SEATTLE.GOV City Services Staff Directory About Seattle City Contacts
 SEARCH: 
Link to Seattle City Light web site Search SCL    
Lighting Seattle since 1902 Jorge Carrasco, Superintendent
Residential CustomersBusiness CustomersIndustrial & Key AccountsKidsTalk to Us    
Light Reading Customer News Letter
July/August 2001
The Art of
     Conservation
Stephanie Savidge, 1st Place, 7th - 9th Grades.

Jamie Killian, 1st Place, 4th - 6th Grades

Rena Gross, 1st Place, 10th - 12th Grades
Students Reyna Gross of South Lake High, Stephanie Savidge of West Seattle High and Jamie Killian of Greenwood Elementary won first prizes in their age groups from Seattle City Light for their poster designs of compact fluorescent bulbs. See all the winning students and designs at www.cityofseattle.net/light/schools/contest/.


Summer in the City
How are we doing with conservation? Great!
Between January 1 and May 31, Seattle City Light customers saved more than 280,000 megawatt hours of electricity - that's enough to supply 27,000 Seattle homes for a year. For the same period last year, more than half of all City Light customers cut electricity use by 10 percent. Thanks Seattle and let's keep up the good work!

Save kilowatts in the office
  • Enable energy savings features on computers and printers. Turn off monitors, printers and copiers at day's end.
  • Use daylight in your office when possible and avoid using lights. Turn off lights in copy rooms, break rooms and restrooms when they're not in use.
  • Meet your building manager. Ask what management is doing to save energy.
  • Place reminder stickers on office equipment and lights left on overnight.
Music to save kilowatts by
If you're outside listening to music, you can save electricity! This year's bigger and better Out to Lunch Summer Concert Series, presented by Verizon SuperPages, features lunchtime music each workday between June 15 and Sept. 7. Seattle City Light will be at all 62 concerts with tips on how to make your building conservation-friendly. Look for us. Call (206) 623-0340 for the complete music schedule or visit http://downtownseattle.com/out_to_lunch.php.

Summer Prep
California residents expect frequent rolling power blackouts this summer because of the tumultuous energy market. Should Seattle City Light customers be expecting the same?

The answer is no. City Light has adequate energy supplies for this summer. However, we are planning for blackouts just in case. Our region depends on an aging, overburdened transmission system to deliver power. We don't expect blackouts, but we'll be ready.

City Light staff has developed contingency plans just as it did for possible outages due to Y2K. Information about the emergency plan, the summer energy outlook and how individual customers and businesses can prepare for the possibility of power outages can be found on the web at www.cityofseattle.net/light/.

New Rates Highlights
On July 1, energy charges increased by 0.49 cents per kWh. In addition, a third rate block was created for residential customers using lots of electricity. Seattle and Tukwila residential customers are charged 16.0 cents per kWh for consumption in excess of 60 kWh per day or 1,800 kWh per month in the summer rate season (April through September); and for consumption in excess of 125 kWh per day or 3,750 kWh per month in the winter rate season (October through March). The third-block rate for suburban customers is 16.1 cents per kWh.

Not many people use that much electricity. The average residential customer normally uses about half the number of kilowatts listed for the new third tier rates.

Rates for low-income customers did not change for the first two blocks of consumption. They are subject to a third rate block costing 8.0 cents per kWh.

For rates tables, please see our web site at www.cityofseattle.net/light/accounts/
rates/ or call our Customer Service Center at (206) 684-3000.

CF Porch Lights for Security!
You don't need to turn out lights to conserve. Just use better lights. Replace that incandescent bulb on your porch with a compact fluorescent bulb (CF). CF bulbs use 75% less electricity and last 10 times longer than regular bulbs.

CFs are featured in the 18th Annual National Night OUT Against Crime on Tuesday, August 7 when the Night Out Porchlight Brigade distributes them to registered Block Watch parties. For more information about Night OUT or about establishing a Block Watch, call the Seattle Police Department's Crime Prevention Section at (206) 684-7555.

On Account
Bill payment service providers
If you make monthly payments electronically using a bill paying service, please have your service provider update your account numbers. Payments with old Seattle Public Utilities or Seattle City Light account numbers will not be accepted after September 26, 2001.

Moving? Let us know
When you move your residence, please remember to let us know. Opening or closing accounts requires a meter reading. You can either accept an estimate, call in your meter dial information the same day of the change, or ask us to take an actual meter read for $33. Please call (206) 684-3000 for more information.

Avoid late payments
Paying your City Light bill in a timely manner is the best way to avoid additional charges and service disruptions. If you are having trouble paying the full bill amount by the due date, we can help you avoid additional charges and make payment arrangements to keep your account current. Please call our Customer Service Center at (206) 684-3000.

There's help!
Do you need help paying your electric bill? Discounted rates are available for eligible low-income customers and for low-to-moderate income seniors and disabled customers of Seattle City Light. Customers who meet need and income requirements may also be eligible for bill assistance. For more information, call our Customer Service Center at (206) 684-3000 or visit us on the web at www.cityofseattle.net/light/HELP.


Light Reading is a publication of Seattle City Light
700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3300, Seattle, WA 98104-5031

Editor: Elizabeth Schilling elizabeth.schilling@ci.seattle.wa.us

Graphic Design: City Design, Print & Copy

This newsletter is available in alternate formats upon request.
Call (206) 684-3000.

Light Reading Home Page

The Seattle City Light Web Team:

Seattle City Light -- 700 5th Avenue, Suite 3200, Seattle, WA 98104-5031 -- 206.684.3000
Mailing address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 3200, P.O. Box 34023 Seattle, WA 98124-4023