April Light Reading

LightReading

Right of way clearing

Creating a path for safety, reliability and affordability.

We are so lucky to live in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. The abundancy of greenery that provides beauty and shade, and a habitat for all birds and wildlife.

At Inland Power we strive to balance maintaining our beautiful surroundings, while ensuring a reliable power supply by keeping power lines clear in rights of way (ROW).

ROW is the land we use to construct, maintain, replace or repair underground and overhead power lines. A ROW enables your cooperative to provide clearance from trees and other obstructions that could hinder the power line installation, maintenance or operation.

ROW areas are typically on public lands or located near a business or home.

Regardless of location, Inland must maintain

the power lines above and below the ROW. Proactive vegetation management benefits members in three tangible ways.

SAFETY

We care about our members and put your safety and that of our lineworkers first. Overgrown vegetation and trees pose a risk to power lines. Electricity can arc, or jump, from a power line to a nearby conductor like a tree. Our focus is to take a proactive approach to reduce the chance of fallen branches or trees during a severe weather event or trees touching power lines and posing a fire threat.

RELIABILITY

One of the greatest benefits of a smart vegetation management program is reliability. Strategic tree trimming reduces

the frequency of downed lines causing power outages. Proactive trimming and pruning keeps lines clear and allows for more reliability.

As a not-for-profit cooperative, Inland Power strives to keep costs low in order to maintain affordable rates. This approach extends to vegetation management as well. If trees grow too close to power lines, the potential for expensive repairs increase. Effective tree trimming and other vegetation management efforts keep costs low for everyone.

Keep in mind, tree trimming efforts will increase during the spring and summer seasons. For more information, please visit inlandpower.com/row-clearing.

Lineworker Appreciation Day

Thismonth we take time to celebrate and acknowledge the dedication of lineworkers. April 10 is Lineworker Appreciation Day. Inland Power currently has 38 lineworkers who proudly serve our members and keep power flowing 24/7, 365 days a year.

Lineworkers are committed to their profession and understand the long hours and ever-present danger related to their job. Today’s lineworkers are information experts with over 7,000 hours of training. Through current technologies, lineworkers can map outages, survey damage and troubleshoot problems.

Our line team truly understands the meaning of service. When severe weather hits and power outages occur, lineworkers are first responders and must leave the comfort of their homes and families, and don’t return home until the job is done and power is restored and lines are repaired.

Please join us in saying THANK YOU to all our lineworkers for their efforts and hard work to keep the lights on, to keep us warm and to keep us safe.

Thank you!

Hydro is our power

Call before you dig

April is National Digging Safe month!

As warmer temperatures arrive, the list of outdoor activities begin as well.

If you plan on taking on a project that requires digging, make sure you call 811 before you begin.

Gravity

forces water to flow through specially equipped hydroelectric dams to produce carbon-free and inexpensive electricity that provides the Northwest more than 85% of its renewable energy.

Because dams do not produce carbon emissions when generating electricity, the abundance of hydropower makes the region’s power system the cleanest in the United States and prevents 50 million metric tons of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere.

For more information on the many benefits of hydropower, visit our website at inlandpower.com/hydropower.

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

This planting season, include energy efficiency in your landscaping plans. Adding shade trees around your home can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as six degrees. To block heat from the sun, plant deciduous trees around the south side of your home. Deciduous trees provide excellent shade during the summer and lose their leaves in the fall and winter months, allowing sunlight to warm your home.

Source: energy.gov

Here are some easy steps to follow to start your project out safely:

1. Always call 811 at least two business days before digging to have underground utilities located. Gas, electric and other utility lines are buried and prevalent almost everywhere. Digging without locating these lines first can pose serious risk. In addition, you could be held legally and financially responsible for any damage to lines if you have not successfully located them prior to an incident.

2. Before you call to have lines located, be sure to mark your planned digging area with white paint so the area can be easily identified. After lines are marked, you must dig only with hand tools within two feet of the mark to avoid damage. Proceed with caution, as lines may be buried at different depths and not all are installed with protective casings.

3. Finally, if you expose electric lines that haven’t been marked, or damage a line, stop digging and call Inland Power right away at 877-668-8243

Due Thursday, April 13, 2023 2023 Inland Power Excellence Award

Are you a parent preparing to send your high school senior or college student to a higher education school? Now is the time to the begin the scholarship application process.

The Inland Power Community Foundation is pleased to offer 15 - $1,000 scholarships. These scholarships are active for current Inland Power members and their children. This includes college students who are members or students who can still be claimed as legal dependents of Inland Power members. A legal dependent is one who can be claimed on their parent or guardian’s tax return.

All applications are due Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Foundation will conduct the review process in May and recipients will be selected and notified in June.

Past scholarship recipients may reapply. However, at least ten of the 15 scholarships

will be reserved for new applicants. Applications have been sent to high school counseling offices within the Inland Power service territory, and can be found on our website at inlandpower.com.

Funding for the Inland Power Excellence Award is made possible by the Inland Power Community Foundation. The Foundation’s committee also serves as the scholarship committee.

The Inland Power Community Foundation was developed to generate and collect charitable donations to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through individual, family and nonprofit organization donations.

To learn more about the foundation, visit inlandpower.com/community-foundation

If you wish to make a donation to the foundation, please email to community-foundation@inlandpower.com.