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News and Updates from Seattle City Light

Seattle City (spot)Light: Paul Nissley

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Paul Nissley Joined City Light in February 2019 as a Data Scientist/Strategic Advisor under Aliza Seelig in the Resources Planning, Forecasting, and Analysis group. 

Born in The Dalles, Ore., Paul and his family moved to Mount Vernon when he was two years old. “We moved for my dad to take a new job with the Natural Resources Conservation Service,” Paul shared. “I graduated from Mount Vernon High School, after which I moved to Bellingham to attend Western Washington University on a full scholarship for soccer and to major in mathematics. After college, I moved to the Tri-Cities to work in the nuclear energy industry and complete my MBA at Washington State University. However, I missed the west side of the mountains too much and decided to come back to my real home.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Paul talks about his hobbies and what he enjoys about his job. 

A person smiling for the camera Description automatically generated

“I live in West Seattle as I enjoy being walking distance to my sister, nephews and soon to be niece. I enjoy playing soccer, hiking and exercising when I can, as well as reading about all things related to clean and sustainable energy.”

“I wanted to work at City Light because I am very passionate about responsible energy use and generation and want to help find ways to continuously improve how we do that in our business and society.”

“I am a member of the Resource Planning, Forecasting, and Analysis group. We’re developing the 2020 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which the state of Washington requires City Light to submit every four years, along with submitting an IRP progress report every two years in between the main IRP. This plan helps communicate to the public our long term (think 10+ years) resource strategies for City Light to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to our customers.” 

“I like working at City Light because I am very passionate about responsible, sustainable, and affordable energy use, and there are so many people that share the same passions that I have here. It is fun to be a part of and responsible for the energy infrastructure of the Seattle area.” 

COVID-19 Response: An open letter from City Light CEO, Debra Smith

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The following message was sent to all Seattle City Light customers for whom we have an email address. Are you a customer and you didn’t receive it? Sign up to stay notified of City Light news, outage information and programs. 

At Seattle City Light we are working hard to react quickly to COVID-19 while remaining committed to the well-being, both physical and financial, of our dedicated employees and the communities we serve. We’re doing our best to navigate through this unprecedented event as each day brings new developments.

Our service is an essential need, and its reliability is a top priority. With the Emergency Declaration, and more recently Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” Order, we continue adjusting the way we work to ensure employee and customer safety while we maintain critical services.

To learn more about the steps Seattle City Light has taken to keep our employees safe and our customers supported, see our Powerlines Blog.

Here are a few highlights about how we’re serving customers during this time:

Infrastructure Work

We are prioritizing essential critical infrastructure work and doing work in a way that minimizes planned service disruptions. This is in accordance with Governor Inslee’s order and with protocols in place to meet all COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC, Washington Department of Health, and OSHA.

Please be aware that due to the nature of our work maintaining the electrical system, some essential tasks require crew members to work closely together for their safety. So, if you see a few lineworkers working side by side, please know they’re doing it for good reason and are minimizing close proximity as much as they can to safely complete the job.

And please do your part by keeping a safe distance – always a good idea when it comes to working with electricity, whether we’re avoiding a virus or not!

Power Outages

We understand power outages are burdensome, but even more so now. While the stay-at-home order is in place, we won’t intentionally cut power to complete a job unless it’s an emergency, in support of COVID-19 response, or an essential service project that is coordinated in advance (e.g., establishing power for sites used as temporary shelter or field hospitals).

We’ve had pretty mild weather lately, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t on our minds. If the winds pick up and cause outages, as always, we are prepared, ready to respond and will keep working until your power is restored.

Financial Support

Many people are experiencing financial hardships due to the impact of social distancing and business closures. During the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, we won’t shut off service for non-payment. In fact, crisis or not, we will never call you or knock on your door and demand payment. If someone says otherwise, they are running a scam; report it online.

We’re here to help any customer, resident or business, struggling to pay their utility bill due to COVID-19. Call 206-684-3000 or send an email 24/7. Income-eligible residential customers can also sign up for the Utility Discount Program. We’ve fast-tracked a self-certified application to make the process easier.

