1957. It is 1,310 feet long and has 14 hydroelectric generator units.
In eastern Oregon, like any rural area, the bonds of community are essential to a successful business. For a cooperative organization, this fact is especially true. The relationships we form and the people we serve have a lasting impact on our story. Based in Hermiston, Ore., the history of Umatilla Electric Cooperative intertwines with that of the Ellis family, leaving an enduring mark on our communities and the public power industry at large.
Monte Ellis (pictured above, right, with son, Matt), a dedicated Distribution Designer, is nearing his 30th anniversary with the cooperative. His son, Matt Ellis, now works alongside his dad as a Journeyman Serviceman for the co-op. These two represent the second and third generations to work for the cooperative, with more than 40 years of combined experience.
The Beginning
Monte’s mom, Lennas Bezona, first worked for the cooperative in the 1970s. In a male-dominated industry, Lennas planted roots in local public power that not even she could have foreseen at the time. Although her time working for the cooperative was short, she left a lifetime of impact, as the generations that followed her would leave a lasting mark in their community and in the lives of the members of Umatilla Electric through her son and grandson. Unfortunately, Lennas passed away at the age of only 52, when Matt was just three years old.
The Legacy Begins
Monte started his career in 1995, when Umatilla Electric served mainly residential and irrigation loads, with industrial growth on the rise. Since his time at the co-op, Monte has been at the forefront of some of the swiftest growth for any electric cooperative across the nation. In his role as the most experienced on the distribution design team, he has seen significant changes adopted as technology has morphed and streamlined the industry.
In the early days of his role, large, cumbersome, paper mapswhich had to be constantly undated by hand - were the industry standard and used by every department and every utility at the time. Through his tenure, he’s adapted through changes to digital platforms, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, SCADA, and fully-online systems. Line crews at UEC are now using maps he’s helped create as they navigate through the service area – something he could have never imagined as a new employee.
“The industry has changed so much,” says Monte. “I’ve enjoyed learning and truly enjoy the folks I get to work with.”
Monte’s reputation as a skilled designer – and a stellar colleague – is well known. Monte’s coined term for all coworkers is “bud”.
critical infrastructure, proprietary and confidential data, too.”
Maintaining robust cyber hygiene is necessary to deploy any technology reliably and safely—AI is no different.
As electric utilities explore the possibilities of AI, they focus on underlying needs rather than the technology. Examining better ways to accomplish tasks and obtain desired results guide electric utilities as they consider AI tools for more efficient processes and approaches.
Despite all the hype, today’s AI is mostly used to make incremental improvements to existing products and services. That’s how electric utilities are likely to experience the growth of AI in the foreseeable future.
For example, the next generation of smart meters might incorporate AI tools that help homeowners better manage energy use. AI-based systems may also be used to improve management of the nation’s power grid, spotting potential problems before human operators can.
Weather forecasts are likely to become more accurate, pinpointing the areas most likely to experience damage so crews can be stationed there.
Another promising technology being explored is augmented reality, and some electric utilities are already testing it, particularly in educational and training opportunities.
For example, apprentice lineworkers can become comfortable with the equipment by working with the AR and VR versions before working with the real thing. Instead of watching a video or webinar, lineworkers can interact with what they’re doing. Safety training can simulate a hazardous situation, providing lineworkers the opportunity to prepare for the real thing.
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative began conducting VR training in September 2021. Training is offered to volunteer rural firefighters and the community as a way to raise public awareness on what to do if they encounter a downed power line.
“A main advantage is the ability to retain the information,” says Maaike Schotborgh, OTEC’s manager of safety and loss control.
“Traditional presentation methods have a retention rate of about 10% after four weeks, but VR training boasts a retention rate of 70% even after a year.”
In the future, OTEC wants to incorporate VR into its internal
Electric utilities already use artificial intelligence and augmented reality for key tasks and activities.
Looking ahead, there is potential for AI and AR as helpful tools for improving grid reliability and the services they provide to consumer-members.
AI tools such as chatbots can enhance consumer interactions and provide a tailored experience based on energy use data.
