Your PUD News Release

Bids sought to build Burch Mountain transmission line

Chelan County PUD
News Release
1/23/2006

PUD commissioners Monday called for bids to build a new high-voltage transmission line from the Rocky Reach Switchyard over Burch Mountain to the Andrew York/Monitor Switchyard on Easy Street, north of Wenatchee.

The cost of construction for the 8.5-mile transmission line is estimated at $3.8 million. The PUD has already purchased the poles, power line and related equipment for the 230-kilovolt line.

If the contract is awarded as scheduled on March 8, construction is expected to take about eight months.

In other business, commissioners:

• Thanked state Sen. Linda Parlette for her sponsorship of 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 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.   
• Approved a raise of 5.8 percent for the assistant general manager of Customer and Environmental Services. Interim General Manager Wayne Wright will return to that position when a new PUD general manager is hired. Wright is receiving 15 percent of his base salary, now $150,050 a year, as additional compensation during his time as interim general manager. 

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Commissioners recessed Monday’s meeting at 4:45 p.m. to reconvene at 6 p.m. for a dinner meeting near Quincy of Mid-Columbia PUD commissioners and managers.  

The next regular meeting of the PUD commission is at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, in the boardroom, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave.

PUD commission meetings are recorded, and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page at www.chelanpud.org.

Kimberlee Craig
Public Information Officer
661-4320, direct line
679-6858, cell
kimc@chelanpud.org