Payment Centers

To keep you and our employees healthy, all walk-in centers will remain closed during this time. You can still use the payment drop boxes, and we’re always here to help you with account and billing needs online or over the phone at (206) 684-3000.

City and State Resources

Finally, Mayor Durkan and Governor Inslee have expanded and created many programs to support our community. If you or someone you know needs shelter, food or other help, please check their resource pages.

I will update our customers as things change. You are always my number one priority, and that remains especially true during this time. Please continue to support one another and stay healthy.

Take Care.

Debra Smith
General Manager and CEO, Seattle City Light

City Light’s Commitment to Safe Employees and Reliable Service During the COVID-19 Crisis

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Photo of the City Light sign at the utility's South Service Center.

Seattle City Light is committed to the well-being of our employees and the community we serve. Our service is an essential need, and its reliability is a top priority. In order to maintain system reliability while keeping our employees safe, we have instituted a number of measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’re keeping employees safe and healthy.

We’re regularly distributing information about COVID-19, including general health and safety tips, resources for teleworking and other guidance to all Seattle City Light employees. It’s all collected on an internal employee website for easy access from any place, any time.

We’re accommodating high-risk employees (e.g., over 60, those with underlying health conditions, those with compromised immune systems, or who are pregnant) by ensuring they have alternative work arrangements that keep them out of harm’s way.

Anyone who can telework has been encouraged to do so. We’re providing employees with resources and training to support telework that is appropriate for their duties.  

Those who must work in a City Light facility are practicing safe social distancing; access to those locations is limited to essential employees.

We’re enhancing cleaning practices, encouraging self-responsibility (e.g., hand washing, social distancing, cleaning of tools and trucks) and distributing hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies to those who must report to our facilities.

For those who work in the field, we’ve switched to Skype calls instead of in-person meetings and we are finding alternatives to sharing work vehicles (e.g. driving personal vehicles to job sites) so they can maintain proper social distancing.

We are prioritizing essential critical infrastructure work and doing work in a way that minimizes planned service disruptions. On job sites, crews will carry proof that the work they are doing qualifies as essential critical infrastructure work in accordance with Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home – Stay Healthy” Order. We have put protocols in place to ensure work on those sites meets all COVID-19 guidelines from CDC, Washington Department of Health, and OHSA.

When our crews perform work in public, they are utilizing personal protective equipment and practicing social distancing as allowed by the work. Please be aware that due to the nature of our work maintaining the electrical system, some essential tasks require that crew members work closely together for their safety. Crews are minimizing the length of time spent in close proximity to the best of their ability.

We’re keeping the lights on and assisting those who are struggling.

We’re continuing to do necessary maintenance and upgrades to ensure system reliability. And we’re committed to doing it safely. That means crews are maintaining social distancing in the field as the job allows; we ask that the public maintains that same social distance if you come upon a crew at work.  

Planned outages can be burdensome, and even more so now, but they hopefully minimize unplanned outages. We’ll do our best to have the lowest impact on customers. Again, we’re deferring non-essential work, so any planned outages at this time are for essential work.

As always, we’re fully prepared to respond to any unplanned outages. If you experience an outage, report it and/or track its repair.

During the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, we won’t shut off service for non-payment. In fact, crisis or not, we will never call you or knock on your door and demand payment. If someone says otherwise, they are running a scam; report it here.

We’re here to help any customer, resident or business, struggling to pay their utility bill due to COVID-19 with deferred payment plans. Call 206-684-3000 or send an email 24/7 at http://www.seattle.gov/utilities/about-us/email-question. Income-eligible residential customers can also sign up for the Utility Discount Program at www.seattle.gov/udp. We’ve fast-tracked a self-certified application to make the process easier.

We’re all in this together.

The COVID-19 health crisis has brought sweeping changes to the way we all live, work and play. We hope to return to normal operations soon, but until then it is essential to follow guidance from the experts: Public Health -Seattle & King County, Washington State Department of Health (DOH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For your own health, the health of our community, and to assist in the crucial work of our first responders, please honor Governor Inslee’s March 23 Proclamation 20-25: Stay Home — Stay Healthy.

COVID-19 Resources

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This page will be updated as new information becomes available. Please sign up for our email communications to be notified of developments.

