Commission meeting recap Feb. 13, 2018 Even in light of the shorter 60-day legislative session, it has proven to be a busy and jam-packed scene in Olympia. Wednesday (Feb. 14) is the cut-off day for a proposed bill to make it out of their respective committees. Any bill that doesn't pass committee by 5 p.m. Wednesday is considered dead for this leg...

Extraordinary load growth demanded a faster way to build. Grant County PUD found one. By Russ Seiler and Mark Milacek , Grant County PUD EPHRATA, WA — Pushed by a decade of extraordinary industrial load growth, Grant County Public Utility District was facing a 5-year backlog of needed substation upgrades, including two brand new substations, expans...

Commissioners study 2-percent increase in annual rate revenue (1:30:00) and (3:37:15) Grant PUD commissioners got a look Tuesday at a proposed slate of rate increases across most Grant PUD customer types that would generate an estimated 2 percent more in revenue from retail electricity rates starting April 1. The proposed increase would be the four...

Utility's customer service has plan to help customers with estimated billing EPHRATA, Wash. – Grant PUD is asking customers concerned with high bills this winter to contact its customer service department by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling (509) 766-2505. Many of the concerns from customers stem from the combination of the traditio...

Traveling Exhibition from the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian features the contributions of Native Veterans MATTAWA, Wash. – Native Americans have served in every major U.S. military encounter from the Revolutionary War to today's conflicts in the Middle East and in higher numbers per capita than any other ethnic group. Patriot...

Meeting 2 p.m. at Ephrata Headquarters building EPHRATA, Wash. – Grant PUD will hold a public meeting as part of its annual review of electrical rates on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. in the Commission Room at the PUD's Ephrata Headquarters Building, 30 C Street SW, Ephrata WA 98823. During the meeting, staff will propose rate increases that reflect t...

Grant PUD to hire manager for fiber network Grant PUD Commissioners learned at their first board meeting of the year Tuesday of plans in the works to hire a manager to oversee operation , enhancement and expansion of Grant PUD's soon-High Speed Network. General Manger Kevin Nordt told the board he plans to put someone into the position of network b...

Commissioners call for options to ease rate burden on existing crypto firms Weeks after learning that a rate proposal for "evolving industries" would approximately triple the electric-rate burden on Grant County's cryptocurrency mining operations, some Grant PUD commissioners Tuesday asked staff for more options. (4:06:50 of commission audio ) "We'...

– Proposed new Rate 17 could mean big increase for crypto miners (1:59:20 on Commission Audio ) Cryptocurrency mining companies and other businesses that fit Grant PUD's new "Evolving Industry" rate classification would see their monthly power bills more than double under a staff proposal presented to commissioners Tuesday. The Evolving Industry ra...

Grant PUD to present "It's not magic, it's water" throughout the summer EPHRATA — Grant PUD will participate in the North Central Regional Library's summer reading program as they share an interactive presentation about how the naturally-occurring water cycle allows Grant PUD to generate electricity for its customers and our region. In addition, at...

Grant PUD commissioners discussed possible changes to the rate-setting policy outlined in Resolution No. 8768 during their board meeting June 12 ( 10:00 in the recording) . Resolution 8768, which was passed May 12, 2015, outlines which customer class would receive "core" or preferential status when it comes to being first in line for the benefits o...

DURING TUESDAY'S MEETING GRANT PUD COMMISSIONERS – Heard from the Port of Royal Slope. A presentation recounting communications between the port and Grant PUD dating back to 2003, was given on behalf of the port by Kevin Richards who is President of Western Pacific Engineering and Survey. During the presentation Richards focused on previous discuss...

Ribbon cutting ceremony set for June 2 to celebrate EPHRATA — Come join us in celebrating the transformation of Grant PUD's most visited recreation site, Crescent Bar. To mark the completion of construction at the site, Grant PUD is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony and family friendly party for all to enjoy. The free event will take place on June ...

"Evolving Industry" rate class will address deluge of cryptocurrency power requests EPHRATA — Grant PUD commissioners unanimously agreed Tuesday to move forward to create a new customer rate class for cryptocurrency miners that would protect the interests of the utility's existing customers. By adopting this policy, the board also affirmed its posi...

DURING TUESDAY'S MEETING COMMISSIONERS – Grant PUD commissioners unanimously agreed on May 8 to move forward to create a new customer rate class for cryptocurrency miners that would protect the interests of the utility's existing customers. (Discussion and vote begins at the 3:07:43 on commission recording ) By adopting this policy, the board also ...

Monday's commission workshop was a culmination of six months of research and analysis. The workshop occurred to provide commissioners with an in-depth look at how staff is proposing to address the influx of cryptocurrency firms interested in electrical hookups throughout Grant County. Since just last summer, Grant PUD has obtained an unprecedented ...

DURING TUESDAY'S MEETING COMMISSIONERS -Heard about a proposed new customer class that would give all traditional commercial and industrial customers priority status for power hookups. (1:27:30 commission audio) The proposed new "Evolving Industry" customer class would provide increased certainty to the large number of cryptocurrency firms interest...

Additional 1,400 residents and businesses to get access in Moses Lake and George EPHRATA, Wash. – Approximately 1,400 Grant County residents and businesses are a step closer to receiving fiber optic internet service this year. Grant PUD staff announced fiber buildout locations in portions of the Moses Lake and George areas to commissioners today du...

Commissioners call for options to ease rate burden on existing crypto firms Weeks after learning that a rate proposal for "evolving industries" would approximately triple the electric-rate burden on Grant County's cryptocurrency mining operations, some Grant PUD commissioners Tuesday asked staff for more options. (4:06:50 of commission audio ) "We'...

Rate Schedule 17 would impact Evolving Industries which applies to cryptocurrency mining EPHRATA — Grant PUD commissioners are asking for public input as they look to finalize the new customer rate class, Schedule 17 – Evolving Industries. Anyone who would like to provide comment regarding the proposed rates class is invited to the July 10 commissi...