FAQs

Billing FAQs - Outage FAQs - General FAQs - Tree Trimming FAQs

BILLING FAQs

Do I have to pay a deposit to start a new account with EPUD?

New EPUD customers with a good letter of credit are not required to pay a deposit. In order for EPUD to check your credit, you will need to give us permission to do so. If you do not allow us to check, or if your credit is not good, EPUD requires a deposit totaling 2 times the highest months charge at your new residence. For more information, please call our Customer Service Department at 746-1583.

How do I sign up for new service?

To sign up for new service, visit www.epud.org and click on the EBill logo in the upper left screen. Once in E-bill, click " If you are not a current customer and you would like to start a new service Click here to submit your request. " OR you can call a Customer Service Representative at 746-1853.

How do I know if I live in EPUD's District?

CLICK HERE for a map of EPUD's District. You can zoom in and scroll around to find your specific street. If you have any further questions, you can always call us at 746-1583.

Why do I pay a basic customer charge (or basic charge) of $10.00 each month?

This is a fixed charge that covers a portion of EPUD costs occurring regardless of energy use.  These costs are shared by all customers and include a portion of the cost of providing power (from the substation to the meter), meter reading, billing, repayment of long-term debt, communications, and general admin.

What is the kWh Usage Charge?

(Previously split into two separate charges - Distribution and Energy)  Now combined for simplicity sake, this is EPUD's actual cost to purchase power from the BPA as well as the actual cost of delivering power to your home. This includes the cost of maintenance on power lines and substations, tree trimming and other expenses.

How do I read my bill?

For a quick guide on how to read your bill, CLICK HERE. You will need Adobe Reader to read the form. If you do not have it, please click HERE to download it for free.

If I have been disconnected for non-pay, what will be required to have my power turned back on?

You will need to contact a Customer Service Representative at 746-1583 to discuss the payment required in the form of cash, Visa/MC or money order. A reconnection fee of $20.00 will be charged if your power is restored on regular time or $200.00 if your power is restored on overtime. A list of these fees can be found in our rate schedule under "Schedule 88 M" by clicking HERE.

Writing out your name on the check is much too long. Can we just write "EPUD?"

Sure you can. While the official name of the utility is Emerald People’s Utility District, the bank will accept checks that simply say “EPUD” or “Emerald PUD.”

How can I pay my bill?

EPUD offers many payment plans for your flexibility. We have an E-bill Auto Pay option and an online payment option. You can also make a payment over the phone, and payment drop of stations are available at multiple locations including our main office. Click HERE for more information about our payment options.

What is Paperless billing?

Paperless billing allows you to receive and pay for your statement online.  You receive notification of a new bill via e-mail and follow the link provided to pay your bill. There is no postage and no paper usage!  EPUD currently has 1,500 customers signed up for paperless billing and combined, they save EPUD $10,000 a year on printing and postage.  Do your part and sign up today! Call 746-1583.

How can I speak with a customer service representative?

Call 541-746-1583 during regular business hours, 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.

Why are my electric bills so high during the winter heating months even though I make great efforts to conserve?

Making comparisons are difficult because everyone uses electricity differently. But comparisons aside, the cost of heating your home increases as the outside temperature in winter drops. The extent that this affects your electric bill depends on your life style and how energy efficient your home was built: i.e., insulation values of walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, skylights; type of heating system; amount of air infiltration; solar orientation; and floor space or volume of your home. For information and resources on how you can reduce your usage in the winter months, click HERE.

Why is my neighbor’s electric bill lower than mine?

Even if your home may appear identical to your neighbors, houses often vary in terms of insulation values, heating and cooling needs, the condition of the home and appliances, insulation levels and the temperature settings of the heat and water heater. Your bill reflects the amount of electricity you use and represent the unique needs of your family. EPUD offers FREE home energy analysis to help you lower your bill. Click HERE to learn more.

How can I pinpoint where I am using my power?

EPUD offers a variety of tools to help you better understand your energy usage.  For a list of these tools, click HERE.

How likely is it that the issue with my bill is related to a faulty meter?

It is very unlikely that the problem that you are experiencing is a problem with your meter. The chance of a five-dial meter failing is less than one percent, and it is more likely to slow down than to speed up. It is very rare for a meter to register more usage than what is actually being used. Meters can sometimes stop, however. If you know that you are using power and your statement shows no kilowatt hour usage for the period, your meter may be stopped. Remember that unbilled usage will not go away. If your meter is stopped, we may estimate past months’ billing. To ensure accurate billing, please let us know as soon as you are aware that you have a stopped meter.

