Your PUD
News Release
Impacts of climate change policy discussed
Chelan County PUD
News Release
4/23/2007
Chelan County PUD is analyzing how potential climate-change actions being developed at the regional, national and global level may impact District operations and its customer-owners.
General Manager Rich Riazzi and Gregg Carrington, External Affairs director, provided background on the issue and outlined how PUD staff is developing principles to focus future efforts.
Commissioners were invited to start thinking about issues such as:
- Whether global warming policies will favorably recognize the PUD’s historic investment in efficiency, renewables and the environment;
- How hydropower can be included as a recognized renewable energy source;
- Whether climate-change incentives should be based on quantity of emissions or source of generation.
Public comment will be an important part of fine-tuning climate-change principles before they are adopted, commissioners and Riazzi said Monday. More meetings are planned for late summer/early fall, after the PUD wraps up its strategic planning process in June.
In the meantime, the PUD is checking energy efficiency at PUD facilities, evaluating how to comply with new state requirements for cost-effective conservation and planning to make the best use of power sources other than hydro.
Other efforts include monitoring developing legislation and Riazzi’s participation on the governor’s new Climate Advisory Team. The team was brought together to decide by February 2008 how the state will meet goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions set out by the governor earlier this year.
Commissioner Dennis Bolz said he was pleased to see the PUD moving forward “intelligently and conservatively” on the issue, rather than debating if climate change is occurring.
FERC rules on PUD’s request to revisit Lake Chelan license issues
General Counsel Carol Wardell and External Affairs Director Gregg Carrington reported on the latest federal action on the new license for the Lake Chelan Hydro Project. The District has been analyzing the new order since it was released last Thursday by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Last November, the District had received a new 50-year federal operating license for the Lake Chelan Project, but the District asked for rehearing by FERC to clarify three issues: 1) liability protection before allowing whitewater boating (kayaking), 2) cost caps on certain items required in the license; 3) expansion of the project boundary for certain wildlife habitat and recreation improvements.
FERC ruled that the PUD must go ahead with a three-year test program on kayaking in the Chelan River Gorge without waiting to resolve all liability concerns. The earliest that kayakers might be able to use the river will be July 2008.
The PUD had also asked FERC to retain cost caps on measures such as dock replacements and erosion control that it had agreed to with state and federal agencies. FERC declined to impose the caps in about half the instances and accepted the other half. FERC did say the PUD could come back for further consideration if costs begin escalating beyond what is expected.
FERC also ruled that the District may be required to bring certain lands into the project boundary, depending on what is contained in a wildlife habitat plan to be submitted later. But FERC said lands requiring only one-time actions by the PUD and required recreational enhancements for the National Park Service and the Forest Service would not require those lands to be added to the project boundary.
Update on 2007 bond sale
Treasurer Debbie Litchfield updated commissioners on plans for a $133 million bond sale next month. The borrowing will capture interest savings by refinancing nearly $94 million in existing debt, and will provide about $39 million for capital projects at the dams and for construction in the electric system. Interest savings of about $17 million are expected from the refinancing.
The bond sale total is down from initial estimates, discussed earlier this month. PUD commissioners will be asked to approve the sale at next week’s meeting.
In other business, commissioners:
- Hired Aztech Electric Inc. of Spokane to expand the Andrew York/Monitor Switchyard for connection to the new Burch Mountain Transmission Line built last year. The firm’s bid of $861,000 was the lowest of three received. Click here for more information about the project.
- Accepted a $5.3 million, 0.5-percent interest loan from the state to finance water system improvements. The money will provide 85 percent of the cost to replace three small, aging water reservoirs with a 2 million-gallon reservoir, upgrade two central pumping plants and install 4,300 feet of new water line. Work will begin this year on the pumping plants. Construction of the reservoir on five acres near the Western Heights subdivision in Wenatchee is slated for 2009.
- Heard from two of eight students who completed six-week internships at the PUD as part of the new Energy Technology program at Wenatchee Valley College. Tyler Evans and Tony Larimer recapped their experiences with PUD crews and thanked the commission for the opportunity to see how their class work applies on the job.
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PUD commissioners set a special meeting for noon to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, at the Walnut Café, 106 Cottage Ave., to attend the Cashmere Customer Partnership Group meeting. Commissioners also set 10 more special meetings for May through July to attend other customer partnership group meetings. A list of the meetings will be posted on the PUD Web site.
The next regular meeting of the PUD commission is at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 30, in the boardroom at 327 N. Wenatchee Ave. (note the early start).
Most 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
509-661-4320, direct line
509-679-6858, cell
kimc@chelanpud.org