fbpx

Grant PUD Commissioners’ statement on Route 4b Transmission Line protest


Grant County PUD was at the center of a recent article in
The Capital Press. Many of the comments made in the article were inaccurate with omissions, assumptions and accusations made. The Commission is responding publicly to the landowners and other public residents to correct inaccurate information.  

Public notices about the transmission line project were communicated through various processes that the PUD utilizes in an outreach process. They included but were not limited to a direct mailer to over 600 property owners within 1,000 feet of the proposed projects, social media (i.e. PUD web page, Facebook and Twitter), press releases in The Quincy Valley Post Register 1/27/2022 and 2/3/2022, in The Columbia Basin Herald 1/28/2022 and 2/4/2022, PUD press releases via online newsletter, billing inserts, and notification to state agencies and tribal government partners.  

Open houses were held in person on 2/22/2022 in George, Wash., at the George Community Hall, 5 to 7 p.m., 3/2/2022 at the Port of Quincy, 5 to 7 p.m., and a virtual option on 3/3/2022 from 6 to 7 p.m. After the three public meetings and allowing time for public comments, a route determination was made. Two of the proposed line routes 1 & 2 presented challenges not only with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife with a land swap mitigation process but they are also highly sensitive cultural areas. Route 3 was incumbered with Department of Natural Resource and Bureau of Reclamation Land that would require an environmental impact analysis. It was determined that after public comment or lack thereof, Route 4b appeared to be the best option. From the comments received by the public, three favored routes 1 & 2, five favored route 3 and ten favored route 4b. It was also determined that the best route from a business perspective was 4b as it would allow the PUD to move the poles out of the Grant County franchise/easement on Beverly Burke Road by moving the poles approximately five feet inward from where they currently existed.   

In December 2022, a letter was sent out to inform the public of the line route selection being 4b. After that announcement there were a few landowners that expressed concern about the route and attended some Commission meetings expressing that concern. At that time an informational meeting was scheduled in George at the George Community Hall on 4/12/2023. The meeting was attended by 73 people along with PUD staff and the Commission to explain the logic of the selected line route and the pros and cons for all the line routes. Since then, there has been much speculation from some of the landowners on where poles will be placed. These landowners have not allowed the PUD a right of entry to mark a pole location to have a conversation with them about pole placements. We would encourage landowners who have refused a right of entry to allow one and have a productive conversation on what an easement is, how it affects them and how poles can be adjusted if necessary to accommodate them. 

The Commission wants to assure landowners what an easement is and is not. An easement allows the PUD permission to use a space of land in perpetuity where a pole is placed and the overhead swing of the wires for when wind moves lines back and forth as per set specifications by electrical codes. Those codes also have restrictions on building under or alongside so the lines do not get tangled up in other infrastructure that could be placed by or under the power lines such as a tall building or a cell tower. It does not restrict farming under the power lines or stacking hay with height restrictions and does not take ownership away from the landowner. It has been the Commission’s directive to PUD Staff to work diligently with landowners on pole placement so as to not interfere with the operation of irrigation equipment. Pole placement can be adjusted with adding poles to mitigate out a pole span width to allow for irrigation equipment to have ample clearance without modifications to the equipment. Unless a home is within the easement itself, the easement would not present a risk to the home or PUD infrastructure. By way of reminder, the easement is for arial concerns of the wires, the pole placement itself is minimally intrusive itself.   

The portion of the line route that is being disputed is predominately from Frenchman Hills Road north to where it intersects north of George, Wash., at the current 115 kVa line on Beverly Burke Road. On this section of the route, the poles will be moved in approximately five feet from where they currently set along Beverly Burke Road. The easement being asked for is approximately 50 feet from the landowner as the other half of the easement will be utilizing Beverly Burke Road totaling approximately 100 feet. Currently there will be pole replacement from State Highway 26 at the Jericho substation north on Beverly Burke Road to where it intersects with the 115 kVa line north of George. A total of 205 distribution poles will be removed and replaced with 296 new poles that include both transmission and distribution. Total land used for new pole placement in that section is approximately 3,720 feet or about .085 acres. Total easement acres for that corridor from Jericho to the 115 kVa line with some crossing through dryland is 86.5 acres, not 455 acres as stated. Most of the dryland areas have the right of entries or easements currently procured and the balance of that disputed section parallels Beverly Burke Road.  
 

