Your PUD PUD News Line
4/26/2005
Dig in with the Gardening Goddess
You can learn how to cut down on water use without sacrificing a beautiful landscape at a free workshop April 30 at Sleepy Hollow Nursery in Wenatchee.
The workshop will be conducted by Julie Winters, known as the “Gardening Goddess” from her talk show on KOHO Radio. Winters has been a Master Gardener since 1996 and teaches in that program.
The workshop, which will be held from noon to 1 p.m., will feature tips on plant selection. Along with Winters, staff at Sleepy Hollow Nursery can help your choose drought-tolerant perennials, shrubs and trees that best suit your location and lifestyle.
The workshop is sponsored by Chelan County PUD, Sleepy Hollow Nursery and Eden Design. Sleepy Hollow Nursery is located at 1276 Lower Sunnyslope Road.
The nursery’s Web site is www.sleepyhollownurseryinc.com.
Information on the workshops, low-water-use landscaping and water conservation is located at the PUD’s Web site: www.chelanpud.org (click on “Conservation”), or call 661-8008.
Earth Day celebrated with payments to wind and solar producers
Checks or credits were mailed on Earth Day to 24 producers of wind and solar power in the PUD’s SNAP – Sustainable Natural Alternative Power – program. Payments for power produced from April 2004 to April 2005 totaled $32,092, all contributed by voluntary supporters who are PUD customers.
Among the payments were about $3,500 to the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Wenatchee and about $5,500 to the Alcoa Foundation, which will use the funds for community programs.
The Alcoa Foundation and the PUD have also collaborated on a project to install solar panels at 31 schools and nonprofit agencies in Chelan County. The foundation invested about $1 million in materials and labor. Proceeds from the power produced are shared by the agency or school and the foundation.
Once the project is complete, Chelan County will have the most solar generation of any county in the state.
Going underground
Chelan resident Mike Sherer spoke for a group of Chelan County residents to PUD commissioners last week, describing the group’s research and recommendations for converting more overhead PUD power lines to underground.
The group, which was made up of representatives from all areas of the county, met previously with the PUD’s Distribution Department to study the issue, explore creative solutions and develop recommendations for future underground work.
The group considered cost, reliability and aesthetics to recommend that the PUD look into the possibility of allowing neighborhoods to form legally binding groups to decide if they want to convert overhead lines to underground.
They also recommended that residents pay for construction themselves (with help from the PUD to find outside funding) and suggested that the PUD provide materials at a reduced price or no cost.
Staff will report to commissioners after evaluating the customer group’s recommendations.
Summer energy savings tips
Summer is a great time to start saving energy. You can save on power use, save money on your electric bill, and still keep your home cool and comfortable.
Click here for conservation tips.