Utility Bill Assistance

Utility Discount Program (UDP)

UDP offers income-qualified customers a 50% discount on their Seattle Public Utilities bill and a 60% discount on their Seattle City Light bill. With the discounts, customers save an average of $1,200 a year. Check for eligibility and apply here.

Payment Plans

If you’ve received a bill or a notice that your account is past due, and you can’t pay the full amount right away, then you can make a payment plan. A payment plan allows you to pay the account balance in scheduled installments to avoid further collection action. Check the eligibility guidelines and apply online.

Small Business Deferred Payment Plans  

Businesses can defer their bill payments if they are impacted financially by COVID-19. Please email our Business Services team at SCL_BusinessServices@seattle.gov with your contact and account information to see if your business qualifies.

Shut-Off Notices

If you have received a shut-off notice, please know that your power will not be shut off during the Emergency Declaration. Call (206) 684-3000 to talk through options for payment plans and other assistance.  

Outages

Crews will continue to work around the clock to restore power in the case of an outage. Some planned outages will still take place, and our teams are dedicated to providing you with as much advanced notice as possible. Read more here.

Office of the Governor Resource Center

Governor Jay Inslee has provided resources state-wide to help communities combat financial impact during the COVID-19 crisis. Click on the following topics to learn more:

Seattle’s Office of the Mayor Resource Center

Mayor Jenny Durkan has provided resources to provide financial relief and support for Seattleites and Seattle-based businesses. Click on the following topics to learn more:

Seattle City (spot)Light: Judy Blinder

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Judy Blinder has been a dedicated Seattle City Light employee since 1993. “My whole time here, I have worked in the Finance Division,” Judy explained. “When I  started, we were three organizational units:  Budget, Rates, and Financial Requirements and Economic Analysis (FREA). Eventually, Rates and FREA were merged together to form the Financial Planning Unit and now, instead of just focusing on the financial forecast, I also work on the cost allocation and rate design components of the biennial rate-setting process. I do a lot of other economic and financial analysis as well.”

Originally from the Washington D.C area, Judy came to the Northwest to attend Reed College in Portland Oregon. “I have an MBA in finance from Seattle University and I am a Chartered Financial Analyst, but before that, I went to Reed, where I majored in French Literature,” Judy shared. “I really wanted to experience being somewhere far away from D.C., and I loved being outdoors, so this was the perfect place for me!”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Judy talks about her connection to electric utilities, her background and her embodiment of the “culture vulture”.

Judy and her husband at their contra-band class.

“I come from a family with a background in electric utilities. My dad worked for the American Public Power Association for 30 years. During my undergraduate years, he helped me get a summer job at a law firm that represents plaintiffs in lawsuits against energy, telecommunications, and transportation companies. This familiarized me with electric utilities and helped me understand how they function. He was a trainer, specializing in engineering and operations but also covering the cost of service analysis and rate design, funny enough. Toward the end of his life, we were able to have in-depth discussions about mutually familiar areas of our work, which was nice.  We never did come to an agreement on nuclear power, though.  Dad: for it.  Me: against it.”

“I started learning French when I was in second grade and have really built upon my understanding and knowledge of the language. I still maintain my French fluency and use it a little bit just for fun! I am part of a French-language book group. I also occasionally use my language skills to do volunteer work. I believe that everyone in Seattle should feel welcome here, so I do a little translation for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, usually for African immigrants from francophone countries.  I am also in the Seattle Language Bank, which results in my occasionally receiving requests to translate information or help French-speaking callers.”

“I also consider myself to be a ‘culture vulture’ and a ‘book-worm’. I love going to plays and movies, reading and of course, in the Pacific Northwest, going outdoors and exploring.  I am a subscriber to the Seattle Symphony and love folk music. I am a guitar player and participate in a band that plays for family-friendly contra dances. Benaroya Hall is one of my favorite places to attend music performances.  I would also like to give a shout-out to the Couth Buzzard Book Store and Café; they turn their back room into a concert venue on weekends and provide great underground performers with an affordable venue. I am  really looking forward to Wintergrass, an annual winter folk festival in Bellevue.”