With the help of AI, weather forecasts will become more accurate, pinpointing areas to station utility crews.
Through augmented reality, lineworkers can experience interactive, lifelike trainings, rather than watching a video or webinar.
trainings to help boost employee understanding and retention.
One day soon, a lineworker may look up at a failed transformer atop a power pole. Their safety glasses will recognize the type of transformer, its exact location and when it was installed before displaying a checklist of the equipment the lineworker needs, a guide to diagnosing common problems and 24-hour access to experts.
“The ability to use VR to learn in a ‘hands on’ environment, which is still controlled and safe, opens up a world of training possibilities,” Maaike says. “We think we are just starting to scratch the surface.”
Ultimately, the adoption of AI, VR, AR and other technologies share one goal for electric co-ops and public power utilities. From solving outages more quickly to allowing consumer-members greater control over their energy use to lowering the cost of service, tomorrow’s innovative technologies will continue to help electric utilities enhance the services they provide to communities. n
Your cooperative works year-round to ensure our members have safe, dependable electric service however; sometimes extreme weather, wild animals or other unforseen events can cause a power disruption. There may be times when extensive damage results in electric service being out for longer than we’d like. Use this guide to ensure your family is prepared should a power outage, or other emergency, occur at your home or business.
1. Meet with your household to talk about emergencies like fire, flood, earthquake and severe weather and discuss what you would do in each case.
2. Locate the safe places in and outside of your home where family members should go in each type of emergency and talk about escape routes and meeting places.
3. Talk about power outages and make sure everyone knows where to find the flashlights and other emergency supplies.
4. If you or someone in your household depends on electricity to power medical equipment, identify a location with emergency power.
5. Show family members how to turn off the power, water and gas if it becomes necessary. Make sure all the right tools are nearby.
6. Teach your children how and when to call 911.
7. Identify a contact person nearby and one out-of-state or out of the area that family members can call in case you’re separated or cannot reach one another. Add the #’s in their cell phone contacts.
8. Keep important family documents in a waterproof, fireproof portable container.
9. Determine evacuation routes out of the area from your home and identify transportation options. Keep our vehicle filled with at least half a tank of fuel in case you must evacuate.
One of the most trusted sources of information about wildfires is an app that’s mostly run by volunteers and on a shoestring budget.
WATCH DUTY is run by active and retired firefighters, dispatchers, first responders, and reporters who monitor radio scanners in your area around the clock to bring you up-to-the-minute life saving information. It is the only wildfire mapping and alert app powered by real people giving you real-time information vetted by trained professionals, not robots. Watch Duty is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides this app at no cost.
WILDFIRE TRACKING FEATURES:
- Push notifications about nearby wildfires
- Real-time updates as conditions change
- Active fire perimeters and progress
- Infrared satellite hotspots
- Wind speed and direction
- Evacuation orders & shelter information
- Street and satellite maps
- Air attack and air tanker flight tracker
After college, Lucas continued working out, focusing on powerlifting—a sport where the goal is to lift the heaviest weights possible. For work, he managed a company that provided security for local events, a job he’d started while in college.
When the pandemic hit, powerlifting competitions in his area were canceled. However, a local gym ran an outdoor strongman competition, and Lucas entered.
He won, and the victory qualified him for a national competition.
Once there, Lucas, who is 6 feet tall, was surprised at how much larger competitors were at nationals.
“The first guy I saw in the lobby was 6’5”, 400 pounds, and I thought I was in the wrong place,” Lucas says. “It was a big eye-opener for what the next level was like.”
He finished 35th that first year. After a year of training, he returned and finished fifth in 2021. The top three finishers at nationals earn pro cards and are eligible to compete in professional strongman competitions. Going pro became Lucas’ goal, but it would require a life change.
As Lucas transitioned into strongman, some of his friends bought a gym, Dungeon Strength RX in Auburn, Washington, between Eatonville and Seattle. After the fifth-place finish, Lucas quit his security job and began working
at the gym full time, helping to run the facility and coach young athletes. He has since become part-owner of Dungeon Strength RX and loves working with youngsters who have found powerlifting routines online and want to try it.
