Pacific Power building new service center, training facility at Bend’s Juniper Ridge
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Recognizing Central Oregon as one of the fastest growing areas in the Northwest, Pacific Power said Monday it is building a new service center to take care of local customers and a state-of-the-art training facility where employees company-wide will come to keep their skills sharp.
The new facility will be in the Juniper Ridge Industrial and Business Park in northeast Bend and consolidate the operations of three offices now spread throughout the Bend area, the utility said.
Utility officials said the city permitting process is underway. The training facility is due to be completed by November, while the service center will be serving customers by late next year.
In addition to making the service center a more efficient, centralized operation, Pacific Power said it "also saw the opportunity to build a new training facility that can prepare new craft employees for their positions and help current employees continue to grow in their craft jobs."
“The Bend area is ideally located to be Pacific Power’s training center,” said Matt Chancellor, regional business manager. “Our electrical craft employees will have a new home to receive training. That will boost the local hospitality industry, and we will be getting an even better trained workforce, which benefits all our customers.”
The facility will be built on 17 acres located in Juniper Ridge, which is a 500-acre industrial and business park that sits at the center of Central Oregon. The service center will be the base for about 70 local employees.
“We plan to pursue LEED Gold certification on this project, incorporating sustainable building design elements such as solar arrays, LED lighting, electric vehicle charging stations, and natural day-lighting that makes use of all the sunlight central Oregon is famous for,” Chancellor said in Monday's announcement. “This is just one of the ways that we are investing in an energy future that Oregonians want and need.”
Pacific Power also said it is using a local architect, Stemach Design and Architecture, and will use local contractors whenever possible, pumping more money into the local economy.
“We are committed to keeping you informed of the progress of the project through outreach to neighbors and public announcements when appropriate,” Chancellor said. “Public safety is the top priority. Work will be done efficiently, with appropriate safety measures in place at all times.”
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides electric service to more than 770,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. Our goal is to provide our customers with value for their energy dollar, and safe, reliable electricity. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 1.9 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
