Grant 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.

Cox, a retired potato farmer from Warden, represents District B-At Large. Pyle was appointed by commissioners in October 2021 to fill the remainder of the then-vacant District 2 position. Voters in November gave Pyle another six years. Pyle teaches business and economics courses at Big Bend Community College.

Commissioners chose board officers at their Dec. 15, 2022 meeting. This year, Commissioner Cox will be board president, Commissioner Tom Flint, vice president and Commissioner Terry Pyle, secretary. Commissioners Larry Schaapman and Judy Wilson round out the board.

Hear the swearing-in at 2:52:37 on the commission audio.

Recreation visitors survey back this year after COVID hiatus

Grant PUD is again launching its in-person survey of visitors to the utility’s Columbia River-recreation areas to gauge visitor satisfaction with amenities and overall experience.

“This is very, very useful date for us,” Manager of License Compliance & Lands Services Shannon Lowry told commissioners Tuesday of the survey.

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 overall increase of 3% will be allocated partly on Grant PUD’s cost to serve each rate group. The 3% increase and careful financial planning will help the utility withstand the 8.7% impact of inflation to its 2023 budget, which was approved by commissioners in November.

The new rates mean a typical residential customer using 1,700 kilowatt-hours in a month will pay an additional $3.24 a month. By comparison, a large industrial customer with an average monthly usage of 20 million-kilowatt hours would see an increase of $12,600 a month.

“No one likes rising costs,” stated commission President Judy Wilson after the meeting. “This increase is necessary for us to try to keep pace with inflation while at the same time continuing to provide our vital services to our growing county.”

Grant PUD’s proposed all-in Residential power rate of 5.8 cents per kilowatt hour is much lower than the average Washington residential rate of 10.19 cents per kilowatt-hour and the average United States rate of 14.88 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Commissioners also:

-- Heard from Tom Dresser, manager of Fish, Wildlife and Water Quality, that Grant PUD has secured a contract with Irrigation Technology and Control, Inc. of East Wenatchee to drill much-needed wells to increase the supply of water needed for fish and human use at the utility’s Carlton Acclimation Facility in Okanogan County near the community of Carlton. Search for a contractor began prior to the COVID pandemic.

Methow River has naturally migrated away from the facility’s water intake, Dresser has explained. This, coupled with severe cold snaps that can occur in the Methow Basin during February-March, has the potential to restrict water supply when summer chinook salmon are at the facility prior to their release into the river during April-May of each year. 

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 & A...

​Inflation has an impact on Grant PUD's 2023 budget Grant 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 highe...

Oct. 25-26 at the Wanapum Heritage Center Archaeology 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 ...

"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 jawb...

New exhibit at the Wanapum Heritage Center runs through Jan. 15, 2023 MATTAWA —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 ...

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 erosion Commissioners 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...

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 hi...

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 commissi...

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 customer...

Transmission projects will increase electrical capacity in Quincy Grant 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 Transmi...

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 ...

Grant PUD is forecasting that its net income will be approximately $10.9 million less than budgeted, according to a first-quarter financial report given to commissioners during their meeting on May 23. Even with the change in net income, Grant PUD is projecting that it will achieve its financial metrics for liquidity, days cash on hand, debt servic...