“It’s a blast, man,” Lucas says. “I would do that regardless of if I ever lifted in strongman again.”
Soon, Lucas began finishing on podiums. He came in second at the 2022 nationals, allowing him to turn pro.
As strongman turned from a hobby to a job, his progression came quicker. He finished second at the Arnold Amateur and North America’s Strongest Man. Those finishes helped bolster his reputation and earned him invitations to bigger and better events.
At the 2023 America’s Strongest Man, Lucas had just four steps and three weights on his way to his first strongman victory. His overall lead was large enough that he didn’t need a spectacular result to win the competition. But halfway through the stair climb, he realized he could win the event. With a push, he had the best stair climb time of any competitor.
“It was kind of just a cool redemption moment,” Lucas says. “I got a lot of seconds and thirds on the way up, and I think I learned a lot from those. It forced me to get a lot better at things. I didn’t win until I earned it.” n
Stongman competitions test competitors through various feats of strength. Competitions typically have five to eight events, each requiring competitors to lift something as heavy as possible, do something as quickly as possible or do something for as long as possible. Every competition has a different event mix. At the 2023 America’s Strongest Man competition, won by Lucas Hatton, the events were:
X MAX AXLE PRESS: Similar to the clean and jerk you might see at the Olympics; competitors must lift the heaviest barbell possible above their heads.
X YOKE AND FARMER’S CARRY MEDLEY: In this medley, competitors must walk while carrying heavy weights two different ways. The yoke is a metal frame with a crossbar and weight added to the bottom, and is carried on the shoulders. In the farmer’s carry, competitors walk after picking up weights or dumbbells from the ground.
X UKRANIAN DEADLIFT: Competitors stand on a platform, and lift a handle connected to weights on the ground below. Competitors squat, grab the handle and lift the weight by standing up straight.
X DUMBBELL LADDER: As quickly as possible, competitors pick up a series of dumbbells one at a time, using both hands to get the weight to their shoulder, and then using one arm to hold it above their head.
X NATURAL STONES: As quickly as possible, competitors pick up rocks weighing between 280 and 366 pounds and place them on a chest-height platform.
X POWER STAIRS: As quickly as possible, competitors lift weights of 440, 485 and 530 pounds up a flight of four steps.
By Chiara Profenna
On the outskirts of Sunnyside, Washington, it’s pepper harvest time.
From August to September, tens of thousands of peppers will be handpicked, sorted, dried and ground into powder for spice production. Running a farm is hard work, but help makes it possible.
Overlooking the beautiful Yakima Valley, the sprawling farm is run by Lino Guerra and his family. The farm has been passed down through generations and supports a flourishing seasoning business. However, Guerra’s Gourmet Seasonings, a natural spice line made with farm-grown peppers, is only one part of their story.
The Guerra family farm dates back to the 1970s, started by the father-son duo, Antonio and Lionel Guerra. At the same time, Lionel’s brother, Lino, was studying engineering at the University of Washington.
“My dad was a manager for a farmer here in the Yakima Valley,” Lino says. “And on his side business, he started doing a little bit of farm produce.”
With a 5-acre plot and the motivation to succeed, Antonio and Lionel began growing produce—tomatoes and peppers at first, then gradually expanding their offerings. They established Guerra’s Produce in 1978.
“We started mainly growing quite a bit of jalapenos, serranos, New Mexico chiles,” Lino says. “We had close to over 20 different varieties of chiles here, grown here in the Yakima Valley.”
Working as an engineer in lab research and development, Lino married his wife, Hilda, in 1982. He eventually joined his family on the farm to help with production. By 1986, he had taken over the family business, inspired by the love of cooking with seasoning. With Hilda and
two sons, Aaron and Chris, Lino began his life on the farm, slowly expanding the property into a 30-acre operation.
“I knew I had something here that nobody had in the Yakima Valley,” he says.
By the 1990s, anyone in the vicinity could see that production was booming on the Guerra farm. Each acre produced between 7,000 and 10,000 pounds of peppers. After directing their focus on growing a wide variety of peppers, the Guerras began to strike deals with companies in Tacoma, selling the peppers picked and canned.