The Commission has considered the routes diligently and the load growth that needs to be served. We have food processing, steel manufacturing and data centers that are requesting power. The county will continue to grow, and we are tasked with how to deal with the power delivery needs of that growth whether it is transmission or new resources. It is not the Commission’s desire to condemn any landowner’s property; we take that very seriously. Unfortunately, there are those occasions when we are not allowed to have a productive conversation with landowners about easements that force us to take such action. 

Continue reading
  178 Hits

Commission recap, 2/11/2025 — Outgoing GM Wallen recognized for leadership. More...


Grant PUD Commissioners formally announced that they accepted the resignation of General Manager/Chief Executive Officer Rich Wallen during their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11. 

“We often talk about being a family here at Grant, which means we are more concerned with the welfare of the person than the job she/he can do for us,” Pyle stated. “An opportunity presented itself for Rich that allows his family to move closer to their families, while at the same time presenting Rich with a significant professional challenge. So, while we are disappointed in the loss of Rich’s proven leadership, we appreciate that he has made a decision that is best for his family.” 

Wallen is leaving Grant PUD to accept a job with Georgia-based Oglethorpe Power as their Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, beginning on March 31. Wallen, who is from West Virginia, came to Grant PUD from Oglethorpe in 2017.  

“We can’t adequately express our appreciation to Rich for his service, success and dedication to Grant County PUD employees and customers. He is leaving us better than he found us,” stated Pyle. 

Commissioner Tom Flint echoed Pyle’s words, “With your leadership it’s been one of the best times to be a commissioner at Grant and I give you credit for that.” 

Continue reading
  132 Hits

Grant PUD GM takes job with Georgia utility

EPHRATA – Grant PUD’s CEO and General Manager, Rich Wallen has accepted an executive role with his former employer, Georgia-based Oglethorpe Power, effective March 31.

“Rich has been communicating with us about his interest in the Oglethorpe Power position,” said Grant PUD Commission President Terry Pyle. “We are grateful for his leadership at Grant PUD and the improvements he made here. Our commitment to our staff and customers is that our board will meet soon to develop a transition plan for how we will go about filling the general manager position.”

Wallen worked with Oglethorpe Power prior to joining Grant PUD in 2017 as the Director of Power Production. He is returning to Oglethorpe as their Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Oglethorpe Power announcement: https://opc.com/2025/02/06/oglethorpe-power-names-rich-wallen-as-evp-and-chief-operating-officer/. 

Continue reading
  1399 Hits

Pay-it-Forward puts $58,000 to work in local communities


Charitable giving through investments in energy conservation

Grant PUD’s “Pay-it-Forward” community fund has awarded $58,000 to a host of Grant County non-profits, as part of its 2024 giving campaign, in partnership with benefactor Microsoft and the Columbia Basin Foundation.

Beneficiaries this year are:

Moses Lake Boys & Girls Club, for winter break meals & snacks                         $5,000
Grant PUD’s Share the Light, for assistance paying power bills                            $25,000
Royal City Police department, bullet-proof vest for K9 program                           $2,500
Seven food banks around Grant County                                                                      $25,500

Since 2019, Microsoft has donated its rebates for energy efficiency upgrades to Grant PUD’s Pay-it-Forward fund. Donors have contributed more than $960,000 to the partnership. Of that, more than $557,000 has been awarded throughout Grant County to organizations focused on essential living needs, technology and education.

