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Lane Electric + EWEB Community Meeting Recap

News

On September 18, McKenzie Valley residents gathered at the McKenzie Fire & Rescue Center for a community conversation about the territory realignment study. About 20 people attended in person; the meeting was also livestreamed.

Lane Electric General Manager Scott Coe and EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson shared information and answered questions. They provided an overview of the factors being considered for customers and the community, and how the decision-making process and timeline will work. Coe also spoke about Lane Electric’s service model. Lane Electric Board President Dean Livelybrooks (Central District) and Director Kathy Keable (McKenzie District) attended, along with EWEB At-Large Commissioner and Board Vice President Mindy Schlossberg.

Working Together

The meeting underscored that the territory realignment study is a collaborative effort to ensure the process is beneficial for customers of both utilities. The General Managers stressed taking a practical approach—looking closely at finances, technology, and how services and infrastructure could be smoothly transferred if changes move forward.

Community Questions and Discussion

Attendees engaged with thoughtful questions and comments, most of which reflected strong community interest in Lane Electric. Topics included:

  • Service delivery and outage restoration times
  • Customer rates, programs, and smart meters
  • Wildfire resiliency and preparedness
  • Management of easements and culverts

There were also questions about EWEB’s planned decommissioning of the Leaburg Hydroelectric Project. While this is an important area of interest, Frank Lawson affirmed that generation projects like Leaburg are not part of the territory study.

You can watch a video recording (YouTube) of the meeting.

What’s Next

In the coming months, both utility boards will continue discussing the territory realignment study at their board meetings. The goal is to have an agreement in place by the end of 2025, with a planned transfer date of May 1, 2026.