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Monthly meter reading starts July 1

Chelan County PUD
News Release
6/20/2005

Chelan County PUD commissioners heard Monday a report on the utility’s July move to monthly reading of electric meters.

Commissioners approved the change to monthly meter reading in February of this year after hearing customer frustration with reading meters every other month and estimating consumption in the off month.

John Stoll, Customer Service director, detailed the process his department has gone through to make the change from bimonthly to monthly billing a smooth one for customer-owners.

Stoll also reported that information will be sent out to customers in their July bills explaining the potential change to their read date, which could change the date their power bill arrives and is due.

A change to a bill date could also result in a one-time prorated bill.

Overall, Stoll reported, customers are pleased that the PUD is moving to monthly meter reading.

In other business, commissioners:

• Approved an agreement with the state Department of Revenue to continue to collect, and remit to the state, retail sales tax from telecommunications service providers. The DOR has asked that all public utility districts that transmit telephone and Internet services over their equipment collect and remit taxes on these transactions. This will not be a change to Chelan County PUD policy, as the utility was already collecting retail sales tax and forwarding it, as well as business and occupation tax, to the state.
• Authorized a $284,313 agreement with Wave Broadband, Kirkland, for wholesale transport of Seattle television channels to the District’s video headend. This will allow the PUD’s service providers to offer these “local” channels to their customers. The PUD will be reimbursed for these costs through service provider payments for access to the PUD’s wholesale telecommunications network. Commissioner Werner Janssen voted against the agreement.
• Received a report on the PUD’s low-income senior and low-income disabled persons discounts. Chelan County PUD is the only regional electric utility to offer such programs, which reduce bills by an average of 15 percent. Customers apply for the discounts through the Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council, which also connects people in need with federal and other regional programs, like Chelan County PUD’s Helping Hand program.
• Passed a motion to allow the PUD’s general manager to sign an agreement with Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to obtain an easement required to construct a transmission line from Rocky Reach Dam across Burch Mountain into the Andrew York Switchyard near Monitor. The line is needed for power reliability to the area. In the agreement, which could be approved by WDFW this week, Chelan County PUD agrees to work with the agency on mitigation for use of WDFW lands. 

***

The next regular meeting of the PUD commission will start at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 27, 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 Specialist
509.661.4258
509.421.4258, cell
christin@chelanpud.org