"Pay-it-Forward allows Grant PUD and its customers to make lives better," says the utility’s Community Outreach Coordinator Annette Lovitt. "Together, we can say ‘Yes’ to requests to feed kiddos or even buy a bullet-proof jacket for a police dog. I’m grateful for the ability to make a difference when and where it’s needed."

Most Pay-It-Forward funding comes from rebates Grant PUD provides its customers for investments in energy conservation that help meet or exceed mandatory savings targets set by the state’s voter-initiated Energy Independence Act.

Continue reading
  212 Hits

Commission recap, 1/28/2025 — New era for Grant PUD fiber, more...

(Note: We apologize for this week's audio recording, which is intermittent in parts, due to technical problems.) 


For the past 25 years, Grant PUD’s wholesale Fiber Optic network has been in growth mode as it focused on the task of building out a system to serve Grant PUD customers countywide. Now with all major construction complete for the initial network, the Grant PUD Telecom & Fiber Services team is moving into a new era of operations and maintenance to keep the wholesale network sustainable. 

Terry McKenzie, Senior Manager of Telecom and Fiber Services told the Grant PUD’s Commission during her quarterly business report that at the start of 2025, about 75% of locations with fiber available are connect to the network through one of Grant PUD’s participating retail internet service providers. She added that the wholesale fiber revenues are projected to increase each year.  

These revenues, projected to be $15.9 million in 2025, will cover the costs to operate and maintain the system, as well as capital expenses to extend the network to a few small pockets of remaining customers who were bypassed in the initial construction, plus new homes and businesses that are being built in the county. Remaining dollars will be used to repay funds that came from Grant PUD’s electric system to build out that network. At the end of the year, the fiber system is projected to return $6.2 million back to Grant PUD’s general fund.  

McKenzie asked the commission for direction on what to do about the 290 Grant PUD customers who reside in the Spring Canyon area of Lincoln County (2:36:20 on commission audio). Since they are not in Grant County, they were not included in the plans for the countywide buildout. A recent modification in state law would allow Grant PUD to extend fiber service to them, since they are power customers outside of the Grant County line.  

Commissioners directed McKenzie to provide them with more information including how many of the customers would commit to subscribing to the network, how much they would be willing to pay for the estimated construction costs. McKenzie said she would return with that information in a later report for the commission.  

Continue reading
  567 Hits

Your Guide to Lower Energy Bills: Winter Savings Edition 

Managing Winter Energy Costs

Colder seasons often bring increased heating needs, resulting in higher electricity bills for many households. Grant PUD is dedicated to helping customers understand why these costs can spike and identifying practical ways to reduce energy usage. This guide provides insights into evaluating your bill, addressing common causes of high consumption, and applying weatherization techniques to manage expenses effectively.

Key Takeaways

  • Assessing Winter Bills: Learn why colder weather elevates electricity usage and how to track your bill for anomalies.
  • Understanding Rates: Compare Grant PUD’s rate of 5.90¢ per kWh with the national average of 16.21¢ and Washington State’s average of 11.34¢  
  • Common Causes of High Usage: Identify water heater element failure, heating system inefficiencies, and other key factors that lead to higher bills.
  • DIY Weatherization: Discover straightforward strategies like insulating water heaters and sealing doors.
  • Practical Energy-Saving Tips: Adopt no-cost and low-cost measures to reduce monthly expenditures on electricity.

“Preparedness and proper maintenance are critical for managing energy expenses during the winter season.” – Mark Sullivan, Energy Specialist

Continue reading
  297 Hits

‘Share the Light’ to give – or receive – help paying your power bill


Winter isn’t the only time of year electricity use and power bills go up in Grant County. Prolonged hot spells have the same effect on the family power bill, increasing the financial burden for families in need.

That’s why Grant PUD’s “Share the Warmth” program has changed its name to “Share the Light.”

This more than 40-year, neighbor-to-neighbor giving program makes it easy for Grant PUD customers to help their neighbors struggling to pay their power bills, no matter the season.

