Outage Map
Central Electric Cooperative has long sought innovative ways to provide members with energy choices that reflect their interests and values.
In 2016, CEC became one of the first electric cooperatives in Oregon to develop a community solar system, providing members the opportunity to support and participate in local solar energy development.
The co-op’s Shared Solar Program fully funded the construction of a 200-kilowatt (200,000-watt) solar array in southeast Bend. The program allowed members to voluntarily subscribe to the output from individual panels or portions of panels and receive a credit for that energy on their monthly electric bill. Non-participating members bore no costs.
Today, members and the public can still view the original project’s performance through CEC’s solar production dashboard, which displays real-time and historical energy production.
Next Steps
Building on the original project’s success, CEC is developing a second phase of community solar totaling approximately 800-kilowatts, made possible largely through federal grants and incentive funding, requiring no subscription model.
Helping Low-Income Households.
As part of the grant requirements, a portion of the energy produced will be allocated to CEC members of low-income households within CEC’s service territory, as defined by federal and state guidelines. Eligible households will be selected annually and receive a share of the solar output.
The additional solar will help serve the entire CEC membership by producing additional low-cost renewable energy while expanding access to the benefits of solar power within the community. CEC continues to evaluate opportunities to expand programs that meet the needs of its growing membership.
CEC already supplies power that is approximately 85% renewable and about 95% emissions-free. Members who wish to ensure that all of their electricity comes from renewable sources can also participate in CEC’s Green Power Program, which supports the development and procurement of renewable energy resources.