New year, new commissioners and officers at Grant PUD Judy Wilson and Nelson Cox officially took their seats on the Grant PUD Commission Tuesday, after a swearing-in by Grant County Superior Court Judge David Estudillo. Wilson defeated Commissioner Terry Brewer for the 6-year, District 1 spot, becoming the second woman in the history of Grant PUD t...

Top Stories:Decision delayed on proposed contract for general manager Grant County PUD commissioners Tuesday agreed by split decision to table discussion on a proposed employment contract for General Manager Kevin Nordt. Neither Commissioner Bob Bernd, who retires from the board at the end of this year, nor Commissioner Terry Brewer who'll also lea...

Top Stories Fiber to get $12.6 million more in 2019 budget Commissioners Tuesday approved a $292.4 million budget for 2019 that includes a 2-percent increase in retail electric-rate revenue and $12.6 million in new funding to speed build-out of the fiber-optic network to the 30 percent of Grant County residents who still don't have access. Together...

Utility to work with Washington Department of Ecology to prepare permit applicationEPHRATA — Grant PUD will submit an application to the Washington State Department of Ecology's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The Department of Ecology is fully authorized by the Environmental Protection Agency to administer t...

Top Story Proposed Budget to include $12.6 million more for faster fiber build-outA majority of Grant PUD commissioners Tuesday said they would like to add $12.6 million more to the proposed 2019 budget to speed fiber-optic build-out to the 30 percent of Grant County residents who still don't have access. An investment of $12.6 million annually for...

By Kevin Nordt, general manager, Grant PUDIt's no secret that we expect to begin outgrowing our ultimate share of power from Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams in the early 2020s. That's based on our current pattern of above-average load growth of about 30-35 megawatts/year. The "ultimate share" refers not only to our physical portion of power, which w...

Commissioners support more funding for faster fiber build-out Commissioners voiced strong consensus Tuesday for more money in the 2019 budget for fiber-optic network build-out and shortening from 10 to five years the proposed time to finish extending the network to all Grant County residents. (3:17 on the recording. See budget presentation here) Th...

Donated food and funding will benefit local food banks throughout Grant County Grant PUD employees are hosting our first "Fill the Bucket" Community Food Drive to benefit local food banks. As a community-wide event, there are multiple ways that everyone throughout Grant County can participate to help those in need.Beginning the week of Oct. 22, cus...

Reservoir now operating normally EPHRATA — Grant PUD officials, working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, removed the non-failure emergency condition at Priest Rapids Dam earlier today. The dam had been operating under the non-failure emergency condition since March 28, when leaking water was discovered in the dam's spillway monoliths ...

More money for fiber build-out recurring theme at budget hearings Grant PUD commissioners hosted the first of three public hearings at Tuesday's commission meeting to discuss next year's proposed $279.6 million budget, which includes a 2-percent increase in 2019 electric-rate revenue toward a goal of much lower increases in 2020 and beyond. (2:42 o...

One day for adults. Two days for youth. Insights, fun and learning for all. MATTAWA — The Wanapum People and Grant PUD invite you to the Wanapum Heritage Center for Archaeology Days 2018. Youth Days, Oct. 29 and 31, 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Both days are already booked solid with hundreds of visiting students. Space is still available for homeschoole...

Grant PUD commissioners to hold public budget hearingsCustomers invited to attend the hearings, ask questions and provide comment. Grant PUD Commissioners will host three budget hearings before adopting the utility's 2019 budget. The budget hearings are held in locations throughout the county to more easily allow customers an opportunity to attend ...

Note: This meeting was not recorded because it took place at Grant PUD's Hydro Office Building in BeverlyGrant PUD commissioners received a first look of the 2019 budget during their meeting at the Hydro Office Building near Wanapum Dam on Tuesday, Sept. 25. The presentation will be shown to customers during three budget hearings on Oct. 9 and 11. ...

Initiative 1631, which will appear on the state's November ballot, would impose a fee on carbon emissions that could result in a 5 percent — $16 million — increase in average annual costs for Grant PUD.That's the latest estimate by Grant PUD analysts Jeremy Nolan and Paul Dietz. The estimate is based on the six-year period following the year when l...

The Wanapum Heritage Center will exhibit the work of Lee Moorhouse (1850-1926), a noted photopgrapher from Pendleton, Oregon, who produced more than 9,000 images of urban, rural and Native American life in the Columbia Plateau from 1888 to 1916. Moorhouse's photographs of the Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla are of particular significance for the ...

By Thomas Stredwick Sr. manager of wholesale fiber for Grant County PUDBouncing along the back roads of Grant County you wouldn't know that you are likely cruising past one of the most state-of-the-art superhighways in the country. As communities throughout the country scramble to extend reliable, robust broadband, Grant County Public Utility Distr...

Wheeling-fees conversation continues with irrigators, Bureau The issue of fees charged to the Federal Bureau of Reclamation for wheeling services was back as a topic of discussion during Tuesday's meeting. Commissioners heard directly from both PUD staff and the Quincy-Basin Irrigation District regarding a proposed new contract that would establish...

Phase-in of new Evolving Industry rate to begin April 1 New rate responds to large influx of high-power cryptocurrency miners, protects Grant PUD and its customers from risk. Starting April 1, cryptocurrency miners and other "evolving-industry" firms will pay the first of a three-year, graduated increase to a new, above-cost electric rate designed ...

Grant PUD staff proposes phase-in of Evolving Industry rate Grant PUD staff proposes to phase in the new Evolving Industry Rate 17 over three years in graduated increments of 15 percent the first year, 35 percent the second year and 50 percent the third year. If approved, the first increase would begin April 1, 2019, commissioners heard Tuesday. (1...

Commissioners to consider options as discussion continues On July 31, Grant PUD staff members presented a recommendation to commissioners for a multi-year phase-in of new rates for customers in the proposed Evolving Industry rate class. The recommendation was given to the commissioners during a special workshop in the Ephrata Commission Room to dis...