EPHRATA – Grant PUD will expand its high-speed, fiber-optic telecommunication service to more than 1,400 customers in 2023 as part of a county-wide buildout project.The areas slated for fiber buildout include: Warden Area Completion (Part of the 2022 delayed by supply issues, weather and permits.) Rural area north, east and south of Quincy (Part of...

As Grant County continues to grow, so does the demand for power. A team from Grant PUD, led by Chief Resource Officer Kevin Nordt, has been working on a plan for when power needs exceed the projected output from the utility's dams and other resources.Grant PUD expects that it will need to regularly blend in new power resources as early as 2025 duri...

Commissioners Nelson Cox and Terry Pyle sworn in for new termsGrant County Superior Court Judge Tyson Hill was on hand in Grant PUD's Ephrata commission room Tuesday to officially swear-in newly re-elected Commissioner Nelson Cox to a second, four-year term on the commission and Commissioner Terry Pyle to his first popularly elected six-year term.C...

New rate will add approximately $3.24 to the monthly household bill EPHRATA — In a measure to help Grant PUD withstand the impact of inflation, Grant PUD's commissioners on Dec. 13 approved a plan for new electricity rates in 2023. The new rates take effect April 1.This is the first power rate increase for Grant PUD customers since 2018. The overal...

Grant PUD approves $439.7 million budget for 2023 Grant PUD Commissioners unanimously approved the utility's 2023 operating budget during their meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 22. One of the top budgeting priorities was dealing with a projected 8.7% cost impact to the utility. With the inflation factor, and initiatives to increase efficiency and improve s...

Grant PUD commissioners expressed satisfaction Tuesday in the efforts of Power Delivery departments to recruit locally to fill new positions and train new recruits and apprentices internally. A recent job posting for fiber network tech apprentice attracted approximately 90 applicants, most from Central Washington, Senior Manager of Power Delivery C...

Grant PUD's hydro plants produce a million megawatt-hours more in 2022 than 2021 An emphasis on teamwork and putting resources to highest priority work has helped Grant PUD generate over a million more megawatt-hours of power in 2022 than it produced in 2021, Ben Pearson, Senior Manager of Hydro Generation explained during Power Production's third ...

Highest inflation in a generation adds to capital, other costs"Generational inflation" is having an impact on Grant PUD's financial planning and is reflected in the 2023 budget, which was presented to the commissioners and members of the public during a budget hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 11. John Mertlich, Senior Manager of Financial Planning & An...

​Inflation has an impact on Grant PUD's 2023 budgetGrant PUD is not immune to the same inflationary pressures affecting the rest of the U.S. economy. During a presentation regarding the proposed 2023 budget, John Mertlich, senior manager of Financial Planning and Analysis, said that inflation is the most significant reason the 2023 budget is higher...

Oct. 25-26 at the Wanapum Heritage CenterArchaeology Days is back to mix learning with fun at the Wanapum Heritage Center after a two-year hiatus during the COVID pandemic.Kids have their own day, Oct. 25, for some hands-on, kid-friendly learning about the customs and crafts of native, Columbia Plateau people, as well as area geology, river ec...

"Now for some fun. Show-and-Tell time," Brett Lenz, Grant PUD manager of Cultural Resources told commissioners Tuesday, after he finished what is usually a very routine and subdued quarterly business report.He reached under the table where commissioners were gathered, pulled out a black backpack, reached inside and withdrew part of the toothy jawbo...

New exhibit at the Wanapum Heritage Center runs through Jan. 15, 2023MATTAWA —Journey through the Hanford Reach via photography, sound and video to delve into its atomic histories and secrets that enshroud them.The Wanapum Heritage Center's newest exhibit, "Hanford Reach: In the Atomic Field" will take you on that journey from the convenience of th...

Focus on X-energy will allow additional in-depth analysis about whether to move forward and build Grant PUD will focus on the technology of Maryland-based X-energy in the utility's continuing feasibility analysis of building a small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear energy plant. For the past 18 months, Kevin Nordt, Grant PUD Chief Resource Office...

Contractor to analyze dam embankment for possible erosionCommissioners heard the details of a proposed, 10-year, $15 million contract with engineering firm Gannett Fleming to examine the interior of an embankment at Wanapum Dam for any potential erosion.The last in-depth dam safety inspection by independent consultants in 2021 concluded t...

Retail customer electricity sales ended the year's second quarter about 2% less than budget forecast, commissioners heard Tuesday. Year-to-date through April, sales are about one-half percent above budget and are forecast to stay strong, longer term.Colder-than-expected spring weather increased energy consumption from residential customers, and hig...

The conference ID has changed for call-in access to the July 26 public hearing on the Grant PUD Integrated Resource Plan. To attend by phone, please call 509-703-5291. When prompted, enter conference code 596 502 173#. The hearing will begin during the 1 p.m. business meeting.Attend the July 26 hearing in person in the Commission Room at Grant PUD ...

Members of the Washington Public Utilities Districts Association (WPUDA) urged Grant PUD commissioners to "speak with one voice" to state and federal lawmakers about hydropower's critical, carbon-free role in keeping the lights on in the Pacific Northwest.Without this resource, the lights go out," WPUDA Executive Director George Caan told commissio...

Grant PUD commissioners Tuesday learned how the utility is considering options to meet its long-term power needs during an Integrated Resource Plan presentation.By state law, electric utilities must develop a comprehensive plan with five- and 10-year estimates projecting the mix of power generation and resources to meet the needs of their customers...

Transmission projects will increase electrical capacity in QuincyGrant PUD staff Tuesday presented commissioners with their preferred routes for three new transmission lines that will increase electrical capacity and improve reliability in the ag-and-data hub city of Quincy.The routes are four of the 10 projects comprising the "Quincy Transmis...

Grant PUD contractor Alamon is performing preventive maintenance on Grant PUD power poles to reduce risk of power outages.Work began 6/6/2022 in the Soap Lake area and will continue north through year-end until the upper portion of the county is complete.The maintenance includes testing the poles to ensure they're structurally sound and applying tr...