How can you help? Just pay a little extra, where indicated on your power bill, to support Share the Light. Donate as often or as much as you like.  Your donation goes into an account managed by Grant PUD. All – 100% – of your contribution will benefit income-qualifying customers-in-need. Grant PUD covers all administrative costs.

Along with the name change, Grant PUD is also developing an optional, tiered recognition program for businesses or individuals who donate $1,000 or more to Share the Light over the course of the year.  Donors who give $10 or more receive an acknowledgment letter for their records.

Continue reading
  282 Hits

Commission recap, 1/14/2025 — Feds conclude dam is safe, in good hands. This and more...

Priest Rapids Dam is “suitable for safe and continued operation,” according to its comprehensive safety assessment, commissioners learned Tuesday.

Carried out by an independent contractor, the assessment is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the same agency that oversees Grant PUD’s commitment to dam safety. The federal agency also issues the utility’s license to operate both Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams.

A FERC dam-safety engineer determined no safety conditions are present that require immediate remedial action and concluded that dam personnel are aware of future projects and analyses needed to keep the dam safe.

“Most of it was ‘Keep doing what you’re doing,’” Grant PUD Chief Dam Safety Engineer Zach Ruby told commissioners.

FERC dam-safety inspections occur annually at Grant PUD’s Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams. Inspections by independent consultants occur every five years at each dam, alternating between “comprehensive assessments” and less-detailed “periodic” inspections. Wanapum Dam, about 22 miles up the Columbia River from Priest, will receive its detailed inspection in 2029, Ruby said.

Continue reading
  1739 Hits

‘Share the Light’ to give – or receive – help paying your power bill

Winter isn’t the only time of year electricity use and power bills go up in Grant County. Prolonged hot spells have the same effect on the family power bill, increasing the financial burden for families in need.

That’s why Grant PUD’s “Share the Warmth” program has changed its name to “Share the Light.”

This more than 40-year, neighbor-to-neighbor giving program makes it easy for Grant PUD customers to help their neighbors struggling to pay their power bills, no matter the season.

How can you help? Just pay a little extra, where indicated on your power bill, to support Share the Light. Donate as often or as much as you like.  Your donation goes into an account managed by Grant PUD. All – 100% – of your contribution will benefit income-qualifying customers-in-need. Grant PUD covers all administrative costs.

Along with the name change, Grant PUD is also developing an optional, tiered recognition program for businesses or individuals who donate $1,000 or more to Share the Light over the course of the year.  Donors who give $10 or more receive an acknowledgment letter for their records.

Non-Grant PUD customers, or anyone who lives outside Grant County, may also donate to Share the Light by calling Grant PUD Customer Service, 509-766-2505.

Continue reading
  439 Hits

Paying It Forward: Fueling Meals for Local Kids 

2025-01-13_0010

The holiday season is a time for celebrating with family and friends—but it’s also a season that can be especially difficult for many families when it comes to providing consistent, nutritious meals. This year, we at Grant PUD are thrilled to share how our Pay it Forward Fund, facilitated in partnership with our key partner Microsoft and the Columbia Basin Foundation (CBF), helped make the Boys & Girls Club of the Columbia Basin’s first-ever Winter Break Backpack Food Program a reality!

What is the Pay it Forward Fund?

Pay it Forward is a special fund held by Columbia Basin Foundation (CBF) that receives contributions from Grant PUD customers who want to make a positive impact in our community. The fund’s areas of focus include:

  • Essential living needs – Helping ensure that individuals and families have access to everyday necessities.
  • Technology – Supporting programs that bring technological resources to those who need them.
  • Education – Championing educational opportunities and programs for all ages.

Disbursements from the fund are coordinated through CBF, Grant PUD, and our generous donors, allowing us to direct resources where they are needed most.

Continue reading
  307 Hits

Commission recap, 12/10/2024 -- 2025 budget, 3% rate increase approved. Big increase in hook-up-fee proposed. More...