“And we had an abundance of peppers,” Lino says. “It was like, ‘What am I going to do with all this?’”
With a surplus of produce, Lino created a testing area on his farm to experiment with new recipes and uses for peppers.
“I started drying New Mexico chiles and a variety of different chiles— everything from Anaheim to Sandia peppers,” Lino says. “From there, we did a lot of dehydrating with the peppers, and I grinded the chiles up and blended the chiles with other spices and herbs to develop a nice seasoning. And that’s how everything started, right there.”
Their first recipe was Guerra’s Signature Seasoning. With a new product to share with the community, Lino decided to host a chile pepper festival on the farm. The event was an enormous success, featuring cooking and salsa demonstrations, children’s activities, tours of the farm and a celebration of Mexican culture, music and dancing.
“I noticed that everybody had an urge for seasoning,” Lino says. “There was no sugar, no MSG, gluten-free ... it just exploded.”
The Guerras ran the festival for another 13 years, eventually slowing down to prioritize family.
“We had to stop because my wife was involved in an accident, and at that same time, my dad got sick,” Lino says. “I had to slow down and sit back and start rethinking everything. My biggest thing is taking care of the family, and that’s what we did.”
With two more sons, Geraldo and Fabian, the Guerras had more than a full heart and home on the farm. They continued to broaden their business opportunities, trying their hand at running a cafe and a catering business while selling their seasoning at farmers markets throughout Washington.
By the time 2020 came around, the Guerras’ catering and seasoning businesses were flourishing.
“That’s when everything changed on us,” Lino says. “We just got into doing more producing for the seasonings and came out
with a new variety of the habanero seasoning and the rice seasoning. And that’s when we decided, ‘Hey listen, let’s start packaging this and getting it out to the public,’ and then we came out with the extra hot. Oh gosh, people were just loving it!”
Powering through the pandemic, the Guerras worked tirelessly to promote their seasoning line across the Pacific Northwest. As Lino’s sons pursued other careers, they found ways to support the family business wherever they were.
The Guerras partnered with other farms and businesses to develop new products, such as Fuego Cheese, a collaboration with Daniel’s Artisan, a Washington-based, small-batch cheese company.
According to Lino, farmers in the Yakima Valley support one another. And while the pandemic certainly posed its challenges, the Guerras were able to regroup and forge a new path that would propel their business into the future.
Caramelized Onion Dip
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 yellow onions, sliced
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Chives for garnish
Place oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and translucent, about seven minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the translucent onions become brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Onions should be soft, semi-translucent and brown. They should not be crispy or have dark brown spots from contact with the pan.
With a mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise on medium-high until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir to combine.
Add caramelized onion and incorporate with a spatula until evenly distributed. Chill for at least an hour. Garnish with chives.
I am looking for buttons for a game to teach children. Each child needs 50 to 100 buttons. They need five different types: leather, wooden, ceramic, shell and so on. Each child learns to sew on a button and then shares with a friend. I also need one or two large buttons to create button buzzers. Thanks in advance for your help.
Donita Culberson
P.O. Box 108 Baker City, OR 97814
I’m looking for any used or new greeting cards and unwanted scrapbooking supplies to put together scrapbooking albums to decorate for my grandchildren with our family photos and to track family genealogy. I use buttons, iron emblems and cutouts to decorate the pages. If local to Burns, Oregon, I’m willing to pick it up. Your help is greatly appreciated as I make these treasures for my grandchildren.
Peggy Lee Mazziotti
315 W. Johnson St. Burns, OR 97720
My dad turns 90 this month. A retired U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War era, he was a flight engineer and is one of the few remaining veterans of Underage Military Service (having enlisted at the age of 15). With the passing of his friends, my mom in 2016 and my bonus mom in 2023, he’s very lonely and spends many hours reading nonfiction. Since one of my dad’s daily highlights is “checking the mail,” I thought it would be wonderful if our community would help celebrate this milestone birthday and brighten his days with thoughtful cards throughout August. Once a trainer for Lockheed Martin Aircraft Service, he loves explaining details of old military aircraft and is volunteering at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Send cards to Jim Padden, 714 E. McKinley St., Carlton, OR 97111. Thank you.
