Your PUD PUD News Line

1/5/2006

Remember Jan. 9 public meeting

Commissioners will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 9 at the Wenatchee Center to discuss the proposed Puget Sound Energy power sales contract. PUD General Counsel Carol Wardell and the negotiating team will outline the new 20-year contract and answer questions from the public.

The agreement, which would allocate to PSE 25 percent of the power output from Rocky Reach and Rock Island dams in exchange for paying 25 percent of the costs, would maintain local control for Chelan County PUD and provide long-term financial stability.

If you can’t attend the meeting and want to send a comment to the Board of Commissioners, click here.

PUD financial outlook upgraded to AA stable

Chief Financial Officer Joe Jarvis reported to commissioners Tuesday that Standard & Poor’s, a financial rating agency, has upgraded the PUD’s AA bond rating from a negative outlook to a stable outlook. The upgrade reflects the agency’s confidence in the PUD’s AA rating, citing “exceptionally low power supply costs,” “very low retail rates” and other strengths.

Settlement agreement a big step for Rocky Reach relicensing

PUD commissioners have been provided the latest details of a $394 million agreement in principle for the terms of a new 50-year license for the Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project. When all parties agree to license terms and conditions, it usually speeds up the relicensing process. The preliminary agreement was reached with local and regional stakeholders and will go to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for consideration after participants sign a final version in the next month or two.

General manager search moves to next steps

Commissioners and Jerrold Oldani, a senior vice president of Waters-Oldani Executive Recruitment of Dallas, are now working to compile a profile for potential candidates for a new PUD general manager. The profile and job description should be ready for applicants within the next week or two.

Board members appointed Wayne Wright interim general manager in October and held eight public meetings across the county in November to gather public comment on the process and what they wanted from their next PUD general manager. They hope to have a finalist by April.

Cashmere getting fiber

Cashmere residents will see PUD crews begin construction of fiber-optic cable to more than 400 homes and businesses in Cashmere over the next few months. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of June 2006. To check fiber availability and a list of service providers, visit www.chelanpud.org/fiber, or call 661-4151.

PUD commissioners elect 2006 officers

Chelan County PUD commissioners named their 2006 officers this week, electing Gary Montague, of Wenatchee, as president of the Board of Commissioners. This is Montague’s second chance to serve as board president since being elected in the fall of 1998.

PUD Commissioner Norm Gutzwiler, on the board since 2003, was elected vice president. Ann Congdon was elected secretary. Commissioners voted to cancel the assistant secretary position. All the positions are for one year.

Click here to learn more about your commissioners.