That’s a great question
Reader questions: turning the heat off; underground wires
Q1. On cold days when I leave home, won’t it save more energy if I turn off the heat completely versus just turning it down?
Yes, turning your heat completely off saves more energy than turning it down. But on our thermostat page, we recommend 60 degrees as an energy-saving setback at bedtime or when you’re away from home for more than a few hours. Why don’t we say to turn it off? Because if you turn off the heat regularly, there is the potential you could end up with moisture or mold problems in your house, depending on insulation levels, the type of windows and other factors. You also have a greater risk of ending up with frozen pipes during really cold periods. That’s why PGE generally recommends 60 degrees as a set back that saves energy while helping avoid those other problems.
Exceptions to the rule: If you have ceiling cable heat, the maximum setback is 2 to 3 degrees. Heat pump systems vary; see our Heat Pump section for setback recommendations.
Also, it’s good to keep in mind that, if you turn the heat completely off, it will take longer to get the temperature back up to your comfort zone when you return home.
Q1: Why are some power lines underground and some overhead?
In the past, all utility lines were overhead. But eventually, advancements in technology enabled utilities to bury lines underground. These days, local codes often require underground lines in new developments.
PGE has also put other lines underground where it makes sense and when it’s cost effective. In fact, about 50 percent of our lines are underground.
Delivering safe and reliable power to our customers is always a top priority for PGE. We have ongoing programs in place to prevent outages, including installing thousands of squirrel guards (yes, those cute critters can wreak havoc with the electrical system).
Since trees are the cause of many outages in our area, PGE has also put a lot of effort into tackling this issue. Through our extensive tree maintenance program, we regularly prune trees along all power line rights of ways to help prevent outages caused by falling branches. We also use “tree wire” in areas with heavy tree canopies to minimize outages. And we work closely with municipalities and the Friends of Trees nonprofit organization to promote “right tree, right place” guidelines.
Our work is paying off. Environmental Consultants, Inc., a foremost authority on vegetation management for utilities, evaluated our program and found that “PGE is among best-in class utilities in terms of tree-related interruptions.”
You might also be interested in this video that explains how PGE crews are experimenting with the placement of overhead wires to find the optimal arrangement to help minimize outages.