History
SUB has a colorful history – one that reads more like a script for an action-packed movie than an annual report. Private industries fought hard to keep the public utility from being founded more than 50 years ago, and it was ordinary citizens that organized and took to the streets to make public power a reality in Springfield.
Read more about Springfield Utility Board’s early history by downloading a copy of SUB’s history – Lighting the way (PDF) or view a short video with an abbreviated version of the story below:
Core Values
- Efficiency – greatest amount of output for a given amount of input. Strive for the “Biggest bang for the buck”
- Effective service delivery, but also be cost-effective – a private enterprise bias, even though SUB is a monopolistic, publicly owned enterprise
- Honesty – high ethical standards from all employees in the organization
- High esteem of the organization as perceived by the community and customers we serve
- Productivity – positive accomplishments in building solid facilities (infrastructure) and operating systems
- High quality of people, in terms of their personal and professional capabilities – treating those employees with respect, honesty, and openness
- Fiscal integrity and survival of the organization
- Value of the employees as a resource and means by which to accomplish goals – the complement to financial means in accomplishing goals
- Goal-orientation – focusing on specific projects and accomplishments
- Gain sharing and reward for productivity to employees
- Fairness and equality to customers we serve
- Teamwork, as opposed to internal competition and conflict
- Respecting the policy directives of the Board of Directors
Statistics
Electric
31151
total number of customers
771892
annual megawatts hours served
2115
annual megawatts hours per day
162 megawatts
annual peak load
99.99%
average system reliability
Miles of Line
192 
overhead distribution
140 
underground distribution
24
overhead transmission
BPA Full Requirements Customer
source of power
95%
resources are greenhouse gas free
(2-16-2022)
Water
Source of water
90%
from 34 wells
10%
from Willamette River
265 miles
miles of pipe
40 to 410 feet
depth of wells
20083
total number of customers
3 billion
annual water served in gallons
8 million
average gallons per
day
23 million
peak capacity gallons per day
(6-22-2022)