Liz Kennedy Banks, Oregon
My mom turns 88 this month. Your wishes would make her day. Our house was neighborhood central—kick the can, sharing our big garden, cookies on the back porch—and she was director of Summer “Girls Camp.” Send your wishes with your own stories to Celia Davidson, 900 N. Western Ave. #103, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Colleen Ward Washington Thanks
I have received 400 cards from you wonderful readers. Such nice words. Thanks to each of you. It has been such fun to read them.
Margaret McLaughlin Pendelton, Oregon
The family of Peter Cladouhous offers sincere thanks to the nearly 300 Ruralite readers who thoughtfully sent cards and letters to Peter when he celebrated his 100th birthday last year. Opening stacks of mail every day for almost two weeks and deeply touched by your kindness, he enjoyed all those beautiful cards and creative letters more than you can imagine. Always one to organize, he put them in a special box marked “save.” After he passed away, family had the pleasure of reading each one and feeling the warmth of your birthday wishes. Peter spent his final weeks in hospice and passed peacefully from this world on March 19. You can learn more by reading his obituary at www.schniderfuneralhome.com/obituary/peter-cladouhos.
Cladouhous Family Grangeville, Idaho
You don’t often get email from oohletmysee1@gmail.com. Learn why this is important. I wish to thank everyone who responded to my request for old jewelry. It was an incredible amount of gifts from our community. I tried to send as many thank you notes as I could, but for those who may have been missed, thank you.
Holly Hill Port Orford, Oregon
We want to thank Ruralite readers for sending my mother, Betty, birthday cards in December. She received more than 350 beautiful cards, many handmade. What a gift.
Gail Harrower & Family Bend, Oregon
We would like to thank you all for the shipments of yarn we have received to help us with our knitting project. It is so wonderful to receive the yarn that is being used to make hats, scarves and baby blankets for young mothers in need. We could not have made this possible without your donations. God bless you all.
Deb Darr Falls City, Oregon
Heartfelt thanks to every person who was so kind to send a birthday card to my mom (who has Alzheimer’s). She received over 500 cards. Each day was amazing as the postal carrier brought handfuls of cards every single day. We put all of the cards in scrapbooks for her. She delights in turning each of the pages many times a day to see the hundreds of beautiful cards. Thank you so very much.
Kathleen Ahern St. Maries, Idaho
By Dave LaBelle
Recently, I challenged myself to see and photograph light as I found it entering our home, without any help or interference.
Determining not to move anything for better composition, I watched as morning and afternoon light crawled across tables, chairs, curtains and floors, illuminating things hidden in shadow: dusty furniture, hanging towels, baskets of fruit, our dog, even discarded toilet paper rolls on a window sill in the bathroom.
The temptation to move a towel, a napkin or a banana to create a better composition or add artificial fill light was great, but I resisted in the name of capturing only what I saw naturally.
Photographing the light and those things it touched was an exercise I faithfully maintained for 10 days, posting a picture every day on Facebook.
In the end, this modest exercise accomplished more than anticipated.
To begin, it slowed me down. I noticed a world I had ignored and saw details I had seldom paid attention to before, such as the carvings on a wooden sculpture, a nook for a phone, the glass doorknobs on my bedroom doors.
It helped me truly see light in a new light, as I watched color and intensity quickly change, and deep shadows
open and close again. Though I have always adored light from the time I opened my eyes, a new heightened awareness of its magical healing power and beauty washed over me.
More than once I breathed deeply and brushed away grateful tears. I was reminded that where there are shadows, there is light.
Lastly, the exercise offered me something to look forward to each morning, photography not assigned or driven by a deadline, something visually stimulating and soothing, like soft classical music.
What pleased me most was the response to the uncomplicated images after posting them online. Many friends and photographers whose work I greatly admire were encouraged to capture their own found images of light. n
Slow down and capture the beauty of natural light as it enters your home. Follow and study the light as it moves, illuminating and exposing. Watch how the morning light crawls through your house as you open your drapes and find things you often don’t notice. See if you can capture an image that celebrates the beautiful light.
