Light Reading - March 2021

Inland Power is my cooperative!

March 2021

LightReading inlandpower.com

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10110 W Hallett Rd. Spokane, WA 99224 MAIN OFFICE

(509) 747-7151 TOLL FREE

(800) 747-7151 BILLING QUESTIONS

(509) 789-4277 PAYMENT SERVICES

(855) 386-9903 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND REBATES

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Energy Gold Star Contractors

Inland scholarship deadline is approaching

Your Cooperative Scholarship deadline approaching

Safety Make sure you’re grounded

Helping our young members advance their bright futures

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ollege can be expensive and Inland Power and Light is honored to provide scholarship funds to those seeking higher education.

The deadline to apply for an Inland Power scholarship is Thursday, April 15, 2021.

Since 1992, Inland has awarded scholarships to members and their dependents who have excelled both academically and in community service.

Currently, the cooperative awards 15 – $1,000 scholarships to either graduating high school seniors or continuing college/ trade school students. In addition, and in an effort to inspire and promote future linemen, this scholarship program is also open to students enrolling in line school.

This program is exclusively for active Inland Power members and their children. The program includes college students who can still be claimed as legal dependents of Inland Power members (legal dependent

is defined as one who is claimed on their parent or guardian’s tax return).

The Inland Power Community Foundation committee oversees the scholarship process.

Committee members will review each application and select the top 15 students to receive a scholarship.

Relatives of committee members are not eligible to apply for a scholarship.

Along with the application, the following information is required and weighted respectively: • Official transcript/grades – 30 percent • Personal profile – 30 percent • Essay – 30 percent • Two letters of recommendation – 10 percent For more information or to download the application, visit inlandpower.com/ scholarships.

From Dam to Door – Electricity’s journey to light our world

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nce the force of a flowing river is turned into electricity at hydroelectric dams, the power still has a long way to go before reaching your house, business or school.

This energy now must flow along transmission lines, sometimes hundreds of miles from its source.

When electricity first leaves a dam, it is high voltage, meaning it is too powerful to run our appliances and electronics. High-voltage transmission is the preferred method to move electricity across long distances because less electricity is lost in transit. High-voltage transmission wires, or conductors, are

typically strung between tall steel towers, the kind you see along highways and through the countryside.

When the electricity nears cities and communities, it passes through a substation that uses transformers to change the electricity into a lower, more usable voltage. From here it will travel on distribution lines, which use thinner, lighter conductors typically strung between wooden poles. These lines carry energy through neighborhoods to the electric outlets that power your lights, heat your home and charge your smartphones.

Getting hydropower to homes and

businesses takes careful planning.

Transmission lines can only carry the amount of electricity that will be consumed. In order to keep the right amount of power flowing, computers calculate when, where and how much electricity should be sent across the system at any given time.

The People Behind the Power It may seem like magic that water can turn into the energy that powers your TV and lights at the push of a button or the flip of a switch. None of this is possible without skilled individuals building and maintaining the system that brings electricity to your home. Line workers Continued inside

OUR

mission

IS OUR

Continued from front page

members.

– M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

Inland Power’s Gold Star Contractors

manage the world behind your light switch.

even work from helicopters that lift and place transmission towers.

These highly skilled crews are electricians specially trained to work on transmission and distribution lines. They not only build the lines, but they also maintain them and restore power when an outage occurs. Some work on the ground, some work in the air and others

The job they do is dangerous and requires carefully managing the powerful electricity that flows through the lines.

They risk electric shock and burns, and work from great heights–often on nights and weekends–and often in less-thandesirable weather conditions.

Thanks to our natural water resources and transmission and distribution systems that keep the grid operating– our communities are able to enjoy the benefits of hydropower generated far from our front door.

~ Story courtesy of the Bonneville Power Administration

The graphic below shows the process that occurs to deliver our electricity.

Always hire the right contractor for you and your wallet

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aking improvements to your home can be overwhelming and challenging.

From finding the right contractor to knowing which products are the best fit for you and your home, the decisions can seem endless.

Luckily, Inland Power and Light has a network of trusted contractors you can choose from. While Inland cannot recommend a specific contractor over another, this network of contractors have signed agreements with Inland Power ensuring they provide the right service that complies with energy efficient regulations

and rebates.

These contractors offer tools and training, and Inland’s energy services team does quality assurance inspections of installations that receive rebates. Inland Power has paved the way to a positive contractor experience, but you play a vital role as well. It is crucial that you insist on a product and installation that is rebate-eligible. This is where our Gold Star Contractor network comes in. They know the requirements and are committed to doing work that entitles you to receive your rebate.

Are you grounded?

Many of us are familiar with the circuit breakers in our homes’ electrical panels.

They can be used to disconnect power for performing repairs and trip when electrical current reaches levels that can damage equipment and cause a fire. But what about ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)?

Like a circuit breaker, a GFCI is a device that shuts off power in abnormal conditions. The key difference between the two is that a GFCI is sensitive enough to protect you from the harmful effects of electric shock, while circuit breakers are not.

GFCIs shut off power instantly when they detect just 5 milliamps of current imbalance - before serious injury can occur and long before standard breakers operate.

Because electric shocks are more likely and can be more dangerous when water is involved, building codes require GFCIs in places like kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors.

4 8

8 5

Graphic Key 1 - River 2 - Hydro generation through turbines in the dam 3 - Converter terminal (step up voltage) 4 - High voltage transmission lines

5 - Substation (step or down voltage) 6 - High voltage distribution lines 7 - Large commercial business 8 - Residential distribution lines

The information below is an example that shows the importance of hiring a contractor you can trust and who understands the requirements so you successfully receive your rebate. Consider this recently released September 2020 report conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. They found these troubling statistics: Improper HVAC installation is common in the residential sector. Many faults, and the resulting poor HVAC performance, are attributed to inadequate installation.

•

70 to 90% of homes’ HVAC installation result in at least one fault

When duct leakage is considered, this number increases to 90 •

to 100%.

•

Improper installation leads to increased energy use and higher HVAC repair costs over the lifetime of the equipment.

Inland’s energy services team is well aware of these concerning statistics and issues.

Consider that most contractors will offer the manufacturer’s parts warranty of five or often ten years, but will only offer a ONE-year warranty on labor. Would you buy a car under those terms? Our list of contractors stand behind their work.

Be sure to check out our list of Gold Star Contractors by visiting inlandpower.com under our energy services page. You can also chat with your energy services team by emailing conservation@inlandpower.com or by calling (509) 789-1801.

VISIT INLANDPOWER.COM FOR MORE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS

If you live in an older home without GFCI protection in these areas, installing GFCI outlets is an easy and permanent safety improvement.

GFCIs can also be built into small cords, often called pigtails, that can be plugged into standard outlets and provide GFCI protection for things like performing outdoor work with power tools.

If you already have GFCI outlets in your home, use the “test” button periodically to ensure they are working correctly. If not, consider installing GFCI outlets and using GFCI pigtails with power tools. Protecting yourself is well worth the investment.

Standard GFCI outlet