Commissioners each received a copy of a new book on Grant PUD's colorful history, rapid growth, current challenges and future opportunities. It will be provided soon in Grant County libraries, high schools, museums, port districts and other municipal entities. The book, "Powering On: The Can-do Legacy Driving Grant PUD Into the Future," was written by Pacitic Northwest author and hydropower historian John Harrison. Photo, from left, Commissioners Tom Flint, Terry Pyle, Nelson Cox, author Harrison, Commissioners Judy Wilson and Larry Schaapman. Scroll down for more.


2025 budget, 3% rate increase, new rate-setting strategy approved in final commission meeting of the year

Commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved a $312.2 million budget for 2025 and a 3% increase to retail rate revenue effective April 1, 2025.

The retail rate increase affects each rate class differently based, in part, on the cost to supply each customer class with electricity. A new rate-setting criteria, also approved Tuesday, sets rates based on three guiding directives: 1) Protection of core customers (residential, irrigation and small business) to assure them the lowest power rate possible. 2) Social fairness and 3) The rate classes that drive the growth, pay for the growth.

Beginning April 1, 2025, the average residential electric customer will see a monthly increase of approximately $2.58 on their bill. Rate increases by each individual customer class are as follows:

Residential (Schedule 1)            2.5%

General service (Sch. 2)             2.5%

Continue reading
  1365 Hits

Commission recap 11/26/2024 -- A solar power purchase with 'moxee.' More...


NOTE: Commission audio will be posted as soon as possible

Commissioners unanimously approved a five-year Purchase Power Agreement with Goose Prairie Solar Development as part of Grant PUD’s plan for powering anticipated growth in the county. Under the agreement, Grant PUD will receive 100-percent of the energy and capacity output of the 80-megawatt Moxee-based generation facility. 

Goose Prairie was one of the generation providers that participated in Grant PUD’s all-source request for new power generation resources earlier this year. The 80 megawatts of solar power from Goose Prairie are a significant portion 120 MW of solar resources that Grant PUD plans to add to its power portfolio by 2026 to address customer growth. For a full description of how Grant PUD plans to blend additional generation resources to its present hydro and wind power portfolio, see the 2024 Integrated Resource Plan. See page 175 of the commission packet. 

2025 budget will be smaller than expected

Deferred capital costs and an unanticipated new power-sales contract has resulted in a net $55.6 million reduction in Grant PUD’s 2025 budget, commissioners learned Tuesday.

Part of the adjustment stems from a $9.7 million reduction in capital projects that were too preliminary for an accurate cost assessment when the draft 2025 budget was first presented to commissioners in October. As project planning progresses, making accurate cost estimates possible, some or all of these projects could still be added to the budget later in the year, Angelina Johnson, senior manager of Treasury and Financial Planning, told commissioners.

Continue reading
  960 Hits

Update: Cow hypothesis confirmed in string of Winchester outages


Grant PUD crews were out early Monday, Nov. 18, to determine the cause of a series of outages in the Winchester area.


(Note: Desplácese hacia abajo para español)



Grant PUD crews have worked for days trying to diagnose the cause of a spate of intermittent power outages that have affected the Winchester area, between Quincy and Ephrata, since Nov. 13. As it turns out, the culprit was, in fact, a cow with an itch to scratch.

The first cow-related outage was reported Nov. 13. After days and two complete nights patrolling power lines to search for the problem, crews were out again early Monday, Nov. 18, after another report of a flash seen from area electric equipment. This time, they are fairly sure the outage was caused by one or more cows that had discovered how a guy wire securing an area power pole was an excellent scratching post.

(Updated, 11/20/2024) As a cow rubs against the guy wire for a scratch, it shakes the entire pole, causing the attached power lines to sway and touch each other. This causes an electrical fault and flash that result in an outage. The electric system restores power automatically after a few minutes when the lines settle back into their correct positions and the fault is no longer present. A guy wire attaches to the top of the pole and extends diagonally to the ground, where it's anchored, to help keep the pole upright. The guy wire is not electrified, so no  harm comes to the cow.