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OUTAGE FAQs

How do I report a power outage?

Call us at 746-1583 anytime day or night, to report a power outage. We do our best to ensure you have as few service interruptions as possible, but sometimes weather conditions or car accidents cause the power to go out. If you would like to recieve proactive outage alerts and updates to your cell phone or mobile device, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.

Why did my power go out?

Power outages are most commonly caused by bad weather, trees contacting electric lines or equipment, motor vehicle accidents affecting electric equipment or facilities, equipment failure, or damage done by animals. Also, faulty wiring and equipment within your building can cause a localized power outage.

What things should I check if my power goes out?

Check your fuses and circuit breakers. Make sure that everyone in your family knows where the breaker box is located and how to handle fuses and breakers. If this isn't the source of the problem, CALL EMERALD at 746-1583.

Turn off your electric water heater (usually the top left-hand circuit breaker) and unplug any solid-state electrical equipment (microwave, VCR, TV) so that it won't be damaged by a power overload when the electricity comes back on.

Turn on your porch light or other outside light so that when our crews are in the area they can more easily see which houses have power and which don't. It also helps them know when and where the power is back on.

What does Emerald PUD do when there is a power outage?

Once Emerald PUD is aware of the outage, an EPUD employee is immediately sent to patrol the outage area and identify the problem. The employee takes action to isolate the problem and restore power to as many customers as possible. Depending on the problem, a crew may have to be called to work on repairs. Outage lengths vary, depending on the severity of the problem. EPUD tries to change the front outage message to include all areas affected by outages within 30 minutes of first notification.

How does Emerald PUD approach dealing with a power outage?

When a major power outage occurs, restoring electric service is often a complicated process. Damage to the utility's electric distribution system that is caused by wind, ice, lighting, trees or other severe weather conditions usually is not isolated to one specific area. It usually affects several different locations. Under these conditions, EPUD’s primary objective is to get the power back on for everyone in the most systematic, efficient and safe manner. That's why we use the TSDS system:
(T) Transmission lines,
(S) Substations
(D) Distribution Lines
(S) Service Lines.
When a wide-spread power outage occurs, the first location that service crews check is the substation. The substation is the source from which all power is distributed. Service crews then start working their way out along the main distribution lines, or "feeders." These main feeders are repaired first, followed by the lines serving groups of homes, and finally repairs at individual homes are made.

We plan to purchase a generator to use when the power is out. Does EPUD have any requirements pertaining to generator use during power outages?

Many customers are planning to purchase or already own a generator. Generators must be installed properly or they can back-feed through the service to the distribution lines, causing a serious safety hazard for the crews restoring power, and your neighbors who may think the power lines are dead. Generators should be connected to the buildings electrical system using an approved transfer switch. The alternative is to plug selected appliances and equipment directly into the generator.

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GENERAL FAQs

Do you have any Renewable Energy Programs?

Yes, EPUD has multiple renewable energy programs available, including wind and solar power. To learn more about your energy options as an EPUD customer, click HERE.

I've heard that underground line is much more reliable than overhead line. Has EPUD considered changing your lines to underground?

Underground lines can be more reliable than overhead lines due to their inability to be comprised due to trees, winds and other inclement weather. EPUD has moved some of the more problematic areas of our District to underground lines in order to bring the best service possible to our Customer-Owners. Moving all lines underground however is cost-prohibitive and is not the correct action to take for other reasons as well. Following is a ROUGH estimate of the difference in costs between building overhead and underground line, based on the capacity of the line:

6MW line:

• Build new overhead: $20/ft
• Build new underground or convert overhead to underground: $50/ft

14MW line:

• Build new overhead: $25/ft
• Build new underground line: $125/ft

In addition to these costs, there are add-in costs associated with flagging, special circumstances, etc., as it takes longer to build underground than overhead, which accentuates the difference in costs between overhead and underground.

It should also be noted that underground lines are not the perfect solution in all instances. It is problematic to read automated meters that are downstream of underground systems, and more importantly, underground lines severely limit our flexibility in operating and expanding the system.

EPUD makes the decision to install underground or overhead line based on what we feel is best for our Customer-Owners now and into the future.

I want to put a tool shed or plant some shrubs near my transformer. Are there any guidelines I need to follow?

When you make plans to landscape or make other changes in your yard, please remember these important points regarding EPUD equipment.

