Pacific Power and the Pacific Power Foundation: A Century of Commitment

Promoting Excellence - Pacific Power

Only 30 years after Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, Pacific Power & Light Company began serving the Pacific Northwest. Pacific Power’s story began in 1910 when small utilities in Astoria and Pendleton, Ore., and Yakima and Walla Walla, Wash., were combined into one company. From 7,000 customers served then – Pacific Power, as part of PacifiCorp – now provides electric service to more than 1.7 million customers across six western states. Pacific Power serves customers in Oregon, Washington and California, and sister utility Rocky Mountain Power serves Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. Just as 100 years ago, company headquarters remain in Portland, Ore.

With the firm belief that the company is only as strong as the communities it serves, Pacific Power has a long-standing commitment to the growth and vitality of the communities in which the company has the privilege of serving. To help serve the needs within its communities, PacifiCorp created the PacifiCorp Foundation in 1988. Since then, the Pacific Power Foundation and Rocky Mountain Power Foundation have awarded more than $48.8 million to nonprofit organizations, of which more than $1.9 million was awarded in 2009.

Pacific Power’s service to its communities hits 100 years on June 16, 2010

The foundation encourages grant applications from 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations whose programs and projects support the growth and vitality of the communities in the company’s service area. Grants are awarded in four areas: education; civic and community betterment; culture and arts; and health, welfare and social services.

In 2010, during its centennial year, Pacific Power is supporting sustainable “legacy projects” in each of the company’s four original communities. Each project focuses on a key local need, determined by working with leaders in each community.
L to R: Arline LaMear - chair of the Astoria Bicentennial Tree Committee, Willis L. Van Dusen – Mayor of Astoria and Pat Reiten – president, Pacific Power get ready to plant a few of the 200 trees, which were part of Pacific Power’s centennial legacy gift to the City of Astoria.

The first of these projects was launched in Astoria, where Pacific Power provided 200 trees to help restore the urban canopy in advance of Astoria’s own bicentennial celebration in 2011. A community-wide tree planting event took place in April, where company leaders and local employees worked alongside local civic, community and school groups. The final touch in Astoria takes place later this year, with restoration of the area’s historic Shively Fountain, another part of Pacific Power’s local centennial legacy project. In May and June Pacific Power will dedicate other local legacy projects in Pendleton, Walla Walla and Yakima.

Things have changed a lot since 1910, but one thing remains constant—Pacific Power’s focus on the communities in which it operates and the longstanding partnerships it has in each and every one of these communities.

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