Intermittent outages such as these are difficult to diagnose, since power has reset by the time crews get to the location to search for damage.

(Updated, 11/22/2024) Crews didn't observe a cow in the process of scratching, but have seen this happen in the past. Here's a video of shot by one of our crewmen in Quincy in 2022. In the case of the latest flash sighting, a heard of cows were grazing nearby, gleaning from a harvested corn field. Crews' previous inspections ruled out other potential causes.
 
(Updated, 11/20/2024) Grant PUD personnel worked with the property owner to reroute an electric fence to keep the cows away from the guy wire. They are also working to "sectionalize" the feeder, so any future outages will affect fewer customers.

And to everyone affected by these outages, thanks for your patience, as we work to get the lights back on... and keep them on.


---------------------------------------

Actualización: Se confirma la hipótesis de la vaca en una serie de apagones de Winchester

Las cuadrillas de Grant PUD han trabajado durante días tratando de diagnosticar la causa de una serie de cortes de energía intermitentes que han afectado el área de Winchester, entre Quincy y Ephrata, desde el 13 de noviembre. Resulta que las culpables eran, de hecho, una o más vacas con ganas de rascarse.

Después de días y al menos una noche completa de patrullar las líneas eléctricas para buscar el problema, las cuadrillas volvieron a salir la madrugada del lunes 18 de noviembre, después de otro informe de un destello visto desde el equipo eléctrico del área. Esta vez, están bastante seguros de que el apagón fue causado por una o más vacas que habían descubierto cómo un cable de sujeción que aseguraba un poste de energía de área era un excelente poste para rascar..

(Actualizado, 20/11/2024) A medida que una vaca se frota contra el cable de sujeción para rascarse, sacude todo el poste, lo que hace que las líneas eléctricas conectadas se balanceen y se toquen entre sí. Esto provoca una falla eléctrica y un destello que resulta en un apagón. El sistema eléctrico restablece la energía automáticamente después de unos minutos cuando las líneas vuelven a sus posiciones correctas y la falla ya no está presente. Un cable de sujeción se conecta a la parte superior del poste y se extiende en diagonal hasta el suelo, donde está anclado, para ayudar a mantener el poste en posición vertical. El cable de sujeción no está electrificado, por lo que la vaca no sufre ningún daño.

Los apagones intermitentes como estos son difíciles de diagnosticar, ya que la energía se ha restablecido cuando los equipos llegan al lugar para buscar daños.

Las cuadrillas aún no han observado una vaca en el proceso de rascado, pero han visto que esto sucede en el pasado. En el caso del último avistamiento relámpago, se oye ver vacas pastando cerca, espigando de un campo de maíz cosechado. Las inspecciones previas de las cuadrillas descartaron otras posibles causas.

(Actualizado, 20/11/2024) El personal de Grant PUD trabajó con el dueño de la propiedad para desviar una cerca eléctrica para mantener a las vacas alejadas del alambre. También están trabajando para "seccionar" el circuito, por lo que cualquier interrupción futura afectará a menos clientes.

Y a todos los afectados por estos apagones, gracias por su paciencia, mientras trabajamos para volver a encender las luces... y mantenerlos puestos.


  1385 Hits

Commission recap, 11/12/2024 — Fiber celebration, same rate for cryptos, more...



Grant PUD commissioners were joined by PUD employees and representatives of contractor North Sky on Tuesday, Nov. 12 to celebrate the near completion of the 25-year fiber buildout to all of Grant County.




Crew members for North Sky Communications, Grant PUD's fiber buildout contractor, work to install fiber on Sagebrush Flats Road west of Ephrata last month. Once the Sagebrush Flats Road work is finished, fiber will built out throughout all of Grant County. 


Commissioners celebrate near completion of fiber buildout
 

Grant PUD commissioners took time to acknowledge the near completion of a 25-year mission of building out a county-wide fiber optic network during its meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12 in Ephrata.  