COVID-19: Customer Service Centers Closing Temporarily as Precautionary Measure

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Mayor Jenny A. Durkan has announced additional steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The virus has already spread in our community, so we are at a pivotal moment to slow the spread to the most vulnerable individuals. Earlier this week, the State and County announced additional measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, including a prohibition on events with more than 250 people, and a prohibition on events with less than 250 people, if they don’t meet public health guidance on social distancing and hygiene.

After much discussion, and in accordance with public health guidance, the City will close its public-facing counters across multiple departments, including Seattle City Light. City Light has closed the public walk-in areas at the North Service Center (1300 N 97th St., Seattle 98103) and South Service Center (3613 Fourth Ave. S., Seattle 98134). Customers may still use payment drop boxes at these locations. Also, our customers who pay their utility bills in person at any of the City’s seven customer service centers located throughout the city, will temporarily not have that option.

These closures will last until further notice.

While we will not be open to assist walk-in customers, we will continue to serve customers over the phone at 206-684-3000 or online at seattle.gov/light/paymybill. You can talk to a live person Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at 206-684-3000.

To ensure as minimal of impact as possible for customers who traditionally make payments in cash, the City has coordinated with Wells Fargo to provide the option for both bank and non-bank customers to obtain a money order free of charge for up to $1,000 per person. Customers who need to make payments in cash can obtain a money order from any Wells Fargo branch in Western Washington. Money orders will be made payable to the City of Seattle and may either be mailed to the corresponding agency, or placed in the drop box in the lobby of Seattle Municipal Tower, located at 700 Fifth Ave. in downtown Seattle, or at any of the City’s six customer service centers.

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.

Serving Our Customers Amid the COVID-19 Crisis

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The City of Seattle continues to follow guidance from our public health authorities including Public Health – Seattle and King County Washington State Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding COVID-19. At Seattle City Light we are continuing to provide essential services to our customers throughout this time.

Our crews are constantly working to improve the electrical system in your community. They maintain our equipment and continue to support new electrical services for the growing Seattle area and its surrounding communities. Planned power outages are needed so crews can complete their work in a safe, efficient manner.

Planned outages can be scheduled for a variety of reasons. Depending on the type of work, outages can occur during the day, at night or on the weekends. Our approach to scheduling planned outages is consistent throughout our service territory. Safety, reliability and customer needs are considered as crews plan and schedule any outage-related work. If outages are canceled or rescheduled (due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances), customers can expect to be notified about the change.

We know more people are currently working from home and we will do what we can to mitigate impacts related to planned outages. The safety of our customers and crews is our number one priority. When scheduling planned outages, we continue to evaluate all options, which include the following questions:

  • Is the outage needed for crews to safely complete the service or reliability/maintenance work?
  • Can crews complete the work while the electrical equipment is energized?
  • Can we reschedule the work?
  • Can we delay or defer the work?

We understand that power outages can be an inconvenience. However, you can take steps to keep you and your family safe during an outage.

  • Customers relying on an electric life support system should have back-up power and know how to operate it.
  • City Light also offers its Life Support Equipment Program. The program assists people in the utility’s service area who are dependent on electrically operated life support equipment. To learn more, please visit powerlines.seattle.gov/lifesupport/.
  • Food should be safe in most cases if refrigerators and freezers remain shut while the power is out. When in doubt, please throw it out.
  • Know which entrance and exit door to use in a secured building.
  • Sometimes alarm systems are triggered when the power goes out or is restored. You may want
    to make any necessary arrangements with your carrier.
  • If you plan to use a portable generator, please be extremely careful. Never plug your generator into an electrical outlet. Plug your appliance directly into the generator.

For additional outage tips and resources, please visit powerlines.seattle.gov/outage.

How City Light Can Assist with Your Bill During the COVID-19 Outbreak

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The lasting impacts of COVID-19 are becoming more apparent every day. As our region grapples with this changing environment, we are seeing the financial toll of the virus taking shape, leaving some of our customers in challenging financial straits.