Email your best image (just one, please) with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to GPH@pur.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.
“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.”
You can’t always lie down in bed and sleep. Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – and dozens of other ailments and worries. Those are the nights you’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in: one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises your feet and legs just where you want them, supports your head and shoulders properly, and operates at the touch of a button.
Our Perfect Sleep Chair® does all that and more. More than a chair or recliner, it’s designed to provide total comfort. Choose your preferred heat and massage settings, for hours of soothing relaxation. Reading or watching TV? Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number of settings. And best of all, it features a powerful lift mechanism that tilts the entire chair forward, making it easy to stand. You’ll love the other benefits, too. It helps with correct spinal alignment and promotes back pressure relief, to prevent back and muscle pain. The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support
— J. Fitzgerald, VA
when sitting or reclining. It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage.
White glove delivery included in shipping charge. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! You get your choice of Luxurious and Lasting Miralux, Genuine Leather, stain and liquid repellent Duralux with the classic leather look, or plush MicroLux microfiber, all handcrafted in a variety of colors to fit any decor. Call now!
Inthe blockbuster film, when a strapping Australian crocodile hunter and a lovely American journalist were getting robbed at knife point by a couple of young thugs in New York, the tough Aussie pulls out his dagger and says “That’s not a knife, THIS is a knife!” Of course, the thugs scattered and he continued on to win the reporter’s heart.
Our Aussie friend would approve of our rendition of his “knife.”
Forged of high grade 420 surgical stainless steel, this knife is an impressive 16" from pommel to point. And, the blade is full tang, meaning it runs the entirety of the knife, even though part of it is under wraps in the natural bone and wood handle.
Secured in a tooled leather sheath, this is one impressive knife, with an equally impressive price.
This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers.
But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99, 8x21 power compact binoculars, and a genuine leather sheath when you purchase the Down Under Bowie Knife
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.
Limited Reserves. A deal like this won’t last long. We have only 1120 Down Under Bowie Knives for this ad only. Don’t let this beauty slip through your fingers at a price that won’t drag you under.
Stauer® 8x21
Compact Binoculars -a $99 valuewith purchase of Down Under Knife
BONUS! Call today and you’ll also receive this genuine leather sheath!
Under Bowie Knife $249* Offer Code Price Only $99 + S&P Save $150
Insider Offer Code: DUK404-01 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.
What Stauer Clients Are Saying About Our Knives
“This knife is beautiful!”
— J., La Crescent, MN
“The feel of this knife is unbelievable...this is an incredibly fine instrument.”
— H., Arvada, CO
*Discount is only for customers who use the offer code versus the listed original Stauer.com price.
California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product.
• Etched stainless steel full tang blade ; 16” overall • Painted natural bone and wood handle • Brass hand guards, spacers & end cap • Includes genuine tooled leather sheath 14091 Southcross Drive W., Dept. DUK404-01 Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com
Hydroelectric dams in the Northwest deliver carbon-free, low-cost power to communities across the region. First constructed as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the dams brought fair access to electricity to the rural Northwest and paved the way for utilities, including cooperatives like Umatilla Electric to serve our communities.
Today, carbon-free energy and climate friendly policies have become a priority in the northwest and across the nation. Our hydroelectric dams are essential to meeting these energy goals - and retaining our way of life in eastern Oregon.
Hydropower provides a great support to solar and wind generation, which have fluctuating electric output. Hydroelectric operators can hold water behind a dam when there is a surplus of solar and wind power. Operators can then release that water into turbines when more power is necessary. The control of the hydro system helps provide critical balance to the grid when the sun isn’t shining and wind isn’t blowing.
However, hydro offers many benefits beyond just producing carbon-free energy and grid balancing. The lower costs of hydropower are crucial for families and individuals that depend on affordable energy. They’re able to keep their homes comfortable and cover their basic needs by not having to worry about overwhelming electricity bills.