“Grant County has a heritage of local control and being in control of their destiny,” said Commissioner Tom Flint, a strong proponent for fiber since he was elected to the board in 2000. “Not only in their power portfolio, but also in their communications portfolio. It’s a bit touching to have a dream and see it come to a conclusion.” 

Grant PUD began exploring fiber in 1999 with a pilot project to test the technology. Once the pilot project proved successful, the commission at the time authorized extending fiber to customers in many of the cities and towns in the county. By the mid-2010s, fiber was available to three-quarters of Grant PUD’s customers. After a public consultation with customers, the commissioners authorized the final buildout to the remaining customers starting in 2019 with contractor North Sky.  

Continue reading
  1329 Hits

Columbia River Treaty – Only Paying for the Actual Benefits


Priest Rapids Dam, Mattawa. Grant PUD file photo.


You may have likely heard that Grant, Chelan and Douglas PUDs jointly filed a lawsuit in June against the federal government over our collective contribution of hydroelectric energy and capacity we must send to Canada per the Columbia River Treaty.

Implemented in 1964, the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada was established to facilitate the joint development of power generation and flood control in the Columbia River Basin.  It has many elements and directly affects our ability to maximize the benefits of the hydroelectric generation of the Priest Rapids Project – Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams – for our local and regional customers.

The decision to sue didn't come lightly. We took this action only after years of pressing the Bonneville Power Administration to tell us how they calculate the amount of hydropower we must send to Canada from our dams to satisfy a Treaty obligation called the "Canadian Entitlement."

The Canadian Entitlement requires the United States to compensate Canada for its role in constructing and operating Canadian dams and reservoirs, to store large volumes of spring runoff allowing for gradual release that water downstream into the United States, to help prevent flooding and enhance hydropower generation for Columbia River dams in the United States.

This compensation is provided to Canada as valuable hydropower energy and capacity. According to calculations from hydropower industry experts, we believe U.S. federal and PUD dams on the Columbia River have been sending electricity benefits that are valued at 90% higher than the value we receive through coordinated operations and increased generation. This results in a collective annual overpayment to Canada of U.S. hydropower output worth approximately $500 million. This overpayment means we have fewer resources for our own customers at a time when demand for electricity, especially here in Grant County, is forecasted to increase substantially.

Continue reading
  2052 Hits

Commission recap, 10/22/2024 — New rolling museum tells the Wanapum story. More...

(Note: We'll post the commission audio as soon as we can. Sorry for the delay. We're working on it)


  


Grant PUD Photos/Rosalie Black:

Top: Grant PUD Traditional Programs Supervisor Lela Buck (right) guides commissioners (from left) Terry Pyle and Nelson Cox on their first tour of the new Wanapum Native American Discovery Unit, a rolling museum that tells the story of Wanapum history, culture, beliefs and modern-day life.

Bottom: From left, Grant PUD Traditional Programs Supervisor Lela Buck; Chief Enterprise Shared Services Officer Fallon Long; Chief Human Resource Officer Tod Ayers; Chief Operating Officer Jeff Grizzel; Commissioners Nelson Cox, Judy Wilson and Tom Flint; Wanapum Liaison Clayton Buck; Grant PUD General Manager & CEO Rich Wallen; Wanapum Tribe Member George Mathias; Commissioners Terry Pyle and Larry Schaapman; Chief Customer Officer Ty Ehrman; Chief Financial Officer Bonnie Overfield; and Cultural Project Worker Kenny Mathias.

(Note: Commission audio will be posted as soon as we can)

The Wanapum Band of Indians introduced to commissioners, Tuesday, a shiny, new mobile museum that will travel the region telling a story that dates to time immemorial.

Continue reading
  1091 Hits

Thousands of Grant PUD customers benefit from $200 state bill credit




Grant PUD facilitated one-time, $200 electric-bill credits for 8,579 qualifying Grant County customers through the Washington Families Clean Energy Credit program. This program has now ended.

