At public meetings in January and February, the elected Board of Commissioners for Oregon public power utility Eugene Water and Electric Board approved a year full of ambitious goals that build on the utility’s commitment to the community and strengthen its operations, EWEB said on Feb. 25.
The goals will guide the utility’s strategic investments and resource allocation throughout the year.
“Customers rely on us to power their lives and meet their needs for water. Our work never stops,” said EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson. “We bear a mantle of responsibility of delivering those life-sustaining resources today, tomorrow, the next year and the next decade. We take the duty seriously.”
“Our annual goals ensure that EWEB remains aligned with our long-term strategic vision while addressing immediate needs in our community,” Lawson added. “For 2025, we are especially focused on enhancing support for limited-income customers and energy efficiency programs to better serve Eugene’s rental market.”
The Board-approved goals help ensure that EWEB continues delivering reliable and affordable services to the community. Priorities include maintaining efficient operations, optimizing energy supply and demand, and strengthening EWEB’s ability to recover quickly from unexpected challenges like natural disasters, it said.
With utility costs and other essential expenses rising, EWEB is also taking extra steps to find effective ways to help customers who need financial assistance.
Two of EWEB’s eight goals for 2025 focus on improving the impact of programs for customers facing affordability concerns:
Enhancing Limited Income Support Programs
EWEB will explore how to improve the impact of existing programs, such as EWEB Customer Care. This program provides financial assistance to around 5,000 households every year, offering a $280 bill credit to help offset utility costs. But demand for the program often outpaces supply, particularly in the winter when electricity bills are highest.
"The Customer Care Program is a critical support for thousands of households, but as it stands, it’s a blunt instrument. It provides broad relief, but not necessarily in the most targeted or effective way,” Lawson said. “We have an opportunity to refine the program to better match assistance with the needs of our customers, ensuring that those facing the greatest financial strain receive the help they need while making the best use of our customers’ resources."
In addition, the utility will explore new options like pre-pay billing, a program that allows customers to pay for electricity in advance, helping them better manage usage and avoid unexpected bills.
Improving Energy Efficiency Efforts in Eugene’s Rental Market
EWEB currently offers rebates, loans, and a Home Energy Score Program specifically for rental units. However, many renters face challenges in accessing energy-saving programs.
So, EWEB will analyze demographic and housing data to better understand existing needs and opportunities for targeted efficiency improvements. Rental units comprise roughly half of Eugene’s housing stock and some of them need energy efficiency upgrades. These efforts are intended to improve affordability for renters while also supporting broader community climate goals.
EWEB’s other 2025 goals include:
- Maintaining and improving operational efficiency through performance benchmarking and strategic infrastructure projects.
- Developing leadership succession plans to strengthen workforce resiliency.
- Securing energy supply options with Bonneville Power Administration and other providers to enhance reliability and long-term energy affordability.
- Launching a multi-year rate re-design project to ensure fair, sustainable, and future-ready pricing for electricity and water.
- Formalizing operational asset management plans in preparation for future system upgrades.
“We recognize that our customers have diverse needs, and we strive to ensure that our decisions reflect the many voices and priorities of the people we serve,” Lawson said. “EWEB has a lot of important work ahead as we pursue critical goals for our community while balancing affordability, sustainability, and long-term reliability to best serve Eugene today and into the future.”
Because EWEB is community-owned, utility goals, metrics, and progress reports are publicly available.
Updates are presented quarterly at public Board meetings, with the first report on 2025 goal progress expected in May.
