Cryptocurrency mining operations in Grant County will get a far smaller rate increase April 1 than originally forecast, if commissioners approve the staff recommendation, announced Tuesday. Connection requests from this high-energy-use group has declined from 402 average megawatts of electricity to just under 90 average megawatts since the first of...

Data sharing Why do salmon sometimes break with ancestral tradition and return from the ocean to spawn in a stream other than their "birth" stream? Are they rebels? Rugged individualists? Troublemakers? Two Grant PUD fisheries scientists, Todd Pearsons and Rod O'Conner, recently had an article on our experiences with "straying salmon" published in ...

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...

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...

Lessons learned from 2019 to help future fiber expansion Although 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 Bret...

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 ratings EPHRATA — 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 mark...

Three route alternatives considered for new 115-kilovolt transmission line in Royal City After 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 ...

Approximately 75 irrigation customers attended our first Irrigation Workshop at the Grant County Fairgrounds, Dec. 11, in what promises to become an annual or biennial (every two years) event. Grant PUD subject-matter experts talk about Grant PUD's 2020 budget — which includes no rate increase for the second consecutive year — our expectations for ...

This 100,000-pound, 115 kV, transformer arrived at the Randolph Road Substation Dec. 5 from its manufacturer, Virginia Transformer Corp. of Pocatello, Idaho. Grant PUD is in the process of expanding the substation from its current footprint of 29,830 sq. ft. to 40,035 sq. ft. Improvements include one new transformer line-up to the existing two line...

About eight of every 10 Grant PUD customers show high levels of satisfaction with the utility, according to the results of a recent telephone survey among customers throughout the county. Senior Manager of External Affairs, Andrew Munro, told commissioners that the results of the biennial survey showed an overall satisfaction score of 82%, down fro...

The Grant PUD electric system from Royal City north to Quincy and Ephrata will become more resilient to power outages and gain capacity for new customers following a 2-year, approximately $58 million package of upgrades slated to begin construction in mid-2020. Total project cost will be refined in the coming months. Grant PUD project managers Davi...

EPHRATA — Grant PUD commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved a $291 million budget for 2020 with no electric-rate increase for any customer group except the approximately 25 cryptocurrency mining operations classified as "evolving industries."A solid revenue outlook through 2024 and years of careful budgeting and planning have Grant PUD well-posi...

​Grant PUD employees and customers achieved the goal of having enough donated food to fill the extra-large two-man line truck bucket during the annual Fill-the-Bucket Food Drive last week. The drive, which is a joint effort between Grant PUD and the IBEW Local 77, collected food for local Grant County food banks at Grant PUD's local offices and wit...

Fill-the-Bucket Food Drive 2019 happens Nov. 18 to 22 and includes a food-collection event at the Moses Lake Walmart Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Food donations will be collected in the local offices and HOB for area food banks. Non-perishable foods only, please. The food drive is a great way to interact with the community. Anyone who w...

Commissioners unanimously agreed Tuesday that no Grant PUD customer, except those classified as "evolving industry" under Rate 17, will receive an electric-rate increase in 2020. Commissioners Tom Flint, Judy Wilson and Nelson Cox were present for the vote. They said the absent commissioners, Dale Walker and Larry Schaapman, also agreed. "This is a...

 Ancient tradition and modern ingenuity were both on display for the nearly 400 area students who attended Archaeology Days at the Wanapum Heritage center on Oct. 15. The first day of this year's 2-day event was geared toward students who enjoyed numerous hands-on and educational activities. Student activities included hide processing, atlatl ...

Record participation for a good cause at King of the Reach salmon derby  VERNITA — Young Alex Herrera pulled back on the rod, the line taught, his back arched against the strain as if he were battling a deep-sea marlin or sail fish. He may as well have been. A video shot by his uncle Jose Merced shows the 9-year-old from Pasco landing a nearly...

​This column by Malcolm Woolf, president and CEO of the National Hydropower Association, appeared Oct. 22, 2019 in The Hill, a Washington D.C.-based news website covering politics and government. The path to carbon free flows through hydropower BY MALCOLM WOOLF, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR The Hill 10/22/19 https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-en...