Commission recap, 3/26/2024: Grant PUD sees success in collaborating with industry groups

Commissioners Tuesday learned how Grant PUD has been able to extend its message and priorities through power industry collaboration during a report given by Chuck Allen, Senior Manager of External Affairs and Communications and Annette Lovitt, Public Affairs Officer – Community Relations.

By participating with the American Public Power Association and Washington PUD Association, Grant PUD has been able to secure audiences with state and federal legislators to discuss legislative priorities that will help Grant PUD’s customers continue to have low-cost reliable power. Some of the topics include supporting hydropower and the Lower Snake River Dams, modernizing the Columbia River Treaty, streamlining the federal grant process to help public utilities make upgrades to the power grid, and creating more efficiency in the permitting process for new projects.  

In the past few years, there has been a greater emphasis in having the PUDs serving Grant, Chelan and Douglas counties collaborate to promote public hydropower with an aligned voice and legislative priorities. This has resulted in opinion pieces for regional news outlets originating from the general managers of the three utilities – Rich Wallen (Grant), Kirk Hudson (Chelan), and Gary Ivory (Douglas). The utilities have also worked together on events such as the Clean Energy Expo held last autumn, plus other educational and outreach programs.  

During the presentation, commissioner Terry Pyle asked if there was redundancy in the 20-plus associations that Grant PUD has joined.  

Allen explained that while that may seem to be the case on the surface, each association provides value and “serves their own niche.” He elaborated that while it may seem odd that Grant PUD is a member of Northwest RiverPartners and the Northwest Hydroelectric Industry, both organizations have different roles in promoting hydropower. Northwest RiverPartners is a research and educational association with a mission to help the public have a positive opinion about hydropower. While the Northwest Hydrorelectric Association has that as part of its mission, its primary purpose is to facilitate collaborative efforts between hydroelectric providers so they can improve their operations with technical workshops and peer education opportunities.  

Educational opportunities for Grant PUD staff are a major benefit of belonging to the associations. Allen shared that a recent team-building training given by the Northwest Public Power Association helped him to work with members of his own team in creating a strong team identity.  

Another benefit of being involved in these associations are the educational opportunities for the region’s students. Lovitt explained that Mid-Columbia PUDs collaborate each year with the North Central Educational Service District for a hydropower and electrical safety program for most of the grade schools in Grant County. She added that another association, the Foundation for Water and Energy Education will be expanding from two to three summer Hydro STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Academies for high school aged students this summer.  See the full presentation on pages 32 to 50 of the presentation materials. Commissioners met at Grant PUD Hydro Office Building, near Wanapum Dam, this week, where meetings aren’t recorded. 

Commissioners also: 

— Reviewed Resolution 8971, scheduled for a vote at the April 9 commission meeting, about increasing the potential salary range by 10% for non-union employees to stay competitive with salary ranges already in effect in neighboring PUDs. “The data definitely indicates that, while we are extremely competitive on bargaining-unit wages, we are slightly on the lagging side fornon-union wages,” General Manager & CEO Rich Wallen told commissioners. For more information, see pages 9-19 in the commission packet. Commissioners met at Grant PUD Hydro Office Building, near Wanapum Dam, this week, where meetings aren’t recorded. 

— Heard from Senior Manager of Employee Experience Tom Stredwick about efforts to standardize, improve and expand Grant PUD’s Apprenticeship Program. Current offerings include nine apprenticeships on both the generation, fleet, telecom, wholesale fiber and power delivery side of the utility. Each requires between 4,000 and 6,000 hours to complete. Additional apprenticeships could be added as skill shortages in the marketplace are identified to prepare Grant PUD for its future business needs. Stredwick described an ongoing analysis to determine how to make Grant PUD’s workforce more closely resemble the demographics of the community it serves and educate young job seekers about PUD careers. “Good work,” Commissioner Nelson Cox said.  “I like what you’re doing. It’s looking good.” Hear the full presentation on pages 51-73 of the presentation materials. Commissioners met at Grant PUD Hydro Office Building, near Wanapum Dam, this week, where meetings aren’t recorded. 

— Heard from Senior Manager of Operational Excellence Chris Roseberg about internal work to track and improve operational excellence, safety, communications and change management based on the drivers of safety, quality and efficiency. Hear the full presentation on pages 91-113 of the presentation materials. Commissioners met at Grant PUD Hydro Office Building, near Wanapum Dam, this week, where meetings aren’t recorded. 

— Heard that a nearly two-year effort to reinforce safe driving in Grant PUD vehicles has resulted in high safety marks for Grant PUD employees. Since the Vehicle Safety Program began in 2022, safe-driving scores as recorded by the GPS units in each Grant PUD vehicle have improved from the approximately 80% range in 2020 to 97% or higher through March 2023. Fallon Long, Managing Director of Integrated Operations Services, attributes the improvement both to the information campaign and to reinforcement when the GPS units clock employees driving over the speed limit. “We have more than 300 vehicles in the fleet, and we drive more than 2 million miles a year,” Long said. “The scores we’re seeing now of 97% are impressive.”   Hear the full presentation on pages 74-90 of the presentation materials. Commissioners met at Grant PUD Hydro Office Building, near Wanapum Dam, this week, where meetings aren’t recorded. 

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