If your business requires standby electric generation to ensure vital production or service performance, you know the daily reality: constant maintenance of your back-up system in the hope that it will perform when you need it.
For most of the year, however, the only thing your back-up system generates is a stream of operational and maintenance expenses.
PGE’s Dispatchable Standby Generation, one of our Smart PowerSM options, puts your standby generators to work to meet peak power demands — and PGE picks up your routine maintenance expenses and typically pays for fuel consumed by the standby generator.
For the option of running your generators when needed, PGE:
- Provides funding to upgrade switchgear and install control and communications hardware, increasing reliability and improving control of your system.
- Assumes most routine maintenance and operation costs for your system.
- Typically pays for fuel consumed by the standby generator.
- Provides funding for additional fuel storage, if needed, expanding your operating time in case of any power outages.
- Test your system monthly under high load; regular high-load testing ensures the generator will operate successfully during an outage and is better for the engine.
A powerful system
PGE provides funding to equip your standby generator with paralleling switchgear, allowing the unit to be operated by PGE in synchronization with the electric distribution system. Qualifying commercial and industrial customers (typically those with standby generators of 500 kilowatts and up) are connected to PGE’s communications and power control system. The standby units can be monitored and dispatched from PGE’s control center.
In case of an outage, the standby generator functions as it normally would, providing back-up power to your facility for the duration of the outage. However, when power returns to the grid, your facility moves back to utility power without additional interruption.
Participants pay standard electric rates for power used, regardless of where it’s being generated. PGE typically pays for fuel consumed by the standby generators.
So how does this work?
Read our FAQ or download a printable brochure (PDF), which answers common questions about how Dispatchable Standby Generation works, why PGE offers it and how your business can take advantage of this savings opportunity.
Unleash the full potential of your standby generator
PGE customers participating in Dispatchable Standby Generation have already contracted 100 MW. Interested? At your request, we will provide a detailed analysis and proposal tailored to your business requirements. Please contact your PGE representative or call our 24/7 phone number, 503-464-7893.
If you are considering purchasing a new generator or upgrading to a larger system of backup generation, consider the extensive benefits of participation in PGE’s Dispatchable Standby Generation.