In total, $1,715,800 in credits were applied to the accounts of Grant County residents, bringing not only financial relief but also peace of mind to many families.

Grant PUD was thrilled to participate in the program, which provided critical financial support to qualifying residential electric utility customers. This program was backed by the Washington State Department of Commerce and funded through the Washington Climate Commitment Act (CCA).

Significant statewide impact

This effort was part of a larger, statewide initiative aimed at assisting up to 675,000 households, with a budget allocation of $150 million for Washington State residents. This program’s goal aligned with the state-wide efforts to reduce climate pollution, create jobs, and improve public health, making the bill credit a financial and environmental benefit to counties across the state.

Continue reading
  1352 Hits

Commission recap, 10/8/2024 -- Grant PUD to buy land for new Moses Lake service center. More...

MLSC-land-map-01


Grant PUD Commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved $10.145 million to buy three parcels of land totaling 159 acres near Moses Lake for a new service center.

The property is within the Moses Lake urban growth area, near the junction of Highway 17 and I-90 (see map). According to the purchase-and-sale agreement approved by commissioners, the utility will pay the estate of David L. Sparks for the land.

A service center is a complex facility that includes transportation shop, materials storage yard, headquarters for regional line crews, office and meeting/training space, lockers and lunch area. Regional service centers are key to providing reliable service into the future as the county’s demand for electricity continues to grow.

The proposed new Moses Lake Service Center is part of Grant PUD’s Facilities Master Plan to replace buildings that are aged, outdated or no longer adequate for efficient operations. The commission approved the plan in 2022.

The utility is in the process of buying property in eastern Ephrata, south of Highway 17, for a new Ephrata Service Center and expects the sale to be complete in January 2025 for a groundbreaking later that year.   

A Grant PUD analysis with the help of an external consultant determined that building new buildings in better locations is more cost-and-benefit effective than improving existing buildings that have become inadequate due to space and access limitations and renovation costs.

Continue reading
  5555 Hits

Commission Recap, 9/24/24 - Commissioners give a nod to proposed rate strategy

This week's commission meeting took place at the Hydro Office Building near Wanapum Dam.


Reminder!  Hearings for 2025 budget are Oct. 8

Grant PUD Commissioners will hold two public hearings for the 2025 budget on Tuesday, Oct 8, one at 2 p.m. and the other at 6 p.m. in the Commission Room of the Ephrata PUD Headquarters building at 30 C Street SW. Both have an option for the public to attend in person or remote.

The 2025 preliminary budget calls for $367.8 million in expenditures with a forecasted change in net position of $192.3 million.   This represents a $20.7 million increase in expenditures and a $73.6 million increase in the change of net position compared to the 2024 adopted budget. The additional budgeted expenditures in 2025 are necessary to address the rising costs associated with expanding services and infrastructure improvements.  The increased budgeted expenditures include $236.5 million in operations and maintenance and $253 million in capital.    

To learn more about the preliminary budget and for information on how to attend virtually, see https://www.grantpud.org/commission-meetings#publichearings.


Commissioners give nod to proposed rate strategy

Continue reading
  1247 Hits

Help keep the lights on by removing problem trees

    

Tree limbs that conceal or blow into power lines are a leading cause of power outages in wind-prone Grant County. Grant PUD has the legal right and obligation to trim interfering trees to ensure our electric grid is safe and reliable for all customers. Since public safety is paramount to our mission, we don’t need the property owner’s permission to trim, nor will we give prior notice before trimming.

As you can see from these photos, our contractors trim for function, not fashion, to keep growth as far away from the line as possible. We may, at our discretion, also remove entire trees that pose risk of safety or serious damage to lines.

Help us by taking action now.

1. Remove trees on your property that grow into power lines and replant smaller tree species. Here’s a list of options for our climate that reach a maximum 20-feet tall.

2. Never plant trees of any size directly beneath the lines. Ensure at least 20 feet of horizontal distance remains between the mature tree and the lines.

Continue reading
  2816 Hits