Your PUD
News Release
2006 PUD budget approved
Chelan County PUD
News Release
12/5/2005
PUD commissioners Monday approved a $284 million 2006 budget after months of presentations from PUD staff. The 2005 budget is $259 million.
Much of the $25.3 million increase will be spent next year on major capital construction projects such as modernizing units in Rock Island Dam’s first powerhouse, adding a new transmission line and continuing modernization of generators at Rocky Reach Dam. The District’s fiber-optic build-out will also continue, along with fish survival studies.
TJ Farrell, PUD budget supervisor, answered questions and reminded commissioners that the proposed budget includes no electric, water or wastewater rate increases and no new debt; although the PUD may refinance some existing bonds to get lower interest rates.
Power sales contract discussed
PUD commissioners Monday received a staff recommendation for a post-2011 power sales contract with Puget Sound Energy (PSE).
The 20-year 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.
The contract would allow the PUD to pay down debt, pay for some future capital improvements at the dams without borrowing, and PSE would provide an $89 million payment as soon as contract is approved.
In other business, commissioners:
- Authorized hiring Waters-Oldani Executive Recruitment, Dallas, to help conduct the search for a new general manager. Jerrold Oldani, a senior vice president of the firm, met with commissioners Friday and lives in Bellevue. Hiring an executive search firm is one of several steps being taken by commissioners to find the PUD’s next general manager.
- Received an update from Environmental Affairs Director Tracy Yount on a ruling pending from federal District Court Judge James A. Redden in Oregon regarding a challenge to the federal order for operation of the Columbia River system. Yount reported that Chelan, Douglas and Grant County PUDs, the state of Washington and the governor’s office, and upper Columbia tribes have joined to detail potential impacts on the Columbia River system if extra spill is ordered for fish passage. The judge will take oral arguments on Dec. 15 and is expected to rule sometime in January.
- Canceled the Dec. 27 commission meeting.
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The next regular meeting of the PUD commission will start at 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 12, in the boardroom of the Headquarters Building, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave.
Most PUD commission meetings are recorded and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s Web site, www.chelanpud.org.
Christy Shearer
Communications Audio-visual Specialist
509.661.4258
509.421.4258, cell
christy.shearer@chelanpud.org