Hydropower is good for business too. The low cost of hydropower combined with its carbon-free attributes have attracted companies to locate to the Northwest from across the globe. Their presence adds jobs to the region and grows our local economies.
On a local level, the dams are critical to communities who live near the Columbia and Snake rivers, like ours, and local tributaries. The dams help us save homes and lives by protecting against dangerous floods.
Right in our own backyard, where the climate is dry and the summers are hot, the dams help farms irrigate their land. In fact, by using just six percent of the annual runoff from the Columbia River, an additional 7.8 million acres of land has been made farmable. The crops and other goods produced by our local farms are then shipped through the ports via barge, used in patnership with rail cars and semi-trucks. In total,
the river system supports over $24 billion in annual exports and imports, and countless jobs and opportunities that extend beyond the Columbia River Basin itself.
Altogether, the benefits of our hydropower system are innumerable and irreplaceable. Even as time has passed and our needs have evolved, the dams continue to offer solutions to our most pressing problems. With issues of climate change and water access looming, hydro will become even more critical.
Unfortunately, access to affordable and reliable electricity is at risk as discussions about breaching of the Lower Snake River Dams continue. Umatilla Electric is working closely with your local, state, and federal representatives to ensure that our valuable hydropower systems remain intact.
Umatilla Electric works with organizations advocating for hydropower, including Northwest RiverPartners and Voices for Cooperative Power (VCP). Northwest RiverPartners is a member-driven organization that works with state and federal agencies to support the hydro system. VCP is a network of electric co-op members working together to influence elected officials who are making energy policy decisions that impact our co-ops and, by extension, our way of life.
Hydropower is key to ensuring reliable, affordable energy to our members. It is a critical, always available, carbonfree source of electric generation. As our nation depends on electricity to power more of the economy with carbon-free energy, we need more generating resources – not fewer.
No voice matters more than yours when it comes to defending our dams and ensuring that our elected officials support our access to the clean, affordable energy provided by them. Take action with us by signing up for updates from VCP at voicesforcooperativepower.com and engaging in the issues affecting the Northwest’s hydropower system.
The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and Umatilla Electric are celebrating licensed professional engineers with the ninth annual Professional Engineers Day on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
We are thrilled to introduce you to the dedicated team of Professional Engineers at your local electric cooperative. These individuals play a vital role in ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient delivery of electricity to your homes and businesses.
Not every engineer is licensed, however. To become a Professional Engineer (PE), engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams and earn a license from their state’s licensure board. Then, to retain their licenses, PEs must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers.
Our engineering team designs, builds, and maintains the electrical infrastructure that powers our community. They plan new power distribution systems and implement new technologies to ensure reliable electric service. Many also serve on statewide or national boards in the industry, to ensure Umatilla Electric remains on the cutting edge of new regulations or technologies.
Committed to community safety, our engineers follow strict industry standards, codes, and regulations. Their expertise in electrical design and maintenance helps them identify and prevent potential hazards.
At UEC, we value the professionalism and dedication of our engineering team. They work behind the scenes to make sure your electricity is reliable and safe.
Next time you turn on a light or plug in an appliance, remember the hard work of our engineers. They are the force behind the seamless delivery of electricity in our community.
Kelly Jobes Senior Engineer
Vice President, Engineering & Operations
Since April, Umatilla Electric’s headquarters in Hermiston has been undergoing a significant transformation. The initial phase of demolition involved removing asphalt, sidewalks, and parking lot lighting from the existing structure. Now, as summer progresses, 95% of the underground plumbing work is complete, and electrical installations have begun in various parts of the construction zone.
Throughout the summer, contractors have also been busy digging footings for the new structure, with ongoing efforts in underground plumbing and electrical work. The demolition has certainly been a spectacle, but both employees and members are eagerly anticipating the start of the expansion phase.
“Once we start going vertical, everyone will see changes quickly,” said Kevin Kiniry, Chervenell’s Superintendent overseeing the project.
As the summer winds down and fall approaches, the construction will shift gears, with the second story of the new building beginning to take shape. Stay updated on Umatilla Electric’s website and social media pages for the latest developments on this exciting project.
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