A fire broke out in the Wanapum Dam powerhouse in 2007. It burned through the roof, damaged concrete walls and caused extensive smoke damage. All had to be cleaned and repaired. The roof was temporarily patched and is being permanently repaired this year. The cause of the fire was never determined. Insurance reimbursed Grant PUD $3.8 million for th...

EPHRATA — The portion of C Street SW, between Division Avenue and First Avenue SW will be closed the morning of Friday, Feb. 28 for crane work to remove an old piece of air-conditioning equipment from the roof of Grant PUD headquarters.That portion of C Street and the sidewalk along its east side by the headquarters building will close at 6 a.m. Pa...

OneDrive  Imagine a computing environment where your files and documents are always up to date, always available through the Internet and always in your control. That vision is here, and it is OneDrive. As part of the Office 365 transformation, we will be putting the OneDrive application on all district computers on March 25 and moving employe...

 Updating the equipment that generates more than 2,100 megawatts of clean, renewable, reliable energy and bringing high-speed, fiber-optic network services to thousands of customers throughout Grant County doesn't just happen. These achievements require a steady flow of capital projects that ensure Grant PUD consistently delivers the products ...

Editor's note: Tom Stredwick's Working@Grant training program referenced in this column is not related to the Working@Grant newsletter, even though both have identical names.Good afternoon, We are about to embark on an initiative that the executive team and I believe will positively impact the health of Grant PUD's culture well into the future. One...

A wide range of efforts to minimize power interruptions and improve overall system reliability were highlighted during Tuesday's commission meeting. One new tool the utility is exploring are the use of drones. Crews would utilize drones to assist with patrolling power lines and inspecting substations. Power Delivery Engineer Will Coe, told commissi...

This column from General Manger and CEO Kevin Nordt will appear in the upcoming special section, "Progress," in the Quincy Valley Post Register.Quincy has been keeping Grant PUD engineers, crews and contractors pretty busy over the last decade. Data centers have made this the county's fastest-growing area for electricity demand.This corridor for ag...

 The point of financial metrics — tools for measuring progress in safety, finances, service and operations — is to track progress and identify areas of improvement. Even if you don't hit your targeted goals, you learn from the process where to focus the effort to improve.That was General Manager and CEO Kevin Nordt's message to GM Forum audien...

Employees now have audio conferencing capabilities for Microsoft Teams meetings. Look for an email from Microsoft Audio Conferencing in your inbox where you can find your account information and PIN. Once you have received the email, audio conferencing information will automatically populate in your meeting invitations every time you schedule a Tea...

Lessons learned from 2019 to help future fiber expansionAlthough 2019 had its share of challenges with expanding Grant PUD's fiber-optic network, the accomplishments from the past year provided valuable insights while setting a very high bar for future expansion efforts.This was the message Grant PUD's Senior Manager of Wholesale Fiber, Russ Bretho...

 On Feb. 3, Delve will replace OurDirectory as our corporate directory. Part of the Office 365 transformation, Delve will offer a seamless experience when it comes to finding contact information for employees and other information, such as their photo, availability, their reporting structure and more. To access Delve, go to office.com and log ...

Starting Feb. 3, employees will be able to join Teams meetings by phone in addition to joining by Internet as they do today.On Feb. 3, everyone will receive an email from Microsoft Audio Conferencing with a conference phone number that will automatically populate in all Teams meetings they initiate after Feb. 3.Meeting participants will be able to ...

Did you hear the roar of the engines recently when Grant PUD took possession of two brand new Chevy Bolt sedans? Of course you didn't!These all-electric cars rolled in like a whisper and soon will be used by Customer Service folks as any other fleet vehicle would be used, but with an important difference — no air pollution. The sporty Bolts will so...

Correction! The original version of this report listed mental health as one of the potential uses for Teledoc. Mental health is not available through Teledoc to Grant PUD employees. Sorry for the error. It's 10 p.m. Saturday and your 3-year-old daughter is crying because her ear hurts. The nearest emergency room or walk-in clinic is ...

Managing Director of Power Production Ty Ehrman told commissioners Tuesday that the low bid to build a secondary embankment on the Yakima County side of Priest Rapids Dam came in at $33.4 million, almost $13 million less than the engineer's estimate. Staff is recommending the low bidder, IMCO Construction of Ferndale, WA., for the job. Work is expe...

Resolution 8891, which established Rate Schedule 17, requires at least a yearly review of the rate class to determine if certain customer uses or industries should move into or out of the rate class. Staff will share materials and info regarding the review during regularly scheduled commission meetings.  See table below for tentative sche...

S&P Global, Moody's and Fitch uphold their high credit ratingsEPHRATA — Three of the world's top bond-rating agencies have affirmed strong credit ratings for Grant PUD, as the utility readies to pay down debt for long-term savings that will help keep electric rates low.The high ratings enable Grant PUD to take fuller advantage of current market...

Three route alternatives considered for new 115-kilovolt transmission line in Royal CityAfter evaluating numerous route segments, Grant PUD staff and engineering consultants have identified three potential construction routes for the new "Red Rock" 115-kilovolt transmission line near Royal City. The public will have a chance to view detailed maps o...

Need extended time off for family or medical?  You soon may not have to use PL Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave Program   A new state law that takes effect Jan. 1 creates a new state-run benefit program that provides paid leave of up to $1,000 per week for as many as 18 weeks for any qualifying employee who needs an extended...

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all!Thanks to everyone who made our first Holiday Video Greeting possible. We hope you enjoy it. Happy holidays to all of us 2019 - YouTube Grant PUD coworkers' video Christmas Card... to each other. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTqpQiSBqbk&t=2s