Your PUD PUD News Line

1/24/2006

Commissioners to vote on PSE contract Jan. 30

Commissioners plan to vote on a resolution to authorize a 20-year power sales contract with Puget Sound Energy (PSE) at their regular board meeting on Jan. 30. Commissioners are required to table such a resolution for 10 days according to state statute and did so on Jan. 16.

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.

Legislators promote hydropower

State Sen. Linda Parlette is sponsoring a Senate bill that defines hydropower as renewable energy. State Rep. Mike Armstrong has sponsored a similar bill in the House. Andrew Munro, PUD governmental affairs director, reported to commissioners Monday that supporters of setting renewable energy standards for state utilities are expected to file an initiative on the matter by the end of this month.

Chelan County PUD considers hydropower clean and renewable, and hopes any renewable energy standards would include hydropower, as do all but one of the 23 states in the nation who have enacted these standards. Texas has a goal of establishing 10,000-megawatts of hydro. Washington state already produces 21,000 megawatts, more than double the Texas standard.

Home builders seminar Thursday

David Hales, building science specialist from Washington State University, will present a free workshop for local builders from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday in the PUD auditorium. The focus is on building homes that are energy-efficient and environmentally responsible. Click here to learn more.

Stay in touch with your PUD

We’ve made it easier to get important information about the PUD on one page. Go to our Web site, http://www.chelanpud.org/, and click on the PUD logo at the top of the page to visit On the Record. This page also includes more information on the search for a new general manager and on the potential power sales agreement with Puget Sound Energy.

Residents of Chelan County can now find out in seconds if they are in a fiber-optic build zone. Click on the map to access the PUD’s fiber-optics mapping feature.