We want you to know that City Light and Seattle Public Utilities will keep utility services on during the COVID-19 Civil Emergency. This will provide immediate utility relief for customers, both residential and commercial, financially impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Effective immediately, our customers can set up deferred payment plans if their financial stability has been jeopardized by COVID-19. Utility service will stay on as their deferred payment plans are developed and implemented. 

Customers financially impacted by COVID-19 are urged to set up payment plans with either Seattle City Light or Seattle Public Utilities by calling 206-684-3000 or sending an email 24/7 at http://www.seattle.gov/utilities/about-us/email-question.

Looking to help others? Donate to Project Share
Finally, there is a program available for LIHEAP or ELIA participants which is funded by donations from City Light employees, customers and other supporters. Project Share takes donations and disburses the money to those in need. Last year, Project Share provided assistance to about 1,000 people. The average benefit for recipients was $250.

Project Share’s one-time emergency assistance grants can make a huge difference in the lives of your friends and neighbors. If you are financially stable, please consider making a donation here. 

Underdeck Lighting Upgrades Planned in the Chinatown-International District

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Starting in mid-March 2020, Seattle City Light contracted crews will upgrade the underdeck high-pressure sodium (HPS) light fixtures at several overpass locations in the Chinatown-International District area. Existing lights will be replaced with new light emitting diode (LED) fixtures. The lighting upgrades will increase visibility and improve pedestrian and traffic safety in the area.

Crews will be working along the freeway overpass areas on South King Street (starting in mid-March 2020) and South Jackson Street (beginning in May 2020).

Construction work areas will impact South Jackson and King streets.

Customers can expect temporary parking and lane restrictions in the immediate work area during construction hours. To alleviate congestion and maintain pedestrian safety, flaggers will be direct traffic through work areas. Noise is expected during construction work hours.

Daily construction work hours are from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Crews may be working on weekends to complete this work. The project is expected to last approximately three to four months.

For more information, customers can contact:

Patrick Donohue
Senior Capital Projects Coordinator
(206) 386-1654
patrick.donohue@seattle.gov		Christy Keoseng
Senior Capital Projects Coordinator
(206) 615-0972
christy.keoseng@seattle.gov

Visit Seattle City Light’s “At Work in Your Neighborhood” website for the latest updates on this project and others in your neighborhood.

Seattle City (spot)Light: Julie Scrivner

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Julie Scrivner is a newer City Light employee who has worked on the Customer Energy Solutions (CES) team for just over six months. She serves the division as a planning analyst. “I do strategy and planning for future customer clean energy programs, including energy efficiency, transportation electrification, and renewable energy offers,” she explained. “I’ve really been focused on applying a racial equity analysis to our work to learn how we can design more equitable programs for communities of color, immigrants, refugees, people surviving on low incomes, young people and folks who communicate with limited-English proficiency. I spend most of my days reading reports, meeting with community leaders and stakeholders and sharing what I learn with CES.”

Julie grew up in Northern California’s Bay area and moved to Seattle after college. She attended the University of California, Berkeley where she majored in society and environment. ”The program looked at the social, political and economic contexts of environmental issues,” she shared. “I also minored in global poverty and practice, which examines historical and global poverty, wealth, and inequality.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Julie talks about her hobbies and life in Seattle.

“I moved to Seattle without ever having visited except for a job interview (when it was pouring rain) and not knowing anyone. For me, it was exciting to dive into a completely new adventure. I like to joke I subconsciously decided I wanted to find a job in Seattle because of the skyline and ferry scenes from the show Grey’s Anatomy.”

“I live in North Capitol Hill and I love that I am within walking and biking distance of groceries and restaurants, South Lake Union, and Volunteer Park. I try to only drive when I leave Seattle.
I love outdoor activities. In the winter I spend a lot of time snowboarding. In the summer I backpack and mountain bike. All year round you can find me doing yoga.”

“I was attracted to City Light for both the role and the organization. I’ve worked in research, evaluation, product development and product management, but I have always been selling to or consulting utilities. I liked the opportunity to apply all those experiences in-house. I was also thrilled to move into the public sector because of the responsibility to serve all.”

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work in the intersection of clean energy and equity to ensure that everyone benefits from our investments. I am excited to show up for work every day because I love what I do, and I love working on it with my teammates.”