Metrofactual

For companies scrutinizing their energy options, greater Portland offers a trifecta of assets: price, reliability and sustainability. When it comes to electric power, the region stacks up nicely.

It’s cheap. Overall, electricity in greater Portland averages just 7.49 cents per kilowatt-hour, eminently affordable by California metro standards (check out San Diego’s whopping 15.07 c/kWh). Our industrial rate of 5.83 is also a relative bargain: Los Angeles companies pay 8.78 cents/kWh, while their San Diego neighbors shell out a steep 10.40 cents/kWh.

It’s reliable. In greater Portland, we’ve averaged 0.8 major outages per year for the last five years. Seattle’s experienced twice that, and San Francisco has had more than six times the outages, at 5.2 per year. Our outages, too, are smaller than others’: In a typical year we lose 122 megawatts, while Seattle loses 323MW and San Francisco 933MW.

It’s green. Statewide, 75% of Oregon’s power comes from hydroelectric and other renewable sources, and Washington does slightly better at 78%. Less than 5% of the mix in each of Oregon and Washington comes from gas and coal. In California, renewables make up 33% of the mix.
More Metrofacts:

Greater Portland’s industrial electricity prices rank fourth-lowest and commercial rates fifth-lowest among the metros noted above.
Statewide, Oregon’s natural gas is a relative bargain as well, with rates 11% lower than California’s and 16% lower than Washington’s.
The cost of power is the number two concern of small businesses, says the National Federation of Independent Business. Number one? Health care.

Sources: State Electricity Profiles, 2006, Energy Information Administration; Electric Power Monthly, March 2007, Energy Information Administration; EIA Form EIA-417; Small Business Problems and Priorities Survey, 2008, National Federation