• Obstructing airflow can affect equipment cooling and cause damage.
• Obstructions can cause delays when restoring electric service.
• Do not paint EPUD equipment.
• Do not fence, landscape, or build any structures within 10 feet of the front and 3 feet from sides and back of EPUD equipment that would restrict access.
• The EPUD will remove obstructions that impede work access.

If you are unsure if your landscaping plans will interfere with our equipment, give us a call at 746-1583.

What is a PUD?

A People’s Utility District is a not-for-profit business, existing only to provide reliable electric service at reasonable rates. Public power systems belong to the people they serve. In our community the owners and users of our electric utility are the same. That means that your goals are also ours. There are no dividends to pay out-of-state stockholders, and all the benefits of our locally controlled electric utility remain here in this community. For more information on Public Power, click HERE.

How Do I Request Power to an Unpowered Site?

This process starts with a call to our Engineering Department at 744-7491. Full directions for this can be found on our site HERE.

I have always used regular incandescent light bulbs. Will compact fluorescent bulbs work in my light fixtures?

In most cases, yes. Compact fluorescent screw-in bulbs come in a wide variety of sizes to fit most fixtures. But some may not fit, because of the space restrictions of the fixture. Also, compact fluorescent bulbs will not function properly in fixtures with motion sensors or dimmers, unless they are special bulbs. For more information, please call us at 746-1583 or e-mail.

What access to my property must I provide to EPUD employees?

By law, if EPUD provides electric service to you, the utility then has the right to enter your property to read and/or maintain its metering equipment without your permission. You are responsible for providing clear unobstructed access to EPUD equipment for the installation, maintenance and removal of its property.

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TREE TRIMMING FAQs

Why is it necessary to trim my trees?

Many trees have grown up into or are planted too close to power lines. Outages and safety hazards can occur when trees are too near overhead conductors. Service interruptions caused by trees are serious and may affect many customers and cause damage to the electrical infrastructure.

Do I have to give permission to trim my trees?

Once we have identified that your trees need trimmed, you will be notified that tree trimming has been scheduled. Your permission is not required, because state law mandates that we maintain clearance and keep the power lines safe and hazard free.

Aren’t you trespassing if you come onto my property to trim trees?

The utility is legally required to maintain its facilities. Utility franchise, easements and rights of ways are often conveyed in the deed to a property. In addition, as a condition of electric service to your home, you must allow the PUD access for maintenance.

How far from the power lines will my trees be trimmed?

Many factors help determine the distance from the lines your trees will be trimmed. They include:

Growth rate of tree species
Voltage level of power line
Current distance of line to tree
(The minimum distance for most distribution voltage within the PUD system is 10’ tree-to conductor clearance.)

Who will be trimming my trees?

EPUD crews take care of trimming trees in our District.

How will my trees be trimmed?

Trees will be trimmed according the American National Standards Institute A300 (ANSI) Pruning Standards. This trimming technique uses natural lateral or directional pruning methods which direct growth of the tree away from overhead conductors. This allows the tree to retain much of its natural form while requiring less trimming in the future.

Is this a free service, or do I pay for tree trimming?

Emerald PUD does not charge ratepayers for this service. We provide the tree trimming service to ensure that power is delivered safely, more reliably and at less cost to our ratepayers.

What if I want my tree removed instead of just trimmed?

EPUD will remove trees that are interfering with overhead conductors or ground transformers. Since there are many factors that will determine whether or not a tree qualifies for removal, a site specific determination will be made by a PUD representative.

How can I avoid having my trees trimmed because of power lines?

The best way to avoid conflicts is to never plant trees underneath power lines. If you choose to plant trees near power lines, select trees with slow growth rates that have a short mature height and spread that will not interfere with nearby power lines. Click HERE to learn more about the types of trees you can plant.

Can I request trimming if my trees are too close to power lines?

Yes, if you feel your trees are too close to power lines, contact EPUD and we will inspect the site to determine if the trees should be trimmed immediately or when periodic maintenance is scheduled for your area.

Can I trim my own trees around power lines?

NO! Serious injury or death can result when untrained homeowners attempt to trim trees around power lines. Only EPUD is allowed to trim trees interfering with the power lines.

What should I do before I plant any new trees?

Before you plant, please make sure you are aware of the location of all utility lines including underground. Know the growth potential of any trees you intend to plant.

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Please direct any additional questions to:

Emerald P.U.D., 33733 Seavey Loop Road, Eugene, OR 97405

541-746-1583

customerservice@epud.org