Pacific Power seems to have scored a big point in arguing against the proposal that Millersburg expel the utility from the city limits and form a municipal electric utility instead. On Wednesday Pacific publicized a ruling it had obtained from the Bonneville Power Administration, a ruling that makes it unlikely that Wah Chang, the main […]
This winter storm may not become a routine event in western Oregon (we hope). Still, it is a useful reminder of what nature can do, and if we were not fully prepared this time, maybe we’ll do better from now on, or at least as long as we remember the Blizzard of 2014.
In Millersburg, the city council says it has not yet decided to go ahead and take over, by condemnation, the electric utility system within the town of about 1,300. But the signs are otherwise. On Wednesday the council met in executive session after receiving a feasibility study on the takeover. Why “executive,” meaning closed to […]
Millersburg is contemplating taking over the electric power system within its boundaries in order to allow Wah Chang, the metals plant, to benefit from low-cost preference power sold by the Bonneville Power Administration. Pacific Power has now warned the city council that in the company’s opinion this won’t work.
If Millersburg goes ahead and tries to take over the electricity business within its borders and expel Pacific Power, condemnation and a court battle over the takeover price won’t be the only hurdles. Also there is likely to be a fight, possibly a long one, in federal court over the Northwest Power Act of 1980.
Millersburg has made itself the latest battleground in the age-old Oregon fight over public power. After laying the groundwork in several closed executive sessions, the city council in October formed, only on paper so far, its own city energy department and authorized further study of taking over the electric utility grid within the community of […]
Web: One-sided on Millersburg power
(Please note the March 24 update below.) There’s a website titled millersburgcitypower.com. It purports to help residents follow the process as the city council considers expelling Pacific Power and taking over the electric facilities in the town. The material on the site amounts to arguments in favor of this move, and the city of Millersburg should either shut […]
Tags: City of Millersburg, Millersburg electric utility, Pacific Power