Senior Power A Powerful Partnership

1
Senior Power A Powerful Partnership!

• Karen Ross
• Community Relations Manager
• Sierra Pacific Power Company
• Reno, Nevada
• January 31, 2007

2
Recognizing Needs Linking Community Resources

• Fuel costs on the rise
• Concern for vulnerable customers
• Utility desired a link to organizations serving
  frail and homebound seniors

3
The Power of Relationships

• Sierra Pacific partnered with Retired Senior
  Volunteer and Senior Companion programs in Reno,
  NV
• Agency volunteers have trust relationships with
  frail and homebound seniors

4
The Senior Power Program Begins

• The Senior Power pilot program was born in fall
  2005
• RSVP and Senior Companion agency volunteers
  trained to do home weatherization assessments for
  clients

5
Volunteers Do Their Part

• RSVP and Senior Companion volunteers visited
  seniors, filled out checklists, and returned them
  to utility conservation experts

6
Employees Making a Difference

• Trained Sierra Pacific employee volunteers
  visited the homes of frail and homebound seniors
  identified by agency companions, and performed
  simple weatherizations

7
The Nuts, Bolts, and Blankets

• Senior Power weatherizations include
• Caulking windows
• Installing compact fluorescent lights
• Replacing thermostats
• Cleaning refrigerator coils
• Weather stripping
• Installing carbon monoxide detectors
• Changing smoke detector batteries
• Replacing non-functioning or energy inefficient
  appliances
• Installing water heater blankets
• Replacing shower heads

8
Stories from the Front

• A carbon monoxide leak detected in the home of an
  elderly couple, who recently visited their doctor
  feeling dizzy, lethargic, and weak
• Broken window replacement for an 82 year old
  woman living with her two grandchildren in a
  trailer

9
The Web of Connection

• Sierra Pacific provided cash grants to senior
  services agencies to aid agency volunteer
  recruitment
• Senior Power links Sierra Pacific employees to
  customers in magical ways
• Cards, letters, hugs, smiles, and many thanks
  demonstrate how good energy flows!

10
What Came Next

• Sierra Pacifics sister utility, Nevada Power in
  Las Vegas, launched Senior Power in Spring 2006
  110 homes weatherized
• Sierra Pacific expanded Senior Power to Carson
  City, Dayton, Silver Springs, and Elko, NV in
  Summer 2006 150 homes weatherized

11
The Future of Senior Power

• A continuation of the Senior Power program
  planned for 2007 in northern and southern Nevada
• Evaluating plans for expanding Senior Power in
  rural Nevada